cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Trends in Predicted 10-Year Risk of Coronary Heart Disease and Cardiovascular Disease Among U.S. Adults From 1999 to 2010

Objectives The objective of this study was to examine trends in predicted 10-year risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) from 1999 to 2000 and from 2009 to 2010 among adults in the United States. Background Examining trends in predicted risk for CHD and CVD may offer insights into the direction of cardiovascular health. Methods Data from 7,751 fasting participants, ages 30 to 74 years, of 6 consecutive 2-year cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used. Predicted 10-year risk for CHD and CVD was calculated using risk equations derived from data from the Framingham Heart Study. Results Mean predicted 10-year risk for CHD was 7.2% during 1999 to 2000 and 6.5% during 2009 to 2010 (p for linear trend = 0.005), and for CVD it was 9.2% during 1999 to 2000 and 8.7% during 2009 to 2010 (p for linear trend = 0.152). Mean predicted risk for CHD and CVD declined significantly among participants ages 40 to 49 years, 50 to 59 years, 60 to 74 years, and among women. Mean predicted risk for CHD declined significantly among men and whites but nonsignificantly among Mexican Americans (p for linear trend = 0.067). Mean predicted risk increased nonsignificantly among African Americans for both CHD (p for linear trend = 0.063) and CVD (p for linear trend = 0.059). Of the modifiable cardiovascular risk factors included in the risk equations, favorable trends were noted for mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure, mean concentrations of total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and smoking status. The prevalence of diabetes mellitus worsened. Conclusions Predicted 10-year risk for CHD improved modestly. Reversing the seemingly rising trend in risk among African-American adults should be a high priority.
Structural Analysis of Pneumatic Envelopes: Variational Formulation and Optimization-Based Solution Process

Large super-light structural systems that for functional reasons require large surfaces are composed at least in part of structural membranes. The underconstrained nature of such structural membranes poses analytical challenges, but also provides design opportunities that are not commonly found in other structural systems that require the arsenal of solid-mechanics analytical tools for the assessment of design validity and performance. Overcoming some of the challenges that are posed by the underconstrained nature of such systems is an important ingredient in the development process for gossamer spacecraft. Our approach is a variational formulation of the analytical problem in conjunction with optimization techniques in the solution process. The optimization-based solution process avoids convergence problems that are encountered in the implicit solution process of finite element formulations of these underconstrained structures. To illustrate our approach, we carry out a structural analysis of a pumpkin balloon. Our formulation incorporates wrinkling of the balloon film and structural lack of fit between the skin and the tendon in the unloaded, that is, unstrained, structure. Our results on pumpkin balloons suggest the possibility of similar success if our methods are applied to other pneumatic envelopes.
The potential energy surfaces for AlO2 using multi-reference wave functions

Abstract We report a systematic multi-configurational study of several low lying states of AlO 2 in a wide region of the coordinate space, in order to provide additional insight into the electronic structure of the AlO 2 molecule. This work attempts to resolve the question of the global minimum energy structure for the AlO 2 molecule. A symmetry breaking observed in the vicinity of the linear geometry at the multi-configurational self-consistent field (CASSCF) level of theory is shown to be due to insufficient accounting of dynamic correlation, since it does not appear in multi-reference configuration interaction (MRCI) or multi-reference perturbation theory calculations (MCQDPT).
Susquehanna River paleochannel connects lower reaches of chester, miles, and choptank estuaries

A continuous-seismic-reflection-profiling study showed that the valleys of the lower reaches of the Chester, Miles, and Choptank Rivers are parts of a Pleistocene valley cut by the Susquehanna River during a period of lowered sea level. The paleochannel was cut before the formation of the modern Chesapeake Bay basin.
Systemic drug therapy for restenosis: "déjà vu all over again".

The problem of restenosis, a major limitation of angioplasty since its introduction in 1978, may finally be under control. The rate of restenosis has fallen from 30% to 40% to 15% to 20% with the advent and widespread use of coronary stents. Now, with the introduction of intravascular radiation therapy, in-stent restenosis seems to be reduced by 50%, and with the almost unbelievable preliminary results of drug-eluting stents, the rate of restenosis may be reduced to less than 5% in de novo lesions. Although these outcomes are truly remarkable, both intravascular radiation therapy and drug-eluting stents have a number of significant limitations. See p 2379 Radiation has safety issues and is limited by geographical miss, edge restenosis, and late stent thrombosis. Drug-eluting stents are likely to be expensive and are unproven in unfavorable anatomy. Even in optimal patients, restenosis can still occur with both types of treatment. A continued search for a simpler and effective means of controlling this problem seems reasonable given these limitations. In this issue of Circulation , Farb et al1 present evidence that everolimus, an oral analog of rapamycin, can reduce neointimal thickness by more than 40% after stent placement in a rabbit model of restenosis. Rapamycin is a naturally occurring macrolide antibiotic produced by the actinomycete Streptomyces hygroscopicus found on Eastern Island. It has been shown to be a potent inhibitor of cytokine and growth factor-mediated cell-proliferation.2 It is known to bind to a cellular receptor FKBP-12 and to inhibit the target of rapamycin (TOR), an important signaling pathway for protein synthesis and cell cycle progression. As a result, rapamycin arrests the cell at the end of the G1 cell cycle. Animal studies have shown a significant reduction in intimal hyperplasia and smooth muscle cell proliferation. Clinical trials have been remarkably positive. The …
Effects of systematic desensitization, programmed fantasy and bibliotherapy on a specific fear.

