cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CYP46A1-dependent and independent effects of efavirenz treatment.

Cholesterol excess in the brain is mainly disposed via cholesterol 24-hydroxylation catalysed by cytochrome P450 46A1, a CNS-specific enzyme. Cytochrome P450 46A1 is emerging as a promising therapeutic target for various brain diseases with both enzyme activation and inhibition having therapeutic potential. The rate of cholesterol 24-hydroxylation determines the rate of brain cholesterol turnover and the rate of sterol flux through the plasma membranes. The latter was shown to affect membrane properties and thereby membrane proteins and membrane-dependent processes. Previously we found that treatment of 5XFAD mice, an Alzheimer's disease model, with a small dose of anti-HIV drug efavirenz allosterically activated cytochrome P450 46A1 in the brain and mitigated several disease manifestations. Herein, we generated Cyp46a1-/- 5XFAD mice and treated them, along with 5XFAD animals, with efavirenz to ascertain cytochrome P450 46A1-dependent and independent drug effects. Efavirenz-treated versus control Cyp46a1-/- 5XFAD and 5XFAD mice were compared for the brain sterol and steroid hormone content, amyloid β burden, protein and mRNA expression as well as synaptic ultrastructure. We found that the cytochrome P450 46A1-dependent efavirenz effects included changes in the levels of brain sterols, steroid hormones, and such proteins as glial fibrillary acidic protein, Iba1, Munc13-1, post-synaptic density-95, gephyrin, synaptophysin and synapsin-1. Changes in the expression of genes involved in neuroprotection, neurogenesis, synaptic function, inflammation, oxidative stress and apoptosis were also cytochrome P450 46A1-dependent. The total amyloid β load was the same in all groups of animals, except lack of cytochrome P450 46A1 decreased the production of the amyloid β40 species independent of treatment. In contrast, altered transcription of genes from cholinergic, monoaminergic, and peptidergic neurotransmission, steroid sulfation and production as well as vitamin D3 activation was the main CYP46A1-independent efavirenz effect. Collectively, the data obtained reveal that CYP46A1 controls cholesterol availability for the production of steroid hormones in the brain and the levels of biologically active neurosteroids. In addition, cytochrome P450 46A1 activity also seems to affect the levels of post-synaptic density-95, the main postsynaptic density protein, possibly by altering the calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II inhibitor 1 expression and activity of glycogen synthase kinase 3β. Even at a small dose, efavirenz likely acts as a transcriptional regulator, yet this regulation may not necessarily lead to functional effects. This study further confirmed that cytochrome P450 46A1 is a key enzyme for cholesterol homeostasis in the brain and that the therapeutic efavirenz effects on 5XFAD mice are likely realized via cytochrome P450 46A1 activation.
A national analysis of pediatric firearm violence and the effects of race and insurance status on risk of mortality.

Abstract Objectives To perform a national analysis of pediatric firearm violence (PFV), hypothesizing that black and uninsured patients would have higher risk of mortality. Methods The Trauma Quality Improvement Program (2014–2016) was queried for PFV patients ≤16 years-old. Multivariable logistic regression models on all patients and a subset excluding severe brain injuries were performed. Results The PFV mortality rate was 11.2%. 66.5% of PFV patients were black (p Conclusion Nearly two-thirds of PFV patients were black. Contrary to previous studies, black and uninsured pediatric patients did not have an increased risk of mortality overall. However, in a subset of patients without severe brain injury, black race was associated with increased mortality risk. Summary Between 2014 and 2016 the mortality rate for pediatric firearm violence (PFV) in children 16 years and younger was 11.2%. Although two-thirds of PFV patients were black, black race and lack of insurance were not risk factors of mortality for the overall population. Once patients with severe brain injury were excluded, black race and became associated with an increased risk of mortality.
Growth At All Costs? Managerial Expertise and the Pursuit of Development Over Redistribution in U.S. Cities

Since the Progressive Era, reformers have theorized that a technocratic approach to city management would lead to economic prosperity. But are managerially skilled leaders really better at generating local growth? If so, who benefits? We bring systematic new evidence to bear on these questions by conducting an original phone survey on the management practices of over 300 mayors and city managers across the US. Using a difference-in-differences design, we examine how changes in leadership affect within-city expenditure patterns and growth related outcomes. We find that when managerially skilled local leaders take office, their cities increase spending on developmental policies and grow more quickly. But these technocratic leaders also reduce funding for redistributive programs, including public health. These results are consistent with classic work in urban political economy suggesting that the pursuit of growth can come at the expense of providing services for less advantaged residents.
The Evolution of Trust Within a Global Health Partnership With the Private Sector: An Inductive Framework.

