cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A review of the unique features of HDL apoproteins

The human plasma high density lipoproteins (HDL) are a heterogeneous ensemble of five proteins associated with both neutral and polar lipids. The sequences of all five proteins are known. ApoA-I and apoA-II are the major protein components; apoC-I, apoC-II and apoC-III are the minor protein components. All these apoproteins spontaneously recombine with phospholipids to give stable lipid-protein complexes and freely exchange between the two major HDL subclasses, HDL2 and HDL3. In addition, ApoC-I, apoC-II, and apoC-III exchange between HDL and very low density lipoproteins. Furthermore, certain HDL apoproteins are activators for plasma enzymes that are important in lipid metabolism. ApoA-I and apoC-I activate lecithin/cholesterol acyltransferase; apoC-II is an activator of lipoprotein lipase. The regions of apoC-I and apoC-II that are involved in the activation of these enzymes have been localized with synthetic peptides. Studies of synthetic and native fragments of apoA-II, apoC-I, apoC-II, and apoC-III as well as model lipid-binding peptides have identified specific regions with structural features common to lipid-binding proteins. These special properties, which include helical potential, sequences with a critical amphipathic length, and high hydrophobicity of the nonpolar side of the amphipathic helix, are the determinants of HDL structure and metabolism.
INCREASING ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION IS RELATED TO DETRIMENTAL CHANGES IN CARDIAC STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION

Excessive alcohol consumption is associated with cardiomyopathy, but little is known about the association between moderate alcohol use and cardiac structure and function. We studied 5907 participants from Visit 5 of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study (76.0 ± 5.1 years and 57.3%
Chemical Depolymerization Studies Of The Molecular Architecture Of Lime Fruit Cuticle

Abstract The chemical deprotecting reagent iodotrimethylsilane has been used to achieve controlled breakdown of ester bonds in cutin, an insoluble protective biopolymer obtained from the fruit of Citrus aurantifolia (limes). Four soluble products that preserve essential features of the cuticular molecular architecture have been isolated chromatographically and identified by multidimensional NMR and liquid secondary-ion mass spectrometry, whereas the insoluble residue has been characterized by solid state 13 C NMR spectroscopy. The building blocks of the two dimers and one tetramer include the major Citrus cutin monomers 16-hydroxy-10-oxo-hexadecanoic acid and 10,16-dihydroxyhexadecanoic acid, which are joined by primary ester linkages. The CPMAS 13 C NMR spectra of the unreacted residue implicate a heterogeneous reaction in which esters of primary alcohols within the cross-linked cutin network are preferentially cleaved. These studies offer a direct and definitive description of molecular connectivities within the protective polyesters of fruit cuticles.
Accelerated Amortization, Growth, and Net Profits

I. Some numerical examples, 533. — II. A general mathematical development, 535. — III. The real world and substantive conclusions, 538. — IV. The effects of transition, 542. — V. A few implications for policy, 543.
Structure of superspace in supersymmetry

It is known that the scalar superspace in supersymmetry theory is the direct sum of chiral, antichiral, and isoscalar (or linear) fields, provided that the mass of the system is not zero. However, we show here that the situation changes drastically for the massless case. The whole superspace becomes reducible but not fully reducible. Moreover, it is indecomposable in a sense to be specified. The same reducible but indecomposable property is also shared by any chiral, antichiral, and isoscalar spaces. However, if we accept only unitary representations on positive-metric spaces, then only irreducible components of these spaces must be physically relevant. We demonstrate that these facts are intimately connected with the structure of the commutator algebra of the little Lie superalgebra as well as with a difference of Casimir invariants of the supersymmetry between the massive and massless cases.
Structure development of poly(L-lactic acid) fibers processed at various spinning conditions

Poly(L-lactic acid) (PLA) filaments were spun by melt-spinning at 500 and 1850 mm−1, and further drawn and heat-set to modify the morphology of these PLA filaments. PLA yarns were characterized by wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and sonic method. WAXD reveals that PLA yarns spun at 500 mm−1 are almost amorphous while the PLA filaments spun at 1850 mm−1 have about 6% crystallinity. This is different from PET filaments spun at the same speed that have almost no crystallinity. Both drawn- and heat-set PLA filaments showed much higher crystallinity (60%) than do as-spun fibers produced at 500 and 1850 mm−1 speed, which is also higher than the usual heat-set PET yarns. It appears that crystalline orientation rapidly reaches a value in the order of 0.95 at 1850 mm−1 and that drawn- and heat-set yarns have almost the same crystalline orientation values. Molecular orientation is relatively low for as-spun PLA yarn, and molecular orientation increased to ∼0.5 after drawing or heat–setting or both. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 101: 1210–1216, 2006
Robust SCUC with load and wind uncertain intervals

