cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chemometric analysis of the gelatinization and pasting properties of long-grain rice starches in relation to fine structure.

Chemometric tests were carried out to better understand the multidimensional facet of starch fine structure-relationship concerning gelatinization and pasting properties. With Ward’s hierarchical cluster analysis 20 long-grain rice starch samples were sorted out into three clusters based on similarities in functional properties, particularly, paste peak (PV) and final viscosity (FV). The three clusters (arbitrarily named Clusters A, B, and C) exhibited a pasting profile trend of PV,FV, PV,FV, and PV.FV, respectively. Cluster A samples were also lower in peak temperature, range and enthalpy of gelatinization, and swelling power. These attributes were associated with higher amylose content (AM), b-amylolysis limit, and percentage of B1 chains (DP13-24), but lower amylopectin weight-average molar mass (Mw) and percentage of A chains (DP6-12). A 5-variable linear discriminant function correctly predicted 85% of the Ward’s cluster membership of the individual cultivars. The discriminant function included the variables A, B1, and B2 (DP25-36) chains, average chain length (ACL), and gyration radius (Rz). Fine structure variance was fully explained by a total of nine principal components, with the first three components cumulatively accounting for 74%. The leading variables included in the three rotated components pertained to amylopectin chain length distribution (A, B2, and B31 or DP37 chains, and ACL) and amylopectin molar mass (Mw, Rz, and polydispersity). AM and Mw were loaded most frequently in the 4-variable, best-fit linear regression models for predicting gelatinization and pasting properties. A combination of at least two fine structure variables controls the functionality of rice starch.
The role of vitamin D in regulating the iron-hepcidin-ferroportin axis in monocytes

Abstract Chronic kidney disease affects 40% of adults aged 65 and older. Anemia of CKD is present in 30% of patients with CKD and is associated with increased cardiovascular risk, decreased quality of life, and increased mortality. Hepcidin-25 (hepcidin), the key iron regulating hormone, prevents iron egress from macrophages and thus prevents normal recycling of the iron needed to support erythropoiesis. Hepcidin levels are increased in adults and children with CKD. Vitamin D insufficiency is highly prevalent in CKD and is associated with erythropoietin hyporesponsiveness. Recently, hepcidin levels were found to be inversely correlated with vitamin D status in CKD. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of vitamin D in the regulation of hepcidin expression in vitro and in vivo . This study reports that 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 (1,25(OH) 2 D 3 ), the hormonally active form of vitamin D, is associated with decreased hepcidin and increased ferroportin expression in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulated THP-1 cells. 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 also resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in pro-hepcidin cytokines, IL-6 and IL-1β, release in vitro . Further, we show that high-dose vitamin D therapy impacts systemic hepcidin levels in subjects with early stage CKD. These data suggest that improvement in vitamin D status is associated with lower systemic concentrations of hepcidin in subjects with CKD. In conclusion, vitamin D regulates the hepcidin-ferroportin axis in macrophages which may facilitate iron egress. Improvement in vitamin D status in patients with CKD may reduce systemic hepcidin levels and may ameliorate anemia of CKD.
Tidal fluctuations of water level observed in wells in East Tennessee

Semidiurnal water-level fluctuations of tidal period have been observed in wells completed in the Chickamauga limestone of Middle and Late Ordovician age in east Tennessee. The periodic oscillations of the water level are similar to fluctuations in artesian pressure that in other localities have been recognized and correlated with earth tides.
A Large Roundworm Ascaridia Lineata Found in Egg of Fowl

Abstract INCLUSIONS of many kinds and of varied description, found in eggs, have been the subject of numerous reports by biologists for centuries. Most of these reports seem to be based on careful observation and may be accepted without question. The descriptions of some of the inclusions found in eggs by early biologists were so fantastic as to cause later workers to refer to them as purely figments of the imagination. The observation described below may indicate that some of the early reports may have been based in part at least on fact. Early in February, 1945, the writer received a section of coagulated egg albumen in which was imbedded a large roundworm (Ascaridia lineata), common in the intestine of the chicken. The specimen shown in Figure 1, was found by a poultryman residing near Liberty, New York, and was sent to the Department of Poultry Husbandry for identification. Upon further . . .
Genetic associations with toxicity-related discontinuation of aromatase inhibitor therapy for breast cancer

