cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ethanol Oxidation Reaction Catalyzed by Palladium Nanoparticles Supported on Hydrogen‐Treated TiO2 Nanobelts: Impact of Oxygen Vacancies

Nanocomposites based on Pd nanoparticles deposited onto TiO2 nanobelts were prepared by chemical reduction of Pd(II) precursors and the catalytic activity towards ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) was examined and compared within the context of TiO2 oxygen vacancies formed by thermal annealing at controlled temperatures (400 - 600 C) in a hydrogen atmosphere. Transmission electron microscopic measurements showed that the Pd nanoparticles (about 5 nm in diameter) were clustered somewhat on the surfaces of hydrogen-treated TiO2 nanobelts (Pd/hTiO2), but distributed rather evenly on the untreated ones (Pd/TiO2). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic studies suggested electron transfer from Ti to Pd in the Pd/hTiO2 samples, as compared to untreated Pd/TiO2, due to the formation of oxygen vacancies in TiO2 nanobelts where the concentration increased with increasing thermal annealing temperature, as evidenced in electron paramagnetic resonance measurements. Significantly, electrochemical measurements showed markedly enhanced EOR activity of both Pd/TiO2 and Pd/hTiO2 in alkaline media, as compared to commercial Pd/C, and the activity increased drastically with the concentration of oxygen vacancies, most likely because oxygen vacancies facilitated the formation of hydroxyl species on the TiO2 surface that played a critical role in the oxidation of ethanol to acetate.
SABER: Selection of Approximate Bits for the Design of Error Tolerant Circuits

A wide variety of error tolerant applications supports the use of approximate circuits that achieve power savings by introducing small errors. This paper proposes a fast and novel algorithm for the design of such circuits with the goal of maximizing power savings, constrained by a fixed error budget, through an analytical expression to optimally select the number of bits to be approximated. This algorithm outperforms uniform approximation schemes by over 30% in power savings, with negligible computational overhead.
Biosynthesis of Long-Chain N-Acyl Amide by a Truncated Polyketide Synthase–Nonribosomal Peptide Synthetase Hybrid Megasynthase in Fungi

Truncated iterative polyketide synthase–nonribosomal peptide synthetase (PKS-NRPS) megasynthases in which only the C domain is present are widespread in fungi, yet nearly all members have unknown functions. Bioinformatics analysis showed that the C domains of such PKS-C enzymes are noncanonical due to substitution at the second histidine in the active site HHxxxDG motif. Here, we used genome mining strategy to characterize a cryptic PKS-C hybrid from Talaromyces wortmanii and discovered the products are reduced long-chain polyketides amidated with a specific ω-amino acid 5-aminopentanoic acid (5PA). The wortmanamides resemble long-chain N-acyl-amide signaling lipids that target diverse receptors including GPCRs. The noncanonical C domain of this PKS-C hybrid was also demonstrated to be a bona fide condensation domain that specifically selects 5PA and catalyzes amidation to release polyketide chain.
Physiological models II: Activation dynamics for a distribution-moment model of skeletal muscle

A mathematical representation is developed of the calcium-mediated processes which activate the contractile machinery of skeletal muscle.
Posterior subcapsular cataract in endogenous Cushing syndrome: an uncommon manifestation.

Purpose. Posterior subcapsular cataract is a well-known complication of longstanding glucocorticoid therapy (exogenous Cushing syndrome). The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of chronic endogenous hypercortisolism (endogenous Cushing syndrome) on the human lens. Methods. Sixty consecutive patients (8 to 67 years of age, 46 females, 14 males) with endogenous Cushing syndrome were studied. The exposure to cortisol was estimated based on the duration of the disease and measurements of the 24-hour urine free cortisol excretion. Complete ocular examination included biomicroscopy of the lens after dilation. Results. Duration from the onset of endogenous Cushing syndrome ranged from 1 to 20 years (mean ± SD, 5.5 ± 3.7). Urine free cortisol excretion ranged from 250 to 3065 Mg/24 hr (mean ± SD, 693 ± 547; normal values, 20 to 90 Mg/24 hr). Only two of the 60 patients (3.3%) had posterior subcapsular cataract. This low prevalence contrasts to the high prevalence attributed to glucocorticoid therapy with grossly equivalent total dosage of glucocorticoids. Conclusion. It was concluded that posterior subcapsular cataract is an infrequent complication of endogenous hypercortisolism compared to exogenous Cushing syndrome. Because the total exposure to endogenous glucocorticoids was not lower than that of exogenous glucocorticoid therapy, a potential explanation for this difference might be the exposure of the lens to the natural (cortisol) rather than a synthetic glucocorticoid or pharmacokinetic differences of glucocorticoids between the two forms of Cushing syndrome. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1993; 34:3497-3500. Crushing syndrome is caused by prolonged exposure to high levels of glucocorticoids. This syndrome may be exogenous, resulting from the administration of glucocorticoids or adrenocorticotropic hormone, or endogenous, owing to increased secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone or cortisol. The former may be secreted by pituitary corticotropinomas or ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone-secreting tumors. The latter may be secreted by benign or malignant adrenocortical tumors or dysplastic adrenal tumors. Rarely, endogenous Cushing syndrome results from ectopic production, of corticotropin-releasing hormone by
Abstract 133: Protocol Deviations During and After IV Thrombolysis in Community Hospitals

