cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Observations of Surface Waves and Wave Breaking: A Tribute to Nick Newman

The Gulf of Tehuantepec is well known for having strong offshore winds, which occur predominantly during the winter months when significant atmospheric pressure differences develop between the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean, forcing winds through a mountain gap at the head of the gulf. During the Gulf of Tehuantepec Experiment (GOTEX), conducted in February 2004, we collected surface-wave and wave-breaking measurements using a conical scanning lidar (NASA Airborne Terrain Mapper, ATM) and a downward-looking video camera on the NSF/NCAR C-130 aircraft. We present ATM observations of surface waves as well as statistical and spectral descriptions of the wave field. We also present measurements of the occurrence and strength of breaking using digital video data to identify actively breaking waves. In order to infer the dynamics of breaking from simple physical models, the kinematics of the breaking must be separated from the kinematics of the underlying waves. This is done using linear and nonlinear estimates of the underlying orbital velocities from the spatio-temporal surface displacement data measured by the ATM. Nonlinear estimation of the orbital velocities is described in a companion paper in this symposium (Grue et al., OMAE 2008). Frequent breaking is observed under the strong wind forcing. Examples of the spatial structure of waves are compared to simultaneous video imagery, giving an indication of the scale at which wave breaking occurs. The GOTEX observations, to almost full wave development, are tested against the latest wind-wave numerical spectral models that include the effects of wave generation, nonlinear wave-wave interactions and wave dissipation due to breaking. This paper is dedicated to Nick Newman by the lead author in appreciation of Nicks encouragement and assistance when he (WKM) moved to MIT in the early 1980s.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
A robust event-oriented methodology for diagnosis of dynamic process systems

Abstract The Model-Integrated Diagnostic Analysis System (MIDAS) is a program for diagnosing abnormal transient conditions in chemical, refinery and utility systems. MIDAS determines the root causes of disturbances using an event model that expresses process causality and conditions for violation of quantitative process constraint equations. Root causes typically considered are equipment degradation and failure, sensor failure, incorrect operation and external disturbances. The diagnostic algorithm utilizes the event model to construct clusters of related events, each cluster attributable to a single malfunction. The algorithm is designed to handle practical problems such as unreliable sensors, variations in the order of symptom detection, complex dynamics induced by feedback and process controllers, and multiple simultaneous malfunctions. Temporal features in the dynamic propagation of a malfunction are employed, and the diagnosis is incrementally evolved as disturbances appear and abate. The algorithm has been applied to a case study of a continuous reaction process. Results show MIDAS to be accurate in 99% of the cases studied, dealing successfully with many instances of complex process dynamics and out-of-order events.
Instrument for measuring total alpha particle energies of alpha emitters in ambient air

Abstract This paper describes the design, fabrication, testing and evaluation of a self-reading, carbon fiber, electrometer-type instrument. It is used for measuring the total energy of alpha particles emitted in air by progenies of 222 Rn ( 218 Po, 214 Pb, and 214 Bi), and sometimes by other types of alpha emitters (e.g. 212 Pb, 238 U, and 239 Pu). The purpose of these measurements is to assess the energy delivered by alpha emission from these sources to the lung tissue. A sample (charged progenies attached to aerosols) is collected on filter paper from a known volume of air and placed on the instrument. The discharge rate indicates the alpha energy in MeV l −1 of air per min that is produced by the alpha emitters. The calibration procedure shows that the instrument has an energy sensitivity for alpha particles of 800.5 MeV/scale unit. The range of the readout scale is 30 units. Measurements of alpha contamination in air were made using this instrument in buildings, private homes and in a standard chamber. The value of the radon concentration in this chamber is traceable back to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
Metrics to monitor the status of fishing communities: An Alaska state of the state retrospective 1980–2010

Abstract We outline a suite of 11 quantitative metrics which provide information on the economic and demographic status of fishing communities, presenting data from 324 Alaskan communities over 1980–2010. These metrics provide an initial data set for descriptive analyses of fishing community status and for exploratory analyses to identify hypotheses for subsequent in-depth study of the socioecological dynamics of Alaskan fishing communities. Metrics were derived by collating information from publicly available databases and include information on fishing portfolios, fishing revenues, fishermen demographics, and fleet characteristics. As demonstration of the community metrics, we examine metric trends in detail for three communities (Kodiak, Sitka, and Togiak), and provide state-wide temporal and spatial assessments to characterize historical dynamics of Alaska's fishing communities. Statewide assessments show synchrony in the dynamics of some metrics, such as increasing population, declining permit ownership, and improving per-fishermen gross revenues, but show considerable variation amongst communities for other metrics, such as the diversification of communities' fishing portfolios and investments into fleets. Spatial distributions of metrics suggest the western and northern parts of Alaska have experienced greater declines in metrics associated with commercial fisheries importance and performance relative to the southern and eastern regions.
A renormalization-group analysis of a spin-1 Ising ferromagnet with competing crystal-field and repulsive biquadratic interactions

