cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thermodynamic properties of methylquinolines: Experimental results for 2,6-dimethylquinoline and mutual validation between experiments and computational methods for methylquinolines

Abstract Measurements leading to the calculation of the standard thermodynamic properties for gaseous 2,6-dimethylquinoline (Chemical Abstracts registry number [877-43-0]) are reported. Experimental methods included adiabatic heat-capacity calorimetry, vibrating-tube densimetry, comparative ebulliometry, inclined-piston gauge manometry, differential-scanning calorimetry (d.s.c.), and combustion calorimetry. The critical temperature was measured with d.s.c. The critical pressure and critical density were estimated. Molar entropies, molar enthalpies, and molar Gibbs free energies of formation for the ideal gas state were derived at selected temperatures between 298.15 K and 700 K. Results are compared with experimental property values reported previously in the literature. Independent calculations of the ideal gas entropies were performed at the B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) model chemistry for 2,6-dimethylquinoline and other methylquinolines (including hindered internal rotations) and are shown to be in excellent accord with the calorimetric results. Implications of these results are discussed.
Nature of the step-height transition on vicinal Si(001) surfaces.

The Si(001)2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}1 surface is expected to undergo a phase transition from single to double-atonic-height steps with increasing angle of miscut. Here we show that this transition is quite different than previously believed, involving something like a ``devil's staircase'' of transitions in a mixed phase consisting of a complex sequence of single and double steps. Even at low angles, where only single steps occur, the areas of 2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}1 and 1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2 regions are unequal, in agreement with recent experimental results.
Comorbid conditions in patients with rheumatic diseases: an update.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review summarizes recent literature (September 2002 to September 2003) on three comorbid conditions (infection, cardiovascular disease, and malignancy) in patients with rheumatic disease. RECENT FINDINGS Infection risk in rheumatoid arthritis is increased as a result of treatment and the disease itself. Atherosclerotic cardiovascular events are increased in rheumatoid arthritis. Although cardiovascular events also are increased in lupus, screening for cardiovascular risk factors in these patients is suboptimal. The incidence of malignancy overall and specifically the incidence of lymphoma are not increased in patients with rheumatoid arthritis on antitumor necrosis factor therapy compared with patients with rheumatoid arthritis in general. SUMMARY Rheumatologists must be aware of the risk of infection, atherosclerotic events, and cancers in their patients. As prognosis for rheumatic disease patients continues to improve, the impact of comorbid conditions on morbidity and mortality is more apparent. Further research is needed to elucidate the relative contributions of the underlying autoimmune diseases and their treatments on these conditions that affect long-term patient survival.
Bisphenol-A and diethylstilbestrol exposure induces the expression of breast cancer associated long noncoding RNA HOTAIR in vitro and in vivo

Antisense transcript, long non-coding RNA HOTAIR is a key player in gene silencing and breast cancer and is transcriptionally regulated by estradiol. Here, we have investigated if HOTAIR expression is misregulated by bisphenol-A (BPA) and diethylstilbestrol (DES). Our findings demonstrate BPA and DES induce HOTAIR expression in cultured human breast cancer cells (MCF7) as well as in vivo in the mammary glands of rat. Luciferase assay showed that HOTAIR promoter estrogen-response-elements (EREs) are induced by BPA and DES. Estrogen-receptors (ERs) and ER-coregulators such as MLL-histone methylases (MLL1 and MLL3) bind to the HOTAIR promoter EREs in the presence of BPA and DES, modify chromatin (histone methylation and acetylation) and lead to gene activation. Knockdown of ERs down-regulated the BPA and DES-induced expression of HOTAIR. In summary, our results demonstrate that BPA and DES exposure alters the epigenetic programming of the HOTAIR promoters leading to its endocrine disruption in vitro and in vivo.
The Making of Friends and Enemies: Assessing the Determinants of International Identity Construction

As constructivists correctly argue, identities are key to understanding international relations. In this analysis, we examine three historical cases in order to develop a model addressing the question of when elites are able to successfully market a redefinition of both an external actor and themselves to their national publics. All three cases in this pilot study involve the American public being asked to reconceive the identity of, respectively, the Soviet Union following World War II, Germany during the same period, and Europeans at the time of the run-up to the 2003 Iraq invasion. We examine the history of each of these cases along with the associated elite rhetoric. We then identify five factors that explain why the first two cases turned out to be largely successful efforts at reframing, and why the latter largely did not.
Piezoresponse force microscopy for piezoelectric measurements of III-nitride materials

Piezoelectric constants and polarity distributions of epitaxial AlN and GaN thin films are investigated by piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM). The magnitude of the effective longitudinal piezoelectric constant d33 is determined to be 371 and 271 pm/V for wurtzite AlN and GaN/AlN layers grown by organo-metallic vapor phase epitaxy on SiC substrates, respectively. Simultaneous imaging of surface morphology as well as the phase and magnitude of the piezoelectric response is performed by PFM on a GaN film with patterned polarities on a c-Al2O3 substrate. We demonstrate that the polarity distribution of GaN based lateral polarity heterostructures can be deduced from the phase image of the piezoresponse with nanometer scale spatial resolution. We also present images of AlN/Si samples with regions of opposite piezoresponse phase, which indicate the presence of antiphase domains. We discuss the potential application of this technique for determination of the orientation of bulk crystals. r 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
The effects of self-evaluative statements on heterosocial approach in shy and nonshy males