Background and purpose Protocol deviations (PDs) before and immediately after IV thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke are common. Patient and hospital factors associated with PDs are not well des...
Modeling and simulation of semiconductor transceivers

This chapter presents calculations and methods necessary for simulation and modeling of semiconductor transceivers. Additionally, some current tools used for such modeling and simulation tasks are presented and critiqued. A complete discussion on the methods associated with transceiver simulation and modeling, specifically multi-standard wireless, is presented.
The properties of "dwarf" Seyfert nuclei in nearby galaxies.

Accurate knowledge of the luminosity function of active galactic nuclei over a wide range of absolute magnitudes is a prerequisite to understanding their structure and evolution. Here we describe preliminary results from a large survey of bright, nearby galaxies which is designed to quantify the faint end of the luminosity function. Many high-quality spectra are shown to emphasize the great variety of physical conditions in the nuclei and to illustrate the methods used in a detailed analysis of the data. The characteristics of Seyfert galaxies are detected in a surprisingly large number of objects, although at much fainter levels than usually reported for classical AGNs. In particular, broad Hα emission is visible in at least 10% of the nuclei, and the relative intensities of narrow lines are often indicative of photoionization by a nonstellar continuum. A very wide range of densities is found in the narrow-line regions of certain low-ionization nuclei, just as in many QSOs and Seyfert 1 galaxies. These results suggest that intrinsically faint (“dwarf”), but nevertheless active, nuclei are much more common than previously believed, and that they may have evolved from luminous quasars.
Soccer Ball Recognition and Distance Prediction Using Fuzzy Petri Nets

Petri net (PN) is a modeling tool to represent systems or processes. With the addition of fuzzy logic, Fuzzy Petri nets (FPN) are built to allow for systems to deal with uncertainty. The capability to deal with uncertainty is a useful tool when designing, especially for artificial intelligence. One aspect of artificial intelligence is the ability to emulate human vision through the use of image processing and computer vision. Images are processed by looking at the pixel data and the pixel data can be fed as the input into a system to output a feature vector to describe the image. This feature vector then describes the image to be used for both classification and regression models to dictate a robot's behavior.
Adversarial Anomaly Detection Using Centroid-Based Clustering

As cyber attacks are growing with an unprecedented rate in the recent years, organizations are seeking an efficient and scalable solution towards a holistic protection system. As the adversaries are becoming more skilled and organized, traditional rule based detection systems have been proved to be quite ineffective against the continuously evolving cyber attacks. Consequently, security researchers are focusing on applying machine learning techniques and big data analytics to defend against cyber attacks. Over the recent years, several anomaly detection systems have been claimed to be quite successful against the sophisticated cyber attacks including the previously unseen zero-day attacks. But often, these systems do not consider the adversary's adaptive attacking behavior for bypassing the detection procedure. As a result, deploying these systems in active real-world scenarios fails to provide significant benefits in the presence of intelligent adversaries that are carefully manipulating the attack vectors. In this work, we analyze the adversarial impact on anomaly detection models that are built upon centroid-based clustering from game-theoretic aspect and propose adversarial anomaly detection technique for these models. The experimental results show that our game-theoretic anomaly detection models can withstand attacks more effectively compared to the traditional models.
Upregulation of gametocytogenesis in anti-malarial drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum

The deadliest form of human malaria is primarily caused by the protozoan parasite Plasmodium falciparum. These parasites establish pathogenicity in the human host with a very low number of sexual forms or gametocytes, which are transmitted to the mosquitoes. Several studies have reported that exposing artemisinin-sensitive P. falciparum rings to a low concentration of dihydroartemisinin (DHA) results in dormancy, and the artemisinin-induced dormant (AID) forms are recovered into normal growth stages after 5–20 days. In this study, artemisinin-resistant P. falciparum parasites were tested for the development of AID forms and their recovery. Interestingly, it was found that exposure of an asynchronous culture of artemisinin-resistant P. falciparum IPC 5202 to DHA, a line carrying a mutation in the PfK13 gene that is linked to artemisinin resistance, also results in dormancy. Both the ring and some late stages of these AID forms recovered after 10–15 days. Furthermore, a high proportion of the recovered dormant forms developed into sexual forms or gametocytes after 3–4 weeks, which is almost a 7–8 times higher rate of conversion of asexual to sexual forms (gametocytes) or the malaria transmissible forms. In contrast, only early ring forms of artemisinin-sensitive parasites recovered slowly, and additional exposure of these parasites to artemisinin resulted in complete clearance within a week. This is in contrast to the resistant parasites exposed to a second dose of artemisinin, which resulted in a very high rate of dormancy and recovery into sexual forms or gametocytes.
Time to surgery (TTS) in renal cell carcinoma (RCC): Predictors and association with overall survival (OS).

