cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Parental Perception of Child’s Weight Versus Reality in Children Between 0 – 12 Years of Age. A BMI Percentile Approach.

Purpose To determine if there is a discrepancy between the parent's perception of their child's BMI(pBMI) and their child's real BMI(rBMI). Obesity is emerging as one of the most severe health concerns among children and adolescents. Some studies have demonstrated that physical activity alone does not statistically decrease an obese child's BMI; but interventions involving parents have proven success in sustained weight loss. Additionally, parental perception of their child’s BMI has not been well studied. We think that parents of overweight children believe their kids have a healthy weight and don't properly conceive their real BMI. Methods We did a cross-sectional study and categorized participants …
Augmentative and Alternative Communication for Adults With Complex Communication Needs: A Review of Single-Case Research:

The authors conducted a systematic review of the literature including studies that used a single-case design (SCD) and taught augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) use to adults with com...
Social determinants of health, genetic ancestry, and mortality in ECOG-ACRIN E5103.

6527Background: Social determinants of health (SDH) and genetic ancestry have been independently implicated in breast cancer presentation, treatment and mortality. However, little is known about th...
Atomistic Study on the Mechanical Behavior of Silicon-Base Nanotubes

Recently, silicon nanotubes (SiNTs) have been successfully synthesized and have attracted many researchers to work on the different aspects of them. In the present study, the stress-strain curve along with the Young’s modulus as a significant mechanical property of single walled silicon nanotubes at different diameters are determined. The simulation is performed by the use of molecular dynamics based on the Tersoff-Brenner many-body potential energy function. The results of the total strain energy of nanotubes as an accurate and effective methodology are used to establish appropriate expressions for evaluating Young’s modulus of the nanotubes.
Approximate Computation on Commodity Computers through Bit-Serial Processing

Approximate computing can increase performance, reduce power and energy consumption for applications that can tolerate computation inaccuracy. Current commodity computers use predefined bit-width, typically from 8- to 64-bit binary to represent the data. Unfortunately, the data precision required is application specific and current computers do not support specific data precision for a specific application. We propose a bit-serial architecture to support reconfigurable bit-width. The bit-width can be configured for varied computation accuracy, from full accuracy to any number of bits to represent the data to trade off computation accuracy and output quality for performance, power, and energy. The proposed bit-serial architecture is emulated and evaluated on a conventional commodity computer that only supports fixed bitwidth computations. We use an image processing application to demonstrate the benefits of bit-serial architecture. The speedup is from 11.6x to 3.6x and energy consumption reduction is from 8.2x to 2.5x when bit-width is from 3- to 7-bit compared with a bit-parallel baseline.
DIAPHRAGM BRACED MEMBERS AND DESIGN OF WALL STUDS.

Cold-formed steel wall studs generally are I, Z, or channel shaped with or without stiffening lips and with webs perpendicular to the plane of the wall. Because of their configuration and dimensions, these sections are quite unstable by themselves. However, the stability and, thus, the load-carrying capacity of such studs are increased substantially once they are connected to the wall board material. In this paper the general behavior is formulated and a design procedure is presented. The analytical results are verified on the basis of an experimental investigation.
White matter integrity of cerebellar-cortical tracts in reading impaired children: A probabilistic tractography study

Little is known about the white matter integrity of cerebellar-cortical pathways in individuals with dyslexia. Building on previous findings of decreased volume in the anterior lobe of the cerebellum, we utilized novel cerebellar segmentation procedures and probabilistic tractography to examine tracts that connect the anterior lobe of the cerebellum and cortical regions typically associated with reading: the temporoparietal (TP), occipitotemporal (OT), and inferior frontal (IF) regions. The sample included 29 reading impaired children and 27 typical readers. We found greater fractional anisotropy (FA) for the poor readers in tracts connecting the cerebellum with TP and IF regions relative to typical readers. In the OT region, FA was greater for the older poor readers, but smaller for the younger ones. This study provides evidence for discrete, regionally-bound functions of the cerebellum and suggests that projections from the anterior cerebellum appear to have a regulatory effect on cortical pathways important for reading.
Groundwater noble gas, age, and temperature signatures in an Alpine watershed: Valuable tools in conceptual model development

