cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Competitive inhibition of [3H]dexamethasone binding to mammary glucocorticoid receptor by leupeptin.

The Inhibitory Effect Of Leupeptin On [3H]dexamethasone binding to the glucocorticoid receptor from lactating goat mammary cytosol has been studied. Leupeptin (10 mM) caused a significant (about 35%) inhibition of [3H]dexamethasone binding to glucocorticoid receptor. Binding inhibition is further increased following filtration of unlabeled cytosolic receptor through a Bio-Gel A 0.5-m column. Binding inhibition was partially reversed by monothioglycerol at 10 mM concentration. A double reciprocal plot revealed that leupeptin appears to be a competitive inhibitor of [3H]dexamethasone binding to the glucocorticoid receptor. Low salt sucrose density gradient centrifugation revealed that the leupeptin-treated sample formed a slightly larger (approximately 9 S) receptor complex (leupeptin-free complex sediments at 8 S).
Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction–rehabilitation research methodological quality: a systematic review with world region comparisons

A systematic review and world region comparison of combined ACL reconstruction–rehabilitation studies was performed. Studies that combined ACL surgical-rehabilitative management published between January 1990 and June 2014 were evaluated. The combined terms “rehabilitation” and “anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction” or “ACL reconstruction” were used to search the CINAHL Plus, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, PEDro, and PubMed databases. A total of 5920 studies were initially identified. Inclusion criteria reduced this total to 299 studies that underwent abstract review. Following this, 155 studies underwent full text review and 109 met all inclusion criteria for Modified Coleman Methodology Score (MCMS) evaluation. Overall, MCMS were 74.0 ± 17 (mean ± standard deviation). Europe had slightly greater MCMS than North America (P = 0.041). Specific MCMS components that displayed significant world region differences included use of an independent investigator (Europe > North America and Asia; P = 0.047), including a patient-completed written assessment (Europe > North America and Asia; P = 0.009), allowing the patient to complete the assessment without medical, surgical, or rehabilitation personnel intervention (Europe > North America and Asia; P = 0.009), and use of well-described subject selection or inclusion criteria (Europe > North America and Asia; P = 0.004). Tegner Activity Scale (P = 0.042) and VAS-Pain Scale (P = 0.007) use was greater in Europe compared with other world regions. Primary rehabilitation theme frequency was comparable between world regions (n.s.). Regional research methodological quality differences were observed. Europe displayed a slightly greater MCMS for combined ACL reconstruction–rehabilitation studies. With this information, research groups can design better team-based approaches to ensure that study findings provide sufficient significance to foster meaningful patient care improvements. Systematic review, Level III.
Timing of substorm related auroral oscillations

Previous studies have shown that auroral luminosity oscillations are often associated with substorms. Here we examine photometer data for the magnetospheric substorm on April 1, 2000 (expansive phase onset at 0525 UT) to study the detailed timing of the auroral oscillations relative to onset. Accurate timing information for the periodicities in the photometer data were determined using the wavelet transform. We find that the oscillations occur primarily during the recovery phase.
Stress‐Induced Cardioadaptation Reveals a Code Linking Hormone Receptors and Spatial Redistribution of PKC Isoforms

Extracellular agents, including growth factors, cytokines and hormones, transmit their information into cells utilizing a balanced mosaic of intracellular phosphatases and kinases. How do these agonists select the correct substrates and modify them in order to produce defined physiological responses? Our studies have centered on the mechanisms of stress-induced cardioprotection (preconditioning) against postischemic dysfunction. In several species, the ischemia-reperfusion resistant phenotype appears to be induced by metabotropic-receptor pathways linked to PKC. Our results on the isolated rat heart show that each protective stimulus involves a characteristic mosaic of PKC isoforms, translocating into distinct cellular compartments. The distinct receptor-stimulated PKC isoform profile engaged by each extracellular metabotropic agent could allow the heart several overlapping modes of phenotypic adaptation to ischemia.
Which substance abuse treatment facilities offer dual diagnosis programs