e16107Background: Guidelines recommend surgical resection of primary tumor in stages 1-3 RCC. TTS refers to the time frame from the initial diagnosis to surgical resection of primary tumor. Shorter...
APPENDIX 4A Karyotyping

Relevant portions of the new International System for Human Cytogenetic Nomenclature (ISCN 1995) have been reproduced in this appendix (with permission from Karger, the original publisher). The new rules supersede all previous rules and include guidelines for cancer cytogenetics as well as new recommendations for nomenclature when in situ hybridization techniques are used in the analysis of chromosomes.
Different Types of Childhood Experience With Mothers and Caregiving Outcomes in Adulthood

Objective and Background The current study examines the types of childhood experiences with mothers (i.e., maternal abuse, affection, discipline) among caregivers of aging mothers, and investigates whether membership in specific latent classes, particularly maternal maltreatment, is associated with psychological functioning among caregivers. Method Using data from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS), we used the Bolck, Croon, and Hagenaars (BCH) approach of latent class analysis (LCA) to predict distal outcomes. Results We identified four latent classes (prevalence rate noted): "Affectionate and authoritative" (65%), "affectionate and permissive" (11%), "emotionally abusive and neglectful" (8%), and "emotionally/physically abusive and authoritative" (16%). Caregivers in the "emotionally/physically abusive and authoritative" class endorsed high probabilities of both maternal affection and abuse and were most negatively affected across the three psychological functioning outcomes (i.e., self-rated mental health, psychological distress, and psychological well-being). Conclusion and Implications In support of the life course perspective, our findings emphasized the importance of examining adult children caregivers' early life experiences with aging mothers and how those experiences can impact the psychological effects of caregiving. This study suggests specific practice implications; for example, assessment tools for evaluating caregiver burden should consider life course factors such as caregivers' childhood experiences with aging parents.
Optical waveguide-grating filters

The guided-mode resonance characteristics of planar dielectric waveguide gratings with arbitrary grating slant are discussed. These all-dielectric structures can operate as high- efficiency, narrow-line reflective filters. Expressions and graphs defining the resonance regimes and the resonance locations and their separations for TE and TM modes are given. It is shown that the typically asymmetric filter response found when the filter is in asymmetric waveguide-grating geometry can be made nearly symmetric by proper choice of the thickness. A three-wave analytical solution for the case of normal incidence on an unslanted waveguide grating is derived and verified by comparison with rigorously calculated results. Example results describing the resonance behavior under Gaussian beam illumination show that if the angular spectrum of the Gaussian beam can be accommodated within the angular corridor of the waveguide-grating filter, a high-efficiency resonance can occur. There are numerous potential applications of the guided-mode resonance effects described in this paper such as laser resonator mirrors and narrow-line reflection filters as well as new thin-film antireflection resonant structures, polarizers, and electro-optical switches.
Non-interacting, Non-opioid, and Non-barbiturate Containing Acute Medication Combinations in Headache: A Pilot Combinatorics Approach Based on DrugBank Database.

Structured Abstract Background: Polypharmacy in abortive medications is often inevitable for patients with refractory headaches. Objective: We seek to enumerate an exhaustive list of headaches abortive medications that are without drug-drug interactions. Methods: We updated a list of acute medications based on the widely used Jefferson Headache Manual with novel abortive medications including ubrogepant, lasmiditan, and rimegepant. Opioids and barbiturate-containing products are excluded. From this resultant list of medications (Table 1), we then conducted an exhaustive search of all pair-wise interactions via DrugBank’s API. Using this interaction list, we filtered all possible two, three, and four drug combinations of abortive medications. The list of medications (Table 1) was then reapplied to DrugBank to verify the lack of known drug-drug interactions. Results: There are 192 medication combinations that do not contain any drug-drug interactions. Most common elements in these combinations are ubrogepant, prochlorperazine, followed by tizanidine. There are 67 three-drug combinations that do not contain interactions. Only 2 of the four-drug combinations do not yield some form of drug-drug interactions. Conclusion: This list of headaches abortive medications without drug-drug interactions is a useful tool for clinicians seeking to more effectively manage refractory headaches by implementing a rational polypharmacy.
Feasibility of hydrogen fuel cell technology for railway intercity services: a case study for the Piedmont in North Carolina

Diesel fuel combustion results in exhaust containing air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions. Many railway vehicles use diesel fuel as their energy source. Exhaust emissions, as well as concerns about economical, alternative power supply, have driven efforts to move to hydrogen motive power. Hydrogen fuel cell technology applied to railways offers the opportunity to eliminate harmful exhaust emissions and the potential for a low- or zero-emission energy supply chain. Currently, only multiple-unit trains with hydrail technology operate commercially. Development of an Integrated Hybrid Train Simulator for intercity railway is presented. The proposed tool incorporates the effect of powertrain components during the wheel-to-tank process. Compared to its predecessors, the proposed reconfigurable tool provides high fidelity with medium requirements and minimum computation time. Single train simulation and the federal government’s Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Transportation (GREET®) model are used in combination to evaluate the feasibility of various train and powertrain configurations. The Piedmont intercity service operating in North Carolina is used as a case study. The study includes six train configurations and powertrain options as well as nine hydrogen supply options in addition to the diesel supply. The results show that a hydrail option is not only feasible, but a low- or zero-carbon hydrogen supply chain could be possible.
High-Speed Motion Picture Camera Experiments of Cavitation in Dynamically Loaded Journal Bearings

High-speed motion picture camera experiments of cavitation in dynamically loaded journal bearings
ESSAYS ON SCIENCE AND SOCIETY: Polygraph Testing and the DOE National Laboratories.

