cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Toward a theory of online communication in illness: concept analysis of illness blogs.

Title. Toward a theory of online communication in illness: concept analysis of illness blogs. Aim. This paper is a report of a concept analysis of illness blogs and their relevance to nursing research on communication during illness. Background. Blogs are being used by patients and family members to describe the experience of illness, but very little is known about this phenomenon. Data sources. Seventeen English language databases and one Internet search engine were searched from 1990 to 2007 using the truncated term ‘blog*’. Specific illness terms together with ‘blog*’, for example, blog* and diabetes; and blog* and cancer, were used to expand the search. Review methods. Reports were included if they were of qualitative or quantitative research that included a definition of blogs or blogging and some identification or description of blog uses pertinent to the discipline. Specific emphasis was placed on blog use by individuals coping with illness experiences. ‘Meta’ writings by authors about their own blogging intentions and experiences were excluded. Results. An illness blog is the online expression of the narrative of illness. Theoretical and operational definitions, defining attributes, uses, antecedents and consequences were developed. The literature search returned 45 works from 17 disciplines referring to the definition and uses of blogging. Support is offered from the review of literature and analysis of the concept for the development of a theory of online communication during illness. Conclusion. Reading and incorporating illness blogs into care will enhance patient-provider relationships. Analysis of the narratives being created online about the illness experience will contribute significantly to nursing’s body of knowledge.
Rise up hip hop nation: From deconstructing racial politics to building positive solutions

(2004). Rise up hip hop nation: From deconstructing racial politics to building positive solutions. Socialism and Democracy: Vol. 18, Hip Hop, Race, and Cultural Politics, pp. 9-20.
Enhancing institutional assessment efforts through qualitative methods

Qualitative methods can do much to describe context and illuminate the “why” behind patterns encountered in institutional assessment. Alone, or in combination with quantitative methods, they should be the approach of choice for many of the most important assessment questions.
Amnion Inversion in the Treatment of Giant Omphalocele

Operative repair of giant omphaloceles remains a technical challenge to close the wide abdominal wall defect. Currently, most surgeons remove the amnion to approximate the linea alba and/or skin edges or to suture prosthetic material to the abdominal wall and cover the defect with skin flaps. In doing so, the liver commonly becomes extruded and distended with blood, compounding the problem of reducing all of the viscera within the small abdominal cavity. Furthermore, bowel obstruction from adhesions produced from opening the abdomen is a life-long threat. We describe six cases of giant omphalocele in which the amnion was left intact, and it was progressively inverted into the abdominal cavity by using the silastic silo, as it is used for gastroschisis. The birth weight of these infants ranged from 2,360 to 3,240 g. The abdominal wall defect measured 7.0 cm to 10.5 cm in width, and protruded at least 8 cm beyond the abdominal wall. The first stage of repair was to suture the silastic silo to the skin-amnion junction, and progressively reduce the bowel and liver within the abdomen. The intrabdominal pressure is monitored by nasogastric tube or by an indwelling bladder catheter to avoid pressures greater than 20 cm H2O, which might compromise intestinal and renal circulation. The second stage consisted of incising the skin/amnion junction to expose the linea alba. The linea alba was approximated while leaving the amnion intact and folding it into the abdominal cavity. This avoids entering the peritoneum or interfering with the blood flow to and from the liver.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Comparison of Oxygen Saturation of Blood in Azygos Vein and Superior Vena Cava

Blood samples from the superior vena cava (SVC) are usually considered an acceptable representation of mixed systemic venous return in identifying and quantifying left-to-right atrial shunts. However, if during sampling from the SVC unrecognized entrance of the catheter into the azygos vein takes place, diagnostic errors may result. Blood samples from the azygos vein were collected from 60 children with congenital heart disease and the oxygen saturations ranged from 20% to 92%. These saturations were compared to those of samples taken from the superior vena cava above the entrance of the azygos vein. No substantial difference (saturation within ±4%) was found in 24 patients, while 28 patients had a significantly higher saturation in the azygos vein (from +5% to +21%) and eight patients had a lower saturation (from –5% to –16%). A significant left-to-right shunt may be overlooked or erroneously thought to be present when sampling of blood takes place unknowingly from the azygos vein. Examples are presented. Approaching from the groin it was possible to catheterize the azygos vein in two thirds of the cases when a deliberate attempt was made to do so.
Biodegradation of polyurethane under fatigue loading.