This report examines the distribution of specialized programs or groups for dual diagnosis clients in substance abuse treatment facilities across the United States and the availability of services often needed by this client population at these facilities. Data from the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS) were used to assess the geographic distribution and the characteristics of facilities that offer dual diagnosis treatment programs/groups and to examine the other clinical, social, and health services available in these facilities. Overall, 49.9% of all U.S. substance abuse treatment facilities offered dual diagnosis programs/groups. There were no clear regional variations on availability of these services. There were, however, clear variations based on facility ownership and treatment modality. Facilities owned by the federal, state, and local governments, and those offering inpatient treatment were more likely than were other facilities to offer dual diagnosis programs/groups. A large proportion of facilities with specialized dual diagnosis programs/ groups did not offer mental, social, or health services often needed by dual diagnosis clients. It is concluded that specialized programs for dual diagnosis clients are offered in many different substance abuse treatment facilities, attesting to the growing recognition of the special needs of this group of clients. However, dissemination of comprehensive services often needed to meet the special needs of these clients has not kept pace with the spread of specialized programs, highlighting the need for establishing and implementing standard evidence-based guidelines for dual diagnosis treatment programs in these settings.
The Timing of Childbirth and Family-to-Work Conflict

A growing pattern, assumed to reflect efforts to balance work and family, is the delaying of childbirth by some working women. This article examines the relationship between the timing of fertility and family-to-work conflict among working women, and the occupational, organizational, and family contexts that influence this relationship. We analyze data from the 2002 wave of the National Study of the Changing Workforce to determine if, to what degree, and among whom the decision to delay entry into parenthood is related to lower degrees of family-to-work conflict. Our findings indicate that delaying childbirth does result in less work-family conflict for working mothers, and highlights the importance of family-level factors in predicting family-to-work conflict.
Carbon monoxide and chromophoric dissolved organic matter cycles in the shelf waters of the northern California upwelling system

[1] An annual program of approximately bimonthly seawater sampling was conducted off the coast of the Bodega Marine Laboratory in the California Current upwelling system (CCUS) to investigate controls on dissolved carbon monoxide (CO) and its photochemical parent, chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM). A diel steady state model was developed to quantify CO sources and sinks throughout the day. Observed midday CO spanned 2.7–17 nmol L−1, and correlated strongly with coincident CDOM absorption; however, rapid microbial consumption rates (0.05–0.80 h−1) were such that ∼95% of the CO generated was metabolized within the ocean surface. Further indication of the dominant influence of the microbial ecosystem was the persistent observation of a strong “dark production,” which contributed ∼25% of the diurnal source strength within the top 17 m of the ocean. The dark source correlated strongly with biological oxidation rates and CDOM, suggesting that it is the result of incomplete respiration of biologically labile DOM. CDOM was lowest in recently upwelled waters, implying that its origin is from the induced primary production and not from shelf sediment resuspension. The estimated CO air-sea flux was highly variable (average of 5 μmol m−2 d−1), and most likely inconsequential to the atmospheric budget in coastal regions. The photolytic source strength of CO2 from CDOM (2.7 mmol m−2 d−1) was estimated by scaling to modeled CO photoproduction rates. This photolytic remineralization rate represents ∼2.5% of the net primary production in the CCUS, implying that CDOM photobleaching may play a significant role in the carbon cycling of upwelling systems.
Simultaneous biatrial computerized mapping during permanent atrial fibrillation in patients with organic heart disease.