Abstract The present study was an attempt to compare the efficacy of three treatments in reducing the fear of a harmless snake, to determine whether extraverts and introverts are differentially affected by systematic desensitization and to determine whether scores on an anxiety test are reduced as a result of successful treatment of a specific fear. Twenty-nine snake-fearing college students were randomly divided into three groups. A systematic desensitization group was treated in the usual manner, whereas a programmed fantasy group imagined the same scenes for the same length of time as the systematic desensitization group, but had no instructions in relaxation and had minimal contact with E . A bibliotherapy group read about snakes, and also had minimal contact with E . No significant differences were found between the efficacy of systematic desensitization and programmed fantasy, but both were more effective than bibliotherapy. These results were discussed in terms of the role of muscular relaxation in systematic desensitization. Systematic desensitization was found equally effective with extraverts, introverts and ambiverts, but successful treatment of the fear of a harmless snake did not result in a significant reduction of scores on an anxiety test.
Economics of youth drug use, addiction and gateway effects

The use of illicit drugs by American youth rose dramatically during the 1990s. Reducing these trends is an important policy objective. However, for policies to be effective it is important to understand the key causal links that lead to substance use and abuse. Policy makers must understand whether attempts to reduce the demand for one drug have impacts on the current and future use of other drugs. This paper overviews an economic approach to modeling drug use, addiction and gateway effects, emphasizing the potential of this method for identifying causal links in consumption. The paper demonstrates how this multi-substance theory of drug use leads to empirical specifications that can identify the impact of consumption of one drug on the contemporaneous and future consumption of other drugs. This is followed by a discussion of what types of data would be needed to estimate these effects.
Measuring 13C-13C connectivity in spinning solids by selective excitation

In 1983, Ernst and co-workers (I) used DANTE: pulse trains (2) in CPMAS NMR experiments to irradiate selectively a single spinning sideband, as well as to saturate an entire sideband family (I). They also described the selective inversion of a sideband family by DANTE irradiation which was synchronous with the magic-angle spinning (that is, irradiation sidebands were matched to spinning sidebands). More recently, VanderHart has used DANTE pulse trains in natural-abundance CPMAS 13C NMR experiments on semicrystalline polymers to study crystalline polymorphy by measuring 13C-13C spin exchange (3). These experiments were not complicated by spinning sidebands of significant intensity. In this note, we report how DANTE pulse trains in CPMAS experiments can be used to measure specific 13C-l ‘C connectivity in complex, multiple 13C-labeled solids such as intact bacterial cells, even though the 13C NMR spectra are complicated by sizable spinning sidebands arising both from 13C-l 3C dipolar coupling and from chemical-shift anisotropy. We show that entire spinning sideband families can be inverted by asynchronous DANTE pulse trains whose irradiation sidebands are outside the spectrum of interest. The DANTE pulse trains we use typically consist of 65 0.7 ~LS pulses generated by a 20 kHz RF field. The spacing between pulses is 75 ps. The resulting irradiation sidebands are always outside the carbon spectrum being examined. A 3 ms interval immediately preceding the DANTE pulse train is used to switch the 13C carrier frequency to the selected irradiation frequency, and to permit the decay of residual transverse magnetization arising from pulse imperfections during the 38 kHz matched spin-lock cross-polarization and z-restoration parts of the experiment (Fig. 1). Polarization imbalances created by selective DANTE irradiation are equilibrated during the delay period, T. The CPMAS-delay and CPMAS-DANTE sequences (Fig. 1, top and bottom) differ only in the DANTE pulse train of the latter. The difference of spectra obtained with and without the DANTE pulse train (which we sometimes call the DANTE difference spectrum) therefore reveals directly the selectively irradiated resonance. If this resonance arises from one of the carbons of a covalently bonded pair of 13C-labeled nuclei, the other carbon of the pair can be identified by magnetization transfer during, say, a T = 10 ms period immediately following DANTE irradiation. This time is too short to allow spin diffusion between nonbonded carbons (2). Differences of spectra, obtained
Quantitative GLC determination of pentylenetetrazol in biological fluids.