Background Public-private partnerships (PPPs) in global health are increasingly common to support sustainable development and strengthen health systems in low- and middle-income countries. Since the release of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015 culminating in a discrete goal “to revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development,” public health scholars have sought to understand what makes PPPs successful in different contexts. While trust has long been identified as a key component of successful strategic alliances in the private sector, less is known about how trust emerges between public- and private- sector partners, particularly in global health. Therefore, we investigated how trust between partners evolved in the context of Project Last Mile (PLM), a global health partnership that translates the business acumen of The Coca-Cola Company to strengthen public health systems across Africa. Methods This study draws upon secondary analysis of qualitative data generated as part of the longitudinal, mixedmethods evaluation of PLM across country settings. Seventy-seven interviews with a purposeful sample of key stakeholders were conducted in Mozambique, South Africa and eSwatini between August 2016 and July 2018. Trained qualitative interviewers followed a standard discussion guide, and audio-recorded interviews with participants’ consent. In this secondary analysis, we analyzed qualitative data to understand how trust between partners was cultivated across settings. Results We drew upon stakeholder experiences to inform an inductive framework for how trust develops over time. Our analysis revealed five domains that were foundational to building trust: (1) reputational context, (2) team composition, (3) tangible outputs, (4) shared values, and (5) effective communication. Conclusion The framework may be useful for private and public sector entities seeking to establish and sustain trust within their global health partnerships.
Embodying resistance: Understanding identity in a globalized digital future through the lens of mixed and multiracial Caribbeans

Mixed and multiracial individuals embody an increasingly transnational world and develop identities that identify with and integrate multiple racial and ethnic groups. The current research explores...
Use of MRI and Ga-68 DOTATATE for the detection of neuroendocrine liver metastases

To compare detection rates of NET liver metastases of MRI and Ga-68-DOTATATE PET/CT to provide more clarity when selecting diagnostic imaging tests for NET staging. In this IRB-approved single-institution retrospective study, all patients with pathology-proven NET who underwent Ga-68-DOTATATE and MRI scans within 8 weeks of each other (3/2017–2/2020) were reviewed. Number of metastases for each patient on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI, and Ga-68 DOTATATE were recorded by two blinded radiologists, followed by consensus review with two separate blinded readers for MRI and nuclear medicine. Per-lesion and -modality scoring at each lesion location were then performed in consensus. Per-patient linear regression was performed comparing MRI and Ga-68 DOTATATE detection rates for each reader and in consensus, and per-lesion-matched pair difference means were used to compare detection frequency between modalities. 32 patients (mean age 59 years, 59.4% male) and 90 liver metastases were analyzed. Intraclass coefficients (ICC) [95% CI] between the two readers were 0.97 [0.95, 0.99], 0.89 [0.82, 0.94], and 0.98 [0.97, 0.99] for Ga-68 DOTATATE, DWI, and DCE, respectively. Matched per-lesion mean differences were + 0.17 ± 0.07 (p = 0.01) and + 0.22 ± 0.06 (p = < 0.001) for DWI versus Ga-68 DOTATATE and DCE vs Ga-68 DOTATATE, respectively, favoring MRI. Case-based linear regressions estimate that DWI and DCE detect 1.28 [1.07, 1.49] and 1.33 [1.12, 1.54] lesions, respectively, for each one detected on Ga-68 DOTATATE. MRI detects more hepatic NET metastasis in comparison to Ga-68 DOTATATE. Liver MRI should be performed in concert with Ga-68 DOTATATE in NET staging.
New Ambient Air Quality Standards - Analytic Challenges and Process Changes: An FHWA Perspective of the Impacts on Small and Medium Sized Areas

Significant changes to standards and regulations that influence metropolitan transportation planning in many areas were made in 1997. Specifically, the U.S. EPA issued both a new set of National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and major revisions to the Conformity Rule. The impacts of the new standards and the conformity rule are interrelated. For example, the current conformity regulations are based on the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendment nonattainment designations which in turn are based on the old NAAQS. Thus with new NAAQS one would expect new designations and a new set of conformity regulations. However, the medium to long term impacts of these changes on the planning processes and the analysis techniques employed by small-medium size areas is not yet clear. It does appear that the changes in the ozone and particulate matter standards will result in numerous new nonattainment areas, some of which will likely be considered small or medium-sized areas. This paper will first provide background information on the new standards. Second, it will provide a review of some of the applicable transportation and air quality terminology. Third, the "current" air quality status of small and medium sized areas will be described and developing issues will be discussed. Finally, information will be provided which will assist small-medium sized areas in their preparations to meet the analysis requirements under the new standards and revised regulations.
Temporal Collaborative Filtering with Bayesian Probabilistic Tensor Factorization

Real-world relational data are seldom stationary, yet traditional collaborative filtering algorithms generally rely on this assumption. Motivated by our sales prediction problem, we propose a factor-based algorithm that is able to take time into account. By introducing additional factors for time, we formalize this problem as a tensor factorization with a special constraint on the time dimension. Further, we provide a fully Bayesian treatment to avoid tuning parameters and achieve automatic model complexity control. To learn the model we develop an efficient sampling procedure that is capable of analyzing large-scale data sets. This new algorithm, called Bayesian Probabilistic Tensor Factorization (BPTF), is evaluated on several real-world problems including sales prediction and movie recommendation. Empirical results demonstrate the superiority of our temporal model.
Imaging crustal and upper mantle structure beneath the Colorado Plateau using finite frequency Rayleigh wave tomography

