cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The lower hydrolysis of ATP by the stress protein GroEL is a major factor responsible for the diminished chaperonin activity at low temperature.

The chaperonins GroEL and GroES were shown to facilitate the refolding of urea-unfolded rhodanese in an ATP-dependent process at 25 or 37 degrees C. A diminished chaperonin activity was observed at 10 degrees C, however. At low temperature, GroEL retains its ability to form a complex with urea-unfolded rhodanese or with GroES. GroEL is also able to bind ATP at 10 degrees C. Interestingly, the ATPase activity of GroEL was highly decreased at low temperatures. Hydrolysis of ATP by GroEL was 60% less at 10 degrees C than at 25 degrees C. We conclude that the reduced hydrolysis of ATP by GroEL is a major but perhaps not the only factor responsible for the diminished chaperonin activity at 10 degrees C. GroEL may function primarily at higher temperatures in which the ability of GroEL to hydrolyze ATP is not compromised.
A numerical study of thermal and chemical effects in interactions of n-heptane flames with a single surface

Abstract The thermal and chemical effects of a one-dimensional, premixed flame quenching against a single surface are studied numerically. Fuels considered include n -heptane and molar-based mixtures of 95/5 and 70/30 percent n -heptane and hydrogen, respectively. A reduced gas-phase kinetic mechanism for n -heptane is employed. Wall boundary conditions investigated include both an adiabatic and an isothermal wall with temperatures ranging from 298 to 1200 K. The effects of equivalence ratio variations between 0.7 and 3 are investigated. The computations with n -heptane and n -heptane/hydrogen mixtures show that for wall temperatures greater than 400 K heat release rates have a higher value for the wall-interacting flame than for the freely propagating flame. It is also seen that the peak wall heat flux increases with increasing wall temperatures up to 1000 K. Chemical pathway analysis reveals the importance of radical recombination reactions at the surface to the heat release profiles of this study. The effect of H, O, and OH radical recombination near the inert wall is observed to lower the heat release spike on a 750 K isothermal boundary. The concentrations of intermediate hydrocarbons in the near-wall region are studied and related to unburned hydrocarbon formation in an engine cylinder. It is shown that a simple one-step global reaction rate expression for n -heptane fuel conversion cannot reproduce the flame–wall trends observed with the reduced n -heptane mechanism.
Maternal and foetal adverse events with tumour necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors in inflammatory bowel disease.

Summary Background Transplacental transfer of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) inhibitors has been shown in mothers receiving therapy for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Aim To examine reports of adverse events of these medications in pregnancy. Methods Individual Safety Reports of adverse events (Jan 2003–June 2012) were accessed from the Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System. The study data set was constructed by searching for cases with an indication for medication usage of IBD. The data set was then queried for key terms indicating pregnancy, followed by elimination of cases with potentially teratogenic exposures (FDA category X concomitant medications) as well exposures to study medications through partner or if the medications were discontinued prior to pregnancy. Logistic regression analysis was performed to detect signals for maternal/foetal adverse events with TNF-α inhibitors and/or thiopurines (compared to aminosalicylates). Results A total of 1097 individual Safety Reports in pregnant IBD patients were identified with the majority reported among patients receiving TNF-α inhibitor monotherapy (783 cases, 71.4%). Thiopurine monotherapy (OR 2.55, CI 0.95–6.88) and in combination with TNF-α inhibitors (OR 0.97, CI 0.49–1.93) were not associated with increased odds of maternal/foetal adverse events. Decreased odds for maternal/foetal adverse events were seen with TNF-α inhibitor monotherapy (overall) and specifically with certolizumab monotherapy (OR 0.11, CI 0.05–0.23). Conclusions In this analysis of adverse events from the Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System, use of thiopurine monotherapy or in combination with TNF-α inhibitors was not associated with an increase in maternal/foetal adverse events. Certolizumab monotherapy was associated with a decrease in maternal/foetal adverse events.
Comparison of the 1987 American College of Rheumatology and the 2010 American College of Rheumatology/European League against Rheumatism criteria for classification of rheumatoid arthritis in the Nurses’ Health Study cohorts

Performance of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) classification by the 2010 American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/European League against Rheumatism (EULAR) criteria, compared to the 1987 ACR criteria, has not been assessed in population-based cohorts in which disease identification is by mailed questionnaire. Women followed in the Nurses’ Health Study and Nurses’ Health Study II cohorts self-reported new doctor-diagnosed RA on biennial questionnaires. Two RA experts reviewed medical records of 128 new RA self-reports to obtain individual 1987 and 2010 criteria and arrived at a consensus opinion. We compared agreement in classification by the two criteria sets (kappa), and calculated sensitivity and specificity, with reviewers’ opinion as gold standard. Ninety-eight (77 %) participants were classified as RA by reviewers’ consensus opinion; 98 (77 %) fulfilled 1987 criteria, while 79 (63 %) fulfilled 2010 criteria. Seventy-two (56 %) were classified as RA by both sets, 21 (16 %) by neither, 26 (20 %) by only 1987 criteria, and 9 (7 %) by only 2010 criteria. Kappa for concordance was 0.36 (95 % CI 0.20–0.53). Compared to reviewer’s opinion, sensitivity and specificity were 0.93 and 0.77 for 1987 criteria, and 0.79 and 0.87 for 2010 criteria. Participants fulfilling 1987 criteria only were more likely to be seronegative. In these prospective population-based cohorts, significant discordance between 1987 ACR and 2010 ACR/EULAR criteria for classifying RA exists. Using the 2010 ACR/EULAR criteria alone had decreased sensitivity, and seronegative RA cases would be excluded in particular. Combined use of both will be necessary to maximize inclusion and allow sensitivity analyses.
Performance of the AGS separated beam with high-energy kaons

