cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reaction intermediates and single turnover rate constants for the oxidation of heme by human heme oxygenase-1

Heme oxygenase converts heme to biliverdin, iron, and CO in a reaction with two established intermediates, α-meso-hydroxyheme and verdoheme. Transient kinetic studies show that the conversion of Fe3+-heme to Fe3+-verdoheme is biphasic. Electron transfer to the heme (0.11 s−1 at 4 °C and 0.49 s−1 at 25 °C) followed by rapid O2 binding yields the ferrous dioxy complex. Transfer of an electron (0.056 s−1 at 4 °C and 0.21 s−1 at 25 °C) to this complex triggers the formation of α-meso-hydroxyheme and its subsequent O2-dependent fragmentation to Fe3+-verdoheme. The conversion of Fe3+-verdoheme to Fe3+-biliverdin is also biphasic. Thus, reduction of Fe3+ to Fe2+-verdoheme (0.15 s−1 at 4 °C and 0.55 s−1 at 25 °C) followed by O2 binding and an electron transfer produces Fe3+-biliverdin (0.025 s−1 at 4 °C and 0.10 s−1 at 25 °C). The conversion of Fe3+-biliverdin to free biliverdin is triphasic. Reduction of Fe3+-biliverdin (0.035 s−1 at 4 °C and 0.15 s−1 at 25 °C), followed by rapid release of Fe2+ (0.19 s−1 at 4 °C and 0.39 s−1 at 25 °C), yields the biliverdin-enzyme complex from which biliverdin slowly dissociates (0.007 s−1 at 4 °C and 0.03 s−1 at 25 °C). The rate of Fe2+ release agrees with the rate of Fe3+-biliverdin reduction. Fe2+ release clearly precedes biliverdin dissociation. In the absence of biliverdin reductase, biliverdin release is the rate-limiting step, but in its presence biliverdin release is accelerated and the overall rate of heme degradation is limited by the conversion of Fe2+-verdoheme to the Fe3+-biliverdin.
Protein Kinase C δ Deficiency Enhances Megakaryopoiesis and Recovery from Thrombocytopenia

Objective—We previously determined that protein kinase C δ (PKCδ) regulates platelet function. However, the function of PKCδ in megakaryopoiesis is unknown. Approach and Results—Using PKCδ-/- and wild-type littermate mice, we found that deficiency of PKCδ caused an increase in white blood cells and platelet counts, as well as in bone marrow and splenic megakaryocytes (P<0.05). Additionally, the megakaryocyte number and DNA content were enhanced in PKCδ-/- mouse bone marrow after culturing with exogenous thrombopoietin compared with wild-type (P<0.05). Importantly, thrombopoietin-induced signaling was also altered with PKCδ deletion because both extracellular signal-regulated kinase and Akt308 phosphorylation were heightened in PKCδ-/- megakaryocytes compared with wild-type. Finally, PKCδ-/- mice recovered faster and had a heightened rebound thrombocytosis after thrombocytopenic challenge. Conclusions—These data suggest that PKCδ is an important megakaryopoietic protein, which regulates signaling induced b...
A Novel Course in Product Innovation

A novel course in Product Innovation has been developed at Western New England College which partners teams of senior level mechanical engineering students with local companies for the purpose of bringing fresh insights to the development of new and innovative products. Students benefit through exposure to real-world corporate environments, time to market pressures and contact with all departments typically involved in the New Product Development (NPD) process. Participating corporations benefit from the unique and often revolutionary ideas developed by students who have no preconceived notions about potential innovations, and by a renewed enthusiasm brought to the process by the students. Students perform benchmarking analyses, conduct consumer and market research, and develop functional prototypes of the new product concepts. Participating corporations support the course by providing funding for prototype fabrication and the purchase of benchmark samples, as well as engineering, marketing and sales support throughout the NPD process. To date, 60% of the products developed in the course have been approved for further development by the participating companies. The course has proven to be so successful that the School of Engineering at Western New England College is considering expanding the course to an interdisciplinary, two semester experience.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Explaining adolescent exercise behavior change: A longitudinal application of the transtheoretical model

The developmental decline and benefits of exercise are documented, however, relatively little is known about the mechanisms and motivations underlying adolescent exercise behavior This project investigates which variables drive exercise or are a consequence thereof, within the Transtheoretical Model (TTM). Baseline questionnaires (N = 819) were collected through 5 Canadian high schools. For this longitudinal investigation, all baseline participants were approached for a 3-year follow up. Follow-up questionnaire completers (n = 400: mean baseline age = 14.89, SD = 1.15, mean follow-up age = 17.62 years, SD = 1.18) were not different from noncompleters (n = 419) on all baseline variables, except for sex (54. 75% and 43. 68% females, respectively; p <. 003). Stages, processes, self-efficacy, pros and cons of exercise from the TTM, and self-reported exercise were assessed. Panel analyses revealed that although the directions of the relations were as hypothesized, the processes did not significantly lead to exercise or vice versa. As hypothesized, exercise leads to self-efficacy and pros and cons, showing that the TTM can serve as a framework to understand adolescent exercise behavior Future research needs to incorporate shorter assessment intervals and use larger samples to be able to look at adjacent stage transitions.
Algebraic derivations of relative affine structure and applications to 3D reconstruction from 2D views