A new 3-D shear velocity model of the crust and upper mantle beneath the Colorado Plateau and surrounding regions of the southwestern United States was made with finite frequency Rayleigh wave tomography using EarthScope/USArray data. The goal of our study is to examine the Colorado Plateau lithospheric modification that has resulted from Cenozoic tectonism and magmatism. We have inverted for the isotropic Vs model from a grid of Rayleigh wave dispersion curves obtained by a modified two-plane wave method for periods from 20 to 167 s. We map the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary under the Colorado Plateau by identifying the middle of the shallowest upper mantle negative Vs gradient. The depths of the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary inferred here agree well with receiver function estimates made independently. The strong lateral heterogeneity of shear velocity can be mainly attributed to 200–400 K variations in temperature together with ∼1% partial melt fraction in the shallow upper mantle. The resulting Vs structures clearly image the upper mantle low-velocity zones under the Colorado Plateau margins that are associated with magmatic encroachment. These upper mantle low-velocity zones resulted from the convective removal of the Colorado Plateau lithosphere that had been rehydrated by subduction-released water, refertilizing and destabilizing it. This convective erosion by the asthenosphere at the low-viscosity part of the lithosphere is driven by the large step in lithospheric thickness and the thermal gradient across the boundary between the plateau and the extended Basin and Range since the Mid-Cenozoic at a rate similar to that of magmatic migration into the plateau from the southeast, south, and northwest. Moreover, the Rayleigh wave tomography model images parts of a high-velocity drip in the western Colorado Plateau and thus provides additional seismic evidence for ongoing convective downwelling of the lithosphere that was initially suggested by receiver functions and body wave tomography. The widespread edge convective erosion, which the regional delamination-style downwelling processes are a 3-D manifestation of, could provide additional buoyancy sources to support the excess uplift at the margins of the plateau.
Pointillist and glyph-based visualization of nanoparticles in formation

In this paper we offer new, texture-based methods for the visualization of multivariate data. These methods aim to more effectively convey the results of calculations simulating the formation of nanoparticles in turbulent fl ows. In these simulations, an entire distribution of nanoparticles is computed at every point across a two-dimensional slice of the data space, for every time step. Previous visualization methods have relied on multiple separate images to convey summary statistics about the datasets, including mean diameter and standard deviation of particle sizes. We introduce new methods based on texture which aim to enable the integrated understanding of the entire distribution of values at each point across the domain in terms of both summary statistics at each point and particle counts for various sizes of particles. Pointillism is used to represent the data at each point across the data range as a high-resolution texture. Circular glyphs can also be used to form a more discrete, spot-based texture, in which different characteristics of the distribution are encoded in various features of the spots.
Economic and Industry Determinants of Accounting Method Choice

This study synthesizes and extends the prior literature examining economic motives for manager's accounting method choices. First, we present a framework for organizing the economic factors that potentially influence managers' accounting decisions. We apply our framework to examine inventory and depreciation method choices because they are directly observable and have large sustained effects on earnings. Second, we present descriptive statistics on the distribution of these and combined-method choices for the years 1984, 1990, and 1996. Both firm and industry level data show a preponderance of income-increasing methods in each year as well as a trend toward more income-increasing methods over time. Third, we identify 19 independent variables (largely drawn from the past 20 years of research) to explain the inventory, depreciation, and combined-method choices of over 2,000 firms for the years 1984, 1990 and 1996. Taken together, these variables explain a high percentage of the cross-sectional variation in method choices (e.g., adjusted R2 of 23%-27% for combined-method choices). Finally, we add variables that proxy for industry determinants of accounting method choice, which increases total explanatory power to 28%-37% for combined-method choices. Both sets of variables, economic and industry, have incremental explanatory power over the other. Given earlier studies often explained less than 5%, our results suggest that, cumulatively, the accounting literature has made considerable progress in identifying economic factors associated with managers' accounting method choices.
Significant modulation of variability and projected change in California winter precipitation by extratropical cyclone activity

Extratropical cyclones give rise to much of the precipitation over California. Observed California winter precipitation is highly correlated to a metric of extratropical cyclone activity over the Eastern Pacific. The lack of precipitation over the recent winters is coincident with consecutive winters of much below average cyclone activity. Analysis of variability in cyclone activity and California precipitation simulated by models participating in Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 indicates that most models can simulate the relationship between cyclone activity and precipitation well. Examination of projected change suggests (1) no evidence of a long-term downward trend in California region cyclone activity within the examined scenarios and (2) that the intermodel spread in California precipitation projection can be largely explained by the spread in the projection of extratropical cyclone activity. This highlights the need to further understand physical mechanisms for the variation in projection of cyclone activity in this region.
The modified oblique Keller procedure: A technique for dorsal approach interposition arthroplasty sparing the flexor tendons