Up to 25 % of patients discontinue adjuvant aromatase inhibitor (AI) therapy due to intolerable symptoms. Predictors of which patients will be unable to tolerate these medications have not been defined. We hypothesized that inherited variants in candidate genes are associated with treatment discontinuation because of AI-associated toxicity. We prospectively evaluated reasons for treatment discontinuation in women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer initiating adjuvant AI through a multicenter, prospective, randomized clinical trial of exemestane versus letrozole. Using multiple genetic models, we evaluated potential associations between discontinuation of AI therapy because of toxicity and 138 variants in 24 candidate genes, selected a priori, primarily with roles in estrogen metabolism and signaling. To account for multiple comparisons, statistical significance was defined as p < 0.00036. Of the 467 enrolled patients with available germline DNA, 152 (33 %) discontinued AI therapy because of toxicity. Using a recessive statistical model, an intronic variant in ESR1 (rs9322336) was associated with increased risk of musculoskeletal toxicity-related exemestane discontinuation [HR 5.0 (95 % CI 2.1-11.8), p < 0.0002]. An inherited variant potentially affecting estrogen signaling may be associated with exemestane-associated toxicity, which could partially account for intra-patient differences in AI tolerability. Validation of this finding is required.
Reflections on the Symbolic and Real Meaning of Money in the Relationship Between the Female African American Client and Her Therapist

Abstract This article focuses on the therapeutic relationship between female African American clients and female African American psychotherapists. The author is particularly interested in how issues related to self worth, a woman's definition of success, a woman's sense of her own power or powerlessness get acted out in this unique relationship. Historically, the idea of possessing money and the things that money can buy has been the domain and concern of men. Therefore, it is rather provocative to explore (1) the real and symbolic meaning of money for a group of people, namely African American women, who have been at the bottom of the economic hierarchy and (2) how those meanings impact the most intimate of relationships. This paper will attempt to look at this issue from both the client's and the therapist's points of view and suggest ways for therapists to handle some of these issues as they arise in therapy.
Effects of Ethanol on Conformational Changes of Akt Studied by Chemical Cross-Linking, Mass Spectrometry, and 18O Labeling

Although PI3K/Akt signaling that regulates neuronal survival has been implicated in the deleterious effects of ethanol on the central nervous system, underlying molecular mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. Akt–membrane interaction is a prerequisite step for Akt activation since it induces interdomain conformational changes to an open conformer that allows Akt phosphorylation by upstream kinases. In this study, we investigated the effect of ethanol on Akt activation by quantitatively probing Akt conformation using chemical cross-linking, 18O labeling and mass spectrometry. We found that ethanol at pharmacologically relevant concentrations (20 or 170 mM) directly interacts with Akt and alters the local pleckstrin homology domain configuration near the PIP3-binding site. We also found that ethanol significantly impairs subsequent membrane-induced interdomain conformational changes needed for Akt activation. The observed alteration of Akt conformation caused by ethanol during the activation sequence p...
Spinodal nucleation as a coalescence process

We investigate the formation of nucleating droplets in the neighborhood of the classical spinodal in systems with long-range forces. We find that the droplets are formed by the coalescence of several clusters that are associated with the critical phenomena fluctuations at the spinodal.
Regulation of RNA synthesis in early germination of isolated wheat ( Triticum aestivum L) embryo

THE change from dormancy to germination of seeds requires water and an appropriate temperature. Wheat embryo germination is characterised by an initial increase in fresh weight, followed by a 5-h lag1. Although RNA synthesis is one of the earliest biologically measurable activities in wheat embryo germination2,3, its mode of regulation has not been established. Reports3–6 have suggested that the rate of synthesis does not change during the first 6 h of germination. But no adjustment was made for the specific activities of ribonucleoside triphosphate, UTP. This would have led to a misinterpretation of incorporation data when there was either a change in the concentration of the nucleotide or a difference in the rate of phosphorylation from nucleoside to nucleotide as germination progressed. To investigate further whether there is a change in the rate of RNA synthesis in the germination phase, we have used recentlydeveloped enzyme assays7–9 to measure picomole changes in purine pyrimidine ribonucleotide levels. We found a threefold increase in the rate of RNA synthesis of wheat embryos germinated for 40 min–5.5 h. We used the reaction catalysed by uridine 5′-diphosphoglucose pyrophosphorylase to determine the content of UTP. The key step in this analysis is the selective adsorption of the reaction product, UDP-14C-glucose, on to activated charcoal in the presence of 0.8 M Trizma base9.
Quantifying technical skills during open operations using video-based motion analysis.

Introduction Objective quantification of technical operative skills in surgery remains poorly defined, although the delivery of and training in these skills is essential to the profession of surgery. Attempts to measure hand kinematics to quantify operative performance primarily have relied on electromagnetic sensors attached to the surgeon's hand or instrument. We sought to determine whether a similar motion analysis could be performed with a marker-less, video-based review, allowing for a scalable approach to performance evaluation. Methods We recorded six reduction mammoplasty operations—a plastic surgery procedure in which the attending and resident surgeons operate in parallel. Segments representative of surgical tasks were identified with Multimedia Video Task Analysis software. Video digital processing was used to extract and analyze the spatiotemporal characteristics of hand movement. Results Attending plastic surgeons appear to use their nondominant hand more than residents when cutting with the scalpel, suggesting more use of countertraction. While suturing, attendings were more ambidextrous, with smaller differences in movement between their dominant and nondominant hands than residents. Attendings also seem to have more conservation of movement when performing instrument tying than residents, as demonstrated by less nondominant hand displacement. These observations were consistent within procedures and between the different attending plastic surgeons evaluated in this fashion. Conclusion Video motion analysis can be used to provide objective measurement of technical skills without the need for sensors or markers. Such data could be valuable in better understanding the acquisition and degradation of operative skills, providing enhanced feedback to shorten the learning curve.
A knowledge-based object oriented DFM advisor for surface mount PCB assembly