Abstract Phase diagrams have been produced and critical exponents calculated for a Blume–Emery–Griffiths system with competing biquadratic and crystal-field interactions with uniform ferromagnetic bilinear interactions. This competition directly effects the clustering and density of nonmagnetic impurities. These results have been produced using renormalization-group methods with a hierarchical lattice. A series of planes of constant, repulsive biquadratic coupling have been probed while varying the temperature and concentration of annealed vacancies in the system. The sinks have been analyzed and interpreted, and critical exponents calculated for the higher order transitions.
Adverse Health Effects Associated with Increased Activity at Kīlauea Volcano: A Repeated Population-Based Survey

Eruptive activity at the Kīlauea volcano (Hawai`i, USA) has increased since 2008 resulting in volcanic air pollution (vog) at levels exceeding the national air quality standard for sulfur dioxide. Previous investigations during lower vog levels found adverse cardiorespiratory effects in the residents. The purpose of this 2012 survey was to reassess and compare the impact of the increased volcanic activity on population health. Prevalence of cardiorespiratory signs, symptoms, and diseases was estimated in vog exposed and unexposed communities, and descriptions of perceived health and environmental effects were collected door-to-door. Vog exposure was significantly associated with increased odds of self-reported cough, phlegm, rhinorrhea, sore/dry throat, shortness of breath, sinus congestion, continual wheezing, eye and skin irritation, and diagnosed hypertension. Field measurements identified significantly higher average systolic and diastolic blood pressures () and lower blood oxygen saturation (). Half of the participants perceived that Kīlauea’s intensified eruption had negatively affected their health with reports of financial impacts from degradation of agriculture and livestock. Relatively stronger magnitudes of health effects were associated with the higher exposure to vog. Public concerns remain about attributed effects of the ongoing eruption. Enhanced public health efforts are recommended at Kīlauea and other degassing volcanoes worldwide.
Integrated fiber optic backscatter system for photon correlation spectroscopy

Design and fabrication of an integrated backscatter fiber optic probe is described in this paper. A short section of a gradient index optical fiber is fusion spliced to two separate monomode optical fibers; the two fibers are mounted into a stainless steel face plate. One fiber is used to transmit either a focussed or collimated laser beam to the scattering region. The second fiber collects and guides the laser light scattered at a predefined scattering angle to a photomultiplier. Subsequent photon correlation and analysis yields size information of the scattering species.
A new response surface approach for interpreting Eulerian air quality model sensitivities

The Regional Acid Deposition Model (RADM) was used in a sensitivity study at 80 km and 20 km grid resolutions to simulate urban and regional tropospheric conditions in the eastern U.S. for the time period 19 July to 12 August 1988. Using one-at-a-time (OAT) sensitivity perturbations and a mini-global analysis we varied three model inputs in the range of their known uncertainties: mixing height; emissions of nitrogen oxides (NO x ) and volatile organic compounds (VOC); and the rate constant for the reaction OH + NO 2 → HNO 3 . Two measures, ozone concentration ([O 3 ]) and the ratio [O 3 ]/[NO x ], were used to assess the photochemical system's sensitivity response on an 03 response surface. We find that: (1) these input uncertainties change the system's state in different ways, altering either the [O 3 ] or the system's response to emissions reductions, or changing both responses together; (2) the [O 3 ] /[NO x ] measure successfully predicts the direction and relative degree of change in the system state while [O 3 ] does not; and (3) for most of the days and locations we have examined, the system's responses to uncertainties simulated OAT are nearly additive when compared with the mini-global case, and that both of the sensitivity measures we assessed correctly tracked this additivity. We conclude that incorporating the [O 3 ]/[NO x ] ratio is a significant first step in constructing a useful sensitivity vector for understanding systems-level changes in the model. However, additional measures that can successfully track the change of shape of the response surface are still needed.
Water-uptake kinetics in poly(methyl methacrylate) films with a fluorescent rotor probe