A method utilizing expansion of a diaphragm-type film specimen was developed to study in vitro biodegradation of poly(etherurethane urea) (PEUU) under conditions of dynamic loading (fatigue). A finite element model was used to describe the strain state, which ranged from uniaxial at the edges of the film to balanced biaxial tensile strain at the center. During testing, the film was exposed to a H(2)O(2)/CoCl(2) solution, which simulated in vivo oxidative biodegradation of PEUU. The extent of chemical degradation was determined by infrared analysis. Physical damage of the film surface was characterized by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Dynamic loading did not affect the rate of degradation relative to unstressed and constant stress (creep) controls in regions of the film that experienced primarily uniaxial fatigue; however, degradation was accelerated in regions that experienced balanced biaxial or almost balanced biaxial fatigue. It was concluded that the combination of dynamic loading and biaxial tensile strain accelerated oxidative degradation in this system. Chemical degradation produced a brittle surface layer that was marked by numerous pits and dimples. Physical damage of the surface in the form of cracking occurred only in fatigue experiments. Cracking was not observed in unstressed or creep tests. Cracks initiated at the dimples produced by chemical degradation, and propagated in a direction that was determined by the strain state.
Benefits and challenges of real-time uncertainty detection and adaptation in a spoken dialogue computer tutor

We evaluate the performance of a spoken dialogue system that provides substantive dynamic responses to automatically detected user affective states. We then present a detailed system error analysis that reveals challenges for real-time affect detection and adaptation. This research is situated in the tutoring domain, where the user is a student and the spoken dialogue system is a tutor. Our adaptive system detects uncertainty in each student turn via a model that combines a machine learning approach with hedging phrase heuristics; the learned model uses acoustic-prosodic and lexical features extracted from the speech signal, as well as dialogue features. The adaptive system varies its content based on the automatic uncertainty and correctness labels for each turn. Our controlled experimental evaluation shows that the adaptive system yields higher global performance than two non-adaptive control systems, but the difference is only significant for a subset of students. Our system error analysis indicates that noisy affect labeling is a major performance bottleneck, yielding fewer than expected adaptations thus lower than expected performance. However, the percentage of received adaptation correlates with higher performance over all students. Moreover, when uncertainty is accurately recognized and adapted to, local performance is significantly improved.
The Effect of Native Vegetation on the Susceptibility of Aristolochia Reticulata (Aristolochiaceae) to Herbivore Attack

Plants growing in dense stands of native vegetation are often less susceptible to herbivore attack than isolated plants or plants growing in monoculture. Three mechanisms have been suggested that may account for this phenomenon; (1) maintenance of a complex predator fauna in dense vegetation; (2) inhibition by complex vegetation of the ability of an herbivore to discover its host plants; and (3) decreased residence time of herbivores on plants growing in diverse vegetation. This study demonstrates that for both adults and larvae of the pipevine swallowtail butterfly, Battus philenor, inhibition of discovery is the primary cause of decreased susceptibility of its host plants, Aristolochia reticulata, to attack when grown amid native vegetation. In addition, this study demonstrates that a seasonal decrease in the susceptibility of host plants to discovery by adults is correlated with a seasonal increase in the height and density of the native vegetation. A similar inverse correlation between vegetation stru...
Ethanol negatively regulates hepatic differentiation of hESC by inhibition of the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway in vitro.

Background: Alcohol insult triggers complex events in the liver, promoting fibrogenic/inflammatory signals and in more advanced cases, aberrant matrix deposition. It is well accepted that the regenerative capacity of the adult liver is impaired during alcohol injury. The liver progenitor/stem cells have been shown to play an important role in liver regeneration -in response to various chronic injuries; however, the effects of alcohol on stem cell differentiation in the liver are not well understood. Methods: We employed hepatic progenitor cells derived from hESCs to study the impact of ethanol on hepatocyte differentiation by exposure of these progenitor cells to ethanol during hepatocyte differentiation. Results: We found that ethanol negatively regulated hepatic differentiation of hESC-derived hepatic progenitor cells in a dose-dependent manner. There was also a moderate cell cycle arrest at G1/S checkpoint in the ethanol treated cells, which is associated with a reduced level of cyclin D1 in these cells. Ethanol treatment specifically inhibited the activation of the ERK but not JNK nor the p38 MAP signaling pathway. At the same time, the WNT signaling pathway was also reduced in the cells exposed to ethanol. Upon evaluating the effects of the inhibitors of these two signaling pathways, we determined that the Erk inhibitor replicated the effects of ethanol on the hepatocyte differentiation and attenuated the WNT/b-catenin signaling, however, inhibitors of WNT only partially replicated the effects of ethanol on the hepatocyte differentiation. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that ethanol negatively regulated hepatic differentiation of hESC-derived hepatic progenitors through inhibiting the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway, and subsequently attenuating the WNT signaling pathway. Thus, our finding provides a novel insight into the mechanism by which alcohol regulates cell fate selection of hESC-derived hepatic progenitor cells, and the identified pathways may provide therapeutic targets aimed at promoting liver repair and regeneration during alcoholic injury.
Ubiquitin-independent degradation and its implication in cancer.

‘Ubiquitin-conjugates of a protein are commonly used as evidence for ubiquitin-dependent degradation. But recent data has shown that the existence of such conjugates does not exclude the possibility that target proteins are alternatively degraded without ubiquitination’ Coordinated degradation of cellular proteins is critical for normal cell proliferation and function. Inhibition of the proteasomal pathway creates an imbalance of various regulatory proteins leading to cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis. In addition, disregulation of the proteasome system also influences tumor progression and drug resistance, making the proteasome a compelling therapeutic target in cancer. The US Food and Drug Adminstration (FDA) recently approved the first proteasome inhibitor bortezomib (VELCADE ® ), formerly known as PS
Ultrastructure of normal regeneration and loss of regenerative capacity following teflon blockage in goldfish spinal cord.