Shy and nonshy college males participated individually in a study on “attitude induction.” Subjects received either self-enhancing (SE)or self-critical (SC)statements to concentrate on and experience. The extent of subsequent heterosocial approach was unobtrusively assessed. Compared to the SE group, the SC group took longer to initiate conversation, spent less time conversing, and evidenced several other behavioral differences. No differences were found on any specific behavioral or self-reported indices of anxiety. The shy and nonshy groups differed from one another in a manner similar to the SC and SE groups. The potential significance of self-evaluation processes as one factor influencing heterosocial approach was discussed.
Secondary procedures to improve function after toe-to-hand transfers

From August 1990 to December 1992, 139 toe-to-hand transfers were performed on 99 patients. Crush, avulsion, and combined crush and avulsion were the mechanisms of injury in 92.8% of the cases. Average duration of follow-up was 17 months (1 to 40 months). 133 transfers were successful, an overall survival rate of 95.7%. 19 transfers (14.3%) required secondary procedures for functional improvement. The incidence of secondary procedure on tendon, bone, joint and soft tissue was 9.0%, 1.5%, 2.3% and 3.0% respectively. Flexor tenolysis was the single most common secondary procedure (6.8%). The results of secondary procedures were satisfactory in all but one instance. Transient neurapraxia of an ulnar digital nerve after tenolysis was the only complication of the secondary procedures.
Deligne–Lusztig curves as ray class fields

We give ray class field descriptions of the function fields of the Hermitian, Suzuki and Ree curves.
Stem cells: new frontiers of ethics, law, and policy.

After the successful isolation of human embryonic stem cells in 1998, ethics and policy debates centered on the moral status of the embryo—whether the 2- to 4-day-old blastocyst is a person, and whether we should protect it at all costs. As the research has moved quickly forward, however, new questions have emerged for the study of stem cell ethics, law, and policy. Powerful new lines made without eggs or embryos have recently been reported, the intellectual property and regulatory environment is uncertain, and clinical trials using adult stem cells and cells derived from embryonic stem cells are about to commence. The new landscape of ethics, law, and policy is discussed in the context of these developments, with an emphasis on the evaluation of risks and benefits for first-in-human clinical studies. (DOI: 10.3171/FOC/2008/24/3-4/E23)
Training residents to employ self-efficacy-enhancing interviewing techniques: randomized controlled trial of a standardized patient intervention.

Background Current interventions to enhance patient self-efficacy, a key mediator of health behavior, have limited primary care application.
Atrazine resistance in velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti) due to enhanced atrazine detoxification

Abstract A velvetleaf ( Abutilon theophrasti Medic.) biotype, originally discovered in Maryland, was 10-fold more tolerant of atrazine than a susceptible or “wild type” biotype from Minnesota. The I 50 values for the inhibition of shoot growth in the atrazine-resistant and susceptible biotypes were 3.0 and 0.3 μ M , respectively. Electron transport in chloroplast thylakoids isolated from leaves of both biotypes was equally sensitive to atrazine. Atrazine treatment inhibited whole leaf photosynthesis in both biotypes but the extent of the initial inhibition was less and the rate of recovery was greater in the resistant biotype. Both biotypes accumulated approximately equal amounts of radiolabel during a 3-hr pretreatment with [ 14 C]atrazine via hydroponic solution. Both biotypes metabolized atrazine via glutathione conjugation in stem and leaf tissue. However, the resistant biotype did so more rapidly. As measured immediately after the 3-hr pretreatment, the concentration of the glutathione conjugate of atrazine was approximately 9-fold greater in stem tissue and approximately 2-fold greater in leaf tissue of the resistant biotype. The rates of formation of the glutathione conjugate of atrazine were compared in excised leaf discs of both biotypes and the F1 hybrids obtained by reciprocal crosses. As compared to the susceptible biotype, the rate of formation of the glutathione conjugate was approximately 6-fold greater in leaf discs of the resistant biotype. The rate of formation of the glutathione conjugate was equivalent in F1 progeny of reciprocal crosses and intermediate between that of the parents. It is concluded that atrazine resistance in the Maryland biotype is under nuclear control and is due to an enhanced capacity to detoxify atrazine via glutathione conjugation.
Eigenvalue analysis in anisotropically loaded electromagnetic cavities using 'edge' finite elements

