cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Increased Intracellular Triglyceride in C2C12 Muscle Cells Transfected with Human Lipoprotein Lipase

Much of the knowledge about the cell biology of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) in vitro has been gained from adipose tissue model systems. However, the importance of skeletal muscle lipoprotein lipase (SMLPL) to both lipoprotein and muscle metabolism remains unclear. Although the production of LPL in cultured myocytes has been documented, the amount of enzyme activity produced is small. To develop a more suitable tissue culture model for SMLPL, mouse C2C12 myoblasts were stably transduced with a retroviral vector encoding the full-length human LPL (hLPL) cDNA. Control cells were transduced with a vector encoding β-galactosidase. LPL expression was assayed as a function of cell growth by measuring LPL activity on days 3, 7, 9, 11, and 14 after subculture. The hLPL-transduced myoblasts increasingly overexpressed both heparin-releasable (HR) and intracellular (IN) LPL activity compared to nontransduced myoblasts (P < 0.001 at Day 11) and myoblasts transduced with the control vector (P < 0.001 at Day 11). This increase occurred while LPL mRNA levels remained stable between days 3 and 14. As expected, IN LPL activity was also increased in the transduced cells. High levels of LPL activity were also obtained after differentiating the C2C12 cells into myotubes by serum deprivation. Additionally, throughout the time course, C2/LPL cells had greater amounts of intracellular triglyceride than both the C2C12 and the C2/β-GEO cells (P = 0.005 and P < 0.001, respectively) with the largest differences seen on day 14 of the time course (P = 0.001, C2/LPL vs C2C12 r or C2/β-GEO cells). Thus, C2C12 myoblasts stably transduced with hLPL markedly overexpressed both HR and IN LPL activity compared to control cells which, in turn, was associated with increases in intracellular triglyceride content. Because LPL regulation in tissues is mostly posttranslational, this new in vitro model will permit the in-depth study of the posttranslational regulation of SMLPL and provide new insights into the fate of lipoprotein-derived fatty acids in muscle.
Effects of Mg additions on the electromigration behavior of Al thin film conductors

Aluminum thin film conductors containing Mg alloying additions have been tested for electromigration failure by formation of electrically open circuits. The test conditions were either 2 × 106 A/cm2 or 4 × 106 A/cm2 for the current density, and either 175 or 225°C for the temperature. The median lifetimes were found to increase with increasing Mg concentrations up to the highest concentration tested, about 6%. With polycrystalline films the maximum increase in lifetime resulting from Mg additions corresponds to a factor of about 100, as compared to pure Al films. This is about equal to previously reported results obtained with Cu additions. The increase in lifetime has been shown to result from a decrease in the rate of grain boundary diffusion for the Al atoms. Magnesium atoms diffuse at approximately the same rate as Al atoms. Thus the mechanism of failure formation in Al films containing Mg is thought to be different than in Al-Cu films, where Cu atoms diffuse faster than Al atoms and failure ensues upon local Cu depletion.
A finite difference formulation of general shell equations

Abstract The general shell equations as given by Green and Zerna can be expressed in terms of finite difference equations referred to a grid system in the x-y plane. By writting six equations for six unknowns at each grid point, the simultaneous partial differential equations will be transformed to a set of algebraic equations.
Provenance and palaeogeographic implications of Eocene-Oligocene sedimentary rocks in the northwestern Basin and Range

A thick sequence of uppermost Eocene to lower Oligocene volcaniclastic and sedimentary rocks is exposed at the base of the Warner Range in northeastern California. This isolated exposure provides insight into the palaeogeographic setting of the northwestern Basin and Range during this time period. Significant thinning of the unit over 35 km of lateral exposure and predominantly volcanic clast compositions suggest that the sequence was deposited in an alluvial plain adjacent to a volcanic arc. Palaeocurrent indicators in the conglomerates define a NNE transport direction. Detrital zircon analysis on coarse sandstones and dating of individual granite cobbles show a range of ages consistent with a local, volcanic source area primarily from the SSW with some far-travelled input from northern Nevada; the far-travelled component increases in influence as the unit thins to the north. Comparison with other sedimentary sequences of Eocene age and integration with palaeofloral and geophysical data help to define dr...
Body Locus and Form Perception

Forms were drawn on the palms, forearms, or biceps of 42 subjects, with vision excluded. Subjects were then required to make a visual match to the drawn forms. It was expected that the accuracy of form recognition would be a direct function of the sensitivity of the receptor surface. Thus the palm was expected to yield more accurate form recognition than the forearm or bicep. Form recognition was significantly worse on the forearm than on other skin locations. The adequacy of a skin surface as an information transducer does not appear to be a simple function of cutaneous sensitivity since there was no significant difference in the accuracy of form recognition between the palm and bicep.
Histochemical localization of acetylcholinesterase in the lateral eye and brain of Limulus polyphemus: might acetylcholine be a neurotransmitter for lateral inhibition in the lateral eye?

