cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Natural convection heat and mass transfer in a semi-cylindrical enclosure filled with a heat generating porous media

Abstract Two-dimensional heat and mass transfer through a porous media is modelled for an infinite semi-cylindrical enclosure using the Darcy flow model, the energy equation and the chemical species equation. Buoyancy flows are induced by the internal generation of heat and the diffusion of chemical species from a concentration difference applied across boundaries. Runs were made at internal heat generation rates ranging from Ra = 300 to Ra = 1200 ; with both permeable and impermeable outer boundaries; and with dimensionless concentration differences of 0.6 and 1.0.
The creep and fracture resistance of γ-TiAl reinforced with Al2O3 fibers

The creep properties and microstructures of [gamma]-TiAl reinforced with continuous Al[sub 2]O[sub 3] fibers have been investigated. Novel fiber coating concepts have been used to create weak fiber/matrix interfaces that allow the fibers to impart enhanced creep and fracture resistance, simultaneously. Several major facets of the creep behavior were identified. Under conditions of limited fiber fracture, creep-resistant sapphire fibers were found to limit longitudinal creep to a short transient strain, consistent with model predictions. At the same time, the interlaminar shear creep properties were found to be insensitive to fiber reinforcement, again consistent with predictions. It was also demonstrated that the weak interfaces were maintained after creep and resulted in significant levels of toughening.
Literature-based discovery by lexical statistics

We report experiments that use lexical statistics, such as word frequency counts, to discover hidden connections in the medical literature. Hidden connections are those that are unlikely to be found by examination of bibliographic citations or the use of standard indexing methods and yet establish a relationship between topics that might profitably be explored by scientific research. Our experiments were conducted with the MEDLINE medical literature database and follow and extend the work of Swanson.
Extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 suppression aggravates transforming growth factor-beta1 hepatotoxicity: a potential mechanism for liver injury in methionine-choline deficient-diet-fed mice.

Hepatocyte cell death is a characteristic indication in the development of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH); however, the underlying mechanism is still unclear. In this study, we examined the potential mechanism(s) involved in the development of liver injury using a methionine-choline deficient (MCD) diet feeding NASH model. Male C57BL6/J mice were fed MCD and methionine-choline sufficient (MCS) diet for two weeks before being killed. Our results showed that MCD diet feeding resulted in fatty liver and liver injury, evidenced by increased hepatic triglyceride (TG), plasma alanine aminotransferases and hepatic thiobarbituric acid reactive substances levels in MCD-fed mice. Furthermore, we found that MCD diet feeding caused remarkable suppression of hepatic extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) 1/2 activation and increased transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 levels in plasma and the liver tissue. In vitro investigations showed that intracellular MEK/ERK1/2 activation status played a critical r...
Transplantable pancreatic carcinoma of the rat

Pancreatic carcinoma, which developed in a male Fischer 344 rat fed 0.1% nafenopin for 20 months, is being successfully transplanted into weanling rats. The tumor cells contain variable numbers of zymogen granules, and the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus appear prominent. This transplantable tumor, which displays substantial amylase and lipase activity, should serve as a useful model system for immuno- and chemotherapeutic experiments, as well as for the study of synthesis, storage, and release of zymogen proteins in neoplastic cells.
An empirical comparison of B-trees, compact B-trees and multiway trees

It is well-known that the B-tree data structure yields excellent worst-case search costs and for that reason is widely employed in the organization of external files and in the implementation of data bases. In this paper, we examine general B-trees empirically and compare them with a less restrictive structure, the general multiway tree, and a more restrictive structure, the compact B-tree. We compare search costs, insertion costs, and space costs of these three structures for both small and large orders and indicate their relative utility for large and small data sets. Although there are cases when general multiway trees are more effective than B-trees, this is not the case for most practical situations. Compact B-trees are also shown to degrade rapidly in the presence of insertions and are therefore only useful for static data sets.
Influence of temperature on slow flow in populations of regenerating axons with different elongation velocities

Abstract The slow intra-axonal transport mechanisms may be subdivided into 4 elementary processes: (a) protein synthesis; (b) release of the slow material from the cell body; (c) transport of the molecules along the axon; and (d) deposition of the material from the moving phase into the immobile axonal constituents. These 4 components of the slow flow mechanisms are differently affected by temperature and react differently to axonal regeneration. They have been studied at temperatures ranging from 10 to 35 °C, in 3 different populations of regenerating C-fibers of the garfish olfactory nerve. These 3 classes of axons have very different elongation properties as determined by elongation rates ranging from a minimum of 0.3 mm/day at 14 °C to a maximum of 12.4 mm/day at 35 °C. From this study several properties of the slow intra-axonal transport mechanism can be underlined: (a) in regenerating nerves the rate of slow flow is multiplied by a factor of 3.3 as compared to the rate characteristic of an intact nerve. A similar increase was measured in every regenerating phase regardless of the specific elongation velocity of the growing axons. This accelerated rate of slow flow has been measured previously in degenerating axons detached from their perikarya: therefore the rate increase appears to be triggered by the injury rather than the needs of the neuron; (b) protein synthesis represents one of the main steps controlling axonal elongation. Neurons with the most active level of protein synthesis grow with the highest elongation velocity; (c) the somal releasing times decrease exponentially with temperature but are identical to the values measured in intact neurons; (d) finally the height of the slow flow peak decreases exponentially as a function of the distance, as seen previously in intact nerves, but a significantly larger amount of radioactivity reaches the end of the nerve. It can be concluded that slow flow is intimately linked with the regeneration process. The rate of slow flow and more specifically of Scb represents the upper limit that can be reached by the elongation velocities of regenerating fibers when all the growth conditions are maximal. When the regenerating conditions are not at their peak, the axonal elongation proceeds at velocities which can be very significantly slower than the rate of slow flow and might be determined by the level of protein synthesis in the perikarya. Axonal elongation, however, can never proceed at a rate faster than slow flow.
Note on a combinatorial problem in topological biology