Abstract Although the spinal cord of goldfish normally regenerates, 30 or more days of blockage by Teflon inserts will result in the loss of this regenerative capacity. The following studies were undertaken to investigate the ultrastructure of normal regeneration and the loss of regenerative capacity following Teflon blockage. The spinal cords of 13 normal and 27 cord-transected goldfish were examined with the electron microscope. Cord-transected goldfish were killed 1 day to 3 months postoperatively. In 15 additional goldfish the spinal cords were transected and Teflon sheet placed between the severed stumps for 1–3 months, after which time it is known the spinal cord will not regenerate following Teflon removal. The spinal cords were immersed in buffered 1% osmic acid and prepared for electron microscopy. In the absence of Teflon, regenerating axons were repelte with smooth endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria. The majority of axons had regenerated across the site of lesion by day 30 and synapsed in the first segment of the caudal spinal cord stump. Dendrites regenerated in neurite fascicles along with axons. After blockage by Teflon, the nerve fiber tips grew into juxtaposition in zones subjacent to a glialependymal scar. These axons possessed multibulbous processes at the tip which usually formed axoaxonic and axodendritic synapses. Retransection (five goldfish) of the spinal cord one segment rostral to the Teflon block resulted in the degeneration of approximately 50% of all the synapses in the synaptic zone subjacent to the glial-ependymal scar.
Non-stringent tissue-source requirements for BMP ligand expression in regulation of body size in Caenorhabditis elegans

In Caenorhabditis elegans, the Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP)-related ligand Dpp- and BMP-like-1 (DBL-1) regulates body size by promoting the larval and adult growth of the large epidermal syncytium hyp7 without affecting cell division. This system provides an excellent model for dissecting the growth-promoting activities of BMP ligands, since in this context the growth and differentiation functions of DBL-1 are naturally uncoupled. dbl-1 is expressed primarily in neurons and the DBL-1 ligand signals to its receptors and Smad signal transducers in the target tissue of the epidermis. The requirements constraining the source(s) of DBL-1, however, have not previously been investigated. We show here that dbl-1 expression requirements are strikingly relaxed. Expression in non-overlapping subsets of the endogenous expression pattern, as well as ectopic expression, can provide sufficient levels of activity for rescue of the small body size of dbl-1 mutants. By analysing dbl-1 expression levels in transgenic strains with different degrees of rescue, we corroborate the model that DBL-1 is a dose-dependent regulator of growth. We conclude that, for body size regulation, the site of expression of dbl-1 is less important than the level of expression.
Commentary: PAR Value

ARTheory has a venerable lineage. Reading the papers of this volume, I was forcefully reminded of the kinds of research that initially drew me to psychological anthropology. In the Fifties and Sixties, social scientists were asking big questions of import. The Whitings, John and Beatrice, were running the Harvard Six Cultures Study. They were ably assisted by a variety of researchers utilizing similar methodology to study the relations between early childhood experience and later adult personality (Whiting 1963; Whiting et al., eds. 1965; Whiting and Child 1953; Whiting and Whiting 1975). During this same period McClelland launched Need-Achievement research that spawned a host of cross-cultural investigations utilizing his methods (McClelland 1961). Charles Osgood developed the semantic differential that was then employed in more than 35 language-cultures (Osgood 1964; Osgood et al. 1975). Research of this nature allowed people to investigate the degree to which achievement, language, and child rearing possessed universal features that reflected our common humanity. At the same time, these studies were sensitive to respective cultural contexts and indicated the manner in which cultural particularities could result in unique responses. The scope of parental acceptance-rejection theory reported in this volume is impressively broad. There are detailed results from seven nations (Korea, Turkey, India, Finland, Pakistan, and the United States) described here and an additional two thousand studies referenced in
Abstract 3289: Elevation of oxidative expression proteins in human ovarian epithelial carcinoma

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Oxidative stress, which results from an imbalance between ROS and antioxidant capacities, can cause a wide range of direct or indirect DNA damage to ovarian epithelium mucosa that is exposed to immense physiological changes, driven by cyclically altering hormone levels as a result of ovulation. The influence of ovulation contributed to the cause of increased oxidative stress in ovarian cells. In this study, we monitored and compared the level of oxidized carbonyl proteins in two subtypes of epithelial ovarian cancer, Serous and endometriod with normal and normal surrounding tissue. We applied DNPH derivative colorimetric and immuneblot assay, two dimension gel electrophoresis (2-D SDS-PAGE), to identify and evaluate the level of oxidative modified protein in 100 snap-freeze epithelial ovarian tissues including, normal, normal surrounding, cystoadenoma, borderline and carcinoma with age range of 65±12, (56% Caucasian 44% Africa American. Our results showed that the index of carbonyl proteins /total proteins increased by onset and progression in both serous and endometriod ovarian malignancy. The elevation of oxidized proteins among African American was significantly higher than Caucasian in advanced stages of disease. SDS-PAGE profiles and western blot analysis of oxidized proteins showed a distinct protein expression pattern among cancerous and non-cancerous tissues. Our study suggests that the level of oxidative stress may be involved in the selective modification of some enzymes and structural proteins and could play a role in etiological differences that may exist between stages of benign and invasive epithelial ovarian tumors. Citation Format: Sharifeh Mehrabi, Shakeria Cohen, Felix O. Aikhionbare. Elevation of oxidative expression proteins in human ovarian epithelial carcinoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 3289. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-3289
Measurement of myelin basic protein in the cerebrospinal fluid of dogs with degenerative myelopathy