With the increasing penetration of variable wind generation resources, independent system operators (ISOs) are faced with new challenges on the secure and economic operation of power systems. This paper proposes an efficient approach for deriving robust solutions to the security-constrained unit commitment (SCUC) problem, in which load and wind uncertainties are simulated via interval numbers. Instead of exploring the worst case scenario in terms of the highest minimum operating cost in most robust optimization based SCUC approaches in literature, the objective of the proposed robust SCUC is to minimize the operating cost for the base case, while guaranteeing that the robust solution could securely adjust generation dispatches for handling all uncertain intervals. The proposed robust SCUC model is solved by Benders decomposition, which decomposes the original problem into a master unit commitment (UC) problem for the base case and subproblems for the base case network evaluation and the security checking for all uncertain intervals. Feasibility cuts are generated and fed back to the master problem when violations are identified in subproblems. Numerical studies on a 6-bus system and the modified IEEE 118-bus system illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed robust SCUC model.
Error control in viscoelastic stress analysis

Abstract Time step monitoring algorithms are presented for controlling errors which arise during the numerical integration of a viscoelastic stress analysis. With the algorithms presented, a user specifies tolerable stress and creep strain errors and the algorithms monitor integration time steps to keep errors within the limits set. The effects of using numerical integration formulae, of stress error buildup and of creep strain error buildup are considered. The algorithms are tested on a radially thick ring problem.
Patterns of lifetime drug use among intravenous drug users

To obtain a clearer description of the natural history of intravenous drug use (IVDU), 92 intravenous drug users (IVDUs), not selected through treatment or contact with the legal system, were identified. Concerning lifetime use, central nervous system (CNS) stimulants were the most common class of drug to be injected (by 72.8% of IVDUs), followed by opiates (by 50.0% of IVDUs). Mean age of onset of IVDU in this sample was 18.5 years, following initiation of alcohol use by an average of 4.6 years and cannabis use by an average of 2.1 years. Any history of IVDU in this sample indicated substantial lifetime use of illicit drugs and early onset of psychoactive substance use.
Alternative Development and Applied Anthropology in Appalachia

Neoliberalism poses a challenge to practicing anthropology, not just to the places where anthropology is practiced. Neoliberalism, as is widely noted by ethnographers and other social scientists, amplifies the political and economic priorities of privatization and deregulation as necessary processes in economic development. Most often, this organizational logic purposefully externalizes the social and environmental impacts of economic growth or narrows the policy focus to one of achieving economic efficiency with attendant assumptions about the beneficial impacts of private capital accumulation for society as a whole. As "development" is reduced to a system of resource transactions, market-driven decision making becomes normalized as politically rational, universally desirable, and economically inevitable (Li 2007; Ong 2006). As a philosophy of governance, neoliberalism is noted to (unevenly) limit the scope of public participation in political processes and legitimate industry-centered policies, developm...
AN EMPIRICAL VALIDATION OF ADAM IN A CAPITAL BUDGETING CONTEXT

The attribute-dynamic attitude model (ADAM) offers a description of decision processes that has greater theoretical appeal than that offered by the multiple regression model. It distinguishes judgment from choice, explains inconsistent behavior, and shows the implications of criterion weight modifications when decision situations change. This study tests the validity of ADAM empirically in a capital budgeting context. Results of a laboratory experiment show that: (1) ADAM is a good ex ante descriptor of decision processes and (2) ADAM weights are context dependent and differ significantly from a priori weights. The results support an equal-weighting theory.
Biomechanical comparison of 4 different lateral plate constructs for distal fibula fractures.

Background:Displaced lateral malleolar fractures are often treated with reduction and surgical stabilization. However, there has not been a comprehensive laboratory comparison to determine the most appropriate device for treating these patients. This study subjected a range of contemporary lateral fibular plates to a series of mechanical tests designed to reveal performance differences.Methods:Forty fresh frozen lower extremities were divided into 4 groups. A Weber B distal fibula fracture was simulated with an osteotomy and stabilized using 1 of 4 plate systems: a standard Synthes one-third tubular plate with interfragmentary lag screw, a Synthes LCP locking plate with lag screw, an Orthohelix MaxLock Extreme low-profile locking plate with lag screw, or a TriMed Sidewinder nonlocking plate. Controlled monotonic bending and cyclic torsional loading were applied and bending stiffness, torsional stiffness, and fracture site motion were quantified. Resistance to cyclic torsional loading was determined by qua...
Molten silicate interactions with thermal barrier coatings