In connection with a previous paper, an expression is derived for the number of possibilities in whichn distinguishable elements can be distributed intom≤n classes, so that each class contains at least one element.
Stress responsivity among dysmenorrheic women at different phases of their menstrual cycle: More ado about nothing

Abstract Dysmenorrheic and nondysmenorrheic women in the follicular, luteal and menstrual phase of their menstrual cycle participated in a stressful laboratory procedure. Pulse rate, pulse volume and skin conductance were measured continuously during baseline, during confrontation of three stressful tasks (i.e. stress-reactivity periods) and following each confrontation (i.e. stress-recovery periods). The hypothesis that dysmenorrheic S s in the menstrual phase of their cycle would show greater stress responsitivity was generally not confirmed, and the broader contention that women differ in their stress responsivity as a function of their menstrual cycle phase was shown to be of questionable validity.
Brequinar derivatives and species-specific drug design for dihydroorotate dehydrogenase

Therapeutic agents brequinar sodium and leflunomide (Arava™) work by binding in a hydrophobic tunnel formed by a highly variable N-terminus of family 2 dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH). The X-ray crystallographic structure of an analog of brequinar bound to human DHODH was determined. In silico screening of a library of compounds suggested another subset of brequinar analogs that do not inhibit human DHODH as potentially effective inhibitors of Plasmodium falciparum DHODH.
Piezoelectricity in lead zirconate titanate nanowires: A theoretical study

The piezoelectric coefficients for lead zirconate titanate (PZT) being an order of magnitude higher than the piezoelectric semiconductors, it is expected that this piezoceramic would be very promising for mechanical energy harvesting. This paper presents a systematic evaluation of the piezoelectric potential generated in charge-free PZT nanowires upon application of mechanical strain in different directions. Similar to wurtzite semiconductor nanowires, in case of PZT wires of rocksalt crystal structure, it is found that the stretching modes generate higher potential than the bending mode. However, in spite of high piezoelectric coefficients, the piezoelectric potential generated from these piezoceramic wires is much lower than the semiconductor nanowires because of their high dielectric constant.
HIV-1 Nef Disrupts Intracellular Trafficking of Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I, CD4, CD8, and CD28 by Distinct Pathways That Share Common Elements

The Nef protein is an important HIV virulence factor that promotes the degradation of host proteins to augment virus production and facilitate immune evasion. The best-characterized targets of Nef are major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) and CD4, but Nef also has been reported to target several other proteins, including CD8β, CD28, CD80, CD86, and CD1d. To compare and contrast the effects of Nef on each protein, we constructed a panel of chimeric proteins in which the extracellular and transmembrane regions of the MHC-I allele HLA-A2 were fused to the cytoplasmic tails of CD4, CD28, CD8β, CD80, CD86, and CD1d. We found that Nef coprecipitated with and disrupted the expression of molecules with cytoplasmic tails from MHC-I HLA-A2, CD4, CD8β, and CD28, but Nef did not bind to or alter the expression of molecules with cytoplasmic tails from CD80, CD86, and CD1d. In addition, we used short interfering RNA (siRNA) knockdown and coprecipitation experiments to implicate AP-1 as a cellular cofactor for Nef in the downmodulation of both CD28 and CD8β. The interaction with AP-1 required for CD28 and CD8β differed from the AP-1 interaction required for MHC-I downmodulation in that it was mediated through the dileucine motif within Nef (LL(164,165)AA) and did not require the tyrosine binding pocket of the AP-1 μ subunit. In addition, we demonstrate a requirement for β-COP as a cellular cofactor for Nef that was necessary for the degradation of targeted molecules HLA-A2, CD4, and CD8. These studies provide important new information on the similarities and differences with which Nef affects intracellular trafficking and help focus future research on the best potential pharmaceutical targets.
A comparative analysis of disability measures and their relation to home health care use.