The eigenmodes in an arbitrarily shaped, electromagnetic (EM) cavity loaded with an anisotropic material are computed using linear tetrahedral edge elements and curvilinear hexahedral edge elements. The permeability tensor is assumed to have off-diagonal entries (gyromagnetic), and the permittivity and conductivity tensors are diagonal (typically for composite materials). Therefore, the divergence-free condition is not always satisfied inside a finite element. Yet, the procedure is found to yield good prediction of the lower resonant frequencies, and no spurious modes are encountered in this range of interest. In the examples considered, numerical solutions are consistent with quasi-analytical solutions. >
Wave propagation in a thin hollow cone by a finite element method

Abstract The finite element method has been demonstrated previously to provide an effective means for the static and dynamic analysis of a special class of two-dimensional system — the axially symmetric elastic solid. In this paper, axisymmetric elements of parallelogram cross section are considered. The procedure for evaluating the element stiffness is summarized. Results are compared with the experimental strain-time histories of an axially impacted thin hollow cone.
Regional integration and national social policies

How does regionalization affect national social policies? Although there is an extensive literature on the effects of globalization on social protection, the literature on the impact of regional integration is much less developed. I argue that the distinctive nature of regionalization processes calls for rigorous empirical testing of the domestic policy effects of regional integration. To this end, using an innovative dataset that measures the degree to which countries are integrated into regional economic and political organizations, this article uses statistical analysis to consider the influence of regional integration on government social spending. The results are surprising: regionalization has a significant and positive relationship with government social spending, controlling for other factors, even when the European Union countries are excluded from the analysis. In fact, in the EU countries increasing regionalization is associated with lower social spending levels. These results suggest that regional economic and political integration does not necessarily lead to a “race to the bottom” of social spending. Instead, regionalization appears to accommodate wide divergence in national social policy commitments.
Assessing the translatability of In vivo cardiotoxicity mechanisms to In vitro models using causal reasoning

Drug-induced cardiac toxicity has been implicated in 31% of drug withdrawals in the USA. The fact that the risk for cardiac-related adverse events goes undetected in preclinical studies for so many drugs underscores the need for better, more predictive in vitro safety screens to be deployed early in the drug discovery process. Unfortunately, many questions remain about the ability to accurately translate findings from simple cellular systems to the mechanisms that drive toxicity in the complex in vivo environment. In this study, we analyzed translatability of cardiotoxic effects for a diverse set of drugs from rodents to two different cell systems (rat heart tissue-derived cells (H9C2) and primary rat cardiomyocytes (RCM)) based on their transcriptional response. To unravel the altered pathway, we applied a novel computational systems biology approach, the Causal Reasoning Engine (CRE), to infer upstream molecular events causing the observed gene expression changes. By cross-referencing the cardiotoxicity annotations with the pathway analysis, we found evidence of mechanistic convergence towards common molecular mechanisms regardless of the cardiotoxic phenotype. We also experimentally verified two specific molecular hypotheses that translated well from in vivo to in vitro (Kruppel-like factor 4, KLF4 and Transforming growth factor beta 1, TGFB1) supporting the validity of the predictions of the computational pathway analysis. In conclusion, this work demonstrates the use of a novel systems biology approach to predict mechanisms of toxicity such as KLF4 and TGFB1 that translate from in vivo to in vitro. We also show that more complex in vitro models such as primary rat cardiomyocytes may not offer any advantage over simpler models such as immortalized H9C2 cells in terms of translatability to in vivo effects if we consider the right endpoints for the model. Further assessment and validation of the generated molecular hypotheses would greatly enhance our ability to design predictive in vitro cardiotoxicity assays.
Improving Estimates of Abundance by Aggregating Sparse Capture-Recapture Data

Inferences about abundance often are based on unadjusted counts of individuals observed, in part, because of the large amount of data required to generate reliable estimates of abundance. Where capture-recapture data are sparse, aggregating data across multiple sample elements by pooling species, locations, and sampling periods increases the information available for modeling detection probability, a necessary step for estimating abundance reliably. The process of aggregating sample elements involves balancing trade-offs related to the number of aggregated elements; although larger aggregates increase the amount of information available for estimation, they often require more complex models. We describe a heuristic approach for aggregating data for studies with multiple sample elements, use simulated data to evaluate the efficacy of aggregation, and illustrate the approach using data from a field study. Aggregating data systematically improved reliability of model selection and increased accuracy of abundance estimates while still providing estimates of abundance for each original sample unit, an important benefit necessary to maintain the design and sampling structure of a study. Within the framework of capture-recapture sampling, aggregating data improves estimates of abundance and increases the reliability of subsequent inferences made from sparse data. Additional tables and datasets may be found in the online supplements.
On the cooling of a buoyant boundary current

Abstract Through a steady-state reduced-gravity model, we examine the downstream evolution of a buoyant boundary current as it is subjected to surface cooling. It is found that the adverse pressure gradient associated with the diminishing buoyancy is countered by falling pressure head, so the overall strength of the current—as measured by the (transport-weighted) mean square velocity—remains unchanged. This constancy also applies to the cross-stream difference of the square velocity because of the vorticity constraint, which leads to the general deduction that the net current shear is enhanced regardless of its upstream sign. As a consequence, if the upstream flow contains near-shore and offshore branches that are comparable in strength, this parity would persist downstream; but if the near-shore branch is weaker to begin with, it may be stagnated by cooling, with the ensuing generation of anti-cyclonic eddies. On account of the geostrophic balance, the buoyant layer narrows as the square root of the buoyancy—the same rate as the falling pressure head, but more rapid than that of the local deformation radius. Some of the model predictions are compared with observations from the Tsushima Current in the Japan/East Sea.
Four patterns of campus marijuana use. I. Drug use.

