cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
MicroPET imaging of breast cancer alphav-integrin expression with 64Cu-labeled dimeric RGD peptides.

Purpose Alphavβ3 and αvβ5 integrins are cell adhesion molecules that play a vital role in tumor angiogenesis and metastasis. The ability to visualize and quantify integrin expression in vivo will foster our understanding of the role of integrins αvβ3 and αvβ5 in tumor angiogenesis and allow for direct assessment of anti-angiogenic treatment efficacy based on integrin antagonists. This study compared the tumor targeting characteristics of two dimeric 64Cu-labeled RGD peptide agonists of αvβ3 integrin. Procedures Dimeric RGD peptides E[c(RGDyK)]2 and E[c(RGDfK)]2 were conjugated with 1,4,7,10-tetraazadodecane-N,N′,N″,N″′-tetraacetic acid (DOTA) and labeled with positron emitter 64Cu(t1/2 = 12.8 h, β+ = 19%). Both 64Cu-DOTA-E[c(RGDyK)]2 and 64Cu-DOTA-E[c(RGDfK)]2 were used in biodistribution, microPET imaging and whole-body autoradiography studies in athymic female nude mice with orthotopically growing MDA-MB-435 breast carcinoma xenografts. Results At all time points, activity accumulation of 64Cu-DOTA-E[c(RGDyK)]2 in tumors was significantly higher compared to the D-Phe analog. Liver uptake of the D-Tyr derivative was lower than the D-Phe derivative at early time points but the difference became marginal with time. Overall, 64Cu-DOTA-E[c(RGDyK)]2 yielded better position emission tomography (PET) images in orthotopic MDA-MB-435 bearing mice than did 64Cu-DOTA-E[c(RGDfK)]2. Both radiotracers had αv-integrin specific tumor activity accumulation, as demonstrated by significant reduction of uptake with a coinjected blocking dose of c(RGDyK). Conclusions The radiolabeled dimeric RGD peptides 64Cu-DOTA-E[c(RGDyK)]2 and 64Cu-DOTA-E[c(RGDfK)]2 have high and specific tumor uptake in a human breast cancer tumor xenograft, with the D-Tyr derivative showing better in vivo kinetics than the D-Phe derivative, most likely due to the increased hydrophilicity of the D-Tyr. Both dimeric peptides showed better tumor retention than the previously tested monomeric RGD counterparts, presumably because of bivalency and increase in apparent molecular size.
Organization and Radical Protest: An Antithesis?

It is the contention of this article that Robert Michels' Iron Law of Oligarchy is overdeterministic. Rather than depicting a conservative and nonrepresentative oligarchy as inevitable, this article asks: What factors affect whether there are changes in the policy and strategy stances of protest leaders over time, and whether such changes are in the direction of increased conservatism? Borrowing from the theoretical premises of the resource mobilization perspective on protest movements, this article isolates three key factors: (1) the outcome of past protest strategies for various subgroups within the protest organization; (2) shifts in the attitudes of existing organizational members; and (3) the attempts to mobilize a significantly more heterogeneous constituency. It is argued that in response to these factors, protest leaders may move in the direction of increased radicalism, as well as increased conservatism. Further, it is argued that increased conservatism in and of itself does not signal any change in the degree to which leaders represent their constituents. In the second section of the article, this theoretical argument is explored by drawing upon evidence from the agrarian protest movement of the late nineteenth century.
Supportive Programs Increase Medical Students' Research Interest and Productivity

Background Advances in biomedical research during the last decade have highlighted the necessity of attracting greater numbers of physicians to careers that include a research component. Physician participation in research is essential to increase the number of clinical and translational studies performed, as well as to educate the public about the importance of clinical trials and to assist in recruiting participants. We hypothesized that attractive research opportunities that included faculty mentoring, recognition of participation, and rewards for accomplishments would encourage medical student participation. Methods The Medical Student Research Office was created at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in 1996 to develop structured research programs and advise students looking to undertake a research project. Data from students participating in the summer research program and Medical Student Research Day, from the research section of the Medical Student Performance Evaluation, were collected from 1996 to 2004. Results For the last 4 years, the majority of medical students did research following the first year of school. Students did basic and clinical research, although most preferred clinically oriented or translational projects. Participation in Research Day and the number of publications suggest that interest is growing, including that by traditionally underrepresented groups. Conclusion Although it is too early to assess the long-term effects, the research programs offered led to greater numbers of students who did research, including those in traditionally underrepresented groups. Moreover, students were highly satisfied with their experiences, with 80% feeling that it increased their interest in applying principles they learned to the practice of medicine.
Reevaluating stereo and motion cues for visualizing graphs in three dimensions