ABSTRACT This study examines the relationship between various definitions of disability and the use of home health care. Using data from the 1993 Survey of Asset and Health Dynamics among the Oldest Old, four measures of disability are constructed based on the concepts of difficulty and assistance. Logistic regression techniques are used to examine differences across measures in the probability of home health care use for specific subgroups of the older population (e.g., married Black females, unmarried White males). Home health care use was most likely when the presence of both assistance and difficulty were included in the definition of disability. Regardless of the measure used, women, Whites, and unmarried people had higher likelihoods of using home health care than men, Blacks, and married people respectively. If used as a service eligibility criterion, an inclusive measure of disability would result in a large number of potential service users. Efforts to control expenditures through the use of a na...
The influence of parental attitudes and behaviors on children's attitudes toward gender and household labor in early adulthood

The paper assesses parental influences on young adults' attitudes toward gendered family roles, housework allocation, and housework enjoyment. The effects of parents' housework allocation, educational attainment, and religious participation are examined, as well as mothers' gender role attitudes and labor force participation. Using data from an intergenerational panel study, the analysis finds that children's ideal allocation of housework at age 18 is predicted by maternal gender role attitudes when the children were very young and by the parental division of housework when the children were adolescents. Adult children's gender role attitudes are associated with maternal gender role attitudes measured during both early childhood and midadolescence. Language: en
Effect of inhomogeneous stress on the selectivity of membranes

Abstract A theory is presented in which stress undergoing spatial fluctuations on a mesoscopic length scale is shown to be capable of increasing the separation factors of membrane—penetrant systems, provided it is of sufficient magnitude, i.e., if the ratio of the stored elastic energy to the thermal energy exceeds unity. The theory is developed in schematic form for a one-dimensional case and is used to demonstrate that membranes consisting of glassy polymers can meet the stated criterion. Extrapolation to the three-dimensional case indicates that such fluctuating stresses produce “blurred supersieves” in which the widths of the channels depend on the partial molar volumes of the penetrants in the membrane phase. This effect accounts for the increased selectivity. The theory also predicts the frequently observed behavior in which increased selectivity is accompanied by decreased membrane permeability. The theory is not in conflict with most of the conventional theories of membrane selectivity where mechanisms are considered on the molecular scale o length so that these mechanisms could still be operative while the new mechanism simply enhances the separation factor based on the conventional ones. It is suggested that treatments of membranes that lead to morphological heterogeneity on the mesoscopic scale can produce the desired fluctuating stress fields.
Thermal desorption effects in chemical vapor deposition of silicon nanoparticles

Abstract Silicon nanoparticles are grown via ultra high vacuum chemical vapor deposition (UHV-CVD) on SiO 2 and Si 3 N 4 covered Si(1 0 0) substrates using disilane. Temperature programmed desorption spectra demonstrate the presence of H 2 and SiO desorption features at 770 and 900 K, respectively, which are in the 750–1000 K temperature range that is typical for nanoparticle growth via CVD. The lower temperature limit (∼750 K) for nanoparticle growth is related to hydrogen desorption from the nanoparticle surface just as in epitaxial growth. SiO desorption is shown to hinder silicon adatom accumulation and nanoparticle nucleation on SiO 2 at temperatures as low as 875 K, giving an upper temperature limit for dense nanoparticle growth. Optimum conditions for nanoparticle growth on SiO 2 are found within this narrow temperature window (750–875 K), and densities up to 8×10 11 cm −2 are obtained within. Depletion of surface silicon is not observed on Si 3 N 4 substrates, and this allows high-density nanoparticles to be grown at much higher temperatures.
The ideal strength of gold under uniaxial stress: an ab initio study.

We employ an ab initio calculation based on density functional theory to investigate the ideal strength of face-centered cubic crystal Au under uniaxial stress along the [100] direction. We show that the stability of the perfect Au crystal under tensile stress is determined by the tetragonal shear stiffness modulus, with an ideal tensile strength of 4.2 GPa and the corresponding Lagrangian tensile strain of ~ 0.07. The potential bifurcation from the primary uniaxial loading path is along the tetragonal shear. Under compressive stress, there is a stress-free body-centered cubic phase, which is unstable and ready to transform to a stress-free body-centered tetragonal phase with lower internal energy. The stable region is from − 1.6 to 4.2 GPa in the ideal strength, or from − 0.07 to 0.07 in the Lagrangian strain.
Diagnostic Load Testing of Two-Way Posttensioned Concrete Slab

Diagnostic load testing techniques have been used to verify in situ that existing structures have the required load-carrying capacity. This paper discusses the diagnostic load testing and finite-element modeling of a two-way posttensioned concrete slab with the purpose of illustrating the features of this full-scale testing method. The slab was modeled using a commercial finite-element package and the results were verified experimentally. The test loads were applied using hydraulic jacks. Negative internal bending moments were generated at critical locations equivalent to those produced by a 92 psf (4.40 kPa) superimposed uniformly distributed load. Positive internal bending moments were also produced equivalent to those resulting from a superimposed load of 159 psf (7.61 kPa). The full-scale diagnostic load testing proved to be a valuable tool for the assessment of the structure's capacity.
Cholesterol screening should be targeted