The past decade has witnessed a remarkable and increasingly rapid movement of marijuana into public consciousness. Like the “weed” it was dubbed, this drug thrust itself up from ghetto and “beat” origins into the middle and upper classes, took root in large, liberal, urban colleges on the nation's East and West coasts, and spread swiftly to more sheltered campuses between.
Numerical analysis of the influence of in-seam horizontal methane drainage boreholes on longwall face emission rates

Abstract High methane emissions originating from the active face areas and from the fractured formations overlying and underlying the mined coalbed can adversely affect both safety and productivity in underground coal mines. Since ventilation alone may not be sufficient to control the methane levels in the longwall mining environment, gob gas ventholes have become a standard supplementary methane control option in many mines. As mines progress into deeper and gassier coalbeds, or as longwall panel size increases, ventilation and gob gas ventholes together may not be sufficient to maintain methane levels within statutory limits. To decrease the risk associated with methane emissions under these circumstances, in-seam horizontal methane drainage is often used to reduce the gas content of the coalbed prior to mining. Horizontal methane drainage borehole completion designs, drilling strategies, and degasification lead times may need to be adjusted for site-specific conditions due to mine design, geology, and the gas content of the coalbed. This study investigates different horizontal methane drainage borehole patterns, borehole lengths, and degasification times prior to and during panel extraction to evaluate their effectiveness in reducing methane emissions using a “dynamic” 3D reservoir modeling of a 381-m wide longwall panel operating in the Pittsburgh coalbed. Results of this study showed that dual and tri-lateral boreholes are more effective in decreasing emissions and in shielding the entries compared to fewer shorter, cross-panel, horizontal boreholes parallel to the longwall face. Modeling results showed that after 12 months of pre-mining methane drainage, the average longwall face emission rates can be reduced by as much as 10.3 m 3 /min and 6.8 m 3 /min using tri- and dual-lateral boreholes, respectively. It was also shown that if pre-mining methane drainage time is short, it is important to continue methane drainage during the panel extraction to maximize reductions in longwall face emissions since additional face emission reductions achieved during this period can be comparable to pre-mining degasification.
Formation of carbides on tungsten wires

It has been found that layers of tungsten carbide form on tungsten wires processed under ultra-high vacuum. The carbide is formed from carbon impurities in the volume of material.
Stepfamilies from the Stepfamily's Perspective

(1997). Stepfamilies from the Stepfamily's Perspective. Marriage & Family Review: Vol. 26, No. 1-2, pp. 107-121.
Lung transplantation in children.

Objective To report the authors' experience with pediatric lung transplantation (LTX) to provide an overview of patients selected for this procedure and their outcomes. Summary Background Data Pediatric LTX differs from adults in many ways, including recipient size, indications, posttransplant care, and rehabilitation. Methods Two hundred seven isolated lung transplants on 190 children under the age of 18 years were performed from 1990 to the present. This represents the single largest series of lung transplants in children in the world. Thirty-two patients were less than 1 year of age, 22 were 1 to 5 years of age, 32 were 5 to 10 years of age, and 121 were 10 to 18 years old. The groups by major diagnostic category were cystic fibrosis (n = 89), pulmonary vascular disease (n = 44), bronchiolitis obliterans (n = 21), pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (n = 12), pulmonary fibrosis (n = 15), and other (n = 26). The average age at the time of transplant was 9.5 ± 5.9 years (range 36 days to 18 years). Results Survival by Kaplan-Meier analysis was 77% at 1 year, 62% at 3 years, and 55% at 5 years. There was no significant difference in survival according to primary diagnosis leading to LTX or age at LTX. There were 25 early (<60 days) and 61 late deaths. The most common cause of early deaths was graft failure (13/25, 52%). The most common causes of late death were bronchiolitis obliterans (35/61, 57%), infection (13/61, 21%), and posttransplant malignancies (11/61, 18%). No patient died of acute rejection. In those surviving greater than 3 months (mean follow-up 3.5 years, range 3 months to 11 years), the overall rate of occurrence of bronchiolitis obliterans was 46% (80/175) and the overall incidence of posttransplant malignancies was 24/175 (14%). Major risk factors for the development of bronchiolitis obliterans were age older than 3 years, more than two episodes of acute rejection, and organ ischemic time longer than 180 minutes. Conclusions In children, LTX is a high-risk but viable treatment for end-stage pulmonary parenchymal and vascular disease. The major hurdle to overcome in long-term survival is bronchiolitis obliterans.
Brain-machine interface control of a robot arm using actor-critic rainforcement learning