We present an algebraic description of relative affine structure -- an invariant structure affinely related to the structure seen from one of the cameras. This algebraic description yields a simple canonical framework that unifies results in projective, affine, and Euclidean structure from motion. We then introduce a method for capturing the redundancy in recovering relative affine structure from a stream of perspective views. We propose a certain decomposition that on one hand involves an optimal projection of the contribution of each point at each frame onto a single bilinear equation; and on the other hand reveals a connection (bilinear) between the homography of an arbitrary plane and the translational component of motion. Given an estimation of the epipoles, which can be computed in a least squares manner for each frame separately, the decomposition equations yield a linear least squares method for solving for scene structure. The main results were applied to a real image sequence for the purpose of 3D reconstruction from 2D views, visual recognition by alignment, and image coding.
Tire wear by ablation

Abstract The transient temperature profile of a slipping tire is calculated by taking into account the frictional heating due to slip, temperature build-up due to hysteresis, convection and radiation loss into the air, and conduction cooling into the ground. Specific attention is directed to the calculation of tire surface temperature. Calculated surface temperature shows a value which may exceed the melting point of tread rubber. The phase change of the tread rubber at the surface leads to a particular wear mechanism. Wear of the tire is calculated for the transient process which occurs at the contact area between tire and ground. The governing equations for temperature profile and the associated wear process are solved numerically by a finite difference technique. Tire surface temperatures for different service conditions agree well with the available data for automobile tires. Tire wear data agree with those reported for airplane tires. The proposed wear model may be applicable to automobile tires when the service condition is severe. From the thermal analysis one can see the effect of surface properties of both tire and ground on the wear process. Other parameter studies provide some information about the effects of some important factors on tire wear.
Modeling a model: Mouse genetics, 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome, and disorders of cortical circuit development.

Understanding the developmental etiology of autistic spectrum disorders, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and schizophrenia remains a major challenge for establishing new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to these common, difficult-to-treat diseases that compromise neural circuits in the cerebral cortex. One aspect of this challenge is the breadth and overlap of ASD, ADHD, and SCZ deficits; another is the complexity of mutations associated with each, and a third is the difficulty of analyzing disrupted development in at-risk or affected human fetuses. The identification of distinct genetic syndromes that include behavioral deficits similar to those in ASD, ADHC and SCZ provides a critical starting point for meeting this challenge. We summarize clinical and behavioral impairments in children and adults with one such genetic syndrome, the 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome, routinely called 22q11DS, caused by micro-deletions of between 1.5 and 3.0 MB on human chromosome 22. Among many syndromic features, including cardiovascular and craniofacial anomalies, 22q11DS patients have a high incidence of brain structural, functional, and behavioral deficits that reflect cerebral cortical dysfunction and fall within the spectrum that defines ASD, ADHD, and SCZ. We show that developmental pathogenesis underlying this apparent genetic “model” syndrome in patients can be defined and analyzed mechanistically using genomically accurate mouse models of the deletion that causes 22q11DS. We conclude that “modeling a model”, in this case 22q11DS as a model for idiopathic ASD, ADHD and SCZ, as well as other behavioral disorders like anxiety frequently seen in 22q11DS patients, in genetically engineered mice provides a foundation for understanding the causes and improving diagnosis and therapy for these disorders of cortical circuit development.
INFLUENCE OF PITYROSPORUM SPECIES IN THE GENERATION OF FREE FATTY ACIDS IN HUMAN SURFACE LIPIDS

The importance of lipid dependent yeasts in the hydrolysis of triglycerides in human skin was investigated by selective antibiotic therapy and monitoring of the lipid composition and the microbial flora in healthy volunteers. The yeast density was reduced with topical amphotericin treatment. In the presence of high populations of Corynebacterium acnes, lipid composition was unchanged. When C. acnes was also inhibited by systemic demethylchlortetracycline, triglyceride hydrolysis was reduced to very low levels. The aerobic cocci were not implicated in lipid hydrolysis.
Megabase deletions of gene deserts result in viable mice

The functional importance of the roughly 98% of mammalian genomes not corresponding to protein coding sequences remains largely undetermined. Here we show that some large-scale deletions of the non-coding DNA referred to as gene deserts can be well tolerated by an organism. We deleted two large non-coding intervals, 1,511 kilobases and 845 kilobases in length, from the mouse genome. Viable mice homozygous for the deletions were generated and were indistinguishable from wild-type littermates with regard to morphology, reproductive fitness, growth, longevity and a variety of parameters assaying general homeostasis. Further detailed analysis of the expression of multiple genes bracketing the deletions revealed only minor expression differences in homozygous deletion and wild-type mice. Together, the two deleted segments harbour 1,243 non-coding sequences conserved between humans and rodents (more than 100 base pairs, 70% identity). Some of the deleted sequences might encode for functions unidentified in our screen; nonetheless, these studies further support the existence of potentially 'disposable DNA' in the genomes of mammals.
Rates of reexcision for breast cancer after magnetic resonance imaging-guided bracket wire localization