Abstract The strain tolerance of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) used in gas turbine engines is enhanced by incorporation of through-thickness pores within the coating. However, molten calcium–magnesium–alumino–silicate (CMAS) deposits are then able to permeate through the interconnected pore network resulting in dissolution of the coating in the silicate melt, precipitation of new phases, and the elimination of the pores needed for strain tolerance when silicate melt solidification occurs upon cooling. Here we used an electron beam directed vapor deposition method to deposit strain tolerant coatings containing a high volume fraction of inter-columnar pores to assess the effect of increasing the pore volume fraction upon silicate melt infiltration in a 7 wt.% yttria stabilized zirconia (7YSZ) TBC. We then explore two potential mitigation approaches. One investigated the infiltration of a samarium zirconate (SZO) coating deposited on a 7 wt.% yttria stabilized zirconia (7YSZ) buffer layer since recent work has indicated the related gadolinium zirconate (GZO) system was much more CMAS resistant than 7YSZ. The second explored the effects of an embedded platinum layer located near the outer surface of the SZO layer. The response of both systems to attack by a model 33CaO–9MgO–13AlO1.5–45SiO2 CMAS melt at 1250 °C has been compared to that of the 7YSZ composition coating deposited by the same process. The 7YSZ specimens were fully infiltrated by CMAS in less than 1 min and significantly dissolved and re-precipitated a globular phase after 4 h of exposure. The penetration rate in SZO coatings was reduced by about a factor of five, but the coatings were still completely penetrated after a 4 hour exposure. Significant SZO dissolution and precipitation of both globular fluorite and faceted apatite phases were observed after the 4 h of exposure, with concomitant debonding at the SZO/YSZ interface. The insertion of a 5 μm thick Pt layer about 30 μm below the SZO surface arrested permeation of CMAS for about 16 h and might provide a promising strategy for controlling CMAS degradation in TBCs without reducing the thermo-cyclic delamination resistance.
CD5-positive chronic B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders: diagnosis and prognosis of a heterogeneous disease entity.

Background The pathology and clinical course of patients with CD5+ chronic B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders, excluding those that present with typical chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL) or mantle cell lymphoma, (i.e. CD5+B-CLPD) are poorly defined.
Osteopenia in Exercise-Associated Amenorrhea Using Ballet Dancers as a Model: A Longitudinal Study

Few longitudinal studies have investigated the effects of amenorrhea and amenorrhea plus exercise on bone mineral density (BMD) of young women. We carried out a 2-yr comparison of dancers and nondancers, both amenorrheic and normal, that investigated the role of hypothalamic amenorrhea on bone in this context. We studied 111 subjects (mean age, 22.4 +/- 4.6 yr; age of menarche, 14.1 +/- 2.2 yr), including 54 dancers, 22 with hypothalamic amenorrhea, and 57 nondancers, 22 with hypothalamic amenorrhea. Detailed hormonal and nutritional data were obtained in all groups to determine possible causal relationship to osteoporosis. The amenorrheic groups, dancers and nondancers, both showed reduced BMD in the spine, wrist, and foot, which remained below controls throughout the 2 yr. Only amenorrheic dancers showed significant changes in spine BMD (12.1%; P < 0.05) but still remained below controls, and within this subgroup, only those with delayed menarche showed a significant increase. The seven amenorrheic subjects (three dancers and four nondancers) who resumed menses during the study showed an increase in spine and wrist BMD (17%; P < 0.001) without achieving normalization. Delayed menarche was the only variable that predicted stress fractures (P < 0.005), which we used as a measure of bone functional strength. Analysis of dieting and nutritional patterns showed higher incidence of dieting behavior in this group, as manifested by higher Eating Attitudes Test scores (16.3 +/- 2.00 vs. 11.5 +/- 1.45; P < 0.05) and higher fiber intakes (30.7 +/- 3.00 vs. 17.5 +/- 2.01 g/24 h; P < 0.001). We concluded that low bone mass occurs in young women with amenorrhea and delayed menarche, both exercisers and nonexercisers. Crucial bone mass accretion may be compromised by their reproductive and nutritional health.
2.4GHz 7mW all-digital PVT-variation tolerant True Random Number Generator in 45nm CMOS

An all-digital True Random Number Generator is fabricated in 45nm CMOS with 2.4Gbps random bit throughput and total power consumption of 7mW. Two-step coarse/fine-grained tuning with a self-calibrating feedback loop enables robust operation in the presence of 20% process variation while providing immunity to run-time voltage and temperature fluctuations. The 100% digital design enables a compact layout occupying 4004µm2 with measured entropy of 0.999965, and scalable operation down to 280mV, while passing all NIST RNG tests.
Natural products as sources of herbicides: current status and future trends

Although natural product-based discovery strategies have not been as successful for herbicides as for other pesticides or pharmaceuticals, there have been some notable successes. Phosphinothricin, the biosynthetic version of glufosinate, and bialaphos are phytotoxic microbial products that have yielded commercial herbicides. Cinmethylin, a herbicidal analogue of cineole, has been sold in Europe and Asia. The triketone herbicides are derivatives of the plant-produced phytotoxin leptospermone. These products represent only a small fraction of commercialized herbicides, but they have each introduced a novel molecular target site for herbicides. Analysis of the literature reveals that phytotoxic natural products act on a large number of unexploited herbicide target sites. The pesticide industry’s natural product discovery efforts have so far concentrated on microbially derived phytotoxins, primarily from non-pathogenic soil microbes, involving the screening of large numbers of exotic isolates. Plant pathogens usually produce potent phytotoxins, yet they have received relatively little attention. Even less effort has been made to discover plant-derived phytotoxins. Bioassay-directed isolation has been the preferred method of discovery after a producing organism is selected. This laborious approach often leads to rediscovery of known compounds. Modern tandem separation/chemical characterization instrumentation can eliminate much of this problem by identification of compounds before they are bioassayed.
Meaning can be Accessed for the Groundside of a Figure