For primary prevention of coronary heart disease (CHD), the American College of Physicians (ACP) has recommended that initial cholesterol screening be targeted to people who have other risk factors in addition to elevated cholesterol. This would include those with symptoms of heart disease, asymptomatic men 35–65 years old and women 45–65 years old, or younger people who have ≥2 risk factors or who might benefit from treatment for high blood cholesterol. After the age of 75, cholesterol is no longer a risk factor, so there is no rationale for testing. In primary prevention, lipoprotein fractionation should be performed in men and women who have been identified as having elevated blood cholesterol levels, not as part of initial testing. In secondary prevention, some studies indicate that cholesterol reduction may be beneficial after age 65. In asymptomatic younger people without other risk factors, the low prevalence of CHD and rapid response to cholesterol reduction once it is initiated suggest that early screening and treatment are unnecessary. Everyone should adopt the lifestyle modifications conducive to cardiovascular health, but the ACP believes that, for primary prevention, universal screening is neither cost effective nor the best use of the patient's and physician's time.
Application of the ARMA method to acoustic detection of coronary artery disease

To further explore the application of advanced signal processing techniques to the noninvasive detection of coronary artery disease, 30 patients (10 angioplasty and 20 normal or abnormal) were tested using autoregressive moving average (ARMA) modelling of the disastolic heart sound data. It is during diastole that coronary blood flow is maximum and sounds associated with turbulent blood flow through partially occluded coronary arteries would be loudest. Model parameters (the power spectral density (PSD) functions and the poles of the ARMA method) were used to separate the normal patients from the abnormal patients in the normal/ abnormal study, or to decide whether the recordings were made before or after angioplasty in the angioplasty study. The decisions were made ‘blind’, without knowledge of the actual disease states of the patients for the normal/abnormal study and without prior knowledge of whether a given recording was made before or after angioplasty for the angioplasty study. Results from the angioplasty and the normal/abnormal studies showed that pre- and post-angioplasty records were correctly distinguished in 8 out of 10 cases, and normal and abnormal records were correctly distinguished in 17 of 20 cases. These results also confirmed that high frequency energy above 400 Hz is probably associated with coronary stenosis.
On-chip spectrophotometry for bioanalysis using nanophotonic devices

We measure optical absorption from color-producing enzymatic reactions for biochemical antigen detection using a microscale optofluidic device. The microring cavity can detect absorbance with high sensitivity while requiring only nanoliter volumes of reagants.
Memory CD8+ T Cells Undergo Peripheral Tolerance

Abstract Memory T cells differ from naive T cells in that they respond more rapidly and in greater numbers. In addition, memory T cells are generally believed to be less susceptible to tolerance induction than naive T cells. In this study, we show that this is not the case. Using two different methods of tolerance induction, peptide-induced tolerance and crosstolerance, we present evidence that memory CD8 + T cells are as susceptible to tolerance as naive cells. These results have a direct impact on manipulating T cell responses to self-antigens in order to improve immunotherapy of cancer and autoimmune diseases.
Asbestosis, endobronchial Aspergillus infection, and bronchocentric granulomatosis presenting with hemoptysis.

A patient with pulmonary asbestosis developed hemoptysis and a lesion on chest radiograph secondary to bronchocentric granulomatosis (BG) associated withAspergillus fumigatus. Although pulmonaryAspergillus infection is a known complication of asbestos exposure, BG has not been previously reported in this disorder. This patient’s case further documents thatAspergillus hyphae may be present in BG unassociated with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. A wide range of processes affecting airways, including asbestos exposure, may be associated with bronchocentric granulomatosis.
Site‐specificity of ethanol‐induced dephosphorylation of rat hepatocyte keratins 8 and 18: A 31P NMR study

Chronic feeding of ethanol to rats results in disorganization of the keratin intermediate filament network within hepatocytes. Previous studies from this laboratory have shown that intermediate filament organization in cultured cells is related to the phosphorylation state of the proteins. Therefore, we have examined the phosphorylation state of hepatocyte keratins from control and ethanol-fed rats. Feeding ethanol to rats results in dephosphorylation of one site on keratin 8 and one site on keratin 18 at all time points beginning with 6 weeks of ethanol treatment. Dephosphorylation was detected by phosphate analysis and by two-dimensional electrophoresis in which a change in isoelectric point of keratins from ethanol-fed rats was observed. These observations indicate that dephosphorylation of keratins in ethanol-fed animals may be an early step in alcoholic hepatitis which has occurred by 6 weeks of ethanol treatment. To further characterize keratin dephosphorylation in ethanol-fed rats, we used 31P NMR spectroscopy to classify the dephosphorylation site(s). Hepatocyte keratins were purified and solubilized in 9.5 M urea, 10 mM Tris-Cl, pH 8.1. 31P NMR spectra were obtained at 109 MHz, in 10 mm tubes at 30 degrees C. Samples of hepatocyte keratins were phosphorylated with A-kinase, protein kinase C, casein kinase II or Ca/CAM kinase and these samples were analyzed by 31P NMR spectroscopy. The resulting spectra were used as standards to compare the 31P chemical shifts of the resonances produced by these kinases with the phosphorus resonances of control and experimental samples. The 31P NMR spectrum of control hepatocyte keratins shows three resonances at 0.7, 4 and 5 ppm. In vitro phosphorylation by A-kinase produces a resonance at 4 ppm which is distinctly different from the resonance produced by each of the other kinases. In hepatocyte keratins from ethanol-fed animals, the resonance at 4 ppm was missing from the spectrum. These observations indicate that the keratin site that is dephosphorylated in ethanol-fed rats is characterized by the same 31P chemical shift as the keratin site that is phosphorylated by A-kinase.
Least Squares Estimates and Parabolic Regression with Restricted Location for the Stationary Point