Activations in Permanent Atrial Fibrillation.Introduction: Activation patterns during permanent atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with organic heart diseases are unclear. Methods and Results: We studied six patients with permanent AF and organic heart diseases undergoing surgery. The duration of AF averaged 4.9 ± 7.6 years. Computerized epicardial mappings of the right atrial (RA) free wall and the left atrial (LA) posterior wall were simultaneously performed with 224 bipolar electrodes at 3-mm spatial resolution. In the RA, large wavefronts and conduction blocks were frequently observed. The lines of block correlated with the crista terminalis and large pectinate muscles. In contrast, the LA had rapid repetitive activities originated from corners of the electrode plaque, near the four pulmonary veins (PVs). On average, 2.8 ± 1.2 sites of rapid repetitive activities were identified per patient. They activated continuously, intermittently, or alternately during AF. The mean activation cycle length in the RA (196 ± 22 msec) was significantly longer than that in the LA (179 ± 26 msec; P = 0.004). The maximum dominant frequency in the LA was higher than that in the RA (6.41 ± 1.18 Hz vs 5.66 ± 0.55 Hz; P = 0.049). The maximum dominant frequency was consistently located in areas with rapid repetitive activations near the PVs. Conclusion: During human permanent AF associated with organic heart diseases, the activation cycle length was shorter in the LA posterior wall than in the RA free wall. Rapid repetitive activities are consistently observed in the LA posterior wall, at or near the PVs.
Bounds for Stopping Times with Application to the Approximation of Distribution Functions

We consider stopping times associated with sequences of non-negative random variables and Poisson processes. With sufficient conditions on the dependence property between the sequences of non-negative random variables (or the Poisson processes) and the stopping times, we develop easily computable stochastic bounds for the stopping times. We use these bounds to develop approximations within the class of generalized phase-type distribution functions for arbitrary distribution functions. The computational tractability of generalized phase-type distribution functions facilitate the computational analysis of complex stochastic systems using these approximate distribution functions. Applications of these approximations to renewal processes are illustrated.
Presence of methyl adenine in the DNA of some strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

Summary Sixteen strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae were examined for the presence of methyl adenine using the site-specific restriction endonucleases MboI and DpnI . The DNA of four strains, all of which require arginine, hypoxanthine and uracil for growth, contained methyl adenine. Plasmid DNA from a non-methylating strain transformed into methylating strains contained methyl adenine when re-isolated.
Mechanical Damage and Fatigue Assessment of Dented Pipelines Using FEA

Onshore and offshore pipelines may be subjected to mechanical damage during installation and operation due to environmental loads, external forces and third party interference. Pipelines in offshore environment may be prone to mechanical damage from events such as ice gouging, frost heave, and seismic fault movement. For conventional pipelines, the assessment of mechanical damage plays an important role in the development of integrity management programs that may be of greater significance for pipeline systems located in remote harsh environments and that are more prone to anchor drag, seismic loading and ice gouging.This study examines the effect of dents and corrosion loss on pipe mechanical response using continuum finite element methods. ABAQUS/Standard (6.10-1) environment was used to simulate damage events and pipe response. Modelling procedures developed and calibrated against physical and numerical data sets available in public domain were reported previously in Hanif & Kenny 2012, 2013. Once confidence in numerical procedures was established, an analysis model matrix was established to account for a range of influential parameters including pipe/indenter geometry and pressure factor. A nonlinear multivariate regression analysis was conducted to develop strain based empirical tools that characterize the effects of local damage and applied loads on pipeline mechanical response for unconstrained dent conditions. Coupled affect of dent and artificial corrosion loss (in terms of wall thickness reduction in the damage zone) was also analyzed and a sensitivity study was conducted to see the effect of percentage wall loss on pipe response. Finally, operational parameters were varied and resulting stress concentration factors were calculated, that took into account indentations and wall loss, to predict fatigue life of dented pipe segments for both constrained and unconstrained dent conditions.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Year-round schools and the politics of time

This ethnographic study explores the politics of time in a multitrack, “yearround” school in inner-city Los Angeles. We analyze different types and experiences of time within the school and time collisions across institutions in this densely populated immigrant community. Viewing time as a contested commodity, we examine the politics behind the presumed impartiality of the clock and calendar. The school's year-round schedule is especially problematic, involving multiple tracks with lengthened days and a shortened school year. We show how issues of educational equity go to the core of debates over alternative school schedules.
Studies on activation of T4 bacteriophage by cofactor I. The degree of activity