Background We performed this study to determine rates of close or transected cancer margins after magnetic resonance imaging-guided bracket wire localization for nonpalpable breast lesions. Study design Of 243 women undergoing MRI-guided wire localizations, 26 had MRI bracket wire localization to excise either a known cancer (n = 19) or a suspicious MRI-detected lesion (n = 7). We reviewed patient age, preoperative diagnosis, operative intent, mammographic breast density, MRI lesion size, MRI enhancement curve and morphology, MRI Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) assessment code, number of bracket wires, and pathology size. We analyzed these findings for their relationship to obtaining clear margins at first operative excision. Results Twenty-one of 26 (81%) patients had cancer. Of 21 patients with cancer, 12 (57%) had negative margins at first excision and 9 (43%) had close/transected margins. MRI size ≥ 4 cm was associated with a higher reexcision rate (7 of 9, 78%) than those Reexcision was based on close/transected margins involving DCIS alone (6, 67%), infiltrating ductal carcinoma and DCIS (2, 22%), or infiltrating ductal carcinoma alone (1, 11%). Reexcision pathology demonstrated DCIS (3, 33%), no residual cancer (5, 55%), and 1 patient was lost to followup (1, 11%). Interestingly, cancer patients who required reexcision were younger (p = 0.022), but breast density was not associated with reexcision. Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first report of MRI-guided bracket wire localization. Patients with MRI-detected lesions less than 4 cm had clear margins at first excision; larger MRI-detected lesions were more likely to have close/transected margins. Reexcision was often because of DCIS and was the only pathology found at reexcision, perhaps because MRI is more sensitive for detecting invasive carcinoma than DCIS.
Structural Determinants of Slippage-mediated Mutations by Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Reverse Transcriptase

Abstract Single-base deletions at nucleotide runs or -1 frameshifting by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase (RT) result from template slippage during polymerization. In crystal structures of HIV-1 RT complexed with DNA-DNA template-primer, the palm subdomain in the template cleft contacts the template backbone near the proposed site of slippage via the Glu89 side chain. We investigated the role of Glu89 in frameshifting by perturbing this interaction. Substitutions with Asp, Gly, Ala, Val, Ser, Thr, Asn, or Lys were created in recombinant HIV RT, and frameshift frequencies of the resulting mutant RTs were measured. All substitutions led to reduced -1 frameshifting by HIV-1 RT (2-40-fold). Interestingly, the suppression of -1 frameshifting frequently coincided with an enhancement of +1 frameshifting (3-47-fold) suggesting that Glu89 can influence the slippage of both strands. Glu89 substitutions also led to reduced rates of dNTP misincorporation that paralleled reductions in -1 frameshifting, suggesting a common structural mechanism for both classes of RT error. Our results reveal a major influence of Glu89 on slippage-mediated errors and dNTP incorporation fidelity. The crystal structure of HIV-1 RT reveals a salt bridge between Glu89 and Lys154, which may facilitate -1 frameshifting; this concept is supported by the observed reduction in -1 frameshifting for K154A and K154R mutants.
Guest—host interactions in clathrates of Ni(II)(4-picoline)4(NCS)2

Abstract Infrared and visible spectra of many clathrates of the Ni(4-picoline) 4 (NCS) 2 complex are investigated. Energy transfers of excitonic type are proposed to explain experimental splittings and shifts of some bands of the nickel complex, or of the guests. These effects are taken as a measure of the host—host and host—guest interactions; correlations are presented between these spectra and radiolytic and photochemical experiments which support similar excitonic host—guest interactions.
PREDICTING WEATHER AND ROAD CONDITIONS: INTEGRATED DECISION-SUPPORT TOOL FOR WINTER ROAD-MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS

Winter road-maintenance practitioners have expressed a strong interest in obtaining weather and road-condition forecasts and treatment recommendations specific to winter road-maintenance routes. These user needs led the FHWA Office of Transportation Operations Road Weather Management Program to support the development of a prototype winter road-maintenance decision-support system (MDSS). The MDSS is a unique data-fusion system designed to provide real-time treatment guidance (e.g., treatment times, types, rates, and locations) specifically regarding winter road-maintenance routes to winter maintenance decision makers. The system integrates weather and road data, weather and road-condition model output, chemical concentration algorithms, and anti-icing and deicing rules of practice. FHWA began the multiyear project in 2001 by engaging several national laboratories that had expertise in weather prediction and winter road engineering. A user-needs assessment for surface transportation weather information, pe...
Longitudinal and Secular Trends in Parental Encouragement for Healthy Eating, Physical Activity, and Dieting Throughout the Adolescent Years

