cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Influence of harvesting on biogeochemical exchange in sheetflow and soil processes in a eutrophic floodplain forest

Abstract Floodplain forests contribute to the maintenance of water quality as a result of various biogeochemical transformations which occur within them. In particular, they can serve as sinks for nutrient run-off from adjacent uplands or as nutrient transformers as water moves downstream. However, little is known about the potential that land management activities may have for alteration of these biogeochemical functions. This paper examines the effects of three harvesting regimes (unharvested control, clearcut, and partial cut) on the physical and chemical parameters within the Flint River floodplain located in southwestern Georgia, USA. Data presented in this paper were collected during the year following initiation of the harvesting treatments which occurred in September of 1993. Sheetflow water chemistry (total suspended solids (TSS), total dissolved solids (TDS), nitrate (NO3−), phosphate (PO43−), sulfate (SO42−), calcium (Ca2+), potassium (K+), magnesium (Mg2+), ammonium (NH4+), total phosphorous (P), total nitrogen (N), total carbon (C), dissolved organic carbon (DOC)), sedimentation rates, depth of soil oxidation after flooding, saturated hydraulic conductivity, and bulk density were measured. During the year immediately after treatment installation, alterations in some of the physical and chemical properties (TDS, NO3−, total P, and K+) of floodwaters crossing harvest plots were detected. Soil oxidation depths, saturated hydraulic conductivity and bulk density also changed with treatment. The meaning of the changes detected is uncertain but they suggest the nature of potential changes in nutrient spiralling and non-point source cumulative effects that may occur within a managed watershed. Second-year data may offer an interesting comparison of sheetflow chemistry and sedimentation changes between vegetated and non-vegetated conditions.
Synthesis of 3,5-diisopropyl[carboxy-14C]salicylic acid and its 67CU complex

The synthesis of 3,5-diisopropyl[carboxy-14C]salicylic acid was achieved via Kolbe-Schmitt carboxylation of potassium 2,4-diisopropylphenolate. The yield of this acid was 81% based upon the weight of the product and 93% based upon radioactivity incorporated into the labeled acid which contains 98% 14C in the carboxyl group (specific activity = 5.1 μCi/mg). The labeled acid was characterized by ultraviolet spectrophotometry and purity established by thin-layer chromatography, autoradiography, and liquid scintillation counting. A 90% yield of the double labeled 14C, 67Cu-complex (specific activity = 4.6 μC/mg) was obtained using conditions developed with non-radioactive reactants. The presence of 67Cu in this complex was established using γ-ray emission spectrophometry.
Discovery of agents that eradicate leukemia stem cells using an in silico screen of public gene expression data

Increasing evidence indicates that malignant stem cells are important for the pathogenesis of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and represent a reservoir of cells that drive the development of AML and relapse. Therefore, new treatment regimens are necessary to prevent relapse and improve therapeutic outcomes. Previous studies have shown that the sesquiterpene lactone, parthenolide (PTL), ablates bulk, progenitor, and stem AML cells while causing no appreciable toxicity to normal hematopoietic cells. Thus, PTL must evoke cellular responses capable of mediating AML selective cell death. Given recent advances in chemical genomics such as gene expression-based high-throughput screening (GE-HTS) and the Connectivity Map, we hypothesized that the gene expression signature resulting from treatment of primary AML with PTL could be used to search for similar signatures in publicly available gene expression profiles deposited into the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). We therefore devised a broad in silico screen of the GEO database using the PTL gene expression signature as a template and discovered 2 new agents, celastrol and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal, that effectively eradicate AML at the bulk, progenitor, and stem cell level. These findings suggest the use of multicenter collections of high-throughput data to facilitate discovery of leukemia drugs and drug targets.
The hydrogenation of CO and CO2 over polycrystalline rhodium: Correlation of surface composition, kinetics and product distributions

Abstract Rhodium, in the form of a small surface area (~1 cm 2 ) polycrystalline foil was used to study the COH 2 and CO 2 H 2 reactions at low (~10 −4 Torr) and at high (700 Torr) pressures in the same apparatus. Reaction rates and product distributions were monitored with a mass spectrometer and a gas chromatograph, respectively, and the surface composition was determined by Auger electron spectroscopy. The various binding states of CO were studied by thermal desorption. Under reaction conditions (250–350 °C, 700 Torr) the surface is covered with a catalytically active carbonaceous deposit while some oxygen is located below the surface. No surface oxygen was detectable after reaction as the removal of chemisorbed species by either the COO 2 or H 2 O 2 reactions was rapid at low temperatures. Carbon monoxide was found to adsorb in molecular form on clean Rh surfaces, but partly dissociated on surfaces pretreated in CO, or by heating in the presence of gaseous CO. Co-adsorption of H 2 /CO mixtures at low pressures increased the amount of molecular CO but no changes in CO binding energy were observed. At low pressures (10 −4 Torr) the equilibrium hydrocarbon partial pressures from the COH 2 and CO 2 H 2 reactions are too low to be detectable. At high pressures (700 Torr), the reaction rates, activation energy (24 ± 3 kcal) and product distributions from the small surface area Rh foil are nearly identical to that obtained on a dispersed rhodium catalyst. The CO 2 H 2 reaction produces methane exclusively and with a lower activation energy (16 ± 2 kcal) than for the COH 2 reaction. Pretreatment of the clean surface changes the product distribution and the rates in both reactions. Pretreatment with acetylene deposits surface carbon and reduces methanation, but not chain growth in the COH 2 reaction (a higher percentage of C 2 and C 3 products). Pretreating with oxygen dissolves oxygen in the bulk and increases the methanation rate by up to a factor of five over the clean surface. It appears that active rhodiumcarbon-oxygen complexes form at the surface and rehydrogenate to yield the various products.
Isotope effect for the thermal F + H2 reaction: An Arrhenius kinetics experiment based upon nuclear recoil techniques

