cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A static and magic-angle sample-spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic study of 11B in Si[B]. An analysis of spin-spin and spin-lattice relaxation behavior in the metallic state

Abstract We have investigated the signal intensity, lineshape, spin—lattice and spin—spin (spin-echo decay) relaxation behavior of 11 B nuclei in a Si[B] extrinsic semiconductor in the metallic state, as a function of magnetic field strength and temperature. We find that essentially all boron spins are in a highly symmetric environment, characterized by a mean nuclear quadrupole coupling constant ( e 2 qQ / h ) of ≈ 12 kHz. The spin—lattice relaxation is Korringa like, with a T 1 T ≈ 550 s K, at both 5 and 300 K, indicating a mean Knight shift of ≈ 70 ppm. The spin—spin relaxation time, T 2E , is 25 ms at 8.45 T, independent of temperature, or magnetic field strength in the range 2.35 to 11.7 T, at 300 K. The T 2E value is in good agreement with the predictions of a model of homonuclear dipolar interactions within metallic Si[B] clusters.
cAMP stimulates the in vitro proliferation of renal cyst epithelial cells by activating the extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway.

cAMP stimulates the in vitro proliferation of renal cyst epithelial cells by activating the extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway. Background Cellular proliferation is a key factor in the enlargement of renal cysts in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). We determined the extent to which adenosine 3′:5′-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) may regulate the in vitro proliferation of cyst epithelial cells derived from human ADPKD cysts. Methods Epithelial cells from cysts of individuals with ADPKD and from normal human kidney cortex (HKC) of individuals without ADPKD were cultured. The effects of agonists and inhibitors on the rate of cellular proliferation and the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK 1/2 ) were determined. Results 8-Br-cAMP (100 μmol/L) stimulated the proliferation of cells from eight different ADPKD subjects to 99.0% above baseline; proliferation was inhibited by protein kinase A (PKA) antagonists H-89 (97%) and Rp-cAMP (90%). Forskolin (10 μmol/L), which activates adenylyl cyclase, increased proliferation 124%, and receptor-mediated agonists arginine vasopressin, desmopressin, secretin, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, and prostaglandin E 2 stimulated proliferation 54.2, 56.3, 46.7, 37.1, and 48.3%, respectively. The mitogen extracellular kinase (MEK) inhibitor PD98059 completely inhibited ADPKD cell proliferation in response to cAMP agonists, but genistein, a receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, did not block cAMP-dependent proliferation. cAMP agonists increased the activity of ERK above control levels within five minutes. In contrast to ADPKD, proliferation and ERK activity of cells derived from normal HKC were not stimulated by cAMP agonists, although electrogenic Cl - secretion was increased by these agonists in both ADPKD and HKC cell monolayers. Conclusions We conclude that cAMP agonists stimulate the proliferation of ADPKD but not HKC epithelial cells through PKA activation of the ERK pathway at a locus distal to receptor tyrosine kinase. We suggest that the adenylyl cyclase signaling pathway may have a unique role in determining the rate of cyst enlargement in ADPKD through its actions to stimulate cellular proliferation and transepithelial solute and fluid secretion.
Abstract 5336: Change in pattern of relapse following anti-angiogenic therapy in high grade gliomas

Purpose:. Local recurrence (LR) accounts for >90% at the time of relapse in high grade glioma (HGG) following conventional therapy. Anti-angiogenic therapy with bevacizumab has shown impressive radiological and clinical responses in HGG. However, an apparent increase in diffuse invasive relapse (DIR) following therapy necessitated a detailed analysis of pattern of recurrence following therapy. Methods: One hundred and sixty five consecutive patients with HGG, either newly diagnosed (n=75) or recurrent (n= 90) received therapy with bevacizumab at 10 mg/kg every two weeks along with conventional chemotherapy ± involved field radiotherapy. The treatment was continued till the time of disease progression or the patient developed dose limiting toxicity. Treatment evaluation was done with neurological examination and magnetic resonance imaging at base line and every 8 weeks subsequently. Pattern of recurrence and time to relapse were the primary aims of the study. DIR was defined as involvement of multiple lobes ± crossing the midline. Survival was calculated from the start of bevacizumab therapy. Results: With a mean follow-up of 6.8 months (range 1-58), 100 of the 165 patients (60.6%) have relapsed with 76 as DIR and 70 have died. The median progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 5 and 9 months respectively. Of the 62 patients who failed initially as LR, 38 (61.3%) patients subsequently developed DIR. 38/75 (50.7%) patients with newly diagnosed and 38/90 (42.2%) of recurrent HGG failed ultimately as DIR. All 9 patients who presented with multicentric HGG relapsed as DIR. The median OS for the patients who failed as DIR was 9 months Vs 6 months for patients with LR alone (p=0.06). While the hazard risk for LR remained linear over time, the risk of DR increased exponentially with time (R2 = 0.933). Biopsies done on eight of these patients at the time of recurrence showed decreased expression of Olig-2 in 6, increased expression of SDF-1 in 5 and a variable expression of CXCR-4 in 6 patients. No change in expression of HIF-1, p53, PDGF or CD163 was seen. Conclusion: Invasion remains a dominant process in HGG as demonstrated by both imaging and pathology. Angiogenic blockade that results in increased invasiveness of HGG is worrisome and needs to be addressed in future clinical trials. Note: This abstract was not presented at the AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010 because the presenter was unable to attend. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5336.
Growth hormone and the adipose conversion of 3T3 cells