Abstract Purpose Parental encouragement for healthy eating and physical activity has been found to be associated with the long-term healthy habits of adolescents, whereas parental encouragement to diet has been associated with disordered eating behaviors among adolescents. However, little is known about how parental encouragement changes as adolescents grow older (longitudinal trends), or how parental encouragement has changed over time (secular trends). This study examined 5-year longitudinal and secular trends in adolescents' report of their parents' encouragement to eat healthily, be physically active, and diet. Methods Project Eating Among Teens surveyed a cohort of Minnesota adolescents (n = 2,516) in the years 1999 and 2004. Mixed-model regressions were used to assess changes in adolescents' reports of parental encouragement from early to middle adolescence (middle school to high school) and from middle to late adolescence (high school to post-high school), and secular changes in parental encouragement among middle adolescents between the years 1999 and 2004. Results Longitudinally, there were significant decreases in parental encouragement to eat healthy food, be active, and diet between early and middle adolescence. Between middle and late adolescence, among males parental encouragement for all behaviors decreased, whereas among females parental encouragement to diet increased. Few secular changes in parental encouragement were observed between 1999 and 2004. Conclusion Given the importance of parental support for healthy eating and physical activity, efforts should be made to help parents maintain a high level of encouragement for their children's healthy behavior throughout adolescence. Parents of late adolescent females should aim to decrease the pressure on their daughters to diet during these critical developmental years.
Letter by Brook Regarding Article, “Residential Exposure to Traffic Is Associated With Coronary Atherosclerosis”

To the Editor: I congratulate Hoffmann and colleagues for demonstrating that residence proximity to traffic is associated with coronary calcium.1 Indeed, animal studies provide plausibility for a cause-and-effect relationship between particulate matter (PM) and atherosclerosis. However, the minor proatherosclerotic effect (≈7% greater calcium score) in their study cannot explain the magnitude of cardiovascular morbidity observed in epidemiological studies. The authors highlight that longer-term cohort studies (hazard ratio, 1.76)2 observe larger heath risks than shorter-term time series (relative risk, ≈1.0) per 10-μg/m3 increase …
Impedance Characteristics of Large Tower Footing to a A 100μS Wide Square Wave of Current

Tests were performed, using a 2500 volt pulse generator, to determine impedance variations of six tower footings on the BPA 1100 kV test line. Comparisons are made with the tower's low frequency resistance.
Asynchronous Expression of the Homeodomain Protein CUX1 in Sertoli Cells and Spermatids During Spermatogenesis in Mice

The homeodomain CUX1 protein exists as multiple isoforms that arise from proteolytic processing of a 200-kDa protein or an alternate splicing or from the use of an alternate promoter. The 200-kDa CUX1 protein is highly expressed in the developing kidney, where it functions to regulate cell proliferation. Transgenic mice ectopically expressing the 200-kDa CUX1 protein develop renal hyperplasia associated with reduced expression of the cyclin kinase inhibitor p27. A 55-kDa CUX1 isoform is expressed exclusively in the testes. We determined the pattern and timing of CUX1 protein expression in developing testes. CUX1 expression was continuous in Sertoli cells from prepubertal testes but became cyclic when spermatids appeared. In testes from mature mice, CUX1 was highly expressed only in round spermatids at stages IV-V of spermatogenesis, in both spermatids and Sertoli cells at stages VI-X of spermatogenesis, and only in Sertoli cells at stage XI of spermatogenesis. While most of the seminiferous tubules in wild-type mice were between stages VI and X of spermatogenesis, there was a significant reduction in the percentage of seminiferous tubules between stages VI and X in Cux1 transgenic mice and a significant increase in the percentage of seminiferous tubules in stages IV-V and XI. Moreover, CUX1 was not expressed in proliferating cells in testes from either wild-type or transgenic mice. Thus, unlike the somatic form of CUX1, which has a role in cell proliferation, the testis-specific form of CUX1 is not involved in cell division and appears to play a role in signaling between Sertoli cells and spermatids.
The Concept and Application of Managerial Competence in Developed and Developing Economies: A Two Country Analysis

Abstract This paper reviews the concept of managerial competence as applied in transportation management in developing and developed economies, using Boyatzis' (1982) model of effective job performance. Boyatzis postulated that effective performance of a job is the attainment of specific results or outcomes required by the job through specific actions while maintaining or being consistent with policies, procedures, and conditions of the organizational environment. Literature search and interviews with managers with extensive experience in Nigeria and the United Kingdom reveal that Boyatzis' constructs are valid within the developed economies. However, within the developing economies, it is found that modifications are required to accommodate cultural and socio-political realities and to match the skills of individuals with their current and future roles in an organization. The study also found that there are similarities in competency requirements between the two countries. It is concluded with a recommen...
Successful Treatment of an Institutional Outbreak of Shigellosis