A new security policy that mandates polygraph testing as a security measure at U.S. national laboratories has spurred controversy, which is explored in this essay. Congress imposed the requirement last year in response to security failures at the labs. But opponents challenge the scientific validity of the polygraph, and argue that it could tend to undermine the vitality of the labs that it is intended to protect.
Inhaled Corticosteroid Use in HIV-positive Individuals taking Protease Inhibitors: a Review of Pharmacokinetics, Case Reports, and Clinical Management

As a consequence of inhibition of the hepatic cytochrome P450 3A4 isozyme, treatment with HIV protease inhibitors can result in significant drug-drug interactions. One noteworthy interaction is between protease inhibitors and inhaled or intranasal corticosteroids. This interaction can result in adrenal insufficiency and iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome (with symptoms such as rapid weight gain, obesity, facial hirsutism and swelling), as well as hypertension, osteoporosis and decreased CD4 cell count. In this paper, we review and unite pharmacokinetic data, case reports and current research regarding this drug-drug interaction in order to suggest options for the clinical management of HIV-positive patients requiring treatment with protease inhibitors and inhaled or intranasal corticosteroids.
Trend analyses with river sediment rating curves

Sediment rating curves, which are fitted relationships between river discharge (Q) and suspended-sediment concentration (C), are commonly used to assess patterns and trends in river water quality. In many of these studies, it is assumed that rating curves have a power-law form (i.e. C = aQb, where a and b are fitted parameters). Two fundamental questions about the utility of these techniques are assessed in this paper: (i) how well to the parameters, a and b, characterize trends in the data, and (ii) are trends in rating curves diagnostic of changes to river water or sediment discharge? As noted in previous research, the offset parameter, a, is not an independent variable for most rivers but rather strongly dependent on b and Q. Here, it is shown that a is a poor metric for trends in the vertical offset of a rating curve, and a new parameter, â, as determined by the discharge-normalized power function [C = â (Q/QGM)b], where QGM is the geometric mean of the Q-values sampled, provides a better characterization of trends. However, these techniques must be applied carefully, because curvature in the relationship between log(Q) and log(C), which exists for many rivers, can produce false trends in â and b. Also, it is shown that trends in â and b are not uniquely diagnostic of river water or sediment supply conditions. For example, an increase in â can be caused by an increase in sediment supply, a decrease in water supply or a combination of these conditions. Large changes in water and sediment supplies can occur without any change in the parameters, â and b. Thus, trend analyses using sediment rating curves must include additional assessments of the time-dependent rates and trends of river water, sediment concentrations and sediment discharge. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. Hydrological Processes published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Modified models of the current-programmed buck and boost regulator

A small-signal equivalent circuit model of a current-programmed power stage is applied to the analysis and design of a 160-W buck regulator and a 300-W boost regulator. This model represents both input and output properties, which can be fixed in the model of a competent regulator system to analyze and design the overall dynamic properties and stability. For this purpose a generalized model is established, to which the analysis and design are applied. Modification of the model to obtain more power and the effect on stability from different duty ratios are discussed. >
Abstract 17272: Ionic Current Remodeling Delays the Electrical Recovery of the Senescent Heart

Cardiac aging is associated with lengthening of the QT interval, a condition that enhances malignant ventricular arrhythmias and sudden death. The aim of this study was to establish whether ionic currents are altered in old myocytes contributing to the protracted electrical recovery of the senescent heart. Thus, mice at 3-30 months of age were studied by ECG and patch-clamp; these physiological determinations were complemented with molecular assays for the analysis of ion channel proteins. By surface ECG and telemetry system, PR, QRS and QT intervals were prolonged in mice at 25 months or older. These delays were maintained in ex-vivo Langendorff preparations. In comparison to young, epicardial monophasic action potential (AP) duration at 50% and 90% repolarization were 1.6- and 1.2-fold larger in old LV, respectively. Moreover, senescent hearts presented a 60% higher incidence of arrhythmias. In isolated myocytes, prolongation of the early (+47%), intermediate (+117%) and late (+75%) repolarization phase...
Studies in the proteaceae IV. structure and development of the ovule of hakea saligna knight