Abstract It is sometimes desired to fit a second degree polynomial E(y|x) = α + βx + γx 2 to a set of data so that its stationary point will fall in a given region. Methods are shown to calculate a, b, c, the least squares estimates of the regression coefficients α, β, and γ. An example is given in which this theory is applied to fit a parabolic regression to a set of data so that in a given contiguous and finite region of the independent variable, the regression function is strictly increasing and concave upwards.
Revealed altruism without independence of irrelevant alternatives

Revealed altruism theory (Cox, Friedman, and Sadiraj, 2008) is a theory of reciprocity that is grounded in neoclassical preference theory. The unconditional preferences included in revealed altruism (RA) theory are neoclassical; they satisfy the generalized axiom of revealed preference (GARP) and are independent of irrelevant alternatives. The reciprocal preferences included in RA theory do not satisfy GARP and they can be dependent on choices not made by another. This paper introduces an inconsistency with independence of irrelevant alternatives (IIA) into the non-reciprocal preference component of RA theory. This dependence is inspired by the axiom of monotonicity (Kalai and Smorodinsky, 1975) introduced into bargaining theory as an alternative to Nash's IIA axiom. The extended RA theory can rationalize patterns of giving and taking in dictator games (List, 2007; Bardsley, 2008) previously thought to be anomalous. It also rationalizes effects of earned vs. unearned endowments on dictators' choices (Cherry, et al., 2002). And the theory continues to rationalize data from many games involving reciprocity.
The relationship between intramuscular temperature, skin temperature, and adipose thickness during cryotherapy and rewarming.

Abstract ABSTRACT Jutte LS, Merrick MA, Ingersoll CD, Edwards JE. The relationship between intramuscular temperature, skin temperature, and adipose thickness during cryotherapy and rewarming. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2001;82:845-50. Objective: To describe the relationships among muscle temperature, skin temperature, room temperature, body core temperature, time, and subcutaneous adipose thickness during cryotherapy and rewarming. Design: A multiple linear regression with 5 independent variables (skin temperature, body core temperature, subcutaneous adipose thickness, room temperature, time) predicting intramuscular (IM) temperature. Setting: A sports injury research laboratory. Participants: Fifteen volunteers with thigh skinfold measurements smaller than 40 mm. Interventions: Thirty-minute cryotherapy treatment (ice bag) followed by a 120-minute rewarming period. Main Outcome Measures: The relationship between skin and IM temperature was described, and an equation predicting IM temperature by using room temperature, skin temperature, body core temperature, time, and adipose thickness was developed. Results: Pearson's correlations between each predictor variable of IM temperature during cryotherapy were skin temperature, r =.46; skinfold, r =.37; time, r = −.59; core temperature, r =.21; and room temperature, r = −.47. During rewarming, the correlations were skin temperature, r =.71; skinfold, r =.27; time, r =.76; core temperature, r = −.05; and room temperature, r = −.21. A multiple regression equation ( R 2 =.76) was developed to predict IM temperature during cryotherapy. A separate equation ( R 2 =.81) was developed to predict muscle temperatures during rewarming. Conclusions: During and after ice application, no single predictor adequately explained the change in IM temperature. Skin surface temperature was a weak predictor of IM temperature during cryotherapy and should not be used as the sole dependent measure in cryotherapy efficacy studies.
Correlation profiling for determining kinase-substrate relationships

Arguably the most important issue in phosphorylation studies is the determination of kinase-substrate relationships. Kinase Activity-Abundance Correlation (KAAC) profiling is a technique that can be used to suggest the kinase responsible for a particular phosphorylation event. The method involves the separation of a lysate at the protein level, after which fractions are analyzed to produce an activity profile for each substrate peptide. This activity profile is correlated with the kinase abundance profiles (obtained using shotgun proteomics) to obtain candidate kinases responsible for phosphorylation of the substrate peptide. We demonstrate this approach by determining potential kinase-substrate pairs for six peptides, selected from the literature, that were shown to be upregulated during mitosis. Finally, for a subset of fractions we evaluated the use of stable isotope labeling to improve quantification.
Photodynamic therapy-induced death of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells: a role for caspase-3 in the late steps of apoptosis but not for the critical lethal event.