Abstract Modified nuclear hot atom techniques have been used to characterize the kinetic isotope effect for the reaction of atomic fluorine with molecular hydrogen under conditions of thermal initiation. The following Arrhenius temperature dependence was obtained for the isotopic rate constant ratio: k H 2 / k D 2 = (1.11 ± 0.05) exp [(356 ± 26)/ RT ] temperature range 303–475°K.
A facile synthesis of highly water-soluble, core-shell organo-silica nanoparticles with controllable size via sol-gel process

Abstract A series of highly water-soluble organo-silica nanoparticles, ranging from 2 to 10 nm in diameter, were synthesized by the cohydrolysis and copolycondensation reactions. ω-methoxy(polyethyleneoxy)propyltrimethoxysilane (PEG6-9) and hydroxymethyltriethoxysilane (HMTEOS) mixtures were catalyzed by sodium hydroxide in the presence of surfactant benzethonium chloride (BTC) with various ratios of PEG6-9/HMTEOS at room temperature. The synthesized organo-silica nanoparticles possess a core–shell structure with a core of organo-silica resulting from HMTEOS and a monolayer shell of PEG6-9. The chemo-physical characteristics of the particles were studied by gel permeation chromatography (GPC), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, 29Si nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The molecular weight and particle size of the particles increased with increasing HMTEOS molar ratios. The richest HMTEOS composition for the water-soluble particles was found to be HMTEOS:PEG6-9 = 80:20, where the particles had a 6 nm diameter core and a 0.8 nm thick shell. We propose that these water-soluble organo-silica nanoparticles will be suitable for biomedical applications.
Desnitroimidacloprid and Nicotine Binding Site in Rat Recombinant α4β2 Neuronal Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor

Abstract Desnitroimidacloprid (desnitro-IMI) is proposed to be a bioactivation product of imidacloprid and to bind at the same site as [ 3 H]nicotine in the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) of mouse brain membranes. The α4β2 nAChR subtype accounts for >90% of the binding sites for nicotine in rat brain. This study further characterizes the binding site for [ 3 ]desnitro-IMI and [ 3 H]nicotine in rat recombinant α4β2 nAChR using receptor expressed in Sf9 insect cells so that the assays involved no other receptor subtypes or interference from metabolic activation and detoxification systems. The two radioligands gave the same B max of 7.5 pmol/mg protein and apparent K d values of 3.3 nM for nicotine and 8.9 nM for desnitro-IMI by Scatchard analysis at 22°C. However, at 4°C, the observed apparent association rate is slower and dissociation rate is faster for [ 3 H]desnitro-IMI than for [ 3 H]nicotine and due to the rapid rate of dissociation of [ 3 H]desnitro-IMI the K d calculated from the determined association and dissociation rates more closely approximates 1.0 for both ligands. Eight cholinergic agents and nine nicotinoids are equipotent in displacing [ 3 H]desnitro-IMI and [ 3 H]nicotine, with IC 50 values (nM) of 0.5 for epibatidine, 1 for cytisine, 4–6 for nicotine and desnitro-IMI, 15 for acetylcholine, and 155 for imidacloprid, with an overall correlation for inhibitor potencies of r 2 = 0.99 ( n = 17). This correlation of binding site properties extends to [ 3 H]nicotine in the recombinant α4β2 receptor and rat brain membranes ( r 2 = 0.99, n = 12). Thus, desnitro-IMI and nicotine bind with high affinity to the same site in rat recombinant α4β2 neuronal nAChR. This recombinant receptor can be generated in sufficient quantities for high-throughput target site screening and structural analysis of the binding site.
CP violation and F-theory GUTs