A fluorescence method was adapted to measure moisture-uptake kinetics in films of poly(methyl methacrylate), and data were interpreted in the context of a Fickian diffusion model. The films, 2–60 μm thick, were supported on acid-etched microscope slides. They were compared with several freestanding slabs about 1 mm thick. The moisture diffusion in the slabs was Fickian with a diffusivity of 3.2 × 10−9 cm2/s. The apparent Fickian diffusivity in the films decreased substantially with decreasing film thickness; however, a careful examination revealed that the initial moisture uptake was governed by a thickness-independent diffusivity for a wide range of film thicknesses. This suggested that the appearance of non-Fickian behavior originated within about a micrometer of the buried interface, possibly as a result of water accumulation beneath the film or slight thickness variations. Moisture uptake in the thickest films was more rapid than in the slabs, most likely because of residual thermal stresses. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 86: 2463–2471, 2002
Quantification of endometriosis-associated pain and quality of life during the stimulatory phase of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist therapy: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was a quantification of changes in endometriosis-associated pain and quality of life during the stimulatory phase of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist therapy. Study Design: One hundred twenty women with significant endometriosis-associated pain participated in a 1-month double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Pain was measured at baseline and at 2 and 4 weeks with visual analog scales and the Endometriosis Symptom Severity score. Quality of life was measured with the SF-36 instrument. Group means and SEMs were calculated. Paired t tests were used after determination of data normality. Results: Compared with placebo-treated control subjects women treated with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist had a statistically (P
Activation of cytosolic phospholipase A2 in permeabilized human neutrophils

Abstract Neutrophils (PMN) contain two types of phospholipase A2 (PLA2), a 14 kDa ‘secretory’ Type II PLA2 (sPLA2) and an 85 kDa ‘cytosolic’ PLA2 (cPLA2), that differ in a number of key characteristics: (1) cPLA2 prefers arachidonate (AA) as a substrate but hydrolyzes all phospholipids; sPLA2 is not AA specific but prefers ethanolamine containing phosphoacylglycerols. (2) cPLA2 is active at nM calcium (Ca2+) concentrations; sPLA2 requires μM Ca2+ levels. (3) cPLA2 activity is regulated by phosphorylation; sPLA2 lacks phosphorylation sites. (4) cPLA2 is insensitive to reduction; sPLA2 is inactivated by agents that reduce disulfide bonds. We utilized PMN permeabilized with Staphylococcus aureus α-toxin to determine whether one or both forms of PLA2 were activated in porated cells under conditions designed to differentiate between the two enzymes. PMN were labeled with [3H]AA to measure release from phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylinositol; gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was utilized to determine total AA release (mainly from phosphatidylethanolamine) and to asses oleate and linoleate mass. A combination of 500 nM Ca2+, a guanine nucleotide, and stimulation with n-formyl-met-leu-phe (FMLP) were necessary to induce maximal AA release in permeabilized PMN measured by either method; AA was preferentially released. [3H]AA and AA mass release occurred in parallel over time. A hydrolyzable form of ATP was necessary for maximum AA release and staurosporin inhibited PLA2 activation. Dithiothreitol treatment had little affect on [3H]AA release and metabolism but inhibited AA mass release. Assay of cell supernatants after cofactor addition did not detect sPLA2 activity and the cytosolic buffer utilized did not support activity of recombinant sPLA2. These results strongly suggested that cPLA2 was the enzyme activated in the permeabilized cell model and this is the first report which unambiguously demonstrates AA release in response to activation of a specific type of PLA2 in PMN.
Selection of tracers for 13C-metabolic flux analysis using elementary metabolite units (EMU) basis vector methodology.

Abstract Metabolic flux analysis (MFA) is a powerful technique for elucidating in vivo fluxes in microbial and mammalian systems. A key step in 13C-MFA is the selection of an appropriate isotopic tracer to observe fluxes in a proposed network model. Despite the importance of MFA in metabolic engineering and beyond, current approaches for tracer experiment design are still largely based on trial-and-error. The lack of a rational methodology for selecting isotopic tracers prevents MFA from achieving its full potential. Here, we introduce a new technique for tracer experiment design based on the concept of elementary metabolite unit (EMU) basis vectors. We demonstrate that any metabolite in a network model can be expressed as a linear combination of so-called EMU basis vectors, where the corresponding coefficients indicate the fractional contribution of the EMU basis vector to the product metabolite. The strength of this approach is the decoupling of substrate labeling, i.e. the EMU basis vectors, from the dependence on free fluxes, i.e. the coefficients. In this work, we demonstrate that flux observability inherently depends on the number of independent EMU basis vectors and the sensitivities of coefficients with respect to free fluxes. Specifically, the number of independent EMU basis vectors places hard limits on how many free fluxes can be determined in a model. This constraint is used as a guide for selecting feasible substrate labeling. In three example models, we demonstrate that by maximizing the number of independent EMU basis vectors the observability of a system is improved. Inspection of sensitivities of coefficients with respect to free fluxes provides additional constraints for proper selection of tracers. The present contribution provides a fresh perspective on an important topic in metabolic engineering, and gives practical guidelines and design principles for a priori selection of isotopic tracers for 13C-MFA studies.
Phenotypic selection in natural populations: what limits directional selection?