[1] Bedrock groundwater in alpine watersheds is poorly understood, mainly because of a scarcity of wells in alpine settings. Groundwater noble gas, age, and temperature data were collected from springs and wells with depths of 3–342 m in Handcart Gulch, an alpine watershed in Colorado. Temperature profiles indicate active groundwater circulation to a maximum depth (aquifer thickness) of about 200 m, or about 150 m below the water table. Dissolved noble gas data show unusually high excess air concentrations (>0.02 cm3 STP/g, ΔNe > 170%) in the bedrock, consistent with unusually large seasonal water table fluctuations (up to 50 m) observed in the upper part of the watershed. Apparent 3H/3He ages are positively correlated with sample depth and excess air concentrations. Integrated samples were collected from artesian bedrock wells near the trunk stream and are assumed to approximate flow-weighted samples reflecting bedrock aquifer mean residence times. Exponential mean ages for these integrated samples are remarkably consistent along the stream, four of five being from 8 to 11 years. The tracer data in combination with other hydrologic and geologic data support a relatively simple conceptual model of groundwater flow in the watershed in which (1) permeability is primarily a function of depth; (2) water table fluctuations increase with distance from the stream; and (3) recharge, aquifer thickness, and porosity are relatively uniform throughout the watershed in spite of the geological complexity of the Proterozoic crystalline rocks that underlie it.
Domestic Preferences and Foreign Policy: Cumulation and Confirmation in the Study of Public Opinion

Interests and Integration: Market Liberalization, Public Opinion, and European UnionBy Matthew J. Gabel Public Opinion and American Foreign Policy By Ole R. Holsti The German Predicament: Memory and Power in the New Europe By Andrei S. Markovits and Simon Reich
ASYMPTOTIC STABILITY AND PERTURBATIONS FOR LINEAR VOLTERRA INTEGRODIFFERENTIAL SYSTEMS

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the asymptotic stability and perturbations for linear Volterra integro-differential system. It presents the study of stability properties of the zero solution of Volterra equations of the form, where t ≥ τ, and where x(t) has initial values x(t) = f(t) and 0 ≤ t ≤ τ. Here, τ ≥ 0 is a given constant, f is a given continuous function, A and B(t) are square matrices and hτ is a small functional. If τ = 0, then the function f reduces to an initial. If hτ = 0 and F = 0, then the equation reduces to a homogenous linear problem (L). The differential resolvent R(t) associated with the pair (A,B(t)) is the solution of the matrix equation. The trivial solution y = 0 of homogenous linear equation is called (1) uniformly stable if given any ∈ > 0 there exists δ > 0 depending only on ∈; (2) uniformly asymptotically stable if it is uniformly stable and if there exists K > 0.
Fluorescence Lifetime Measurements, Applications of

Over the years, the emissive characteristics (spectral, temporal, and polarization) of fluorophores have been widely used to probe the local environments of fluorescent centers. Fluorescence lifetime and rotational reorientation time measurements, in particular, offer a means to elucidate subtle features when examining, for example, complex systems involving environmental heterogeneity, energy transfer, quenching pathways, or excited state reactions. Further, because fluorescence occurs on the nanosecond (10−9 s) timescale, competing or perturbing kinetic processes like collisional quenching, solvent relaxation, energy transfer, and rotational reorientation can affect the fluorescence. Thus, a carefully chosen fluorophore can serve as an internal nanosecond or faster stopwatch of environmental fluctuations. This article is divided into a brief introduction, a short discussion on instrumentation, and several sections on various applications of excited state fluorescence measurements.
Agronomic Controls Over the Environmental Cycling of Trace Elements

Publisher Summary This chapter examines some developments that may point to the needs for improved agronomic management practices that could regulate the concentrations of trace elements in crop plants. Although the concentrations of trace elements in living tissues are ordinarily very low, these concentrations must often be maintained within narrow limits to permit the optimum biological performance of plants, animals, and man. Trace elements may enter human bodies by many alternate routes. With the rise of modern industrial technology, the importance of the various routes of movement of trace elements through the environment is subjected to abrupt changes. As information concerning the role of trace elements in human and animal health is expanded, agronomists may be called upon to develop more sophisticated regulation of the concentration of an increasing number of trace elements in plants. In some instances, the required controls must be directed toward decreases, and in others, increases in the concentration of specific trace elements in food or feed crops. A wide variety of agronomic practices can be utilized in efforts to establish the controls required. The chapter presents the agronomic control points in trace element problems and current environmental problems involving specific trace elements.
Modification of the Oxidation and Hot Corrosion Behavior of CoCrAl Alloys by Ion Implantation

The early stages of oxidation and hot corrosion at 700°C were studied in Co-22Cr-llAl and Co-22Cr-llAl-0.5Y alloys in the cast and heat-treated form. Ion implantation was used to study the effect of Y on oxidation and hot corrosion mechanisms. Analytical transmission electron microscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy, Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive x-ray analysis were used to characterize mcirostructure, oxide growth rate and oxide film composition. Implantation of 2xl016 Y ion/cm2 was found to increase the oxidation rate by a factor of 2, increase the hot corrosion rate and suppress void formation at the oxide-metal interface. Possible mechanisms for these observations are discussed.
"Open Veins" of the Past: cultural heritage and globalization

o artigo considera o impacto e os efeitos de agendas cientificas orientadas por topicos da moda e por modelos importados e descontextualizados na pratica da arqueologia e da antropologia, nas percepcoes publicas dessas disciplinas, e no desenvolvimento dos programas de gerenciamento de patrimonio cultural.
Perspectives on Training and Development