It has been known for some time that larger graphs can be interpreted if viewed in 3D than in 2D. Both kinetic depth cues and stereoscopic depth cues increase the size of the structure that can be interpreted. However, prior studies were carried out using displays that provided a level of detail far short of what the human visual system is capable of resolving. This is especially problematic because human stereoscopic vision is known to be a super-acuity, it operates best under conditions where fine details are present. Therefore we undertook a graph comprehension study using a very high resolution stereoscopic display. We examined the effect of stereo, kinetic depth and using 3D tubes versus lines to display the links. The results showed a much greater benefit for 3D viewing than previous studies. For example, with both motion and depth cues, unskilled observers could see paths between nodes in 333 node graphs with a better than 10% error rate. Skilled observers could see up to a 1000 node graph with less than a 10% error rate. This represented an order of magnitude increase over 2D display. These findings are discussed in terms of their implications for information display.
Patch-driven neonatal brain MRI segmentation with sparse representation and level sets

Neonatal brain MR image segmentation is challenging due to the poor image quality. In this paper, we propose a novel patch-driven level sets method for segmentation of neonatal brain images by taking advantage of sparse representation techniques. Specifically, we first build a subject-specific atlas from a library of aligned, manually segmented images by using sparse representation in a patch-based fashion. Then, the spatial consistency in the subject-specific atlas is further enforced by considering the similarities of a patch with its neighboring patches. Finally, this subject-specific atlas is integrated into a coupled level set framework for surface-based neonatal brain segmentation. The proposed method has been extensively evaluated on 20 training subjects using leave-one-out cross validation, and on 132 additional testing subjects. Both quantitative and qualitative evaluation results demonstrate the validity of the proposed method.
Comparison of lead bioavailability in F344 rats fed lead acetate, lead oxide, lead sulfide, or lead ore concentrate from Skagway, Alaska

An animal model using rats was developed to initiate investigations on the bioavailability of different sources of environmental lead. Lead must be absorbed and transported to target organs like brain, liver, kidney, and bone, before susceptible cells can be harmed. The bioavailability and therefore the toxicity of lead are dependent upon the route of exposure, dose, chemical structure, solubility, particle size, matrix incorporation, and other physiological and physicochemical factors. In the present study male F344 rats were fed < or = 38 microns size particles of lead sulfide, lead oxide, lead acetate, and a lead ore concentrate from Skagway, Alaska, mixed into the diet at doses of 0, 10, 30, and 100 ppm as lead for 30 d. No mortality or overt symptoms of lead toxicity were observed during the course of the study. Maximum blood lead concentrations attained in the 100 ppm groups were approximately 80 micrograms/dl in rats fed lead acetate and lead oxide, and were approximately 10 micrograms/dl in those fed lead sulfide and lead ore concentrate. Maximum bone lead levels in rats fed soluble lead oxide and lead acetate were much higher (approximately 200 micrograms/g) than those seen in rats fed the less soluble lead sulfide and lead ore (approximately 10 micrograms); kidney lead concentrations were also about 10-fold greater in rats fed the more soluble compared to the less soluble lead compounds. However, strong correlations between dose and tissue lead concentrations were observed in rats fed each of the four different lead compounds. Kidney lesions graded as minimal occurred in 7/10 rats fed 30 ppm and in 10/10 rats fed 100 ppm lead acetate, but not at lower doses or from other lead compounds. Similarly, urinary aminolevulinic acid excretion, a biomarker for lead toxicity, was increased in rats fed 100 ppm lead acetate or lead oxide, but was unaffected at lower doses or by the less soluble lead compounds. Although the histological and biochemical responses to lead toxicity were restricted to the more soluble lead compounds in this study, lead from Skagway lead ore concentrate and lead sulfide was also bioavailable, and accumulated in proportion to dose in vulnerable target organs such as bone and kidney. Longer-term studies with different mining materials are being conducted to determine if tissue lead continues to increase, and whether the levels attained are toxic. Data from such studies can be used to compare the toxicity and bioavailability of lead from different sources in the environment.
The influence of tall fescue on the germination, seedling growth and yield of birdsfoot trefoil

The influence of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) on germination and seedling growth of birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) was evaluated during 1983-85 at Manhattan, Kansas. Studies were designed to evaluate tall fescue cv. Kentucky-31 for possible allelopathic compounds, determine the effects of tall fescue on the germination, seedling growth and yield of birdsfoot trefoil, and to characterize the chemical properties of tall fescue. Fescue produced allelopathic compounds, particularly during the spring and autumn months when it was actively growing. The greatest trefoil inhibition occurred with fescue plant extracts prepared during the autumn (September and October). The concentration of fescue extracts influenced trefoil germination, with greater inhibition as fescue concentration increased. In a sand medium under greenhouse conditions, fescue extracts prepared in spring and autumn reduced trefoil growth by 50 and 56%, respectively, with no inhibition during the summer months. Under field conditions, full strength fescue extracts reduced trefoil plant populations by 14 and 57% with spring and autumn prepared extracts, respectively. Fescue competition reduced sod-seeded trefoil plants per unit area by 17 and 31% for spring and autumn seeding, respectively. Full strength fescue extracts reduced trefoil seedling growth by an average of 37%, and trefoil dry matter yields by 53%.
DEPTH RESOLUTION IN PHOTOELECTRON MICROSCOPY OF ORGANIC SURFACES. THE PHOTOELECTRIC EFFECT OF PHTHALOCYANINE THIN FILMS