Abstract Recent work on F-theory GUTs has shown that the predicted masses and magnitudes of the mixing matrix elements in the quark and lepton sectors are in close accord with experiment. In this Letter we estimate the CP violating phase of the mixing matrices by considering the Jarlskog invariant. We find by carefully treating certain cancellations in the computation of the Jarlskog invariant that | J quark | ∼ α GUT 3 ∼ 6 × 10 − 5 , and that the CP violating phase of the quark sector is large, in accord with experiment. Moreover, we predict (up to order one factors) that | J lepton | ∼ α GUT ∼ 4 × 10 − 2 and that the CP violating phase of the lepton sector is also large.
Borderline personality and substance use in women

The association between borderline personality disorder (BPD) and substance use disorder (SUD) was examined in a predominantly psychiatric (77.6%) sample of 232 women. BPD proved to be a significant predictor of a lifetime diagnosis of SUD across four different categories: any SUD (including alcohol); alcohol use; drug use; and heroin, cocaine, or poly-substance use. BPD continued to be a predictor of SUD even when the effects of other cluster B and all cluster C PDs were controlled statistically. Antisocial personality disorder generally yielded larger odds ratios than BPD and emerged as a partial mediator of the relation between BPD and SUD. Histrionic PD was the only other PD that showed meaningful relations with SUD.
Water-developable negative-tone single-molecule resists: high-sensitivity nonchemically amplified resists

A water developable, non-chemically amplified, negative tone single molecule resist (tris(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethylphenyl)sulfonium tosylate, otherwise referred to as TAS-tBoc-Ts) was synthesized, characterized, and imaged using high resolution electron beam lithography. The solubility switching in the negative tone imaging mode in this material, which occurs for no or low temperature post-exposure bakes, occurs through photolytic conversion of some fraction of the ionic PAG molecules into non-ionic photoproducts which act as strong dissolution inhibitors to the remaining unreacted molecules in the film. It was also shown that this resist system can dmonstrate positive tone chemically amplified imaging behavior under different processing conditions, i.e. when using higher temperature post-exposure bakes above 100 °C . Pure water was found to be the preferential developer as compared to conventional aqueous alkaline TMAH developers in this particular system for negative tone imaging. Under 100 keV e-beam imaging and water development, a sensitivity of 66 mC/cm2 and contrast of 7.9 was obtained. TAS-tBoc-Ts obtained 40 nm 1:2 line-space resolutions with a low LER of 5.3 nm using electron beam imaging with no apparent swelling or residue problems. This new material and its negative tone imaging process provide a possible path forward for designing non-chemically amplified resists that may obtain higher resolutions than current chemically amplified resists at competitive sensitivities.
A validity test of the reasons for smoking scale.

Abstract The Reasons for Smoking (RFS) scale classifies the strength of respondents' smoking motives along 6 motivational dimensions. The concurrent validity of the RFS scale was evaluated by having smokers who joined a quit clinic complete the RFS and then self-monitor, using the same 6 motives measured by the RFS, their reason for smoking approximately half their cigarettes during a two week period. The reactive effects of self-monitoring reasons for smoking in addition to smoking frequency was negligible. Of the correlations calculated between the six reasons for smoking as measured by the RFS and by self-monitoring, only two were significant. The self-monitored scores for the “manipulation” motive were the only ones which predicted smoking status at a 3 month follow-up. Discriminant function analyses indicated that the addition of other subscale scores failed to enhance the prediction of smoking status.
Identification of mRNAs with enhanced expression in ripening strawberry fruit using polymerase chain reaction differential display

Fruit ripening is a complex developmental process that involves specific changes in gene expression and cellular metabolism. In climateric fruits these events are coordinated by the gaseous hormone ethylene, which is synthesized autocatalytically in the early stages of ripening. Nonclimacteric fruits do not synthesize or respond to ethylene in this manner, yet undergo many of the same physiological and biochemical changes associated with the production of a ripe fruit. To gain insight into the molecular determinants associated with nonclimacteric fruit ripening, we examined mRNA populations in ripening strawberry fruit using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) differential display. Five mRNAs with ripening-enhanced expression were identified using this approach. Three of the mRNAs appear to be fruit-specific, with little or no expression detected in vegetative tissues. Sequence analysis of cDNA clones revealed positive identities for three of the five mRNAs based on homology to known proteins. These results indicate that the differential display technique can be a useful tool to study fruit ripening and other developmental processes in plants at the RNA level.
Traps and defects in pre- and post-proton irradiated AlGaN-GaN high electron mobility transistors and AlGaN Schottky diodes

High electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) based on AlGaN-GaN hetero-structures are promising for both commercial and military applications that require high voltage, high power, and high efficiency operation. Study of reliability and radiation effects of AlGaN-GaN HEMTs is necessary before solid state power amplifiers based on GaN HEMT technology are successfully deployed in satellite communication systems. Several AlGaN HEMT manufacturers have recently reported encouraging reliability data, but long-term reliability of these devices in the space environment still remains a major concern because a large number of traps and defects are present both in the bulk as well as at the surface leading to undesirable characteristics. This study is to investigate the effects of the AlGaN-GaN HEMTs and AlGaN Schottky diodes irradiated with protons.
Abdominal trauma: dealing with the damage.