The volume and complexity of printed circuit boards (PCBs) that use surface mount technology has increased tremendously over the past decade. The intricacy of the design and manufacturing functions associated with this domain is continuously increasing. Several researchers have documented the significance of the design functions on product life cycle costs. In the surface mount PCB assembly area, the integration of the design and manufacturing activity is hampered by the lack of sufficient, in-depth manufacturing knowledge among the PCB designers. Also, the heuristic nature of manufacturing knowledge coupled with the frequent advances in the state-of-the-art has resulted in the lack of widespread in-depth process knowledge.
The Rise (and Fall?) of the EU’s Performance in the Multilateral Trading System

Abstract The multilateral trading system represents an excellent case for analyzing the factors influencing the EU’s performance in international institutions, because of the marked changes that have taken place both in the EU and in the multilateral trading system over the past six decades. Moreover, trade is the international policy arena in which the EU has greatest power resources and greatest institutional capacity. Perhaps not surprisingly, therefore, the EU has long performed well in the multilateral trading system. The article, however, argues that internal changes in the late 1980s and early 1990s enabled the EU to advance a more ambitious agenda in the multilateral trading system. The enhanced ambition translated temporarily into enhanced performance within the multilateral trading system, but this was short-lived as the emergence of new trading powers hostile to the EU’s agenda in the late 1990s resulted in the erosion of its ambitious agenda in the Doha Development Round.
The Role of Student Characteristics in Predicting Retention in Online Courses

Given the continued issue of student retention for online classes, past research has suggested several “retention strategies” focused on engaging students as a way to reduce their withdrawal rate from these classes. However, a recent study testing the effects of these strategies on retention in online undergraduate business courses (Leeds et al., Int J Manage Educ 7(1/2), 2013) did not show empirical support for the effectiveness of such strategies. Taking an alternative approach that focuses on individual characteristics of students, this study takes a broader view and examines previous research literature on traditional face-to-face classes to determine how individual characteristics of students may be associated with the likelihood of withdrawal from online classes. Using a sample of undergraduate students (n = 2,314) from a large state university, results from this study identified prior performance in college classes (cumulative GPA) and class standing (senior vs. non-senior) as significant student characteristics related to student retention in online classes for all students. Other factors significantly related to retention rates for students with certain characteristics or within certain majors include previous withdrawal from online courses, gender, and receipt of academic loans.
Thigh Abscess Caused by Yersinia enterocolitica in an Immunocompetent Host

Yersinia enterocolitica is primarily a gastrointestinal tract pathogen known to cause gastroenteritis, although it may produce extra-intestinal infections like sepsis and its sequelae. However, primary cutaneous infections are extremely rare. We present a case of Y. enterocolitica thigh abscess in an immunocompetent adult. The portal of entry is unclear in this case. He did many outdoor activities that involved skin injuries and exposure to soil and contaminated water. Hence, direct inoculation as a result of exposure to contaminated water is postulated in the absence of evidence for a gastrointestinal route of infection.
Atomic and molecular photostimulated desorption from complex ionic crystals

Calcium carbonate and sodium nitrate are isostructural crystals in which the covalently bonded polyatomic anions are also isoelectronic, however, the chemical properties of these crystals are distinctly different. In this study, we report results involving the photostimulated desorption (PSD) of neutral CO and O(3P) products from geologic calcite (CaCO3) using low laser fluence at 193 nm. Product states are probed using (2+1) resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization for both neutrals. The CO products display a narrow angular distribution normal to the surface and a translational energy characterized, by a temperature (T=110K) significantly lower than that of the substrate (T=295K).1 Atomic oxygen products display both broader angular and kinetic energy distributions than that of the CO fragments. Emission of O(3P) is seen at angles greater than 30° with respect to the surface normal. In contrast, recent PSD studies of product NO from single crystal sodium nitrate (NaNO3) show product distributions with both thermal and hyper-thermal components.2 Projected density of state plots computed using periodic Hartree-Fock theory indicate a strong overlap in the metal and carbonate bands of the low lying excited states in CaCO3, while NaNO3 was found to have a well-separated nitrate band in the excited state below the mixed metal/nitrate bands. The differences in the electronic structure of these materials may account for differences in the observed product distributions in the PSD of calcite and sodium nitrate.
Linking Mission Objectives to an Assessment Plan

Abstract Business school accreditation depends on a commitment to continuous improvement in achieving the school's mission. Assessment plays a key role in helping a school improve its processes and achieve its mission. This article discusses principles of effective assessment and hindrances to achieving it, as well as the relationship between accreditation and assessment. It gives an example of a mission-based assessment plan for a master's level university and summarizes an excerpt of the plan. The assessment plan proved to be a vital tool in the development of a strategic plan.
EMERGING BLACK ENVIRONMENTALISM: A CONSEQUENCE OF POLLUTION AND ITS THREAT TO HEALTH

The inequitable siting of polluting industry in or near majority black communities has developed “health consequences.” This study surveyed 402 black community residents and found a majority alleging that pollution caused or aggravated pre-existing health ailments in their household. Respondents alleging health problems were found to be environmentally more active and to judge the environment a more salient issue.
Relation of vocal tract shape, formant transitions, and stop consonant identification.

