cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Predictors of efficacy for endobronchial valves in bronchoscopic lung volume reduction: A meta-analysis

Over the last several years, numerous trials have been carried out to check the efficacy of one-way valves in the management of advanced emphysema. While the design of the valves has not altered much, by selectively studying these valves in a select group of participants, such as those with and without intact fissures (FI+ and FI−), and by using different procedural techniques, our understanding of the valves has evolved. In this meta-analysis, we sought to study the effect of these factors on the efficacy of one-way valves. From PubMed and Embase, we included only those studies that provided separate data on fissure integrity or collateral ventilation. Our study outcomes included the mean change in forced expiratory volume in first second (FEV1), 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) and the St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). In the FI+ subgroup of participants, the pooled standardized mean difference in FEV1, 6MWD, and SGRQ were 0.50 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.34 to 0.67), p ≤ 0.001, 0.29 (95% ...
Development of a modeling technique for the investigation of muscle activity and its effect on bone stresses in the human leg during an isometric exercise

The study of the stress distributions within a bone can provide significant insight into its function and the adaptations that may take place under a set of loading conditions. Because the individual muscle forces acting on a bone are directly related to its behavior, bone stress analyses depend on the accurate estimation of muscle forces. The development of an integrated modeling method to determine such muscle forces and to apply them to the stress analysis of a system of bones is described. Firstly, a numerical optimization method was used in the development and validation of a model to predict the individual muscle forces generated in a leg that produce a known net resultant load. Next, this model was integrated into a finite element simulation of a system of leg bones so that the calculated isometric muscle forces could automatically be applied and the bone stresses calculated. The geometric, material, and joint contact conditions needed to appropriately depict the systemâ??s behavior were established. Finally, the developed modeling technique was implemented in parametric studies to reveal significant changes in muscle activity and bone stress magnitudes and distributions due to variations in the direction of the net resultant load. The smallest muscle forces occurred in loading directions most typical of daily activities and resulted in bone stresses that were an order of magnitude smaller than those resulting from more uncommon loading directions. The developed modeling technique was shown to provide a controlled means of investigating the relationships between muscle forces and bone stresses.
Slitless Optical-Fiber Laser-Raman Spectrometer Employing a Concave Holographic Grating

A slitless optical-fiber laser-Raman spectrometer has been developed that employs a single f/3 concave holographic diffraction grating. The exit end of an optical fiber is positioned at the grating focus, and the divergent excitation and Raman radiation are then dispersed and refocussed. Detection is accomplished by translating an exit slit and photomultiplier tube along the focal line. A moveable solid-core optical fiber that transmits light to a fixed photomultiplier tube may also be used. The holographic grating produces a straight focal line, instead of a curve, resulting in accurate focussing from 480 to 650 nm, with linear scanning. The low f-number grating was used to accommodate high numerical aperture optical fibers without loss of light. A comparison between the present spectrometer with a 55m fused silica fiber and a Jarrell-Ash Czerny-Turner single monochromator using a 1-cm bulk sample indicates a signal/noise improvement by a factor of 137 for the very weak two-phonon band from fused silica near 1600 cm−1.
Automaticity in anxiety disorders and major depressive disorder

In this paper we examine the nature of automatic cognitive processing in anxiety disorders and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Rather than viewing automaticity as a unitary construct, we follow a social cognition perspective (Bargh, 1994) that argues for four theoretically independent features of automaticity: unconscious (processing of emotional stimuli occurs outside awareness), efficient (processing emotional meaning uses minimal attentional resources), unintentional (no goal is needed to engage in processing emotional meaning), and uncontrollable (limited ability to avoid, alter or terminate processing emotional stimuli). Our review of the literature suggests that most anxiety disorders are characterized by uncontrollable, and likely also unconscious and unintentional, biased processing of threat-relevant information. In contrast, MDD is most clearly typified by uncontrollable, but not unconscious or unintentional, processing of negative information. For the anxiety disorders and for MDD, there is no sufficient evidence to draw firm conclusions about efficiency of processing, though early indications are that neither anxiety disorders nor MDD are characterized by this feature. Clinical and theoretical implications of these findings are discussed and directions for future research are offered. In particular, it is clear that paradigms that more directly delineate the different features of automaticity are required to gain a more comprehensive and systematic understanding of the importance of automatic processing in emotion dysregulation.
Reconstruction of the (110) surfaces for III-V semiconductors; five systems involving In or Sb

Abstract We report reconstruction geometries for the (110) surfaces of InSb, InAs, InP, GaSb, and AISb based on theoretical calculations on cluster models. The surface strains are in excellent accord with experiment and the trends in surface strains fit well with the Duke linear lattice constant correlation. Surface reconstruction energies are in the range of 1.1 to 1.3 eV. We also report the geometries and energies for charged surface states.
On shear band formation: I. Constitutive relationship for a dual yield model