An outbreak of shigellosis is described in an intermediate care hospital for children, where routine isolation procedures failed to halt the outbreak. Two weeks after the appearance of the first case, small numbers of patients be came symptomatic with fever and diarrhea, but remained culture-negative. One week later, two patients with positive cultures were identified, with many other symptomatic patients having negative cultures. Twenty-five days after identification of the first case, there were fourteen cases identified with shigellosis and many more symptomatic patients. It was at that time that hospital-wide measures of infection control were instituted, and treatment of all patients, infected and uninfected, was initiated with trimethoprim-sulfa methoxazole (TMP-SMX). No new cases of shigellosis were diagnosed after initiation of treatment, and symptoms abated within 72 hours.
Sturge-Weber Syndrome: Ear, Nose, and Throat Issues and Neurologic Status

The pathophysiology of Sturge-Weber syndrome is poorly understood, and ear, nose, and throat involvement is possible. These issues can result in frequent illnesses or airway obstruction, affecting patients' neurologic status. Patients with definite brain involvement who reported potential ear, nose, and throat issues on intake questionnaires underwent retrospective reviews of their medical records. We examined the relationships between these issues, secondary surgical interventions, and patients' neurologic status. The most common complaints involved the sinuses and frequent ear infections. Six patients underwent placement of ear tubes, leading to improvements in migraines and stroke-like episodes in one patient, and improved seizure control in four others. Obstructive sleep apnea was confirmed in three patients who underwent sleep studies. Tonsil or adenoid removal occurred in another three patients. Surgery resulted in marked improvements regarding excessive drooling, daytime sleepiness, and breathing problems. These findings suggest that ear, nose, and throat problems occur frequently in patients with Sturge-Weber Syndrome, and when repeated ear infections are associated with uncontrolled seizures, early placement of ear tubes may be beneficial. Furthermore, patients with facial tissue hypertrophy may be at risk for obstructive sleep apnea, and should be appropriately evaluated.
Seven years of enhanced water availability influences the physiological, structural, and functional attributes of a soil microbial community

Water availability is known to influence many aspects of microbial growth and physiology, butless is known about how complex soil microbial communities respond to changing water status. To understand how long-term enhancement of soil water availability (without flooding) influences microbial communities, we measured the seasonal dynamics of several community-level traits following >7yearsofirrigationinadrought-prone tallgrassprairiesoil.From lateMaytomid-September, waterwassupplied tothe irrigated treatments based on calculated plant water demand. Phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) were used to assess changes in microbial community structure and physiology. To assess the community-level physiological profile, microbial utilization of BIOLOG substrates was determined. After incubation for 2 days, the distribution of added 13 C-glucose in microbial and respired pools was used as an indexof substrate utilization efficiency. We also measured the relative contribution offungi and bacteria to soil microbial biomass via substrate-induced respiration (SIR). Multivariate analysis of mol% PLFA and BIOLOG substrate utilization indicated that both water availability and sampling time influenced both the physiological and structural characteristics of the soil microbial community. Specific change in biomarker PLFA revealed a decreased ratio of cyclopropyl to v7-precursors due to water addition, suggesting community-level stresses were reduced. Over the growing season, continuously greater water availability resulted in a 53% greater ratio of fungal to bacterial biomass using SIR, and a 65% increase in fungal PLFA. The number of substrates utilized by the cultivable microbial community tended to begreater in continuously wetted soil, especially during periods of low rainfall. While water dynamics appeared to be associated with some of the shifts in microbial community activity, structural and functional changesin thecommunityappeared to bemoreclosely linked tothecumulative effects of waterregime onecosystem properties. Seasonality strongly influenced microbial communities. The environmental factors associated with seasonal change need to be more closely probed to better understand the drivers of community structure and function. # 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Effects of eating breakfast compared with skipping breakfast on ratings of appetite and intake at subsequent meals in 8- to 10-y-old children

Background: Cross-sectional data indicate an inverse relation between breakfast consumption and child weight. It has been suggested that skipping breakfast may adversely affect appetite in children, which could lead to overeating later in the day. Objective: The aim of this study was to test the effects of consuming breakfast compared with omitting breakfast on appetite ratings and energy intake at subsequent meals in 8- to 10-y-old children. Design: Twenty-one children participated in 2 test visits during which they were served either a compulsory breakfast or no breakfast. On both visits, subjects were also served lunch, which was consumed ad libitum. Subjects rated their appetite throughout the morning; parents completed food records that captured children's intake for the remainder of the day. Results: There was no significant main effect of breakfast condition on energy intake at lunch (P = 0.36) or throughout the remainder of the day (P = 0.85). There was a significant main effect of breakfast condition (P = 0.04) on total daily energy intake, which indicated that on the day when the subjects did not eat breakfast, they consumed 362 fewer calories over the course of the day than when they did eat breakfast. On the day when no breakfast was served, subjects indicated that they were significantly hungrier, less full, and could consume more food before lunch than on the day when they did eat breakfast (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Omitting breakfast affected children's appetite ratings but not their energy intake at subsequent meals. The dissonance between children's subjective ratings of prospective consumption and their actual intake should be further examined.
Natural gas-based transportation in the USA: economic evaluation and policy implications based on MARKAL modeling