The distribution of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in the lateral eye and brain of the horseshoe crab was investigated with histochemical means using standard controls to eliminate butyrylcholinesterase and nonspecific staining. Intense staining was observed in the neural plexus of the lateral compound eye, in the lateral optic nerve, and in various neuropils of the brain. Nerve fibers with moderate to weak staining were widespread in the brain. No sornata were stained in either the lateral eye or the brain. The distribution of acetylcholinesterase in the supraesophageal ganglia and nerves of the giant barnacle was also investigated for comparison. Although both the median optic nerve of the barnacle and the lateral optic nerve of the horseshoe crab appear to contain the fibers of histaminergic neurons, only the lateral optic nerve of the horseshoe crab shows AChE staining. Other parts of the barnacle nervous system, however, showed intense AChE staining. These results along with the histochemical controls eliminate the possibility that some molecule found in histaminergic neurons accounted for the AChE staining but support the possibility that acetylcholine might be involved as a neurotransmitter in lateral inhibition in the horseshoe crab retina. Two reasonable neurotransmitter candidates for lateral inhibition, histamine and acetylcholine, must now be investigated.
Universal Prefactor of Activated Conductivity in the Quantum Hall Effect

The prefactor of the activated dissipative conductivity in a plateau range of the quantum Hall effect is studied in the case of a long-range random potential. It is shown that due to the long time it takes for an electron to drift along the perimeter of a large percolation cluster, phonons are able to maintain quasiequilibrium inside the cluster. The saddle points separating such clusters may then be viewed as ballistic point contacts between electron reservoirs with different electrochemical potentials. The network of ballistic conductances is shown to determine the conductivity. The prefactor is universal and equal to $\frac{2{e}^{2}}{h}$ at an integer filling factor.
Coulomb Scattering of Relativistic Electrons by Point Nuclei

The Mott series for the Coulomb scattering of electrons by point nuclei have been evaluated numerically with the aid of the UNIVAC computer. Calculations of the series for $F(\ensuremath{\theta})$ and $G(\ensuremath{\theta})$, the scattering cross section, and the polarization asymmetry factor, $S(\ensuremath{\theta})={\ensuremath{\delta}}^{\frac{1}{2}}$, were performed for scattering by nuclei of charge $Z$ equal to 80, 48, and 13 at ratios of electron velocity to light velocity, $\ensuremath{\beta}=\frac{v}{c}$, equal to 0.2, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, and 0.9. The results are tabulated.
The Traditional/Acoustic Music Project: a study of vocal demands and vocal health.

Summary Objective/Hypothesis The Traditional/Acoustic Music Project seeks to identify the musical and performance characteristics of traditional/acoustic musicians and determine the vocal demands they face with the goals of (1) providing information and outreach to this important group of singers and (2) providing information to physicians, speech-language pathologists, and singing teachers who will enable them to provide appropriate services. Study Design Descriptive cross-sectional study. Methods Data have been collected through administration of a 53-item questionnaire. The questionnaire was administered to artists performing at local venues in Knoxville, Tennessee and also to musicians attending the 2008 Folk Alliance Festival in Memphis, Tennessee. Results Approximately 41% of the respondents have had no vocal training, whereas approximately 34% of the respondents have had some form of formal vocal training (private lessons or group instruction). About 41% of the participants had experienced a tired voice, whereas about 30% of the participants had experienced either a loss of the top range of the voice or a total loss of voice at least once in their careers. Approximately 31% of the respondents had no health insurance. Approximately 69% of the respondents reported that they get their information about healthy singing practices solely from fellow musicians or that they do not get any information at all. Conclusion Traditional/acoustic musicians are a poorly studied population at risk for the development of voice disorders. Continued research is necessary with the goal of a large sample that can be analyzed for associations, identification of subpopulations, and formulation of specific hypotheses that lend themselves to experimental research. Appropriate models of information and service delivery tailored for the singer-instrumentalist are needed.
Speedbumps for Adaptationism

Adaptation. MICHAEL R. ROSE and GEORGE V. LAUDER, Eds. Academic Press, San Diego, 1996. xiv, 511 pp., illus. $69.95 or £52, ISBN 0-12-596420-x; paper, $34.95 or £24.95, ISBN 0-12-596421-8.
Self-limited adverse reaction to human-derived collagen injectable product.

