cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The phyto-chemical (−)-epigallocatechin gallate suppresses gene expression of epidermal growth factor receptor in rat hepatic stellate cells in vitro by reducing the activity of Egr-1

Hepatic stellate cells (HSC) are the major effectors in hepatic fibrogenesis. During liver injury, HSC become activated and proliferative. Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) are the potent mitogens for many cell types. We previously demonstrated that (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the major and active component in green tea extracts, inhibited HSC growth, including reducing cell proliferation, and inducing apoptosis. We have reported that EGCG interrupts PDGF signaling by reducing receptor tyrosine phosphorylation and gene expression of PDGF-beta receptor. Additional experiments are necessary to elucidate the effect of EGCG on EGF signaling in activated HSC. The aims of this study are to evaluate the effect of EGCG on the expression of EGFR and to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms in activated HSC. We hypothesize that EGCG might interrupt EGF signaling by suppressing gene expression of EGF receptor (EGFR) in activated HSC, which, together with the interruption of PDGF signaling, might collectively result in the inhibition of HSC growth. The present report demonstrates that the phyto-chemical dose-dependently suppresses gene expression of EGFR in activated HSC in vitro. The Egr-1 binding site located in the egfr promoter is found to be cis-activating element in regulating the promoter activity of the gene. EGCG inhibits the trans-activation activity of Egr-1 in activated HSC by suppressing gene expression of the transcription factor. The interruption of the ERK signaling pathway by EGCG reduces the trans-activation activity of Egr-1 and the promoter activity of EGFR gene in HSC. Taken together, our results demonstrate that EGCG suppresses gene expression of EGFR in rat activated HSC in vitro mediated by reducing the trans-activation activity of Egr-1.
Electron beam heating in amorphous semiconductor beam memory

The high-speed electron beam heating and the subsequent cooling processes in an amorphous semiconductor target of a beam memory have been studied by computer simulation. Such a memory would utilize the amorphous and the crystalline phases of chalcogenide thin films as the binary states of the memory. For an electron source of 1-µ radius, the results suggest that a storage target, consisting of a chalcogenide thin film whose thickness is twice the electron penetration range on a good heat sinking substrate, is the optimum target configuration. Possible high-speed memory operating characteristics with present long-life high-brightness electron guns are described.
Why Don't You Write It Up for the Journal?

If you are an author or prospective author, I encourage you to submit. Here are some of the things we would like to see when you decide to write it up for the Journal.
Cryogenic thermometry: a review of progress since 1982

Abstract In 1970 and again in 1982, reviews were published which together covered progress in low-temperature thermometry during the 1960s, 1970s, and up until early 1982. The intent of this paper is to extend the review process through to the present. The 470-reference bibliography has been selected so as to concentrate on the temperature region between ≈ 0.3 K and ≈ 160 K. The topics covered include: temperature scales, fixed points, gas thermometry, vapour pressure thermometry, pressure measurement, resistance thermometry, junction device and other electronic thermometers, thermoelectric thermometry, other kinds of thermometry, effects of magnetic fields and other environmental conditions on thermometers, circuitry and systems for the measurement and control of temperature, and cryostats/refrigeration designs and methods.
Robust synchronization for OFDM employing Zadoff-Chu sequence

Zadoff-Chu (ZC) sequences have been proposed for time synchronization of OFDM systems due to their ideal correlation properties. In this paper, we examine the performance of ZC sequence based time synchronization in the presence of large carrier frequency offsets (CFOs). We show that the performance of synchronization in the presence of integer frequency offsets (IFOs), is dependent on the root index of the ZC sequence and some sequences may fail entirely in the presence of IFOs. We develop the conditions to choose such root indices for which inter symbol interference can be avoided for a given maximum IFO. We then design a preamble based on the selected ZC sequences to perform timing synchronization as well as IFO estimation. We also propose a scheme to further enhance the performance of time synchronization through the estimated IFOs. The performance of the proposed algorithms is evaluated through simulation results.
Band-Pass Quadrature Filters

Two identical low-pass electrical filters, having any realizable low-pass frequency-response characteristic and synthesized from linear analog computer components by any convenient method, may be interconnected in a simple manner to form a band-pass filter whose frequency-response characteristic represents a translation along the frequency axis of the frequency response characteristic of the original low-pass filters. The resulting filter circuit has two inputs and two outputs. When either input is driven by an electrical signal representing a real function of time, the resulting filtered signals at the two outputs are in phase quadrature with respect to each other. When the two inputs are driven simultaneously by the real and imaginary parts of a complex signal, the two outputs represent the real and imaginary components of the filtered complex signal. The filter, when used in this manner, is able to differentiate between positive and negative frequencies so that its pass band exists for positive but not for negative frequencies, or vice versa.
A comparison of non-linear growth models for fisheries