A high-energy facility capable of producing separated beams of antiprotons and both positive and negative kaons has been constructed at the Brooknaven AGS. The expected and actually observed characteristics of the beam in connection with production of 2.3-Bev/c K/sup -/ are described. Transmission curves for 2.5-Bev/c K/sup -/ and 2.3-Bev/c K/sup +/ are also shown. (A.G.W.)
Consequences of the overproduction of methyl jasmonate on seed production, tolerance to defoliation and competitive effect and response of Arabidopsis thaliana

Summary • Accumulation of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) after herbivore attack in plants is associated with the induction of defenses that can benefit fitness, but are costly to express; effects often explored using exogenous application of jasmonates. • Here I explored the consequences of the overexpression of MeJA on seed production, tolerance to defoliation and competitive effect and response, using a genotype of Arabidopsis thaliana that overexpresses jasmonic acid carboxyl methyltransferase (JMT) and contains threefold higher levels of MeJA than wild-type plants. • Without competition, JMT plants produced 37–40% less total seed mass than vector controls or wild-type plants, and had reduced seed germination. Defoliation reduced height more strongly in wild-type than in JMT plants, but reduced total seed production equally. In a competition experiment, the presence of a neighbor reduced fitness more strongly in wild-type than in JMT plants, but JMT plants exhibited dampened opportunity costs and benefits of induction with jasmonic acid of itself or its neighbor. This may have related to the higher constitutive expression but reduced inducibility of jasmonate-mediated defenses, including trypsin inhibitors, exhibited by JMT plants. • In natural plant populations, overexpression of MeJA-mediated responses should be beneficial to resistance to herbivores, pathogens and competitors, but is directly costly to fitness and probably constrains plasticity in response to changing environmental conditions.
Fibers and Grids by Integrated Circuit Technology

Ceramic fibers and grids of controlled geometry and composition were fabricated by electron beam evaporation of Al2O3 onto substrates patterned by optical lithography. The fibers were 4 and 5μm wide by 1μm thick. In addition, mixed metal oxide films from 0 to 10at% Ti, Zr, or Cr were produced by coevaporation with Al2O3. The compositions of the films were determined by Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy. TEM and electron diffraction examination showed all the films to be amorphous in structure. The Al2O3 fibers had tensile strengths between 143 and 168 ksi and the Al2O3 film had a microindentation hardness of 8.4 GPa. Films with ≈ 1at% additions of Zr, Ti, and Cr had hardnesses of 11.0, 9.7, and 8.8 GPa respectively. The hardness then decreased with higher Zr, Ti, and Cr concentrations
Cardioprotection at a distance: mesenteric artery occlusion protects the myocardium via an opioid sensitive mechanism.

Abstract H. H. Patel, J. Moore, A. K. Hsu and G. J. Gross. Cardioprotection at a Distance: Mesenteric Artery Occlusion Protects the Myocardium via an Opioid Sensitive Mechanism. Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology (2002) 34 , 1317–1323. Preconditioning in remote organs protects the myocardium; however, mediators of the protection remain unknown. Protection of the heart is linked to opioids; therefore, we hypothesized that mesenteric preconditioning (MPC) releases endogenous opioids that protect the myocardium from ischemic injury. In an intact rat model of myocardial infarction, all rats underwent 30 min of coronary artery occlusion followed by 2 h of reperfusion. Prior to coronary artery occlusion, control rats were subjected to sham surgery in which the mesenteric artery was isolated but not occluded both with and without naloxone (10 mg/kg) pretreatment. Experimental groups underwent isolation and occlusion of the mesenteric artery for 15 min followed by a 10 min reperfusion period with and without naloxone pretreatment. At the end of 2 h of coronary reperfusion, myocardial infarct size (IS) was determined by tetrazolium staining and expressed as a percent of the area at risk (AAR). Control rats had an IS/AAR of 57.3±2. MPC resulted in a significant reduction in infarct size compared to controls (32.2±3, P P
A comment on the Σ-Λ parity and resolution between the bound state model and the isobar model of Y 1 *