Background.Soft tissue augmentation is a common and safe cosmetic and reconstructive procedure.Objective.We describe a temporary and self-limited adverse reaction to Dermalogen.Methods.Clinical and histologic evaluation following an adverse reaction noted at a Dermalogen skin test site.Results.Our p
Oceanic rain rate estimates from the QuikSCAT Radiometer: A Global Precipitation Mission pathfinder

[1] The SeaWinds scatterometer, launched onboard the QuikSCAT satellite in 1999, measures global ocean vector winds. In addition to measuring radar backscatter, SeaWinds simultaneously measures the microwave brightness temperature of the atmosphere/surface, and this passive microwave measurement capability is known as the QuikSCAT Radiometer (QRad). This paper presents a QRad retrieval algorithm used to infer instantaneous oceanic rain rates. This statistical algorithm is trained using near-simultaneous observations of major rain events by QRad and the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Microwave Imager (TMI). Rain rate retrieval algorithm validation is presented through comparisons with independent rain measurements from the TMI 2A12 surface rain rates and the TRMM 3B42RT composite microwave and visible and infrared near-real time data product. Results demonstrate that QRad rain rate measurements are in good agreement with these independent microwave rain observations and superior to the visible/infrared rain estimates. Thus the QRad rain measurement time series is a valuable addition to the oceanic precipitation climatology that can be used to improve the diurnal estimation of the global rainfall, which is a goal for the future Global Precipitation Mission program. Moreover, the availability of QRad data will provide GPM users early access to learn to use less-precise rain measurements that will occur in the GPM era with the use of less-capable constellation satellites. Finally, these QRad rain estimates will be available in the planned data reprocessing (FY 2006) of QuikSCAT winds to improve the rain flagging of rain-contaminated oceanic wind vector retrievals.
Value-Based Insurance Design: Quality Improvement But No Cost Savings

Value-based insurance design (VBID) is an approach that attempts to improve the quality of care by selectively encouraging or discouraging the use of specific health care services, based on their potential benefit to patients' health, relative to their cost. Lowering beneficiary cost sharing or out-of-pocket spending to increase medication adherence is one common element of value-based insurance design. We conducted a systematic review of the peer-reviewed literature to evaluate the evidence of the effects of VBID policies on medication adherence and medical expenditures. We identified thirteen studies assessing the effects of VBID programs and found that the programs were consistently associated with improved adherence (average change of 3.0 percent over one year), as well as with lower out-of-pocket spending for drugs. In the studies we reviewed, providing more generous coverage did not lead to significant changes in overall medical spending for patients and insurers. Further research is needed to understand how best to structure VBID programs to both improve quality and reduce spending.
Research Radar Analyses of the Internal Boundary Layer over Cape Canaveral, Florida, during the Landfall of Hurricane Frances (2004)

AbstractThe structure of the coastal internal boundary layer (IBL) during a landfalling hurricane has important ramifications on operational forecasting, structural design, and poststorm damage assessment. Despite these important issues, the mean IBL structure at the coastline during landfall is poorly understood. Knowledge of the vertical kinematic structure within tropical cyclones over water has improved greatly through aircraft reconnaissance missions and the advent of GPS dropsondes and stepped frequency microwave radiometers. Unfortunately, reconnaissance and research aircraft are limited to overwater missions, resulting in a poor understanding of vertical kinematic structure near the coastal interface, where changes in IBL structure are expected due to changes in surface roughness. Composite single- and dual-Doppler radar observations collected by the Shared Mobile Atmospheric Research and Teaching Radars during the landfall of Hurricane Frances (2004) are presented. Data analyses from the Cape Can...
ESTABLISHMENT AND DISPERSAL OF THE EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE IN FLORIDA

The nonindigenous Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) most likely invaded southeastern Florida from the Bahamas in the early 1980s and had established a breeding population in Dade County by 1982. In the decade after its arrival in Florida, the Eurasian Collared-Dove dispersed northward, initially along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, and established local populations throughout the state. By 1996, the species was recorded at 46 (82%) of 56 localities surveyed on the Christmas Bird Count in Florida. The strong dispersal capability of the Eurasian Collared-Dove, which was documented during its colonization of Europe in the mid-1900s, suggests that rapid colonization of North America by the species is highly probable. Populations established in Texas and North Carolina during the early 1990s may be products of dispersal of doves from Florida. The species presents two potential biological threats to native avifauna: competition for resources and transmission of diseases.
Selective Alkylation: A Biomimetic Reaction of the Antileukemic Triptolides?

The potent antileukemic plant principles triptolide and tripdiolide contain a characteristic hydrogen-bonded 9,11-epoxy-14beta-hydroxy system. They alkylate propanethiol in a process which involves opening of the epoxide function with neighboring hydroxyl assistance. The reaction may mimic the inhibition of tumor growth via selective alkylation of the thiol groups of key enzymes concerned with groth regulation.
Nitrogen adsorption in mordenite using a novel high pressure adsorption balance