Hakea Saligna knight, a native of queensland, Australia, is a medium-sized shrub with dense foliage; the plants make fine hedges, which are especially ornamental when there is a flush of copper-coloured young leaves. The inflorescences are slender and conform to a general racemose plan. The individual flowers are found on the main exis of the inflorescence in small clusters of 4 to 8. The flowers are distinctly zygomorphic and show two well-marked portions: a proximal tubular portion, and a distal pouch formed by a hook-like curvature of the united perianth lobes. Inside the distal pouch the sessile stamens are found enclosing a large stigma which is discoid. The stigma contains a large funnel-like cavity forming an effective an effective pollen-collecting apparatus. The tubular portion of the flower contains the long and slender style with the ovary situated at the base. The latter is raised on a short stalk, in front and on either side of which are two nectar-secreting scales.
The Bacillus subtilis DinR Binding Site: Redefinition of the Consensus Sequence

Recently, the DinR protein was established as the cellular repressor of the SOS response in the bacterium Bacillus subtilis. It is believed that DinR functions as the repressor by binding to a consensus sequence located in the promoter region of each SOS gene. The binding site for DinR is believed to be synonymous with the formerly identified Cheo box, a region of 12 bp displaying dyad symmetry (GAAC-N4-GTTC). Electrophoretic mobility shift assays revealed that highly purified DinR does bind to such sites located upstream of the dinA, dinB, dinC, and dinR genes. Furthermore, detailed mutational analysis of the B. subtilis recA operator indicates that some nucleotides are more important than others for maintaining efficient DinR binding. For example, nucleotide substitutions immediately 5′ and 3′ of the Cheo box as well as those in the N4 region appear to affect DinR binding. This data, combined with computational analyses of potential binding sites in other gram-positive organisms, yields a new consensus (DinR box) of 5′-CGAACRNRYGTTYC-3′. DNA footprint analysis of the B. subtilis dinR and recA DinR boxes revealed that the DinR box is centrally located within a DNA region of 31 bp that is protected from hydroxyl radical cleavage in the presence of DinR. Furthermore, while DinR is predominantly monomeric in solution, it apparently binds to the DinR box in a dimeric state.
US Biomedical Research under Siege

The stagnation of biomedical research funding in the US is placing great pressure on the research enterprise. It is time to consider some radical solutions.
High school allied health students and their exposure to the profession of EMS.

Introduction Ensuring a stable Emergency Medical Services (EMS) workforce is a growing concern, and effective recruiting strategies are needed to expose young adults to the EMS profession. The objective of this study was to assess the exposure of high school allied health students to EMS as a career option, as well as measure their attitudes and beliefs about the EMS profession. Hypothesis Few high school allied health students are exposed to EMS educational and career opportunities. Methods A convenience sample of allied health students in a rural high school system was surveyed about exposure to EMS, career intentions, factors impacting career decisions, and attitudes and beliefs about EMS. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and intention to pursue an EMS career was modeled using logistic regression. Results Of 171 students enrolled in allied health courses across six high schools, 135 (78.9%) agreed to participate; 85.2% were female. Almost all (92.6%) respondents intended to pursue a health career, but only 43.0% reported that their allied health course exposed them to EMS as a profession. Few participants (37.7%) were knowledgeable about EMS associate degree or baccalaureate degree (27.4%) programs. Only 20.7% of the respondents intended to pursue EMS as a career, although 46.0% wanted to learn more about the profession. Most (68.2%) students expressed interest in an emergency medical technician (EMT) course if one were offered, and 80.0% were interested in a ride-along program. Independent predictors of pursuing an EMS career included exposure to EMS outside of high school (OR = 7.4, 95% CI = 1.7-30.4); media influence on career choice (OR = 9.6, 95% CI = 1.8-50.1); and the belief that EMS was mentally challenging (OR = 15.9, 95% CI = 1.1-216.6). Negative predictors included the beliefs that an EMS career was stimulating (OR = 0.05, 95% CI = 0.00-0.53) and physically challenging (OR = 0.06, 95% CI = 0.00-0.63); as well as prior exposure to an EMS job advertisement (OR = 0.14, 0.03-0.53). Conclusions Overall, there was a lack of exposure to career and educational options in EMS among allied health students in the school system studied, and few students intended to pursue an EMS career after graduation. However, the majority of students indicated they would like to learn more about EMS, and would enroll in an EMT course and ride-along program if available. These findings suggest that, with exposure to the profession, more allied health students could choose EMS as a career. Holloman JB, Hubble MW. High school allied health students and their exposure to the profession of EMS. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2012;27(3):1-7.
Comparison of Survival after Sublobar Resections and Ablative Therapies for Stage I Non−Small Cell Lung Cancer