Resume 1. 1. De la relation existant entre la vitesse initiale d'adsorption du bacteriophage T4, qui a besoin de confacteur pour etre adsorbe par les bacteries sensibles, et la concentration de tryptophane dans le milieu synthetique, est tiree la notion de degre d'activite, defini comme etant le rapport entre la vitesse d'adsorption a une concentration de cofacteur donnee et la vitesse maxima observee. 2. 2. Apres dilution brusque d'un melange de bacteriophage et de cofacteur par une suspension bacterienne, deux phenomenes se produisent concuremment: perte d'activite du bacteriophage et adsorption sur les bacteries. Cette methode d'adsorption competitive permet de restreindre la notion de degre d'activite, qui peut etre considere comme une propriete caracteristique de la population de bacteriophages, independante des conditions d'adsorption sur les bacteries. 3. 3. Le lysat bacteriophagique utilise dans nos experiences est homogene en ce qui concerne son activabilite. Le degre d'activite represente donc une propriete statistique de la population de bacteriophages. 4. 4. En utilisant des concentrations elevees de bacteriophages, dans des conditions telles qu'ils entrent en competition pour le cofacteur present, on peut estimer l'ordre de grandeur du nombre de molecules de tryptophane fixees par corpuscule bacteriophage. Ce nombre est d'environ 300 (limite superieure) pour une activite correspondant a 1 3 de l'activite maxima. 5. 5. Deux conceptions — celle du tout-ou-rien et celle des etats d'activite intermediaire—ayant pour but de rapporter au corpus cule bacteriophage la notion de degre d'activite, sont considerees.
Effect of Beta Adrenergic Receptor Blockade on Cardiac Autonomic Tone in Patients with Chronic Stable Angina

Decreased heart rate variability, which may be due to increased sympathetic and decreased parasympathetic activity, has been shown to be a predictor of cardiac events after acute myocardial infarction. The present study was undertaken to analyze the effect of beta adrenergic blockade on cardiac autonomic system in patients with chronic stable angina. Nineteen patients (15 males and 4 females, age range 44–74 years) with chronic stable angina were enrolled. After stopping all cardiac medications, patients had two baseline treadmill tests with both reproducible angina and ST depression and a baseline 48-hour ambulatory ECG recording. A long-acting beta-blocker (atenolol or betaxolol) was started and titrated to the maximal tolerated dose. After 1–2 months, a repeat 48-hour ambulatory ECG recording on beta-blocker therapy was obtained. Heart rate variability analysis was performed on the baseline and drug therapy ECG recordings. The average heart rate significantly decreased (P < 0.008), and the mean RR interval significantly increased (P < 0.0001). In the time-domain analysis, the standard deviation, variance, ASDNN5, and SDANN5 were not significantly affected, although the PNN50 increased. In the frequency domain, the total power (P < 0.0001) and the low frequency (P < 0.001) components decreased, while the high frequency spectrum was unchanged. Thus, sympathetic activity significantly declined in patients with chronic stable angina on beta-blocker therapy, while parasympathetic tone demonstrated a heterogenous response.
PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES IN INTENSIVE MOLLUSC HUSBANDRY

Principles for management of infectious diseases in intensive mollusc husbandry are presented as derived from an evaluation of pertinent literature and general principles of health management. Both opportunistic pathogens and obligate agents of disease are managed in terms of finite entry points in husbandry systems: brood stocks, algal food stock and seawater source. Opportunistic bacterial diseases, particularly vibriosis, are presently the most significant diseases. Bacteria expand in the culture system in a preclinical phase and subsequently cause primary disease both by direct infection by bacteria and by toxin-mediated processes. Primary disease involving direct infection and growth of bacteria in ligament and soft tissues appears to be the most significant mechanism of infection in metamorphosing and juvenile animals, the critical phase in intensive mollusc husbandry. Diagnosis and management of the disease depend on recognition of the disease and determination of the source of infectious organisms. Obligate intracellular diseases are prevented and managed by control of animal movements, prevention of cross contamination and sterilization of effluents from animal tanks.
Leach models: Theory and application

Abstract Mechanistic leach models can be applied to describe performance of solidified wastes in the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure test. A simple model was modified to describe the effect of inward diffusion of acetic acid from the leaching solution. However, the model did not incorporate changes in the acetic acid concentration that would be observed over time as pH rises. Mechanistic leach models could also be applied to predict long-term leaching, to quantify the relative importance of chemical and physical immobilization mechanisms, to correlate and extrapolate leaching data for various contaminants and binders, and to predict ultimate performance from early characteristics of the solidified waste.
The Phosphorus Requirements of Growing Chickens, With a Demonstration of the Value of Controlled Experimental Feeding