AbstractStudies of phenotypic selection document directional selection in many natural populations. What factors reduce total directional selection and the cumulative evolutionary responses to selection? We combine two data sets for phenotypic selection, representing more than 4,600 distinct estimates of selection from 143 studies, to evaluate the potential roles of fitness trade-offs, indirect (correlated) selection, temporally varying selection, and stabilizing selection for reducing net directional selection and cumulative responses to selection. We detected little evidence that trade-offs among different fitness components reduced total directional selection in most study systems. Comparisons of selection gradients and selection differentials suggest that correlated selection frequently reduced total selection on size but not on other types of traits. The direction of selection on a trait often changes over time in many temporally replicated studies, but these fluctuations have limited impact in reduc...
Effect of Combined Output Capacitors for Stability of Buck Converters With Constant On-Time Control

Constant on-time control has been widely used for power supply controllers in industry due to its fast transient response. However, existing stability analysis in literatures can only explain conditions with single type of output capacitor and usually recommend high equivalent series resistance ( ESR) *Co for stable operation. This paper proposes a new stability analysis for constant on-time control with combined output capacitors, which are often used in practical applications. Based on time-domain analysis for the inductor current, the output voltage, and the output capacitor currents, it is revealed that higher ESR and higher capacitance values can deteriorate the stability in many conditions with combined output capacitors. Also, a simple loop compensation solution is provided to improve stability. Simulation and experimental results demonstrate the theoretical analysis.
Autonomous DNA binding domains of λ integrase recognize two different sequence families

Abstract The 40 kd lambda Integrase protein is shown to contain two autonomous DNA binding domains with different sequence specificities. Competition experiments in which the binding activity of Int is assayed through nuclease protection demonstrate the functional independence of the two DNA recognition specificities. Proteolytic cleavage of Int and footprinting analysis of the resulting two major peptides allow the physical separation and identification of two DNA binding domains: an amino-terminal peptide that interacts with "arm-type" sites and a carboxy-terminal peptide that binds to "core-type" sequences. In addition, the data suggest that the two domains can bind DNA simultaneously, consistent with a model in which Integrase would link two disparate DNA sequences.
Characterization of tissue plasminogen activator binding proteins isolated from endothelial cells and other cell types

Abstract Human tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) was shown to bind specifically to human osteosarcoma cells (HOS), and human epidermoid carcinoma cells (A-431 cells). Crosslinking studies with DTSSP demonstrated high molecular weight complexes (130,000) between 125I-t-PA and cell membrane protein on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), HOS, and A-431 cells. A 48–65,000 molecular weight complex was demonstrated after crosslinking t-PA peptide (res. 7–20) to cells. Ligand blotting of cell lysates which had been passed over a t-PA affinity column revealed binding of t-PA to 54,000 and 95,000 molecular weight proteins. Several t-PA binding proteins were identified in immunopurified cell lysates, including tubulin beta chain, plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 and single chain urokinase.
Expression of Mu opioid receptor mRNA in rat brain: An in situ hybridization study at the single cell level

The mu (mu) opioid receptors, which mediate the effects of morphine, are widely distributed in brain. We have examined the distribution of mRNA encoding a mu opioid receptor in rat brain with in situ hybridization histochemistry at the single-cell level to obtain information about the cell types synthesizing this receptor. Only neurons, not glia, were labeled in discrete brain regions. High levels of labeling were detected in the thalamus, striosomes of the caudate-putamen, globus pallidus, and brain regions involved in nociception, arousal, respiratory control, and, possibly, addiction. The general distribution of the receptor mRNA paralleled that of mu opioid binding sites with some notable exceptions. These include the cerebral cortex, which contains binding sites, but very few labeled neurons. No labeling was observed in the cerebellum, a region devoid of mu binding sites. Three main findings emerged from these experiments: 1) the mRNA was present in regions mediating both the therapeutic (analgesia) and the unwanted (respiratory depression, addiction) effects of morphine, 2) the mRNA was very densely expressed by neurons known to receive dense enkephalin-containing inputs, and 3) the dissociation between the presence of binding sites and absence of mRNA in some brain regions supports a presynaptic localization of mu opioid receptors in these areas. Alternatively, other subtypes of mu opioid receptors may be encoded by a different mRNA. These results provide new insights into the receptor types and neuronal circuits involved in the effects of endogenous opioids and morphine.
Suppression of the interferon-mediated innate immune response by pseudorabies virus.

Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is an alphaherpesvirus related to the human pathogens herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and varicella-zoster virus. PRV is capable of infecting and killing a wide variety of mammals. How it avoids innate immune defenses in so many hosts is not understood. While the anti-interferon (IFN) strategies of HSV-1 have been studied, little is known about how PRV evades the IFN-mediated immune response. In this study, we determined if wild-type PRV infection can overcome the establishment of a beta interferon (IFN-β)-induced antiviral state in primary rat fibroblasts. Using microarray technology, we found that the expression of a subset of genes normally induced by IFN-β in these cells was not induced when the cells were simultaneously infected with a wild-type PRV strain. Expression of transcripts associated with major histocompatibility complex class I antigen presentation and NK cell activation was reduced, while transcripts associated with inflammation either were unaffected or were induced by viral infection. This suppression of IFN-stimulated gene expression occurred because IFN signal transduction, in particular the phosphorylation of STAT1, became less effective in PRV-infected cells. At least one virion-associated protein is involved in inhibition of STAT1 tyrosine phosphorylation. This ability to disarm the IFN-β response offers an explanation for the uniform lethality of virulent PRV infection of nonnatural hosts.
Antagonism Between Achievement and Enjoyment in ATI Studies

There is evidence that negative correlations between student achievement and their enjoyment of instructional methods exist under certain circumstances. In aptitude‐treatment interaction (ATI) studies where two or more methods are allowed to interact with student aptitudes to predict enjoyment and achievement, it appears that students often report enjoying the method from which they learn the least. Selected ATI studies are reviewed, and an explanation is suggested which may account for the negative correlations between achievement and enjoyment in instructional settings. It appears that students make inaccurate judgments about the amount of effort they will have to expend to achieve maximum learning outcomes. Low ability students typically report liking more permissive instructional methods, apparently because they allow them to maintain a “low profile” so that their failures are not as visible. However, in order to experience maximum achievement low ability students require less permissive methods which...
Algorithm development and validation for satellite-derived distributions of DOC and CDOM in the U.S. Middle Atlantic Bight

[1] Oceanographic cruises were conducted within the U.S. Middle Atlantic Bight (MAB) to collect field measurements to develop algorithms to retrieve surface ocean colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from NASA's MODIS-Aqua and SeaWiFS satellite sensors and to investigate the processes that influence the distributions of CDOM and DOC. In order to develop empirical algorithms for CDOM and DOC, the CDOM absorption coefficient (aCDOM) was correlated with in situ remote sensing reflectance band ratios, and DOC was then derived from aCDOM through the aCDOM to DOC relationships. Our validation analyses demonstrate successful retrieval of DOC and CDOM using MODIS and SeaWiFS with mean absolute percent differences from field measurements of 9.3 ± 7.3% for DOC, 19 ± 14% for aCDOM(355), 15.5 ± 12% for aCDOM(443), and 8.6 ± 4.9% for the CDOM spectral slope. To our knowledge, the algorithms presented here represent the first validated algorithms for satellite retrieval of aCDOM, DOC, and CDOM spectral slope in the coastal ocean. Satellite imagery demonstrates the importance of riverine/estuarine discharge from Chesapeake Bay and Delaware Bay to the export of CDOM and DOC to the coastal ocean. Between spring and summer, photooxidation has a significant impact on CDOM distributions resulting in a pronounced decrease in aCDOM between the midshelf and continental slope region of the MAB. The satellite-derived DOC products demonstrate the net ecosystem production of DOC of 12 to 34 μmol C L−1 between spring and summer. The aCDOM algorithms presented here are applicable to other coastal regions and can also be used to retrieve DOC using region-specific aCDOM to DOC relationships.
Bacteriology of Aspiration Pneumonia in Children

Aspiration pneumonia in adults has been shown to involve anaerobes about 90% of the time. Studies of the bacteriology of aspiration pneumonia in children done in the past have either failed to exclude the oral and upper respiratory tract flora or have not utilized proper anaerobic culture techniques or both. In the present study. 74 institutionalized children with aspiration pneumonia were studied by percutaneous transtracheal aspiration. Their average age was 8 years. Fifty-two patients had pneumonitis, 12, necrotizing pneumonia, and 10, lung abscess. Only one patient (with lung abscess) had a complicating empyema. There was an average of five bacteria isolated per specimen--2.8 anaerobes and 2.2 nonanaerobes. The predominant anaerobic isolates were Gram-positive cocci, Bacteroides melaninogenicus, and fuso-bacteria; there were ten patients who yielded members of the Bacteroides fragilis group. The predominant nonanaerobes were alpha-hemolytic streptococci, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Staphylococcus aureus. Thus, aspiration pneumonia in children, as in adults, commonly involves anaerobic bacteria. When aspiration occurs in a medical institution, nosocomial pathogens which are aerobic or facultative will also often be involved, in both children and adults.
Connectivity between POMC systems and brainstem nuclei