In sp i te of a g rea t deal of efforts, t h e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of Y* (all o the r k n o w n Y*) has no t been m a d e unique . I t is s t i l l a ve ry big ques t ion w h e t h e r t h e E-A re l a t i ve p a r i t y is even or odd (~). W e shou ld like to po in t ou t the impor t a n c e of A-p inelas t ic s c a t t e r i n g for t h e d e t e r m i n a t i o n of these quest ions . FERRARI a n d S:ELL]ERI h a v e shown t h a t t he p-p ine las t ic s c a t t e r i n g for one-p ion p r o d u c t i o n can be exp la ined ve ry well b y t h e one p ion exchange mode l w h e n t h e su i t ab l e a ccoun t of t h e 3, 3 resonance , v e r t e x a n d p r o p a g a t o r cor rec t ions is done (2). I f we a s sume t h a t t he obse rved Y* is comple t e ly due to the ,~-A r e s o n a n c e sca t t e r ing , we can use t he same p i c tu re for t h e desc r ip t ion of t he A-p inelas t ic sca t t e r ing . W e w a n t to p o i n t ou t t h a t one can do a few p r ed i c t i ons if i t is t he case. The processes w h i c h we are
An Economic Theory of Supreme Court News

In this article, we develop and test an economic theory of Supreme Court news. We hypothesize that information about the Third Branch is newsworthy when it has lower production costs and qualities attractive to the audiences and advertisers desired by news organizations. We examine Supreme Court news in elite newspapers, television news broadcasts, and online news sources during the October 2008 and 2010 terms. The results of our quantitative analyses indicate that all three types of news outlets are more likely to provide content about Supreme Court decisions with substantive importance but vary in their responses to costs and qualities appealing to the lay audience. We conclude by discussing the similarities and differences among news outlets with regard to their selection of Supreme Court information as news content.
The locus of sequence-directed and protein-induced DNA bending

The bending locus of trypanosome kinetoplast DNA, identified by gel electrophoresis, has tracts of a simple repeat sequence (CA5–6 T) symmetrically distributed about it, with a repeat interval of 10 base pairs. The analogous bending induced when catabolite gene activating protein binds to its recognition sequence near the promoter of the Escherichia coli lac operon is centred on a site about 5–7 base pairs away from the centre of the protein binding site.
CHIL computing to overcome techno-clutter

After building computers that paid no intention to communicating with humans, we have in recent years developed ever more sophisticated interfaces that put the "human in the loop" of computers. These interfaces have improved usability by providing more appealing output (graphics, animations), more easy to use input methods (mouse, pointing, clicking, dragging) and more natural interaction modes (speech, vision, gesture, etc.). Yet the productivity gains that have been promised have largely not been seen and human-machine interaction still remains a partially frustrating and tedious experience, full of techno-clutter and excessive attention required by the technical artifact.In this talk, I will argue, that we must transition to a third paradigm of computer use, in which we let people interact with people, and move the machine into the background to observe the humans' activities and to provide services implicitly, that is, -to the extent possible- without explicit request. Putting the "Computer in the Human Interaction Loop" (CHIL), instead of the other way round, however, brings formidable technical challenges. The machine must now always observe and understand humans, model their activities, their interaction with other humans, the human state as well as the state of the space they are in, and finally, infer intentions and needs. From a perceptual user interface point of view, we must process signals from sensors that are always on, frequently inappropriately positioned, and subject to much greater variablity. We must also not only recognize WHAT was seen or said in a given space, but also a broad range of additional information, such as the WHO, WHERE, HOW, TO WHOM, WHY, WHEN of human interaction and engagement.In this talk, I will describe a variety of multimodal interface technologies that we have developed to answer these questions and some preliminary CHIL type services that take advantage of such perceptual interfaces.
The use of maggots in wound debridement.

Since antiquity, clinicians have observed that maggots can provide debridement of necrotic wounds, but the therapeutic use has declined since the advent of aseptic wound management and antibiotics. In certain difficult wounds, the use of maggots for debridement may have a role. If so, the larvae mus
Rubber particle agglomeration phenomena in acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) polymers II. Rubber particle agglomeration elucidated by a thermodynamic theory

A thermodynamic theory incorporating Flory-Huggins thermodynamics was developed to elucidate the observed rubber particle agglomeration phenomena in ABS molded under a severe condition. When the particle size of ABS is smaller than a thermodynamically stable domain size (Ds), rubber particle agglomeration can occur. Based on this criterion, rubber particle agglomeration can be explained semiquantitatively, especially for materials which do not have too insufficient graft level and nearly no compositional acrylonitrile mismatch. This finding suggests that the agglomeration results mainly from a driving force produced by thermodynamic incompatibility between components. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys, 35: 553–562, 1997
Upsilon physics at CESR

Bound states of the heaviest known quark, the b-quark, provides us with a powerful laboratory for testing fundamental ideas in physics. Four 3S1 bb bound states are now known to exist. Their masses and leptonic widths provide crucial information on the dynamics of quark binding. A large body of information has been collected in the past eighteen months at CESR on the four Y's. The Y″ was first resolved, the Y″ was discovered and proved to lie above the open flavor threshold. Finally, the first b-flavored particle, the pseudoscalar B-meson, was discovered by detecting its semileptonic decay. A brief description is given of the two detectors operating at CESR, and of heavy quark bound state phenomenology. Experimental results are presented and discussed in terms of current theoretical ideas.
Spectral estimation: An overdetermined rational model equation approach