Cultured preadipose 3T3 cells are induced or enabled to undergo adipose conversion in the presence of an extract of pituitary gland. Adipogenic activity is found in standard growth hormone preparations derived from different species. Further purification of rat growth hormone by several methods does not remove its adipogenic activity. Human growth hormone synthesized in Escherichia coli is also effective. Adipogenic activity is not associated with other pituitary polypeptides. Since growth hormone acts on preadipose cells in the absence of any other cell type, a mechanism exists for the direct participation of the pituitary gland in the regulation of this form of mesenchymal differentiation.
Ireland and the Spanish Empire, 1600–1825

Oscar Recio Morales. Ireland and the Spanish Empire, 1600–1825. Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2010. Pp. xxii, 384. 55.00. In recent years Irish and Spanish scholars have begun re-writing early modern ...
The Relationship Between Childhood Trauma, Combat Exposure, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Male Veterans

The current study investigated the effects of combat exposure, childhood trauma, and depression on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) severity. Participants were 299 male veterans from the Korean War, World War II, Vietnam, and the first Gulf War who were being screened for admission to the PTSD unit. Participants were assessed with the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), Combat Exposure Scale (CES), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD), Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), and Mississippi Scale for PTSD (MPTSD). Results of multiple regression analyses indicated that, as expected, combat exposure and depression were significant predictors of PTSD severity. When examined with combat exposure, childhood trauma has a complex relationship to PTSD severity. Examination of the interaction between the CES and CTQ suggests that when levels of combat are low and childhood trauma levels are high, the CTQ is related to higher levels of PTSD severity on the CAPS, regardless of depression. Treatment implic...
Restructuring Japanese financial institutions

Japan is under much criticism that it is floundering in its effort to put its financial house in order. This, however, is the result of a seeming unwillingness of the Japanese to fix these problems quickly. In reality, even though gradually, much more progress has been made than many critics recognize.
HYDROGENOLYSIS OF AROMATIC GLYCOLS : AN EXAMPLE OF MULTIFUNCTIONAL CATALYSIS BY HCO(CO)4

Abstract HCo(CO)4 catalyzes the hydrogenolysis of diaryl glycols to diarylethanes with very high selectivity at temperatures of 180–220 °C. The reaction pathway was determined by mass spectral identification of intermediate and byproduct molecules and can be rationalized by a multiple-step reaction involving preliminary carbonium ion rearrangement followed by various hydrogenation and homologation reactions. The cobalt catalyzes at least five different types of transformation in order to generate the products observed.
The Specter of the Second Amendment: Rereading Slaughterhouse and Cruikshank

In 1866, members of the Joint Committee on Reconstruction introduced the Fourteenth Amendment into the House of Representatives and the Senate, respectively. Several speakers indicated that the force of the new amendment would be to protect basic or fundamental citizen rights against adverse action by state governments, and would allow Congress for the first time to protect such rights against such state action. The clause that would do this was the privileges or immunities clause: “No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States.”
Everyday Statistical Reasoning during Adolescence and Young Adulthood: Motivational, General Ability, and Developmental Influences

Research on adolescent problem solving was extended into the domain of statistical reasoning and potential biases in reasoning. In Experiment 1, adolescents solved everyday reasoning problems dealing with the "law of large numbers" and the "intuitive analysis of covariance." In each problem, evidence was presented that portrayed each participant's dominant career goal favorably or unfavorably. In Experiment 2, adolescents and young adults were presented "law of large numbers" evidence that was goal-threatening, goal-enhancing, or goal-neutral. In both experiments, statistical reasoning could be used to discredit the evidence. Results indicated that (1) adolescents and young adults found goal-enhancing evidence more convincing than goal-neutral evidence which, in turn, was perceived more favorably than goal-threatening evidence; (2) statistical reasoning was more frequent on goal-threatening problems than on goal-neutral and goal-enhancing problems; (3) intellectual ability was unrelated to the biases in adolescents' reasoning; (4) verbal ability was linked to "law of large numbers" reasoning, but no cognitive ability was systematically correlated with "analysis of covariance" reasoning; and (5) law of large numbers reasoning of young adults was superior to that of adolescents, but young adults were no less biased in their reasoning than adolescents. The potential functions and consequences of adolescents' biased reasoning, the relation of everyday reasoning to general intellectual abilities, and the influences of motivation and depth of processing are discussed.
CAVEing the MMPI for an Optimism-Pessimism Scale: Seligman's attributional model and the assessment of explanatory style