— The application of photoelectron microscopy as a general method of imaging organic and biological surfaces requires a knowledge of the photoelectric effect of very thin organic films. In this study, low magnification images of a 7 A thick pattern of copper phthalocyanine were obtained, demonstrating that it is possible to visualize a monolayer of organic compound in photoelectron microscopy. Relative photoelectron currents were measured for a series of copper phthalocyanine films ranging in thickness up to 1900 A. The relative photoelectron currents were independent of temperature (90–298°K), suggesting that electron-electron and not electron-phonon scattering is the dominant mechanism. The photoelectric properties measured are determined primarily by the large organic ring structure and not the central metal atom, as evidenced by the fact that substitution of metal-free phthalocyanine for copper phthalocyanine did not substantially alter the values of observed photoelectron currents. An analysis of the data indicates the depth resolution is 15 A± 5 A, and equals the electron mean free path. This very good depth resolution is a result of the low kinetic energy associated with electrons released by irradiation near the photoemission threshold.
Acquisition and transfer of visual texture discriminations by pigeons.

Two experiments investigated texture discrimination in pigeons. In a simultaneous conditional-discrimination procedure, pigeons were reinforced for pecking at a small target region of identically colored form elements embedded in a larger region of distractor elements. These regions differed in either color or shape or differed redundantly in both dimensions. Pigeons readily acquired these discriminations and showed substantial positive discrimination transfer to new displays composed from novel recombinations of training colors and shapes, novel colors and shapes, and novel spatial organizations
Recognition and repair of 8-oxoguanine and formamidopyrimidine lesions in DNA.

Reactive oxygen species, including hydroxyl radicals, arise during the enzymatic and chemical reduction of molecular oxygen in cells. Hydroxyl radicals are also formed when cells are exposed to ionizing radiation, tumor promoters, and certain chemical carcinogens. Reactive oxygen species produce a variety of complex lesions in DNA. 8-Oxoguanine (8-oxodG) and formamidopyrimidine (Fapy) are among the more abundant products of oxidative DNA damage. Both lesions are actively repaired in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. The mutagenic potential of 8-oxodG is reflected in its miscoding properties. Primer extension reactions, catalyzed by DNA polymerases, show that dAMP and dCMP can be incorporated on DNA templates during tranlesional synthesis and readily extended from the 3{prime} terminus. In contrast, Fapy lesions block the progression of DNA polymerase. Plasmid vectors containing a single lesion were used to establish the mutational frequency and specificity of 9oxodG in bacteria and mammalian cells. 9-OxodG is weakly mutagenic in both systems; G:C{l_arrow}T:A transversions are targeted to the site of the lesion. Mutagenic properties have not been reported for Fapy.
Auctions with endogenous entry

Abstract Predictions from auction models with endogenous bidder participation depend on whether entry takes place under asymmetric information or not. Auctions that are not revenue equivalent in the former set up may be so in the latter. Moreover, under asymmetric information the social planner does not discourage entry even when the bid preparation cost is large.
Alpha-Methylacyl-CoA racemase: a novel tumor marker over-expressed in several human cancers and their precursor lesions.

α-Methylacyl-CoA racemase (AMACR) is a mitochondrial and peroxisomal enzyme involved in the metabolism of branched-chain fatty acid and bile acid intermediates. Recently, AMACR has been demonstrated to be over-expressed in localized and metastatic prostate cancer, suggesting that it may be an import
The Prospective Registry Evaluating Myocardial Infarction: Events and Recovery (PREMIER)—Evaluating the impact of myocardial infarction on patient outcomes

Background More information on the longitudinal care and outcomes of patients after myocardial infarction (MI) is needed to further improve the quality of MI care. The PREMIER study was designed to meet this need. Methods Patients with MI were prospectively screened and enrolled from 19 US centers between January 1, 2003, and June 28, 2004. Consenting patients had detailed chart abstractions of their medical history and processes of inpatient care, supplemented with a detailed, patient-centered interview. Centralized follow-up at 1, 6, and 12 months is being conducted to quantify patients' postdischarge care and outcomes, with a focus on their health status (symptoms, function, and quality of life). In 2003, detailed chart abstractions, devoid of all personal health information, were collected for patients eligible but not enrolled in PREMIER. Results Of 10 911 patients screened, 3953 were eligible and 2498 enrolled into PREMIER. Few clinically significant differences between the total MI population and those enrolled into PREMIER were observed. Adherence to accepted processes of quality care, such as aspirin and β-blockers on admission (96% and 91%) or discharge (96% and 93%), was high. One-month follow-up rates were high, with only 9% of patients being lost to follow-up. Conclusion PREMIER is a novel registry with detailed insights into patients' sociodemographic, clinical, and health status characteristics, as well as detailed monitoring of their inpatient and outpatient processes of care. Ultimately, PREMIER will describe patients' health status outcomes and identify determinants of these outcomes as an important step toward improving MI care.
Millennial wine consumers: Risk perception and information search