In seeking rational models of time series, the concept of approximating second-order statistical relationships (i.e., the Yule-Walker equations) is often explicitly or implicitly invoked. The parameters of the hypothesized rational model are typically selected so that these relationships "best represent" a set of autocorrelation lag estimates computed from time series observations. One of the objectives of this paper will be that of establishing this fundamental approach to the generation of rational models. An examination of many popular contemporary spectral estimation methods reveals that the parameters of a hypothesized rational model are estimated upon using a "minimal" set of Yule-Walker equation evaluations. This results in an undesired parameter hypersensitivity and a subsequent decrease in estimation performance. To counteract this parameter hypersensitivity, the concept of using more than the minimal number of Yule-Walker equation evaluations is herein advocated. It is shown that by taking this overdetermined parametric evaluation approach, a reduction in data-induced model parameter hypersensitivity is obtained, and a corresponding improvement in modeling performance results. Moreover, upon adapting a singular value decomposition representation of an extended-order autocorrelation matrix estimate to this procedure, a desired model order determination method is obtained and a further significant improvement in modeling performance is achieved. This approach makes possible the generation of low-order high-quality rational spectral estimates from short data lengths.
Review article: the epidemiology and therapy of chronic hepatitis C genotypes 4, 5 and 6

Summary Background The global burden of hepatitis C (HCV) infection is mostly found in Africa, the Middle East and Asia, where HCV genotypes 4, 5 and 6 are common. The literature on these genotypes is sparse and this synopsis will review characteristics of patients infected with these genotypes. Aim To review characteristics of patients infected with HCV genotypes 4, 5 and 6. Methods PubMed search for ‘hepatitis C’ AND ‘genotype 4’, ‘hepatitis C’ AND ‘genotype 5’, and ‘hepatitis C’ AND ‘genotype 6’ was conducted and relevant articles were reviewed. Results Intravenous drug use is generally responsible for HCV genotype 4 infection in developed countries, but unsafe medical practices cause most cases of HCV genotypes 4, 5 and 6 in endemic countries. The sustained virological response (SVR) rate for patients with HCV genotype 4 who receive pegylated interferon and ribavirin for 48 weeks ranges from 40% to 70% in various small studies. The SVR rate is in the 60–70% range for HCV genotype 5 and 70–80% range for HCV genotype 6 following 48 weeks with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. Preliminary data suggest that a shorter course of 24 weeks of pegylated interferon and ribavirin may be acceptable for HCV genotype 6, with an SVR rate of approximately 70%. Conclusions The current standard-of-care therapy for HCV genotypes 4, 5 and 6 is pegylated interferon and ribavirin for 48 weeks. A shorter course with 24 weeks of therapy may be considered for patients with genotype 6. Newer and much more effective therapies may be forthcoming in the next few years.
Temperature and serum proinflammatory cytokine changes in patients with NSCLC after BAL.

We examined the effects of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and BAL fluid characteristics on the systemic proinflammatory cytokine expression and their relation to clinical and laboratory findings. Thirty patients suspected to have lung cancer were subjected to fiber-optic bronchoscopy (FOB) and BAL. Clinical and laboratory findings were determined at baseline, 4 h, and 24 h, including lung auscultation, temperature, chest X-ray, WBC, neutrophils, and serum IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α. BAL fluid characteristics were determined including cytokine levels. Fifteen volunteers served as controls to determine serum variation of the same cytokines. Significant temperature elevation was defined as 1°C increase compared to baseline. BAL was associated with temperature and serum TNF-α and IL-6 but not IL-1β increase at 4 h. Four patients (13.3%) developed temperature over 38°C. In controls there were no significant changes between baseline and 24 h measurements for the same cytokines. Eleven patients (36.6%) developed a significant temperature elevation 4 h after BAL. These patients had a statistically significant (p < 0.05) increase in serum IL-6 at 4 h and in TNF-α at both 4 and 24 h after BAL compared with the nonsignificant temperature increase group. BAL characteristics were not different between the two groups. On the other hand, BAL fluid IL-6 and TNF-α levels were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the nonfever group. Significant temperature increase was observed in 36.6% of the patients undergoing BAL and associated with significant serum TNF-α and IL-6 increase at 4 h. Lung cytokines levels, alveolar macrophages, and BAL fluid characteristics are not related to temperature and serum proinflammatory cytokine increase. The hypothesis of alveolar macrophages derive from cytokine production and shift to the systemic circulation cannot be supported by our data.
Aniline hydrogenolysis on nickel: effects of surface hydrogen and surface structure