Adsorption isotherms for nitrogen in two mordenites (one natural and one synthetic) were measured at pressures from 1 to 60 atmospheres and at three temperatures ranging from 25° to 65°C, using a novel design of high pressure mass adsorption balance. The balance scheme allows for continual and direct measurement of adsorption bed temperature, pressure and overall system mass while gas flows are introduced. Experimental reproducibility was established in isothermal runs made over the entire pressure range. Adsorption capacities were measured incrementally from 1 to 60 atmospheres and found to be Langmuir-type. A maximum capacity of 6.0 g N 2 /100 g activated mordenite was obtained for both samples at 25°C and 60 atm. Isosteric heats of adsorption were calculated for both zeolites.
The Demand for Home-Produced Food by Rural Families

consumption in 1965 was only $66 for the 33% of the households engaged in this activity (USDA, p. 7). However, interest in home food production has increased sharply in recent years. Some 44% of all households had a vegetable or fruit garden in 1976 (Kaitz, p. 20). Home production has remained an important source of food for many rural families and is for some the dominant food source. A survey of rural families in 1971 found the average family produced $124 of food at home per year at retail value. Some 60% of the families surveyed produced at least some food for home consumption with an average value of $206 per year for producing families. The value of home-produced food was as high as $1,868 for one family. The role of home food production in satisfying rural family food needs has definite policy implications. The widely used Orshansky poverty index, which is based upon the minimum income a family needs to obtain an adequate diet, takes account of the amount of food households raise for themselves. The poverty threshold for farm families was set at 70% before 1969 and is currently set at 85% of the nonfarm threshold for each family type. This differential is based on the assumed cost savings from home-produced food. A federal technical committee in 1973 recommended that the farm-nonfarm distinction be dropped, however, arguing the questionable appropriateness of singling out income differences in this single factor alone (HEW, p. 90). Most welfare programs take no account of home food production. Even the food stamp program ignores the implications of homeproduced food. Program participation is significantly lower in rural areas, though, and home food production may be a partial cause. The traditional theory of consumer behavior is inadequate for the present analysis since home-produced food is a nonmarket commodity that has no explicit price and requires a large time input on the part of the household. For the latter reason, the opportunity cost of time of the family members and the productive efficiency of the household are important factors. Becker's household production model reformulation of conventional demand theory offers an appropriate analytical framework under these circumstances. Within the household production approach, this study estimates three specifications of the demand function for home-produced food using a 1971 cross-sectional data set for rural families. The equations are estimated with ordinary least squares, weighted least squares, and, finally, with Tobit analysis.
Perceptual organization in task performance

Abstract Models of job cognition have neglected the perceptual process by which units of task behavior are organized prior to making task judgments. Perceptual organization was examined in this study using an unobtrusive observational technique adapted from the psycholinguistic literature. In each of two experiments, the structure of a task was manipulated to vary the relationship between task behavior and feedback. These manipulations were found to be reflected in the measure of perceptual organization. In Experiment 2, perceptual organization was found also to correlate with higher order judgments about the task. The implications of these results for expanding models of job cognition to include perceptual processes are discussed.
Joint enhancement of multichannel SAR data

In this paper we consider the problem of joint enhancement of multichannel Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data. Previous work by Cetin and Karl introduced nonquadratic regularization methods for image enhancement using sparsity enforcing penalty terms. For multichannel data, independent enhancement of each channel is shown to degrade the relative phase information across channels that is useful for 3D reconstruction. We thus propose a method for joint enhancement of multichannel SAR data with joint sparsity constraints. We develop both a gradient-based and a Lagrange-Newton-based method for solving the joint reconstruction problem, and demonstrate the performance of the proposed methods on IFSAR height extraction problem from multi-elevation data.
The effect of heart rate, preload, and afterload on the viscoelastic properties of the swine myocardium.

Experiments were performed to test the hypothesis that viscoelastic properties of the swine myocardium are independent of heart rate (HR), preload (PL), and afterload (AL). Left ventricular pressure and aortic flow (AoF) waveforms were recorded in 13 swine. At different paced heart rates, an inferior vena caval occlusion (IVC) was used to reduce PL, then the IVC was released and simultaneously the aorta was clamped to increase AL. Equivalent left ventricular pressure waveform pairs consisting of an ejecting waveform (denoted as LVP) and isovolumic waveform (denoted as hydromotive pressure, HMP) were selected according to specified criteria resulting in 371 equivalent waveform pairs. From the selected waveform pairs and corresponding aortic flow waveforms, the viscoelastic properties (k and e1) were estimated by HMP = LVP + e1 V EJ + k × LVP × AoF. Here e1 is the parallel elastance, k is the myocardial friction, and V EJ is the integral of AoF over ejection. Next, using k, e1, LVP, and AoF waveforms, HMP was estimated using the equation above. To validate the model, the measured HMP and model-calculated HMP were compared for 371 matched waveform pairs (R 2 = 0.97, SEE = 3.7 mmHg). The viscoelastic parameters (k and e1) did not exhibit any clear or predictable dependence on HR, PL, and AL.
Psychophysiological and Clinical Implications of the Coincidence of High Hypnotic Ability and High Neuroticism during Threat Perception in Somatization Disorders

Abstract The electrodermal response to cognitive threat of unhypnotized female patients with somatic symptoms and high on both hypnotic ability and neuroticism (H-H) was found to be significantly higher (p<.01) than that of a matched group of female patients moderate on hypnotic ability and low on neuroticism (M-L). On verbal report the H-H and the M-L groups did not differ, but they were significantly different on a measure of self-deception (L scale) or repression. The above findings are consistent with predictions from the High Risk Model of Threat Perception (HRMTP), which states that people in the H-H group are both chronically and acutely more reactive to threat than the people in the M-L group. This finding may have important theoretical, clinical, and financial implications for the diagnosis, therapy, and prevention of somatization disorders seen in primary medical care.
A Case Study Approach to Delivering and Evaluating Services by a School Psychologist.