Abstract Several extensions to the classical von Bertalanffy model, based on the consideration that the growth-time relationships in fishes in temperate and polar areas vary seasonally, have appeared in the literature. In this paper, we compare the seasonal growth models of Cloern and Nichols, Hoenig and Hanumara, Pauly and Gaschutz, and Pitcher and MacDonald using several data sets. For each model/data set combination, measures of intrinsic non-linearity and parameter effects non-linearity as proposed by Bates and Watts are computed. The model parameter estimates are evaluated using bias, skewness and kurtosis to determine which of them contribute to the non-linear behaviour of the model. These results show that the Pauly and Gaschutz and Hoenig and Hanumara models exhibit properties closely resembling that of a linear model, and hence are selected over the other models.
Literacy in the 21st Century: Towards a Dynamic Nexus of Social Relations.

Literacy is an essential means of communication. It enables individuals, communities and institutions to interact, over time and across space, as they develop a web of social relations via language. Effective literacy policies, programmes and practices expand the scale of social communication and interaction. Thus, literacy thrives when a state of connectedness – or social nexus of relations – is forged and sustained among individuals, households, communities and social institutions. This paper provides an overview of recent literacy trends and challenges as well as core aspects of the policy strategies which seek to address them. It reviews the main barriers or complicating factors which limit the effective implementation of literacy policies. The paper describes how the notion of non-formal education, which frames many scholarly and policy accounts of adult literacy work today, is under-conceptualised. One result of this is a relatively undifferentiated view of literacy programmes and their specific non-formal components. The author argues that the concept of the social nexus of literacy is implicit in many analyses of literacy policies and strategies. Thus, well-defined, context-specific and sharply conceived literacy policies, which enhance the social nexus of literacy, are crucial for improving the effectiveness of literacy work.
Beyond MEDLINE for literature searches.

Purpose: To describe strategies for a comprehensive literature search. Organizing Construct: MEDLINE searches result in limited numbers of studies that are often biased toward statistically significant findings. Diversified search strategies are needed. Methods: Empirical evidence about the recall and precision of diverse search strategies is presented. Challenges and strengths of each search strategy are identified. Findings: Search strategies vary in recall and precision. Often sensitivity and specificity are inversely related. Valuable search strategies include examination of multiple diverse computerized databases, ancestry searches, citation index searches, examination of research registries, journal hand searching, contact with the “invisible college,” examination of abstracts, Internet searches, and contact with sources of synthesized information. Conclusions: Extending searches beyond MEDLINE enables researchers to conduct more systematic comprehensive searches.
Complications Related to Anterior and Lateral Lumbar Surgery

Anterior and lateral approaches to the spine have an increasing role in addressing deformity, tumor, and degenerative conditions of the spine. When conducted by an experienced team and supportive care system, anterior and lateral approaches to the spine can be performed safely, with few complications and good to excellent patient outcomes and satisfaction. A thorough knowledge of vascular, neural, and visceral anatomy is essential in minimizing approach-related complications.
Takutsubo cardiomyopathy and flash pulmonary edema in a trauma patient.

Abstract Background First described in Japanese literature in 1991, Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM), or “broken heart” syndrome, continues to be described in novel circumstances. Commonly mistaken for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) due to similar clinical symptoms and electrocardiogram changes, it usually affects postmenopausal women and those in acute emotional or physical stress. Named for the resemblance of apical ballooning and dyskinesis to the Japanese octopus trap, the pathogenesis is poorly understood. Believed to be associated with catecholamine surges during extreme stress, TCM has been reported with grieving, lightning strikes, burns, injuries, and anesthesia. We describe a unique case occurring after a significant motor-vehicle collision (MVC) without apparent injury. Objective Our aim was to discuss the presentation and management of a cardiac syndrome that can complicate the care of trauma patients by mimicking other life-threatening pathologies. Case Report A 59-year-old healthy female in a rollover MVC was found suspended upside down with her seatbelt across her neck. She was hypoxic, in respiratory distress, and had nonsustained ventricular tachycardia en route. She was dyspneic without pain and had no signs of external trauma. She was assessed with chest x-ray study, focused assessment with sonography in trauma, and electrocardiogram, which demonstrated inferior ST elevation. After negative trauma computed tomography scans, she underwent coronary angiography. Ventriculography revealed apical inferior and anterior ballooning without coronary artery occlusion. She rapidly improved and was discharged in stable condition 2 days later. Conclusions TCM presents a diagnostic challenge to the emergency physician. In a patient of this age and mechanism, alternate intrathoracic pathologies, such as ACS, aortic injury, pulmonary contusion, and pneumothorax must be considered.
A Triply Templated Artificial β-Sheet