Purpose The present study was designed to investigate the relation of formant transitions to place-of-articulation for stop consonants. A speech production model was used to generate simulated utte...
Making Teacher Work Samples Work at the University of Northern Colorado

(2010). Making Teacher Work Samples Work at the University of Northern Colorado. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 81, No. 1, pp. 36-39.
Vapor-deposited water and nitric acid ices: Physical and chemical properties

Ices formed by vapor deposition have been the subject of numerous laboratory investigations in connection with snow and glaciers on the ground, ice clouds in the terrestrial atmosphere, surfaces of other planets and their satellites, and the interstellar medium. In this review we will focus on these specific subjects: (1) heterogeneous chemistry on the surfaces of polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) and (2) surfaces of satellites of the outer planets in our solar system. Stratospheric ozone provides a protective shield for mankind and the global biosphere from harmful ultraviolet solar radiation. In past decades, theoretical atmospheric models for the calculation of ozone balance frequently used only homogeneous gas–phase reactions in their studies. Since the discovery of the Antarctic ozone hole in 1985, however, it has been demonstrated that knowledge of heterogeneous reactions on the surface of PSCs is definitely needed to understand this significant natural event due to the anthropogenic emission of chl...
Successful Emergent Coronary Thrombolysis in a Neonate with Kawasaki’s Disease

This report describes the case of a 29-day-old infant with Kawasaki’s disease who presented in extremis with multiple coronary aneurysms and coronary thromboses, myocardial ischemia, and congestive heart failure. The infant successfully underwent emergent coronary thrombolysis with tissue plasminogen activator.
Trials of New Antiarrhythmic Drugs for Maintenance of Sinus Rhythm in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation

Despite the recent results of the AFFIRM trail showing that either strategy of rate control or rhythm control is acceptable, there is general agreement that therapy must be individualized. Antiarrhythmic drugs while being effective in maintaining sinus rhythm are not without side effects. Thus, there continues to be a search for safer and better tolerated agents. Azimilide is a novel class 3 agent that blocks both components of the delayed rectifier current, while dofetilide blocks only the slow component. Dronedarone is somewhat similar to aminodarone, but perhaps with the side effects. Tedisamil is a complex class 3 agent, blocking multiple channels. Piboserod is a selective 5-HT receptor antagonist that is being investigated in clinical trials.
Thermal analysis on hex-placement patterns of the Gemini primary mirrors

The photoacoustic tow-beam phase lag method was described for studying the thermal diffusivity of metal and superconductor materials in this paper. A beam of laser modulated from an argon ion laser is divided into the two beams, which illuminate respectively front and rear surface of the sample. The phase photoacoustic signal difference (phase lag) can be measured by lock-in amplifier. The phase lag is related to thermal diffusivity of sample. We measured the metal samples such as lead, copper, aluminium and stainless-steel in room temperature, and the results are very agreeable with the other method. We also have studied the temperature dependence of the thermal diffusivity of the high-temperature superconductor Bi1.5Pb0.5Sr2Ca2Cu3O. The experimental results are presented.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A stable betweenness centrality measure in networks

This paper presents a formal definition of stability for node centrality measures in networks and shows that the well-known betweenness centrality is not stable with respect to that metric. An alternative definition that preserves the same centrality notion while satisfying this stability criterion is then introduced. The practical implications of stability are explored by studying the behavior of the traditional as well as the alternative stable betweenness centrality in both, synthetic random networks, and the network of interactions between sectors of the United States economy.
The effects of a discharge information intervention on recovery outcomes following coronary artery bypass surgery

Abstract This quasi-experimental study tested the effects of a discharge information intervention on physical and psychological outcomes 1 month following coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). Recovery outcomes were compared between two groups of patients: those receiving an audiotape of information focusing on expected physical symptoms and their management in addition to usual care, and those receiving a usual cardiac discharge information protocol. The nonprobability sample of 82 patients were men and women and had a mean age of 64 years. The outcome measurements included psychological distress, measured by the Profile of Mood States, and physical functioning, measured by the Sickness Impact Profile. The audiotape intervention produced positive effects on physical functioning [ F (1,80) = 6.37, p
A Peptide Sequence from Bax That Converts Bcl-2 into an Activator of Apoptosis