BACKGROUND Analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is part of a routine clinical workup in veterinary patients when neurologic disease is suspected. However, knowledge of particular protein markers of disease in CSF is limited. The concentration of myelin basic protein (MBP) in CSF is used as a biochemical marker in humans to evaluate demyelinating lesions in the central nervous system (CNS). OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to evaluate an ELISA for determination of MBP concentration in the CSF of German shepherd dogs with degenerative myelopathy (GSDM). METHODS Cross-reactivity of the anti-human polyclonal antibody used in a commercial ELISA (Active MBP ELISA, Diagnostic Systems Laboratories Inc, Webster, TX, USA) was tested with canine MBP by immunoblotting. CSF samples were collected from both the cisterna magna and the lumbar cistern of 8 clinically healthy control dogs and 8 German shepherd dogs clinically diagnosed with GSDM. MBP concentrations were measured in all CSF samples using the ELISA. RESULTS The mean MBP concentration in CSF from the lumbar cistern of dogs with GSDM (3.13 -/+ 0.46 ng/mL) was significantly higher than that in the cisterna magna (0.70 -/+ 0.06 ng/mL) and from both cisternal (0.47 -/+ 0.07 ng/mL) and lumbar (0.94 -/+ 0.37 ng/mL) samples from control dogs. CONCLUSION The MBP ELISA has potential as a supplemental test of CSF to diagnose demyelinating disorders in dogs.
Transport properties of refrigerants R32, R125, R134a, and R125+R32 mixtures in and beyond the critical region

Abstract A practical representation for the transport coefficients of pure refrigerants R32, R125, R134a, and R125+R32 mixtures is presented which is valid in the vapor–liquid critical region. The crossover expressions for the transport coefficients incorporate scaling laws near the critical point and are transformed to regular background values far away from the critical point. The regular background parts of the transport coefficients of pure refrigerants are obtained from independently fitting pure fluid data. For the calculation of the background contributions of the transport coefficients in binary mixtures, corresponding-states correlations are used. The transport property model is compared with thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity data for pure refrigerants, and with thermal conductivity data for R125+R32 mixtures. The average relative deviations between the calculated values of the thermal conductivity and experimental data are less than 4–5% at densities ρ ⩾0.1 ρ c and temperatures up to T =2 T c .
Automated Geography Ten Years Later

(1993). Automated Geography Ten Years Later. The Professional Geographer: Vol. 45, No. 4, pp. 442-443.
Nephrotic syndrome associated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors for pediatric malignancy: case series and review of the literature

Background Tyrosine kinase (TK) inhibitors are increasingly being used to treat a variety of pediatric malignancies. Reports in adult patients describe a range of effects of TK inhibitors on the kidney, including hypertension, proteinuria, acute kidney injury, and thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA); however, there are only a few reports of TK-inhibitor-associated nephrotic syndrome.
Linking energy and climate (before 1974)

Establishing a link between the consumption of fossil fuels and global climate change has depended both on scientific research as well as assumptions about the pace of social change, technological innovation, and economic growth. Late 19th century research into the role of carbon dioxide and climate focused on explaining the historical cooling of the ice ages; consideration of future warming as a result of energy use remained theoretical and focused on benefits centuries away. After declining scientific interest in the carbon dioxide theory in the early 20th century, it was revived again in the late 1930s, gradually stimulating further research that led to a more sophisticated understanding of the global carbon cycle and prospects for future warming. This research began incorporating more realistic expectations of future energy growth. In the early 1970s, scientists, politicians, and the general public began paying more attention to research into anthropogenic climate change, in part due to a renewed attention to the social costs of energy systems alongside a growing focus on global environmental issues. Future historical research into energy and climate change should examine the role of predictions and expectations of social change in shaping the agenda of scientific research. WIREs Clim Change 2010 1 773–780 DOI: 10.1002/wcc.78 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website
Gene regulation of α4β2 nicotinic receptors: microarray analysis of nicotine‐induced receptor up‐regulation and anti‐inflammatory effects