Here we demonstrate how a marmoset monkey can use a reinforcement learning (RL) Brain-Machine Interface (BMI) to effectively control the movements of a robot arm for a reaching task. In this work, an actor-critic RL algorithm used neural ensemble activity in the monkey's motor cortext to control the robot movements during a two-target decision task. This novel approach to decoding offers unique advantages for BMI control applications. Compared to supervised learning decoding methods, the actor-critic RL algorithm does not require an explicit set of training data to create a static control model, but rather it incrementally adapts the model parameters according to its current performance, in this case requiring only a very basic feedback signal. We show how this algorithm achieved high performance when mapping the monkey's neural states (94%) to robot actions, and only needed to experience a few trials before obtaining accurate real-time control of the robot arm. Since RL methods responsively adapt and adjust their parameters, they can provide a method to create BMIs that are robust against perturbations caused by changes in either the neural input space or the output actions they generate under different task requirements or goals.
Properties of the acid thiol proteinase from Schistosoma mansoni adults

Abstract Seven β-naphthylamine-linked peptides were tested as substrates for a previously described thiol proteinase of adult Schistosoma mansoni . The enzyme was most active on carbobenzoxy-arginyl-arginyl-4-methoxy-2-naphthylamide and carbobenzoxy-alanyl-arginyl-arginyl-4-methoxy-2-naphthylamide. Enzyme activity was maximal at acidic pH (4.9–5.5) with similar optima for both macromolecular and peptide substrates. Activity of partially purified enzyme preparations against carbobenzoxy-arginyl-arginyl-4-methoxy-2-naphthylamide was stimulated more than 10-fold by thiols. The properties of this proteinase differ from those of proteolytic enzymes from the cercariae and eggs of S. mansoni .
Biomantle Formation and Site Preservation on Terraces of Low Order Streams in the Ozark Uplands

Many terraces of low order streams in the Ozark uplands appear to have been stable since at least the early Holocene, indicated by strongly expressed soils with argillic horizons and early Holocene artifacts recovered from surface and shallow sub-surface contexts. These terraces hold sites that likely represent land use practices very different from those along better-studied large streams in the area. Artifact depth distribution curves show that a biomantle with accompanying stone zone has not formed under many of these terraces, despite their age. This contrasts markedly with much swifter rates of biomantle formation reported elsewhere. The lack of a fully formed biomantle in a soil of this age may be due to forces countervailing the downward movement of clasts through bioturbation, or slower rates of bioturbation overall.
Failure prognosis of DC starter motors using hidden Markov models

This paper deals with the prognosis of gear faults in DC machines using time frequency distribution methods. The proposed method presents future state prediction of the machine faults using Hidden Markov models. Different methods for estimating the parameters of hidden Markov model with limited data are discussed. The proposed method uses Matching Pursuit decomposition and projections of the training data on linear discriminant planes for estimation of model parameters. Experimental results are presented to illustrate the method.
Correlators for rank order shape similarity measurement

Correlators have been used for detecting shapes but not as often for measuring shape similarity. The complex inner product (CIP) has been used in various formulations as a shape similarity measure. The CIP is essentially a one-dimensional correlation approach to measuring similarity. One-dimensional variants of the correlation techniques including the matched filter (MF), phase-only filter (POF), and amplitude-modulated phase only filter (AMPOF) are shown to measure shape similarity in a trend that approaches human perception, however, clear performance differences are noted. The results show that the best correlator for measuring shape similarity is not the best correlator for detecting a shape. It is suggested that detection and shape similarity are fundamentally different functions that are in opposition to some degree. Ideal detection and ideal similarity measurement functions are explored. The degree to which various formulations of correlators approach the ideal functions of detection and similarity measurement are shown as well as results from human psychophysical experiments.
MEGA: A tool for Mac OS X operating system and application forensics

Computer forensic tools for Apple Mac hardware have traditionally focused on low-level file system details. Mac OS X and common applications on the Mac platform provide an abundance of information about the user's activities in configuration files, caches, and logs. We are developing MEGA, an extensible tool suite for the analysis of files on Mac OS X disk images. MEGA provides simple access to Spotlight metadata maintained by the operating system, yielding efficient file content search and exposing metadata such as digital camera make and model. It can also help investigators to assess FileVault encrypted home directories. MEGA support tools are under development to interpret files written by common Mac OS applications such as Safari, Mail, and iTunes.
Endoscopic fenestration of duodenal stents using argon plasma to facilitate ERCP

Background The presence of a duodenal stent may hinder attempts at ERCP for treatment of malignant biliary obstruction. Objective We describe 2 patients in whom endoscopic fenestration of indwelling duodenal stents with an argon plasma coagulator facilitated successful ERCP. Design Single-center retrospective case series. Setting Tertiary-referral center. Patients Both patients had unresectable biliary malignancy with both duodenal and biliary obstruction. Intervention and Results Windows were cut into indwelling duodenal stents with argon plasma, which exposed the underlying papilla and allowed successful ERCP and stent placement. Limitations Retrospective study and the small sample size. Conclusions Fenestration of duodenal stents using argon plasma is a simple technique that can facilitate ERCP.
Religiousness, Coping Styles, and Situational Optimism Among Nursing Home Residents