Fluorescence yield near-edge spectroscopy (FYNES) above the carbon K edge and temperature programmed reaction spectroscopy (TPRS) have been used as the methods for characterizing the reactivity and structure of adsorbed aniline and aniline derived species on the Ni(100) and Ni(111) surfaces over an extended range of temperatures and hydrogen pressures. The Ni(100) surface shows appreciably higher hydrogenolysis activity towards adsorbed aniline than the Ni(111) surface. Hydrogenolysis of aniline on the Ni(100) surface results in benzene formation at 470 K, both in reactive hydrogen atmospheres and in vacuum. External hydrogen significantly enhances the hydrogenolysis activity for aniline on the Ni(100) surface. Based on spectroscopic evidence, we believe that the dominant aniline hydrogenolysis reaction is preceded by partial hydrogenation of the aromatic ring of aniline in the presence of 0.001 Torr of external hydrogen on the (100) surface. In contrast, very little adsorbed aniline undergoes hydrogen induced C-N bond activation on the Ni(111) surface for hydrogen pressures as high as 10−7 Torr below 500 K. Thermal dehydrogenation of aniline dominates with increasing temperature on the Ni(111) surface, resulting in the formation of a previously observed polymeric layer which is stable up to 820 K. Aniline is adsorbed at a smaller angle relative to the Ni(111) surface than the Ni(100) surface at temperatures below the hydrogenolysis temperature. We believe that the proximity and strong π-interaction between the aromatic ring of the aniline and the surface is one major factor which controls the competition between dehydrogenation and hydrogen addition. In this case the result is a substantial enhancement of aniline dehydrogenation relative to hydrogenation on the Ni(111) surface.
Automatic layout synthesis of analog ICs using circuit recognition and constraint analysis techniques

A systematic method for automatic layout synthesis of analog integrated circuit modules is presented. This method uses analog circuit recognition and critical net analysis techniques to derive proper layout constraints for analog circuit performance optimization. These layout constraints are analyzed and prioritized according to the recognized analog circuit topologies and classified net sensitivities. The weighted constraints are then used to drive the physical layout generation process to obtain a high-quality custom circuit layout. An efficient, constraint-driven analog floorplanning technique based on a zone-sensitivity partitioning algorithm is specially developed to generate a slicing floorplan incorporating the layout constraints. This layout synthesis approach has three key advantages. First, it can produce a satisfactory analog circuit performance with negligible degradation due to the layout-introduced parasitic effects. Second, it allows a complete automation for netlist-to-layout synthesis so that the layout tool can be used by VLSI system designers. Finally, this method is quite general and can be applied to handle a wide variety of analog circuits. Experimental results in CMOS operational amplifiers and a comparator are presented.
Raft Formation by the Red Imported Fire Ant, Solenopsis invicta

The raft behavior of the invasive red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), has been documented for over a century. However, no rigorous tests have been performed elucidating the structure, limits, and important characteristics of this behavior. Rafting makes S. invicta competitive in both native and foreign environments. Further understanding of this behavior will provide critical advancement to the comprehension of this ant's global invasion ecology. Though speculations exist, no one has looked at the movements of individuals within the raft formation, the longevity of rafts, raft success rate, or the importance of different life stages and varying types of adults to raft formation. Furthermore, bubble use has been extensively studied in arthropods, but it has never been documented in social insects. The use of bubbles as a means of floatation has never before been noted in raft formation. This study shows that ants trapped under water escape by lifting themselves to the air-water interface through the use of bubbles collected from submerged substrate. The presence of larvae was noted to increase colony survival and maximize raft longevity due in part their ability to hold bubbles under hydrophobic setae.
Rank dependent expected utility: stochastic dominance, risk preference, and certainty equivalence

Abstract This paper examines a type of nonexpected utility called "expected utility theory with rank dependent probabilities" (EURDP) with respect to implications regarding dominance tests and risk aversion. EURDP uses two behavioral functions to represent preference: a utility function over outcomes and a transformation function applied to the cumulative distribution function. Properties of these functions are identified which make the preference order consistent with second-order stochastic dominance. Properties of the transformation function are shown to have interpretations in terms of optimism, pessimism, and risk aversion. Some well-known experiments are reexamined to make inferences about the nature of the transformation function.
The relationship between pre-hospital and emergency department Glasgow coma scale scores

Introduction : Pre-hospital GCS scores are used to make critical patient care decisions and to fill in gaps in hospital-based TBI surveillance, but they may not be accurate. Objective : To determine the relationship between pre-hospital (EMS-GCS) and emergency physician GCS scores (ED-GCS). Methods :Prospective observational study of 60 TBI patients with a field GCS of 8-13 and age > 18. ED-GCS, EMS-GCS, time of GCS and vitals signs were recorded. Analysis : Simple and multiple linear regression. Results : The median EMS-GCS was 13 and that for ED-GCS was 15. There was a significant linear relationship between ED-GCS and EMS-GCS (r = 0.45, p = 0.003). There was improvement in the prediction of ED-GCS when alcohol/drug use and age (but not time) were added to EMS-GCS. Conclusion : EMS-GCS is usually two points lower than ED-GCS, but the correlation between them is strong and independent of the time between score determinations. These results could prevent unnecessary procedures based on the EMS-GCS and imp...
CTRP9 transgenic mice are protected from diet-induced obesity and metabolic dysfunction