A first metatarsophalangeal joint resection arthroplasty that combines a modest metatarsal cheilectomy with an oblique resection of the phalanx base (preserving the flexor hallucis brevis attachment) combined with interposition arthroplasty of the dorsal joint capsule sewn to the plantar soft tissues is presented. Numerous surgical procedures have been described for the treatment of hallux rigidus, including dorsal cheilectomy, resection arthroplasty, joint replacement, and arthrodesis. The Keller procedure has been abandoned by many because of shortening of the great toe and loss of push-off power. The modified oblique Keller technique described here allows for intraoperative transition from cheilectomy to resection arthroplasty with what appears to be a satisfactory outcome, maintaining plantarflexion power and hallux length.
The Role of Neurobiologic Processes in Symptoms of Depression

Depression is a complex disorder that is most likely the result of multiple sources of genetic vulnerability interacting with various environmental factors. Initially, depression is associated with stressful lifetime events, but what begins as a stress-sensitive process may manifest in an autonomous manner as the brain changes over time. This brief summary discusses the pathophysiology of depression and the potentially damaging effects that depression has on the function of neurocircuits in the brain and on structures such as neurons and their supportive neuroglia.
Transforming the paradigm of transgender health: a field in transition

This special issue of Sexual and Relationship Therapy entitled “Gender Variance and Transgender Identity” is comprised of a collection of articles that reflect a transition in this growing field from a disease-based to an identity-based model of transgender health. The disease-based model assumes that normative gender identity development has been compromised and that the associated distress can be alleviated by establishing congruence between sex, gender identity and gender role, if necessary through hormonal and surgical sex reassignment. The identity-based model assumes that gender variance is merely an example of human diversity and that the distress transgender individuals might experience results from social stigma attached to gender variance. The latter model views transgender people as having an experience, identity and sexuality distinct from those of both non-transgender women and men. This paradigm shift forms the context for nine peer reviewed articles ranging from empirical research on transg...
A general forming limit criterion for sheet metal forming

The forming limit of sheet metal is defined to be the state at which a localized thinning of the sheet initiates during forming, ultimately leading to a split in the sheet. The forming limit is conventionally described as a curve in a plot of major strain vs. minor strain. This curve was originally proposed to characterize the general forming limit of sheet metal, but it has been subsequently observed that this criterion is valid only for the case of proportional loading. Nevertheless, due to the convenience of measuring strain and the lack of a better criterion, the strain- based forming limit curve continues to play a primary role in judging forming severity. In this paper it is shown that the forming limit for both proportional loading and non-proportional loading can be explained from a single criterion which is based on the state of stress rather than the state of strain. This proposed criteria is validated using data from several non-proportional loading paths previously reported in the literature for both aluminum and steel alloys. In addition to significantly improving the gauging of forming severity, the new stress-based criterion is as easy to use as the strain-based criterion in the validation of die designs by the finite element method. However, it presents a challenge to the experimentalist and the stamping plant because the state of stress cannot be directly measured. This paper will also discuss several methods to deal with this challenge so that the more general measure of forming severity, as determined by the state of stress, can be determined in the stamping plant.
Synthesis of tetraalkylammonium thiometallates in aqueous solution

Abstract An aqueous solution method for the preparation of tetraalkylammonium thiometallates (R 4 N) 2 MS 4 (R=pentyl or hexyl and, M=Mo or W) is reported. The one-step rapid substitution of [NH 4 ] + ions from ammonium thiomolybdate (ATM) and ammonium thiotungstate (ATT) with [(pentyl) 4 N] + and [(hexyl) 4 N] + ions during reactions with (pentyl) 4 NBr and (hexyl) 4 NBr, respectively, is described. One application for these tetraalkylammonium thiomolybdates and thiotungstates is as precursors for MoS 2 and WS 2 catalysts, which are used in industrial hydrodesulfurization and hydrodenitrogenation processes. The synthesized thiometallates were characterized using the spectroscopic techniques Fourier transform infra red (FTIR), ultra violet (UV) and, nuclear magnetic resonance ( 13 C NMR) for determining their chemical structures. Thermal analyzes (TGA-DTA) were done to study the fragmentation and decomposition behavior of their molecular structures.
Power consumption in agitated vessels provided with multiple-disk turbines

The power dissipated by one-, two-, or three-disk turbines (Rushton type) in stirred vessels was experimentally determined under turbulent conditions. The power dissipated by each individual impeller (in single- or multiple-impeller configurations) and the total power consumption were measured by means of strain gauges mounted on the shaft and were reported as individual or total power numbers. Results were obtained for different combinations of number of impellers, off-bottom clearance of the lowest impeller, and spacing among impellers. These variables were found to play a very important role in the power drawn by individual impellers and, hence, the total power consumption. The impeller closest to the vessel bottom generally consumed significantly less power than the other impeller(s). This was especially true for combinations of low impeller clearances and small impeller spacing. Proximity of two impellers also lowered their power consumption. Only when the impellers were significantly spaced apart an...
Odds and evens: Mathematical reasoning and informal proof among high school students