This chapter covers theory and practice relative to the nature and role of training and development in work organizations. After stressing the importance of training within a brief historical treatment of the forces and pressures facing modem work organizations, three themes are developed: training as instruction, as learning, and as embedded in planned organizational change. Several key areas that continue to present challenges to those involved in research or practice are examined in detail, including training needs assessment, training design, transfer of training, and training evaluation. Keywords: change; evaluation; instruction; learning; needs assessment; training; training design; transfer
ARPP-21, a cyclic AMP-regulated phosphoprotein enriched in dopamine- innervated brain regions. II. Molecular cloning and nucleotide sequence

A cDNA clone for the mRNA of bovine ARPP-21 (cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein, Mr = 21,000 as determined by SDS-PAGE) was isolated from a modified Okayama-Berg plasmid library. Transformed Escherichia coli colonies were screened by in situ colony hybridization with 2 different oligonucleotide probes derived from the amino acid sequence of the bovine protein. Sequence analysis of the longest cDNA clone, pTKAI [2407 nucleotides plus a poly(A) tail], revealed a 267-nucleotide-long coding region in agreement with the bovine ARPP-21 amino acid sequence (Williams et al., 1989). Southern blot analysis of total bovine genomic DNA raised the possibility that there may be 2 genes coding for ARPP-21. Northern blot analysis of total cellular RNA from bovine caudate nucleus and other brain regions demonstrated the existence of 2 major mRNA species, 2.5 and 1.0 kb in length, probably derived from use of alternate polyadenylation sites. There was a differential expression of these 2 mRNAs within the brain. Both ARPP-21 mRNAs were most abundant in the caudate nucleus, where the concentration of the protein is highly enriched.
An Investigation of Team Information Processing in Service Teams: Exploring the Link between Teams and Customers:

In an effort to satisfy the needs of increasingly knowledgeable and demanding customers, many organizations are implementing teams in customer contact positions. Unfortunately, stifled information flows and poor communication often impede their effectiveness. To help managers build more effective teams, the authors develop and test a model of team information processing that includes both antecedents (information acquisition, team norms, team size, and team longevity) and outcomes (customer satisfaction with service). Data collected from 61 health care teams, as well as from 1,598 patients served by these teams, are used to investigate the hypothesized relationships between variables. Partial support for the model is provided. Based on these findings, implications for researchers and practitioners are offered.
Active complex event processing over event streams

State-of-the-art Complex Event Processing technology (CEP), while effective for pattern query execution, is limited in its capability of reacting to opportunities and risks detected by pattern queries. Especially reactions that affect the query results in turn have not been addressed in the literature. We propose to tackle these unsolved problems by embedding active rule support within the CEP engine, henceforth called Active CEP (ACEP). Active rules in ACEP allow us to specify a pattern query's dynamic condition and real-time actions. The technical challenge is to handle interactions between queries and reactions to queries in the high-volume stream execution. We hence introduce a novel stream-oriented transactional model along with a family of stream transaction scheduling algorithms that ensure the correctness of concurrent stream execution. We demonstrate the power of ACEP technology by applying it to the development of a healthcare system being deployed in UMass Medical School hospital. Through extensive performance experiments using real data streams, we show that our unique Low-Water-Mark stream transaction scheduler, customized for streaming environments, successfully achieves near-real-time system responsiveness and gives orders-of-magnitude better throughput than our alternative schedulers.
Temporal and functional profile of the transcriptional regulatory network in the early regenerative response to partial hepatectomy in the rat

The goal of these studies was to characterize the transcriptional network regulating changes in gene expression in the remnant liver of the rat after 70% partial hepatectomy (PHx) during the early phase response including the transition of hepatocytes from the quiescent (G0) state and the onset of the G1 phase of the cell cycle. The transcriptome of remnant livers was monitored at 1, 2, 4, and 6 hours after PHx using cDNA microarrays. Differentially regulated genes were grouped into six clusters according their temporal expression profiles. Promoter regions of genes in these clusters were examined for shared transcription factor binding sites (TFBS) by comparing enrichment of each TFBS relative to a reference set using the Promoter Analysis and Interaction Network Toolset (PAINT). Analysis of the gene expression time series data using ANOVA resulted in a total of 309 genes significantly up- or down-regulated at any of the four time points at a 20% FDR threshold. Sham-operated animals showed no significant differential expression. A subset of the differentially expressed genes was validated using quantitative RT-PCR. Distinct sets of TFBS could be identified that were significantly enriched in each one of the different temporal gene expression clusters. These included binding sites for transcription factors that had previously been recognized as contributing to the onset of regeneration, including NF-κB, C/EBP, HNF-1, CREB, as well as factors, such as ATF, AP-2, LEF-1, GATA and PAX-6, that had not yet been recognized to be involved in this process. A subset of these candidate TFBS was validated by measuring activation of corresponding transcription factors (HNF-1, NK-κB, CREB, C/EBP-α and C/EBP-β, GATA-1, AP-2, PAX-6) in nuclear extracts from the remnant livers. This analysis revealed multiple candidate transcription factors activated in the remnant livers, some known to be involved in the early phase of liver regeneration, and several not previously identified. The study describes the predominant temporal and functional elements to which these factors contribute and demonstrates the potential of this novel approach to define the functional correlates of the transcriptional regulatory network driving the early response to partial hepatectomy.
Global managers: developing a mindset for global competitiveness