Research based on Seligman's model indicates that a pessimistic explanatory style predicts increased frequency of depression, poorer physical health, and lower levels of achievement. The data show that persons who have a pessimistic outlook on life are more frequent users of the medical and mental health care delivery systems. This paper describes the development of a bipolar MMPI Optimism-Pessimism (PSM) scale that is based on the results of a technique--Content Analysis of Verbatim Explanation (CAVE)--applied to the MMPI. Reliability and validity indices show that the PSM scale is highly accurate and consistent with Seligman's theory. Identification of the patient's explanatory style may lead to improved management because intervention measures can be directed more accurately according to the patient's personality style. The new scale also will allow researchers to use existing MMPI data to explore relationships between explanatory style and various outcome variables and behavioral correlates.
Great-granny’s Garden: a living archive and a sensory garden

Since 2003, the Botanical Garden in Oslo has been involved in a project coordinated by the Norwegian Genetic Resource Centre. The wide range of work supervised by this centre includes conservation of ornamental plants. Our garden has been responsible for the registration and collecting of ornamentals in Southeast-Norway and has a special responsibility for the conservation of Paeonia species and cultivars. As a result of the project, Great-granny’s Garden was opened to the public in 2008. It has two objectives. Firstly, it shall be a living archive of Norway’s horticultural heritage. Although proven hardy, easy to grow, and long-lived, old varieties of traditional ornamentals are rapidly disappearing. We aim to keep these old-fashioned varieties for sustainable use in future horticulture and encourage people to use them in present day gardening, both in new gardens and in the restoration of old ones. Secondly, the garden is designed as a sensory garden for people with dementia, in cooperation with Oslo’s Resource Centre for Dementia and Psychiatric Care of the Elderly. It is enclosed by a picked fence and by shrubs, offers rest on several benches, and has a paved and easy to follow round-walk among traditional garden elements and plants with a lush variety of colours, forms, and scents. A sensory garden stimulates many senses, evokes pleasant emotions, brings out long-forgotten memories, and stimulates communication. Sensory gardens are therefore considered an important tool in the therapy of dementia.
Flight management system prediction and execution of idle-thrust descents

To enable arriving aircraft to fly optimized descents computed by the flight management system (FMS) in congested airspace, ground automation must accurately predict descent trajectories. To support development of the predictor and its uncertainty models, descents from cruise to the meter fix were executed in a B737-700 simulator with a commercial FMS using vertical navigation. The FMS computed the intended descent path for a specified speed profile assuming idle thrust after top of descent (TOD), and then it controlled the avionics without human intervention. The test matrix varied aircraft weight, descent speed, and wind conditions. The first analysis in this paper determined the effect of the test matrix parameters on the FMS computation of TOD. Increasing weight by 10,000 lb moved TOD about 4.5 nmi farther from the meter fix, increasing along-track wind by 25 kt moved it about 4.6 nmi farther away, and varying the descent speed from 250 KCAS to 320 KCAS moved the TOD about 25 nmi. The execution of the descents was analyzed by comparing simulator state data to the specified speed profile and to the FMS predictions. The FMS generally flew its predicted three-dimensional trajectory accurately, with altitude error less than 200 ft. It engaged the throttle if the speed dropped 15 KCAS below the target speed but allowed the speed to increase arbitrarily above the target unless it reached a performance limit. In the runs with descent speed too slow but correct wind conditions, the FMS meter fix arrival time prediction error was as large as 37 sec. Along-track wind error of 25 kt resulted in a meter fix arrival time error of roughly 30 sec if the target descent speed was met. The data from this analysis are used to estimate accuracy requirements for the ground automation system.
A theoretical comparison of internal gravity wave propagation and dissipation in high and low temperature thermospheres Implications for orbiting spacecraft

In this paper the propagation and dissipation characteristics of a number of individual internal gravity waves are discussed and compared by using a multilayer, time-averaged model in which the waves lose energy due to viscous, thermal conduction and ion-drag dissipation. From this both the height and horizontal distance (from an assumed 'source') at which the waves achieve a maximum density amplitude may be determined. Such calculations are performed for both a very hot and a very cold thermosphere, and the subsequent differences in the wave characteristics and their relation to the control of orbiting spacecraft for each of these is discussed.
Isolation of Sertoli Cells from Adult Rat Testes: An Approach to Ex Vivo Studies of Sertoli Cell Function