Abstract A quantitative, sensitive, and specific GLC method was developed for the determination of pentylenetetrazol in water, plasma, and urine. The assay involves a single extraction of the sample into chloroform followed by centrifugation, evaporation, and chromatography. The method for pentylenetetrazol is reproducible, and the sensitivity limit of the assay is 0.5 μg of pentylene-tetrazol/ml of biological fluid using a 2-ml sample. This method has a sensitivity sufficient to detect human plasma levels after therapeutic clinical doses and was successfully applied to monitor complete plasma level profiles of this drug in dogs. The data indicate that this drug is very rapidly absorbed following an oral dose, and the half-life of the drug in plasma is approximately 1 hr.
Relaxation phenomena in evaporated amorphous silicon films

Power compensated differential scanning calorimetry, transmission electron microscopy, and density measurements were used to characterize relaxation phenomena associated with structural transitions in electron beam evaporated amorphous silicon thin films. Two transitions were observed in the amorphous films upon heating: a broad exothermic process below 600 K and an endothermic step beginning at 600 K. The broad exothermic process is due to the relief of bond distortions. The endothermic step is related to homogenization and densification of the structure of the amorphous silicon.
Two-modulator generalized ellipsometry: theory—erratum

In a previous publication [ Jellison Modine , Appl. Opt.36, 8190–8198 (1997)], three points of information were presented inaccurately. These inaccuracies are corrected here.
Downdating the Latent Semantic Indexing Model for Conceptual Information Retrieval

Due to the growth of large data collections, information retrieval or database searching is of vital importance. Lexical matching techniques may retrieve irrelevant or inaccurate results because of synonyms and polysemous words, so effective concept-based techniques are needed. One such technique is latent semantic indexing (LSI) which uses a vector-space approach by identifying documents whose content is related to the user's query in order of similarity. LSI uses the singular value decomposition (SVD) of term-by-document matrix to encode the terms and documents in a vector-space model. Existing methods for removing terms or documents from the term-document space are either time consuming or do not sufficiently change the term-document relationships. This paper presents a new method for downdating, downdating the reduced model (or DRM) method, and discusses its implementation into the LSI++ software environment. The DRM method can be used to assess the effect that a term or document has on the clustering of relevant information in a collection and for the incorporation of user feedback in the existing LSI model. Implementing the DRM method within LSI++ not only provides downdating functionality, but is less time consuming than recomputing the SVD when removing a term, document or both. The DRM method is a viable algorithm for dynamic information modeling and retrieval.
Turbulent mixing in fine-scale phytoplankton layers: Observations and inferences of layer dynamics

Abstract Turbulence measurements in fine-scale phytoplankton layers (∼1 to ∼10 m) in the Gulf of Aqaba (Red Sea) were used to evaluate mechanisms of layer formation, maintenance, and breakdown. Simultaneous profiles of chlorophyll a (Chl a) fluorescence and temperature microstructure were measured in the upper 40 m of a 430 m water column over a 16-d period, using a Self Contained Autonomous MicroProfiler (SCAMP). Layers of concentrated phytoplankton were identified in 95 of the 456 profiles. The layers were situated in density stratified regions between 15 and 38 m depth and were characterized by intensities of 0.1 to 0.35 μg Chl a L−1 (as much as two times background concentrations) and an average thickness of 10 m. We show that turbulent mixing and isopycnal displacements associated with internal waves modulated the thickness of the layers. Variations in mixing rates within layers were connected to the vertical structure of the stratified turbulence and the stage of layer development. The breakdown of a persistent phytoplankton layer was tied to strong turbulent mixing at the base of the surface mixed layer, which encroached on the layer from above. Hydrographic observations and scaling analysis suggest that the layers most likely formed in horizontal intrusions from the adjacent coastal region. The cross-shore propagation of phytoplankton-rich intrusions may have important implications for the trophic state of offshore planktonic communities.
Dynamic Programming and Suboptimal Control: A Survey from ADP to MPC*

We survey some recent research directions within the field of approximate dynamic programming, with a particular emphasis on rollout algorithms and model predictive control (MPC). We argue that while they are motivated by different concerns, these two methodologies are closely connected, and the mathematical essence of their desirable properties (cost improvement and stability, respectively) is couched on the central dynamic programming idea of policy iteration. In particular, among other things, we show that the most common MPC schemes can be viewed as rollout algorithms and are related to policy iteration methods. Furthermore, we embed rollout and MPC within a new unifying suboptimal control framework, based on a concept of restricted or constrained structure policies, which contains these schemes as special cases.
Liquid flow analysis in the evaporator grooves of the cold plate

An analytical model of a two-phase cold-plate operation is developed. The model describes the liquid flows in the evaporator grooves to identify the factors limiting thermal performance. It is found that the liquidcarrying components are crucial to the overall performance of the device. In particular, the evaporator groove geometry is important. Grooves with a rectangular cross section are found to be capable of handling much larger liquid flow rates (and thus higher power levels) than V-shaped grooves. Grooves with a large aspect ratio (depth to width) provide better performance than shallower grooves. An optimum groove width is found to give the maximum power handling capability of the cold plate.
Functional monadic Heyting algebras

We show every monadic Heyting algebra is isomorphic to a functional monadic Heyting algebra. This solves a 1957 problem of Monteiro and Varsavsky [9].
A novel ubiquitous form of Munc-18 interacts with multiple syntaxins. Use of the yeast two-hybrid system to study interactions between proteins involved in membrane traffic.