Abstract Bcl-2 and Bax are members of a family of cytoplasmic proteins that regulate apoptosis. The two proteins have highly similar amino acid sequences but are functionally opposed: Bcl-2 acts to inhibit apoptosis, whereas Bax counteracts this effect. The antagonism appears to depend upon dimerization between Bcl-2 and Bax, but its mechanism is otherwise unknown. Here we report that overexpressing Bax induces apoptosis in a mammalian fibroblast cell line, and we identify a novel, short “suicide domain” in Bax that is required for this effect. Inserting this domain in place of the corresponding, divergent sequence in Bcl-2 converts Bcl-2 from an inhibitor into an activator of cell death. These findings imply that a specific region in Bax confers an active propensity for apoptosis in mammalian cells and support the view that Bcl-2 may block death primarily by suppressing Bax activity.
The Influence of Coriolis Forces on Gyroscopic Motion of Spinning Blades

Turbomachine blades on spinning and precessing rotors experience gyroscopically induced instabilities and forcing. With vehicle-mounted turbomachines, either constant or harmonic precession occurs, depending on vehicle or mount motion. Responses of uniform cantilever beams at arbitrary stagger, subjected to the noted rotor motion, are predicted in both self-excited and forced-excitation modes taking into account Coriolis acceleration.
Autocrine growth factors for human tumor clonogenic cells

A human epithelial-derived cell line, SW-13, releases a soluble substance that functions as an autocrine growth factor. SW-13 cells, derived from a human adenocarcinoma of the adrenal cortex, form a few small colonies when suspended in soft agar at low densities. The number of colonies increased significantly when either viable SW-13 cells or serum-free medium conditioned by SW-13 cells (CM) was added to agar underlayers. CM increased colony formation in a dose-dependent fashion. Clonal growth at low cell densities was dependent on the presence of both horse serum and SW-13 CM. Neither activity alone was capable of sustaining growth. Even when cells were plated at high densities CM could not substitute for serum, but could reduce the threshold serum concentration. The results suggest that autocrine and serum-derived factors act in concert to maintain clonal growth of epithelial tumor cells in soft agar.
Characterization of candidate reference materials for bone lead via interlaboratory study and double isotope dilution mass spectrometry

Four candidate ground bone reference materials (NYS RMs 05-01 through 04), were produced from lead-dosed bovine and caprine sources, and characterized by interlaboratory study. The consensus value (X) and expanded standard uncertainty (UX) were determined from the robust average and standard deviation of the participants’ data for each NYS RM 05-01 through 04. The values were 1.08 ± 0.04, 15.3 ± 0.5, 12.4 ± 0.5, and 29.9 ± 1.1 µg g−1 Pb, respectively. Youden plots of z-scores showed a statistically significant correlation between the results for pairs of NYS RM 05-02 through 04, indicating common sources of between-laboratory variation affecting reproducibility. NYS RM 05-01 exhibited more random variability, affecting repeatability at low concentration. Some participants using electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) exhibited a negative bias compared to the all-method consensus value. Other methods used included inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), isotope dilution (ID-) ICP-MS, and ICP atomic (optical) emission spectroscopy (-OES). The NYS RMs 05-01 through 04 were subsequently re-analyzed in house using double ID-ICP-MS to assign certified reference values (C) and expanded uncertainty (UC) of 1.09 ± 0.03, 16.1 ± 0.3, 13.2 ± 0.3 and 31.5 ± 0.7, respectively, indicating a low bias in the interlaboratory data. SRM 1486 Bone Meal was analyzed for measurement quality assessment, obtaining results in agreement with the certified values within the stated uncertainty. Analysis using a primary reference method based on ID-ICP-MS with full quantification of uncertainty calculated according to ISO guidelines provided traceability to SI units.
POLLUTION ABATEMENT EXPENDITURES AND REGIONAL MANUFACTURING ACTIVITY

ABSTRACT. Using a sample of 63 SMSAs for the years 1974, 1978, and 1982 I find weak support for the argument that environmental regulations retard economic activity. Regression analysis of the relationship between per unit total and air pollution abatement expenditures in the manufacturing sector of these SMSAs and manufacturing employment and earnings levels reveals that these associations are negative but that the magnitudes are relatively small. For example, 10 percent higher per unit total pollution abatement costs are associated with, on average, 1064 fewer manufacturing workers (0.17 percent of total regional employment) in Sun Belt SMSAs during 1982.
Freezing times and temperatures required to kill cysticerci of Taenia saginata in beef

Abstract Calves were given viable Taenia saginata eggs by stomach tube and slaughtered 12, 16 or 24 weeks later. The cysticerci-infected carcasses were frozen at six different temperatures for variable lenghts of time. Meat samples were then allowed to thaw at room temperature and the cysticerci were manually isolated. Criteria of viablity of the metacestodes were scolex evagination and peristaltic movements of the bladder wall. Sixteen and especially 12-week-old cysticerci were much more susceptible to the lethal effects of freezing than were 24-week-old cysticerci. The time and temperature combinations required to ensure death of all cysticerci were 360 h at −5°C, 216 h at −10°C, and 144 h at −15°C or lower.
Effect of Complex Formation on Drug Absorption XI: Complexation of Prednisone and Prednisolone with Dialkylpropionamides and Its Effect on Prednisone Transfer through an Artificial Lipoid Barrier