Much of what is known about the molecular regulation and function of adult Sertoli cells has been inferred from in vitro studies of immature Sertoli cells. However, adult and immature cells differ in significant ways and, moreover, many Sertoli cell functions are regulated by conditions that are difficult to replicate in vitro. Our objective was to develop a procedure to isolate Sertoli cells rapidly and in sufficient number and purity to make it possible to assess Sertoli cell function immediately after the isolation of the cells. The isolation procedure described herein takes less than 4 h and does not require culturing the cells. From a single 4-mo-old adult rat, we routinely obtain 7.0 6 0.4 3 10 6 Sertoli cells per testis, and from a 21-mo-old rat, 7.2 6 0.4 3 10 6 Sertoli cells per testis. The purity, determined by morphologic analyses of plastic-embedded cells or after staining for tyrosine-tubulin or vimentin, averaged 80%. The contaminants typically included germ cells (10%) and myoid cells (10%). The germ cell-expressed genes protamine-2 and hemiferrin were not detected in the Sertoli cell preparations by Northern blot analyses, but the Sertoli cell-expressed genes clusterin, cathepsin L, and transferrin were highly expressed. Transferrin mRNA levels were greater in Sertoli cells isolated from aged than from young adult rats, consistent with previous analyses of whole testes; and cathepsin L mRNA levels were far more highly expressed in Sertoli cells isolated from stages VI‐VII than from other stages of the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium, also consistent with previous analyses of whole testes and isolated tubules. These studies indicate that the freshly isolated cells retain differentiated function, and thus it should be possible to assess the in vivo function of adult Sertoli cells by isolating the Sertoli cells and immediately assessing their function. aging, Sertoli cells, spermatogenesis
Age-dependent stochastic models for understanding population fluctuations in continuously cultured cells

For symmetrically dividing cells, large variations in the cell cycle time are typical, even among clonal cells. The consequence of this variation is important in stem cell differentiation, tissue and organ size control, and cancer development, where cell division rates ultimately determine the cell population. We explore the connection between cell cycle time variation and population-level fluctuations using simple stochastic models. We find that standard population models with constant division and death rates fail to predict the level of population fluctuation. Instead, variations in the cell division time contribute to population fluctuations. An age-dependent birth and death model allows us to compute the mean squared fluctuation or the population dispersion as a function of time. This dispersion grows exponentially with time, but scales with the population. We also find a relationship between the dispersion and the cell cycle time distribution for synchronized cell populations. The model can easily be generalized to study populations involving cell differentiation and competitive growth situations.
Publishing a document set simultaneously on paper, CD-ROM, and the Web

Our publications process starts with one set of files that we convert into different formats and publish in different media (paper, CD-ROM and the Web). Planners of such projects must address these issues: the CD-ROM reader to display the files, the hardware and software tools used in each phase of the project, the extent of hyperlinking and the tools to insert the links, graphical formats, platforms targeted by the CD, whether to publish PDF or HTML files on the Web, and HTML conversion tools. Careful planning can result in a publications process that is coherent, efficient, time-saving and cost-effective.
Sedimentology and development of a passive- to convergent-margin unconformity: Middle Ordovician Knox unconformity, Virginia Appalachians

The Knox unconformity, central and southern Appalachians, marks the transition from passive-margin to convergent-margin sedimentation, possibly during global sea-level lowering. The unconformity developed on Early to Middle Ordovician Knox-Beekmantown carbonates, and it has >140-m erosional relief in southwest Virginia, decreasing to Paleokarst features include topographic highs (tens of metres relief), breccia- and mud-filled sinkholes and caves that extend down to 65 m below the unconformity, and subconformity intraformational dolomite breccias that formed after dissolution of limestone interbeds. Detritus on the unconformity surface formed veneers of regolith, sub-aerial debris flows, and mud-flat deposits, and locally it was reworked during transgression. The unconformity influenced the distribution of postunconformity carbonates, including Middle Ordovician build-ups. It also influenced later Zn mineralization and possible localization of petroleum reservoirs in the basin. Development of regional unconformities at passive-to-convergent–margin transitions is common in other orogens, reflecting gentle warping and uplift of the shelf prior to foundering and burial beneath synorogenic clastics.
Exploiting entities in social media

Over the past couple of years micro blogging platforms, such as Twitter, have become extremely popular for information generation and dissemination. Each day hundreds of millions of tweets are being published, containing fresh and trending information that is highly valuable for online users. However, discovering relevant information from such sources is becoming harder due to their rapid growth and the fact that social fragments are often short and noisy. Aggregation techniques such as clustering are often used for extracting this relevant information, since interesting signals begin to emerge when these fragments are grouped together. Clustering large amount of short tweets with limited features is however a challenging task in itself. In this paper, we propose to aggregate tweets by pivoting on entities and mapping them to topics that are already defined in websites such as Wikipedia and Freebase. This allows us to aggregate tweets in a more reliable and feasible way while providing interesting aggregated information about entities present in these fragments. Our analysis using large amounts of tweets shows that such an approach indeed works well. We present encouraging results and various interesting applications centered on entities.
Steady-State Plasma Pharmacokinetics of Oral Voriconazole in Obese Adults