Munc-18-1 is a 67-kDa neuronal protein that binds tightly to syntaxin 1 and functions in synaptic vesicle exocytosis (Hata, Y., Slaughter, C. A., and Sudhof, T. C. (1993a) Nature 366, 347-351). We have now characterized a new Munc-18 isoform, Munc-18-2, that exhibits 63% amino acid sequence identity with Munc-18-1. Munc-18-2 is expressed in most tissues, whereas Munc-18-1 is primarily expressed in brain. Using recombinant Munc-18-1 and Munc-18-2 produced in COS cells, we show that both forms of Munc-18 bind tightly to syntaxins 1A, 2, and 3 but not to syntaxin 4. In an independent approach to study the binding specificities of Munc-18-1 and Munc-18-2, we used the yeast two-hybrid system. This assay system depends on protein-protein interactions in the cell nucleus. We validated its utility for studying membrane trafficking proteins by testing well characterized interactions between cytosolic proteins that are known to be physiologically important in exocytosis. Strong interactions, such as the binding of syntaxins 1-4 with SNAP-25, were effectively detected by the yeast two-hybrid assay, but weak binding, such as the binding of syntaxins to synaptotagmin or of synaptotagmin to neurexins, was not. Studies on full-length and truncated forms of Munc-18s by the yeast two-hybrid system confirmed their interactions with syntaxins. Both the N and the C terminus of Munc-18 were essential for binding. Munc-18-1 and Munc-18-2 bind only to syntaxins 1A, 2, and 3 but not 4 and 5 by yeast-two hybrid system assays. Our studies demonstrate that neural and non-neural tissues have distinct forms of Munc-18, which may function in different types of exocytosis. The lack of specificity of the interactions between syntaxins and Munc-18s indicates that specificity of membrane trafficking reactions is not dependent on this interaction.
Effect of radiative heat transfer on thermal ignition

The effect of radiative heat transfer on thermal ignition is analyzed numerically. Two specific problems are considered. They are (1) the semi-infinite problem in which a large mass of hot burnt gas is suddenly brought into contact with a large mass of cold unburnt air/fuel mixture, and (2) the finite-hot-slab problem in which a finite slab of hot burnt gas is suddenly immersed in a sea of cold unburnt air/fuel mixture. Numerical results show that in both problems the radiative emission and absorption by physical boundaries play essential roles in determining the effect of radiation on thermal ignition. In general, radiation is shown to have important effects on the ignition delay. For the finite-hot-slab problem, the minimum slab thickness required for ignition is also shown to depend strongly on the radiation effect. Both the optical thickness of the burnt mixture and the unburnt mixture are important in determining the actual effect of radiation. 11 refs.
The Influence of Varied Levels of Received Stress and Support on Negative Emotions and Support Perceptions

The present study assessed the influence of experimentally varied levels of stress and support (received stress and support) on stress-induced negative affect and support perceptions (perceived support). Participants were exposed to either a high or a low level of stress and either received or did not receive support during the experimental session. The results indicated that regardless of the amount of support received, participants exposed to high versus low level of stress reported significantly more stress-induced negative affect. Perceived support, on the other hand, was a function of the interaction between the amount of stress and support received during the experimental task. Under a low level of stress, participants’ support perception remained moderate regardless of the amount of actual support they received; whereas under a high level of stress, participants’ support perception was significantly lower among those who did not receive support compared to those who did. Exploratory analyses indicated that experimentally-induced stress and support predicted negative affect and support judgments above and beyond the influence of individual characteristics (i.e., global self-esteem and dispositional optimism). Taken together, the results suggest that negative emotions were directly influenced by the degree of stress experienced, however the relationship between received and perceived support was moderated by the magnitude of experimentally-induced stress.
Selective permeation of hydrocarbon gases in poly(tetrafluoroethylene) and poly(fluoroethylene–propylene) copolymer

The permeabilities and diffusivities of methane, ethane, propane, n-butane, and isobutane in commercially available poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (TFE) and poly(fluoroethylene–propylene) (FEP) Teflon have been measured in a Pasternak-type permeation cell. Experiments were carried out at upstream hydrocarbon partial pressures up to 50 torr (1000–60,000 ppm gas phase concentration) and temperatures from 40 to 195°C with films of 0.0508 and 0.127 mm thickness using nitrogen as carrier gas on the upstream and downstream sides of the membrane. The transient and steady-state permeation data are described well by a combination of Henry's law and Fick's law with a concentration-independent diffusion coefficient. Linear Arrhenius plots of both permeabilities and diffusivities were obtained. Linear correlations were found both between the activation energy for diffusion and the square of the gas molecule diameter, and between the logarithm of solubility at 90°C and the penetrant boiling point. Separation factors for binary mixtures of hydrocarbons were measured for TFE at 140°C and found to be similar to those predicted by individual permeabilities in most cases. Measurements with mixed gases were not made for FEP Teflon, but selectivities of FEP are expected to be similarly well described by the ratios of the pure gas permeabilities at the low partial pressures studied. The effect of annealing FEP Teflon for 24 hr at 200°C was found to produce an average of 20–30% reduction in solubility as well as a 9% increase in the activation energy for diffusion compared to as-received films. These effects are believed to be due to increased crystallinity in the sample upon annealing.
Effect of diet on non-specific antimicrobial resistance in Mycobacterium bovis BCG-vaccinated guinea pigs