SUMMARY The recent divergence in domestic energy costs between oil and natural gas drives an investigation of the potential for further demand-side utilization of natural gas in the USA. An economic assessment of the US transportation sector was conducted with a focus on the penetration of technologies that use natural gas as a fuel. Bottom-up modeling of the US energy system using the market allocation framework enabled estimation of the optimal technology mix in both the light-duty and heavy-duty vehicle segments, over a 40-year time horizon, under various scenarios of technical learning rates and natural gas prices. A modified functional form of Moore's law was developed and anchored to municipal transit bus data, to represent technical learning with regard to natural gas vehicle costs. Modeling results suggest that the present levels of natural gas vehicle penetration are suboptimal and a number of market failures were identified, which are most likely to propagate under-adoption into the foreseeable future. Some policy guidelines, aimed at the federal level, were outlined as potential responses to the market failures discussed herein. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The efficacy of self-help group treatment and therapist-led group treatment for binge eating disorder.

Objective: The purpose of this investigation was to compare three types of treatment for binge eating disorder to determine the relative efficacy of self-help group treatment compared to therapist-led and therapist-assisted group cognitive-behavioral therapy. Method: A total of 259 adults diagnosed with binge eating disorder were randomly assigned to 20 weeks of therapist-led, therapist-assisted, or self-help group treatment or a waiting list condition. Binge eating as measured by the Eating Disorder Examination was assessed at baseline, at end of treatment, and at 6 and 12 months, and outcome was assessed using logistic regression and analysis of covariance (intent-to-treat). Results: At end of treatment, the therapist-led (51.7%) and the therapist-assisted (33.3%) conditions had higher binge eating abstinence rates than the self-help (17.9%) and waiting list (10.1%) conditions. However, no between-group differences in abstinence rates were observed at either of the follow-up assessments. The therapist-l...
Insecticidal Action and Mitochondrial Uncoupling Activity of AC-303,630 and Related Halogenated Pyrroles

Abstract The mode of action of the experimental insecticide/acaricide, AC-303,630 ((4-bromo-2-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(ethoxymethyl)-5-(trifluoromethyl)pyrrole-3-carbonitrile); Pirate, Stalker, CAS No. [122453-73-0]), and its halogenated pyrrole analogs was studied. AC-303,630 caused greatly increased respiratory activity in German cockroaches but was virtually inactive as an uncoupler against isolated mitochondria. However, its N-dealkylated analog, AC-303,268, was a potent uncoupler with notable activity in the range of 10-100 n M against rat, fish, and insect mitochondria. Both respiratory stimulation and toxicity were antagonized in insects by pretreatment with the monooxygenase inhibitor piperonyl butoxide. Structure-activity studies with a range of halogenated pyrroles also supported a relationship between uncoupling and toxicity. Based on these results it is concluded that AC-303,630 is a propesticide that is activated by the oxidative removal of the N -ethoxymethyl group. This releases a lipophilic, weakly acidic pyrrole metabolite which exerts its toxicity through mitochondrial uncoupling.
Factors predictive of thrombotic events in LUMINA, a multi-ethnic cohort of SLE patients (LXXII)

Objective. Thrombosis is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in SLE. We have explored the factors associated with time to the occurrence of thrombotic events in SLE patients to expand our cohort’s previous observations. Method. SLE patients (ACR criteria), age ≥16 years, disease duration ≤5 years at enrolment (T0), African-American, Hispanic (Texan or Puerto Rican) or Caucasian ethnicity, from LUMINA, a longitudinal cohort, were studied. An event was defined as the presence of arterial or venous thrombosis. Time to the first thrombotic event was examined by univariable and multivariable (MV) Cox models adjusting for pertinent baseline clinical and socio-demographic variables. Results. A total of 643 patients were studied; mean (s.d.) age was 36.4 (12.6) years and disease duration at T0 was 1.4 (1.3) years; 90% were female. After T0, 81 (12.6%) patients had developed a thrombotic event. In the MV model, age [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.06; 95% CI 1.03, 1.08; P < 0.0001], health insurance (HR = 0.53; 95% CI 0.30, 0.94; P = 0.029), smoking (HR = 1.85; 95% CI 1.01, 3.40; P = 0.048), damage (T0) (HR = 1.44; 95% CI 1.20, 1.71; P < 0.0001), aPL (HR = 2.12; 95% CI 1.19, 3.76; P = 0.011) and glucocorticoid (highest dose) (HR = 1.01; 95% CI 1.01, 1.02; P < 0.0001) were significant. Conclusions. Age, poverty, smoking, damage accrual, aPL and higher doses of glucocorticoids were independently associated with a shorter time to the first thrombotic event; health insurance had a protective effect. Acting upon modifiable risk factors at the personal (smoking, high-dose glucocorticoids) and societal (poverty, health insurance) levels may prevent these events and improve the long-term outcome of SLE patients.
Evidence-based medicine: making the grade: miles to go before we sleep.