α4β2 Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors play an important role in the reward pathways for nicotine. We investigated whether receptor up-regulation of α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors involves expression changes for non-receptor genes. In a microarray analysis, 10 μM nicotine altered expression of 41 genes at 0.25, 1, 8 and 24 h in hα4β2 SH-EP1 cells. The maximum number of gene changes occurred at 8 h, around the initial increase in 3[H]-cytisine binding. Quantitative RT-PCR corroborated gene induction of endoplasmic reticulum proteins CRELD2, PDIA6, and HERPUD1, and suppression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-6. Nicotine suppresses IL-1β and IL-6 expression at least in part by inhibiting NFκB activation. Antagonists dihydro-β-erythroidine and mecamylamine blocked these nicotine-induced changes showing that receptor activation is required. Antagonists alone or in combination with nicotine suppressed CRELD2 message while increasing α4β2 binding. Additionally, small interfering RNA knockdown of CRELD2 increased basal α4β2 receptor expression, and antagonists decreased CRELD2 expression even in the absence of α4β2 receptors. These data suggest that endoplasmic reticulum proteins such as CRELD2 can regulate α4β2 expression, and may explain antagonist actions in nicotine-induced receptor up-regulation. Further, the unexpected finding that nicotine suppresses inflammatory cytokines suggests that nicotinic α4β2 receptor activation promotes anti-inflammatory effects similar to α7 receptor activation.
Thinning of Capillary Walls and Declining Numbers of Endothelial Mitochondria in the Cerebral Cortex of the Aging Primate, Macaca Nemestrina

Samples were obtained from the frontal and occipital cortex of Macaque monkeys at 4, 10 and 20 years of age. Electron microscopic studies revealed attenuation of capillary walls and declining numbers of endothelial mitochondria per capillary profile with increasing age. The basal lamina surrounding the capillary increased in thickness between 4 and 10 years of age; however, it did not undergo further change between 10 and 20 years. These results corroborate morphological and biochemical studies indicative of declining numbers of mitochondria, and decreasing mitochondrial ATP synthesis and ATPase activity in other tissues during aging.
Neoadjuvant Treatment Response in Negative Nodes Is an Important Prognosticator After Esophagectomy

Background The current American Joint Committee on Cancer Seventh Edition (AJCC7) pathologic staging for esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) is derived from data assessing the outcomes of patients having undergone esophagectomy without neoadjuvant treatment and has unclear significance in patients who have received multimodality therapy. Lymph nodes with evidence of neoadjuvant treatment effect without residual cancer cells may be observed and are not traditionally considered in pathologic reports, but may have prognostic significance. Methods All patients who underwent esophagectomy after completing neoadjuvant therapy for EAC at our institution between 2006 and 2012 were reviewed. Slides of pathologic specimens were reexamined for locoregional treatment-response nodes lacking viable cancer cells but with evidence of acellular mucin pools, central fibrosis, necrosis, or calcifications suggesting prior tumor involvement. Kaplan-Meier survival functions were estimated, and Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to compare staging models. Results Ninety patients (82 men) underwent esophagectomy after neoadjuvant therapy for EAC (mean age, 61.8 ± 8.9 years). All patients received preoperative chemotherapy, and 50 patients also underwent preoperative radiotherapy. Median Kaplan-Meier survival was 55.6 months, and 5-year survival was 35% (95% confidence interval, 19% to 62%). A total of 100 treatment-response nodes were found in 38 patients. For patients with limited nodal disease (62 ypN0-N1), the presence of treatment-response nodes was associated with significantly worse survival ( p = 0.03) compared with patients lacking such nodes. Adjusting for patient age and AJCC7 pathologic stage showed the presence of treatment-response nodes significantly increased the risk of death (hazard ratio, 2.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.1 to 6.9; p = 0.04). When stage-adjusted survival was modeled, counting treatment-response nodes as positive nodes offered a better model fit than ignoring them. Conclusions Treatment-response lymph nodes detected from esophagectomy specimens in patients having undergone neoadjuvant chemotherapy or combined chemoradiation for EAC provide valuable prognostic information, particularly in patients with limited nodal disease. The current practice of considering lymph nodes lacking viable cancer cells, but with evidence of tumor necrosis, as pathologically negative likely results in understaging. Future efforts at revising the staging system for EAC should consider incorporating treatment-response lymph nodes in the analysis.
GaN growth on Si pillar arrays by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

Abstract GaN growth on high aspect ratio Si micro-pillar arrays prepared by deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) was investigated using Si(111), Si(110), Si(112), and Si(100) substrates. The sidewall roughness of the Si pillars resulting from DRIE was reduced by thermal annealing at 1100 °C in H 2 for 5 min. Conformal AlN buffer layers were grown at 1100 °C on the pillars. In contrast, GaN films grown at 1100 °C were always faceted since GaN preferentially nucleated and grew on the Si { 1 1 ¯ 0 } and Si { 1 1 ¯ 1 } sidewall planes of the Si pillars. The preferential growth lead to unique symmetries for the independent GaN fins depending on pillar orientation. Lateral growth of the GaN fins at 1100 °C was enhanced with increasing V/III ratio up to 22710. However, the GaN fins did not coalesce seamlessly. A lower growth temperature of 800 °C gave rise to a conformal polycrystalline GaN shell. Post-annealing of the GaN shells at 1100 °C in H 2 for 15 min after growth at 800 °C induced highly textured GaN films although the GaN films became partly faceted.
Dihedral-angle information entropy as a gauge of secondary structure propensity.