Abstract Specific pathogen-free guinea pigs were maintained on purifieddiets low in protein (LP-10% ovalbumin; 50 ppm Zn); low in zinc (LZ-30% ovalbumin; Mycobacterium bovis BCG. Four and five weeks post-vaccination and diet initiation, guinea pigs from each of the 6 diet × vaccination groups were challenged with 10 3 viable Listeria monocytogenes per animal by the respiratory route and sacrificed four days later. Low protein guinea pigs demonstrated weight loss and reduced serum albumin levels. Low zinc animals were growth-retarded and had reduced plasma Zn levels. Neither LZ nor LP guinea pigs developed significant tuberculin reactions post-vaccination at either sacrifice interval. Non-specific acquired resistance against L. monocytogenes was enhanced in LP and LZ animals at 4 wks post- M. bovis BCG vaccination but not at the 5 wk interval. The anti-listeria resistance was most pronounced in the liver and spleen. While M. bovis BCG-vaccinated LP and LZ guinea pigs were incapable of expressing tuberculin hypersensitivity, they did develop a significant non-specific anti-listeria resistance.
Longevity and Survival in a Population of White-Footed Mice (Peromyscus leucopus)

We tested the hypothesis that long-lived white-footed mice, Peromyscus leucopus , were phenotypically and behaviorally different from short-lived mice in a 7-year study of a population in northwestern Ohio. Of > 1,800 individuals captured, 2.3% remained in the population >345 days (20 males and 22 females). Post-weaning mortality was nearly constant, but autumn-born mice suffered higher early mortality than did spring-born mice. Females, but not males, had a better chance of reaching old age if they were born in autumn. Comparison of home-range size and body mass did not indicate phenotypic differences between long- and short-lived mice, and long- and short-lived females produced litters at the same rate.
Separation of liquid benzene/cyclohexane mixtures by perstraction and pervaporation

Abstract The separation of liquid mixtures of benzene and cyclohexane by perstraction and pervaporation was studied and the effectiveness of these two membrane separation processes was compared. The membranes used for this purpose were made from a polymer alloy composed of cellulose acetate and a phosphoryl ester derivative of poly (dimethylphenylene oxide). This alloy has a glass transition temperature of over 200°C and is more permeable to benzene than to cyclohexane. Both the permeability of the alloy membranes and their selectivity for benzene relative to cyclohexane could be significantly enhanced by suitable annealing and conditioning procedures. The permeability of the membranes increased and their selectivity decreased as the benzene concentration in the “feed” mixtures was increased. The same effects were observed by raising the temperature. The permeation rates of the benzene/cyclohexane mixtures were found to be higher in pervaporation than in perstraction, particularly at lower benzene concentrations in the feed mixtures, while the membrane selectivity was the same in the two processes. This comparative study is the first of its kind and provides information on the relative advantages and disadvantages of perstraction and pervaporation.
Geoelectric Sounding for Estimating Aquifer Hydraulic Conductivity

The objective of this study was to develop surface electrical resistivity methods for estimating hydraulic conductivities in glacial outwash materials. Aquifer electrical resistivities were determined from the results of Schlumberger electrical soundings at six sites in southern Rhode Island where pumping tests had previously been made. Hydraulic conductivities and transmissivities determined from pumping tests were then correlated with resistivities obtained from electrical soundings. Results indicate that electrical resistivities determined from soundings can be used to predict aquifer hydraulic conductivities; an empirical relation between aquifer electrical resistivity and aquifer hydraulic conductivity was developed. A semiempirical relation between aquifer formation factor and hydraulic conductivity was also developed.
Functional Inhibitory Cross-talk between Constitutive Androstane Receptor and Hepatic Nuclear Factor-4 in Hepatic Lipid/Glucose Metabolism Is Mediated by Competition for Binding to the DR1 Motif and to the Common Coactivators, GRIP-1 and PGC-1α

The role of the constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) in xenobiotic metabolism by inducing expression of cytochromes P450 is well known, but CAR has also been implicated in the down-regulation of key genes involved in bile acid synthesis, gluconeogenesis, and fatty acid beta-oxidation by largely unknown mechanisms. Because a key hepatic factor, hepatic nuclear factor-4 (HNF-4), is crucial for the expression of many of these genes, we examined whether CAR could suppress HNF-4 transactivation. Expression of CAR inhibited HNF-4 transactivation of CYP7A1, a key gene in bile acid synthesis, in HepG2 cells, and mutation of the DNA binding domain of CAR impaired this inhibition. Gel shift assays revealed that CAR competes with HNF-4 for binding to the DR1 motif in the CYP7A1 promoter. TCPOBOP, a CAR agonist that increases the interaction of CAR with coactivators, potentiated CAR inhibition of HNF-4 transactivation. Furthermore, inhibition by CAR was reversed by expression of increasing amounts of GRIP-1 or PGC-1alpha, indicating that CAR competes with HNF-4 for these coactivators. Treatment of mice with phenobarbital or TCPOBOP resulted in decreased hepatic mRNA levels of the reported genes down-regulated by CAR, including Cyp7a1 and Pepck. In vivo recruitment of endogenous CAR to the promoters of Cyp7a1 and Pepck was detected in mouse liver after phenobarbital treatment, whereas association of HNF-4 and coactivators, GRIP-1, p300, and PGC-1alpha, with these promoters was significantly decreased. Our data suggest that CAR inhibits HNF-4 activity by competing with HNF-4 for binding to the DR1 motif and to the common coactivators, GRIP-1 and PGC-1alpha, which may be a general mechanism by which CAR down-regulates key genes in hepatic lipid and glucose metabolism.
Occludin is required for apoptosis when claudin–claudin interactions are disrupted