Rarely has cardiovascular medicine faced greater challenges. Rarely have our patients expected more of us. But never have we had such tools to make people well…. It is time to make good on that promise. 1 During the past 2 decades, there have been major advances in medical therapies that can improve outcomes for patients with cardiovascular disease. The Institute of Medicine in its 2001 report Crossing the Quality Chasm 2 observed major deficiencies in the health care provided for patients and emphasized the importance of applying evidence-based therapies to patient care. In this issue of Circulation , 2 studies provide important information about the use of these therapies among patients with hypertension and for those with known coronary heart disease. Their findings reveal increased use of medical therapies but suggest a need for broader emphasis on strategies that will improve patient adherence to prescribed therapies and focus on eliminating existing sociodemographic disparities. Articles pp 203 and 213 The study by Gu et al3 compares National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) III (1988 to 1994) and NHANES 1999 to 2002 data to investigate trends in the use of antihypertensive medications among US adults with hypertension. Compared with NHANES III, the NHANES 1999 to 2002 hypertensive population had higher body mass index values and higher prevalence of diabetes but lower prevalence of chronic kidney disease. During the period studied, a favorable increase in the use of antihypertensive medications occurred, with 62.9% of patients receiving prescribed therapies in 1999 to 2002 compared with 57.3% in 1988 to 1994 ( P <0.01). The use of polytherapy with calcium channel blockers, β-blockers, or angiotensin-converting …
Treatment provider is most predictive of ED dismissal in minimally-injured trauma patients: a retrospective review.

Background Secondary triage protocols have been described in the literature as physiologic (first-tier) criteria and mechanism-related (second-tier) criteria to determine the level of trauma activation. There is debate as to the efficiency of triage decisions based on mechanism of injury which may result in overtriage and overuse of limited trauma resources. Our institution developed and implemented an advanced three-tier trauma alert system in which stable patients presenting with blunt traumatic mechanism of injury would be evaluated by the emergency department (ED) physician rather than the trauma surgeon. The American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma (ACSCOT) requires that operational changes be monitored and evaluated for patient safety and performance. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the process, as well as outcomes, of patient care pre and post implementation of the new triage protocol. The secondary aim was to determine predictor variables that were associated with ED dismissal.
Recoiling, regrouping, and recovering: First‐person accounts of the role of spirituality in the course of serious mental illness

Because many consumers view spirituality as important in their recovery, mental health professionals can benefit from a clearer understanding of the role of religion from the consumer's perspective.
Switching among structured stabilizing controllers

In this paper we consider the problem of designing a controller K that consists of a set of structured stabilizing components {Km}m n = 1. At each time instant depending on the mode Jm of operation, the corresponding component Km is used. We seek conditions so that a controller, implemented in this form, minimizes the worst case linfin-induced norm under arbitrary switching of the controller among n components, while providing a pre-specified performance level gammam in each operational mode Jm. Based on the Youla-Kucera parameterization, the design problem can be converted into a sequence of linear programming problems, the solutions of which provide an approximate solution of the original problem with any given precision. A numerical example is included to demonstrate the efficiency of algorithms.
Rapid titration of carvedilol in patients with congestive heart failure: a randomized trial of automated telemedicine versus frequent outpatient clinic visits.

Background Because of potential side effects and logistical difficulty of titrating medications, outpatients with congestive heart failure rarely receive appropriate doses of carvedilol or other β-blockers. To address these obstacles, we studied if an automated telemedicine system named TeleWatch (TW) could facilitate carvedilol titration in outpatients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction. Methods Forty-nine patients with New York Heart Association class II and III left ventricular systolic dysfunction, who were tolerating appropriate afterload-reducing therapy and not receiving β-blockers, were enrolled into a 3-month study. Patients were randomized to have clinic-only (CO) (n = 24) carvedilol titration or titrations which combined clinic visits with TW monitoring (n = 25). All patients were seen in clinic biweekly, and those in the TW group were remotely monitored daily. Using a predefined algorithm, patients in the CO and TW groups were eligible for carvedilol titration on a biweekly or weekly basis, respectively, by physicians blinded to group assignment. Results There was no statistical difference in the mean final daily dose of carvedilol between the CO and TW groups (39.4 vs 36.2 mg/d, P = .52). Because remote telemedicine titrations were as successful as titrations in the clinic, the time to reach the final dose of carvedilol was significantly shorter in the TW group (33.6 vs 63.7 days, P P = .29); however, TW prospectively detected 2 adverse events. Conclusions Remote monitoring with an automated telemedicine system can successfully facilitate titration of carvedilol in outpatients with New York Heart Association class II and III congestive heart failure.
Extreme Groups Designs