Protein structural information can be uncovered using an information-theory-based entropy and auxiliary functions by taking advantage of high-quality correlation plots between the dihedral angles around a residue and those between sequential residues. A standard information entropy for a primary sequence has been defined using the values of the probabilities of the most likely dihedral angles along the sequence. The distribution of entropy differences relative to the standard for each protein in a reference set—a sublibrary of the Protein Data Bank at the 90% sequence redundancy level—appears to be nearly Gaussian. It gives rise to an auxiliary checking function whose value signals the extent to which the dihedral angle propensities differ from typical structures. Such deviations can arise either because of incorrect dihedral angle assignments or secondary structural propensities that are atypical of the structures in the reference set. This auxiliary checking function can be readily calculated at the public website, http://www.d2check.gatech.edu. Its utility is demonstrated here in an analysis displaying differences between experimentally and theoretically derived structures, and in the analysis of structures derived by homology modeling. A comparison of the new measure, D2Check, to other checking functions based on backbone conformation—namely, PROCHECK and WHAT_CHECK—is also provided.
Spatio-Temporal Modeling of Residential Sales Data

This article focuses on the location, time, and spatio-temporal components associated with suitably aggregated data to improve prediction of individual asset values. Such effects are introduced in the context of hierarchical models, which we find more natural than attempting to model covariance structure. Indeed, our cross-sectional database, a sample of 7,936 transactions for 49 subdivisions over a 10-year period in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, precludes covariance modeling. A wide range of models arises, each fitted using sampling-based methods because likelihood-based fitting may not be possible. Choosing among an array of nonnested models is carried out using a posterior predictive criterion. In addition, one year of data is held out for model validation. A thorough analysis of the data incorporating all of the aforementioned issues is presented.
Identification and Fine Mapping of Nuclear and Nucleolar Localization Signals within the Human Ribosomal Protein S17

Human ribosomal protein S17 (RPS17) is mutated in Diamond-Blackfan Anemia (DBA), a bone marrow disorder that fails to produce sufficient red blood cells leading to anemia. Recently, an RPS17 protein sequence was also found to be naturally inserted in the genome of hepatitis E virus (HEV) from patients chronically-infected by HEV. The role of RPS17 in HEV replication and pathogenesis remains unknown due to the lack of knowledge about how RPS17 functions at a molecular level. Understanding the biological function of RPS17 is critical for elucidating its role in virus infection and DBA disease processes. In this study we probed the subcellular distribution of normal and mutant RPS17 proteins in a human liver cell line (Huh7). RPS17 was primarily detected within the nucleus, and more specifically within the nucleoli. Using a transient expression system in which RPS17 or truncations were expressed as fusions with enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (eYFP), we were able to identify and map, for the first time, two separate nuclear localization signals (NLSs), one to the first 13 amino acids of the amino-terminus of RPS17 and the other within amino acids 30-60. Additionally, we mapped amino acid sequences required for nucleolar accumulation of RPS17 to amino acids 60-70. Amino acids 60-70 possess a di-RG motif that may be necessary for nucleolar retention of RPS17. The results from this study enhance our knowledge of RSP17 and will facilitate future mechanistic studies about the roles of RSP17 in hepatitis E and DBA disease processes.
Dipropionylcysteine Ethyl Ester Compensates for Loss of Citric Acid Cycle Intermediates During Post Ischemia Reperfusion in the Pig Heart

Purpose During reperfusion, following myocardial ischemia, uncompensated loss of citric acid cycle (CAC) intermediates may impair CAC flux and energy transduction. Propionate has an anaplerotic effect when converted to the CAC intermediate succinyl-CoA, and may improve contractile recovery during reperfusion. Antioxidant therapy with N-acetylcysteine decreases reperfusion injury. To synergize the antioxidant effects of cysteine with the anaplerotic effects of propionate, we synthesized a novel bi-functional compound, N,S-dipropionyl cysteine ethyl ester (DPNCE) and tested its anaplerotic and anti-oxidative capacity in anesthetized pigs.
SPECIFIC HEAT OF EuS

Specific heat measurements of EuS between 10 and 35 deg K show a sharp peak at 16.2 deg K. The measurements are analyzed using the constant coupling approximation, and it is shown that the dominant exchange interaction is between nearest neighbor Eu/sup ++/ ions. (auth)
Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) promotes E-cadherin ectodomain shedding and OVCA429 cell invasion in an uPA-dependent manner