Disruption of tight junctions is often seen during pathogen infection, inflammation, and tumor progression. Mislocalization of the tight junction proteins occludin and claudin in mammary epithelial monolayers leads to apoptosis through the extrinsic pathway. To further investigate the mechanism of this response, a normal mammary epithelial cell line (EpH4) as well as primary mammary epithelial cells were treated with a claudin-disrupting mimic peptide, DFYNP (aspartic acid–phenylalanine–tyrosine–asparagine–proline). Using fluorescent indicators, we found that caspase-3 activation, resulting from treatment with DFYNP, was restricted to EpH4 and primary mammary epithelial cells with mislocalized claudin-4. Mislocalized claudin-4 and occludin were colocalized in non-junctional puncta, and both molecules were found in the death-inducing signaling complex (DISC) where they colocalized with Fas, fas-associated protein with death domain (FADD), active caspase-8 and caspase-3 at distinct apical domains. Importantly, caspase-3 activation was totally repressed in primary mammary epithelial cells from occludin null mice. Thus, the apoptotic response appears to be initiated by the movement of occludin to the DISC suggesting that this molecule has signaling properties that initiate cell death when its tight junction location is disrupted.
The stop signal of honey bees: reconsidering its message

The stop signal of honey bees has long been regarded as a vibrational begging signal produced by dance followers to elicit food from waggle dancers (Esch 1964). On the basis of playback experiments and behavioral analysis, this study presents the following evidence for a different signal function. Stop signals (1) can be produced by tremble dancers, dance followers, and waggle dancers; (2) rarely elicit trophallaxis; and (3) evidently cause waggle dancers to leave the dance floor. Subsequent work by Kirchner (submitted) using vibrational playback experiments confirms the latter observation. When the colony's food storers are temporarily overwhelmed by a large nectar influx, returning foragers will search for prolonged periods before unloading food and consequently begin to tremble dance (Seeley 1992). In this study, tremble dancers were the major producer of stop signals on the dance floor. The stop signal may thus retard recruitment until balance is restored.
Motivations of Adults for Non-Formal Conservation Education and Volunteerism: Implications for Programming

Adult conservation education is growing nationally. We investigated adults' motivations to take part in Michigan's Conservation Stewards education and volunteerism program. We used three theoretica...
Efficient Hepatic Delivery and Expression from a Recombinant Adeno-associated Virus 8 Pseudotyped α1-Antitrypsin Vector

Abstract α1-Antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency is a single-gene disorder in which a mutation in the AAT (approved symbol SERPINA1 ) gene (PI*Z) leads to misfolding of the protein, loss of the protective antiprotease effect of AAT for the lungs, and a toxic effect on hepatocytes. Optimal therapy for AAT deficiency will require a high percentage of hepatocyte transduction to be effective for liver and lung disease. Recently, rAAV genomes pseudotyped with capsids from serotypes 7 and 8 showed efficient hepatic transduction. We hypothesized that upon portal vein injection to target hepatocytes, serotype 8 would better transduce target cells and therefore express hAAT in both a greater percentage of cells and greater amounts. AAV2 and pseudotyped vectors for serotypes 1, 5, and 8 carrying the human AAT transgene were injected at 1 × 10 10 particle doses into C57Bl/6 mice. Circulating hAAT from AAV2/8-injected animals showed a 2-log advantage over AAV2 and 3-log increase over AAV2/1 and 5 for the 24-week study. Most significantly, up to 40% of total liver cells stained positive for the transgene in AAV2/8 subjects while remaining primarily episomal. Therefore, pseudotyped AAV8 provides a vehicle to infect a high percentage of hepatocytes stably and thereby express therapeutic molecules to modify AAT PiZ transcripts.
Influence of Late Cretaceous magmatism on the Sevier orogenic wedge, western Montana

Late Cretaceous large-volume pluton emplacement and accompanying volcanism within the evolving western Montana thrust wedge may have played important roles in determining the geometric and kinematic development of the thrust wedge, thereby influencing patterns of sediment dispersal and subsidence in the adjacent foreland basin. Intrusion of the Upper Cretaceous Boulder batholith and coeval eruption of the Elkhorn Mountains Volcanics were focused mainly at the trailing margin of the Lombard-Eldorado allochthon. The resultant thick (16–17 km) igneous culmination evolved over a relatively short interval (80–70 Ma), thickening the orogenic wedge to the point of supercritical taper and facilitating continued motion along the Lombard-Eldorado thrust system, thrust imbrication at the wedge toe, and forelandward translation of the Helena salient. Delivery of eroded volcaniclastic detritus from the thickened thrust wedge and accelerated basin subsidence due to thrust loading resulted in accumulation of a thick (4–5 km) sequence of Campanian-Maastrichtian volcaniclastic strata in the foreland basin (Livingston Group). The structural and sedimentological effects of this structural-magmatic culmination are similar to those of basement-cored culminations elsewhere in the Sevier orogen and to the Neogene central Andean orogenic wedge.
Optimization of a Single-Cell Solid-Oxide Fuel Cell Using Computational Fluid Dynamics