This study explored relationships between optimism and ways of coping among residents (n = 1347) in the United States. Realistic optimists used approach coping and drew strength from faith. Unrealistic optimists were more likely to be African American. Unrealistic pessimists used avoidance coping, had greater activities of daily living (ADL) impairment, and more medical conditions. Nursing home religious activities were associated with a lower probability of unrealistic pessimism. Prior church attendance interacted with ADL impairment to increase the probability of unrealistic pessimism. Implications of loss of church connection, maintaining faith, resilience among African Americans, and participating in religious activities in the nursing home are discussed.
An estrogen-dependent esterase activity in MCF-7 cells.

Abstract The presence of steroidal esters in hormonally sensitive tissues lends importance to the esterases which convert the biologically inactive adducts to the parent potent forms. Accordingly, esterase-activities were studied in a human breast cancer model—the MCF-7 cell line. Tritiated estradiol esters- estradiol-17-acetate (EA), estradiol-17-valerate (EV) and estradiol-17-stearate (ES) were tested systematically, but 3β-ol esters of androgens, and phorbol diesters were also investigated. All compounds tested, except the phorbol diesters were hydrolyzed either when added to growing cultures or to the 28,000 g supernate of homogenized MCF-7 cells. Among the estrogens, the relative rates of hydrolysis were EA > EV > ES. The esterase for EA was different as it was not inhibited by saturating concentrations of EV or ES, and unlike the others its activity was stimulated by the addition of estradiol to the culture medium. The antiestrogen keoxifene, [(6-Hydroxy-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)benzo b > thien-3-yl > phenyl > methanone], negated the stimulatory effect. Other major classes of steroids did not influence EA esterase activity. Results of inhibition experiments indicated that the esterases are of the serine active-site types. The significance of the estrogen-dependent esterase activity can be assessed when the natural substrate(s) for the enzyme is elucidated.
Precision and recall of machine translation

Machine translation can be evaluated using precision, recall, and the F-measure. These standard measures have significantly higher correlation with human judgments than recently proposed alternatives. More importantly, the standard measures have an intuitive interpretation, which can facilitate insights into how MT systems might be improved. The relevant software is publicly available.
Regularization-based sub-grid scale (SGS) models for large eddy simulations (LES) of high-Redecaying isotropic turbulence

Regularization-based subgrid-scale (SGS) turbulence models for large eddy simulations (LES) are quantitatively assessed for decaying homogeneous turbulence (DHT) and transition to turbulence for the Taylor-Green vortex (TGV) through comparisons to laboratory measurements and direct numerical simulations (DNS). LES predictions using the Leray-α, LANS-α, and Clark-α regularization-based SGS models are compared to the classic nondynamic Smagorinsky model. Regarding the regularization models, this work represents their first application to relatively high-Re decaying turbulence with comparison to the active-grid-generated decaying turbulence measurements of Kang et al. (J. Fluid Mech., 2003) at Re λ ≈ 720 and the Re = 3000 DNS of transition to turbulence in the TGV of Drikakis et al. (J. Turbulence, 2007). For DHT the nondynamic Smagorinsky model is in excellent agreement with measurements for the turbulent kinetic energy and energy spectra but higher-order moments show slight discrepancies. For TGV too, the ...
Paradoxical Effects of Statins on Aortic Valve Myofibroblasts and Osteoblasts. Implications for End-Stage Valvular Heart Disease

Objectives— We evaluated the effects of statins on aortic valve myofibroblasts (AVMFs) and osteoblast calcification in vitro. Methods and Results— Cultured porcine AVMFs and M2–10B4 cells were treated with simvastatin and pravastatin. Mevalonate, a 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl (HMG)-coenzyme A (CoA) reductase metabolite, was added in parallel experiments. Manumycin A, which inhibits protein prenylation, was added to cultures in the absence of statins. Calcification was assessed by counting the number of calcific nodules formed and measuring alkaline phosphatase activity (APA). Statins inhibited calcific nodule formation ( P <0.01) and APA ( P <0.01) in AVMFs. Mevalonate reversed the statin effect on nodule formation ( P <0.05) and APA ( P <0.01). Manumycin A had no effect on either parameter. M2–10B4 cells treated with simvastatin formed more calcific nodules compared with controls ( P <0.01), although pravastatin had no effect. Both statins, however, resulted in increased APA in M2–10B4 cells ( P <0.01). Mevalonate had no impact on nodule numbers or APA in M2–10B4 cells. Conclusions— Statins inhibit calcification in AVMFs by inhibiting the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway, independent of protein prenylation, but paradoxically stimulate bone cell calcification. Because 15% of patients with end-stage valvular heart disease exhibit mature bone in their aortic valves, statins may differentially regulate calcification within a valve, limiting dystrophic calcification but promoting ossification of formed bone.
Prospective study of phobic anxiety and risk of coronary heart disease in men