Complex formation of N,N-dimethyl-, N,N-diethyl-, N,N-di-n-propyl-, and N,N-di-n-butylpropionamide with prednisone and prednisolone was studied by solubility and partition methods. The steroid-propionamide interaction is greater in isopropyl myristate than in water. The size of the N-substituent has no apparent effect on the interaction in isopropyl myristate. The apparent isopropyl myristate/water partition coefficient of the steroids is decreased by N,N-dimethyl- and increased by N,N-diethyl-, N,N-di-n-propyl-, and N,N-di-n-butylpropionamide. The propylamide increased the rate of transfer of prednisone and prednisolone from an aqueous solution through an artificial lipoid barrier. A mathematical model based on formation of a prednisone-N,N-di-n-propylpropionamide complex in the barrier was developed, and the apparent diffusion coefficients for prednisone and the prednisoneamide complex in the barrier phase were determined. These studies provide the physicochemical basis for investigations of the effect of N,N-dialkylpropionamides on the intestinal absorption of prednisone and prednisolone.
Precipitation scavenging of polychlorinated biphenyl congeners in the great lakes region

Abstract Ten precipitation events were sampled in the fall of 1986 in Madison, WI and analyzed for individual congener and total polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) levels in both the dissolved and particulate phases. Total PCB concentrations were generally at the lower end of ranges recently reported for precipitation. Operationally defined dissolved and particulate phase congener distribution patterns for the two events of highest concentration were qualitatively similar to gas-phase and particle-bound patterns for northern Wisconsin air samples. Higher than predicted dissolved-phase concentrations may indicate non-equilibrium processes during scavenging and/or sample processing, the presence of colloids and micro-particulates, and/or more efficient gas-phase transfer to hydrometeors with organic coatings. Observed organic carbon-normalized distribution coefficients increased slightly with increasing octanol-water partition coefficient, giving the relationship log Koc = 0.22 log Kow + 4.64. The data indicate that a third organic-rich colloidal phase could be influencing partitioning, and could explain the higher than expected apparent gas scavenging efficiency for PCBs from the atmosphere. Precipitation-weighted mean fluxes of PCBs in the dissolved and particulate phases were 1.2 and 1.4 μg m−2 year−1, respectively, indicating that precipitation remains a significant source of PCBs to the upper Great Lakes.
Myosin-3B and its Light Chains

Unconventional myosin-3B is a single-headed myosin containing an amino-terminal kinase domain. In vitro, we find full length and truncated versions of the molecule to bind the regulatory light chain (RLC) and calmodulin (CaM). The RLC binds to the first IQ-like motif and CaM to the second IQ motif within the neck region of the molecule. Uniquely, we find the RLC to be reversibly exchangeable with CaM in the presence of calcium. Calcium-free conditions favor RLC binding. Exchange of RLC versus CaM to the first IQ motif significantly increases the steady-state ATPase activity in the presence of calcium and modulates the interaction of the molecule with F-actin. This observation shows that the calcium-dependent light chain exchange triggers the activity of human myosin-3B as a molecular motor and suggests that myosin motor function is directly influenced by the set of light chains bound to the neck region.
Optimizing correlation structure of event services considering time and capacity constraints

Constructing optimal event correlation architecture is crucial to large-scale event services. It plays an instrumental role in detecting composite events requested by different subscribers in scalable and timely manner. However, events generated from different sources might have different time and priority requirements. In addition, the network links and correlation servers might have different bandwidth and processing constraints respectively. In this work, we address the problem of optimizing distributed event correlation to maximize the correlation profit (benefit minus shipping and processing cost) of detecting composite events, while at the same time satisfying the network bandwidth, node capacity, and correlation tasks time constrains. We show that this problem is NP-hard and provide a heuristic approximation algorithm. We evaluate our heuristic approach with different network sizes, topologies under different event delivery and detection requirements. Our simulation study shows that the results obtained by our heuristic are close to the upper bound.
Heat Transfer to Turbulent Swirling Flow Through a Sudden Axisymmetric Expansion

Experimental data are presented for local heat transfer rates in the tube downstream of an abrupt 2:1 expansion. Water, with a nominal inlet Prandtl number of 6, was used as the working fluid. In the upstream tube, the Reynolds number was varied from 30,000 to 100,000 and the swirl number was varied from zero to 1.2. A uniform wall heat flux boundary condition was employed, which resulted in wall-to-bulk fluid temperatures ranging from 14C to 50C. Plots of local Nusselt numbers show a sharply peaked behavior at the point of maximum heat transfer, with increasing swirl greatly exaggerating the peaking. As swirl increased from zero to its maximum value, the location of peak Nusselt numbers was observed to shift from 8.0 to 1.5 step heights downstream of the expansion. This upstream movement of the maximum Nusselt number was accompanied by an increase in its magnitude from 3 to 9.5 times larger than fully developed tube flow values. For all cases, the location of maximum heat transfer occurred upstream of the flow reattachment point.
Apolipoprotein A-I helix 6 negatively charged residues attenuate lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) reactivity.

Apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I), the major protein in high density lipoprotein (HDL) regulates cholesterol homeostasis and is protective against atherosclerosis. An examination of the amino acid sequence of apoA-I among 21 species shows a high conservation of positively and negatively charged residues within helix 6, a domain responsible for regulating the rate of cholesterol esterification in plasma. These observations prompted an investigation to determine if charged residues in helix 6 maintain a structural conformation for protein−protein interaction with lecithin−cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) the enzyme for which apoA-I acts as a cofactor. Three apoA-I mutants were engineered; the first, 3/4 no negative apoA-I, eliminated 3 of the 4 negatively charged residues in helix 6, no negative apoA-I (NN apoA-I) eliminated all four negative charges, while all negative (AN apoA-I) doubled the negative charge. Reconstituted phospholipid-containing HDL (rHDL) of two discrete sizes and compositions were prepared ...
Control of Stress-Induced Persistent Anxiety by an Extra-Amygdala Septohypothalamic Circuit

The extended amygdala has dominated research on the neural circuitry of fear and anxiety, but the septohippocampal axis also plays an important role. The lateral septum (LS) is thought to suppress fear and anxiety through its outputs to the hypothalamus. However, this structure has not yet been dissected using modern tools. The type 2 CRF receptor (Crfr2) marks a subset of LS neurons whose functional connectivity we have investigated using optogenetics. Crfr2^+ cells include GABAergic projection neurons that connect with the anterior hypothalamus. Surprisingly, we find that these LS outputs enhance stress-induced behavioral measures of anxiety. Furthermore, transient activation of Crfr2^+ neurons promotes, while inhibition suppresses, persistent anxious behaviors. LS Crfr2^+ outputs also positively regulate circulating corticosteroid levels. These data identify a subset of LS projection neurons that promote, rather than suppress, stress-induced behavioral and endocrinological dimensions of persistent anxiety states and provide a cellular point of entry to LS circuitry.
Public Student Drug Testing and the Special Needs Doctrine in Board of Education v. Earls: “Just Getting Tougher”:

The Supreme Court recently decided the case of Board of Education v. Earls (2002). The case affirmed the constitutionality of drug testing for public school students who participate in extracurricular activities. The case represents an expansion of the use of drug testing in public schools and may prove to be the impetus for increased drug testing in public school systems around the United States. Moreover, the constitutional basis for the case outcome represents a protean doctrine applicable to a variety of quasi-law enforcement situations. This article examines the current nature of drug testing in the United States. Next, the legal doctrines and precedents that led to the Earls case are explored. Finally, the case opinion and its policy implications are discussed.
Sociodemographic Differences in Quality of Life in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Assessment of health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) in people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has become important in health research and can inform clinical care. Many studies have found sociodemographic differences in the HR-QOL of people with RA, and interpreting these differences can be challenging. Biological, health disparity, reporting and assessment instrument differences are a few of the possible explanations that should be considered when interpreting results. Our review of the evidence of sociodemographic differences in HR-QOL in people with RA produced 34 articles describing 49 studies. Typically, patients with RA who were older, female, less educated, non-employed and/or less affluent tended to have significantly lower HR-QOL than other groups. Some evidence also indicated that people with RA who are non-White or who live in rural settings may also tend to have lower HR-QOL scores, but the number of studies supporting these findings was sparse. Researchers and clinicians can optimise their assessment of HR-QOL by finding well validated instruments for the context they are working in. Additional research is needed to identify the exact causes of HR-QOL differences so that quality treatment can be provided to those in need.
Two-temperature accretion disks with winds in a fluid approximation

The polytropic relation between pressure and density of wind gases is used to obtain solutions for optically thin hot accretion disks with winds. It is assumed that the cooling mechanisms in the disks are bremsstrahlung and Compton scattering. This extends the previous work of Takahara et al. (1989) which did not analyze winds within a self-consistent disk model. It is shown that the disks have winds for accretion rates higher than about 10 percent of the Eddington rate, depending on the viscosity parameter of the disks and the polytropic exponent of wind gases. The poloidal velocity of winds at the foot-point is shown to be as high as 10 percent of light speed.
Time-Resolved Small-Angle Neutron Scattering Study of Polyethylene Crystallization from Solution