This paper describes the design, synthesis, and structural evaluation of a compound (4) comprising three molecular templates and a peptide strand that mimics a three-stranded protein β-sheet. Two of the templates mimic the hydrogen-bonding functionality of peptide β-strands and serve as the top and bottom strands by embracing the peptide strand, which is located in the middle of the sheet. The remaining template holds the three strands next to each other. The synthesis of artificial β-sheet 4 begins with the bottom template and involves the sequential addition of the middle and top strands. 1H NMR chemical shift and NOE studies establish that this compound folds to adopt a hydrogen-bonded β-sheetlike structure in CDCl3 solution. Chemical shift studies indicate that triply stranded artificial β-sheet 4 is more tightly folded than its smaller doubly stranded homologue, artificial β-sheet 1.
MM3 MODELING OF ALDOPENTOSE PYRANOSE RINGS

MM3 (version 1992, ϵ=3.0) was used to study the ring conformations of d-xylopyranose, d-lyxopyranose and d-arabinopyranose. The energy surfaces exhibit low-energy regions corresponding to chair and skew forms with high-energy barriers between these regions corresponding to envelope and half-chair forms. The lowest energy conformer is 4 C 1 for α- and β-xylopyranose and α- and β-lyxopyranose, and the lowest energy conformer is 1 C 4 for α- and β-arabinopyranose. Only α-lyxopyranose exhibits a secondary low-energy region (1 C 4) within 1 kcal/mol of its global minimum. Overall, the results are in good agreement with NMR and crystallographic results. For many of these molecules, skew conformations are found with relatively low energies (2.5 to 4 kcal/mol above lowest energy chair form). The 2 S O and 1 C 4 conformers of crystalline benzoyl derivatives of xylopyranose are in secondary low-energy regions on the β-xylopyranose surface, within 3.8 kcal/mol of the global 4 C 1 minimum.
Anthony Trollope and the Social Discourse of Telegraphy after Nationalisation

Abstract The article examines two periodical works by Anthony Trollope, the non-fiction essay ‘Young Women at the London Telegraph Office’ and the short story ‘The Telegraph Girl’, to illuminate their contribution to the public discourse on the telegraph after its nationalisation in 1869. Both texts are read in the context of a wider debate in periodical press over the social merits of the telegraph system. Each text deploys rhetorical strategies used by proponents of the government telegraph, which countered criticisms of nationalisation as a financial debacle and reinforced a framework of value based on social responsibility and the social benefits of the new technology. Trollope focused on female telegraph workers to demonstrate how to stabilise the social application of telegraphy by containing it within the boundaries of dominant cultural and literary narratives. By uniting the theme of paternalistic government with the traditional marriage plot, his two works promote the potential of telegraphic tec...
The organization and management of public and catholic schools: Looking inside the ‘black box’

Abstract This chapter describes differences in management practices between public and Catholic high schools in the United States using data from a national sample of public and private secondary schools. It then attempts to estimate the extent to which these differences are due to other ways in which schools in the two sectors differ, for example, the social and academic characteristics of their clients, teacher unionization, size, etc. The results show that after these factors are taken into account, significant differences between the two sectors remain, suggesting that the observed management differences are due to the very ‘public’ and ‘private’ nature of these institutions. The results also show that while management practices among Catholic schools vary systematically with characteristics of their clients and settings, the management practices of public schools, that face a more heterogeneous set of clients and communities, do not. These results suggest that adaptation to local conditions, a presumed advantage of the decentralized system of education in the United States, does not occur, at least in terms of management practices. The final section of the chapter briefly explores the implications of management differences for the work of teachers.
Environmental correlates of infant blood lead levels in Boston

Abstract From a blood lead survey of 11,837 births, 249 newborns were enrolled in a 2-year, longitudinal study. Their blood leads (PbB) were measured semiannually, and their homes were visited for repeated collections of dust, soil, indoor air, tap water, and paint. Recent refinishing activity and the sizes of nearby streets were recorded. Overall mean PbB was 7.2 μg/dl (SD = 5.3) at birth. PbB did not vary systematically with age. Each subject's average postnatal PbB correlated highly with the amount of lead in dust (r = 0.4, P
The effects of clipping and soil moisture on leaf and root morphology and root respiration in two temperate and two tropical grasses