People readily perceive and act upon objects, but before objects are perceived, perceptual processes operate to organize the visual input into coherent units. One function of perceptual organization is to determine which borders in the visual field are bounding edges of objects or surfaces, which are borders of patterns or shadows, and which are corners formed by the intersection of two planar surfaces. Those that are deemed to be bounding edges of objects are perceived as separate entities at different distances from the viewer. The near entity appears to be shaped, or configured, by the border (this is the figure); the far entity appears shapeless near the border it shares with the figure and appears to continue behind it as a local background, or ground. There has been much debate regarding what factors influence figure and ground assignment and when and where it occurs in the visual processing hierarchy.
Preparation and Study of Bunches Containing 1011 Protons in the Fermilab Main Ring

A scenario for combining four adjacent bunches in the Fermilab main ring into a single bunch containing 1011 protons is described. This is to be done using a 7th sub-harmonic rf cavity. First experimental results of the procedure are shown.
Physical, Chemical, and Thermal Properties of Soils across a Forest-Meadow Ecotone in the Uinta Mountains, Northeastern Utah, U.S.A

Physical, chemical and thermal properties of five pedons in the Uinta Mountains of northeastern Utah were studied to determine how soils and microclimates vary across the ecotone between subalpine forest and dry meadow. All five profiles have developed in the same parent materials, from base upward: basal till, glaciofluvial sediment, and coarse supraglacial debris with infilled eolian silt. Temperatures were measured at the soil surface and at depths of 10 and 50 cm for 420 days. Meadow soils (Typic Humicryepts) are warmer, have Bw horizons, and contain more Ca, organic carbon, and clay in the A horizon. Forest soils (Inceptic Haplocryalfs) have Bt horizons, higher B/A horizon clay ratios, are more acidic, and contain more exchangeable Mg and total exchangeable cations than meadow soils. Although subzero temperatures were never recorded at the surface of the forest soil in the summers of 1998 and 1999, those at the surface of the meadow soil fell below 0 °C on ∼35% of the nights. Mean 4:00 a.m. temperatures in the meadow during the summer are significantly colder than those in the forest (2.2 °C vs. 5.2 °C). The meadow formed following an initial forest clearing event, possibly fire or an insect infestation. Since that time, forest encroachment has been slow because seedling establishment in the meadow is inhibited by a combination of frequent summer freezing events, moisture stresses resulting from textural discontinuities between soil parent materials, and competition between tree seedlings and meadow vegetation.
"They're never here more than a year": Return Migration in the Southern Exodus, 1940-1970

This article considers the incidence and meaning of return migration that took place during the twentieth-century "Great Migration" of southern whites and African-Americans to the U.S. North and West. Southern whites in particular had an unusually high rate of return, though this pattern varied significantly from one northern city to another. After presenting an overview of return movement in the Great Migration, this article compares migrants' experiences in two northern cities that had very different histories of return migration. Southern migrants to Indianapolis, Indiana, came mainly from a relatively prosperous southern region to which they returned with great frequency. Southern migrants to Cincinnati, Ohio, on the other hand, moved from one of the most impoverished subregions of the Appalachian South and were much more likely to choose life in the North over a questionable future at home. Ultimately, Cincinnati's migrants drew on their common sense of exile to build a vocal migrant community in the North, while Indianapolis's migrants showed no similar efforts. The two cases together demonstrate the importance of understanding the tight relationship between patterns in return migration and migrant community development.
Comparison of the molecular mechanics + generalized born/surface area and the ab initio + Monte Carlo simulation methods in estimating conformational equilibria in aqueous solution

A method using molecular mechanics to calculate internal energies and the generalized Born/surface area (GB/SA) method for calculating solvation free energy has been compared with the corresponding terms obtained from ab initio quantum chemical calculations in the gas phase and the free energy perturbation method implemented in Monte Carlo (MC) simulations to study conformational equilibria in solution. 1,2-Ethanediol, 2-hydroxybenzoic acid, the neutral and protonated histamine, were considered in aqueous solution as systems capable of intramolecular hydrogen bonding. The molecular mechanics method with all atom and united atom models, using the AMBER* force field and the parameterization as implemented in the MacroModel modeling package and the GB/SA continuum solvation model, produces smaller separation in relative conformer free energies than does the ab initio + MC method in aqueous solution. The GB/SA relative solvation free energies using the charges from the AMBER* force fields were consistently smaller than the values obtained in Monte Carlo simulations. Using the charge sets from the Monte Carlo simulations and considering solute geometries with torsional angles fixed at the optimized ab initio values, the relative solvation free energies remained underestimated by up to 30% as compared to the Monte Carlo values. The AMBER*//GB/SA predicted most stable conformer for the 1,2-ethandiol system in aqueous solution is in contrast with the ab initio + MC finding and the available experimental results. For the histamine system predictions by only the united atom AMBER*//GB/SA model agree with those by ab initio + MC and with data derived from nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments. Differences in the two methods are considered mainly due to the application of torsional parameters and atomic charges developed in the AMBER* parameter set for monofunctional polar systems. New parameters seem to be needed for quantitative description of the in-solution conformational equilibria for organic compounds with a possible intramolecular hydrogen bond. © 1994 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Environmental administration, the courts and public policy, 1980-1989