Abstract Photodynamic therapy (PDT) causes mitochondrial damage and induces apoptosis through release of cytochrome c and activation of caspase-3. To test whether caspase 3 is the sole executioner of apoptosis and its role in overall cell lethality, we compared the response of MCF-7c3 cells that express a stably transfected CASP-3 gene to that of parental MCF-7:SW8 cells transfected with vector alone (MCF-7v). Following photosensitization with the phthalocyanine Pc 4 and red light, cytochrome c was released from the mitochondria to equivalent extents in the two cell lines. However, the appearance of apoptotic indicators, such as active caspase-3 (DEVDase), cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, and oligonucleosomal DNA fragmentation, was observed only in MCF-7c3 cells during the first 6 h after photosensitization. Although production of 50-kb DNA fragments and chromatin condensation were found in PDT-treated MCF-7v cells by 20–24 h posttreatment, the rate and extent of apoptosis were much less than in MCF-7c3 cells. MCF-7c3 cells were more sensitive to photosensitization than were MCF-7v cells when assayed for loss of viability by reduction of a tetrazolium dye. However, the two cell lines were equally sensitive to photodynamic killing when evaluated by a clonogenic assay. These results show (a) the importance of assessing overall cell death by clonogenic assay; (b) that the critical lethal event is independent of caspase-3, perhaps at or near the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria; and (c) that the caspase-3-mediated events appear to be irrelevant in determining overall killing of cells.
Second-generation approach to all-organic modulators based on intrinsically polar self-assembled molecular superlattices

T. J. MarksNorthwestern UniversityDepartment of ChemistryandMaterials Research CenterEvanston, Illinois 60208-3113Abstract. Intrinsically acentric self-assembled superlattices(SASs) have been directly grown in a layer-by-layer processon the commercially available polymer Cyclotene™. Usingthe high-temperature/high-transparency ﬂuoropolyether Cy-top™ as a cladding layer, the SAS ﬁlms have been used tosuccessfully fabricate traveling-wave electro-optic (EO)modulators, demonstrating a straightforward approach to-ward ‘‘all-organic’’ modulators.
How to successfully conduct large-scale modeling and simulation projects

Conducting large-scale complex modeling and simulation (M&S) projects continues to pose significant challenges for M&S engineers, project managers, and sponsoring organizations. This advanced tutorial presents an M&S life cycle to alleviate the challenges. The M&S life cycle describes a framework for organization of the processes, work products, quality assurance activities, and project management activities required to develop, use, maintain, and reuse an M&S application from birth to retirement. It provides guidance to an M&S developer (engineer), manager, organization, and community of interest. The M&S life cycle specifies the work products to be created by executing the corresponding processes together with the integrated verification, validation and quality assurance activities. The M&S life cycle is critically needed to modularize and structure a large-scale M&S application development, and to provide valuable guidance for conducting an M&S project successfully.
How do Buffer Layers Affect Solar Cell Performance and Solar Cell Stability

Buffer layers are commonly used in the optimization of thin-film solar cells. For CuInSe2-and CdTe-based solar cells, multilayer transparent conductors (TCOs, e.g., ZnO or SnO2) are generally used in conjunction with a CdS heterojunction layer. Optimum cell performance is usually found when the TCO layer in contact with the CdS is very resistive or almost insulating. In addition to affecting the open-circuit voltage of a cell, it is commonly reported that buffer layers affect stress-induced degradation and transient phenomena in CdTe- and CuInSe2-based solar cells. In amorphous silicon solar cells, light-induced degradation has a recoverable and a nonrecoverable component too, and the details of the mechanism may depend on the p-type contact layer. Because of the similarity of transients and degradation in dissimilar material systems, it is suggested that degradation and recovery are driven by carriers rather than by diffusing atomic species. The question that must be addressed is why, not how, species diffuse and atomic configurations relax differently in the presence of excess carriers. In this paper, I suggest that the operating conditions of a cell can change the carrier transport properties. Often, excess carriers may enhance the conductance in localized regions (“filaments”) and buffer layers; limiting current flow into such filaments may therefore control the rate and amount of degradation (or recovery).
The Ratio Controller for Regulation of Turnout Flow Rate

Setting and adjusting flow rates through turnout gates is a common task for canal operators and irrigators. When downstream flow measurement is available, the flow source is a relatively stable canal, and the turnout is controlled by a sluice gate for which flow rate is approximately proportional to gate opening, a simple ratio calculation can be used to estimate the change of gate position needed to reach a desired flow rate. This method can be used to estimate the next necessary manual gate adjustment or it can be incorporated into an automated ratio controller. The control method is analysed to demonstrate its stability and example applications are modelled to compare its performance to that of a typical proportional controller. The method generally performs as well as the proportional controller, with no need for empirical tuning. The one tuning parameter required by the method is the selection of a control cycle time. Cycle time is related to the settling time required for the canal reach between the turnout gate and the measurement device to attain equilibrium following a flow change. A design parameter for estimating a stable control cycle time is proposed. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Model of Biocomplexity and its Application to the Analysis of Some Terrestrial and Marsh Eukaryotic Microbial Communities with an Emphasis on Amoeboid Protists