Numerous studies have explored the effect of environmental conditions on a number of plant physiological and structural traits, such as photosynthetic rate, shoot versus root biomass allocation, and leaf and root morphology. In contrast, there have been a few investigations of how those conditions may influence root respiration, even though this flux can represent a major component of carbon (C) pathway in plants. In this study, we examined the response of mass-specific root respiration (μmol CO2 g−1 s−1), shoot and root biomass, and leaf photosynthesis to clipping and variable soil moisture in two C3 (Festuca idahoensis Elmer., Poa pratensis L.) and two C4 (Andropogon greenwayi Napper, and Sporobolus kentrophyllus K. Schum.) grass species. The C3 and C4 grasses were collected in Yellowstone National Park, USA and the Serengeti ecosystem, Africa, respectively, where they evolved under temporally variable soil moisture conditions and were exposed to frequent, often intense grazing. We also measured the influence of clipping and soil moisture on specific leaf area (SLA), a trait associated with moisture conservation, and specific root length (SRL), a trait associated with efficiency per unit mass of soil resource uptake. Clipping did not influence any plant trait, with the exception that it reduced the root to shoot ratio (R:S) and increased SRL in P. pratensis. In contrast to the null effect of clipping on specific root respiration, reduced soil moisture lowered specific root respiration in all four species. In addition, species differed in how leaf and root structural traits responded to lower available soil moisture. P. pratensis and A. greenwayi increased SLA, by 23% and 33%, respectively, and did not alter SRL. Conversely, S. kentrophyllus increased SRL by 42% and did not alter SLA. F. idahoensis responded to lower available soil moisture by increasing both SLA and SRL by 38% and 33%, respectively. These responses were species-specific strategies that did not coincide with photosynthetic pathway (C3/C4) or growth form. Thus, mass-specific root respiration responded uniformly among these four grass species to clipping (no effect) and increased soil moisture stress (decline), whereas the responses of other traits (i.e., R:S ratio, SLA, SRL) to the treatments, especially moisture availability, were species-specific. Consequently, the effects of either clipping or variation in soil moisture on the C budget of these four different grasses species were driven primarily by the plasticity of R:S ratios and the structural leaf and root traits of individual species, rather than variation in the response of mass-specific root respiration.
Simulation Studies as Designed Experiments: The Comparison of Penalized Regression Models in the ''Large p, Small n'' Setting

New algorithms are continuously proposed in computational biology. Performance evaluation of novel methods is important in practice. Nonetheless, the field experiences a lack of rigorous methodology aimed to systematically and objectively evaluate competing approaches. Simulation studies are frequently used to show that a particular method outperforms another. Often times, however, simulation studies are not well designed, and it is hard to characterize the particular conditions under which different methods perform better. In this paper we propose the adoption of well established techniques in the design of computer and physical experiments for developing effective simulation studies. By following best practices in planning of experiments we are better able to understand the strengths and weaknesses of competing algorithms leading to more informed decisions about which method to use for a particular task. We illustrate the application of our proposed simulation framework with a detailed comparison of the ridge-regression, lasso and elastic-net algorithms in a large scale study investigating the effects on predictive performance of sample size, number of features, true model sparsity, signal-to-noise ratio, and feature correlation, in situations where the number of covariates is usually much larger than sample size. Analysis of data sets containing tens of thousands of features but only a few hundred samples is nowadays routine in computational biology, where “omics” features such as gene expression, copy number variation and sequence data are frequently used in the predictive modeling of complex phenotypes such as anticancer drug response. The penalized regression approaches investigated in this study are popular choices in this setting and our simulations corroborate well established results concerning the conditions under which each one of these methods is expected to perform best while providing several novel insights.
Circumstances for Pluto-Charon mutual events in 1988

Circumstances are tabulated for 88 Pluto-Charon mutual events occurring during the 1987 opposition. Charon is predicted to be completely obscured either by Pluto or Pluto's shadow during each passage behind Pluto during this opposition, providing several opportunities to study Pluto uncontaminated by the light of Charon. The duration of these total events is predicted to be from 32 to 79 min. The mutual-event season is now expected to conclude during the 1990 opposition. Two new stars have been selected as comparison stars for events occurring prior to opposition in 1987. Standardization of the primary comparison stars used in 1985 and 1986 has yielded the following magnitudes: B = 12.6044 + or - 0.0015 and V = 11.7956 + or - 0.0017 (1985 Primary); B = 13.1238 + or 0.0008 and V = 12.3885 + or - 0.0014 (1986 Primary).
Participation in the national school lunch program: importance of school-level and neighborhood contextual factors.

BACKGROUND: This study examined the effect of stigma (proxied by school-level peer participation), neighborhood food environment, and demographic characteristics on participation in the U.S. Department of Agriculture National School Lunch Program (NSLP). METHODS: The 1997 and 2003 waves of the Child Development Supplement to the Panel Study of Income Dynamics were linked to external data on school-level free lunch eligibility rate, fast food restaurant availability in the school zip code, and food store availability and neighborhood socioeconomic status in the home zip code. Probit models examined the effects of contextual and demographic factors on NSLP participation and free/reduced-price NSLP participation, conditional on eligibility. Differences were analyzed by grade. RESULTS: A 10% higher free lunch eligibility rate in a child's school was associated with a 1.8 percentage point increase in the probability of NSLP participation and 2.6 and 6.7 percentage points increase in free/reduced-price NSLP participation among all and high school eligible student, respectively. Fewer grocery stores and more convenience stores increased NSLP participation. Fast food restaurant availability in the school neighborhood decreased free/reduced-price NSLP participation for high school students only. The addition of the contextual factors reduced the estimated association with several of the demographic covariates, especially race. CONCLUSIONS: The significant positive association between NLSP participation and school-level free lunch eligibility, especially for the free/reduced-price NSLP participation, suggested that stigma, or possibly peers, affected participation. Neighborhood and school contextual variables had significant effects on school lunch take-up and the results differed between high school and elementary/middle school students.
Easy and accurate calculation of programmed temperature gas chromatographic retention times by back-calculation of temperature and hold-up time profiles.