A phenomenological constitutive relation, for capturing the shear band formation in a rate-independent elastic-plastic material, is established. The model takes into account both the J2-isotropic flow and a threshold shear stress-based flow. The elastic-plastic constitutive tensor is expressed explicity in terms of elastic constants, the deviatoric stress tensor, the direction of the principal shear velocity-strain, and other material constants. This model particularly facilitates the resolution of the formation of the shear band even under material hardening conditions and does not demand an a priori knowledge of the orientation of the shear band. This is incorporated in an FEM, and the plane strain tensile test of Anand and Spitzig [1980] is numerically simulated. The computed results compare favorably with the experimental data. The shear band emerges more naturally as a solution to the boundary value problem, unlike the situations in solutions based on classical bifurcation methods. Nevertheless, the usefulness of the local instability condition (Ortiz et al. [1987]) is also demonstrated.
Surficial Sediment Redistribution by Wave Energy: Element—Grain Size Relationships☆

Abstract Dissipation of wave energy as waves begin to feel the lake floor determines grain size variations for the surficial nearshore sediments of southeastern Lake Michigan. Variations of sediment composition mimic those of the silt- and clay-sized sediment fractions. Both grain size and compositional variations can be used to define the nearshore zone in the Great Lakes.
Onset of convection near a point source of heat and gravity

A paradoxical symmetry breaking--development of a unidirectional flow via thermal instability--is predicted by an analytical solution for compressible convection near a point source of both heat and gravity. Such a flow can propel a cosmic hot body (e.g., a protostar) in a molecular cloud. This convection emerges at the critical Rayleigh number Ra = l(l+1) [2l(l+1)+1+3 mu(V)/2]gamma/(gamma-1), where l is the number of flow cells, mu(V) is the second-to-first viscosity ratio, and gamma is the specific heat ratio.
Morphogenesis of body segments and appendages during the larval stages of a common spiroboloid milliped

Three-dimensional, histological, and x-ray techniques provide a picture of body segment and limb morphogenesis. Cell multiplication begins in the proliferation region (“meristem”) during the molt from the preceding instar. By four days post-molt, the cells that will form the new segments are well under way in their anterior, lateral, and dorsal migration. It is suggested that after the anlagen for all the new segments are estabilshed, a mitotic wave commences in the most anterior anlagen and moves posteriorly during the remainder of the instar. When cell proliferation is complete, final differentiation of the segments takes place. The process of limb formation is one of cell proliferation and perhaps migration. Each limb develops in a membranous pocket during the instar following the one in which its respective body segment was formed.
Optimal selection with randomly fading memory

Abstract In this paper, we will consider optimal selection problems in which the recall of a random number of observations and uncertainty of selection are both allowed at each stage of the selection process. General rules as well as closed form solutions for specific examples with Markov memory system and finite memory are obtained.
Abstract 1035: SETD2, a histone methyltransferase, is misregulated in advanced clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC)

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL Background: Although the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) tumor suppressor is inactivated in more than 91% of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), VHL deletion in mice is insufficient for tumorigenesis, suggesting that additional mutations are required. Exome sequencing of early stage (I-III) ccRCC tumors identified missense and truncating mutations in SETD2, a histone H3 lysine 36 (H3K36) trimethyltransferase. However it is unclear whether these mutations alter histone modifications. We hypothesize that loss of SETD2 histone methyltransferase activity decreases H3K36 trimethylation (H3K36Me3) in ccRCC. Methods: To determine if loss of SETD2 protein expression alters H3K36Me3, SETD2 siRNA oligonucleotides were transfected into HEK293 (human embryonic kidney) cells and H3K36Me3 was analyzed by Western blot. In parallel, H3K36Me3 immunohistochemical (IHC) staining was quantitated in nephrectomy tissue with a mutant SETD2 genotype. To establish the frequency of SETD2 loss of heterozygosity (LOH), genomic DNA was isolated from 51 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded ccRCC specimens and analyzed with Affymetrix GeneChip Mapping 250K Nsp single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays. To determine if there are alterations of histone modifications in metastatic ccRCC, H3K36Me3 IHC staining was performed on tissue microarrays (TMAs) representing 28 paired ccRCC specimens with unaffected kidney parenchyma controls and 40 metastases (bone, brain and lungs). Results: SETD2 siRNA decreases H3K36Me3 (>50%) compared to scrambled controls suggesting that SETD2 is a non-redundant H3K36 methyltransferase. Nephrectomy specimens with SETD2 truncating mutations also have decreased H3K36Me3 (>50%) compared to matched uninvolved kidney tissue. Using SNP arrays, LOH at chromosome 3p (location of VHL and SETD2 genes) was detected in >90% of the tested ccRCC tumors. H3K36Me3 IHC staining was quantitated in TMAs representing advanced ccRCC specimens. IHC reveals a 27.4% and 52.0% decrease in H3K36Me3 positive nuclei in primary ccRCC and metastases, respectively, when compared to matched adjacent unaffected kidney tissue (P value 90% of tested tumors. H3K36Me3 is decreased in primary ccRCC and even more in metastases, suggesting that SETD2 methyltransferase activity is progressively misregulated in RCC. VHL loss may cooperate with loss of SETD2 histone methyltransferase activity to promote tumorigenesis. Future studies will focus on the mechanism of how SETD2 contributes to tumorigenesis and on determining the prognostic and predictive impact of SETD2 phenotypic changes in patient-derived tissue. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1035. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-1035
The effect of bracing on patellofemoral joint stress during free and fast walking.