An extreme groups design is one in which a researcher samples cases from the extremes of the distribution of an independent variable X and then examines the relationship between X and another variable Y. Extreme groups designs can lead to significant cost savings in data collection while preserving or enhancing statistical power for detecting relationships. However, methodologists have noted several limitations associated with this method that often go unrecognized, including artificially inflated effect size and compromised reliability. In addition, use of such designs often requires the researcher to make additional assumptions about the variables and how they are related. Use of extreme groups designs should be employed only after careful consideration of their advantages and disadvantages. Keywords: abnormal; acculturation; addiction; effect size; extreme groups; interaction effects; statistical power; subgrouping
The determinants of paternity establishment and child support award rates among unmarried women

This paper examines the relationships between several child support policies, paternity establishment, and child support award rates among never-married women. We use several state policies and practices in place throughout the 1980s to examine their effectiveness at increasing paternity establishment rates and at increasing the proportion of unmarried women who have child support awards. We also examine the direct relationship between paternity establishment rates and child support award rates. We estimate these relationships using a variety of specifications, using cross-state variation in child support enforcement to identify the effects of policies. To date, child support remains largely the province of state family law, and, although policies have changed dramatically in response to two decades of federal mandates, state laws and practices still vary.
Novel strategy increases capacity of tumor vaccine to provide cross-protection against unique MCA-induced sarcomas.

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 12-16, 2008; San Diego, CA 2847 Vaccination with irradiated 3-Methylcholanthrene (MCA)-induced tumor cells provides protection from a subsequent viable challenge with the same MCA tumor, but not other MCA-induced tumors. This observation of unique tumor-specific protection, first reported in 1957 by Prehn and Main, has been well documented by numerous laboratories, including ours and is a well-established paradigm in tumor immunology. We postulated that all MCA-induced sarcomas overexpress some genes in common, but only the unique tumor-rejection antigens are stable enough to be cross-presented and induce antitumor immunity. We further postulated that the overexpressed genes common to most/all sarcomas are proteins with a very short half-life, such as Defective Ribosomal Proteins (DRiPs) and Short-Lived Proteins (SLiPS), which are not cross-presented due to their transient nature. Recently we (H. Hu, manuscript submitted) developed a strategy where DRiPs and SLiPs could be stabilized and isolated in autophagic-like vesicles (DRibbles) for use as a vaccine and documented that this approach allowed efficient cross-presentation of antigens that were normally too labile to stimulate an immune response. This strategy was employed to ask whether vaccination with DRibbles isolated from one antigenically distinct MCA sarcoma would cross-protect from another antigenically distinct MCA sarcoma. Individual MCA sarcomas were treated with a proteosome inhibitor to block degredation of SLiPs and DRiPs and promote their accumulation in autophagic-like vesicles (DRibbles) that were isolated by differential centrifugation. Vaccination with irradiated MCA-310 tumor cells protected mice from a subsequent challenge, 14 days later, with viable MCA-310 (10/10) but not MCA-311 (0/10). In contrast, vaccination with DRibbles isolated from either of two unique sarcomas demonstrated delay in tumor growth and increased survival (p<0.05) following challenge with either tumor. These results impact our understanding of how tumor immunity is obtained; specifically how increasing the antigen repertoire to include SLiPs and DRiPs can lend protection where it otherwise does not exist. Supported by RO1s CA80964 (BAF), CA107243 (HH) the Chiles Foundation and the Murdoch Trust.
The Principle of Sufficient Reason

The basic philosophical difficulty people feel in believing in freewill lies in the fact that this doctrine seems to violate the principle of sufficient reason. Now the principle of sufficient reason is simply the doctrine that behind every event whatever there is a “sufficient,” i.e., entirely adequate, reason for its happening rather than something else happening. This of course is nothing but the principle of causality or determinism expressed in different words. In any event, Leibniz, who enunciated the principle of sufficient reason (and who was a determinist) was quite right in emphasizing this principle and in placing it alongside the principle of contradiction as a fundamental postulate of reason. I do not say that the principle was or is correct; only that he was right in emphasizing it, for, correct or not, it is an idea of high importance.
Taking the Plunge: New Luxury Ventures

Students at all levels explore the psychology of entrepreneurship and new product branding and marketing as a young IBM executive decides whether to become an entrepreneur. He must evaluate his business plan; seek advisors; and decide how much money it will take to get started. His product idea? On-the-go water for dogs. With market research complete and a team of advisors assembled, he must decide whether to take the plunge.
Oxidation of palmitate-1-C14 by red blood cells.

SummaryWashed, red blood cells from normal, fed, adult rats were incubated in vitro in a modified Tyrode phosphate medium with palmitate-1-C14, the oxidation of which was demonstrated and measured by following the incorporation of radioactivity in the respiratory CO2. Rate of palmitate oxidation to CO2 has been shown to increase with number of red blood cells in the incubating vessels and with concentration of palmitate, and also depends on duration of the incubation. The data are discussed in relation to the present concepts of fat metabolism in vivo.