Voriconazole is an antifungal agent that is currently used as primary therapy for invasive aspergillosis and as a potential treatment for systemic candidiasis. Data on the dosing of voriconazole in obese patients are not available, which is problematic given the increased prevalence of this special population. To address this limitation, we evaluated the steady-state plasma pharmacokinetics of voriconazole through a two-way, crossover design in a cohort of eight healthy volunteers with class II obesity or greater. The median (minimum, maximum) age, weight, and body mass index of obese subjects were 43 (22, 48) years, 133 (105, 155) kg, and 46.2 (38.4, 53.7) kg/m², respectively. The geometric mean ratios (90% confidence intervals) for the area under the curve from time zero to 12 h (dosing interval; AUC(0-τ)), maximum concentration (C(max)), minimum concentration at 12 h (C(min)), and time to C(max) (T(max)) of the 300-mg to 200-mg dosing regimens were 2.0 (1.5, 2.7), 1.8 (1.4, 2.2), 2.2 (1.6, 2.9), and 1.6 (1.0, 2.4) in obese subjects, respectively. The AUC(0-τ) values observed in obese subjects were comparable to those from a historical data set of nonobese subjects. Voriconazole dose-normalized AUC(0-τ) values had a modestly better correlation with lean body weight (r² = 0.42) than total body weight (r² = 0.14). An excellent linear relationship (r² = 0.96) was identified between C(min) values and AUC(0-τ) values. Adjustment of voriconazole doses in individuals with class II obesity or greater does not appear to be necessary on the basis of body weight.
A randomized trial assessing the utility of a test-dose program with taxanes

ABSTRACTObjective: Taxanes are commonly used anticancer agents with a potential of producing an allergic or hypersensitivity reaction (HSR). We performed a randomized study to evaluate the value of a test dose given prior to the full dose of either paclitaxel or docetaxel.Research design and methods: Patients were randomly assigned to either the administration of the full dose or to the prior administration of a 1 mg intravenous test dose of either paclitaxel or docetaxel. The primary endpoints were severity of the HSR and the cost of drug wastage due to a HSR.Results: Two hundred and eighteen patients were randomized from three different treatment sites. The overall incidence of HSR was 6.5% and there was no significant difference in the incidence of HSR in either group. The mean HSR severity grade was 2.8 for patients without a test dose and 2.3 for those receiving a test dose. There was, however, a reduction in the wastage of taxane in the test dose arm. Wastage avoided in the test dose arm was $1573 p...
Cofactor engineering of intracellular CoA/acetyl-CoA and its effect on metabolic flux redistribution in Escherichia coli

Abstract Coenzyme A (CoA) and its thioester derivatives are important cofactors participating in over 100 different reactions in intermediary metabolism of microorganisms. The time profiles of intracellular CoA and acetyl-CoA levels were studied in an aerobic batch reactor. The CoA level starts at a high value and falls off gradually over the exponential and stationary growth phases, reaching negligible levels at the end of 24 h. The acetyl-CoA level, on the other hand, increases initially reaching a maximum and decreases gradually reaching negligible levels after 24 h. Overexpressing one of the upstream rate-controlling enzyme the pantothenate kinase with simultaneous supplementation of the precursor pantothenic acid to the culture medium increased the intracellular CoA/acetyl-CoA levels. It was found that supplementation of the precursor pantothenic acid is essential to increase CoA/acetyl-CoA levels. A 10-fold increase in CoA level was observed upon this overexpression in complex medium. Acetyl-CoA levels also increased (5-fold) but not as much as CoA, leaving much of the CoA in free unacetylated form. The increase in intracellular CoA/acetyl-CoA levels led to an increase in carbon flux to the acetate production pathway leading to formation of more acetate in complex medium, whereas no such change in metabolite redistribution was observed in mimimal medium.
Nanoscale Morphology and Indentation of Individual Nacre Tablets from the Gastropod Mollusc Trochus Niloticus

The inner nacreous layer of gastropod mollusc Trochus niloticus is composed of ∼95 wt% planar arrays of polygonal aragonite-based tablets (∼8 μm wide, ∼0.9 μm thick, stacked ∼40 nm apart) and ∼5 wt% biomacromolecules. High-resolution tapping mode atomic force microscope images enabled nanoscale resolution of fractured tablet cross-sections, the organic component, and deformation of individual nanoasperities on top of tablet surfaces. Nanoindentation was performed on individual nacre tablets and the elastic modulus E and yield stress σy were reduced from elastic-plastic finite element simulations yielding E = 92 GPa, σy = 11 GPa (freshly cleaved samples) and E = 79 GPa, σy = 9 GPa (artificial seawater soaked samples). Images of the indents revealed extensive plastic deformation with a clear residual indent and surrounding pileup.
MAXIMUM A POSTERIORI RECONSTRUCTION OF PATLAK PARAMETRIC IMAGE FROM SINOGRAMS IN DYNAMIC PET

Parametric imaging using Patlak graphical method has been widely used to analyze dynamic PET data. The conventional way to generate Patlak parametric image is to reconstruct dynamic images first and then perform Patlak graphical analysis on the time activity curves pixel-by-pixel. In this paper we present a Bayesian method for reconstructing Patlak parametric images directly from raw sinogram data by combining the Patlak plot model with image reconstruction. A preconditioned conjugate gradient algorithm is used to find the maximum a posteriori solution. We conduct computer simulations to validate the proposed method. The comparison with conventional indirect approaches shows that the proposed method results in more accurate estimate of the parametric image
NuA4 Lysine Acetyltransferase Esa1 Is Targeted to Coding Regions and Stimulates Transcription Elongation with Gcn5