Abstract Two interrelated problems in delivering school psychological services by one school psychologist acted as a motivating force behind this study: the problem of how to plan and render services to a school system where the ratio of students to school psychologists is high, and the problem of how to determine the degree of effectiveness of these services. This study describes an approach which consisted of three distinct services rendered by a school psychologist. Evaluative measurements of the services were made in two areas: the effect of the services on the ongoing operations of the system, and the evaluation of the services by school personnel exposed to the services directly or indirectly. The relative merits and the limitations of such an approach are discussed.
Difficulty in the Food Environment and the Experience of Food Insecurity among Refugees Resettled in the United States

The objective of this cross-sectional study was to assess the prevalence and correlates of food insecurity in 281 refugees resettled in the United States. Participants were recruited through a resettlement center and word of mouth. In addition to measures of socioeconomic status, education, time in the U.S., and food insecurity, we also measured individual difficulty in navigating the food environment using a food difficulty scale. Only 23% of the sample did not endorse any of the food insecurity items. Nearly half of the sample also noted difficulty in navigating the food environment. Food insecurity scores above the median were predicted by both income and non-income variables. In a multivariable logistic model, income and having more than one year of education were associated with lower food insecurity (p < .05), while "difficulty in the food environment" was associated with high food insecurity (p < .01). Results suggest that income is an important constraint but that non-income variables may also be important determinants of food insecurity.
Histories of Place in American Archaeology

: [in focus, place, american archaeology, landscape, North American mound, Ohio mound, heritage]
Relation between myocardial infarct size and ventricular tachyarrhythmia among patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction following fibrinolytic therapy for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

In the era of early reperfusion therapy for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, preserved left ventricular (LV) function is common. Despite preservation of LV ejection fraction (LVEF), there remains a spectrum of risk for adverse cardiovascular events, including ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF). Larger infarct size has been independently associated with death, VT/VF, and heart failure in the post−myocardial infarction population. It was hypothesized that infarct size, as estimated by peak serum creatine kinase (CK)–MB concentration, would be associated with the incidence of VT/VF in patients with preserved LV function after ST-segment elevation myocardial infarctions. The Clopidogrel as Adjunctive Reperfusion Therapy–Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction 28 (CLARITY-TIMI 28) study enrolled 3,491 patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarctions who underwent fibrinolytic therapy. The association between estimated infarct size (ratio of peak CK-MB to the upper limit of normal), the LVEF (measured using left ventriculography or echocardiography), and the incidence of VT/VF through 30 days was assessed. A total of 1,436 patients underwent assessments of LV function, of whom 1,133 had adequate CK-MB for analysis. The median LVEF in this group was 55% (interquartile range 45% to 65%), and most patients (n = 814 [87.1%]) had LVEF ≥40%. Among patients with LVEF ≥40%, the ratio of peak CK-MB to the upper limit of normal was significantly associated with the incidence of VT/VF through 30 days (2.2%, 3.7%, and 5.5% across tertiles, respectively, p = 0.041 for trend) and the incidence of the composite of cardiovascular death, heart failure, shock, and VT/VF through 30 days (3.7%, 6.0%, 8.5%, respectively, p = 0.018 for trend). In conclusion, in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction with preserved LV function after reperfusion therapy, larger infarct size, as estimated by peak serum CK-MB concentration, is significantly associated with VT/VF as well as other adverse clinical outcomes.
Evaluation of a sonic telemetry system in three habitats of an estuarine environment

A directional sonic telemetry system in small embayment, seagrass, and channel habitats in Core Sound, North Carolina was evaluated. We compared point location estimates calculated after correcting for system bias in three different ways: using test station (i.e. known location transmitting–receiving stations) angle errors, and using a within test site and an among test site mean angle error estimate. Estimates are necessary because, when tracking an animal, system bias cannot be corrected for using test station angle errors. In addition, telemetered animals may move beyond test areas or into different habitats. We found no significant difference (P>0.05) among point location estimates, suggesting that a within or an among mean angle error was an acceptable estimate. Choosing the appropriate angle error estimate must be done carefully because both presented limitations. A within test site mean angle error was the more conservative approach, avoiding biases caused by significant (P 97% of the seagrass habitat in Core Sound. Although the majority (80%) of the polygons are small (<10.0 ha), they represent <5% of the total seagrass area. In addition, classifying use of habitat in areas where polygons are ≤6.9 ha is possible because small polygons have a contagious distribution; hence, their areas may be additive. Risks of misclassifying use of habitat can be reduced also by controlling the size of confidence areas (Ae) by adjusting the distance between observers and the tracked animal. The confidence area as a function of distance can be predicted because location error varied linearly and significantly with geometric mean distance (Dg). On the basis of this relationship, Dg must be <326 m for Ae95 to be <10.0 ha.
Shock Tube Measurements of Water and n-Dodecane Droplet Evaporation behind Shock Waves