Abstract There is increasing evidence that large scale globalization is rendering traditional ways of doing business largely irrelevant. There is a growing need for managers to become global managers with a global perspective. We suggest that a global perspective consists of a global mindset supported by appropriate skills and knowledge. Managers have a number of mindsets that range from the domestically-oriented defender, and continuing on to the explorer, the controller, and the globally-oriented integrator. For global managers to be effective, they need to develop the global mindset of an integrator. A global mindset allows meaningful global strategizing that requires managers to effectively integrate the three global forces of (1) global business, (2) regional/country pressures, and (3) worldwide functions. A global mindset and a holistic global strategy should create conditions to build the worldwide organization characterized by specialization, interdependency, and coordination. A global outlook is a process of moving an organization’s structure, process, people, and culture from a set of highly autonomous business units to one that becomes an integrated and effective global network.
Kinetic methods for intelligent automation

Abstract Kinetic methods of analysis are well-suited to intelligent automation. Kinetic methods require precise timing and very careful control over experimental conditions, such as temperature, pH and reagent concentrations. Automated systems are ideal for providing these functions. In addition, some of the most recent advances in kinetic methods take advantage of computer automation and chemometric data processing to provide new kinetic analyzers, reduction and storage of large multidimensional data sets, multicomponent determinations and compensation for variations in conditions. Based on the concepts and recent advances presented here, the intelligent kinetic analyzer is developed and some of its most important features are described.
Neural net approach to predictive vector quantization

ABSTRACT A new predictive vector quantization (PVQ) technique, capable of exploring the non-linear dependencies in addition to the linear dependencies that exist between adjacent blocksof pixels, is introduced. Two different classes of neural nets form the components of thePVQ scheme. A multi-layer perceptron is embedded in the predictive component of thecompression system. This neural network, using the non-linearity condition associated withits processing units, can perform as a non-linear vector predictor. The second component ofthe PVQ scheme vector quantizes (VQ) the residual vector that is formed by subtracting theoutput of the perceptron from the original wave-pattern. Kohonen Self-Organizing FeatureMap (KSOFM) was utilized as a neural network clustering algorithm to design the codebookfor the VQ technique. Coding results are presented for monochrome "still" images. 1. INTRODUCTION Vector quantization (VQ) has become a very popular image compression technique,capable of encoding the image data at a reasonable rate via exploiting the correlations that
Mechanism of the Quorum-Quenching Lactonase (AiiA) from Bacillus thuringiensis. 2. Substrate Modeling and Active Site Mutations

The N-acyl- l-homoserine lactone hydrolases (AHL lactonases) have attracted considerable attention because of their ability to quench AHL-mediated quorum-sensing pathways in Gram-negative bacteria and because of their relation to other enzymes in the metallo-beta-lactamase superfamily. To elucidate the detailed catalytic mechanism of AHL lactonase, mutations are made on residues that presumably contribute to substrate binding and catalysis. Steady-state kinetic studies are carried out on both the wild-type and mutant enzymes using a spectrum of substrates. Two mutations, Y194F and D108N, present significant effects on the overall catalysis. On the basis of a high-resolution structural model of the enzyme-product complex, a hybrid quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical method is used to model the substrate binding orientation and to probe the effect of the Y194F mutation. Combining all experimental and computational results, we propose a detailed mechanism for the ring-opening hydrolysis of AHL substrates as catalyzed by the AHL lactonase from Bacillus thuringiensis. Several features of the mechanism that are also found in related enzymes are discussed and may help to define an evolutionary thread that connects the hydrolytic enzymes of this mechanistically diverse superfamily.
Generation of induced pluripotent stem cells from muscular dystrophy patients: efficient integration-free reprogramming of urine derived cells.