CTRP9 is a secreted multimeric protein of the C1q family and the closest paralog of the insulin-sensitizing adipokine, adiponectin. The metabolic function of this adipose tissue-derived plasma protein remains largely unknown. Here, we show that the circulating levels of CTRP9 are downregulated in diet-induced obese mice and upregulated upon refeeding. Overexpressing CTRP9 resulted in lean mice that dramatically resisted weight gain induced by a high-fat diet, largely through decreased food intake and increased basal metabolism. Enhanced fat oxidation in CTRP9 transgenic mice resulted from increases in skeletal muscle mitochondrial content, expression of enzymes involved in fatty acid oxidation (LCAD and MCAD), and chronic AMPK activation. Hepatic and skeletal muscle triglyceride levels were substantially decreased in transgenic mice. Consequently, CTRP9 transgenic mice had a greatly improved metabolic profile with markedly reduced fasting insulin and glucose levels. The high-fat diet-induced obesity, insulin resistance, and hepatic steatosis observed in wild-type mice were prevented in transgenic mice. Consistent with the in vivo data, recombinant protein significantly enhanced fat oxidation in L6 myotubes via AMPK activation and reduced lipid accumulation in H4IIE hepatocytes. Collectively, these data establish CTRP9 as a novel metabolic regulator and a new component of the metabolic network that links adipose tissue to lipid metabolism in skeletal muscle and liver.
X-ray fluorescence analysis of the concentration and valence state of sulfur in pollution samples☆

Abstract Two special X-ray spectrometers have been developed for the measurement of sulfur pollution. One of them is a portable instrument which uses a 50 W aircooled X-ray tube and a vacuum spectrometer with a NaCl crystal. It can detect 0.5μg/cm 2 of S in 100-s counting interval. The other instrument is specifically for the measurement of valence state of sulfur. It consists of a replacement channel for the multiple-crystal spectrometer instrument used by the Environmental Protection Agency for routine analysis. With this replacement channel details of the sulfur spectrum can be scanned or the crystal may be set for the sulfate K β satellite for routine determination of the sulfate fraction of total sulfur.
Quantitative analysis of chemiluminescence signals using a cooled charge-coupled device camera

Chemiluminescence has been considered an alternative to radioisotopic detection of materials in the life sciences. One application of this nonradioisotopic method is the electrophoretic mobility shift assay. The essential requirement for quantitative applications is that the chemiluminescence signal is linearly proportional to the concentration. However, the generation of chemiluminescence is a multi-step process, therefore linearity cannot be assumed. Therefore, it is important to verify linearity before applying the method as a quantitative tool. We used a commercial chemiluminescence generating system to evaluate the validity of quantitative measurements of biotin-labeled tRNA and single-stranded DNA. The results indicate that the relationship between the chemiluminescence signals and the quantity of biotin-labeled nucleic acids is hyperbolic rather than linear. However, it was found that with less than 50 fmol of biotin-labeled nucleic acid, which corresponds to 2.5 nM in 20 microl, linearity can be demonstrated within 5% error. Therefore, chemiluminescence-based quantitative measurements are a reliable method within these limitations.
Computations of Rain Formation by Coalescence

Abstract Numerical integrations were made of the statistical equations describing the evolution of droplet distributions by coalescence. The results confirmed that increasing the droplet concentration, for the same liquid water content, greatly adds to the difficulty attending rain formation by coalescence. The spread of the initial distribution was not, on the other hand, an important parameter. The computed times for rain formation were less than a half-hour when the cloud contained 50 droplets cm−3 and 1 gm m−3 liquid water. When compared with observations these times are a little too long, but rain which forms more quickly can be explained by more rapid growth in regions of higher liquid water content.
Influence of Topological Characteristics of a Brazed Joint Formation on Joint Thermal Integrity

Adequate thermal integrity of brazed joints is a critical feature of a state-of-the-art compact heat exchanger design. New generations of aluminum compact heat exchangers with highly augmented heat transfer surfaces (such as micro-channeled extruded tubes in conjunction with composite AA3003/AA4343 multi-louvered fin foils) can provide significantly enhanced thermal performance—if the related manufacturing process, e.g., controlled atmosphere brazing (CAB) is performed flawlessly. However, empirical evidence indicates that often, even under a very tight brazing process control, design requirements imposed by heat transfer considerations lead to a more or less poor joint formation. This paper deals with an analysis of thermal features of a fin-tube joint as a function of topological alterations of the AA4343 joint filet size formed by materials processing during brazing. These alterations are caused by poor wetting and/or pronounced Si diffusion and/or increased liquid clad penetration. These phenomena lead to a less than optimal joint formation and will be illustrated by both empirical evidence and theoretical predictions. Based on numerical predictions of a joint topology formed by the surface tension driven reactive flow of molten metal, and subsequently verified by empirical evidence gathered through both laboratory and industrial testing, several topology alterations were devised as being representative for thermal integrity studies, and thermal characteristics of corresponding fin-tube joints were determined in terms of the spreading thermal contact resistance and corresponding temperature fields. Numerical predictions of joint topology were devised with an in-house developed finite element code and verified by Surface Evolver code. Temperature distributions established within selected fin-tube joint configurations were simulated using CFD software (FLUENT). Experimental data were obtained using a computer controlled transparent hot zone with an ultra high purity nitrogen background atmosphere.© 2003 ASME
Effects of Different Drying Processes on Oil Absorption and Microstructure of Tortilla Chips