Marketing managers in the US have long been concerned with how to reach young consumers most effectively and how to present important information. This research demonstrates how the information search and risk reduction strategies of Millennials differ from older consumers. Findings from a survey sample of 409 US consumers suggest that if unsure about making a wine selection, Millennials are more apt to seek information from friend/family and shelf talkers than elders. Elders were more willing to ask questions of store personnel and wine stewards. While brand is very important to both groups, Millennials rely less on geographical cues such as region of origin to determine wine quality and pay more attention to medals won, label imagery, and alcohol content. The differences in the importance of and usage of these various information sources are helpful for wineries to prioritize their marketing appeals to the Millennial segment.
Phase-locked loop synthesis using hierarchical divide-and-conquer multi-optimization

A hierarchical divide-and-conquer multi-optimization methodology for phase-locked loop synthesis is presented. By optimizing each building block in the PLL separately with various optimization techniques, high optimization efficiency and good circuit performance are achieved. The methodology is validated with the synthesis of a 1GHz third-order PLL in 240nm SiGe BiCMOS.
Hepatocyte Growth Factor Regulation of Uterine Epithelial Cell Transepithelial Resistance and Tumor Necrosis Factor α Release in Culture

Abstract Underlying stromal cells are essential for the normal development of epithelial cells (ECs) at mucosal surfaces. Recent studies from our laboratory have shown that uterine stromal cells regulate EC integrity, measured as transepithelial resistance (TER) as well as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α α secretion by ECs in culture. Using stromal cells in coculture with polarized ECs grown on inserts, we found that stromal cells produce soluble mediators that increase TER and decrease TNFα secretion. The purpose of the present study was to identify the mechanisms whereby stromal cells exert their effects on uterine epithelium. We report that hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), a known mesenchymal growth factor that mediates EC proliferation, increases TER but, at the same time, decreases apical TNFα release. When ECs and/or stromal cells were incubated with anti-HGF or anti-HGF receptor (HGFR) antibody before HGF, the effects of HGF were blocked. These findings indicate that ECs express the HGFR at their baso...
Clinical Updates I—Laminitis

Abstract Managing laminitis entails a multifaceted approach and includes nutritional management in all cases. Using advanced imaging techniques, as part of the diagnostic workup, provides guidance in the treatment options and includes computed tomography, computer modeling, digital radiography and venography. The therapeutic procedures are trimming, shoeing, deep flexor tenotomy and hoof wall resection as possible considerations and is dependent on the clinical findings. When applicable, preventive measures such as cryotherapy and techniques to prevent support limb laminitis can be implemented.
Stereo effectiveness evaluation for precision hover tasks in a helmet-mounted display simulator

A quantification of the effects of visual scene information on precision hovering tasks under biocular and binocular (stereo) viewing conditions in a rotorcraft helmet-mounted display simulator is considered. Four NASA test pilots performed a series of precision hover maneuvers (hover, bob-up, side step, etc.) in the context of three different scene contents (near several buildings in a village, near a single tree, and in an open field), two ground textures (amorphous ground texture without sharp edges vs. a patterned ground texture with sharp edges), and three levels of control configuration difficulty. The results revealed that vertical position variability was greatest when vertical cues (e.g., building, trees) were absent, and that patterned ground texture aided hover stability only when other position-reference cues were absent from the scene. The stereo viewing condition showed no uniform advantages over the biocular condition. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for simulator design and qualification. >
Bony abnormalities of the hip joint: a new comprehensive, reliable and radiation-free measurement method using magnetic resonance imaging

The objective of this study was to develop comprehensive and reliable radiation-free methods to quantify femoral and acetabular morphology using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Thirty-two hips [16 subjects, 6 with intra-articular hip disorder (IAHD); 10 controls] were included. A 1.5-T magnetic resonance system was used to obtain three-dimensional fat-suppressed gradient-echo images at the pelvis and distal femora. After acquisition, pelvic images were post-processed to correct for coronal, axial and sagittal rotation. Measurements performed included acetabular version (AV), femoral version (FV), lateral center-edge angle (LCEA), femoral neck angle (FNA) and alpha angle (AA) at 3, 2, 1 and 12 a.m. Two experienced raters, a musculoskeletal radiologist and an orthopedic physical therapist, and a novice rater, a research assistant, completed reliability testing. Raters measured all hips twice with minimum 2 weeks between sessions. Intra-class Correlation Coefficients (ICCs) were used to determine rater reliability; standard error of measurements was reported to estimate the reasonable limits of the expected error in the different raters’ scores. Inter-rater reliability was good to excellent for all raters for AV, FV, FNA and LCEA (ICCs: 0.82–0.98); good to excellent between experienced raters (ICCs: 0.78–0.86) and poor to good between novice and experienced raters (ICCs: 0.23–0.78) for AA. Intra-rater reliability was good to excellent for all raters for AV, FV and FNA (ICCs: 0.93–0.99); for one experienced and novice rater for LCEA (ICCs: 0.84–0.89); moderate to excellent for the experienced raters for AA (ICCs: 0.72-0.89). Intra-rater reliability was poor for the second experienced rater for LCEA (ICC: 0.56), due to a single measurement error and for the novice rater for AA (ICCs: 0.17–0.38). We described MRI methods to comprehensively assess femoral and acetabular morphology. Measurements such as AV, FV and FNA and the LCEA can be made reliably by both experienced and novice raters; however, the AA measurement was reliable only among experienced raters.
The distribution of Student's t-statistic for small samples from lognormal exposure distributions.