To determine the effects of various parameters on the performance of a solid-oxide fuel cell (SOFC), a series of simulations were performed using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The first step in this process was to create a 3-dimensional CFD model of a specific single-cell SOFC for which experimental performance data had been published. The simulation results using this baseline model were validated by comparing them to the experimental data. Numerous CFD simulations were then performed with various thermal conditions at the cell’s boundaries and with different air- and fuel-inlet temperatures. Simulations were also conducted with fuel-utilization factors of from 30% to 90% and air ratios of from 2 to 6. As predicted by theory, conditions that resulted in higher cell temperatures or in lower air and fuel concentrations resulted in lower thermodynamically reversible voltages. However, the higher temperatures also reduced Ohmic and, when operating with low to moderate current densities, activation losses, which often caused the voltages actually being produced by the cell to increase. Additional simulations were performed during which air and fuel supply pressures were varied from 1 to 15 atmospheres. Although the increased pressure did result in higher cell voltages, this benefit was significantly reduced or eliminated when the air- and fuel-compressor electrical loads were included. CFD simulations were also performed with counterflow, crossflow, and parallel-flow fuel-channel to air-channel configurations and with various flow-channel dimensions. The counterflow arrangement produced cell voltages that were equal to or slightly higher than the other configurations, and it resulted in a differential temperature across the electrolyte that was significantly less than that of the parallel-flow cell and was close to the maximum value in the crossflow cell, which limits stress caused by uneven thermal expansion. The use of wider ribs separating adjacent channels reduced the resistance to the electrical current conducted through the ribs; however, it also reduced the area over which incoming fuel and oxygen were in contact with the electrode surfaces and, consequently, impeded diffusion through the electrodes. Reducing channel height reduced electrical resistance but increased the pressure drop within the channels. Plots of voltage versus current density, together with temperature and species distributions, were developed for the various simulations. Using this data, the effect of each change was determined and an optimum cell configuration was established. This process could be used as a guide by fuel-cell designers to better predict the effect of various changes on fuel-cell performance, thereby facilitating the design of more efficient cells.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Correlation between heat-shock protein induction and reduced metabolic condition in juvenile steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) chronically exposed to elevated temperature

The metabolic condition, stress response, and growth rates of juvenile steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were assessed throughout a 10-week exposure to 15 and 20 °C, each at full and half food ration. Metabolic measurements included white muscle phosphocreatine (PCr), ATP, ADP and AMP, hepatic glycogen, and global metabolite profiling of muscle and liver using 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Stress was assessed via induction of heat shock proteins (hsps) 63, 72, 78 and 89, and growth was determined from otolith measurements. Exposure to 20 °C induced hsp synthesis, particularly hsp72. Principal components analyses revealed positive correlations between increased stress (elevated hsp72 and hsp89) and decreased metabolic condition (decreased PCr, ATP and glycogen). However, no effect on growth was observed, suggesting that 20 °C is the upper limit of the steelhead trout's preferred range. The NMR analysis of multiple metabolite classes not only identified a decrease in PCr, ATP and glycogen in temperature exposed fish, but also provided a more integrated description of the biochemical response to thermal stress.
Linear and nonlinear plasmonic effects modulated by a metalinsulator transition

Localized and propagating plasmonic effects in noble-metal nanostructures are receiving worldwide attention as potential enabling principles for optical and electro-optic devices. A critical need in plasmonic device design is a general technique for active modulation of the plasmon response. In this paper, we describe the use of a reversible, solid-solid phase transition in VO2 to modulate plasmonic response. Case studies are drawn from experiments on nano structured hole and particle arrays in which VO2 acts as a modulator by altering the local dielectric constant.
Sliding window approach for analyzing fMRI time series

Approach reported in this paper uses a sliding (rectangular) window on the original fMRI scans to produce the new scans. By selecting parameters of sliding windows, autocorrelation function (acf) among new scans can be reduced to a predicted level, and fMRI analysis will be performed on these new scans. Theoretical analysis showed that this level is 1/k (k is the window size). Simulations by using different window structures verified this conclusion and the graphic illustration provides an intuitive explanation.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Evidence for two calcium currents in insulin-secreting cells.