NuA4, the major H4 lysine acetyltransferase (KAT) complex in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is recruited to promoters and stimulates transcription initiation. NuA4 subunits contain domains that bind methylated histones, suggesting that histone methylation should target NuA4 to coding sequences during transcription elongation. We show that NuA4 is cotranscriptionally recruited, dependent on its physical association with elongating polymerase II (Pol II) phosphorylated on the C-terminal domain by cyclin-dependent kinase 7/Kin28, but independently of subunits (Eaf1 and Tra1) required for NuA4 recruitment to promoters. Whereas histone methylation by Set1 and Set2 is dispensable for NuA4's interaction with Pol II and targeting to some coding regions, it stimulates NuA4-histone interaction and H4 acetylation in vivo. The NuA4 KAT, Esa1, mediates increased H4 acetylation and enhanced RSC occupancy and histone eviction in coding sequences and stimulates the rate of transcription elongation. Esa1 cooperates with the H3 KAT in SAGA, Gcn5, to enhance these functions. Our findings delineate a pathway for acetylation-mediated nucleosome remodeling and eviction in coding sequences that stimulates transcription elongation by Pol II in vivo.
Positivity, posynomials and tile size selection

Tiling is a widely used loop transformation for exposing/exploiting parallelism and data locality. Effective use of tiling requires selection and tuning of the tile sizes. This is usually achieved by developing cost models that characterize the performance of the tiled program as a function of tile sizes. All previous approaches to tile size selection (TSS) are cost model specific. Due to this they are neither extensible (e.g., to richer program classes/newer architectures) nor scalable (e.g., to multiple levels of tiling). This paper identifies positivity as a fundamental property shared by the functions and parameters commonly used in TSS models. We show how this positivity can be used as a basis to derive a TSS framework which is both efficient and scalable. We also show that almost all TSS models proposed in the literature (including those used in production compilers and auto-tuners) can be reduced to our framework.
Optimal pilot superimposition for zero-padded block transmissions

This paper develops an optimal pilot superimposition scheme for zero-padded single-carrier transmissions. With the goal of minimizing the mean-squared error of channel estimates which have been acquired from those superimposed pilots based on the first-order statistics, it is proved that the optimal pilot sequence should contain only a single non-zero pilot symbol, and this single non-zero pilot symbol must be placed within the guard interval with its exact location depending on the channel power profile. Several illustrative examples are presented for some commonly used channel power profiles. Both theoretical analysis and numerical simulations confirm the merits of our optimal design, and show considerable performance improvement over existing competing schemes
Comparison of an inactive submarine spring with an active nearshore anchialine spring in Florida

Jewfish Sink is a former anchialine karst feature located in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of West Central Florida. Freshwater flowed from the feature until 1962 and it is now an anoxic marine basin. The current biodiversity within Jewfish Sink was examined in terms of Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukaryota using a combination of 16S and 18S ribosomal RNA analysis from environmental samples. Analysis of 16S rRNA sequences from microbial mats in the anoxic zones revealed a broad diversity of bacteria (265 clones) and archaea (392 clones), many of which had previously been identified in anoxic environmental samples and are likely to be involved with sulfur, nitrogen, and methane metabolism. Sequence analysis of 785 18S clones revealed that fungi and dinoflagellate sequences dominate the eukaryote sequences. Because Jewfish Sink water is anoxic and high in sulfide, we investigated the effect of Jewfish Sink on the nearby shallow benthic environment. We compared the shallow benthic macrofauna near Jewfish Sink with that near Crystal Beach Spring, an active submarine spring. We found significantly greater species richness, abundance, and diversity of benthic fauna near the Jewfish Sink site than near Crystal Beach Spring. This comparison suggests that greater submarine groundwater discharge in an area with active submarine springs is a significant factor reducing the richness and diversity of the benthic community structure in the nearshore, shallow marine environment.
DYNAMIC CHANGES OF SERUM LIPOPROTEINS IN CHILDREN DURING ADOLESCENCE AND SEXUAL MATURATION

A cross-sectional study of 4074 children, ages 5--17 years, in Bogalusa, Louisiana indicated significant changes of serum lipids and lipoproteins occurring during puberty. These changes could be related to both age and maturation and likely reflect the influence of sex hormones on serum lipoprotein metabolism. Considerable differences were observed in the race/sex groups, with boys showing a more marked decrease of serum total cholesterol, reflecting decreases of beta- and alpha- lipoproteins. While the ratio of mean beta-lipoprotein cholesterol/mean alpha-lipoprotein cholesterol for the white girls and black children remained relatively constant over the age span, the ratio beginning around age 11 years rose dramatically in white boys, reflecting an inordinate decrease of alpha-lipoprotein and an earlier beginning rise of beta-lipoprotein. The observations have important implications for earlier coronary artery disease in white men.
Combating Nitrate Tolerance: A Novel Endogenous Mechanism