To assess compliance with industrial hygiene exposure criteria (e.g., TLVs®), it may be necessary to perform statistical tests of hypotheses based on relatively small samples. For pollutants with long biological half-lives, the parameter most relevant for determining the risk faced by workers is the long-term arithmetic average concentration of the pollutant. In industrial environments it is common for pollutant concentrations to be approximately lognormal. Unfortunately, when based on small samples from lognormal distributions, the ordinary Student's t-statistic has some undesirable characteristics which are not recognized widely by practicing industrial hygienists. The difficulties in using the ordinary Student's t-statistic to evaluate the average exposure have been demonstrated. The properties of alternative test statistics have been explored. Some general observations on the implications of these findings have been made.
POPULATION DIFFERENCES IN PREVALENCE TO Hev B 1 OR Hev B 6.02 ARE NOT DEPENDENT ON DERMAL PENETRATION

Health care workers (HCW) and spina bifida (SB) patients comprise two populations, which are particularly affected by latex allergy and demonstrate different profiles of sero-reactivity to individual latex proteins, with SB patients more frequently having antibodies to Hev b 1 and 3 and HCW to Hev b 5, 6, and 7. Given that HCW have extensive dermal exposure to latex proteins through the use of latex gloves, these studies were conducted to evaluate the percutaneous penetration of Hev b 1 and Hev b 6.02 as a potential factor in the divergent antibody responses observed in HCW and SB patients. Hairless guinea pig skin was used in in vitro flow through cells for percutaneous penetration studies and for immunohistological evaluation of protein localization in the skin. Skin samples were separated into intact and abraded exposure groups based on barrier integrity as measured by a 3H2O barrier test, and radioactive counts were determined for both skin and receptor fluid. Little protein penetration (less than 3%)...
THE CRITIQUE OF VERNACULAR DISCOURSE

Critical rhetoricians should, by criticizing vernacular discourse, follow the path of those who have discussed the rhetoric of the oppressed. The critique of powerful discourse has broad “historical” impact and therefore has been the primary mode of critique within rhetorical criticism. In addition to the critique of widely disseminated texts, critics should examine texts that profoundly influence vernacular communities and communitas. We conceptualize how a study of vernacular discourse could be carried out by defining vernacular, describing the critique of vernacular discourse, explaining the purpose of such criticism, and illustrating our approach through a brief study of one example of vernacular discourse: World War II representations of women in the Pacific Citizen, a Japanese American newspaper.
Vicissitudes of Desire A Matching Mechanism for Subliminal Persuasion

Recent research on subliminal persuasion has documented effects primarily when people have a preexisting need related to the target of influence. Based on the situated inference model of priming effects (Loersch & Payne, 2011), we propose a novel matching mechanism and describe how it expands the circumstances under which subliminal primes can produce persuasive effects, doing so without a consideration of preexisting need states. In two studies, we alter the desirability of various products by selecting subliminal primes that address the basic questions participants consider while judging product desirability. Subliminal persuasion depends on the precise match between the subliminal primes and the question under consideration. These results are evident when the question participants consider varies naturally due to the type of product that is judged, and when the core question is directly manipulated by altering the aspect of a product on which participants focus.
Synthesis and structure of carbonated barium and lead fluorapatites: Effect of cation size on A-type carbonate substitution

Substitution of carbonate has long been recognized in both synthetic and natural biologically and geologically precipitated forms of hydroxylapatite. Although the predominant substitution mechanism in all of the calcium members of the apatite group formed below 100 °C is substitution of carbonate for phosphate (B-type), small amounts of A-type substitution of carbonate in the channel sites also occur. The present study focuses on the effect of cation size on the type of substitution of carbonate in members of the apatite group. The barium and lead members offer a larger channel site, which potentially could stabilize A-type substitution. A series of carbonated barium and lead fluorapatites were synthesized in aqueous solution and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, and infrared and Raman spectroscopy. Carbonate content was determined by combustion analysis. Unit-cell parameters derived from X-ray diffraction showed that, as carbonate content increased, the a -axis length decreased and the c -axis increased slightly for carbonated barium fluorapatites (CBaApF), whereas the lengths of both the a - and c -axes increased for CPbApF. The co-occurrence of two sets of peaks in the ν3 carbonate region of the infrared spectra of lead and barium carbonated apatites are strongly suggestive of both A- and B-type carbonate substitution. This interpretation is supported by Rietveld analysis of X-ray powder diffraction data, which confirms the presence of significant, but not dominant, A-type substituted carbonate ions. The variation in cell parameters as a function of carbonate substitution mode is discussed, and it is shown that B-type carbonate substitution need not be accompanied by a decrease in the a -axis in all apatites. The greater amount of A-type carbonate substitution in barium and lead fluorapatites compared to the their calcium homologs can be attributed to: (1) the less negative enthalpies of hydration of the barium and lead ions relative to that of calcium, and/or (2) the greater amount of space available for the relatively large carbonate ions in the channels defined by these large cations. Thus, the substitution modes can be controlled by either thermodynamic or kinetic considerations.
Kinematic prediction of intersegment loads and power at the joints of the leg in walking