Abstract Linear retention indices are commonly used to identify compounds in programmed-temperature gas chromatography (GC), but they are unreliable unless the original experimental conditions used to measure them are stringently reproduced. However, differences in many experimental conditions may be properly taken into account by calculating programmed-temperature retention times of compounds from their measured isothermal retention vs. temperature relationships. We call this approach “retention projection”. Until now, retention projection has been impractical because it required very precise, meticulous measurement of the temperature vs. time and hold-up time vs. temperature profiles actually produced by a specific GC instrument to be accurate. Here we present a new, easy-to-use methodology to precisely measure those profiles: we spike a sample with 25 n -alkanes and use their measured, programmed-temperature retention times to precisely back-calculate what the instrument profiles must have been. Then, when we use those back-calculated profiles to project retention times of 63 chemically diverse compounds, we found that the projections are extremely accurate (e.g. to ±0.9 s in a 40 min ramp). They remained accurate with different temperature programs, GC instruments, inlet pressures, flow rates, and with columns taken from different batches of stationary phase while the accuracy of retention indices became worse the more the experimental conditions were changed from the original ones used to measure them. We also developed new, open-source software ( http://www.retentionprediction.org/gc ) to demonstrate the system.
Structures of human insulin-degrading enzyme reveal a new substrate recognition mechanism

Insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE), a Zn2+-metalloprotease, is involved in the clearance of insulin and amyloid-beta (refs 1-3). Loss-of-function mutations of IDE in rodents cause glucose intolerance and cerebral accumulation of amyloid-beta, whereas enhanced IDE activity effectively reduces brain amyloid-beta (refs 4-7). Here we report structures of human IDE in complex with four substrates (insulin B chain, amyloid-beta peptide (1-40), amylin and glucagon). The amino- and carboxy-terminal domains of IDE (IDE-N and IDE-C, respectively) form an enclosed cage just large enough to encapsulate insulin. Extensive contacts between IDE-N and IDE-C keep the degradation chamber of IDE inaccessible to substrates. Repositioning of the IDE domains enables substrate access to the catalytic cavity. IDE uses size and charge distribution of the substrate-binding cavity selectively to entrap structurally diverse polypeptides. The enclosed substrate undergoes conformational changes to form beta-sheets with two discrete regions of IDE for its degradation. Consistent with this model, mutations disrupting the contacts between IDE-N and IDE-C increase IDE catalytic activity 40-fold. The molecular basis for substrate recognition and allosteric regulation of IDE could aid in designing IDE-based therapies to control cerebral amyloid-beta and blood sugar concentrations.
Determination of radiographic screen–film system characteristic curve and its gradient by use of a curve-smoothing technique

One of the important factors affecting radiographic image quality is the film contrast of the recording system, which may be expressed by the gradient of its H & D curve. Experimental determinations of H & D curves are subject to relatively small error, which can nevertheless cause large fluctuations and uncertainties in the calculated gradient. To reduce this fluctuation, we wrote a computer program for orthogonal-polynomial (discrete Legendre polynomials) curve fitting by means of least-squares estimation of parameters. This procedure facilitates curve smoothing and gradient computation following sensitometric measurements. The program was tested against a large number of measured characteristic curves. A brief description of the program is given, with examples which illustrate its applications.
Experiences with Pip: finding unexpected behavior in distributed systems

Bugs in complex distributed systems are often hard to find. Many bugs reflect discrepancies between a system's behavior and the programmer's assumptions about that behavior. Differences may be in correctness, in performance characteristics, or both. Our debugging framework, Pip, compares actual behavior with expected behavior and visualizes both. Pip consists of two tools to help reconcile assumptions and actual behavior: an automatic expectations checker and an interactive behavior-explorer GUI.
Strategies for leader cognition: Viewing the glass “half full” and “half empty”