Abstract Ten high school algebra students were asked to judge simple statements about combining odd and even numbers, stating whether they were true or false. They were also asked to give justifications or explanations for their decisions. All of the students initially reasoned inductively or empirically, appealing to specific cases and justifying their answers with additional examples. On being prompted for any further explanations, seven of the students attempted to formulate some type of non-empirical rationale. However, only three students were able to create fairly coherent arguments, none of which used standard algebraic notation. Instead, two of these original, idiosyncratic arguments were based on visual representations of odd and even numbers, and the third consisted of an informal and partial argument by cases. Intuition comes to us much earlier and with much less outside influence than formal arguments … Therefore, I think that in teaching high school age youngsters we should emphasize intuitive insight more than, and long before, deductive reasoning. —Polya, George (1981, pp. 2–128)
Platelet recruitment to venous stent thrombi

Thrombosis following venous stent placement is a morbid clinical outcome. Whether to target platelets or coagulation factors for venous stent thromboprophylaxis remains unclear. We sought to determine whether integrin αIIbβ3 antagonism with lamifiban would inhibit platelet recruitment to venous stent thrombosis. Anti-thrombotic efficacy was compared between venous and arterial circulations. Pigs received either lamifiban (0.2 mg/kg bolus plus 0.2 mg/kg/h infusion; n = 6) or saline (n = 12). Carotid arteries were crush injured and then harvested 30 min later to provide an assessment of antithrombotic efficacy in the arterial circulation. Iliac venous stents were then deployed and thrombi allowed to propagate for 2 h before harvesting. Platelet deposition was measured by scintillation detection of autologous 111In-platelets. Venous thrombi were quantified by weight and compared to platelet, Von Willebrand factor (VWF) and fibrinogen content. Arterial platelet deposition (×106/cm2) was reduced >80 % by lamifiban (398 ± 437) compared to controls (1,540 ± 883; p < 0.005). Lamifiban also reduced venous thrombus platelet deposition (139 ± 88 vs. 281 ± 167) however did not prevent thrombosis. In control animals, venous stent platelet deposition correlated with plasma fibrinogen content (R2 = 0.29; p = 0.03). Fibrinogen content correlated directly with venous stent platelet deposition (p = 0.03) but not thrombus weight. Neither venous platelet deposition nor thrombus weights varied by VWF content. Platelet recruitment to venous stent thrombi occurs in part through the integrin αIIbβ3 receptor. Unlike arterial thrombosis, inhibition of this receptor is insufficient to prevent venous stent thrombosis.
Partition coefficient of membrane particles in the fusion rosette.

Abstract In freeze fracture of the Tetrahymena fusion rosetts, the fracture can pass to either side of an intercalated particle by a stochastic process, dependent only on relative bond strength to either side of the intercalation. Any given freeze fracture particle can be found on either the A or B fracture face, with a chance measured by the particle partition co-efficient (Kp).
Phosphorylation of photolyzed rhodopsin is calcium-insensitive in retina permeabilized by α-toxin

Abstract Light triggers the phototransduction cascade by activating the visual pigment rhodopsin (Rho → Rho*). Phosphorylation of Rho* by rhodopsin kinase (RK) is necessary for the fast recovery of sensitivity after intense illumination. Ca2+ ions, acting through Ca2+-binding proteins, have been implicated in the desensitization of phototransduction. One such protein, recoverin, has been proposed to regulate RK activity contributing to adaptation to background illumination in retinal photoreceptor cells. In this report, we describe an in vitro assay system using isolated retinas that is well suited for a variety of biochemical assays, including assessing Ca2+ effects on Rho* phosphorylation. Pieces of bovine retina with intact rod outer segments were treated with pore-forming staphylococcal α-toxin, including an α-toxin mutant that forms pores whose permeability is modulated by Zn2+. The pores formed through the plasma membranes of rod cells permit the diffusion of small molecules <2 kDa but prevent the loss of proteins, including recoverin (25 kDa). The selective permeability of these pores was confirmed by using the small intracellular tracer N-(2-aminoethyl) biotinamide hydrochloride. Application of [γ-32P]ATP to α-toxin-treated, isolated retina allowed us to monitor and quantify phosphorylation of Rho*. Under various experimental conditions, including low and high [Ca2+]free, the same level of Rho* phosphorylation was measured. No differences were observed between low and high [Ca2+]free conditions, even when rods were loaded with ATP and the pores were closed by Zn2+. These results suggest that under physiological conditions, Rho* phosphorylation is insensitive to regulation by Ca2+ and Ca2+-binding proteins, including recoverin.
Reversible transformations of gold nanoparticle morphology.