BackgroundAlthough several studies have demonstrated decreases in patellofemoral pain (PFP) with the application of bracing, the mechanism by which bracing reduces symptoms has not been elucidated.HypothesisIndividuals who responded favorably to bracing will exhibit decreased patellofemoral stress during level walking.Study DesignRepeated measures, cross-sectional.MethodsFifteen subjects with a diagnosis of PFP completed two phases of data collection: 1) MRI assessment of patellofemoral contact area and 2) gait analysis. Data were obtained under braced and nonbraced conditions. Variables obtained from both data collection sessions were used as input variables into a mathematical model to quantify patellofemoral stress.ResultsSubjects reported a 56% reduction in pain following bracing. Bracing significantly reduced peak stress during free and fast walking (17% and 27%, respectively). The decrease in stress was the result of increased contact area as patellofemoral joint reaction forces were increased follo...
Acetic anhydride in aqueous solution converts Δ2-thiazoline 2-carboxylate to an oxalyl thiolester☆

Abstract N -Acetyl- S -oxalylcysteamine is formed in 70–75% yield from the reaction of acetic anhydride with Δ 2 -thiazoline 2-carboxylate at 25°C in near neutral aqueous solution. This reaction is believed to be a good model for how oxalyl thiolesters could be formed in vivo from the products of the suspected physiological reactions catalyzed by d -amino acid oxidase and d -aspartate oxidase. The reaction is of special significance because of current evidence that oxalyl thiolesters are important metabolic effectors.
Response of mesopheric ozone to particle precipitation

Abstract In the mesosphere, water vapor photolysis is the major source of odd hydrogen (H, OH and HO 2 ) under normal conditions. The odd hydrogen produced may then be converted to H 2 by the reaction H + HO 2 → H 2 + O 2 . This process is responsible for the calculated decrease in the H 2 O mixing ratio and accompanying increase in the H 2 mixing ratio with altitude in the upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere. Charged particle precipitation events are calculated to produce the same effect, particularly in the 70–85 km region, thus temporarily resulting in enhanced conversion of H 2 O to H 2 following such an event. Since odd hydrogen is produced predominantly by water vapor photolysis at these altitudes, decreased odd hydrogen concentrations are also anticipated. Odd hydrogen processes dominate ozone destruction in this region, and so an increase in ozone may occur if odd hydrogen concentrations decrease. We have examined the calculated time behavior of these processes in a numerical model using the August 1972 solar proton event as an example, and we present calculations indicating what might be observed in future events.
The structure of ipomeamaronol: A new toxic furanosesquiterpene from moldy sweet potatoes

Abstract The isolation and structure of a new hepatotoxic metabolite, ipomeamaronol, from mold damaged sweet potatoes ( Ipomoea batatas ) is described.
Megaripple migration in a natural surf zone

Migrating megaripples are bedforms that appear in the surf zone of sandy coasts1. With heights of 0.1–0.5 m and wavelengths of 1–5 m, they are similar in size and shape to small dunes, large ripples, or sand waves. Such sedimentary bedforms have been studied in subaerial2, steady-flow3 and intertidal4 environments, as well as in laboratory flume experiments5. They affect overlying currents by introducing hydraulic roughness4,6, and may provide a mechanism for sediment transport7,8 as well as forming sedimentary structures in preserved facies9,10. The formation, orientation and migration of such bedforms is not understood well11,12. Dunes, for example, can be aligned with their crests perpendicular to steady unidirectional winds13, but in more complex wind fields their orientation becomes difficult to predict14,15,16,17. Similarly, it is not known how sea-floor megaripples become aligned and migrate in the complex flows of the surf zone. Here we present observations in the surf zone of a natural beach which indicate that megaripples do not migrate in the direction of the vector sum of the currents, but are aligned so that the sediment transport normal to the bedform crest is maximized17. This may need to be taken into account in modelling morphology change and interpreting existing and fossil morphologic patterns.
Use of Weakly Coordinating Anions to Develop an Integrated Approach to the Tuning of ΔE1/2 Values by Medium Effects