Measurements of the evaporation rates of aerosols consisting of micron-sized droplets using near-infrared laser extinction methods were performed in a new aerosol shock tube. These experiments represent the flrst high-temperature measurements of evaporation using Mie extinction techniques with IR diode lasers. Mixtures of water or n-dodecane droplets with diameters in the range of 1{10 „m were heated and compressed behind incident shock waves in argon at temperatures between 475 and 870 K and pressures of 0.6{1.8 atm. Droplet size distribution and loading were monitored using a wavelength-multiplexed laser diagnostic using four lasers with wavelengths at 0.612, 1.33, 1.62, and 2.05 „m. From these Mie extinction measurements, the pre-shock size distribution and loading were determined before the arrival of the incident shock and the d 2 evaporation law rate constants for these distributions were determined behind the incident shocks. Good agreement with previous lower-temperature water evaporation measurements was found. We believe these are the flrst n-dodecane evaporation rate measurements for micron-sized droplets.
Radio frequency spectroscopy of a strongly imbalanced Feshbach-resonant Fermi gas

A su!ciently large species imbalance (polarization) in a tw o-component Feshbach resonant Fermi gas is known to drive the system into its normal state. We show that the resulting stronglyinteracting state is a conventional Fermi liquid, that is, however, strongly renormalized by pairing fluctuations. Using a controlled 1/N expansion, we calculate the properties of this state with a particular emphasis on the atomic spectral function, the momentum distribution functions displaying the Migdal discontinuity, and the radio frequency (RF) spectrum. We discuss the latter in the light of the recent experiments of Schunck et al. (Science 316, 867 (2007)) on such a resonant Fermi gas, and show that the observations are consistent with a conventional, but strongly renormalized Fermi-liquid picture. PACS numbers: 67.85.De, 03.75.Kk, 03.75.Ss
A randomized pilot study of a community-based weight loss intervention for African-American women: Rationale and study design of Doing Me! Sisters Standing Together for a Healthy Mind and Body.

Introduction Despite the high prevalence of obesity among African-American women and modest success in behavioral weight loss interventions, the development and testing of weight management interventions using a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach have been limited. Doing Me!: Sisters Standing Together for Healthy Mind and Body (Doing Me!) is an intervention adapted from an evidence-based behavioral obesity intervention using a CBPR approach. The purpose of Doing Me! is to test the feasibility and acceptability of this adapted intervention and determine its efficacy in achieving improvements in anthropometrics, diet, and physical activity.
Partitioning the aggregation of parasites on hosts into intrinsic and extrinsic components via an extended Poisson-gamma mixture model.

It is well known that parasites are often highly aggregated on their hosts such that relatively few individuals host the large majority of parasites. When the parasites are vectors of infectious disease, a key consequence of this aggregation can be increased disease transmission rates. The cause of this aggregation, however, is much less clear, especially for parasites such as arthropod vectors, which generally spend only a short time on their hosts. Regression-based analyses of ticks on various hosts have focused almost exclusively on identifying the intrinsic host characteristics associated with large burdens, but these efforts have had mixed results; most host traits examined have some small influence, but none are key. An alternative approach, the Poisson-gamma mixture distribution, has often been used to describe aggregated parasite distributions in a range of host/macroparasite systems, but lacks a clear mechanistic basis. Here, we extend this framework by linking it to a general model of parasite accumulation. Then, focusing on blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) on mice (Peromyscus leucopus), we fit the extended model to the best currently available larval tick burden datasets via hierarchical Bayesian methods, and use it to explore the relative contributions of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on observed tick burdens. Our results suggest that simple bad luck—inhabiting a home range with high vector density—may play a much larger role in determining parasite burdens than is currently appreciated.
The effect of object familiarity on the perception of size and distance

The perceived sizes and perceived distances of familiar objects were investigated in two experiments in which images of familiar objects were presented monocularly, one at a time, in an otherwise dark field of view. It was found that the angular size of the objects as well as their familiar size determined reported size. Reported distances were increasingly underestimated as a function of increasing simulated distances of the objects. The results are consistent with the conclusion that, as a function of the retinal size of the objects, the observer perceives the familiar objects as off-sized, and, that as a consequence of these off-sized perceptions, the observer's judgements of the object distances reflect inferential rather than perceptual processes.
PPARβ/δ Regulates Glucocorticoid- and Sepsis-Induced FOXO1 Activation and Muscle Wasting