Abstract Leader cognition proves to be central to organizational functioning as leaders generate solutions and provide direction when organizations encounter problems. This study examined the effects of utilizing different general thinking strategies for thinking through organizational problems on the formation of problem solutions and statements articulating a future vision. Specifically, the effects of focusing on the positive, the negative, or balancing positivity and negativity were examined regarding their influence on the quality, originality, and elegance of solutions and the viability of vision statements. Participants were asked to assume the role of a leader in an educational technology firm and provide a solution and vision statement to address the firm's challenges. The results revealed that a positivity strategy – thinking about positive outcomes and means for attaining success – resulted in lower quality solutions and less viable visions than a balanced positive–negative strategy—either thinking about negative outcomes and means for attaining success or positive outcomes and means for avoiding failure. Solution originality, however, was moderated by attribution of responsibility such that thinking about negative outcomes and avoiding failure resulted in more original solutions when responsibility for the conditions confronting the firm could be attributed externally rather than internally. The implications of these findings for understanding leader cognition and performance are discussed.
Strain relaxation in sol-gel grown epitaxial anatase thin films

Anatase TiO2 thin films on LaAlO3 (LAO) substrates were epitaxially grown at a temperature as low as 350 °C using a simple sol−gel process. X-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy showed that the anatase films have the epitaxial relationship of (001)TiO2||(001)LaAlO3. While the low-temperature growth of the anatase film yielded a residual strain, subsequent annealing at higher temperatures can remove the strain and recover the lattice parameters of a perfect anatase crystal. Measurements of the oxygen content in the anatase films by non-Rutherford elastic resonance scattering analysis suggest that the strain relaxation during higher temperature annealing is due to the incorporation of oxygen and the concomitant annihilation of oxygen vacancies.
Boundary-Layer Instability Measurements in a Mach-6 Quiet Tunnel

Several experiments have been performed in the Boeing/AFOSR Mach-6 Quiet Tunnel at Purdue University. A 7 degree half angle cone at 6 degree angle of attack with temperature-sensitive paint (TSP) and PCB pressure transducers was tested under quiet flow. The stationary crossflow vortices appear to break down to turbulence near the lee ray for sufficiently high Reynolds numbers. Attempts to use roughness elements to control the spacing of hot streaks on a flared cone in quiet flow did not succeed. Roughness was observed to damp the second-mode waves in areas influenced by the roughness, and wide roughness spacing allowed hot streaks to form between the roughness elements. A forward-facing cavity was used for proof-of-concept studies for a laser perturber. The lowest density at which the freestream laser perturbations could be detected was 1.07 x 10(exp -2) kilograms per cubic meter. Experiments were conducted to determine the transition characteristics of a streamwise corner flow at hypersonic velocities. Quiet flow resulted in a delayed onset of hot streak spreading. Under low Reynolds number flow hot streak spreading did not occur along the model. A new shock tube has been built at Purdue. The shock tube is designed to create weak shocks suitable for calibrating sensors, particularly PCB-132 sensors. PCB-132 measurements in another shock tube show the shock response and a linear calibration over a moderate pressure range.
Lipopeptide nanoparticles for potent and selective siRNA delivery in rodents and nonhuman primates

siRNA therapeutics have promise for the treatment of a wide range of genetic disorders. Motivated by lipoproteins, we report lipopeptide nanoparticles as potent and selective siRNA carriers with a wide therapeutic index. Lead material cKK-E12 showed potent silencing effects in mice (ED50 ∼ 0.002 mg/kg), rats (ED50 < 0.01 mg/kg), and nonhuman primates (over 95% silencing at 0.3 mg/kg). Apolipoprotein E plays a significant role in the potency of cKK-E12 both in vitro and in vivo. cKK-E12 was highly selective toward liver parenchymal cell in vivo, with orders of magnitude lower doses needed to silence in hepatocytes compared with endothelial cells and immune cells in different organs. Toxicity studies showed that cKK-E12 was well tolerated in rats at a dose of 1 mg/kg (over 100-fold higher than the ED50). To our knowledge, this is the most efficacious and selective nonviral siRNA delivery system for gene silencing in hepatocytes reported to date.
Latent and Sensible Heat Flux Calculations at the Air-Sea Interface During AMTEX 74

Abstract Computations of latent and sensible heat flux at the air-sea interface using the bulk-aerodynamic method are presented for the period of the 1974 Air Mass Transformation Experiment (AMTEX) conducted over the East China Sea. Results show quantitatively the impact of the outbreak of cold and dry polar air over the warm Kuroshio Current as sensible and latent heat flux increased, respectively, from minima of 49 and 182 cal cm−2 day−1 to maxima of 485 and 1099 cal cm−2 day−1. Correspondingly, the total heat flux (sensible and latent) from the sea to the atmosphere from the warm to cold periods increased from 231 cal cm−2 day−1 to 1584 cal cm−2 day−1 which should be a representative range of extreme values for weak and strong heat flux associated with air-sea interaction. Some discussion is given as to the effect of this strong increase in heat flux during air mass modification on the evolution of cyclones over the Kuroshio Current and the Gulf Stream.
Solution structure of the ESCRT-I and -II supercomplex: implications for membrane budding and scission.