Abstract Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) immunoreactive (-ir) neurons in the brain are confined to the arcuate nucleus (ARC) in the hypothalamus (1) and the commissural nucleus tractus solitarius (cNTS) in the medulla (2). POMC-derived peptides have been shown to influence homeostasis via connectivity with brainstem nuclei that influence cardiovascular function, respiration and nociception. We have utilized anterograde tracing with phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin (PHA-L) to identify ARC and cNTS efferents and their terminal fields in the brainstem to provide neuroanatomical data on the function of these POMC systems. ARC neurons were shown to innervate midline brainstem nuclei, particularly the raphe complex, periaqueductal gray (PAG) and NTS. In contrast, cNTS putative terminal fields were identified in lateral brainstem nuclei, particularly catecholaminergic groups. Both nuclei innervate the lateral parabrachial nucleus (LPB) and nucleus locus coeruleus (LC). This terminal field distribution indicates that the ARC and cNTS may influence autonomic function via overlapping connectivity with the LC and LPB, whereas sensory homeostasis is maintained by ARC to PAG and raphe innervation, as well as cNTS to lateral brainstem connectivity.
Atorvastatin and cardiovascular protection: a review and comparison of recent clinical trials

Until recently, atorvastatin was known only as a new but more potent statin (‘me too’ drug) for lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. In the last 2 years, data has become available on nearly 32,000 patients, in clinical settings ranging from primary prevention to acute coronary syndromes. These trials show the remarkably consistent clinical benefit of atorvastatin in patients with hypertension, diabetes, acute coronary syndromes, stable coronary disease with reductions in death, myocardial infarction and stroke, as well as in prevention of atherosclerosis progression. In addition, new data are also emerging to suggest that intensive therapy with high dose atorvastatin 80 mg is associated with a greater reduction in inflammatory markers, such as C-reactive protein, compared with other statin regimens. This suggests that intensive therapy with atorvastatin is associated with a potent pleiotropic effect. This review aims to summarise the recently concluded and ongoing clinical trials and to stimulate...
Iodination of Angiotensin I for Use in Radioimmunoassay

ABSTRACT The method of Haber for the purification of (125I)-labeled angiotensin by high volt age paper electrophoresis has been modified. Instead of eluting the labeled peptide from the paper in a single bulk elution, serial small elutions are collected, resulting in a highly purified product in later elutions.
Identification and structural analysis of C-terminally truncated collapsin response mediator protein-2 in a murine model of prion diseases.

Background Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative disorders that accompany an accumulation of the disease-associated form(s) of prion protein (PrPSc) in the central nervous system. The neuropathological changes in the brain begin with focal deposits of PrPSc, followed by pathomorphological abnormalities of axon terminal degeneration, synaptic loss, atrophy of dendritic trees, and eventual neuronal cell death in the lesions. However, the underlying molecular basis for these neuropathogenic abnormalities is not fully understood.
Designing of a Fleet-Leader Program for Carbon Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels

Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels (COPVs) are often used for storing pressurant gases on board spacecraft when mass saving is a prime requirement. Substantial weight savings can be achieved compared to all metallic pressure vessels. For example, on the space shuttle, replacement of all metallic pressure vessels with Kevlar COPVs resulted in a weight savings of about 30 percent. Mass critical space applications such as the Ares and Orion vehicles are currently being planned to use as many COPVs as possible in place of all-metallic pressure vessels to minimize the overall mass of the vehicle. Due to the fact that overwraps are subjected to sustained loads during long periods of a mission, stress rupture failure is a major concern. It is, therefore, important to ascertain the reliability of these vessels by analysis, since it is practically impossible to show by experimental testing the reliability of flight quality vessels. Also, it is a common practice to set aside flight quality vessels as "fleet leaders" in a test program where these vessels are subjected to slightly accelerated operating conditions so that they lead the actual flight vessels both in time and load. The intention of fleet leaders is to provide advanced warning if there is a serious design flaw in the vessels so that a major disaster in the flight vessels can be averted with advance warning. On the other hand, the accelerating conditions must be not so severe as to be prone to false alarms. The primary focus of the present paper is to provide an analytical basis for designing a viable fleet leader program for carbon COPVs. The analysis is based on a stress rupture behavior model incorporating Weibull statistics and power-law sensitivity of life to fiber stress level.
Child health and academic achievement among former head start children

Abstract The current study analyzed health and academic achievement in a large database of former Head Start children who participated in the National Public School-Head Start Transition Demonstration Study (NTDS) as they entered kindergarten in 1992 and progressed to third grade. Results showed most former Head Start children were in good health in both kindergarten and third grade, although there was a wide range of reported health conditions, including mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. Analyses showed that children in poor general health had significantly lower achievement scores than children in good general health in third grade, but no differences in achievement scores in kindergarten. Multivariate analyses showed that, controlling for the effects of family income, minority status, and maternal education, measures of general and mental health status were significantly and independently associated with academic achievement scores in kindergarten and third grade. Longitudinal analysis, controlling for family socioeconomic status variables, showed that kindergarten general and mental health status independently predicted third grade achievement scores. The findings support Head Start's emphasis on child health promotion and suggest that child health status impacts early academic achievement independent of family risk factors, as children transition to formal schooling.
Adverse selection, search costs and sticky credit card rates