Abstract IN CURRENT scientific literature the requirements of animals for specific nutrients are expressed in two different ways, either in amounts required per day, or in percentages of the ration fed. While the former method is the more definite one and is productive of more accurate measurements, the latter method possesses certain obvious practical advantages that have commended it to many investigators. Particularly in poultry husbandry it is the common practice to express requirements for protein, minerals, and vitamin carriers in percentages of the ration to be fed. Although these percentages are subject to variation depending upon the particular kinds of feeds incorporated in the ration, they furnish nevertheless the most useful information for the preparation of rations for poultry. The necessary percentages of protein, supplementary minerals, and vitamin carriers for chickens in any particular stage of growth or sexual activity define more or less certainly a balanced ration for such . . .
Seaflume: A device for in-situ studies of threshold erosion velocity and erosional behavior of undisturbed marine muds

Abstract A self-contained sea-going flume has been designed for use in sediment transport studies on the sea floor. Bottom sediment behavior and flow velocity resulting from water pumped through the flume are recorded photographically to obtain estimates of threshold erosion velocity and modes of erosion. Precision and accuracy of estimated threshold velocities for muddy marine sediments are found to be as good or better than those previously obtained by other field or laboratory techniques.
Fish-robot interactions in a free-swimming environment: Effects of speed and configuration of robots on live fish

We explore fish-robot interactions in a comprehensive set of experiments designed to highlight the effects of speed and configuration of bioinspired robots on live zebrafish. The robot design and movement is inspired by salient features of attraction in zebrafish and includes enhanced coloration, aspect ratio of a fertile female, and carangiform/subcarangiformlocomotion. The robots are autonomously controlled to swim in circular trajectories in the presence of live fish. Our results indicate that robot configuration significantly affects both the fish distance to the robots and the time spent near them.
Relationship between size of oil droplet generated during chemical dispersion of crude oil and energy dissipation rate: Dimensionless, scaling, and experimental analysis

Abstract Droplet formation mechanisms during the chemical dispersion of crude oil were investigated using both theoretical and experimental approaches. Dimensionless and force balance analysis identified four distinct regimes of droplet formations. For d > η , d scales either with ( e −2/5 ) or ( e −1/4 ) or and for d η , d scales either with ( e −1/2 ) or ( e −1/4 ) depending on whether the main restoring force against droplet breakage is provided by surface tension or oil viscosity. The symbols d , η , and e represent the droplet diameter, the Kolmogorov length scale, and energy dissipation rate, respectively. For d > η and η , the external force, which tries to deform and break the droplet is provided by the pressure difference across the droplet diameter and viscous shear, respectively. Identification of the relationship d ∼( e −1/4 ) for d η is a new contribution of this present study. The validity of this relationship was also proven by our experimental observations over a range of physical properties (dynamic viscosity 0.015–8.6 Pa s; oil–water interfacial tension 0.0001–0.015 N/m) and mixing energies (0.00075–0.16 W/kg), similar to those in real environmental settings (e.g., estuary, surface layer of oceans). All these above findings and observations are vital from the stand point of appropriately scaling droplet formation process, during chemical dispersion of crude oil, and in the development of reliable predictive models.
Benefits and costs of confidential information: An application of systems theory and catastrophe theory

This article concerns confidentiality of information in social systems at the levels of the group, organization, society, and supranational system. It analyses the benefits and costs of confidentiality in terms of actual and potential Pareto optimality. A systems perspective based on the ecological concepts of successional and climax communities is used to analyze both the power and limit of confidential information as a single purpose instrument amid conflicting objectives. A cusp catastrophe is employed to model discontinuity in confidential behavior, which tends to reduce the quality and availability of confidential information and, therefore, increase the cost of obtaining it when confidentiality is violated. Finally, an approach to a selective protection of confidentiality is suggested which achieves both economic efficiency and distributional justice by varying the assignments of rights and burden of proof to different parties depending on their relative gains/losses and relative strength.
Cardiovascular Primary Prevention: How High Should We Set the Bar?