The ESCRT-I and ESCRT-II supercomplex induces membrane buds that invaginate into the lumen of endosomes, a process central to the lysosomal degradation of ubiquitinated membrane proteins. The solution conformation of the membrane-budding ESCRT-I-II supercomplex from yeast was refined against small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), single-molecule Forster resonance energy transfer (smFRET), and double electron-electron resonance (DEER) spectra. These refinements yielded an ensemble of 18 ESCRT-I-II supercomplex structures that range from compact to highly extended. The crescent shapes of the ESCRT-I-II supercomplex structures provide the basis for a detailed mechanistic model, in which ESCRT-I-II stabilizes membrane buds and coordinates cargo sorting by lining the pore of the nascent bud necks. The hybrid refinement used here is general and should be applicable to other dynamic multiprotein assmeblies.
Melatonin Treatment Affects the Attractiveness of the Anogenital Area Scent in Meadow Voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus)

Seasonal differences exist in the attractiveness of scents in meadow voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus. To determine whether photoperiodically induced changes in the attractiveness of a sex-specific scent is governed by melatonin, we implanted long-photoperiod male and female scent donors with a Silastic implant containing a 10-mm active length of melatonin, a 20-mm active length of melatonin, or no melatonin. The first experiment shows that 8 weeks of melatonin treatment is sufficient to induce long-photoperiod voles to produce scents that are no longer attractive to the opposite sex. The second experiment shows that a similar time course of melatonin treatment was sufficient to induce long-photoperiod females treated with melatonin to produce scents that are attractive to short-photoperiod females. Melatonin implants lowered the gonadal hormone titers and reduced the weight of the gonads of treated long-photoperiod voles to titers and weights that are characteristic of short-photoperiod voles. In both experiments, the behavioral and physiological effects were independent of whether scent donors received 10- or 20-mm implants of melatonin. Together, the results of the two experiments reveal that melatonin mediates the photoperiodically induced changes in gonadal hormone titers that control the seasonal differences in the sexual attractiveness of the anogenital area scent produced by meadow voles.
Intermittent Claudication: Incidence in the Framingham Study

A general population sample of adult men and women was followed biennially over 14 years during which time 79 men and 46 women developed initial symptoms of intermittent claudication. A detailed examination of the incidence of this manifestation of atherothrombosis in comparison to that of coronary heart disease and atherothrombotic brain infarction was undertaken. As for coronary heart disease (CHD), the incidence of intermittent claudication increased with age. Women lagged behind men by 10 years in incidence. Atherothrombotic brain infarction in contrast exhibited no male predominance and after the early sixties the women actually surged ahead. Uncomplicated angina, surprisingly, resembled brain infarction more than intermittent claudication in the age-sex trend. A pronounced increase in risk of intermittent claudication was noted for persons with CHD in general and angina in particular, suggesting a common underlying basis for claudication and coronary disease. The principal hazard for subjects with claudication appeared to derive from an increased propensity to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality rather than from the consequences of impaired circulation to the limb. Risk of death was twofold for those with claudication as compared to those without.
The macroeconomic impacts of government debt: An empirical analysis of the 1980s and 1990s

This study examines the macroeconomic impacts of government debt. Unlike previous studies, the current study restricts the estimation period to the 1980s and 1990s. The analysis is conducted using variance decompositions and impulse response functions derived from a vector autoregressive model. The results presented here support an extreme form of the Ricardian equivalence hypothesis. In this view, wealth falls as government debt rises. Because wealth falls as government debt rises, an increase in government debt leads to decreases in interest rates, output, and the price level.
An Economic Investigation of the Import Licensing Methods and TRQs in Agriculture

Tariff-Rate Quotas (TRQs) were introduced at the outset of the Uruguay Round to support market access following the tariffication of non-tariff barriers to trade in agriculture. TRQs created an administrative mess in which governments often discretionarily allocate import licenses to private and/or public firms. Numerous papers describe the arbitrarily chosen procedures used to allocate licenses in different countries and the resulting distorted trade patterns. However, few research efforts have formally studied the impacts of different administrative methods on welfare. Due to significant spreads between domestic and world prices, the administration of import licenses can have important strategic effects under imperfect competition. We propose a simple theoretical framework to highlight the various economic implications of two methods used by WTO members: the historical allocation and the first-come-first-serve procedures. These two methods differ in their discretionary degree and, under imperfect competition, lead to different welfare implications depending on the structural parameters of an industry. Numerical simulations are provided to illustrate our findings
Miniature high-Q double-spiral slot-line resonator filters

A new class of low insertion-loss miniaturized filters using slot-line resonators is proposed. Miniaturization is achieved by terminating the slot line with a double-spiral inductive termination at both ends. Using this miniaturized resonator, both positive and negative couplings may be realized, and therefore, both standard coupled-line and cross-coupled quasi-elliptic filters are realizable. The unloaded Q of these slot-line filters is considerably higher than that of miniaturized microstrip filters of comparable dimensions due to the inherent higher Q of the slot line. To demonstrate the validity of the design procedures and the performance characteristics, two different types of filters were fabricated and tested. One is a four-pole Chebyshev filter and the other is a quasi-elliptic filter where, in each case, the full-wave simulations show very good agreement with measurements.
Synthesis, characterization, and photochemical and computational investigations of Ru(II) heterocyclic complexes containing 2,6-dimethylphenylisocyanide (CNx) ligand.