An integrated approach to the control of ΔE1/2 values, and therefore comproportionation equilibria, through medium effects was delineated for multi-step redox reactions involving cationic products. ΔE1/2 values (defined as E1/22+/1+ − E1/21+/0) of the two one-electron oxidations of bis(fulvalene)dinickel, 1, were measured under 45 different conditions of solvent and supporting electrolyte. The smallest value, 212 mV, was found in anisole/0.1 M [NBu4]Cl and the largest, 850 mV, in CH2Cl2/0.02 M Na[B(C6H3(CF3)2)4]. By systematically changing the solvent properties, the degree of ion-pairing strengths of the supporting electrolyte ions, and the concentration of the electrolytes, a set of ideal properties was found for maximizing ΔE1/2 values involving positively charged electrode products. Most importantly (i) the solvent must be of lower polarity and low donor strength and (ii) the supporting electrolyte must have a weakly coordinating anion (WCA). The contrast in ion-pairing tendencies of 12+ with WCAs (on...
Gamma-irradiation of plant material in floriculture—Results and problems

Abstract γ-Irradiation of gladiolus corms before warm storage in a three-year-experiment resulted in an average yield increase of flower stems of 17.2% (0.75 Gy). An essential for the yield improvement in the early culture of gladiolus in a glass-house environment is considered the high shoot formation capacity of the gladiolus variety used, ”Fruhrot“, high quality of the plant material (corms), the irradiation at an early stage of organogenesis, marked suboptimum conditions for growth and high planting thickness.
Using plant analysis to guide research and extension programs in the Gambia

Abstract To support the development of viable plant nutrition research in The Gambia, a basic soil fertility laboratory was established in the Department of Agricultural Research, Ministry of Agriculture, by the Gambia Agricultural Research and Diversification (GARD) Project. To assess the fertility status of soils throughout the country, 1, 152 soil samples were collected from maize (Zea mays), millet (Pennisetum glaucwri), and groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) fields. The supply of available nutrients was assessed in 567 fields using plant analysis on the same three indicator crops. Soil fertility levels as measured by soil tests were found to be much higher in fields where maize was grown than in fields planted to groundnut or millet. Tissue analyses indicated that zinc (Zn) and nitrogen (N) were most limiting to maize production. Millet was very efficient in utilizing nutrients available at relatively low levels. Nitrogen was frequently limiting in groundnut, suggesting that proper nodulation is not occurr...
The Methodist Episcopal Church and the Education of African Americans after the Civil War

Abstract Religious denominations have a long history of benevolent outreach to individuals considered “less fortunate.” The institution of slavery in the United States created an opportunity for most denominations in the North to advance an image of “patron saint” to an oppressed African American community. Immediately following the Civil War, the church became a significant conduit for the education of African Americans. In particular, the Methodist Episcopal Church established a number of schools throughout the South that provided both rudimentary and, ultimately, college-level coursework for the newly freed slaves. This article examines the college curriculum of one Methodist-affiliated institution and how it was shaped by the interaction of social and religious ideas of the day.
A ultra-wideband, downconversion folded mixer in 0.13-um CMOS technology

In this paper, a double-balanced common gate folded Gilbert mixer with low voltage supply and low power consumption is presented in 0.13um CMOS technology. This mixer features the common gate gm stage following by a folded LO switch stage. These two stages can be biased independently to achieve gain, linearity and noise figure specification in a wideband range. The simulation shows this mixer can achieve 6.3∼11.8dB conversion gain, 9.8∼15.2dB noise figure, 39dBm∼48dBm second-order intermodulation intercept point(OIP2), and around −7.5dBm Input Referred 1dB compression point between 2.5GHz∼7.5GHz with 7mW power consumption under 1.5V voltage supply.
DYNAMICAL COUPLING OF THE LOWER AND MIDDLE ATMOSPHERE : HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO CURRENT RESEARCH

Abstract The role of both gravity waves and planetary wave in coupling the circulation in the middle atmosphere with that in the troposphere is now well appreciated. The present article reveiws the history of the study of middle atmospheric dynamics and ets coupling with the lower atmosphere. The emphasis is on early developments, principally those before the 1970's
Ionospheric tomography: an algorithm enhancement

Abstract The Applied Research Laboratories, The University of Texas at Austin (ARL: UT), conducted a computerized ionospheric tomography (CIT) experiment called the “Mid-America CIT Experiment”, or MACE'93, from June through December, 1993. Portions of the data from this experiment have been input into various CIT algorithms to reconstruct a two-dimensional electron density image of the ionosphere. One of the CIT algorithms relies on model ionospheres to incorporate a priori information into basis functions that are used to represent the unknown ionospheric electron density structure. When global ionospheric models are used to generate the basis model ionospheres for this algorithm, the reconstructed ionospheres often underestimate the F2 peak density and some reconstructions display incorrect latitudinal electron density variation. These erroneous reconstructions are mainly caused by the global ionospheric models incorrectly modeling the ionosphere in terms of the F2 region thickness and latitudinal variations. This paper identifies an alternate set of basis ionospheres that improves the accuracy of the reconstructed ionospheres. In general, this enhancement has reduced the average per cent difference between actual and CIT reconstructed ionograms to 6% and the average absolute error between measured and CIT reconstructed f0F2 to 2.6%.
Development, evaluation and marketing of assistive devices