Herein is reported a metamorphosis taking place in a gold nanosized system. The observed phenomenon of shape and size transformations was found to be completely reversible. Unlike most procedures in the literature where shape and size control occur in the synthetic step by adding growth- and shape-controlling agents such as surfactants or polymers, in this system postsynthetic changes in shape and size can be carried out simply by changing the ratio of reactive, competing reagents, more specifically, alkylthiols versus tetralkylammonium salts. Interestingly, the transfer of gold metal occurs (large prismatic particles to small particles and vice versa) under the influence of reagents that do not cause such interactions with bulk gold. All intermediate steps of the morphology change were observed using HRTEM and electron diffraction. The processes of breaking down and “welding back” solid metal nanoparticles occur under mild conditions and are remarkable examples of the unique chemical properties of nanoma...
Impaired postprandial glucose utilization in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

The importance of impaired glucose utilization in the pathogenesis of postprandial hyperglycemia in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) is controversial. Three methods were used to assess glucose utilization following ingestion of a mixed meal in 18 NIDDM and 12 nondiabetic subjects. Dual glucose isotopes were used to determine first-pass splanchnic glucose uptake, suppression of endogenous glucose production, and systemic glucose utilization. Leg balance was used to evaluate skeletal muscle glucose metabolism, and systemic and limb indirect calorimetry were used to assess glucose and lipid oxidation. NIDDM subjects had marked postprandial hyperglycemia as compared with nondiabetics (15.35 +/- 0.72 v 5.83 +/- 0.28 mmol, P < .001), accompanied by lower postprandial insulin (179 +/- 25 v 253 +/- 46 pmol, P < .01) and elevated plasma free fatty acids ([FFA] 569 +/- 34 v 314 +/- 20 mumol/L, P < .001). Cumulative postprandial glucose appearance was nearly twofold greater in NIDDM (82.2 +/- 4.7 v 48.7 +/- 4.9 g.5h, P < .001) due to increased endogenous glucose production (56.4 +/- 4.8 v 24.5 +/- 1.9 g, P < .001), whereas first-pass splanchnic uptake of ingested glucose was normal in NIDDM. Cumulative postprandial glucose utilization in NIDDM, after correction for urinary glucose, was unchanged from postabsorptive rates, a pattern also found for postprandial glucose oxidation. Cumulative leg glucose uptake was somewhat less in NIDDM subjects (123 +/- 18 v 173 +/- 14 mumol/100 mL leg tissue.5 h, P = .06), whereas lactate and alanine net release across the leg were nevertheless twofold greater in NIDDM (P = .04) and accounted for nearly half of the leg glucose metabolism in NIDDM.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Phenomenological Compact Model for QM Charge Centroid in Multigate FETs

We present a phenomenological compact model of the inversion charge centroid considering both the structural and electrical confinements in multigate FETs. The developed new model shows a good match with Technology-CAD (TCAD) data for both physical parameters such as fin thickness in FinFET and wire radius in cylindrical FET, channel doping, and electrical bias variation. With the introduction of fitting parameters, the model is capable of handling hole and electron carriers, various channel materials, and process variations, such as fin shape, etc.
Large-scale molecular dynamics simulations of hyperthermal cluster impact

Abstract Using multimillion-atom classical molecular dynamics simulations, we have studied the impact dynamics of solid and liquid spherical copper clusters (10–30 nm radius) with a solid surface, at velocities ranging from 100 m/s to 2 km/s. The resulting shock, jetting, and fragmentation processes are analyzed, demonstrating three distinct mechanisms for fragmentation. At early times, shock-induced ejection and hydrodynamic jetting produce fragments in the normal and tangential directions, respectively, while sublimation (evaporation) from the shock-heated solid (liquid) surface produces an isotropic fragment flux at both early and late times.
Institutional and individual dimensions of transatlantic group work in network-based language teaching

Network-based language teaching (NBLT) involves the application of global or local communication networks within foreign and second language education (Warschauer and Kern, 2000). In telecollaboration, a type of NBLT, distally located language learners use internet communication tools to support dialogue, debate, collaborative research and social interaction for the purposes of language development and cultural awareness (e.g. Kinginger et al., 1999). To date, the research on NBLT has been limited, focusing primarily on pedagogical implementations of technology and linguistic features of online communication. In particular, researchers have not robustly explored social and institutional dimensions of telecollaboration (Chapelle, 2000c217) nor have they adequately investigated the pervasive assumption that telecollaborative interaction will necessarily and unproblematically afford language learning (e.g. Kramsch and Thorne, to appear). Drawing on social realism (Layder, 1993), a sociological theory which emphasizes the inter-relationship between structure, i.e. society and institution, and agency, i.e. situated activity and psycho-biography, in researching and explaining social action, I present a sociocultural account of German-American telecollaboration. In particular, I explore the meanings that the macro features of (1) language valuation (Hilgendorf, 1996); (2) membership in electronic discourse communities (Gee, 1999); and (3) culturally determined classroom scripts (Hatch, 1992) may have for the differential functionality of virtual group work in this partnership. Differences in group functionality are reflected at the micro-interactional level in terms of (1) frequency and length of correspondence; (2) patterns of discursive behavior such as question-answer pairs; and (3) opportunities for assisted L2 performance and negotiation of meaning. Ethnographic data (e.g. interviews, electronic and classroom discourse, surveys and participant observations) on individual psycho-biographies are interwoven with macro-level descriptions and statistics to paint a rich picture of learner behavior in intercultural telecollaboration. This project is funded by a United States Department of Education International Research and Studies Program Grant (CFDA No.c 84.017A). The author is a research associate for the German component.
Change in the Meaning of Symbolic Vehicle and Referent as a Result of Word-Object Reference Learning.