Discovered and patented as an explosive by Alfred Nobel in the 1860s, nitroglycerin has been formulated for use in the treatment of symptomatic CAD for over 140 years. In fact, later in life, Nobel himself was prescribed the medication for angina, but refused to take it because of the associated side effect of headache. See page 1729 With glycerol trinitrate (GTN) as the prototype, nitrates represent one of the safest and most rapidly effective pharmacological means to reduce acute symptoms of myocardial ischemia attributable to obstructive coronary disease. This has led, over the years, to the development of long-acting oral and topical preparations. However, efficacy with chronic administration is more difficult to achieve because of the development of therapeutic resistance, generally occurring a few days after initiating treatment. This phenomenon known as nitrate tolerance has been the stimulus for intense investigation of the metabolic fate of nitroglycerin with the idea that modulation of its biotransformation could improve efficacy of chronic treatment. The mechanism of GTN-induced dilation is complex and was not identified until more than 100 years after its discovery. GTN is not a direct vasodilator, rather it must be converted to dinitrate products for vasoactivity. Biotransformation to the active metabolite nitric oxide (NO) occurs in parallel with the formation of glycerol-1,2-dinitrate and involves a dithiol-dependent process.1 It was not until recently that the principal enzyme responsible for biotransformation of GTN was identified. Chen et al1 showed that mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH-2) metabolizes GTN to glycerol-1,2-dinitrate and nitrite. This was confirmed by Sydow et al2 using mitochondrial-deficient cultured endothelial cells, although a cytosolic source of ALDH-2 has also been suggested.3 The mitochondrial enzyme converts nanomolar concentrations of GTN to active nitrodilator metabolites in vivo and in vitro, as shown by direct measurements coupled with the use …
The Organization Life Cycle: Integrating Content and Process

It has long been argued in organizational literature that as firms evolve, they grow through a series of recognizable stages. This process is referred to as the organization life cycle. Scholars have argued that as firms move through life cycle stages, differing problems must be addressed, esulting in the need for different management skills, priorities, and structural configurations. Over the years, numerous theories and models have been developed in an effort to explain he life cycle process (1). Although these models dif.fer as to the specific number of stages, haracteristics studied, and names assigned each stage, there is a considerable amount of commonality among them. The models share two common themes (2): (1) they suggest that organizations grow through a series of distinct stages, each stage characterized by a unique configuration of contextual, strategic and structural characteristics; and (2) configurations appropriate at one stage of development may be ineffective, even detrimental in subsequent life cycle stages.
Leaching potential and redox transformations of arsenic and selenium in sediment microcosms with fly ash

Abstract The unintended release of coal ash to the environment is a concern due to the enrichment of contaminants such as arsenic (As) and selenium (Se) in this solid waste material. Current risk assessments of coal ash disposal focus on pH as the primary driver of leaching from coal ash. However, redox speciation of As and Se is a major factor for their mobilization potential and has received much less attention for risk assessments, particularly in disposal scenarios where coal ash will likely be exposed to microbially-driven redox gradients. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the differences of aerobic and anaerobic conditions for the leaching of As and Se from coal ash. Batch sediment-ash slurry microcosms were performed to mimic an ash spill scenario and were monitored for changes in As and Se speciation and mobilization potential. The results showed that the dissolved As concentrations were up to 50 times greater in the anaerobic microcosms relative to the aerobic microcosms during the two week incubation. This trend was consistent with As redox speciation determined by X-ray absorption spectroscopy, which indicated that 55% of the As in the solid phase at the end of the experiment was present as As(III) (a more leachable form of arsenic relative to As(V)). In the aerobic microcosms, only 13% of the As was As(III) and the rest was As(V). More than half of the Se was present as Se(IV) in the original fly ash and in the aerobic microcosms, while in the anaerobic microcosms Se was gradually transformed to less soluble Se(0) species. Likewise, dissolved Se concentrations were up to 25 times greater in the aerobic microcosms relative to anaerobic conditions. While the overall observations of As and Se mobilization potential from coal ash were consistent with expectations for aqueous and solid phase speciation of these elements, the findings directly show the relevance of these processes for coal ash disposal. These results highlight the need to select appropriate environmental parameters to include in risk assessments as well as provide potential geochemical monitoring tools through the use of dissolved Se/As ratios to determine the redox conditions of ash storage and spill sites.
Abstract 9809: Upregulation of Aldosterone by Steroidogenesis Acute Regulatory Protein (StAR) is Associated With Connective Tissue Growth Factor-Mediated Pulmonary Vascular Fibrosis in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension In Vivo