Hidden in the abdomen, life-threatening injuries can eludedetection. Find out how to evaluate your patient's condition and prevent further harm.
Relationship between epitope density and immunoprecipitation of multivalent antigens by bivalent antibody: immunoprecipitation of adenylylated glutamine synthetase by anti-AMP antibodies.

Abstract Escherichia coli glutamine synthetase (GS) preparations composed of 12 adenylylated subunits (GS 12 − ) are almost completely precipitated by sheep Anti-AMP immunoglobulin G (IgG), whereas glutamine synthetase preparations containing 6 adenylylated subunits (GS 6 − ) are only partially precipitated by the antibodies ( R.J. Hohman, S.G. Rhee, and E.R. Stadtman, 1980 , Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA 77 , 7410–7414). By means of 125 I-labeled anti-AMP antibodies and double immunoprecipitation techniques, in which rabbit antiserum to sheep IgG or anti-GS antibodies were used to precipitate soluble immune complexes, it was demonstrated that under optimal conditions, both the soluble and insoluble immune complexes obtained with either GS 6 − or GS 12 − contain 0.5 mol antibody/mol adenylylated subunit. In agreement with the lattice theory of immuno-precipitation, soluble immune complexes are formed in antibody excess. Scatchard plots of binding data indicate that under conditions of antibody excess, one antibody molecule is bound to each AMP moiety of GS 12 − , whereas GS 6 − binds a maximum of only 0.68 antibody molecule/adenylylated subunit. We propose that with some species of GS 6 − , the distribution of adenylylated subunits favors monogamous interactions of the bivalent antibody with two subunits within the same GS molecule and thereby leads to the formation of small, soluble, immune complexes. Other explanations are considered. Only 30% of the antibody population that recognizes unconjugated 5′-AMP binds to the AMP moiety of adenylylated GS. Anti-AMP antiserum can be fractionated on a GS 12 − -Sepharose matrix into two subpopulations of antibody with strikingly different immunoprecipitation characteristics. Conversely, species of GS with various states of adenylylation ranging from 0 to 8 were separated from a GS 6 − preparation by means of affinity chromatography on an anti-AMP antibody-Sepharose matrix. Under optimal conditions, antibodies purified by affinity chromatography precipitated a smaller fraction of a GS 6 − preparation than did unfractionated antiserum. Competence of the purified antibody was nearly restored to that of the unfractionated serum by the addition of an enhancement factor present in the IgG fraction of nonimmune serum. The enhancement factor was not required for complete precipitation of GS − 12 by purified antibodies. Contrary to most antibody-antigen reactions, immunoprecipitation of GS 6 − with anti-AMP antibodies is greater at 30 °C than at 4 °C.
The critical point and two-phase boundary of seawater, 200–500°C

Abstract The two-phase boundary of seawater was determined by isothermal decompression of fully condensed seawater in the range of 200–500°C. The pressure at which phase separation occurred for each isotherm was determined by a comparison of the refractive index of fluid removed from the top and bottom of the reaction vessel. The critical point was determined to be in the range of 403–406°C, 285–302 bar and was located by the inflection in the two-phase boundary and by the relative volume of fluid and vapor as a function of temperature. The two-phase boundary of 3.2% NaCl solution was found to coincide exactly with that of seawater over the range tested in the present study. The boundary for both is described by a single seventh-order polynomial equation. The two-phase boundary defines the maximum temperature of seawater circulating at depth in the oceanic crust. Thus the boundary puts a limit of about 390°C for seawater circulating near the seafloor at active ocean ridges (2.5 km water depth), and about 465°C at the top of a magma chamber occurring at 2 km below the seafloor.
Efficacy of clone fingerprinting methodologies.

With the development of new high-information content fingerprinting techniques for constructing BAC-based physical maps, physical map construction is accelerating and it is important to determine which methodologies work best. In a recent publication (Z. Xu et al., 2004, Genomics 84:941-951), Xu et al. evaluated five different techniques (one agarose-based and four using multiple enzymes) and concluded that a two-enzyme technique was superior. In addition, they found that no benefit was gained from fingerprinting more than 10× coverage. In this paper we report our own extensive simulation results, which lead to contrasting conclusions. Our data indicate that the five-enzyme method known as SNaPshot is the most effective and that the assembly can in fact be significantly improved with greater than 10× coverage.
Transradial intervention for unprotected left main PCI--balancing can and should.