While we often focus on assistive technology service delivery, there is a business context that is equally important. Development, evaluation and marketing of appropriate assistive devices is instrumental in supporting a comprehensive service delivery system. Although there has been improvement in development, evaluation and marketing of assistive devices since 1982, many issues remain. Congress must now act to improve assistive technology supply and demand by supporting and coordinating related programs and resources at the national level. In addition, efforts to improve the United States competitiveness in the global assistive technology marketplace should be supported and facilitate collaborative relationships with other countries. © 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.
The nature of a hydroxylamine-sensitive bond in collagen

Abstract A cyanogen bromide peptide (α1-CB8) from the α1 chain of rat collagen was cleaved with hydroxylamine. Isolation of the relevant tryptic peptides from a resistant fraction of α1-CB8 and from the two hydroxylamine-produced fragments permitted the characterization of the susceptible bond. The data indicate that degradation of α1-CB8 results from cleavage of a cyclic imide, the derivative of a normal peptide bond which forms by condensation of an aspartyl (or asparaginyl) side chain with the subsequent amide nitrogen in the polypeptide chain. Such cyclic imides may represent the bonds presumed to link subunits within collagen chains.
Did Pearson reject the Neyman-Pearson philosophy of statistics?

I document some of the main evidence showing that E. S. Pearson rejected the key features of the behavioral-decision philosophy that became associated with the Neyman-Pearson Theory of statistics (NPT). I argue that NPT principles arose not out of behavioral aims, where the concern is solely with behaving correctly sufficiently often in some long run, but out of the epistemological aim of learning about causes of experimental results (e.g., distinguishing genuine from spurious effects). The view Pearson did hold gives a deeper understanding of NPT tests than their typical formulation as ‘accept-reject routines’, against which criticisms of NPT are really directed. The ‘Pearsonian’ view that emerges suggests how NPT tests may avoid these criticisms while still retaining what is central to these methods: the control of error probabilities.
Differentiation-dependent expression of E1--E4 proteins in cell lines maintaining episomes of human papillomavirus type 31b.

Abstract The life cycle of human papillomaviruses (HPVs) is dependent on epithelial differentiation. Among the viral proteinsexpressed in differentiated epithelial cells are the viral capsid proteins, L1 and L2, as well as the E1^E4 fusion proteins. In this study, the expression and intracellular localization of the E1^E4 proteins of HPV type 31b were examined in both monolayer and raft cultures of the CIN-612 cell line which maintains episomal copies of HPV-31b. In this cell line, a high level of E1^E4 protein expression was observed in the cytoplasm of a small percentage of cells in monolayer culture. A large increase in E1^E4 protein levels was observed upon stratification of the CIN-612 cell line in raft cultures, with E1^E4 protein expression limited to the uppermost layers of the epithelium. A diffuse, slightly grainy cytoplasmic localization of E1^E4 protein was observed in both monolayer and raft culture systems. Although virion synthesis is entirely dependent upon phorbol ester or synthetic diacylglycerol treatment of raft cultures, E1^E4 expression was observed in both treated and untreated monolayer and raft cultures of the CIN-612 cell line. In monolayer cultures of two simian virus 40-transformed cell lines, cos-7 and MK-6, transiently transfected with an E1^E4 expression vector, the distribution of E1^E4 protein was found to differ substantially from that in the CIN-612 cells. In these cell lines E1^E4 protein was found to exhibit a total collapse into either cytoplasmic inclusion granules in the cos-7 cells or a perinuclear halo-like structure in the MK-6 cell line. The host cell, its differentiation state, and the amount of expression can therefore significantly affect the distribution of the E1^E4 proteins.
Utility and limitations of glypican-3 expression for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma at both ends of the differentiation spectrum

Glypican-3 is a heparin sulfate proteoglycan normally expressed in fetal liver and placenta, but not in normal adult liver. Preliminary studies have shown that glypican-3 can be useful for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. We performed immunohistochemistry for glypican-3 on 80 resection cases of hepatocellular lesions to examine the utility of glypican-3 immunohistochemistry in hepatocellular carcinoma at two ends of the differentiation spectrum. Staining was compared to Hep Par 1 in poorly differentiated cases. Glypican-3 was expressed in 46 (79%) hepatocellular carcinomas (56, 83 and 89% of well, moderately and poorly differentiated respectively) and seven (64%) fibrolamellar carcinomas. Of the 16 well differentiated cases, 10 closely resembled adenoma and were diagnosed due to focal abnormalities and/or loss of reticulin. Glypican-3 expression was seen in 50% in this group. Hepatocellular carcinomas arising in cirrhotic liver were more likely to be glypican-3 positive (91 vs 57%, P=0.004). All hepatic adenomas and macroregenerative nodules were negative, and three (43%) high grade dysplastic nodules were positive. Focal staining was seen in regenerative nodules in four (11%) cirrhosis cases. Glypican-3 was significantly more sensitive than Hep Par 1 for diagnosis of poorly differentiated hepatocellular carcinomas (89 vs 63%, P=0.02). The difference was more significant when only cases with diffuse positive staining were considered (83 vs 21%, P<0.001). In conclusion, glypican-3 has high sensitivity for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma, but is less sensitive in the extremely well differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma and fibrolamellar variant of hepatocellular carcinoma. Caution should be exercised in using glypican-3 in biopsy specimens as cirrhotic nodules can show strong expression. Glypican-3 can be especially useful in the identification of poorly differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma as it has higher sensitivity compared to Hep Par 1.
TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY STIMULATES HIPPOCAMPAL CATECHOL-O-METHYL TRANSFERASE EXPRESSION IN MICROGLIA