BACKGROUNDTo examine prospectively the association between self-reported symptoms of phobic anxiety and subsequent risk of coronary heart disease, a 2-year follow-up study was conducted of a cohort of 33,999 US male health professionals, aged 42 to 77 years in 1988, who were free of diagnosed cardiovascular disease at baseline. Levels of phobic anxiety were assessed using the Crown-Crisp index, a short, diagnostic self-rating scale used for common phobias. Main outcomes were incidents of coronary heart disease consisting of nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI) and fatal coronary heart disease (CHD).METHODS AND RESULTSOne hundred sixty-eight incident cases of CHD occurred during 2 years of follow-up (128 cases of nonfatal MI and 40 cases of fatal CHD). The age-adjusted relative risk of fatal CHD among men with highest levels of phobic anxiety (scoring 4 or higher on the Crown-Crisp index) was 3.01 (95% confidence interval, 1.31 to 6.90) compared with men with the lowest levels of anxiety (scoring 0 or 1 on ...
Change of Maximum Standardized Uptake Value Slope in Dynamic Triphasic [18F]-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography Distinguishes Malignancy From Postradiation Inflammation in Head-and-Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Prospective Trial

Purpose To evaluate dynamic [ 18 F]-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake methodology as a post–radiation therapy (RT) response assessment tool, potentially enabling accurate tumor and therapy-related inflammation differentiation, improving the posttherapy value of FDG–positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT). Methods and Materials We prospectively enrolled head-and-neck squamous cell carcinoma patients who completed RT, with scheduled 3-month post-RT FDG-PET/CT. Patients underwent our standard whole-body PET/CT scan at 90 minutes, with the addition of head-and-neck PET/CT scans at 60 and 120 minutes. Maximum standardized uptake values (SUV max ) of regions of interest were measured at 60, 90, and 120 minutes. The SUV max slope between 60 and 120 minutes and change of SUV max slope before and after 90 minutes were calculated. Data were analyzed by primary site and nodal site disease status using the Cox regression model and Wilcoxon rank sum test. Outcomes were based on pathologic and clinical follow-up. Results A total of 84 patients were enrolled, with 79 primary and 43 nodal evaluable sites. Twenty-eight sites were interpreted as positive or equivocal (18 primary, 8 nodal, 2 distant) on 3-month 90-minute FDG-PET/CT. Median follow-up was 13.3 months. All measured SUV endpoints predicted recurrence. Change of SUV max slope after 90 minutes more accurately identified nonrecurrence in positive or equivocal sites than our current standard of SUV max ≥2.5 ( P =.02). Conclusions The positive predictive value of post-RT FDG-PET/CT may significantly improve using novel second derivative analysis of dynamic triphasic FDG-PET/CT SUV max slope, accurately distinguishing tumor from inflammation on positive and equivocal scans.
Techniques and devices to restore cognition

Executive planning, the ability to direct and sustain attention, language and several types of memory may be compromised by conditions such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, cancer, autism, cerebral palsy and Alzheimer's disease. No medical devices are currently available to help restore these cognitive functions. Recent findings about the neurophysiology of these conditions in humans coupled with progress in engineering devices to treat refractory neurological conditions imply that the time has arrived to consider the design and evaluation of a new class of devices. Like their neuromotor counterparts, neurocognitive prostheses might sense or modulate neural function in a non-invasive manner or by means of implanted electrodes. In order to paint a vision for future device development, it is essential to first review what can be achieved using behavioral and external modulatory techniques. While non-invasive approaches might strengthen a patient's remaining intact cognitive abilities, neurocognitive prosthetics comprised of direct brain-computer interfaces could in theory physically reconstitute and augment the substrate of cognition itself.
Disulfide Bond Configuration of Human Cytomegalovirus Glycoprotein B

Glycoprotein B (gB) is the most highly conserved of the envelope glycoproteins of human herpesviruses. The gB protein of human cytomegalovirus (CMV) serves multiple roles in the life cycle of the virus. To investigate structural properties of gB that give rise to its function, we sought to determine the disulfide bond arrangement of gB. To this end, a recombinant form of gB (gB-S) comprising the entire ectodomain of the glycoprotein (amino acids 1 to 750) was constructed and expressed in insect cells. Proteolytic fragmentation and mass spectrometry were performed using purified gB-S, and the five disulfide bonds that link 10 of the 11 highly conserved cysteine residues of gB were mapped. These bonds are C94-C550, C111-C506, C246-C250, C344-C391, and C573-C610. This configuration closely parallels the disulfide bond configuration of herpes simplex type 2 (HSV-2) gB (N. Norais, D. Tang, S. Kaur, S. H. Chamberlain, F. R. Masiarz, R. L. Burke, and F. Markus, J. Virol. 70:7379-7387, 1996). However, despite the high degree of conservation of cysteine residues between CMV gB and HSV-2 gB, the disulfide bond arrangements of the two homologs are not identical. We detected a disulfide bond between the conserved cysteine residue 246 and the nonconserved cysteine residue 250 of CMV gB. We hypothesize that this disulfide bond stabilizes a tight loop in the amino-terminal fragment of CMV gB that does not exist in HSV-2 gB. We predicted that the cysteine residue not found in a disulfide bond of CMV gB, cysteine residue 185, would play a role in dimerization, but a cysteine substitution mutant in cysteine residue 185 showed no apparent defect in the ability to form dimers. These results indicate that gB oligomerization involves additional interactions other than a single disulfide bond. This work represents the second reported disulfide bond structure for a herpesvirus gB homolog, and the discovery that the two structures are not identical underscores the importance of empirically determining structures even for highly conserved proteins.
The Free Radical Theory of Aging Matures