Abstract Several scholars of financial economics observed that during the 1980s, market interest rates declined continuously with little or no impact on credit card rates. Recently, Meyercord (1994), Sinkey and Nash (1993), and Sullivan and Worden (1995) recorded significant changes in the credit card market indicating an increased level competition. This study represents an attempt to determine the sensitivity of credit card rates to the costs of funds in the U.S. economy. The evidence from the Johansen Cointegration test confirms that credit card rates and cost of funds posses a long-run equilibrium relationship with one another. Furthermore, the results of the error correction models are indicative of a sluggish rate at which credit card interest rates adjust to the costs of funds. Between 1982 and 1994, credit card rates adjust to changes in the cost of funds at about 15 percent per quarter. These results represent anecdotal evidence for the validity of adverse selection, search and switch costs explanation that have been discussed in the financial contracting literature.
Unidirectional transmission characteristics of printed magnetic photonic crystals

Artificially engineered periodic structures, including photonic crystals and meta-materials, have generated strong interest in the scientific community due to their extraordinary and promising electromagnetic/optical features. Recently, periodic stacks of misaligned anisotropic layers have been shown to realize degenerate band edge (DBE) structures (A. Figotin , et al., Sep. 2005). When magnetic layers are included, magnetic photonic crystals (MPCs) are realized (A. Figotin, et al., Feb. 2001) that provide for even greater design flexibility. While the common denominator of these DBE and MPC structures is to slow energy transfer along a desired direction, the latter is even capable of generating the so called ldquofrozen modesrdquo in a nonreciprocal manner (A. Figotin, et al., Feb. 2001).
Combination of calcitriol and dietary soy exhibits enhanced anticancer activity and increased hypercalcemic toxicity in a mouse xenograft model of prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND The potential role of vitamin D and soy in prostate cancer (PCa) prevention/treatment has gained much attention in recent years. In this study, we evaluated the anticancer activity of calcitriol, the active form of vitamin D, dietary soy, and their combinations in a mouse model of PCa. METHODS Athymic male nude mice bearing PC-3 human PCa xenografts received diets containing 10 or 20 kcal% soy, calcitriol injections, or a combination of dietary soy and calcitriol. Changes in tumor growth, serum levels of 1,25(OH)2D and calcium, and regulation of tumor gene expression were examined. RESULTS The combination treatments resulted in substantially greater inhibition of tumor growth than either agent alone. Soy diets alone caused a modest elevation in serum 1,25(OH)2D, whereas the calcitriol-soy combinations led to substantially elevated serum 1,25(OH)2D, hypercalcemia, and in some cases lethal toxicity. The combinations enhanced calcitriol activity in regulating target gene expression, including greater up-regulation of anti-proliferative (p21, IGFBP-3) and pro-apoptotic (Bax) genes, increased inhibition of anti-apoptotic (Bcl-2) and cell cycle promoting (cyclin D1) genes, and suppression of prostaglandin (PG) synthesis and signaling (COX-2, 15-PGDH, PG receptors). Increases in serum calcium were accompanied by elevated expression of intestinal calcium absorption genes (TRPV6, calbindin-9k). CONCLUSIONS Soy increases the bioavailability of endogenous and administered calcitriol, thereby enhancing its anticancer effects and risk of hypercalcemia. Since both agents are easily available as dietary supplements, the increased potential for hypercalcemic toxicity becomes an important factor when considering the combined use of vitamin D and soy in PCa therapy. Prostate 72:1628–1637, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Nuclear medicine instrumentation maintenance costs: the financial and service advantages of in-house service engineers

In the current era of cost containment in the health industry, increasing attention is being given to methods by which rising costs can be contained. Due to the high cost of the technology involved in diagnostic imaging, health care providers are coming under considerable pressure to reduce the operating and maintenance costs of imaging equipment. While the initial capital costs of such equipment are often carefully considered, the long term maintenance costs generally receive little consideration, even though they may eventually exceed the capital costs over the lifetime of the equipment. In the United States, the estimated sales of nuclear medicine instrumentation for 1991, totalled approximately $330 million [ 11. Assuming an average lifespan of 7-8 years for equipment, and an average vendor service cost of 10% of the purchase price, then equipment service costs run at approximately $250 million per year. Hence any reduction in service costs can have a significant effect on the overall operating costs of a diagnostic imaging department. One of the most obvious ways of reducing maintenance costs, is through the use of in-house service engineers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an in-house service program over a 2.5 year period in a nuclear medicine department.
A comparison of a technology development methodology with a strategy-based balanced scorecard normative model