Outcome following traumatic brain injury (TBI) is in large part determined by the combined action of multiple processes. In order to better understand the response of the central nervous system to injury, we utilized an antibody array to simultaneously screen 507 proteins for altered expression in the injured hippocampus, a structure critical for memory formation. Array analysis indicated 41 candidate proteins have altered expression levels 24 hours after TBI. Of particular interest was catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT), an enzyme involved in metabolizing catecholamines released following neuronal activity. Altered catecholamine signaling has been observed after brain injury, and may contribute to the cognitive dysfunctions and behavioral deficits often experienced after TBI. Our data shows that COMT expression in the injured ipsilateral hippocampus was elevated for at least 14 days after controlled cortical impact injury. We found strong co-localization of COMT immunoreactivity with the microglia marker Iba1 near the injury site. Since dopamine transporter expression has been reported to be down-regulated after brain injury, COMT-mediated catecholamine metabolism may play a more prominent role in terminating catecholamine signaling in injured areas.
Metabolic engineering of Propionibacterium freudenreichii for n-propanol production

Propionibacteria are widely used in industry for manufacturing of Swiss cheese, vitamin B₁₂, and propionic acid. However, little is known about their genetics and only a few reports are available on the metabolic engineering of propionibacteria aiming at enhancing fermentative production of vitamin B12 and propionic acid. n-Propanol is a common solvent, an intermediate in many industrial applications, and a promising biofuel. To date, no wild-type microorganism is known to produce n-propanol in sufficient quantities for industrial application purposes. In this study, a bifunctional aldehyde/alcohol dehydrogenase (adhE) was cloned from Escherichia coli and expressed in Propionibacterium freudenreichii. The mutants expressing the adhE gene converted propionyl- coenzyme A, which is the precursor for propionic acid biosynthesis, to n-propanol. The production of n-propanol was limited by NADH availability, which was improved significantly by using glycerol as the carbon source. Interestingly, the improved propanol production was accompanied by a significant increase in propionic acid productivity, indicating a positive effect of n-propanol biosynthesis on propionic acid fermentative production. To our best knowledge, this is the first report on producing n-propanol by metabolically engineered propionibacteria, which offers a novel route to produce n-propanol from renewable feedstock, and possibly a new way to boost propionic acid fermentation.
EMP Susceptibility of Integrated Circuits

This paper summarizes the results of a major test program which involved the measurement of the pulse power failure thresholds of 41 integrated circuit types, representing seven logic families. The pulse widths used in these tests range from 0.1 microsecond to 10 microseconds. The failure threshold data have been grouped by logic family and test terminal to form failure categories. A simple failure model has been developed which is useful in predicting the failure thresholds of untested devices.
Increased CD4+ T cell infiltrates in rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial pneumonitis compared with idiopathic interstitial pneumonitis.

Objective. To study lymphocyte markers in rheumatoid arthritis (RA)-associated interstitial pneumonitis (IP) compared with idiopathic IP. Methods. Paraffin-embedded lung biopsy specimens from patients with RA (n = 15) and from those without RA (n = 16), all of whom had a diagnosis of either nonspecific IP or usual IP, were studied. Tissue sections from each patient were reviewed by a pathologist, who was blinded to the clinical data. Age and pulmonary function test results were similar in RA and non-RA patients. After high-temperature antigen unmasking, sections were incubated with mouse monoclonal antibodies directed against CD3, CD4, CD8, CD16, and CD20. All slides were coded, and digital images (100x magnification) of the entire tissue area were obtained. Staining was quantified using computer-assisted image analysis. Results. Staining for CD4 was more prominent in patients with RA than in the non-RA comparison group (median 9.3 cells/mm(2), interquartile range [IQR] 5.5-27.3 versus 0.6 cells/mm(2), IQR 0.2-1.9; P = 0.002). CD4+ cell counts were increased in RA patients with nonspecific IP as well as in RA patients with usual IP, with no major difference between these groups. Results were similar for quantification of CD3 (P = 0.012). There was a less striking trend toward more CD8+ cells in RA patients (P = 0.27 versus those with non-RA lung disease). Conclusion. IP lesions in patients with RA are characterized by an increased number of CD4+ cells, as compared with that in patients with idiopathic IP. This finding suggests that CD4+ T cells are critical for the development of pulmonary manifestations in RA, and may have implications for the treatment of RA-associated lung disease. (Less)
Application of geologic map information to water quality issues in the southern part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, Maryland and Virginia, eastern United States