Of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's seven major enabling statutes, six contain citizen suit provisions which reward anti-EPA plaintiffs. This fact, coupled with the agency's increasing use of the courts to bolster its enforcement efforts, yield a multitude of avenues through which courts have affected the policies and administration of the agency. This article discusses how the courts have affected the EPA in the 1980s and then briefly assesses the implications of such court-agency interaction for the successful operation of public agencies in the next decade. ∗
Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) and CT perfusion changes

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) can present with focal neurologic deficits, mimicking a stroke and can often represent a diagnostic challenge when presenting atypically. A high degree of suspicion is required in the clinical setting in order to yield the diagnosis. Cerebral CT perfusion (CTP) is utilized in many institutions as the first line in acute stroke imaging. CTP has proved to be a very sensitive measure of cerebral blood flow dynamics, most commonly employed to delineate the infarcted tissue from penumbra (at-risk tissue) in ischemic strokes. But abnormal CTP is also seen in stroke mimics such as seizures, hypoglycemia, tumors, migraines and PRES. In this article we describe a case of PRES in an elderly bone marrow transplant recipient who presented with focal neurological deficits concerning for a cerebrovascular accident. CTP played a pivotal role in the diagnosis and initiation of appropriate management. We also briefly discuss the pathophysiology of PRES.
Visualization of complex models using dynamic texture-based simplification

We are investigating methods for simplifying complex models for interactive visualizations using texture based representations. The paper presents a simplification method which dynamically "caches" distant geometry into textures and trades off accurate rendering of the distant geometry for performance. Smooth transitions and continuous borders are defined between the geometry and textures thus the representations can be switched without sudden jumps (as is the case with many current texturing techniques). All the computations for the transitions can be done a priori without the need to change the textures each frame thereafter.
A novel 24-GHz bandwidth coaxial probe

An electrical probe based on specially designed coaxial tips is shown to have 24-GHz bandwidth. It can be used to test high-speed signal propagation on planar or nonplanar chip or package interconnection structures with signal/ground pads as small as 50 mu m. The detailed fabrication procedure, characterization, and use of the probe are presented. A variation of the design has 500- Omega input impedance and a bandwidth of 19 GHz. >
Quick counting method for estimating the number of viable microbes on food and food processing equipment.

A rapid method for estimating the extent of microbial contamination on food and on food processing equipment is described. Microbial cells are rinsed from food or swab samples with sterile diluent and concentrated on the surface of membrane filters. The filters are incubated on a suitable bacteriological medium for 4 hr at 30 C, heated at 105 C for 5 min, and stained. The membranes are then dried at 60 C for 15 min, rendered transparent with immersion oil, and examined microscopically. Data obtained by the rapid method were compared with counts of the same samples determined by the standard plate count method. Over 60 comparisons resulted in a correlation coefficient of 0.906. Because the rapid technique can provide reliable microbiological count information in extremely short times, it can be a most useful tool in the routine evaluation of microbial contamination of food processing facilities and for some foods. Images
Perceived Effort of Walking: Relationship With Gait, Physical Function and Activity, Fear of Falling, and Confidence in Walking in Older Adults With Mobility Limitations

Background Although clinicians have a number of measures to use to describe walking performance, few, if any, of the measures capture a person's perceived effort in walking. Perceived effort of walking may be a factor in what a person does versus what he or she is able to do. Objective The objective of this study was to examine the relationship of perceived effort of walking with gait, function, activity, fear of falling, and confidence in walking in older adults with mobility limitations. Design This investigation was a cross-sectional, descriptive, relational study. Methods The study took place at a clinical research training center. The participants were 50 older adults (mean age=76.8 years, SD=5.5) with mobility limitations. The measurements used were the Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) for walking; gait speed; the Modified Gait Abnormality Rating Scale; energy cost of walking; Late Life Function and Disability Instrument (LLFDI) for total, basic, and advanced lower-extremity function and for disability limitations; activity and restriction subscales of the Survey of Activities and Fear of Falling in the Elderly (SAFFE); activity counts; SAFFE fear subscale; and Gait Efficacy Scale (GES). The relationship of the RPE of walking with gait, function, activity, fear, and confidence was determined by using Spearman rank order coefficients and an analysis of variance (adjusted for age and sex) for mean differences between groups defined by no exertion during walking and some exertion during walking. Results The RPE was related to confidence in walking (GES, R =−.326, P =.021) and activity (activity counts, R =.295, P =.044). The RPE groups (no exertion versus some exertion) differed in LLFDI scores for total (57.9 versus 53.2), basic (68.6 versus 61.4), and advanced (49.1 versus 42.6) lower-extremity function; LLFDI scores for disability limitations (74.9 versus 67.5); SAFFE fear subscale scores (0.346 versus 0.643); and GES scores (80.1 versus 67.8) (all P <.05). Limitations The range of RPE scores for the participants studied was narrow. Thus, the real correlations between RPE and gait, physical function, and psychological aspects of walking may be greater than the relationships reported. Conclusions The perceived effort of walking was associated with physical activity and confidence in walking. Reducing the perceived effort of walking may be an important target of interventions to slow the decline in function of older adults with mobility limitations.
Increased CDC20 expression is associated with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma differentiation and progression