The isocyanide ligand forms complexes with ruthenium(II) bis-bipyridine of the type [Ru(bpy)2(CNx)Cl](CF3SO3) (1), [Ru(bpy)2(CNx)(py)](PF6)2 (2), and [Ru(bpy)2(CNx)2](PF6)2 (3) (bpy = 2,2‘-bipyridi...
Learning Optimized Local Difference Binaries for Scalable Augmented Reality on Mobile Devices

The efficiency, robustness and distinctiveness of a feature descriptor are critical to the user experience and scalability of a mobile augmented reality (AR) system. However, existing descriptors are either too computationally expensive to achieve real-time performance on a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet, or not sufficiently robust and distinctive to identify correct matches from a large database. As a result, current mobile AR systems still only have limited capabilities, which greatly restrict their deployment in practice. In this paper, we propose a highly efficient, robust and distinctive binary descriptor, called Learning-based Local Difference Binary (LLDB). LLDB directly computes a binary string for an image patch using simple intensity and gradient difference tests on pairwise grid cells within the patch. To select an optimized set of grid cell pairs, we densely sample grid cells from an image patch and then leverage a modified AdaBoost algorithm to automatically extract a small set of critical ones with the goal of maximizing the Hamming distance between mismatches while minimizing it between matches. Experimental results demonstrate that LLDB is extremely fast to compute and to match against a large database due to its high robustness and distinctiveness. Compared to the state-of-the-art binary descriptors, primarily designed for speed, LLDB has similar efficiency for descriptor construction, while achieving a greater accuracy and faster matching speed when matching over a large database with 2.3M descriptors on mobile devices.
The chromatography of ninhydrin negative compounds on an amino acid analyzer column.

Abstract The elution of 30 radioactive ninhydrin negative compounds from an amino acid analyzer column is described. Some compounds of metabolic interest are shown to be well separated on the column. The effect of CH2-groups on the elution of compounds is shown to depend on the size of the given molecule. Based on the elution of the compounds tested some calculations are made concerning the volume occupied by the resin, the water in and surrounding the resin.
Strain and chirality effects on the mechanical and electronic properties of silicene and silicane under uniaxial tension

Abstract We present first principles theory calculations on the mechanical and electronic properties of silicene and silicane structure under uniaxial tensile strain along different directions. Chirality effect is more significant in the mechanical properties of silicene than those of silicane. Different failure mechanisms are identified. A small band gap (up to 0.8 eV) is developed from zero with silicene structure under uniaxial tension and vanishes before the structure reaches its in-plane ultimate strength. However, a pre-existing band gap (2.39 eV) exists with silicane structure and decreases to zero with the increasing tensile strain without chirality effects.
The role of private body consciousness and anxiety in the report of somatic symptoms during magnetic resonance imaging

The present study examined an information processing model of symptom reporting (Ahles, Cassens, & Stallings, Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry 18, 215-222, 1987) in a medical sample during an anxiety-arousing diagnostic medical evaluation. The predisposition to attend to physical sensations (private body consciousness), state anxiety, and symptom reporting were assessed in 47 patients undergoing a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) procedure. The results of this study provide further support for the information processing model; the interaction between private body consciousness and state anxiety significantly predicted symptom reporting during the MRI. The pattern of results points to attention to physical sensations and anxiety as important mediators of symptom reporting.
Empty Neighborhoods: Using Constructs to Predict the Probability of Housing Abandonment

Housing abandonment contributes to neighborhood decline. It is a significant problem, especially in places facing population loss. One approach for dealing with abandonment is to prevent it from occurring in the first place. However, before we can implement successful prevention efforts, it is necessary to better understand what abandonment is and what factors predict it. Therefore, to assist planners and policymakers in allocating scarce resources, this study has three objectives. The first is to determine whether there are constructs that underlie abandonment. The second is to see whether those constructs predict abandonment. The third is to examine whether the effects of the constructs on the probability of abandonment are the same for two cities. The study finds that abandonment consists of four constructs: market conditions, gentrification, physical neglect, and socioeconomic conditions. The first three of these significantly predict the probability of a house being abandoned. The study also finds th...