Background Lobectomy is the standard therapy for patients with stage I non−small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Recently, sublobar resections (SLR), radiofrequency ablation (RFA), and percutaneous cryablation therapy (PCT) for high-risk patients unfit for standard resection have been reported. This study compares all 3 modalities in stage I NSCLC. Study Design Patients with biopsied stage I NSCLC determined by PET/CT deemed medically unfit for standard resection were reviewed by a tumor board according to American College of Surgeons Oncology Group/NIH inoperability criteria before being offered SLR, RFA, or PCT under anesthesia. Patients were followed with CT scans alternating with PET scans. The primary end points were overall survival, cancer-specific survival, and cancer-free survival. Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank tests were used. Results Sixty-four patients underwent SLR (n = 25; 11 men, 13 women; median age 66 years, range 49 to 85 years), RFA (n = 12; 8 men, 4 women; median age 74 years, range 62 to 83 years), and PCT (n = 27; 16 men, 11 women; median age 74 years; range 59 to 88 years). The probability of 3-year survival for the SLR, RFA, and PCT groups was 87.1%, 87.5%, and 77%, respectively (p > 0.05). The 3-year cancer-specific and cancer-free survival for SLR, RFA, and PCT groups was 90.6% and 60.8% versus 87.5% and 50% versus 90.2% and 45.6%, respectively. Conclusions This experience suggests comparable survival after sublobar resections and ablative therapies at 3 years. Ablative therapies appear to be a reasonable alternative in high-risk patients not fit for surgery. However, larger randomized studies with longer follow-up are needed to make recommendations for therapy.
The Kinematics of Dense Clusters of Galaxies. II. The Distribution of Velocity Dispersions

From the survey of 31 Abell R above 1 cluster fields within z of 0.02-0.05, we extract 25 dense clusters with velocity dispersions omicron above 300 km/s and with number densities exceeding the mean for the Great Wall of galaxies by one deviation. From the CfA Redshift Survey (in preparation), we obtain an approximately volume-limited catalog of 31 groups with velocity dispersions above 100 km/s and with the same number density limit. We combine these well-defined samples to obtain the distribution of cluster velocity dispersions. The group sample enables us to correct for incompleteness in the Abell catalog at low velocity dispersions. The clusters from the Abell cluster fields populate the high dispersion tail. For systems with velocity dispersions above 700 km/s, approximately the median for R = 1 clusters, the group and cluster abundances are consistent. The combined distribution is consistent with cluster X-ray temperature functions.
The biology of organ size determination

The mechanisms that control the size of cells, organs, and organisms have long interested biologists, and are also important in malignant progression. Despite this, basic features of in vivo growth control - the level at which regulation is exerted and the degree to which size is controlled autonomously - are poorly understood. Similarly, it is unknown whether adult tissues measure and respond to size cues in the same manner as those of embryos, a question that is relevant to tissue homeostasis and regeneration. This article will review the determinants of organ size during development and discuss the concept of a 'size set-point,' which incorporates the mass of tissue parenchyma and scaffold established at the end of development.
Polymer electrolytes derived from polynorbornenes with pendent cyclophosphazenes: poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether (PEGME) derivatives

Abstract A novel elastomeric polymer electrolyte was developed by the linkage of poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether (PEGME) side chains and norbornene-based units to a cyclotriphosphazene ring, followed by polymerization of the norbornene units by ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP). This yielded an organic polymer backbone with ion co-ordinative cyclic phosphazene side groups. Adjustment of the norbornene content in the starting monomer allowed the degree of branching and cross-linking to be controlled and, in turn, the mechanical properties of the material to be tuned. The polymers were complexed with fixed molar ratios of LiN(SO2CF3)2 and LiSO3CF3 and examined as solid polymer electrolytes. Polymer gel electrolytes were then formulated by the addition of variable amounts of propylene carbonate to the polynorbornenes. Films of solvent-free and solvent-containing polymers were homogeneous, flexible and self-standing materials. The ionic conductivities of the solvent-free polymers were in the range of 4×10−5 S/cm at 30°C in the presence of 40 mol% of LiSO3CF3 or LiN(SO2CF3)2. The conductivities of the solvent-containing (gel) systems increased with increases in the propylene carbonate content to a value of 2×10−3 S/cm at 30°C in the presence of 50 wt.% of propylene carbonate and with the use of LiN(SO2CF3)2 at a constant O:Li+ ratio of 8:1. Even with this high concentration of propylene carbonate, the electrolyte was a solid elastomer rather than a viscous liquid. In general, the conductivities are twice as high with the use of LiN(SO2CF3)2 compared to LiSO3CF3. The Tg values were determined by DSC analysis, and these decreased with increased amounts of propylene carbonate in the system.
Weight status and psychosocial factors predict the emergence of dieting in preadolescent girls.