during the “earlier” portions of the learning curve, and techniques based on 6 F systems should form the essential base of TRI strategy. Outside the United States, other options exist including sheathless guide catheters up to 7.5 F (with outer diameters similar to 6 F sheaths), and this was used for 3 cases in the current series. It is important to recognize that appropriate treatment of the coronary lesion takes precedence over the chosen access site. With regard to the unprotected left main, many lesions can be safely and effectively approached with a 6 F system, and are thus amenable to TRI. Ostial and mid-shaft left main lesions are relatively straightforward, and TRI is certainly feasible and potentially preferable, given decreased access site complications. Distal, bifurcation lesions may also be approached via TRI provided the treatment plan (one vs. two stent strategies, adjunctive equipment or rescue techniques) supports TRI access. This is a moving target based on operator comfort or experience, and some variation is reasonable given that the primary goal is treating the coronary lesion.
Health literacy in native Spanish-speaking immigrants in Minneapolis

Introduction Health literacy is the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information for appropriate health decisions. The growing population of immigrants to the United States, particularly those from developing countries, has contributed to the changing nature and, frequently, to the increasing incidence of infectious diseases in the US. Understanding the distribution of health literacy skills among this population is critical for improving their health status and reducing the risk for emerging and re-emerging communicable disease in developing countries. Understanding the distribution of health literacy skills among this population is critical for improving their health status and reducing the risk for emerging and re-emerging communicable disease in developing countries. Preliminary results of a pilot study in health literacy in native Spanish speakers show an association between level of pre-immigration education and level of health literacy in a population in which one out of every four pharmacy prescriptions were for anti-infective medications. Methods We studied 118 native Spanish speakers filling their prescriptions at HCMC Pharmacy. Inclusion criteria: 18 years or older; native Spanish speaker; new prescription medication; and receiving oral or written Spanish medication instructions. Results About 41.5% reported receiving 6 years or less of education before immigrating to the US. The REALM (Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine), that measures health literacy in English, showed inadequate health literacy in 91.8% of immigrants with six years or less and in 73.9% of immigrants with more than 6 years of pre-immigration education. The STOFHLA-S (Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults–Spanish), that measures health literacy in Spanish, demonstrated inadequate functional health literacy levels in 51% of immigrants with 6 years or less and in 8.7% of immigrants with more than six years of education prior to immigration. Conclusion 6 years or less of education may be an indicator of poor health literacy in native Spanish-speaking immigrants and may help to identify those patients who need extra help in daily clinical practice.
Further Evaluation of a Flow Boiling Correlation for Microchannels and Minichannels

Flow boiling in microchannels and minichannels is being investigated for its potential for high heat flux removal in electronics and other devices. The small channel dimensions characteristic of these channels result, under most circumstances, in laminar flow at the flow rates used in these applications. The present work investigates the applicability of the correlation developed by Kandlikar and Balasubramanian [1] to some of the recent data for plain as well as enhanced microchannels using artificial nucleation cavities. The correlation is able to provide insight into the effect of the nucleation cavities on the heat transfer coefficient during flow boiling in microchannels. Modifications to the use of the correlation with deep laminar flows are suggested based on comparison with new data.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Differential Analog Layout for Improved ASET Tolerance

Single-event transients (SETs) affecting a single side of a differential data path have been shown to cause signal degradation and data loss. A radiation hardened by design (RHBD) transistor layout technique is demonstrated that promotes charge collection on both sides of the differential data path. The induced common-mode error voltage is suppressed by the differential circuit, significantly reducing the SET amplitude.
Significance of carbonate buffers in natural waters reacting with supercritical CO2: Implications for monitoring, measuring and verification (MMV) of geologic carbon sequestration

[1] Successful geologic sequestration of carbon in deep saline aquifers requires accurate predictive models of rock-brine-CO2 interaction. Often overlooked in siliciclastic-hosted saline reservoirs is the carbonate buffering of the groundwater. Carbonate minerals are ubiquitous, even in siliciclastic host rocks, resulting in some carbonate buffering. Geochemical modeling of rock-brine-CO2 systems often do not accurately predict the geochemical evolution of the system leading to significant doubts in predicting the performance of carbon repositories. New data from a simple NaCl brine-plagioclase hydrothermal experiment tests carbon sequestration in dawsonite and sensitivity to carbonate buffering. This is contrasted to a NaCl brine - siliciclastic rock system containing some initial bicarbonate buffering, analogous to most saline-aquifer sequestration targets, and show that critical errors are caused by incomplete or inaccurate characterization of the in situ geochemistry. We provide a methodology that accurately predicts the in situ condition using samples collected from brine-rock-CO2 experiments or well-heads in a carbon sequestration monitoring scenario.
Kinematics and Abundances of K Giants in the Nuclear Bulge of the Galaxy

Radial velocities have been determined for 53 K giants in Baade's window, which belong to the nuclear bulge population and have abundances derived from low resolution spectra. Additional radial velocities for an overlapping sample of 71 bulge K giants show the same dependence of velocity dispersion on abundance; in both samples, the lower velocity dispersion of the metal-rich giants is found to be significant at a level above 90 percent. Extant data support the hypothesis that both M giants and IRAS bulge sources follow steep density laws similar to that which has been predicted for the metal-rick K giants. The abundance distribution of 88 K giants in Baade's window is noted to be notably well fitted by the simple, closed box model of chemical evolution. 85 refs.
Disulfide connectivity prediction using secondary structure information and diresidue frequencies