(1970). Change in the Meaning of Symbolic Vehicle and Referent as a Result of Word-Object Reference Learning. The Journal of General Psychology: Vol. 83, No. 1, pp. 53-60.
Lipase-Catalyzed Copolymerization of Dialkyl Carbonate with 1,4-Butanediol and ω-Pentadecalactone: Synthesis of Poly(ω-pentadecalactone-co-butylene-co-carbonate)

Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB) was successfully used to promote synthesis of aliphatic poly(carbonate-co-ester) copolymers from dialkyl carbonate, diol, and lactone monomers. The polymerization...
Auditory function associated with Col11a1 haploinsufficiency in chondrodysplasia (cho) mice.

Heterozygosity for mutations in the fibrillar collagen gene COL11A1 causes sensorineural hearing loss in patients with Stickler syndrome or Marshall syndrome. Chondrodysplasia (cho) is a functional null allele of Col11a1 that causes lethal chondrodysplasia in cho/cho newborn mice, and osteoarthritis in cho/+ heterozygotes. To determine if Col11a1 haploinsufficiency causes hearing loss in cho/+ mice, auditory brainstem response (ABR) thresholds were measured at 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 months of age. There was no difference in ABR thresholds for click and tone burst stimuli between cho/+ and +/+ mice at all ages. In contrast to the conclusion of a previous report, our results indicate that Col11a1 haploinsufficiency does not cause significant hearing loss on the C57BL/6 strain background. We conclude that Stickler syndrome and Marshall syndrome mutations in COL11A1 cause hearing loss via dominant negative effects upon wild-type fibrillar collagen polypeptides in the extracellular matrices of the cochlea.
Critical illness-related corticosteroid insufficiency in cancer patients

Critically ill cancer patients with sepsis represent a high-risk sub-group for the development of critical illness-related corticosteroid insufficiency (CIRCI); however, the incidence of CIRCI in this population is unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of CIRCI in cancer patients with severe sepsis or septic shock. A single-center, retrospective, observational study was conducted in a 52-bed medical–surgical intensive care unit of a National Cancer Institute-recognized academic oncology institution. Eighty-six consecutive patients with a diagnosis of severe sepsis or septic shock who received a high-dose 250-μg cosyntropin stimulation test were included. CIRCI was identified by a maximum delta serum cortisol of 9 μg/dL or less post cosyntropin. Overall, 59% (95% CI, 48–70%) of cancer patients with severe sepsis or septic shock were determined to have CIRCI. When compared to patients without CIRCI, patients with CIRCI had higher baseline serum cortisol (median, 26.3 versus 14.7 μg/dL; p = 0.002) and lower delta cortisol levels (median, 3.1 versus 12.5 μg/dL; p < 0.001). Mortality did not differ between the two groups. An inverse relationship was identified between baseline serum cortisol and maximum delta cortisol (maximum delta cortisol = −0.27 × baseline cortisol + 14.30; R 2 = 0.208, p < 0.001). The incidence of CIRCI in cancer patients with severe sepsis or septic shock appears high. Further large-scale prospective trials are needed to confirm these findings.
Response of Hippocampal Synapses to Natural Stimulation Patterns

We have studied the synaptic responses in hippocampal slices to stimulus patterns derived from in vivo recordings of place cell firing in a behaving rodent. We find that synaptic strength is strongly modulated during the presentation of these natural stimulus trains, varying 2-fold or more because of short-term plasticity. This modulation of synaptic strength is precise and deterministic, because the pattern of synaptic response amplitudes is nearly identical from one presentation of the train to the next. The mechanism of synaptic modulation is primarily a change in release probability rather than a change in the size of the elementary postsynaptic response. In addition, natural stimulus trains are effective in inducing long-term potentiation (LTP). We conclude that short-term synaptic plasticity--facilitation, augmentation, and depression--plays a prominent role in normal synaptic function.
Skyrmions and the crossover from the integer to fractional quantum Hall effect at small Zeeman energies

We study the two-dimensional electron gas in a high magnetic field at filling factor \ensuremath{\nu}=1 for an arbitrary ratio of the Zeeman energy g${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\mu}}}_{\mathit{B}}$B to the typical interaction energy. We find that the system always has a gap, even when the one-particle gap vanishes, i.e., when g=0. When g is sufficiently large, the quasiparticles are perturbatively related to those in the noninteracting limit; we compute their energies to second order in the Coulomb interaction. For g smaller than a critical value ${\mathit{g}}_{\mathit{c}}$ the quasiparticles change character; in the limit of g\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0, they are skyrmions---spatially unbounded objects with infinite spin. In GaAs heterojunctions, the gap is unambiguously predominantly due to correlation effects; indeed, we tentatively conclude that g is always smaller than ${\mathit{g}}_{\mathit{c}}$, so the relevant quasiparticles are the skyrmions. The generalization to other odd-integer filling factors, and to \ensuremath{\nu}=1/3 and 1/5, is discussed.
Influence of B complex versus non B genetic background on cellular resistance and on Rous sarcoma virus-induced tumour regression in chickens.