Dystrophic cardiomyopathy is a poorly understood consequence of muscular dystrophy. Generating induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs) from patients with muscular dystrophy is an invaluable cellular source for in vitro disease model systems and can be used for drug screening studies. Patient-derived urine cells have been used in successful reprogramming into induced pluripotent stem cells in order to model dystrophic cardiomyopathy1. Addressing the safety concerns of integrating vector systems, we present a protocol using a non-integrating Sendai virus vector for transduction of Yamanaka factors into urine cells collected from patients with muscular dystrophy. This protocol generates fully reprogrammed clones within 2–3 weeks. The pluripotent cells are vector-free by passage-13. These dystrophic iPSCs can be differentiated into cardiomyocytes and used either to study disease mechanisms or for drug screening.
Skeletal muscle microcirculatory response to rat α-calcitonin gene-related peptide

We used in vivo video microscopy to determine the effect of increasing doses of rat alpha-calcitonin gene-related peptide (rCGRP) on rat cremaster muscle arterioles in the presence or absence of the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor N-omega-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA). Male Sprague-Dawley rats (118-148 g) were anaesthetized with pentobarbital, and neurovascularly intact cremaster muscles were imaged. Changes in the diameter, erythrocyte velocity and volume flow in second-(A2), third-(A3), and fourth-(A4) order arterioles were determined. To produce uniform arteriolar tone, the cremaster preparation was challenged with norepinephrine (NE: 10(-7) M). L-NNA (10(-4) M), which was shown to inhibit acetylcholine-(ACh: 10(-6) M) induced arteriolar dilations, was added to 16 of the preparations. Preparations were then challenged by adding cumulative log concentrations of rCGRP (10(-12)-10-7) M; n = 16) or an equivalent volume of vehicle (n = 19) to the bath. Following rCGRP challenge, arterioles were maximally dilated with 10(-5) M nitroprusside (NP). rCGRP caused significant dose-dependent increases in erythrocyte velocity and volume flow in A2 arterioles, and in diameter, velocity, and volume flow in A3 and A4 arterioles, by 10(-8) M, when compared with vehicle-treated controls. L-NNA had no significant effect on rCGRP-induced responses. These data indicate that rCGRP causes dose-dependent dilation of skeletal muscle resistance arterioles at a concentration similar to that observed in larger vessels. This dilation does not appear to be dependent on the vascular production of nitric oxide from L-arginine.
Ultrastructure of the rat epiphyseal growth plate following chronic ethanol ingestion

We have previously demonstrated that ethanol has a direct toxic effect on the rat skeleton characterized by decreased trabecular bone volume. In the present study, we examined the ultrastructure of the distal radial epiphyseal growth plates in these same animals. Eight weeks of ethanol administration to 12 male rats results in serum alcohol levels of 140 mg/dl but did not alter the width or light microscopic appearance of the radial growth plate. Quantitative electron microscopy failed to demonstrate morphologic evidence of toxicity in the skeletal cells. We conclude that although ethanol appears to have a direct effect on rat bone characterized by enhanced resorption, toxicity is not attended by ultrastructural changes in the skeletal cells.
Diapause Induction and Commitment in Face Fly, Musca autumnalis (Diptera: Muscidae)

Diapause induction in female face flies, Musca autumnalis DeGeer, was studied in the laboratory. A visual scale for fat body quantity was developed and tested to estimate crude lipid content. Dissected female flies were defined as being in apparent diapause if they possessed previtellogenic ovaries and hypertrophied fat body at the time they were removed from a diapause-inducing environment. In contrast, flies were defined as committed to diapause only if they still possessed the same symptoms after 8 additional days in a warm, long-day environment. Availability of blood did not significantly affect apparent diapause induction. An experiment using 15 combinations of temperatures and photoperiods revealed that temperature had a strong effect on rates of ovarian growth, fat body growth, development of apparent diapause, and development of commitment to diapause. The latter three were fastest at ca. 23°C, well below the temperature of fastest ovarian growth. Short photoperiods had no effect on ovarian growth but did accelerate development into diapause. A conceptual model is presented that describes induction and development into diapause in female face flies as a competitive rate process between reproductive development and commitment to diapause.
Rivet: a flexible environment for computer systems visualization

Rivet is a visualization system for the study of complex computer systems. Since computer systems analysis and visualization is an unpredictable and iterative process, a key design goal of Rivet is to support the rapid development of interactive visualizations capable of visualizing large data sets. In this paper, we present Rivet's architecture, focusing on its support for varied data sources, interactivity, composition and user-defined data transformations. We also describe the challenges of implementing this architecture efficiently and flexibly. We conclude with several examples of computer systems visualizations generated within Rivet, including studies of parallel systems, superscalar processors and mobile network usage.
Commentary on the Current Status of Assessment in Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy

This commentary focuses on the current status of assessment in rational-emotive and cognitive-behavior therapy, in the context of making comments about three assessment articles published in the same journal issue. The commentary describes important characteristics of rational-emotive and cognitive-behavior assessment measures, suggests several avenues of psychometric research on behavioral tests of distress tolerance as clinical measures, reviews psychometric and other important properties of existing irrational belief measures, and endorses assessment related to newly proposed anger disorder diagnoses.
UAVSAR Polarimetric Calibration