Objective The current study tested a longitudinal model predicting the emergence of dieting in girls (n = 183) at age 9 years using data from the same girls measured at ages 5 and 7. Method Variables related to the girls' weight status, psychological health, body satisfaction, maternal child feeding practices, and family environment are included in a hierarchical regression model predicting the emergence of dieting in girls. Interactions of girls' weight status with other variables in the model are also included in the last step. Results Results indicate that the model accounts for 45% of the variance in the outcome scores and that variables across constructs have significant contributions to the model. Results also show that girls' weight status, both independently and as an interaction term, accounts for a large proportion of variance in this model. Conclusion Weight status at age 5 years is a critical factor related to the emergence of dieting in young girls. © 2005 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
NIA commentary: translational issues in Alzheimer's disease drug development.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) mainly affects elderly individuals, and because of the aging of populations worldwide, this disorder is reaching epidemic proportions, with an enormous human and economic burden. Effective treatments are urgently needed to treat the cognitive and behavioral symptoms of AD and to slow its progression. The National Institute on Aging (NIA) has developed a number of grant and contract mechanisms to support this effort. The NIA has an exploratory R21 grant program (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAS-10-151.html) for early AD drug discovery, in collaboration with the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation, and a program for preclinical drug development of small molecules, biologics, or other compounds for the treatment of AD, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and age-related cognitive decline, using the U01 cooperative agreement mechanism (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-08-266.html). Examples of funded grants include studies of small molecule neurotrophin mimetics, novel anti-inflammatory compounds, and τ-aggregation inhibitors. The NIA provides investigational new drug-enabling toxicology services for novel AD therapeutic drugs through a contract, which is open to individual investigators or small companies. The NIA also participates in many trans-NIH programs including program announcements for drug discovery for nervous system diseases utilizing the R21 and R01 grant mechanisms, Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer Research grant programs, and translational programs through the NIH Neuroscience Blueprint (http://neuroscienceblueprint.nih.gov/). The overall goal of these translational research initiatives is to provide support to investigators from academia and the biotechnology sector to increase the number of drug candidates that can be clinically tested. Clinical development can be done through partnership with industry or through NIA-supported clinical trial programs. These include a program announcement for pilot clinical trials (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-11-100.html), large R01 grant applications, and the Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study, an NIA-supported clinical trials consortium. Examples of pilot trials include intranasal insulin in people with AD/MCI, and carvedilol in AD, which is an anti-hypertensive drug that was re-purposed for AD, with support from the U01 program. Through these programs, the NIA hopes to facilitate the discovery, development, and testing of new therapeutic agents for AD, MCI, and age-related cognitive impairment. There are very few drugs that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of AD. There have been many recent clinical trials of potential new therapeutic agents, but none has been shown to be effective in providing symptomatic benefit or slowing disease progression. This indicates the critical nature of the NIA/NIH programs in trying to facilitate getting new therapies out to the patients and families who desperately need them.
Characterization of cyclic 3', 5'-nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity in an islet cell tumor of the syrian hamster

Abstract During the purification of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (diesterase) activity from an insulin-secreting islet cell tumor of the syrian hamster, two soluble diesterases (diesterase I and diesterase II) and a particulate diesterase were resolved. Based on gel filtration, the estimated molecular weights of diesterases I and II were approximately 180,000. All of the diesterases had ‘low’ (approximately 1 μM) and ‘high’ (10–20 μM) KM's for both cAMP and cGMP. A heat-stable protein activator was partially separated from the soluble diesterases upon DEAE-cellulose chromatography. The activator enhanced the activity of the soluble diesterase 2 1 2 -fold at cyclic nucleotide concentrations of 5 μM. No stimulation of diesterase activity was observed at higher (50–500 uM) substrate concentrations. The following compounds (in order of decreasing potency) inhibited both the soluble and particulate diesterases: papaverine, SQ 20009, xanthine derivatives, diphenylhydantoin, diazoxide, sulfonylureas, nicotinamide and catecholamines. Insulin, proinsulin, prostaglandins E1 and F1α, secretin, glucagon, colchicine, glucose, streptozotocin and imidazole were all without effect. Sulfhydryl-containing compounds and a number of amino acids enhanced the activity of soluble and paniculate diesterases. These investigations coupled with studies of adenylate cyclase and protein kinase activities, intracellular cyclic nucleotide levels and insulin secretion will provide a basis for understanding the role of cAMP in insulin secretion.
Hydroxymethylation and cyanoethylation of nitroimidazoles

A series of nitroimidazoles were subjected to hydroxymethylations under a variety of conditions. Hydroxymethylation of 1-(2-hydroxyethyl), 1-(2-acetoxyethyl), and 1-(2-chloroethyl) substituted 5-nitroimidazoles with paraformaldehyde in dimethyl sulfoxide yielded the respective 2-hydroxymethyl analogs (5–7). However, attempts to hydroxymethylate 1-(2-hydroxyethyl), 1-(2-acetoxyethyl), 1-(2-cyanoethyl) substituted 4-nitroimidazoles and 1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-nitroimidazole were unsuccessful. Treatment of 1-(2-acetoxyethyl)-5-nitro-2-imidazolecar-baldehyde(10) with hydroxylamine-O-sulfonic acid afforded a mixture of corresponding 2-carbonitrile (12) and 2-(N-hydroxy)carboximidamide (13). Hydrolysis of 10 with ethanolic hydrochloric acid yielded 8-ethoxy-5,6-dihydro-3-nitro-8H-imidazo[2,1-c] [1,4]oxazine (11) which, on subsequent reaction with hydroxylamine-O-sulfonic acid, afforded 1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-5-nitroimidazole-2-(N-hydroxy)carboximidamide (15). Reaction of 4(5)-nitroimidazole with chloropropionitrile produced a mixture of the isomeric 1-(2-cyanoethyl) substituted 4- and 5-nitroimidazoles. Treatment of 2,4(5)-dinitroimidazole with chloropropionitrile afforded a mixture of 4(5)-chloro-5(4)-nitroimidazole and 1-(2-cyanoethyl)-4-nitro-5-chloroimidazoIe. Reaction of nitroimidazoles with acrylonitrile in the presence of Triton B yielded the corresponding 1-(2-cyanoethyl) substituted derivatives.
Youth Group Cliques: How Religious Goals Can Disguise Discriminatory Group Dynamics