Motivation: We describe a stand-alone algorithm to predict disulfide bond partners in a protein given only the amino acid sequence, using a novel neural network architecture (the diresidue neural network), and given input of symmetric flanking regions of N-terminus and C-terminus half-cystines augmented with residue secondary structure (helix, coil, sheet) as well as evolutionary information. The approach is motivated by the observation of a bias in the secondary structure preferences of free cysteines and half-cystines, and by promising preliminary results we obtained using diresidue position-specific scoring matrices. Results: As calibrated by receiver operating characteristic curves from 4-fold cross-validation, our conditioning on secondary structure allows our novel diresidue neural network to perform as well as, and in some cases better than, the current state-of-the-art method. A slight drop in performance is seen when secondary structure is predicted rather than being derived from three-dimensional protein structures. Availability: http://clavius.bc.edu/~clotelab/DiANNA Contact: clote@bc.edu Supplementary information: Supplementary tables and figures, and the complete list of PDB codes of monomers used, can be found at http://clavius.bc.edu/~clotelab/
Cost-analysis of percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation compared to surgical pulmonary valve replacement.

Objectives To perform cost evaluation and economic modeling of percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation (PPVI) compared to surgical revision. Background While, PPVI appears to be a viable alternative to surgical conduit revision in select patients with right ventricular outflow tract anomalies, its overall economic burden has yet to be determined. Methods and Results We examined the first 17 patients who underwent PPVI at our institution and compared them with the most-recently placed surgical valves. Economic data were obtained from the actual procedural and in-hospital charges and used as the base estimates for 5- and 10-year future modeling with appropriate sensitivity analysis. Median total hospital and procedural charges incurred by the patient were significantly higher for the surgical valve compared with PPVI ($126,406 ± $38,772 vs. $80,328 ± $17,387, P < 0.001). Median total societal charges were also higher for the surgical valve ($129,519 ± $39,021 vs. $80,939 ± $17,334, P < 0.001) owing to an average wage loss of $3,113 for surgical patients, contrasted to $611 who underwent PPVI, and a shorter length of stay (1.0 ± 0 vs. 5.7 ± 2.2, P <0.001) for PPVI. Sensitivity analysis determined that PPVI would need to fail at a rate of 17% per year (or 93% at 10 years) to lose its cost advantage. Conclusions PPVI holds a significant cost advantage over the surgical approach, fewer hospital days, and incurs less patient wage loss. Furthermore, it would need to have a very high failure rate at 10 years to lose its cost advantage. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
SEM microstructure, composition, property correlation-ships in aluminum conductors

Al paste applied on the back surface of silicon solar cells, plays a critical role in the overall performance of solar cells. The quality of the BSF (back surface field) impacts the Voc values and thus the efficiency obtained in the solar cell [1–3]. A Taguchi screening experiment was conducted to study effects of processing and formulation on paste viscosity, uniformity of BSF, bowing and dusting. The thickness and uniformity of BSF (back surface field) formed was found to be a direct function of various factors including type of Al powder, chemistry of glass, other oxide and metal additives as well as the firing conditions used. The electrical performance, bowing and dusting are correlated with microstructure and paste compositions, and are discussed below.
Apoptosis and increased expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase in human allograft rejection.

Background.The mechanisms of myocyte death during cardiac allograft rejection are incompletely understood. In a previous study using a rat heterotopic cardiac allograft model, we showed that cardiac myocyte apoptosis, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA, protein and enzyme activity, and nitr
Association between outpatient follow-up and pediatric emergency department asthma visits.

Background. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) guidelines recommend that patients receive a follow-up outpatient asthma visit after being discharged from an emergency department ...
A Randomized, Controlled Pilot Study of a Home-Based Exercise Program for Individuals With Mild and Moderate Stroke

Background and Purpose—Many stroke survivors have minimal to moderate neurological deficits but are physically deconditioned and have a high prevalence of cardiovascular problems; all of these are potentially modifiable with exercise. The purposes of this randomized, controlled pilot study were (1) to develop a home-based balance, strength, and endurance program; (2) to evaluate the ability to recruit and retain stroke subjects; and (3) to assess the effects of the interventions used. Methods—Twenty minimally and moderately impaired stroke patients who had completed inpatient rehabilitation and who were 30 to 90 days after stroke onset were randomized to a control group or to an experimental group that received a therapist-supervised, 8-week, 3-times-per-week, home-based exercise program. The control group received usual care as prescribed by the patients’ physicians. Baseline and postintervention assessments included the Fugl-Meyer Motor Assessment, the Barthel Index of Activities of Daily Living (ADL), ...
Site-specific carboxypeptidase B1 tyrosine nitration and pathophysiological implications following its physical association with nitric oxide synthase-3 in experimental sepsis