Purpose: Cell division cycle 20 (CDC20) homolog is an anaphase-promoting complex activator that is essential for cell division, but whether its expression in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is significant is unknown. In this retrospective study, we determined whether aberrant CDC20 expression can be used as a biomarker in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) tumorigenesis and whether its expression reflects clinical progression. Experimental design: We compared CDC20 expression levels in normal, cancerous, and inflamed pancreatic tissues from stage II PDAC patients with clinical outcomes and determined CDC20 levels in seven PDAC cell lines. CDC20 was identified using a cDNA microarray database containing gene expression profiles for PDAC tissues and cell lines and chronic pancreatitis and normal pancreas tissues. Its expression was confirmed by real-time quantitative reverse-transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). An immunohistochemical analysis of tissue microarrays from resected PDAC tumors and paired benign pancreatic tissues was done and CDC20 levels were correlated with clinical outcome. Results: Fifty-six patients were included in this study. A microarray analysis revealed 5-fold higher CDC20 expression in PDAC tissue than in chronic pancreatitis tissue. A qRT-PCR analysis confirmed a mean 20-fold higher CDC20 level in PDAC tissue than in normal pancreas and pancreatitis tissue. RNA and protein CDC20 expression was detected in several PDAC cell lines. An immunohistochemical analysis revealed higher CDC20 protein expression levels in PDAC tissue than in normal pancreas tissue, and high CDC20 expression was associated with poor differentiation (P = 0.020) and a significantly lower 5-year recurrence-free survival rate (P = 0.039); we also found a trend toward a shorter overall survival duration. Conclusions: Aberrant CDC20 expression may play an important role in PDAC tumorigenesis and progression and may thus be useful as a marker of disease progression and prognosis and as a therapeutic target.
The feedback negativity reflects favorable compared to nonfavorable outcomes based on global, not local, alternatives

The feedback negativity (FN) has been shown to reflect the binary evaluation of possible outcomes in a context-dependent manner, but it is unclear whether context dependence is based on global or local alternatives. A cued gambling task was used to examine whether the FN is sensitive to possible outcomes on a given trial, or the range of outcomes across trials. On 50% of trials, participants could break even or lose money; on remaining trials, participants could win or break even. Breaking even was an unfavorable outcome relative to all possibilities in the current task, but the best possible outcome on 50% of trials. Results indicated that breaking even elicited an FN in both contexts, and reward feedback was uniquely associated with an enhanced positivity. Results suggest that the magnitude of the FN depends on all possible outcomes within the current task and are consistent with the view that the FN reflects reward-related neural activity.
A Two-grid Stabilization Method for Solving the Steady-state Navier-Stokes Equations

We formulate a subgrid eddy viscosity method for solving the steady-state incompressible flow problem. The eddy viscosity does not act on the large flow structures. Optimal error estimates are obtained for velocity and pressure. The numerical illustrations agree completely with the theoretical results. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq, 2005
Workshop: Inferring viral population from ultra-deep sequencing data

Many types of viruses (like Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)) encode their genome in RNA. Unlike DNA, RNA lacks ability to detect and repair mistakes during replication. Many of the mutations are well tolerated and passed down to descendants producing a family of co-existing related variants of the original viral genome referred to as quasispecies. The diversity of genomic sequences in an infected individual can cause the failures of vaccines and virus resistance to existing therapies. Thus, knowing sequences of the most virulent variants can help to design effective drugs, targeting particular viral genome in vivo.
Molecular interactions of arabinogalactan proteins with cortical microtubules and F-actin in Bright Yellow-2 tobacco cultured cells.

Arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs), a superfamily of plant hydroxyproline-rich glycoproteins, are present at cell surfaces. Although precise functions of AGPs remain elusive, they are widely implicated in plant growth and development. A well-characterized classical tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) AGP containing a glycosylphosphatidylinositol plasma membrane anchor sequence was used here to elucidate functional roles of AGPs. Transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) Bright Yellow-2 (BY-2) cells stably expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP)-LeAGP-1 were plasmolysed and used to localize LeAGP-1 on the plasma membrane and in Hechtian strands. Cytoskeleton disruptors and β-Yariv reagent (which binds and perturbs AGPs) were used to examine the role of LeAGP-1 as a candidate linker protein between the plasma membrane and cytoskeleton. This study used a two-pronged approach. First, BY-2 cells, either wild type or expressing GFP-microtubule (MT)-binding domain, were treated with β-Yariv reagent, and effects on MTs and F-actin were observed. Second, BY-2 cells expressing GFP-LeAGP-1 were treated with amiprophosmethyl and cytochalasin-D to disrupt MTs and F-actin, and effects on LeAGP-1 localization were observed. β-Yariv treatment resulted in terminal cell bulging, puncta formation, and depolymerization/disorganization of MTs, indicating a likely role for AGPs in cortical MT organization. β-Yariv treatment also resulted in the formation of thicker actin filaments, indicating a role for AGPs in actin polymerization. Similarly, amiprophosmethyl and cytochalasin-D treatments resulted in relocalization of LeAGP-1 on Hechtian strands and indicate roles for MTs and F-actin in AGP organization at the cell surface and in Hechtian strands. Collectively, these studies indicate that glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored AGPs function to link the plasma membrane to the cytoskeleton.
Non-Technology-Savvy Preservice Teachers' Perceptions of Electronic Teaching Portfolios

Twenty -three preservice elementary teachers with limited technology backgrounds created complex electronic portfolios during a 2-year teacher education program. At the end of the 2 -year project, they responded to a 7 2item survey based on previous qualitative research with the same students and Kirkpatrick’s (1996) four dimensions for evaluation. On this survey, students reported that they learned a great deal from creating electronic portfolios and that much of what they learned is directly applicable to their teaching careers and will impact the schools in which they teach. Even with their limited technology backgrounds, students were able to achieve what they (and the faculty) judged to be high quality portfolios. Although it was time consuming, most students believed the project was worth the time spent.
US, CT, and MR evaluation of accessory renal arteries and proximal renal arterial branches.

Rationale and Objectives. The purpose of this study was to compare color Doppler ultrasound (US), computed tomographic (CT) angiography, and magnetic resonance (MR) angiography for the evaluation of accessory renal arteries and proximal branches of the main renal artery. Materials and Methods. Fifty-six subjects who had undergone conventional arteriography of the renal arteries participated in a prospective comparison of Doppler US (45 patients), CT angiography (52 patients), and nonenhanced MR angiography (28 patients). Conventional arteriography depicted 28 accessory renal arteries and 21 proximal branches of the main renal artery within 2 cm of the aorta. Results. US depicted five of 24 accessory renal arteries seen at arteriography but no proximal arterial branches. CT angiography depicted 24 of 26 accessory renal arteries and 13 of 17 proximal arterial branches, as well as 15 additional accessory renal arteries not seen at conventional arteriography. MR demonstrated 11 of 15 accessory arteries, as well as four additional accessory arteries not seen at conventional arteriography. MR did not depict any of nine proximal arterial branches seen at conventional arteriography. Conclusion. When compared with US or nonenhanced MR angiography, CT is the preferred method for evaluation of accessory renal arteries and proximal branches of the renal artery.
Carboplatin in combination therapy for metastatic breast cancer

Background. Anthracycline-based regimens have a limited role in patients with metastatic breast cancer due to cumulative cardiotoxicity and their common use in adjuvant chemotherapy. New nonanthracycline regimens are, therefore, needed for metastatic disease. Single-agent carboplatin is active in patients with previously untreated metastatic breast cancer, producing response rates of 20%-35%. Preclinical studies have demonstrated synergistic antitumor efficacy of carboplatin and trastuzumab in HER2
Baroclinically Induced Tropical Cyclogenesis

Abstract The authors investigate the transition of numerous subtropical cyclones into late season tropical storms and hurricanes during the 2000 and 2001 Atlantic tropical cyclone seasons. In all transitioning cases (10), the 900–200-hPa wind shear was initially near or in excess of the upper limit of vertical shear deemed suitable for tropical cyclogenesis. In many of these cases, the vertical shear decreased markedly near or prior to the time of tropical cyclone formation. In cases that did not become named tropical cyclones, either the tropospheric vertical shear remained in excess of 15–20 m s−1 or the underlying sea surface temperature (SST) dropped below about 26°C prior to or during the weakening of the shear. Cases in which the shear remained large featured multiple, short-wave upper-tropospheric troughs interacting with the developing lower-tropospheric disturbance such that classical occlusion did not occur. Through detailed analysis and simulation of the development of Hurricane Michael in 2000...
Cell mechanisms of proximal tubule acidification.