Biocomplexity theory has become increasingly important in understanding ecosystem dynamics as we realize that the interactions among subunits in a multi-component system often produce elaborate states that are not easily explained in terms of the individual parts of the system. A Euclidean geometric model of biocomplexity is presented and illustrated using protistan communities. The model is based on three quantitative biotic dimensions (indices) for small subsamples (0.01 g) taken from each sample core of substratum: (1) richness of morphospecies expressed as mean count per 0.01 g, (2) spatial diversity of protists expressed as then umber of unique morphospecies (i.e. those occurring in only one of the 0.01-g subsamples and not in any of the other subsamples), and (3) patchiness (non-uniform aggregation) of the distribution of protists across the 0.01-g subsamples. These three indices are mapped into a three-dimensional Euclidean space model, and the position of each point and its geometric distance from the origin are used as a general index of biocomplexity. The usefulness of the model is illustrated by applying it to a range of terrestrial and marsh communities. Within the set of 15 samples examined in this study, the marsh rhizosphere samples are among the most complex.
Prediction of peptides binding to the PKA RIIα subunit using a hierarchical strategy

Motivation: Favorable interaction between the regulatory subunit of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) and a peptide in A-kinase anchoring proteins (AKAPs) is critical for translocating PKA to the subcellular sites where the enzyme phosphorylates its substrates. It is very hard to identify AKAPs peptides binding to PKA due to the high sequence diversity of AKAPs. Results: We propose a hierarchical and efficient approach, which combines molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, free energy calculations, virtual mutagenesis (VM) and bioinformatics analyses, to predict peptides binding to the PKA RIIα regulatory subunit in the human proteome systematically. Our approach successfully retrieved 15 out of 18 documented RIIα-binding peptides. Literature curation supported that many newly predicted peptides might be true AKAPs. Here, we present the first systematic search for AKAP peptides in the human proteome, which is useful to further experimental identification of AKAPs and functional analysis of their biological roles. Contact:tingjunhou@hotmail.com; tjhou@suda.edu.cn; wei-wang@ucsd.edu Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Mental accounting matters

Mental accounting is the set of cognitive operations used by individuals and households to organize, evaluate, and keep track of financial activities. Making use of research on this topic over the past decade, this paper summarizes the current state of our knowledge about how people engage in mental accounting activities. Three components of mental accounting receive the most attention. This first captures how outcomes are perceived and experienced, and how decisions are made and subsequently evaluated. The accounting system provides the inputs to be both ex ante and ex post cost–benefit analyses. A second component of mental accounting involves the assignment of activities to specific accounts. Both the sources and uses of funds are labeled in real as well as in mental accounting systems. Expenditures are grouped into categories (housing, food, etc.) and spending is sometimes constrained by implicit or explicit budgets. The third component of mental accounting concerns the frequency with which accounts are evaluated and ‘choice bracketing’. Accounts can be balanced daily, weekly, yearly, and so on, and can be defined narrowly or broadly. Each of the components of mental accounting violates the economic principle of fungibility. As a result, mental accounting influences choice, that is, it matters. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
High Throughput Molecular Imaging for the Identification of FADD Kinase Inhibitors

Fas-associated protein with death domain (FADD) was originally reported as a proapoptotic adaptor molecule that mediates receptor-induced apoptosis. Recent studies have revealed a potential role of FADD in NF-κB activation, embryogenesis, and cell cycle regulation and proliferation. Overexpression of FADD and its phosphorylation have been associated with the transformed phenotype in many cancers and is therefore a potential target for therapeutic intervention. In an effort to delineate signaling events that lead to FADD phosphorylation and to identify novel compounds that impinge on this pathway, the authors developed a cell-based reporter for FADD kinase activity. The reporter assay, optimized for a high-throughput screen (HTS), measures bioluminescence in response to modulation of FADD kinase activity in live cells. In addition, the potential use of the reporter cell line in the rapid evaluation of pharmacologic properties of HTS hits in mouse models has been demonstrated.
Association between rise in serum sodium and central pontine myelinolysis

Twelve hyponatremic patients with central pontine myelinolysis (CPM) showed a rise in serum sodium levels 3 to 10 days (mean, 6) prior to the development of CPM. The increase exceeded 20 mEq/L within 1 to 3 days and was then sustained for an additional 3 to 5 days. In addition, 11 of the 12 CPM patients achieved a sodium value of 147 mEq/L or greater during the period of sodium elevation. The rise in sodium frequently coincided with administration of saline solutions, diuretics, steroids, and lactulose. In contrast, 9 hyponatremic patients who did not have CPM showed sodium increases that were significantly less or slower (or both) following treatment of hyponatremia. Our findings suggest that CPM may be caused by a too rapid or excessive rise in serum sodium from a hyponatremic baseline.
Addition of an anesthetic agent to enhance the predictability of the effects of botulinum toxin type A injections: a randomized controlled study.