Uninhabited aerial vehicle synthetic aperture radar (UAVSAR) is a reconfigurable polarimetric L-band SAR that operates in quad-polarization mode and is specifically designed to acquire airborne repeat-track SAR data for interferometric measurements. In this paper, we present details of the UAVSAR radar performance, the radiometric calibration, and the polarimetric calibration. For the radiometric calibration, we employ an array of trihedral corner reflectors, as well as distributed targets. We show that UAVSAR is a well-calibrated SAR system for polarimetric applications, with absolute radiometric calibration bias better than 1 dB, residual root-mean-square (RMS) errors of ∼0.7 dB, and RMS phase errors ∼5.3°. For the polarimetric calibration, we have evaluated the methods of Quegan and Ainsworth et al. for crosstalk calibration and find that the method of Quegan gives crosstalk estimates that depend on target type, whereas the method of Ainsworth et al. gives more stable crosstalk estimates. We find that both methods estimate leakage of the copolarizations into the cross-polarizations to be on the order of −30 dB.
Superimposition of protein structures with dynamically weighted RMSD

In protein modeling, one often needs to superimpose a group of structures for a protein. A common way to do this is to translate and rotate the structures so that the square root of the sum of squares of coordinate differences of the atoms in the structures, called the root-mean-square deviation (RMSD) of the structures, is minimized. While it has provided a general way of aligning a group of structures, this approach has not taken into account the fact that different atoms may have different properties and they should be compared differently. For this reason, when superimposed with RMSD, the coordinate differences of different atoms should be evaluated with different weights. The resulting RMSD is called the weighted RMSD (wRMSD). Here we investigate the use of a special wRMSD for superimposing a group of structures with weights assigned to the atoms according to certain thermal motions of the atoms. We call such an RMSD the dynamically weighted RMSD (dRMSD). We show that the thermal motions of the atoms can be obtained from several sources such as the mean-square fluctuations that can be estimated by Gaussian network model analysis. We show that the superimposition of structures with dRMSD can successfully identify protein domains and protein motions, and that it has important implications in practice, e.g., in aligning the ensemble of structures determined by nuclear magnetic resonance.
Comparative Democratization Big and Bounded Generalizations

Comparative studies of democratization have produced two types of generalizations: those having nearly universal application and those applying to a range of countries within a region. In the first category are such arguments as the role of high levels of economic development in guaranteeing democratic sustainability, the centrality of political elites in establishing and terminating democracy, and deficits in rule of law and state capacity as the primary challenge to the quality and survival of new democracies. In the second category are contrasts between recent democratization in post-Socialist Europe versus Latin America and southern Europe—for example, in the relationship between democratization and economic reform and in the costs and benefits for democratic consolidation of breaking quickly versus slowly with the authoritarian past. The two sets of conclusions have important methodological implications for how comparativists understand generalizability and the emphasis placed on historical versus pr...
Evidence for secretion of high molecular weight mucins by canine tracheal epithelial cells in primary culture: Effects of select secretagogues on mucin secretion

The purpose of this investigation was to provide evidence for the secretion of high molecular weight mucins, CTM-A and CTM-B, in primary culture of canine tracheal epithelial (CTE) cells. The cells were isolated from tracheas of mongrel dogs by pronase treatment. Primary cultures of the epithelial cells were established using ICN cellagen inserts in Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s/F12 medium supplemented with growth factors and could be maintained for up to 23 days. The evidence for the mucin secretion in culture medium and their localization in the cells was established by a) positive immunocytochemical staining using specific antibodies developed against purified native as well as deglycosylated CTM-A and CTM-B; b) incorporation of labeled amino acids, followed by electrophoresis and autoradiography detection of glycoconjugates purified from the culture medium; c) comparison of the amino acid compositions of mucin purified from canine tracheal pouch secretions and that purified from the culture medium; and d) Western blot analyses using specific polyclonal antibodies directed against deglycosylated CTM-A and CTM-B. Immunoaffinity purified secreted labeled glycoconjugates were resistant to hyaluronidase treatment. The effects of cyclic AMP (1 × 10−5M), dibutyryl cyclic AMP (1 × 10−5M), 8-bromocyclic AMP (1 × 10−5M), and prostaglandin E1 (1 × 10−6M) on mucin secretion by CTE cells were also investigated. Secretion of mucins by CTE cells in culture was considerably more enhanced by 8-bromocyclic AMP than that observed for other secretagogues used in this study.
Fixed metabolic costs for highly variable rates of protein synthesis in sea urchin embryos and larvae