In this review I summarize a large body of work related to the mechanism of H ion secretion (and HCO 3 absorption) in the renal proximal tubule. In addition, I discuss some general mechanisms by which transporter rate is regulated in the proximal tubule
Optimization of energy efficient relay position for galvanic coupled intra-body communication

Implanted medical sensors and actuators within the human body will enable remote data gathering, diagnosis, and the ability to directly control drug delivery actuators. To establish the communication links through the body tissues, we adopt galvanic coupling that uses low frequency electrical signals of weak amplitude. In this paper, we propose a topology management strategy using Weiszfeld algorithm that attempts to minimize the transmission power of the body nodes by reducing the distance from the source nodes to pick-up points or relays that gather and forward the received information. It takes into account the unique propagation model of the electrical signals within the body at various tissue layers, which is completely different from over the air RF. Our algorithm considers separately the constraints of on-skin nodes and the implanted nodes, especially in terms of minimizing the energy for the latter, which cannot be easily retrieved and re-charged. It also considers the difference in specific bandwidth requirements for the applications running within the nodes, by moving relays closer towards the high data rate demanding regions. We show that by optimizing the position of the relay node, the energy consumption can be significantly improved to extend the lifetime of the intra-body network up to several years.
Pituitary and Plasma Bioassay for Trophic Hormones in the Alloxan-Diabetic Rat.

SummaryThe gonadotrophic, thyrotrophic, and growth hormone content of anterior pituitaries from female rats rendered diabetic by alloxan was determined by bioassay in hypophysectomized female rats. Trophic hormones in blood plasma were also determined. The number of glands required to evoke minimum follicle stimulating, interstitial cell stimulating, and thyrotrophic activity were the same in diabetic and normal rats, whereas growth hormone content of the pituitary was reduced 16-fold. The titer of circulating growth promoting factors was also reduced.
Synergistic effect of pH and phase in a nanocrystalline titania photocatalyst.

Titanium dioxide is a semiconducting material that has been studied for many years as a photocatalytic material to degrade organics in water. This study investigated the effect of anatase-rutile mixtures and pH on the photocatalytic degradation of the dye Methylene blue as the target analyte. Anatase-rutile mixtures between 0 and 90% rutile that were synthesized from a water-soluble precursor were suspended at pH 4, 7, and 10. Suspension pH significantly affected the reactivity and efficiency of the photocatalysts because of the particle–particle and sorbate–surface interactions. The highest removal percentage of MB by 240 min at pH 4, 7, and 10 was 35, 99, and 93%, respectively. pH 7 was ideal to observe the affect of percent rutile on the degradation rate, where 91% was removed within 120 min by the material composed of 20% rutile, which is attributed to the synergistic charge transfer of holes from rutile to anatase.
Modal Structure of Surface Turbulence Using Low-Order Turbulence Modeling

*† ‡ The use of the Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) to capture turbulence near the surface in an atmospheric turbulent boundary layer is explored. The purpose of this work is to evaluate the possibility of using low-order models based on the POD for simulating such flows. As an example, data for a convectively active boundary layer in October 1999 captured during the CASES 99 study are considered. The results of the analysis performed here indicate that, although the lowest order modes of the fluctuating velocities contain the majority of the energy, it is the next higher modes that are necessary to capture the details of the more extreme events observed. Using only the first several modes, satisfactory representations of the fluctuating velocities and the instantaneous turbulent kinetic energy are obtained.
Alternative Reactants for the Laser-Assisted Deposition of Silicon Nitride on Metals.

An alternative approach is described for the laser synthesis of silicon nitride layers using relatively innoccuous, non-pyrophoric reactants such as hexamethyltrisilazane. The pyrolysis process produces 2000 A particles of silicon nitride and the reaction mechanisms are invesigated using infrared spectroscopic analyses. The morphology of the deposited layer is critically dependent on process conditions due to considerable differences in the coupling efficiencies of the nitride deposit and the underlying metallic substrate. The existence of a laser-generated plasma above the metal is discussed in the light of microstructural features observed.
High-Resolution Functional Connectivity Density: Hub Locations, Sensitivity, Specificity, Reproducibility, and Reliability

Brain regions with high connectivity have high metabolic cost and their disruption is associated with neuropsychiatric disorders. Prior neuroimaging studies have identified at the group-level local functional connectivity density ( L: FCD) hubs, network nodes with high degree of connectivity with neighboring regions, in occipito-parietal cortices. However, the individual patterns and the precision for the location of the hubs were limited by the restricted spatiotemporal resolution of the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures collected at rest. In this work, we show that MRI datasets with higher spatiotemporal resolution (2-mm isotropic; 0.72 s), collected under the Human Connectome Project (HCP), provide a significantly higher precision for hub localization and for the first time reveal L: FCD patterns with gray matter (GM) specificity >96% and sensitivity >75%. High temporal resolution allowed effective 0.01-0.08 Hz band-pass filtering, significantly reducing spurious L: FCD effects in white matter. These high spatiotemporal resolution L: FCD measures had high reliability [intraclass correlation, ICC(3,1) > 0.6] but lower reproducibility (>67%) than the low spatiotemporal resolution equivalents. GM sensitivity and specificity benchmarks showed the robustness of L: FCD to changes in model parameter and preprocessing steps. Mapping individual's brain hubs with high sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility supports the use of L: FCD as a biomarker for clinical applications in neuropsychiatric disorders.