ABSTRACT Tortilla chips were slow dried after baking and then fried in fresh soybean oil. Control chips were not dried before frying. Final oil content of sun-dried tortilla chips was significantly (P < 0.05) lower than those receiving the control treatment. As a result of drying, the structure of the tortilla chips was tighter before frying but expanded significantly during frying. An attempt was made to produce tortilla chips with the same characteristics of the sun-dried chips using impinging hot-air drying techniques. Results indicated that tortilla chips drying rate was mostly affected by air temperature; texture was crispier at higher air temperatures; shrinkage of the piece was higher at lower convective heat transfer coefficient; and microstructure looked smoother at higher air temperature.
Detecting vegetation change with satellite remote sensing over 2007 Georgia wildfire regions

The wildfires which occurred in April 2007 in southern Georgia lasted for almost two months. Approximately 386,722 acres were burned. In this paper, we explored the strategy to use MODIS products to study fire impacts on vegetation. Vegetation variations caused by the fires are studied using these MODIS products: 8-day composite fire products, 16-day composite vegetation indices, and land cover types. Several tiles of MODIS products from dates immediately before and after the fire were employed to monitor vegetation changes. Unburned control plots were selected to establish new variables QNDVI and QEVI which are used to evaluate the vegetation recovery status. The results show that vegetation indices: NDVI and EVI decreased dramatically after the fires. The variations of QNDVI and QEVI indicate that vegetation status still has a disparity between fire spots and surrounding undisturbed area, even though commonly used vegetation indices of fire spots have attained pre-fire levels. The appropriate distance outside the fire spots for selecting control plots is related to the size of the burned area. The larger the burned area is, the bigger distance we should choose for control plots. EVI and QEVI are better indicators to show vegetation changes due to fires. The method presented in this paper can be employed to monitor vegetation change to fires as well as to indicate different recovery rate. It also can be useful to identify the fire severity and assess the ecological consequence of fires.
Are inflammatory phagocytes responsible for resistance to facultative intracellular bacteria

At least 38 deaths from listeriosis in the United States in recent months have drawn attention to how little we know about resistance to facultative intracellular bacteria. Much more is known about resistance to obligate intracellular parasites. Macrophages, activated by T cell-derived macrophage activating factors (MAF), are able to kill obligate intracellular parasites and tumor cells(1-10) including Leishmania, certain trypanosomes, Toxoplasma, the obligate intracellular bacterium Rickettsia, and perhaps bacteria such as mycobacteria and Legionella. However, macrophages, stimulated by MAF, may not be the only host cells which can defend against infection by facultative intracellular bacteria such as Salmonella typhimurium or Listeria monocytogenes. Six different observations made by Priscilla Campbell and colleagues, and by others, suggest that it is not the so-called 'activated' macrophage which is primarily responsible for resistance against facultative intracellular bacteria. Rather, she proposes that an early inflammatory cell recently recruited in response to an inflammatory stimulus - a cell whose presence seems to be under the control of immunologically-specific T cells - plays a critical role in resistance to infection by these organisms.
Changes in attack behavior and activity in EphA5 knockout mice

During development, Eph tyrosine kinase receptors and their ephrin ligands function as axon guidance molecules while, in adults, these molecules appear to be involved in the regulation of neural plasticity and emotion. The absence of EphA5 receptor mediated forward signaling may cause alterations in connectivity of neural networks and boundary formation during development, including central monoaminergic systems. In the present studies, we demonstrated altered aggressive responses by animals lacking functional EphA5 receptors. These behavioral changes were accompanied by altered concentrations of serotonin (5-HT) and the metabolite, 5-HIAA, in the hypothalamus. The changes of serotonin activity in hypothalamus also result in increase of body weight in EphA5 knockout mice. Furthermore, EphA5 knockout mice exhibited a significant decrease in activity levels following exposure to naive intruders in their home cages. We conclude that the EphA5 receptor may be involved in mediation of aggressive behavior regulated, in part, by hypothalamic serotonin.
Range Measurement of Low-Voltage Electrons

Determinations of the ranges of electrons between the energies of 600 and 2000 volts are difficult to perform since the short ranges of the particles cannot be detected by the usual physical methods. A biologically active molecule such as an enzyme can be used as detector in this energy region, the amount of inactivation in uniform layers of the enzyme being a function of the range of the electron. The ranges of the very low energy electrons determined in this manner were found to be considerably less than those predicted by the Bethe formula for energy loss if no allowance for scattering and straggling is made. If about 40 percent loss of range due to this is assumed, then theory and experiment are in fair agreement. Alternatively, a constant correction of 100A to be subtracted from the calculated range brings theory and experiment into agreement.
Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy on Trial: A Review Essay