Beckman, Kenneth B., and Bruce N. Ames. The Free Radical Theory of Aging Matures. Physiol. Rev. 78: 547–581, 1998. — The free radical theory of aging, conceived in 1956, has turned 40 and is rapidl...
Abstract data types and high-level synthesis

The use of abstract data types for high-level synthesis is addressed. It is demonstrated how data types can be used in the synthesis process to achieve reductions in area and delay of the logic level implementation. Four fundamental type constructs-structures, unions, vectors, and enumerations-are considered. Data types and functions on their values are extended to support don't care information. Supporting abstract data types in behavioral representations is addressed for both an internal data-flow representation and the ELLA hardware description language. Finally, synthesis results for several design examples are presented. Smaller and faster implementations are obtained by supporting encoding and don't care minimization in the high-level synthesis process. >
Participation by Women in the 1991 APSA Meeting

Three years ago, when the IPSA meeting was held in the United States at the time of the APSA meeting, I made a survey of participation by women in the programs of both meetings. Since 1972 I had monitored the participation by women at the American Association meetings. I had also from time to time made surveys of female participation at regional meetings of U.S. political science associations. With the approach of the 1991 IPSA meeting, I was asked by Carole Pateman, IPSA President for 1991-94, whether I'd be interested in undertaking another analysis of the participation of women in the IPSA Congress. I responded affirmatively contingent on my obtaining a copy of the final program. (I would not be at the Buenos Aires meeting.) I'd like to thank three of my colleagues, Ruben de Hoyos, David Chang, and Zillur Khan, for assistance in identifying the gender of IPSA participants. A quarter of the 1991 Fifteenth World Congress' Program Committee members (3 out of 12) were women. One consistent theme in my findings over the years is that the presence of women in gatekeeper positions (program committee members, section chairs, panel chairs) facilitates opportunity for participation by other women. Note that without the opportunities for participation provided by women for other women, the female contribution rate would have been much worse. Sections headed by women provided 70.6% of the female chairs at the IPSA Congress, 43.2% of the female paper givers, and 43.9% of the female discussants. Panels organized by women accounted for 28.9% of the female paper givers and 36.8% of the female discussants. Those panels which dealt with the status of women had 29.5% of the convention's female chairpersons, 26.3% of the female paper givers, and 29.8% of the female discussants. There were high and low points with regard to the visibility of women at the meeting. Only one woman participated (out of 14) in the two plenary sessions. The eight special panels on Latin American Democratization had women as only 13.3% (4 out of 30) paper givers and 16.7% (3 out of 18) discussants. Panels which had a favorable ratio of women to men included Public
Determination of SEU parameters of NMOS and CMOS SRAMs

Procedures for determining the SEU parameters for advanced memory devices are demonstrated for CMOS and resistor-loaded NMOS SRAMs. The dimensions of the sensitive volume are either obtained from charge collection measurements on test structures or estimated from similar measurements on the SRAMs themselves. Values of the critical charge determined from simple proton measurements agree with the values obtained for three SRAMs from extensive heavy-ion data. >
Process completing sequences for resource allocation systems with synchronization

This paper considers the problem of establishing live resource allocation in workflows with synchronization stages. Establishing live resource allocation in this class of systems is challenging since deciding whether a given level of resource capacities is sufficient to complete a single process is NP-complete. In this paper, we develop two necessary conditions and one sufficient condition that provide quickly computable tests for the existence of process completing sequences. The necessary conditions are based on the sequence of completions of n subprocesses that merge together at a synchronization. Although the worst case complexity is O(2n), we expect the number of subprocesses combined at any synchronization will be sufficiently small so that total computation time remains manageable. The sufficient condition uses a reduction scheme that computes a sufficient capacity level of each resource type to complete and merge all n subprocesses. The worst case complexity is O(nċm), where m is the number of synchronizations. Finally, the paper develops capacity bounds and polynomial methods for generating feasible resource allocation sequences for merging systems with single unit allocation. This method is based on single step look-ahead for deadly marked siphons and is O(2n). Throughout the paper, we use a class of Petri nets called Generalized Augmented Marked Graphs to represent our resource allocation systems.