Summary Six of eight inbred lines, segregating for the same B complex alleles, permitted a comparison of genetic backgrounds on resistance to Bryan high titre Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) of subgroups A, B and C. Tests were based both on wing web challenge (WWC), using 682 five‐week‐old chicks, and on the chorioallantoic membranes (CAMs) of 606 twelve‐day‐old embryos (CAM test). Absence of tumour development on WWC and of pock formation on CAMs indicated cellular resistance to RSV (primary mechanism of genetic resistance). The differential response of tumours (regressive or progressive tumour growth in WWC) measured the secondary mechanism of genetic resistance. The results verified previously reported studies that the tv loci for cellular resistance map outside the B histocompatibility complex, and that variation in RSV‐induced tumour regression was mostly but not entirely linked to the B complex. Although cellular resistance and tumour regression are not wholly independent events, the data generally support...
Ferrite-Free Stacked Blumlein Pulse Generator for Compact Induction Linacs

Stacked Blumlein pulse generators comprised of parallel-plate transmission lines are potentially a useful pulsed-power architecture for high-gradient, compact, electron-beam induction accelerators. However, like induction accelerators driven by other pulsed-power architectures, it is generally a system requirement that the multi-stage accelerator structure be enclosed in a grounded metal enclosure so that the full beam voltage is not developed on the exterior of the machine. In the past, this has been accomplished by using magnetic cores to prevent the external metal case from shorting the accelerating field. However, magnetic cores are heavy, bulky, expensive, lossy, nonlinear, and therefore generally undesirable. Various core-free pulse architectures have been reported in the past. One class uses pairs of lines with widely different dielectric constants while another class uses combinations of open-circuit lines combined with short-circuit lines. These designs are encased in metal and support stackable output pulses without the need for magnetic isolation cores. These configurations are also known as bi-polar or zero-integral configurations because they produce a positive and negative voltage pulse with a net time integral of zero. Some of these designs are inefficient leaving substantial stored energy in the lines while others have never been realized as practical accelerating structures. We present here a particular, realizable, magnetic-core-free induction linac geometry that is based on a parallel-plate, stacked Blumlein-like structure, with a symmetric bi-polar, zero-integral output pulse, and an outer metal enclosure. Our design is, in theory, 100% efficient into a matched load. We have evaluated the electromagnetic operation of this geometry by computer modeling. We present the results of this modeling.
Experimental Simulation of the L.E. Phenomenon

It occurred to us that the so-called L.E. phenomenon bears a striking similarity to the chemotactic action of the polysaccharides shown in the experiments of Kuna and Chambers (1) and Kuna, Blattberg and Reiman (2). Since Hargraves (3) corroborated Morton's findings of the peculiar clumping of leukocytes in rosette form and of the so-called L.E. cell, a number of interesting studies have been made, notably by Haserick (4, 5) which led to recognition of the L.E. phenomenon as a diagnostic aid in acute lupus erythematosus. Moffat, Barnes, and Weiss (6) and recently Hazel B. Mathis (7) introduced simple methods of demonstrating the L.E. phenomenon. Haserick and Bortz (8) after testing the blood of 300 normal individuals and patients with a variety of diseases such as dermatomyositis, scleroderma, leukemia etc., claimed specificity for the L.E. phenomenon.
Effects of cyclosporine and rapamycin on immunoglobulin production by preactivated human B cells

In order to assess the direct effects of cyclosporine A (CsA) and rapamycin on B cells, we utilized a two-segment culture system of highly purified B lymphocytes consisting of induction (activation) in the presence of the formalinized Staphylococcus aureus bacteria and IL-2, and differentiation, respectively, in the presence of various combinations of cytokines. Results show that rapamycin strongly inhibited production of both IgM and IgG measured at the end of the secondary culture supported by IL-2/IL-6, whereas CsA up-regulated the immunoglobulin production. The stimulatory effect of CsA was also observed when preactivated B cells were recultured in absence of any cytokines. These results show that rapamycin and CsA have clearly distinct effects on human B lymphocyte responses in vitro. Rapamycin is a more potent in vitro immunosuppressant of B lymphocytes than CsA. It is effective at significantly lower concentrations, and it does not stimulate either the proliferation or antibody production by preactivated B cells.