LPS-induced sepsis results in oxidative modification and inactivation of carboxypeptidase B1 (CPB1). In this study, immunoprecipitated CPB1 was probed for tyrosine nitration using monoclonal nitrotyrosine-specific Abs in a murine model of LPS-induced sepsis. Tyrosine nitration of CPB1 was significantly reduced in the presence of NO synthase (NOS) inhibitors and the xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibitor allopurinol and in NOS-3 knockout (KO) mice. CPB1 tyrosine nitration and loss of activity by the concerted action of NOS-3 and XO were also confirmed in vitro using both the NO donor 3-morpholinosydnonimine and peroxynitrite. Liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry data indicated five sites of tyrosine nitration in vitro including Tyr(248), the tyrosine at the catalytic site. The site- and protein-specific nitration of CPB1 and the possible high nitration yield to inactivate it were elucidated by confocal microscopy. The studies indicated that CPB1 colocalized with NOS-3 in the cytosol of sinus-lining cells in the red pulp of the spleen. Further analysis of CPB1-immunoprecipitated samples indicated immunoreactivity to a monoclonal NOS-3 Ab, suggesting protein complex formation with CPB1. XO and NOS inhibitors and NOS-3 KO mice injected with LPS had decreased levels of C5a in spleens of septic mice, indicating peroxynitrite as a possible cause for CPB1 functional alteration. Thus, CPB1 colocalization, coupling, and proximity to NOS-3 in the sinus-lining cells of spleen red pulp could explain the site-specific tyrosine nitration and inactivation of CPB1. These results open up new avenues for the investigation of several enzymes involved in inflammation and their site-specific oxidative modifications by protein-protein interactions as well as their role in sepsis.
Forward engineering neuronal diversity using direct reprogramming

Abstract The nervous system is comprised of a vast diversity of distinct neural cell types. Differences between neuronal subtypes drive the assembly of neuronal circuits and underlie the subtype specificity of many neurological diseases. Yet, because neurons are irreversibly post‐mitotic and not readily available from patients, it has not been feasible to study specific subtypes of human neurons in larger numbers. A powerful means to study neuronal diversity and neurological disease is to establish methods to produce desired neuronal subtypes in vitro . Traditionally this has been accomplished by treating pluripotent or neural stem cells with growth factors and morphogens that recapitulate exogenous developmental signals. These approaches often require extended periods of culture, which can limit their utility. However, more recently, it has become possible to produce neurons directly from fibroblasts using transcription factors and/or microRNAs. This technique referred to as direct reprogramming or transdifferentiation has proven to be a rapid, robust, and reproducible method to generate mature neurons of many different subtypes from multiple cell sources. Here, we highlight recent advances in generating neurons of specific subtypes using direct reprogramming and outline various scenarios in which induced neurons may be applied to studies of neuronal function and neurological disease.
Equity and Growth: New Dimensions of Development

7hat "man doesn't live by growth rates alone" has been echoing through the LDC's, special UN assemblies, and McNamara speeches in recent years. Long before the recent coming together of oil, fertilizer, and food crises led us to an awareness of the growing disparity among the developing countries-dividing them clearly into third and fourth worldsthe easy assumptions of the sixties as to what was happening within individual LDC's were undergoing a fairly agonizing type of reappraisal. At the heart of this issue lay the recognition that even countries growing in excess of UN goals, i.e., at more than 5% annually, have generally been experiencing a worsening in the distribution of income and increases in the volume of low level poverty, as well as in associated rates of unemployment or underemployment. Partly because the old-fashioned "grow first-distribute later" notions did not seem to be working-"later" never seemed to come-and partly because there was now an increasing
Systems engineering challenges on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mission

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) began its journey to Mars on August 12, 2005 with a spectacular launch on an Atlas V launch vehicle. As with any deep space mission, the journey for MRO engineers began many years earlier with the design and development of the MRO spacecraft and its plan for operations. This is the period in the mission’s evolution from concept to reality, where high-level requirements transform into an integrated system ready for flight. Even after launch, final development of the primary science phase operations continued for another full year as MRO completed a 7-month cruise, Mars orbit insertion, and a 5-month aerobraking phase to place the spacecraft in its final science orbit. In order for MRO to fulfill its destiny to dramatically advance our knowledge and understanding of Mars, the systems engineering team had to first overcome some key challenges beyond previous Mars missions. Examples of these key challenges include: 1) development of an integrated science planning process, utilizing spacecraft-loaded Integrated Target List (ITL), to support six science instruments with diverse scientific objectives; 2) implementation of an end-to-end data system to support downlink data rates up to 6 Mbit/sec, and deliver data from deep space network antennas, to JPL and distribute data products to science teams; 3) use of the spacecraft’s Solid State Recorder (SSR) to store science data, coupled with a ground commanded data retransmission strategy to optimize data return; and 4) design of Operational Readiness Tests (ORTs) utilizing high fidelity spacecraft test-beds to validate operational scenarios, processes and flight team certification. Using these examples, this paper will explore the corresponding driving requirements, the technical obstacles encountered, and the corresponding system engineering responses that have successfully enabled MRO to begin it primary science mission on November 11, 2006.
The Good, the Bad, and the Social:

People in every society throughout history have drawn moral lines prohibiting certain behaviors and lauding others, making judgments about right and wrong and what people should and should not do, think, and feel. Humans, it seems, are characteristically moral animals, with some of these moral impulses doubtlessly rooted in our biology.
Exploring the Turbulent Urban Boundary by Use of Lidars and Microwave Radiometers

A Doppler lidar has been developed using fiber optic based technologies and advanced signal processing techniques. Although this system has been operated in a scanning mode in the past, for this application, the system is operated in a vertically pointing mode and delivers a time series of vertical velocity profiles. By cooperating the Doppler lidar with other instruments, including a back scatter lidar, and a microwave radiometer, models of atmospheric stability can be tested, opening up an exciting path for researchers, applied scientists and engineers to discover unique phenomena related to fundamental atmospheric science processes. A consistent set of retrievals between each of these instruments emphasizes the utility for such a network of instruments to better characterize the turbulent atmospheric urban boundary layers which is expected to offer a useful capability for assessing and improving models that are in great need of such ground truth.
Characterization of neutrophils and macrophages from ex vivo-cultured murine bone marrow for morphologic maturation and functional responses by imaging flow cytometry

Neutrophils and macrophages differentiate from common myeloid progenitors in the bone marrow, where they undergo nuclear morphologic changes during maturation. During this process, both cell types acquire critical innate immune functions that include phagocytosis of pathogens, and for neutrophils the release of nuclear material called nuclear extracellular traps (NETs). Primary cells used to study these functions are typically purified from mature mouse tissues, but bone marrow-derived ex vivo cultures provide more abundant numbers of progenitors and functionally mature cells. Routine analyses of these cells use conventional microscopy and flow cytometry, which present limitations; microscopy is laborious and subjective, whereas flow cytometry lacks spatial resolution. Here we describe methods to generate enriched populations of neutrophils or macrophages from cryopreserved mouse bone marrow cultured ex vivo, and to use imaging flow cytometry that combines the resolution of microscopy with flow cytometry to analyze cells for morphologic features, phagocytosis, and NETosis.
Dipole moment of gaseous hydrogen cyanide

Recent measurements of specific heats1, and accurate equation-of-state data for hydrogen cyanide2 have indicated substantial amounts of polymerization in the vapor state. Despite many previous, determinations of its dipole moment3, no note of any effect that polymerization may have on the moment has been found in the literature. An attempt to find such an effect, and to correlate it quantitatively with the specific heat and density data now available, was the object of these measurements.
An operational view of intercellular signaling pathways.

Animal cells use a conserved repertoire of intercellular signaling pathways to communicate with one another. These pathways are well-studied from a molecular point of view. However, we often lack an “operational” understanding that would allow us to use these pathways to rationally control cellular behaviors. This requires knowing what dynamic input features each pathway perceives and how it processes those inputs to control downstream processes. To address these questions, researchers have begun to reconstitute signaling pathways in living cells, analyzing their dynamic responses to stimuli, and developing new functional representations of their behavior. Here we review important insights obtained through these new approaches, and discuss challenges and opportunities in understanding signaling pathways from an operational point of view.
Hormone replacement therapy after treatment for cervical cancer: Are we adhering to standard of care?

Objective The aim of this study was to assess hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and bone care health maintenance practices for cervical cancer patients with iatrogenic menopause, and, secondarily, to investigate the potential impact of specific demographic and clinical factors. Methods Women diagnosed with iatrogenic menopause due to cervical cancer treatment between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2015 were identified from the University of Virginia's tumor registry. Univariable data were analyzed using Wilcoxon rank sum, Chi square, and Fisher's exact test; multivariable analysis was conducted using logistic regression. Results Two hundred and two women were included for analysis. Ninety-seven of these women (48.0%) received counseling and/or a prescription for HRT. After multivariable analysis, older age at diagnosis (adjusted OR 0.940, 95% CI 0.890-0.993, p=0.0270) and uninsured payer status (adjusted OR 0.455, 95% CI 0.212-0.977, p=0.0435) were associated with a decreased likelihood of receiving counseling or a prescription for HRT. A longer duration of follow-up was associated with the primary outcome with an adjusted OR of 1.011 (95% CI 1.001-1.020, p=value 0.0252). Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scans (DEXA) were infrequent and received by only 17/197 (8.6%) of all women. Conclusions Fewer than half of all women received counseling and/or a prescription for HRT after diagnoses of iatrogenic menopause, and disparities were noted based on insurance status. These findings reflect a need for clearer guidelines on HRT during survivorship and improved efforts to reduce disparities in the distribution of survivorship care.