Technology entrepreneurs facing the new product and technology development process must go through a number of stages of development before commercialization becomes a reality. Although new and innovative products, services and technologies are essential components of any strategy for competitiveness, the reality is that most ideas or inventions do not get successfully commercialized. Of the myriad of reasons for the failure of so many commercialization attempts, one is the lack of a well designed strategy to guide the development process. Our experience in assisting technology entrepreneurs has resulted in the development of a systematic methodology for evaluating and guiding the technology commercialization process. This experiential-based process focuses on the stages of development of the innovation, the identification of key problems forming barriers to development, and the application of actions designed to circumvent those problems and barriers. The objective of this paper is to present this methodology and compare its key features with a normative model suggested by concepts presented in the Balanced Scorecard and the Strategy-Focused Organization as developed by Kaplan and Norton. A Value Creation Model (VCM) and equation is proposed as a means for systematically allocating scarce resources to successfully implement a technology commercialization strategy.
Möbius Trace Analysis with Traviando

Model verification and validation is crucial to the credibility of a simulation study. The ability to investigate the detailed behavior of a complex stochastic model that is simulated in a powerful modeling environment like Mobius is important to identify root causes of errors in models or to gain confidence that a model performs as expected. In this paper, we briefly describe how the Traviando trace analyzer sheds light on what happens in a simulation run of a Mobius model.
Early and Late G1/S Cyclins and Cdks Act Complementarily to Enhance Authentic Human β-Cell Proliferation and Expansion

β-Cell regeneration is a key goal of diabetes research. Progression through the cell cycle is associated with retinoblastoma protein (pRb) inactivation via sequential phosphorylation by the “early” cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases (cdks) (d-cyclins cdk4/6) and the “late” cyclins and cdks (cyclin A/E and cdk1/2). In β-cells, activation of either early or late G1/S cyclins and/or cdks is an efficient approach to induce cycle entry, but it is unknown whether the combined expression of early and late cyclins and cdks might have synergistic or additive effects. Thus, we explored whether a combination of both early and late cyclins and cdks might more effectively drive human β-cell cell cycle entry than either group alone. We also sought to determine whether authentic replication with the expansion of adult human β-cells could be demonstrated. Late cyclins and cdks do not traffic in response to the induction of replication by early cyclins and cdks in human β-cells but are capable of nuclear translocation when overexpressed. Early plus late cyclins and cdks, acting via pRb phosphorylation on distinct residues, complementarily induce greater proliferation in human β-cells than either group alone. Importantly, the combination of early and late cyclins and cdks clearly increased human β-cell numbers in vitro. These findings provide additional insight into human β-cell expansion. They also provide a novel tool for assessing β-cell expansion in vitro.
Plant Vegetative and Animal Cytoplasmic Actins Share Functional Competence for Spatial Development with Protists

Actin is an essential multifunctional protein encoded by two distinct ancient classes of genes in animals (cytoplasmic and muscle) and plants (vegetative and reproductive). The prevailing view is that each class of actin variants is functionally distinct. However, we propose that the vegetative plant and cytoplasmic animal variants have conserved functional competence for spatial development inherited from an ancestral protist actin sequence. To test this idea, we ectopically expressed animal and protist actins in Arabidopsis thaliana double vegetative actin mutants that are dramatically altered in cell and organ morphologies. We found that expression of cytoplasmic actins from humans and even a highly divergent invertebrate Ciona intestinalis qualitatively and quantitatively suppressed the root cell polarity and organ defects of act8 act7 mutants and moderately suppressed the root-hairless phenotype of act2 act8 mutants. By contrast, human muscle actins were unable to support prominently any aspect of plant development. Furthermore, actins from three protists representing Choanozoa, Archamoeba, and green algae efficiently suppressed all the phenotypes of both the plant mutants. Remarkably, these data imply that actin’s competence to carry out a complex suite of processes essential for multicellular development was already fully developed in single-celled protists and evolved nonprogressively from protists to plants and animals.
The Influence of Chromium Oxide on the Sintering Behavior of Silicon Nitride

In this study, pressureless sintering of silicon nitride via the addition of chromium oxide was investigated. Silicon nitride samples containing additives from the Cr–Cr2O3–SiO2 system were sintered under different conditions. The phase transformation, the degree of densification and the in situ reactions between Si3N4 and chromium compounds were investigated and the reactions were validated thermodynamically. It was found that Si3N4 reacts with Cr2O3 and Cr and these in situ reactions lead to Si3N4 decomposition and consequently formation of a series of chromium silicides including Cr3Si, Cr5Si, and CrSi2. Due to the presence of chromium silicides as liquid phases during sintering, the α-Si3N4 to β-Si3N4 phase transformation started around 1400°C and was completed around 1800°C. On the other hand, densification of Si3N4 samples with chromium oxide addition was not observed. The participation of Cr2O3 in these in situ reactions prevents sufficient formation of chromium silicate and leads to insufficient liquid phase with poor wettability during sintering, resulting in poor densification.