SUMMARY Defining the physiological mechanisms that set metabolic rates and the `cost of living9 is important for understanding the energy costs of development. Embryos and larvae of the sea urchin Lytechinus pictus (Verrill) were used to test hypotheses regarding differential costs of protein synthesis in animals differing in size, rates of protein synthesis, and physiological feeding states. For embryos, the rate of protein synthesis was 0.22±0.014 ng protein embryo -1 h -1 (mean ± s.e.m.) and decreased in unfed larvae to an average rate of 0.05±0.001 ng protein larva -1 h -1 . Fed larvae had rates of synthesis that were up to 194 times faster than unfed larvae (9.7±0.81 ng protein larva -1 h -1 ). There was no significant difference, however, in the cost of protein synthesis between these larvae with very different physiological states. Furthermore, the cost of synthesis in the larval stages was also similar to costs measured for blastula and gastrula embryos of 8.4±0.99 J mg -1 protein synthesized. The cost of protein synthesis was obtained using both direct (`inhibitor9) and indirect (`correlative9) measurements; both methods gave essentially identical results. Protein synthesis accounted for up to 54±8% of metabolic rate in embryos. Percent of metabolism accounted for by protein synthesis in larvae was dependent on their physiological feeding state, with protein synthesis accounting for 16±4% in unfed larvae and 75±11% in fed larvae. This regulation of metabolic rate was due to differential rates of synthesis for a fixed energy cost per unit mass of protein synthesized. The cost of synthesizing a unit of protein did not change with increasing rates of protein synthesis. We conclude that the cost of protein synthesis is independent of the rate of synthesis, developmental stage, size and physiological feeding state during sea urchin development.
Management of acute decompensated heart failure in the emergency department.

Heart failure, a disease of epidemic proportions, has a tremendous clinical and financial impact on the US health care system. With more than 5 million Americans diagnosed with heart failure and 5-year mortality approaching 50%, it is the most common cause of hospitalization in patients older than 65 years and is the single most expensive diagnosis in the US health care system. Because the average US hospital loses more than $1000 per heart failure admission, effective therapies that decrease length of stay, reduce hospital costs, and prevent 30-day readmissions are needed. This article reviews the relevant pathophysiology of heart failure, discusses the newest diagnostic strategies for emergency department diagnoses, evaluates recent advances and effects of early aggressive therapies, and presents a suggested algorithm for the treatment of acutely decompensated heart failure in emergency departments.
Inhibition of 17,20(17-hydroxyprogesterone)-lyase by progesterone.

Abstract 14C-17-Hydroxyprogesterone was incubated with 7000 × g × 20 min supernatants of rat testis homogenates in the presence of various concentrations of 3H-progesterone, both under conditions where metabolism would take place and where it would be prevented. When metabolism was prevented, the ratio of progesterone to 17-hydroxyprogesterone in the microsomal fraction was 3 times that which was added to the incubation medium. Progesterone competitively inhibited 17,20-lyase action on added 17-hydroxyprogesterone but not on 17-hydroxyprogesterone formed from the added progesterone. The rate of formation of 17-hydroxyprogesterone from progesterone, however, was inhibited by added 17-hydroxyprogesterone. The results indicate that there is no free exchange of an intermediate between progesterone and androstenedione with the soluble fraction, either inside or outside the microsomal vesicle. The limited exchange with 17-hydroxyprogesterone in solution probably represents exchange with an enzyme-bound intermediate.
The superolateral approach for aspiration of total hip arthroplasties

Hip aspiration for exclusion of infection is a common procedure prior to revision arthroplasty. Some patients with total hip arthroplasties develop superomedial migration of the prosthesis, while others can have extensive heterotopic bone formation. The traditional approaches may be contraindicated due to overlying bowel or bone anterior/lateral to the prosthesis. These patients are candidates for the superolateral approach. With the patient supine marks are made on the skin at (i) the greater trochanter and (ii) a superior site that aligns with the neck of the prosthesis and soft-tissue window. The needle enters the lateral skin parallel to the table top. Usually only one pass is necessary.
Technical Justification and Choice for Remediation Methods

When out of normal material or very high activity is encountered in a Deactivation & Decommissioning (D&D) project, special considerations are needed. As the source term increases, the level of attention to planning, project cost and risk management must increase as well. WorleyParsons (WP) is engaged in identifying, screening and documenting (with follow on project design expected) the various remediation methods available to remove highly contaminated soils discovered under a hot cell. Soil dose rates have been measured in the 70 to 100 Sieverts/hour range, with radionuclide mix to be defined in mid to late summer 2011 from samples collected in June 2011. The scope of this project is to identify remedial techniques and removal methods (means and methods) and develop a set of technically implementable remedial alternatives (alternatives). These remedial alternatives will be screened by a Technical Panel consisting of WP and client experts using a WP defined screening process to narrow the list of alternatives. Transparency and un-biased choice of actions is key to owner and public confidence in the process and the choice of the ultimate path forward. The poster will show Phase 1 — how potential remedial techniques and removal methods (means and methods) were first identified, catalogued and initial screened. Following the initial screening, the remaining means and methods are combined to form an alternative — a stabilization means with a removal method are matched with a waste container to from an alternative. A rough order of magnitude (ROM) cost estimate and high level schedule are also developed for each alternative. In parallel with the above, screening criteria with associated design attributes were identified and given a weight factor and attribute value, which are then multiplied together and used to develop a decision matrix for the developed alternatives. Two parallel processes — screening criteria development and alternative development — are being pursued to allow better focus on each while not prejudicing the final alternative selection. Phase 2 actions — the expert panel - grade each alternative against the pre-approved screening criteria using the decision matrix that compiles results — real time but blind to the panel. The top two to four scores from this last effort will proceed to a pre-conceptual, conceptual design phase and the expert panel reconvened to make the final decision on the remediation methods to be used for removing the soil / contamination.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of water distillate and its dichloromethane extract from licorice root (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) and chemical composition of dichloromethane extract