With time-resolved small-angle neutron scattering (TR-SANS), the crystal- lization kinetics of polyethylene from deuterated o-xylene solutions upon a temperature jump have been investigated. On the basis of a morphological model of coexisting lamellar stacks and coil chains in solution, experimental data have been quantitatively analyzed to provide structural information, such as the lamellar long period, the lamellar crystal thickness, the thickness of the amorphous layers between lamellae, the degree of crystallinity, and the crystal growth rate at various degrees of undercooling. The viability of TR-SANS for studying polymer crystallization is demonstrated through the consistency of these measurements and well-established knowledge of polyethylene crystallization from xylene solutions. One unique feature of this experimentation is that both the growth of lamellar crystals and the condensation of coil chains from solution are monitored simultaneously. The ratio of the crystal growth to the chain consumption rate decreases rapidly with a decreasing degree of undercooling. The Avrami analysis suggests that the growth mechanism approaches two-dimensional behavior at higher temperatures, and this is consistent with the observation of an increasing ratio of the sharp-surface area to the bulk crystal growth rate with temper- ature. The limitations, possible remedies, and potentials of TR-SANS for studying polymer crystallization are discussed. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 3133-3147, 2004
Underwater optical modulating retro-reflector links

We will present experimental tank measurements of an underwater optical modulating retro-reflector link, as well as a theoretical link budget that predicts performance in natural waters.
Analytical and numerical estimates of efficiency for an irreversible heat engine with distributed working fluid

Previous work on estimating power output from heat engines is extended to estimating efficiency under finite-time constraints. A numerical method for estimating efficiencies for a class of finite-time thermodynamic models with variable-temperature reservoirs and arbitrary heat-exchange laws is proposed. The method is based on energy and entropy balances, and on the use of optimal control, Lagrange multipliers, and convex optimization. It is applicable both to lumped-parameter and distributed-parameter models. An analytical expression for the upper bound of the efficiency is obtained for constant-temperature reservoirs and Newtonian heat-exchange laws. Results of computations for two efficiency definitions are presented.
Abstract 335: A genetic mouse model of head-and-neck squamous cell carcinoma using targeted deletion of E-cadherin and TGFβ receptor II.

We previously observed that 70% of esophageal tumors demonstrated coordinated loss of E-cadherin and TGFβRII. When grown in three-dimensional organotypic reconstruct cultures, cells lacking E-cadherin and TGFβRII demonstrate fibroblast-dependent invasion into the underlying matrix. Therefore, we hypothesized that coordinated loss of CDH1 (E-cadherin) and TGFBR2 (TGFβRII) will induce tumorigenesis in vivo. We developed a mouse model targeting CDH1 and TGFBR2 loss in the oral-esophageal epithelium using the Epstein-Barr virus L2 promoter, ED-L2. For spatio-temporal control of CDH1- and TGFBR2 gene expression, we also generated an inducible mouse model using Cre-ERT(tam) under the control of the keratin 14 promoter. Few mouse models focusing on genetic alterations of oral and head-and-neck cancer exist. We show that the loss of E-cadherin and TGFβ receptor II without carcinogen treatment is sufficient to induce invasive HNSCC and forestomach tumors. Double knock-out animals succumb to the disease between 1 and 1.5 years of age and show invasive tumors in the oral cavity and tongue, as well as the forestomach. Advanced tumors metastasize to the lung. The tumors are characterized by Ki67-positive and p63-positive staining and show disruption of adherens junctions with loss of β-catenin and mislocalisation of p120 to the cytoplasm. Additional genetic modifications frequently described for HNSCC are the upregulation of c-myc and cyclin D1. We could show that the oral mouse tumors are positive for these markers allowing us to conclude that this animal model recapitulates HNSCC at the pathologic and molecular levels. Furthermore, the forestomach is an extension of the squamous epithelium of the esophagus in the mouse. Known genetic alterations causing esophageal squamous cancer are amplification of EGFR, cyclin D1 and mutations in p53 in addition to the loss of E-cadherin and TGFβRII. The analysis of the forestomach tumors recapitulates these events in the mouse model as a result of CDH1 and TGFBR2 loss. This tumor model will provide us with a unique tool for testing therapeutic approaches. Citation Format: Thomas Andl, Gregoire F. Le Bras, Nicole F. Richards, Gillian L. Allison, M. Kay Washington, R. Katie Lee, Claudia D. Andl. A genetic mouse model of head-and-neck squamous cell carcinoma using targeted deletion of E-cadherin and TGFβ receptor II. [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 335. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-335
Attenuated total reflectance FTIR analysis of surface-induced molecular weight segregation

Results are reported from an investigation of the attenuated total reflectance FTIR spectra of mixtures containing specified molecular weights of deuterated and hydrogenated polystyrene in contact with a germanium surface. A variety of mixtures was examined in which the deuterated species ranged from the low molecular weight component to the high molecular weight component. In all cases, the low molecular weight component was observed to accumulate in the vicinity of the germanium surface. These results are in quantitative agreement with the predictions of an analytical model, based on random chain statistics, that attributes entropic mechanisms to surface-induced molecular weight segregation.