FOXO1 is involved in glucocorticoid- and sepsis-induced muscle wasting, in part reflecting regulation of atrogin-1 and MuRF1. Mechanisms influencing FOXO1 expression in muscle wasting are poorly understood. We hypothesized that the transcription factor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor β/δ (PPARβ/δ) upregulates muscle FOXO1 expression and activity with a downstream upregulation of atrogin-1 and MuRF1 expression during sepsis and glucocorticoid treatment and that inhibition of PPARβ/δ activity can prevent muscle wasting. We found that activation of PPARβ/δ in cultured myotubes increased FOXO1 activity, atrogin-1 and MuRF1 expression, protein degradation and myotube atrophy. Treatment of myotubes with dexamethasone increased PPARβ/δ expression and activity. Dexamethasone-induced FOXO1 activation and atrogin-1 and MuRF1 expression, protein degradation, and myotube atrophy were inhibited by PPARβ/δ blocker or siRNA. Importantly, muscle wasting induced in rats by dexamethasone or sepsis was prevented by treatment with a PPARβ/δ inhibitor. The present results suggest that PPARβ/δ regulates FOXO1 activation in glucocorticoid- and sepsis-induced muscle wasting and that treatment with a PPARβ/δ inhibitor may ameliorate loss of muscle mass in these conditions.
Piperacillin: Evaluation Against Inpatient and Gentamicin-resistant Bacteria

When species-matched collections, each consisting of 128 bacterial strains, were compared, inpatient organisms were found to be significantly more resistant to piperacillin than outpatient organisms. A collection of 143 gentamicin-resistant gram-negative bacilli was significantly more resistant to piperacillin than a species-matched collection of gentamicin-sensitive organisms. Piperacillin resistance was transferred by conjugation from isolates of 8 different Enterobacteriaceae species to a recipient Escherichia coli strain. In each of 67 mating experiments in which transfer of carbenicillin resistance by conjugation occurred, resistance to ticarcillin, azlocillin and piperacillin was also transferred. As in previous studies, piperacillin was found to be markedly more active against non-fastidious gram-negative bacilli than carbenicillin, ticarcillin or azlocillin. Nevertheless, piperacillin resistance, apparently plasmid mediated, was detected in multiple species.
A local update strategy for iterative reconstruction from projections

A method for Bayesian reconstruction which relies on updates of single pixel values, rather than the entire image, at each iteration is presented. The technique is similar to Gauss-Seidel (GS) iteration for the solution of differential equations on finite grids. The computational cost per iteration of the GS approach is found to be approximately equal to that of gradient methods. For continuously valued images, GS is found to have significantly better convergence at modes representing high spatial frequencies. In addition, GS is well suited to segmentation when the image is constrained to be discretely valued. It is shown that Bayesian segmentation using GS iteration produces useful estimates at much lower signal-to-noise ratios than required for continuously valued reconstruction. The convergence properties of gradient ascent and GS for reconstruction from integral projections are analyzed, and simulations of both maximum-likelihood and maximum a posteriori cases are included. >
MultiPass lasso algorithms for sparse signal recovery

We develop the MultiPass Lasso (MPL) algorithm for sparse signal recovery. MPL applies the Lasso algorithm in a novel, sequential manner and has the following important attributes. First, MPL improves the estimation of the support of the sparse signal by combining high quality estimates of its partial supports which are sequentially recovered via the Lasso algorithm in each iteration/pass. Second, the algorithm is capable of exploiting the dynamic range in the nonzero magnitudes. Preliminary theoretic analysis shows the potential performance improvement enabled by MPL over Lasso. In addition, we propose the Reweighted MultiPass Lasso algorithm which substitutes Lasso with MPL in each iteration of Reweighted l 1 Minimization. Experimental results favorably support the advantages of the proposed algorithms in both reconstruction accuracy and computational efficiency, thereby supporting the potential of the MultiPass framework for algorithmic development.
Effects of long-term transdermal administration of estradiol on serum lipids

Objective To evaluate the effect of three different dosages of transdermally administered 17β-estradiol on serum (lipoproteins in women who had recently experienced surgical menopause. Material and Methods We undertook a 2-year, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in which 126 subjects were recruited and stratified by age, and 93 patients completed the protocol. Serum lipoproteins were assessed before initiation of treatment and after 12 and 24 months of therapy with 0.025,0.05, or 0.1 mg of estradiol daily. Results Total serum cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol showed dose-dependent decreases that reached statistical significance after 2 years of treatment with transdermally administered estradiol. Conclusion This study confirms that transdermally administered 17β-estradiol has a modest beneficial effect on serum lipoproteins, with decreased levels of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.
Supporting Teacher Metacognition about Formative Assessment in Online Writing Environments.