Abstract The left and right ground reactions are predicted from computed absolute motion data with the aid of some simple assumptions regarding symmetry between the forward shear forces during the double support phase and the rate at which support is transferred from one leg to the other. The computed ground forces are then used to evaluate forces, moments and power at the joints of the lower limb. The power supplied at the joints of the lower limbs is found to agree well with the power required to increase the energy level of the body.
Post-Embryonic Development of the Compound Eye of Bed Bugs, Cimex lectularius L. (Hemiptera: Cimicidae)

Abstract Nymphs and adults of the bed bug, Cimex lectularius L,. have compound eyes located on protrusions from the lateral area of the head. In this study, nine specimens from each nymphal instar, and ten adult males and females were examined by scanning electron microscopy to count and measure the ommatidia through the various developmental stages. Ommatidia making up the nymphal and adult eye were found to be round-to-oval and strongly convex. Numbers of ommatidia in the compound eye differed significantly between each nymphal instar and adults of both sexes; however, there was no significant difference in number of ommatidia between females and males. Ommatidial diameter in the first three instars ranged from 24.10 µm to 28.55 µm, whereas this range was much greater in later instars and adults, 20.35 µm – 30.15 µm. Diameters of the largest ommatidia ranged from 29.80 µm to 30.15 µm, and this size range was found on all nymphal instars and adults. The surface of the ommatidia was found to be smooth and...
The role of lysyl oxidase family members in the stabilization of abdominal aortic aneurysms

Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States today. We employed a model for AAA development using apolipoprotein E knock out mice fed a high-fat diet and treated with ANG II and β-aminopropionitrile (β-APN) for 4 wk. ANG II induces hypertension and atherosclerotic disease, whereas β-APN inhibits the activity of the lysyl oxidase/ lysyl oxidase-like protein (LOX/LOXL) family members. LOX/LOXL family members crosslink collagen and elastin in the extracellular matrix and therefore contribute to the integrity and stabilization of a healthy vessel wall. In this model, cotreatment with ANG II and β-APN caused a 90% AAA incidence and increased atherosclerotic lesion formation from less than 5% to greater than 25% after 4 wk. In more atheroprotected mouse strains (C57BL/6 and BalbC), cotreatment with ANG II and β-APN caused 50% and 40% AAA incidence, respectively. These data demonstrate the importance of LOX/LOXL to the stability of the vessel wall. Therapeutic strategies to overexpress LOX/LOXL enzymes or to support the crosslinking of soluble matrix proteins in a polymeric scaffold are a promising opportunity to achieve stabilization of AAAs.
Extending Lifetime with Differential Duty Cycles in Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless sensor network applications have a predominant traffic pattern: convergecast, in which sensor nodes send reports to the base station. Convergecast causes energy hole problem, i.e., nodes closer to the base station incur heavier workload and deplete their energy more quickly, which impairs network lifetime. Existing approaches that address energy hole problem do not consider the tradeoff with network performance degradation and ignore nodes' energy consumption due to idle listening. We provide a differential duty cycle approach that is designed based on energy consumed by both traffic and idle listening. It assigns different duty cycles for nodes at different distances from the base station to address the energy hole problem, improve network lifetime, and also maintain network performance. Through ns-2 simulation, we show that our differential approach, compared to the approach assigning uniform duty cycles to all nodes, can improve network lifetime without sacrificing end-to-end delay and throughput.
Cardiac myosin heavy chain expression during heart development in Xenopus laevis

Muscle-specific gene expression in the heart during Xenopus development was investigated using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and whole-mount in situ hybridization to detect transcripts of the gene for the cardiac myosin heavy chain (CMHC). RT-PCR analysis determined that CMHC transripts are present in the cardiac mesoderm at stage 13, demonstrating that muscle-specific gene expression in the primitive myocardium has begun by the early neurula stage, approximately 30 h before the heart beat begins. Xenopus, therefore, is similar to amniotes and mammals in that cardiac precursor cells begin to express muscle-specific gene transcripts soon after commitment to the cardiac myocyte lineage. The earliest CMHC gene transcripts can be detected in the heart using whole-mount in situ hybridization is early tailbud stage 28, which coincides with the onset of heart tube morphogenesis. CMHC gene expression was also detected in skeletal muscle: RT-PCR analysis determined that CMHC transcripts are transiently expressed in the somite during the initial phases of skeletal muscle differentiation. Furthermore, CMHC mRNAs are expressed in a subset of head muscles of the feeding tadpole. CMHC gene expression is induced in ectodermal cells of the animal cap in blastula-stage embryos injected with synthetic MyoD or Myf5 RNA, suggesting that the CMHC gene contains regulatory elements that are responsive to the activity of those skeletal-muscle-specific transcription factors.
Aortic dissection—in pursuit of a serum marker