Inward currents were measured in cultured rat pancreatic islet cells using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. Depolarization elicited both transient and more sustained inward currents. The transient current was blocked by external Na removal, TTX or depolarizing holding potentials while the sustained current was blocked by external Ca removal or the addition of Co, Ni or Cd ions to the external solution. Replacing Ca with Ba increased the amplitude of the sustained current and decreased its rate of decay. These results suggest that the transient current was due to the activation of Na channels while the sustained current was mediated by Ca channels. Two characteristics of the data suggested that two Ca currents may contribute to the sustained current. First, a second shoulder, or hump, was observed on the descending limb of the Ca current I–V of many cells, suggesting that they may possess two Ca channels that activate at different voltages. Second, the low and high voltage components of the I–V were differentially suppressed by Cd. Neither of the Ca current components was very sensitive to the Ca channel agonist BAY K 8644. These results were confirmed in HIT cells, another insulinsecreting preparation.
Grain of high digestible, high lysine (HDHL) sorghum contains kafirins which enhance the protein network of composite dough and bread

The aim of this study was to determine whether protein body-free kafirins in high digestibility, high-lysine (HDHL) sorghum flour can participate as viscoelastic proteins in sorghum-wheat composite dough and bread. Dough extensibility tests revealed that maximum resistance to extension (g) and time to dough breakage (sec) at 35 °C for HDHL sorghum-wheat composite doughs were substantially greater (p < 0.01) than for normal sorghum-wheat composite doughs at 30 and 60% substitution levels. Functional changes in HDHL kafirin occurred upon exceeding its Tg. Normal sorghum showed a clear decrease in strain hardening at 60% substitution, whereas HDHL sorghum maintained a level similar to wheat dough. Significantly higher loaf volumes resulted for HDHL sorghum-wheat composites compared to normal sorghum-wheat composites at substitution levels above 30% and up to 56%, with the largest difference at 42%. HDHL sorghum-wheat composite bread exhibited lower hardness values, lower compressibility and higher springiness than normal sorghum-wheat composite bread. Finally, HDHL sorghum flour mixed with 18% vital wheat gluten produced viscoelastic dough while normal sorghum did not. These results clearly show that kafirin in HDHL sorghum flour contributes to the formation of an improved protein network with viscoelastic properties that leads to better quality composite doughs and breads.
Operant conditioning of the human salivary response

To demonstrate operant conditioning of the human salivary response, stimulus control was attempted. Unstimulated parotid saliva was collected from 4 Ss under two reinforcement schedules. Continuous reinforcement (CRF) alternated at regular intervals with differential reinforcement for zero responding (DRO)– reinforcement for non-responding during a specified time period. Cumulative records revealed an increase in responding under CRF and a decrease in responding under DRO for 3 of the 4 Ss. Swallowing was recorded. The conditioned salivary response appeared not to be mediated by muscle response.
A 6-bit drift-resilient readout scheme for multi-level Phase-Change Memory

Multiple-Level Cell (MLC) storage provides increased capacity and hence reduced cost-per-bit in memory technologies, thereby rendering such technologies suitable for big data applications. In Phase-Change Memory (PCM), however, MLC storage is seriously hampered by the phenomenon of resistance drift. We present a readout circuit for PCM specifically designed for drift resilience in MLC operation. Drift resilience is achieved through the use of specific non-resistance-based cell-state metrics which, in contrast to the traditional cell-state metric, i.e., the low-field electrical resistance, have built-in drift robustness. The circuit provides a fast and efficient implementation of drift-resilient metric, enabling, for the first time, the performance required by non volatile memory applications. In addition, by exploiting the non linear sub-threshold I-V characteristics of PCM cells, the readout architecture promises to increase the distinguishable signal range. The proposed read circuitry is designed and fabricated in 64-nm CMOS technology. Experimental results using an integrated test resistor array for readout circuit characterization are presented, demonstrating access time of 450 ns at 6-bit raw (5-bit effective) resolution. The circuit has low-noise characteristics and does not exhibit sensitivity to bit-line parasitics. The readout circuit is co-integrated with a 16 Mb 2x-nm PCM cell array and the necessary programming electronics.
SQP-Based Mobile Manipulator Motion Planning With Controlled Infeasibility for Physically Valid Task Failure

Since anticipating or recovering infeasibility in optimal motion planning is not always possible, infeasibilities occur frequently and are not completely avoidable. We introduce an enhanced sequential quadratic programming (SQP) based framework of controlled infeasibility for physically valid solutions, based on our previous study. A priority weight function is incorporated into an SQP algorithm combined with constraints and objective function normalization to ensure strict satisfaction of high-priority constraints. These are embedded in the SQP algorithm through its merit function and composite cost function, in which general nonlinear functions can be incorporated in a unified approach. Several simple mobile manipulator examples demonstrate the advantages of the proposed method.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Another case of nonexistence in rational Chebyshev Approximation with interpolatory constraints

Etude d'un nouveau cas de non-existence dans l'approximation de Tchebychev rationnelle avec des contraintes interpolatoires
Recent advances in elucidating the pathogenesis of preterm delivery, the detection of patients at risk, and preventative therapies.

Preterm deliveries (PTDs) are a leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality in the world. Efforts to prevent PTD have been hampered by a poor understanding of the underlying pathophysiology, inadequate diagnostic tools, and generally ineffective therapies. There is increasing clinical and labo