BACKGROUND: Licorice root is one of the most widely used medicinal herbs and its medicinal properties, such as antibacterial, anti-ulcer, anti-tumorigenic and anti-atherosclerotic activities, have been widely reported. However, there are only a few reports on basic chemical and biological studies of the water distilled components of licorice root. RESULTS: Chinese licorice root was water distilled and the distillate was subsequently extracted with dichloromethane. Residual aqueous solution from the extraction was fractionated using column chromatography. A total of 127 chemicals were identified in the dichloromethane extract, which inhibited hexanal oxidation by over 90% for 45 days at the level of 50 µg mL−1. A fraction eluted from the residual aqueous solution with acetone exhibited potent antioxidant activities both in a thiobarbituric acid assay and in a malonaldehyde/gas chromatography assay. The acetone fraction also exhibited strong anti-inflammatory activity (77.9% inhibition at the level of 62 µg mL−1) in a lipoxygenenase inhibitor screening anti-inflammatory assay. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of the water distillate obtained from Chinese licorice root. Some volatile chemicals among the many components identified in the water distillate exhibited antioxidant activity, suggesting that many medicinal compounds escape with water vapor into the ambient air during the preparation of herbal medicine. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry
Regulation of Fructose Transport and Its Effect on Fructose Toxicity in Anabaena spp.

Anabaena variabilis grows heterotrophically using fructose, while the close relative Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120 does not. Introduction of a cluster of genes encoding a putative ABC transporter, herein named frtRABC, into Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120 on a replicating plasmid allowed that strain to grow in the dark using fructose, indicating that these genes are necessary and sufficient for heterotrophic growth. FrtR, a putative LacI-like regulatory protein, was essential for heterotrophic growth of both cyanobacterial strains. Transcriptional analysis revealed that the transport system was induced by fructose and that in the absence of FrtR, frtA was very highly expressed, with or without fructose. In the frtR mutant, fructose uptake was immediate, in contrast to that in the wild-type strain, which required about 40 min for induction of transport. In the frtR mutant, high-level expression of the fructose transporter resulted in cells that were extremely sensitive to fructose. Even in the presence of the inducer, fructose, expression of frtA was low in the wild-type strain compared to that in the frtR mutant, indicating that FrtR repressed the transporter genes even in the presence of fructose. FrtR bound to the upstream region of frtA, but binding was not visibly altered by fructose, further supporting the hypothesis that fructose has only a modest effect in relieving repression of frtA by FrtR. A. variabilis grew better with increasing concentrations of fructose up to 50 mM, showing increased cell size and heterocyst frequency. Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120 did not show any of these changes when it was grown with fructose. Thus, although Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120 could take up fructose and use it in the dark, fructose did not improve growth in the light.
The Wisdom of Crowds: Learning from Administrators’ Predictions of Citizen Perceptions

Public agencies use surveys to solicit feedback from citizens and targeted customer groups, but many experts question whether the results of these surveys are valuable. This paper explores how a recent innovation in citizen surveys—asking public administrators to predict how citizens will respond to survey questions—may be used to increase that value and, at the same time, provide additional data of interest on its own account. The innovation is explored through two surveys: (1) a public opinion poll of Georgia residents conducted by the authors for the Georgia Department of Transportation in January 2004, and (2) a brief survey of that agency’s administrators asking for their predictions of public opinion. The prediction process appeared to increase the agency’s interest in the resident survey. The findings document the frequent superiority of groups—what Surowiecki terms “the wisdom of crowds”—over individuals in predicting public opinion.
Estimation of grain boundary segregation enthalpy and its role in stable nanocrystalline alloy design

Grain boundary segregation provides a method for stabilization of nanocrystalline metals—an alloying element that will segregate to the boundaries can lower the grain boundary energy, attenuating the driving force for grain growth. The segregation strength relative to the mixing enthalpy of a binary system determines the propensity for segregation stabilization. This relationship has been codified for the design space of positive enthalpy alloys; unfortunately, quantitative values for the grain boundary segregation enthalpy exist in only very few material systems, hampering the prospect of nanocrystalline alloy design. Here we present a Miedema-type model for estimation of grain boundary segregation enthalpy, with which potential nanocrystalline phase-forming alloys can be rapidly screened. Calculations of the necessary enthalpies are made for ∼2500 alloys and used to make predictions about nanocrystalline stability.