Should every patient with suspected aortic dissection undergo imaging? Of course. In a medical world with unlimited resources, that does not exist. A serum test for suspected aortic dissection would prove highly useful for low- and intermediate-risk populations and together with troponin and d-dimer may become part of a "Chest-Pain Panel" in the emergency department. Last decade has seen a myriad of serum markers being tested for this indication. It seems that quantitative d-dimer has an excellent negative predictive value for ruling out aortic dissection under appropriate context. Other blood tests focus on myosin heavy chain and metalloproteinase release for the aortic media during dissection. The future seems promising.
Toughening by metallic lamina in nickel/alumina composites

Tape casting and hot-pressing were used to produce metal/ alumina laminate composites. The mechanical behavior of these laminates was characterized. The strength and toughness of the laminates were greatly improved in comparison to that of monolithic alumina. Indentation strength values of the laminates remained approximately constant for indent loads between 10 and 100 N. Thus, this type of laminate appears to be a good candidate for damage-tolerant composite material design.
A Study of Hail Growth Utilizing Observed Storm Conditions.

Abstract Hail growth is studied in the Westplains, Colorado, storm for which a variety of observations were collected. Measurements from a triple-Doppler radar network and a penetrating aircraft are used to synthesize fields of liquid water content and three-dimensional, evolving air motion from which detailed hail growth trajectories are computed. Explicit treatment of the growth of hail embryos is sidestepped. Rather, for the purpose of the study a wide range of embryo sizes is assumed to exist over a broad region of the storm and the analysis examines which particles are predicted to grow and what their growth trajectories are. Sensitivity of individual trajectories to many parameter such as initial position, embryo size, and particle drag law, is found. However, the general results, including the following, are insensitive: the storm flow field is organized such that an efficient mechanism exists for transporting particles into the updraft; following growth of the embryo outside the large updraft, a s...
Projected Changes in Future Climate

Temperature in the United States has warmed over the past 100 years, with high rates of warming in Alaska (∼4.5 °C) and the West (∼1.5 °C), whereas precipitation has increased in the East and South and decreased in the Southwest. Global climate models project a steady increase in future temperature through the end of the twenty-first century. Compared to 1971 through 2000, average annual air temperature will likely increase from 0.8 to 1.9 °C by 2050, from 1.4 to 3.1 °C by 2070, and from 2.5 to 5.3 °C by 2099, where the range is bounded by the B2 (low) and A2 (high) greenhouse gas emission scenarios. Temperature increases will be higher in northern and interior areas of the United States, especially during the winter, and extreme droughts are expected to increase. Changes in precipitation are expected to be small (higher in some regions, lower in others), although potential changes in timing and spatial distribution of extreme precipitation events may occur. Sea level may rise by as much as 2 m, affecting coastal forests and human communities. Most climate models project similar climatic trends until around 2050, but diverge considerably after that. Users of climate information often represent future climate with a range of output from different climate models and emission scenarios. Given that greenhouse gas emissions will likely increase unabated for at least the next few decades, using a high emission scenario will provide a more accurate future climate for forest management and planning.
Downstream tests, treatments, and annual direct payments in older men cared for by primary care providers with high or low prostate-specific antigen screening rates using 100 percent Texas U.S. Medicare public insurance claims data: a retrospective cohort study.

All authorities recommend against prostate specific antigen (PSA) screening in men 75 years and older. However, some primary care physicians (PCPs) continue to have high rates of PSA, with large variation in testing. We assessed the tests, treatments, and payments for prostate cancer care in men aged 75 or older who have PCPs with high or low PSA testing rates.
Responding to the Challenges of Recruiting and Retaining Homebound Older Men and Women in a Study of Nutrition and Function

Abstract An interactive, two-track recruitment and retention approach was designed to (1) recruit home-delivered meals programs in four disparate North Carolina counties as active study partners, and (2) recruit and retain a diverse sample of older men and women from a randomized list of 934 home-delivered meal recipients. A telephone screening survey, using the telephone version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was conducted to exclude persons with cognitive impairment. Eligible persons were recruited for a comprehensive home visit and 3 dietary recalls. Participation rate and group comparisons (e.g., excluded for telephone screening survey vs. not excluded; cognitively eligible vs. not eligible; and eligible participants vs. non-participants) were calculated. Eighty percent of those who completed the telephone survey were eligible for a home visit; 81% of these persons scheduled a home visit; and 99% of those who scheduled a home visit completed a home visit and 3 dietary recalls. The study s...
Potential Labor Force Supply, Replacement, and Migration of Mexican-American and Other Males in the Texas-Mexico Border Region*:

During 1973 at the United States ports of entry on the Mexican border about 160,922,000 persons entered the United States, some of them coming into this country daily.1 Presumably a like number crossed from this country into Mexico, making a total of around 322 million crossings. This huge number of crossings back and forth across the border is indicative of the intimate daily economic and social contact between the countries. Besides these officially counted crossings there are many surreptitious crossings, at least from Mexico into the United States. In 1973 the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service located some 576,800 illegal Mexican aliens, all but 34,000 of whom had entered without inspection.2 Thousands more undoubtedly avoided detection. The border region, on both the Mexican and United States sides, as these numbers suggest, is an area of intense interaction between the cultural, social, and economic systems of the two countries, and the region is thus distinctive with respect to the rest of both countries.3 On the United States side, the border region has been the traditional residence of
Abstract 420: Critical role of MMP-2 and GATA-1 nuclear interaction in the regulation of ionizing radiation (IR)-induced IL-10/Stat3-mediated invasion and migration in glioblastoma.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most lethal human brain tumor with high recurrence rates despite the existence of multimodal treatments including chemotherapy and radiation after surgical tumor resection. Augmented tumor metastasis after irradiation (IR) has been attributed to enhanced extracellular protease levels in tumors. Secreted or cleaved matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) levels were reported to be elevated in irradiated tumors. Interestingly, previous in silico prediction analyses identified the presence of a putative nuclear localization signal (NLS) in MMP-2 and reported the cleavage of PARP by nuclear-MMP-2. However, MMP-2 nuclear localization in possible correlation with tumor progression has not been identified to date. In addition to membrane and cytoplasmic expression of MMP-2, we observed prominent MMP-2 nuclear localization, which is further elevated in IR (8 Gy)-treated human glioma xenograft cells 4910 and 5310. Interestingly, The protein-transcription factor (TF) interaction arrays using 4910 nuclear extracts revealed the potential binding of nuclear-MMP-2 with several transcription factors including CEF-2, c-Rel, FOXO4, GAS, GATA-1, MUSF-1, p300, PARP and RREB1. Co-IP experiments showed the direct binding between MMP-2/GATA-1 in glioma. Further, we also observed the presence of MMP-2 in the GATA-1 DNA-binding complex and its recruitment onto the promoter of IL-10, a GATA-1 target gene. ChIP-cloning with anti-MMP-2 antibody confirmed the specific binding of MMP-2 with GATA-1 consensus elements. We also observed that the MMP-2/GATA-1 nuclear co-localization was elevated in correlation with increasing GBM pathological grades. Downregulation of MMP-2 inhibited the GATA-1 expression and DNA-binding activity and abrogated IR-induced migration and invasion in these cells. Conversely, treatment with recombinant MMP-2 protein elevated the GATA-1 DNA-binding activity and increased IL-10 and phospho-Stat3 expression in correlation with increased invasion and migration. In vivo orthotopic experiments with MMP-2.siRNA decreased tumor growth in nude mice and inhibited nuclear MMP-2 and GATA-1 expression levels in tumors. To our knowledge, this is the first study demonstrating significant IR-induced nuclear translocation of MMP-2 and shows the functional association between MMP-2/GATA-1 in the regulation of IL-10/Stat3-mediated migration and invasion. Our results suggest the potential therapeutic efficacy of targeting MMP-2/GATA-1 liaison in glioma treatment. Citation Format: Divya Kesanakurti, Dilip Maddirela, Meena Gujrati, Jasti S. Rao. Critical role of MMP-2 and GATA-1 nuclear interaction in the regulation of ionizing radiation (IR)-induced IL-10/Stat3-mediated invasion and migration in glioblastoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 420. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-420
Rhodophylloid Fungi of the Pacific Coast (United States) IV: Infrageneric Concepts in Entoloma, Nolanea, And Leptonia

Keys to the genera of rhodophylloid fungi as well as infrageneric taxa of Entoloma, Nolanea and Leptonia are provided. The following taxa are described as new to science: Entoloma sections Typodoch...
Testosterone, cortisol, and human competition

Testosterone and cortisol figure prominently in the research literature having to do with human competition. In this review, we track the history of this literature, concentrating particularly on major theoretical and empirical contributions, and provide commentary on what we see as important unresolved issues. In men and women, athletic competition is typically associated with an increase in testosterone (T) and cortisol (C). Hormone changes in response to non-athletic competition are less predictable. Person (e.g., power motivation, mood, aggressiveness, social anxiety, sex, and baseline levels of T and C) and context (e.g., whether a competition is won or lost, the closeness of the competition, whether the outcome is perceived as being influenced by ability vs. chance, provocations) factors can influence hormone responses to competition. From early on, studies pointed to a positive relationship between T and dominance motivation/status striving. Recent research, however, suggests that this relationship only holds for individuals with low levels of C - this is the core idea of the dual-hormone hypothesis, and it is certain that the broadest applications of the hypothesis have not yet been realized. Individuals differ with respect to the extent to which they embrace competition, but the hormonal correlates of competitiveness remain largely unexplored. Although rapid increases in both T and C associated with competition are likely adaptive, we still know very little about the psychological benefits of these hormonal changes. Administration studies have and will continue to contribute to this inquiry. We close with a discussion of what, we think, are important methodological and mechanistic issues for future research.