Abstract Geologic map units contain much information about the mineralogy, chemistry, and physical attributes of the rocks mapped. This paper presents information from regional-scale geologic maps in Maryland and Virginia, which are in the southern part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed in the eastern United States. The geologic map information is discussed and analyzed in relation to water chemistry data from shallow wells and stream reaches in the area. Two environmental problems in the Chesapeake Bay watershed are used as test examples. The problems, high acidity and high nitrate concentrations in streams and rivers, tend to be mitigated by some rock and sediment types and not by others. Carbonate rocks (limestone, dolomite, and carbonate-cemented rocks) have the greatest capacity to neutralize acidic ground water and surface water in contact with them. Rocks and sediments having high carbon or sulfur contents (such as peat and black shale) potentially contribute the most toward denitrification of ground water and surface water in contact with them. Rocks and sediments that are composed mostly of quartz, feldspar, and light-colored clay (rocks such as granite and sandstone, sediments such as sand and gravel) tend not to alter the chemistry of waters that are in contact with them. The testing of relationships between regionally mapped geologic units and water chemistry is in a preliminary stage, and initial results are encouraging.
A foam engulfment model for lost foam casting of aluminum

Abstract In lost foam casting of aluminum, pressure equilibrium between the liquid metal and the decomposing foam can produce a variety of different shapes for the metal flow front, ranging from convex to concave. In extreme cases, the flow front can become so strongly concave that small pieces of the foam pattern begin to break off inside the concave hollow of the flow front and become enveloped by the advancing liquid metal. When this happens, the entire mechanism of foam decomposition changes from steady ablation to a more chaotic motion in which the metal seems to “chew” its way through the pattern, creating large bubbles of vaporizing polymer liquid in its wake. These bubbles usually lead to undesirable anomalies in the final casting. In most cases, the nonlinear equations that govern the shape of the flow front depend on a single nondimensional number, which relates the onset of the engulfing motion to specific material, geometric, and process parameters. Numerical solutions to these equations are obtained for several special cases. These solutions help to explain a number of experimental observations that until now have been poorly understood.
Mechanical behavior of representative volume elements of lithium-ion battery cells under compressive loading conditions

Abstract The mechanical behaviors of lithium iron phosphate battery cells are investigated by conducting in-plane and out-of-plane compression tests of representative volume element (RVE) specimens of dry cells. The test results of cell RVE specimens under in-plane constrained compression indicate that the load carrying behavior of the cell RVE specimens is characterized by the buckling, the kink and shear band formation, and the final densification of the cell components. The SEM images of the active materials on electrodes and the test results of the cell RVE specimens under out-of-plane compression suggest that the porosity in the components and the macroscopic gaps between the components is up to 40%. The test results suggest that the lithium-ion battery cells can be modeled as anisotropic foams or cellular materials. The elastic buckling analyses for a beam with lateral constraints indicate that the higher order buckling modes and the critical buckling stresses in general agree with those observed in experiments. The elastic buckling analyses also justify the length selection of the cell RVE specimens. Finally, an idealized kinematic model is presented to explain the physical mechanisms of the kink and shear band formation in the cell RVE specimens under in-plane constrained compression.
The Relationship between Rate and Quality of Performance on Achievement Tests

In an introductory psychology course, five objective examinations (matching and multiple-choice items, exclusively) were administered. Correlations between rate of performance (speed in taking the test) and quality of performance (percent score on the test) were low, -.17 to +.07, and not significant. Correlations between the tests in terms of rate of test completion were relatively high, +.60 to +.87 (all p≤ .001 level). Results suggest (a) no relationship between rate and quality of performance on the achievement tests but (b) consistency in rate of test performance-those who finish early or late on one test are likely to perform the same way on other tests.
Reshaping Elastic Nanotubes via Self-Assembly of Surface-Adhesive Nanoparticles

Elastic sheets with macroscopic dimensions are easy to deform by bending and stretching. Yet shaping nanometric sheets by mechanical manipulation is hard. Here we show that nanoparticle self-assembly could be used to this end. We demonstrate that spherical nanoparticles adhering to the outer surface of an elastic nanotube can self-assemble into linear structures: rings or helices on stretchable nanotubes, and axial strings on nanotubes with high rigidity to stretching. These self-assembled structures are inextricably linked to a variety of deformed nanotube profiles, which can be controlled by tuning the concentration of nanoparticles, the nanoparticle-nanotube diameter ratio and the elastic properties of the nanotube. Our results open the possibility of designing nanoparticle-laden tubular nanostructures with tailored shapes, for potential applications in materials science and nanomedicine.
Elevated CO2 shifts the functional structure and metabolic potentials of soil microbial communities in a C4 agroecosystem