Hyperaldosteronsim is associated with increased pulmonary vascular remodeling in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). In cardiomyocytes, aldosterone (ALDO) promotes collagen deposition by increasing levels of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF). The role of CTGF in ALDO-mediated vascular remodeling in PAH, however, is not known. We hypothesized that upregulation of CTGF by ALDO is a novel signaling mechanism that modulates pulmonary vascular fibrosis in PAH. To test this hypothesis, cultured human pulmonary artery endothelial cells were exposed to ALDO (10 -9 -10 -7 mol/l) for 24 hr and changes in CTGF levels were assessed by immunoblotting. Compared to vehicle control, ALDO induced a dose-dependent increase in CTGF expression (3.4 ± 0.2 vs. 6.7 ± 1.9 vs. 10.4 ± 1.6 vs. 17.6 ± 1.9 units, P=0.02). We next investigated the effect of ALDO on CTGF in PAH in vivo. Compared to controls, rats exposed to SU-5416 (20 mg/kg) and hypoxia (10% O 2 ) (Su/Hyp) for 21 d demonstrated increased pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) (26 ± 2 vs. 81 ± 5 mmHg, P
The Florida Geographic Data Library: Lessons Learned and Workflows for Geospatial Data Management

The University of Florida GeoPlan Center has been organizing, standardizing, and distributing geospatial data since 1998 through the Florida Geographic Data Library (FGDL), a collection of Florida geospatial data from various agencies, as well as data developed in-house. With funding from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), FGDL serves as a public distribution mechanism for hundreds of Florida geospatial data layers. Since 2004, FGDL layers have formed the data foundation for FDOT's interagency application known as efficient transportation decision making (ETDM), which facilitates the review and permitting process for proposed transportation projects. Data layers are standardized and inspected to ensure that the data are adequate for use in analysis and decision making. To efficiently manage the geospatial data and workflows, a quality assurance/quality control (QAQC) process and relational database schema was developed to track the standardization procedures, lineage, versioning, and archivi...
Liquid Water Interactions With PEFC Gas-Diffusion Layers: The Effect of Vibration

Efficient removal of liquid-water from gas-diffusion layer (GDL) media in polymer-electrolyte fuel cells (PEFC) is critical to achieving reliable, high power operation. Studies have shown that PEFC systems exposed to vibration suffer from performance loss; however, fundamental understanding as to why is lacking. This work investigates vibrations ranging from 1–100 Hz and their effect on wetting behavior as well as liquid adhesion to the GDL surfaces. Vibrations are found to redistribute water in a way that raises its barrier to removal. An increased frequency reduced droplet contact area and height while expanding the wetting diameter. Moreover, while vibrations did not change the adhesion force, the increased wetting diameter resulted in a larger net force required to achieve droplet detachment.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Applying Differential Coercion and Social Support Theory to Police Officers’ Misconduct

ABSTRACTThe goal of this study is to test differential coercion and social support theory on police officers’ misconduct. Data from the Police Stress and Domestic Violence in Police Families in Baltimore, Maryland, 1997–1999 are analyzed to test the propositions of the theory. Specifically, we test whether this theory can explain intimate partner violence (IPV) and problematic drinking perpetrated by police officers. Results indicated that two types of coercion (out of five) were significant in predicting IPV perpetration, while two alternate forms of coercion were significant in predicting problematic alcohol consumption. Anger was the only significant social–psychological deficit in predicting both dependent variables. Social support, mainly from family/friends and the department, only decreased the odds of problematic alcohol consumption. The current study provides further evidence that victimization continues to be one of the most consistent forms of coercion most likely to lead to criminal behavior.
Why Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy is the Ultimate Tool in Mechanistic Analysis

The history of Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) is briefly reviewed, starting with the foundations laid by Heaviside in the late nineteenth century in the form of Linear Systems Theory (LST). Extension of the impedance concept to electrochemical systems was apparently first made by Warburg at the turn of the nineteenth century, when he derived the impedance for a diffusional process. Impedance spectroscopy was next employed extensively using reactive bridges to measure the capacitance of ideally polarizable electrodes (mostly mercury), leading to the development of models for the electrified interface. However, it was the invention of the potentiostat by Hickling in the early 1960s that led to the use of EIS in exploring electrochemical and corrosion mechanisms, primarily because of the ability to probe electrochemical systems at very low frequencies. It is evident that the use of EIS in identifying reaction mechanisms makes use of pattern recognition, currently through inspection. It is argued that, in the future development of EIS, this would be most efficiently done by using artificial neural networks operating in the pattern recognition mode. This strategy would require the creation of libraries of reaction mechanisms for which the theoretical impedance functions are known.
Assessing seasonal and spatial abundance of Adelges cooleyi (Gillette) (Homoptera: Adelgidae) by various sampling techniques

Populations of Adelges cooleyi (Gillette) were assessed for spatial and seasonal abundance on young Douglas-fir trees. Four sampling techniques (1-min, 3-min, 5-branch, and 15-branch counts) were evaluated for the relative accuracy in estimating adelgid densities. Counts of A. cooleyi were consistently greater on the upper two-thirds of trees throughout the season. Early summer (July) populations were higher on the northern and eastern aspects of trees, but became more evenly distributed as summer progressed (September). All four sampling techniques were relatively consistent at the various sampling periods. The 3-min count recorded the largest number of adelgids and was most accurate in assessing late season, declining populations. Selection of the sampling technique to use depends on the purpose for which results will be used (e.g., monitoring numerical changes or simply an indication of trends).