Louise A. Breen. Trangressing the Bounds: Subversive Enterprises among the Puritan Elite in Massachusetts, 1630–1692. New York: Oxford University Press, 2001. 292 pp. Sargent Bush, Jr., ed. The Correspondence of John Cotton. Chapel Hill & London: The University of North Carolina Press, 2001. 548 pp. Michael P. Winship. Making Heretics: Militant Protestantism and Free Grace in Massachusetts, 1636–1641. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2002. 322 pp. In the midst of an entangled “crisis” that appeared to threaten the very being of newly founded Massachusetts, one close observer of the situation in 1636 and 1637 felt that little of substance separated the warring parties: “few could see where the difference was; and indeed it seemed so small, as (if men's affections had not been formerly lienated, when the differences were […] stated as fundamental) they might easily have come to reconciliation.” Other contemporaries painted the crisis in starker colors, invoking, as John Wheelwright did in a fast-day sermon of January 1637, the combat between the forces of Christ and the followers of the Anti-Christ and summoning the “children of God” to “prepare for a spirituall combate” against their enemies. The Journal of John Winthrop , ed. Richard S. Dunn et al. (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1996) 216 ; David D. Hall, ed., The Antinomian Controversy, 1636–1638: A Documentary History (Middletown, Conn.: Wesleyan University Press, 1968) 158–59. By and large, modern historians have sided with Wheelwright in emphasizing the seriousness of the “Antinomian controversy,” as the crisis is conventionally termed. Its modern interpreters disagree, however, on what was at issue and on the relationship of the controversy to the underlying dynamics of the Puritan movement. Two new books by young historians add to this debate in important ways, and a third volume, a scrupulously edited collection of the letters of the Reverend John Cotton, advances our understanding of a minister whose sermons to his Boston congregation helped precipitate the crisis.
Generalized likelihood ratio test for finite mixture model of K-distributed random variables

In this paper a new detection method for sonar imagery is developed for K-distributed background clutter using a finite mixture model (FMM) of K-distributions. The method for estimation of the parameters of the FMM and a generalized log-likelihood ratio test is derived. The detector is compared to the corresponding counterparts derived for the standard K-, Gaussian, and Rayleigh distributions. Test results of the proposed method on a data set of synthetic aperture sonar (SAS) images is also presented. This database contains images with synthetically generated targets of different shapes inserted into real SAS background imagery. Results illustrating the effectiveness of theFMMK-distributed detector are presented in terms of probability of detection, false alarm rates, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for various bottom clutter conditions.
Global health diplomacy: Advancing foreign policy and global health interests.

Recently, there has been a remarkable surge of interest in the topic of “global health diplomacy” (GHD). Official GHD offices have been established at the World Health Organization (WHO) and at the U.S. Department of State, and offices within governments of many countries now have a broad set of new GHD responsibilities.1-3 Academics have begun to publish articles on the subject in greater numbers; more than 70% of all peer-reviewed journal articles on GHD since 1970 were published in the last decade, according to a recent analysis.4 While international engagement on health issues has a history that extends back to at least the 19th century, the renewed emphasis is notable. What is driving this interest in—and support for—GHD, and what might it imply for the current and future practice of global health?
Graphics and imaging in medicine

To explore the evolving role graphics and imaging might play in medicine over the coming centuries, the author considers three scenarios of the future. These involve medical image processing, computer graphics and robotics.
T/NK large granular lymphocyte leukemia and coexisting monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis-like proliferations an unrecognized and frequent association

T-cell large granular lymphocyte leukemia (T-LGLL) is a T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder that has recently been associated with B-cell dyscrasias on a spectrum ranging from dysgammaglobulinemia to lymphoma. To investigate the relationship between clonal B-cell and LGLL lymphoproliferations, we systematically studied lymphocytes in 57 patients with T-LGLL or NK lymphocytosis using flow cytometric methods sensitive to low-level B-cell populations. We identified 16 patients (28%) with abnormal B-cell populations; 9 (16%) of the patients had no known history of a B-cell lymphoproliferative disorder. We characterized these abnormal B-cell populations as monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis and report a high frequency of monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis in T/NK LGLL. Our findings suggest that certain pathologic factors may operate in patients with T/NK LGLL to drive low-level clonal B-cell proliferations.
When Racial Ambivalence Evokes Negative Affect, Using a Disguised Measure of Mood

Many White people simultaneously hold both sympathetic and antagonistic attitudes toward Blacks. The present research found that activation of these conflicted racial attitudes gives rise to psychological tension and discomfort, as evidenced by negative mood change, and that the amount of discomfort depends on individual differences in measured ambivalence. The salience of Mite subjects' racial attitudes was manipulated by exposing half the subjects to controversial statements about a recent local incident of racial violence; the other half read neutral material Before and after this manipulation, subjects took a mood test disguised as a subliminal perception task. Subjects in the high-salience condition showed significantly more negative mood change. This effect was carried by high-salience subjects who were also relatively high on dispositional racial ambivalence, as measured by a questionnaire. Ambivalence was unrelated to mood in the control condition. A second study showed that merely completing the ...