Abstract Objectives. To evaluate the role of LPA in regulating E-cadherin cell surface expression, adhesion, and invasion in epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC) cells. Methods. E-cadherin mRNA expression in OVCA429 and IOSE-29 cells was evaluated by real-time RT-PCR. Immunofluorescence and Western blot analysis were performed to determine cell surface expression and shedding of E-cadherin 80-kDa soluble fragment by LPA. Kinetics of LPA-induced uPA activity was followed with a colorimetric enzymatic assay. Invasion assays were performed in a modified Boyden chamber where cells were allowed to migrate to the bottom compartment through a porous filter coated with collagen. Additionally we measured the 80-kDa form from the ascites of women with stage III/IV EOC. Results. LPA induces E-cadherin shedding of a soluble 80-kDa fragment. We found that this process is mediated by the uPA proteolytic cascade. High levels of soluble E-cadherin were found in the ascites from women with advanced stage EOC. LPA and a soluble recombinant E-cadherin-Fc chimera promotes invasion of OVCA429 cells. Conclusions. LPA induces shedding of an 80-kDa E-cadherin-soluble fragment in an uPA-dependent manner and promotes in vitro invasion. High levels of soluble E-cadherin in malignant ascites may also affect ovarian metastasis.
Investigation of Some Factors Influencing Percutaneous Absorption III: Absorption of Methyl Ethyl Ketone

The percutaneous absorption of methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) was followed for a period of 8 hr. under normal, dehydrated, and hydrated skin conditions. Data are presented showing a delay in absorption when the skin is pretreated with a strong desiccant; however, the final steady-state concentration of MEK in expired air was of the same magnitude as that obtained under normal skin conditions. Hydration, as noted previously, continued to enhance absorption. Apparent first-order expired air elimination rates following percutaneous absorption were determined and compared to those obtained after oral ingestion of MEK.
Identification and localization of surface sialylated glycoconjugates in Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae by direct enzyme-colloidal gold cytochemistry

Abstract Electron microscopic examination of ultrathin sections of 5 strains of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae stained for polysaccharides with ruthenium red revealed considerable variability in the amounts of preserved capsular material among the 5 serotypes studied. The amount of capsule was inversely related to the extent of outer membrane-associated sialylated glycoconjugate as evidenced by the degree of binding by colloidal gold-labelled neuraminidase at the cell surface. Serotypes 1, 3, and 5 possessed a well-developed and continuous capsular layer. In serotypes 2 and 7, the capsule consisted of a broken patchy layer that left much of the underlying outer membrane exposed. Morphometric analyses of the mean frequencies of neuraminidase-conjugated gold particles over the perimeters of the A. pleuropneumoniae cells showed that the lowest mean frequencies were observed in serotypes 1, 3, and 5, whereas the second highest and highest mean frequencies were observed in serotypes 7 and 2, respectively. Evidence suggested a serotypic difference in the amount of capsule present and this correlated inversely with the number of sialylated glycoconjugates, which appear to be localized in the outer membranes of the A. pleuropneumoniae cells.
Animals in a bacterial world: opportunities for chemical ecology

This Viewpoint article provides a brief and selective summary of research on the chemical ecology underlying symbioses between bacteria and animals. Animals engage in multiple highly specialized interactions with bacteria that reflect their long coevolutionary history. The article focuses on a few illustrative but hardly exhaustive examples in which bacterially produced small molecules initiate a developmental step with important implications for the evolution of animals, provide signals for the maturation of mammalian immune systems, and furnish chemical defenses against microbial pathogens.
Mechanism of the circadian clock in physiology

It has been well established that the circadian clock plays a crucial role in the regulation of almost every physiological process. It also plays a critical role in pathophysiological states including those of obesity and diabetes. Recent evidence has highlighted the potential for targeting the circadian clock as a potential drug target. New studies have also demonstrated the existence of “clock-independent effects” of the circadian proteins, leading to exciting new avenues of research in the circadian clock field in physiology. The goal of this review is to provide an introduction to and overview of the circadian clock in physiology, including mechanisms, targets, and role in disease states. The role of the circadian clocks in the regulation of the cardiovascular system, renal function, metabolism, the endocrine system, immune, and reproductive systems will be discussed.
Measuring and Differentiating Perceptions of Supervisor and Top Leader Ethics

We report the results of two studies that evaluated the perceptions of supervisor and top leader ethics. In our first study, we re-analyzed data from Pelletier and Bligh (J Bus Ethics 67:359–374, 2006) and found that the Perceptions of Ethical Leadership Scale from that study could be used to differentiate perceptions of supervisor and top leader ethics. In a second study with a different sample, we examined the relationships between (1) individual employees’ perceptions of top managers’ and immediate supervisors’ ethical tendencies, and (2) organizational climate, confidence in top leadership direction, commitment, and citizenship behavior. Results indicated that employee perceptions of top managers’ and supervisors’ ethics were significantly related to climate, top leadership direction, organizational commitment and the OCB dimension, civic virtue.
Determinants of energy expenditure and fuel utilization in man: effects of body composition, age, sex, ethnicity and glucose tolerance in 916 subjects