This paper provides an in-depth, qualitative analysis of two Christian youth groups. Researchers conducted personal interviews with participating youth and their youth ministers and collected extensive field notes on participant obser- vations of youth group events. Findings indicate the presence of youth group cliques with clear delineations about which participants are youth group insiders and which are outsiders. Results show that insider participants are typically socioeconomically- advantaged youth, while outsiders are typically youth from disadvantaged back- grounds. Despite the existence of these exclusionary practices within both groups, leaders in the two cases demonstrate differing levels of awareness of and response to these dynamics. This paper explores the specifics of both cases, illuminating who is targeted for exclusion within these groups and how this targeting varies across the two congregational contexts. Implications of these findings are that religious youth groups may perpetuate broader socioeconomic divisions. Specifically, the analysis reveals that rather than forming benign cliques, youth group members may be discriminating against others based on their relative socioeconomic advantage.
Impact of wind farm placement on inter-area oscillations in large power systems

This paper presents an analytical method for evaluating how the placement of wind farms in a large, geographically dispersed power system may affect its inter-area oscillation dynamics. We consider a continuum representation of the electro-mechanical swing dynamics for the power system leading to a linear hyperbolic wave equation for the rotor phase angle across the transfer path. The wind power is modeled as the output of a dynamic system entering the wave equation as a point source in space located at a certain electrical distance from one end of the path. We then derive the spectrum of the line power flow for this forced system using a Fourier analysis, and show how its frequency response, especially for the inter-area or low-frequency modes, is parameterized by this distance variable. We finally pose this parametric dependence as a planning problem in light of finding the optimal distance for placing the wind farm such that a specified set of inter-area modes are damped. We illustrate our results using simulations based on a two-area power system model inspired by US west coast transfer paths such as the Pacific AC Inter-tie.
Effect of suction on the stability of subsonic flows over smooth backward-facing steps

Mach numbers up to 0.8 are considered.As expected, suction considerably reduces the separation region.
A Space‐Time Bilinear Model and its Identification

In this paper we propose a class of space–time bilinear (STBL) models which can be used to model space–time series which exhibit bilinear behavior. The STBL model is shown to be an extension of a space–time autoregressive moving-average model and a special form of the multiple bilinear model. We focus on the identification procedure of the models. Some results about stationarity and the covariance structure of these models are also discussed. An identification procedure based on the squared observations is established for the simplest pure bilinear model and some illustrative examples are provided.
3-3-1 models with unique lepton generations

We study previously unconsidered 3-3-1 models which are characterized by each lepton generation having a different representation under the gauge group. Flavor-changing neutral currents in the lepton sector occur in these models. To satisfy constraints on {mu}{yields}3e decays, the Z{sup '} must be heavier than 2 to 40 TeV, depending on the model and assignments of the leptons. These models can result in very unusual Higgs decay modes. In most cases the {mu}{tau} decay state is large (in one case, it is the dominant mode), and in one case, the {phi}{yields}ss rate dominates.
The aromatic hydrocarbon receptor, dioxin action, and endocrine homeostasis

The environmental contaminant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin acts through the aromatic hydrocarbon (AH) receptor to enhance CYP1A1 gene transcription. There are notable mechanistic analogies between dioxin action and lipophilic hormone action. In addition, some of dioxin's adverse effects are associated with disruptions in endocrine homeostasis. Thus, dioxin biology intersects several disciplines, including toxicology, endocrinology, molecular biology, and public health.
DDT: Inhibition of Sodium Chloride Tolerance by the Blue-Green Alga Anacystis nidulans

Anacystis nidulans, a freshwater blue-green alga, has been found to lerate sodium chloride (1 percent by weight) and DDT [1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis chlorophenyl) ethane] (800 parts per billion) separately, but growth was inhibited in the presence of both compounds. This inhibition was reversed by an increased calcium concentration. It is possible that inhibition of (Na+,K+)-activated adenosine triphosphatase) by DDT causes this species to lose the ability to lerate sodium chloride.
Photoinitiated crosslinking of hydroxypropyl cellulose in the isotropic and liquid crystal states

The influence of temperature, concentration, and shear rate on the formation of liquid crystal solutions of hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) in DMAc and the preservation of the structure by photoinitiated crosslinking were investigated. The rate of changes in the relaxation pattern for the characteristic band texture of HPC liquid crystals after cessation of shear is inversely proportional to the extent of the crosslinking. This shows that the liquid crystalline structure is preserved upon crosslinking. The molecular orientation of the crosslinked films as a function of mesophase organization and concentration during crosslinking was studied.