Rubrics have become popular tools for assessing student writing both in classroom and standardized testing environments. Rubric construction and efficacy, however, is a topic that has been largely sidestepped in the literature and in teacher professional development. Composing an effective rubric — particularly for instructional or formative contexts — is a complex task that requires teachers to think metacognitively about their goals for a writing assignment, identify the assignment's purpose, weight the importance of various textual features, and align these elements to analytic scores. In this article, the authors conduct a textual analysis of initiating texts (i.e. rubrics and assignments) that teachers designed for use with a Scholar writing and peer response assignment. They identify three types of mismatch among the assignments, assessments, and purposes for writing; discuss implications of these mismatches for student writing and learning; and, finally, suggest ways in which online e-learning envi...
Gender and cultural silences in the political asylum process

Individuals claiming persecution on the basis of gender or as sexual minorities have faced many obstacles in the political asylum process including additional burdens of proof of identity and of persecution. Based on our own work with political asylum applicants, on legal reports, and on reports by groups providing assistance to asylum seekers, we review the law and the obstacles and consider the conditions underlying and supporting suspicion of the applicants. We observe how particular narratives are rendered untellable in the interrogation process and how the identities of sexual minorities become either invisible or hypervisible.
Image registration using the epipolar constraint

Describes an algorithm for the automated registration of remotely-sensed imagery. The algorithm registers 6000/spl times/6000-pixel images to the subpixel level in less than 15 minutes on a RISC System/6000/sup TM/ workstation. The paper shows that the registration function for parallel projections is of the form F(x,y)=A(x,y)+h(x,y)e, where A(x,y) is an affine transformation, h(x,y) is a function that depends on the topographic heights, and e is a vector that defines the epipolar lines. The least squares estimate of the parameters of this function can be derived from a set of image match points. The search for additional match points is then a one-dimensional search along the epipolar lines, which greatly increases the speed and accuracy of the registration. >
Silica as a Matrix for Encapsulating Proteins: Surface Effects on Protein Structure Assessed by Circular Dichroism Spectroscopy

The encapsulation of biomolecules in solid materials that retain the native properties of the molecule is a desired feature for the development of biosensors and biocatalysts. In the current study, protein entrapment in silica-based materials is explored using the sol-gel technique. This work surveys the effects of silica confinement on the structure of several model polypeptides, including apomyoglobin, copper-zinc superoxide dismutase, polyglutamine, polylysine, and type I antifreeze protein. Changes in the secondary structure of each protein following encapsulation are monitored by circular dichroism spectroscopy. In many cases, silica confinement reduces the fraction of properly-folded protein relative to solution, but addition of a secondary solute or modification of the silica surface leads to an increase in structure. Refinement of the glass surface by addition of a monosubstituted alkoxysilane during sol-gel processing is shown to be a valuable tool for testing the effects of surface chemistry on protein structure. Because silica entrapment prevents protein aggregation by isolating individual protein molecules in the pores of the glass material, one may monitor aggregation-prone polypeptides under solvent conditions that are prohibited in solution, as demonstrated with polyglutamine and a disease-related variant of superoxide dismutase.
Dynamic characteristics of rotor blades

Abstract The transmission matrix method is used to determine the dynamic characteristics (natural frequencies and the associated mode shapes) of rotor blades. The problems treated are combined flapwise bending, chordwise bending, and torsion of twisted non-uniform blades and its special subcases. The orthogonality relations that exist between the natural modes are derived. The method is appealing because of its simplicity for programming for digital computer calculations and also the inputs are generated very easily since they are merely the coefficients of the differential equations of motion.
G Protein-coupled Receptor Gpr4 Senses Amino Acids and Activates the cAMP-PKA Pathway in Cryptococcus neoformans

The Galpha protein Gpa1 governs the cAMP-PKA signaling pathway and plays a central role in virulence and differentiation in the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans, but the signals and receptors that trigger this pathway were unknown. We identified seven putative proteins that share identity with known G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). One protein, Gpr4, shares limited sequence identity with the Dictyostelium discoideum cAMP receptor cAR1 and the Aspergillus nidulans GPCR protein GprH and also shares structural similarity with the Saccharomyces cerevisiae receptor Gpr1. gpr4 mutants exhibited reduced capsule production and mating defects, similar to gpa1 mutants, and exogenous cAMP suppressed both gpr4 mutant phenotypes. Epistasis analysis provides further evidence that Gpr4 functions upstream of the Galpha subunit Gpa1. Gpr4-Gpr4 homomeric interactions were observed in the yeast two-hybrid assay, and Gpr4 was shown to physically interact with Gpa1 in the split-ubiquitin system. A Gpr4::DsRED fusion protein was localized to the plasma membrane and methionine was found to trigger receptor internalization. The analysis of intracellular cAMP levels showed that gpr4 mutants still respond to glucose but not to certain amino acids, such as methionine. Amino acids might serve as ligands for Gpr4 and could contribute to engage the cAMP-PKA pathway. Activation of the cAMP-PKA pathway by glucose and amino acids represents a nutrient coincidence detection system shared in other pathogenic fungi.