BACKGROUND: 24-h energy expenditure (24-EE) and 24-h respiratory quotient (24-RQ) are important measurements in obesity research, but their accurate assessment is limited to few specialized laboratories. OBJECTIVES: 1) To provide comprehensive prediction equations for 24-EE, sleeping metabolic rate (SMR) and 24-RQ, based on a large number of Caucasian and Pima Indian subjects, covering a wide range of body weight and composition, body fat distribution, and age and 2) to test whether Pima Indians have lower metabolic rate and/or higher 24-RQ than Caucasians. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: 916 non-diabetic subjects, aged 31.5±11.9 y, body weight 90.5±26.1 kg (mean±s.d.), (561 males, 355 females; 416 Caucasians, 500 Pima Indians; 720 with normal (NGT) and 196 with impaired (IGT) glucose tolerance) spent 24 h in a respiratory chamber for measurements of 24-EE, SMR and 24-RQ. Fat-free mass (FFM) and fat mass (FM) were assessed by either hydrodensitometry or DEXA. Waist circumference and waist-to-thigh ratio (WTR) were determined as measures of body fat distribution. RESULTS: In a stepwise multiple regression analysis, FFM, FM, sex, age, WTR, and ethnicity were significant independent determinants of 24-EE (2258±422 kcal/d), explaining 85% of its variability (24-EE (kcal/d)=696+18.9 FFM (kg)+10.0 FM (kg)+180 male −1.9 age (y)+7.1 WTR (per decimal)+44 Pima Indian). SMR (1623±315 kcal/d) was determined (78% of variability) by FFM, FM, sex, age, WTR, and glucose tolerance (SMR (kcal/d)=443+14.6 FFM (kg)+6.9 FM (kg)+79 male −1.0 age (y)+5.8 WTR (per decimal)+38 IGT), but not by ethnicity. Adjustment for the respective variables reduced the variance in 24-EE from 422 to 162 kcal/d and in SMR from 315 to 146 kcal/d. 24-RQ (0.854±0.026) was determined by waist circumference and energy balance (24-RQ=0.88429–0.00175 waist circumference (cm)+0.00004 energy balance (%)), but not by sex, ethnicity or glucose tolerance. With this equation only 13% of the variability in 24-RQ could be explained (residual variance 0.024). Compared to Caucasians, Pima Indians had higher 24-EE, but similar SMR and 24-RQ. CONCLUSIONS: This analysis provides comprehensive prediction equations for 24-EE, SMR and 24-RQ from their major known determinants. It confirms the previous findings that, even after adjustment for body composition, age, sex, ethnicity, and glucose tolerance, there is still considerable variability in energy expenditure and substrate oxidation that may, in part, be genetically determined. In adult Pima Indians, we found no evidence for lower metabolic rate or impaired fat oxidation that could explain the propensity towards obesity in this ethnic group.
Blood Parameters and Immune Status of Rainbow Trout with Proliferative Kidney Disease

Abstract Blood parameters, disease resistance, and the immune response were sequentially evaluated in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss with proliferative kidney disease (PKD). The fish were maintained under laboratory conditions, and the study group went through a full cycle of the disease. Hematological and serological changes occurred primarily in those fish with severe kidney lesions. Fish infected with the parasite that causes PKD demonstrated a greater resistance to bacterial challenge, and their immune responses were heightened when compared with those of uninfected fish. These data suggest that PKD alone is not a predisposing factor for secondary infections if the fish does not incur severe renal lesions.
The U. S. Supreme Court and Value Legitimacy: An Experimental Approach With Older Americans

This study was designed to test the designed to test the legitimacy-conferring hypotheses as it relates to the United States Supreme Court. Conventional wisdom has long asscrted that the Court, in its role as interpreter of the Constitution, is a major force influencing the values and attitudes of Americans. However, little empirical research has been conducted on the issue, and that which has been conducted has been ambiguous. Using a split-ballot experimental technique, we found support for the legitimacy-conferring hypothesis among a sample of older Americans from twenty-two different states across the U. S. We found five of nine proposals to be more strongly endorsed when their attributed source was the Supreme Court rather than the U. S. Congress or when the source was unattributed. A factor analysis of the items was used to discover underlying value-orientations described by the nine items. An analysis to three derived factors added to our confidence in the legitimacy-conferring hypothesis.
Components of working memory and somatic markers in decision making.

According to Damasio’s somatic marker hypothesis, affective reactions ordinarily guide and simplify decision making. In an earlier study, we used a modified version of the gambling task developed by Bechara and colleagues so that we could explore the relations among decision making, working memory (WM) load, and formation of somatic markers. This prior work found that an increased WM load produced by secondary tasks interfered with the development of somatic markers and led to poorer gambling task performance. In the present study, we tested whether secondary tasks affect the executive functions of WM, verbal buffering, or both. Our findings indicate that verbal buffering alone does not interfere with gambling task performance or the development of somatic markers. Interference with the executive functions of WM is necessary to disrupt gambling performance and somatic markers.
Diffusion-driven period-doubling bifurcations

Discrete-time growth-dispersal models readily exhibit diffusive instability. In some instances, this diffusive instability parallels that found in continuous-time reaction-diffusion equations. However, if a sufficiently eruptive prey is held in check by a predator, predator overdispersal may also lead to one or a series of diffusion-driven period-doubling bifurcations. Quite common discrete-time predator-prey models exhibit this new brand of diffusive instability.