Objectives To determine whether the paralyzing effect of botulinum toxin type A reconstituted in a solution of lidocaine with epinephrine is as effective as that of the same toxin reconstituted in saline and to determine whether the addition of lidocaine with epinephrine enhances the predictability of outcomes of botulinum toxin injections. Subjects and Methods This double-blind, within-subject, randomized controlled study was conducted in 10 volunteer subjects. Lidocaine was added to botulinum toxin type A to achieve an immediate paralyzing effect on the injected muscle, and epinephrine was added to minimize diffusion of the injected toxin to adjacent muscles. This combination of agents was injected to temporarily paralyze the frontalis, corrugator supercilii, and procerus muscles on 1 side of the forehead of the 10 volunteers. The contralateral side was injected with the same dosage of the toxin, reconstituted in an equal volume of saline, to serve as control. Photographic and video docu- mentation of the drugs' effects was obtained before injection and at 5 to 10 minutes, 1 week, and 3 months after the injections. Results Immediate paralysis ensued on the experimental side (botulinum toxin type A + lidocaine + epinephrine) in all 10 volunteers. As assessed by 3 blinded evaluators, the extent of immediate paralysis resulting from the anesthetic agent was predictive of the extent of delayed paralysis resulting from the botulinum toxin. The botulinum toxin-induced paralysis wore off symmetrically in all subjects. Conclusion The injection of botulinum toxin reconstituted in lidocaine with epinephrine provided the physician immediate feedback on the extent of paralysis to be expected from the chemodenervating action of the botuli- num toxin. This may enhance the safety and predictability of botulinum toxin injections in many applications.
Crosstalk of Oncogenic Signaling Pathways during Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cell transformation have been well-documented in multiple cancer cell models and are believed to be one of the earliest events in tumor progression. Genetic and epigenetic modifications shift cells toward either end of the EMT spectrum, and can be influenced by the microenvironment surrounding a tumor. EMT and mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) are critical to normal function and development and an intricate network of transcription factors and transcriptional regulators tightly regulates these processes. As evidenced in normal and transformed cell lines, many signaling pathways trigger EMT during development and differentiation. The signaling pathways include those triggered by different members of the transforming growth factor (TGF) superfamily, epidermal growth factor (EGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF), Wnt, Notch, and many others. Functional redundancies allow cells to undergo EMT even if these key transcriptional regulators are lacking, but these same redundancies also make these pathways particularly susceptible to gain-of-function mutations or constitutive signal activation; the “forced” transition toward either a mesenchymal or epithelial phenotype.
Electrophysiological heterogeneity and stability of reentry in simulated cardiac tissue.

Generation of wave break is a characteristic feature of cardiac fibrillation. In this study, we investigated how dynamic factors and fixed electrophysiological heterogeneity interact to promote wav...
Transient axial hypotonia and alteration of consciousness in an infant with Chiari I malformation.

This is an 11-months-old girl, who presented to a pediatric neurologist with episodes of “becoming limp with eye deviation to the left and falling backwards while awake.” The first episode occurred 3 weeks before presentation as an isolated event, rapidly became frequent, occurring multiple times a day. The past medical history and development were normal except for mild gross motor delay, as the infant was not sitting unsupported at 10 months. The examination showed mild symmetric hypotonia with normal reflexes. Family history was unremarkable regarding neurological disorders. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain revealed Chiari I malformation with an abnormal T2 signal within the cervical cord, consistent with possible syringomyelia. Electroencephalogram (EEG) showed the presence of spikes in the left temporal region. During the EEG, a typical episode occurred, associated with diffuse delta activity. Because the nature of the events was unclear, and because of the potential need for surgical intervention, the infant was referred for further evaluation. Table 1 summarizes the diagnostic work-up in the hospital. Repeat MRI of the brain and spine, with and without gadolinium, confirmed Chiari I malformation, in which cerebellar tonsils extended approximately 1.5 cm below the foramen magnum. MRI of the cervical spine revealed focal expansion of the spinal cord at C2-C3 level with associated T2 signal changes (Fig 1). The degree of tonsillar ectopia with an abnormal T2 signal within the cervical spinal cord coupled with the developmental motor delay prompted a neurosurgical recommendation of decompressive craniotomy. Additionally, there was the clinical suspicion that the events of axial hypotonia may be caused by transient increases in intracranial pressure due to Chiari I malformation. Several target events were captured on video-EEG during the 7-day admission. Most of these events occurred while the infant was sitting. The infant would start responding poorly to the mother’s voice as well as ignoring the toys presented to her, then sway from side to side and become limp, followed by falling on her back with preserved bilateral finger and feet movements. The events lasted approximately 3 minutes, with a slow return to previous activities. There were no associated changes in respiration or cardiac patterns. Neurological examination showed that the infant was not responsive to verbal and visual stimulation, and there was proximal hypotonia