Atmospheric CO2 concentration is continuously increasing, and previous studies have shown that elevated CO2 (eCO2) significantly impacts C3 plants and their soil microbial communities. However, little is known about effects of eCO2 on the compositional and functional structure, and metabolic potential of soil microbial communities under C4 plants. Here we showed that a C4 maize agroecosystem exposed to eCO2 for eight years shifted the functional and phylogenetic structure of soil microbial communities at both soil depths (0-5 cm and 5-15 cm) using EcoPlate and functional gene array (GeoChip 3.0) analyses. The abundances of key genes involved in carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) cycling were significantly stimulated under eCO2 at both soil depths, although some differences in carbon utilization patterns were observed between the two soil depths. Consistently, CO2 was found to be the dominant factor explaining 11.9% of the structural variation of functional genes, while depth and the interaction of depth and CO2 explained 5.2% and 3.8%, respectively. This study implies that eCO2 has profound effects on the functional structure and metabolic potential/activity of soil microbial communities associated with C4 plants, possibly leading to changes in ecosystem functioning and feedbacks to global change in C4 agroecosystems.
‘We are real slaves, real Ismkhan’: memories of the trans‐Saharan slave trade in the Tafilalet of South‐Eastern Morocco

Each year in south‐eastern Morocco, descendents of enslaved Sudanic Africans, called Ismkhan, hold a festival in honour of their ancestors. The festival overflows with people who wish to be healed by their baraka, or ‘divine blessing’. In south‐eastern Morocco, memories of the trans‐Saharan slave trade are still vivid, and the descendents of people enslaved and carried across the Sahara continue to recognise their slave status by using the term Ismkhan, the plural form of the word ’ismkh’ or ‘slave’ in Tamazight, to refer to themselves. This article focuses on the dress, dance, music and healing practices of the Ismkhan and includes personal recollections of the slave trade to demonstrate how the Ismkhan have taken the pejorative term ‘slaves’ and attempted to turn it into a term of positive empowerment. The article concludes that the Ismkhan are a diaspora population that uses language and material culture to create a sense of solidarity and an identity that is the same yet different from those responsib...
Base-dependence in reduplication

Inkelas and Zoll (Reduplication: Doubling in morphology, 2005) designed Morphological Doubling Theory (MDT) to offer an alternative theory of reduplication that does not involve phonological copying. Contra theories of reduplication which assume that the morphophonological form of a reduplicative morpheme (a “reduplicant”) relies on the morphophonological form of some stem (its “base”), MDT disallows such “base-dependence”. Inkelas and Zoll account for many reduplication patterns without base-dependence by positing that reduplication constructions involve semantic identity, rather than phonological identity, between two stems in a compounding construction. However, we argue that certain patterns of reduplication require base-dependence. These include cases where reduplication targets the output prosodic structure of the stem, as in the “foot copy”’ reduplicants of Yidiny and “syllable copy” reduplicants of Hiaki (Yaqui). To account for these cases MDT must posit syllabic structure in the input, contra the Richness of the Base. Further, MDT cannot account for emergence of the unmarked (TETU) effects in reduplication. In Tawala, vowel-lengthening occurs in lieu of reduplication only in a predictable phonological environment: when a verb stem already contains two identical adjacent syllables at the left edge of the word. We argue that while such a pattern is a problem for MDT’s proscription against base-dependence, it can be accounted for as a simple case of TETU within Correspondence Theory, given a ranking of Faith-IO >> *Repeatσ >> Faith-BR. Thus, some of the major premises of MDT, which does not privilege a distinction between “reduplicant” and “base”, are challenged by such data.
Rapid-Charge Electric-Vehicle Stations

Mass production of total electric vehicles capable of traveling longer distances results in a need for electric service stations that can satisfy the requirements for a significant amount of power provided in a time duration similar to that of filling a car with oil-based fuel. These vehicles would pull into the station, and need a large amount of power delivered over a short period of time for the rapid recharging of batteries which serve as their “fuel tank.” This paper investigates the effect of fast-charging electric vehicles on an existing utility company distribution system at several specified sites. This paper will cover power-flow, short-circuit, and protection studies at these sites using utility-grade software packages. In addition, the analysis of simulations of a recharging station where up to eight rapidly rechargeable vehicles come online at once will be presented.
Comparison of First-Eye-Movement Detection Methods

The first eye movement from a point of fixation was detected by direct observation of the eye, by electro-oculograph (EOG), and by corneal reflection apparatus. Essential agreement was obtained among the measures. Only with movements less than 5° were there serious numbers of discrepancies in detection against the criterion of photo-recorder corneal reflection measurement. A horizontal movement was detected more reliably than a vertical movement. The EOG was most likely to miss detection of a vertical movement. The efficiency of the measures with regard to movement detection and monitoring choice-looking-behavior were discussed.