Recent trials in cardiovascular medicine have contradicted current practice, and, accordingly, are medical reversals. Extended-release niacin and fenofibrate have failed to provide mortality benefit when added to statin therapy, though both drugs have been used for this purpose for years. Cardiovascular primary prevention is no small matter. Annual spending on statins exceeded $19 billion in 2005, ezetimibe cost over $5 billion in 2007, and fenofibrate costs passed $1 billion in 2009. Given the tremendous price of these medications, and recent trials that have undermined years of practice, we propose that the bar for cardiovascular primary prevention has been raised. Large studies must show improvements in overall mortality before novel agents are recommended and used. The implications of this proposal are considered.
Sensitivity To Musical Denotation And Connotation In Organic Patients

Summary Musical segments convey at least two kinds of meaning: The “real-world” events referred to by lyrics and by occasions of performance constitute musical denotation: the formal expressive patterns suggested by such constituents as pitch, timbre, and intensity constitute musical connotation. To ascertain sensitivity to these musical facets among brain-injured patients, tests assessing appreciation of musical denotation and connotation were administered to unilaterally brain-injured subjects in the United States and Italy. On the musical denotation test, right hemisphere patients excelled on items where knowledge of lyrics was required; in contrast, anterior aphasics surpassed both posterior aphasics and right hemisphere patients on items where acquaintance with lyrics was unnecessary. On the musical connotation test, right hemisphere patients performed relatively better in matching sound patterns to temporally-sequenced designs than to gestalten; these patients also performed better than left hemisphere patients on a number of other dimensions. The relatively high performance of posterior aphasics on the connotation test, along with the lack of correlation between connotative and denotative scores received by aphasic patients, suggest a behavioral and neurological dissociation between the two forms of musical sensitivity.
Comparison between time-lapse video recordings of behavior and polygraphic state determinations in premature infants.

This study was done to compare time-lapse video recordings of eye and body activity with polygraphically determined states of activity from human premature infants. Time-lapse video recording in neonates is new, and was first reported by Anders and Sostek (1976) who have used time-lapse video recordings of sleep-wake activity in full-term infants. We recorded 8 prematurely born human infants, 5 males and 3 females between 29 and 34 weeks gestational age at birth. Behavioral and physiological states were scored from the polygraphic records. The video-tape observations were coded for three levels of body movement: no body movement, some body movement, and a lot of body movement, and eyes: closed no rapid eye movements (REMs), REMs, and open. The following relationships (concordance) were observed: 1) 60% of the non-REM/no movement epochs were in the Quiet state on the polygraph; 2) 83% of the REM/some movement epochs were in the REM state on the polygraph; and 3) 82% of the REM/ a lot of movement epochs were in the REM state on the polygraph.
Tensile and stress corrosion cracking properties of type 304 stainless steel irradiated to a very high dose

Abstract Certain safety-related core internal structural components of light water reactors, usually fabricated from Type 304 or 316 austenitic stainless steels (SSs), accumulate very high levels of irradiation damage (20–100 displacement per atom or dpa) by the end of life. Our databases and mechanistic understanding of the degradation of such highly irradiated components, however, are not well established. A key question is the nature of irradiation-assisted intergranular cracking at very high doses, i.e. is it purely mechanical failure or is it stress-corrosion cracking? In this work, hot-cell tests and microstructural characterization were performed on Type 304 SS from the hexagonal fuel can of the decommissioned EBR-II reactor after irradiation to ≈50 dpa at ≈370 °C. Slow-strain-rate tensile tests were conducted at 289 °C in air and in water at several levels of electrochemical potential (ECP), and microstructural characteristics were analyzed by scanning and transmission electron microscopies. The material deformed significantly by twinning and exhibited surprisingly high ductility in air, but was susceptible to severe intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC) at high ECP. Low levels of dissolved O and ECP were effective in suppressing the susceptibility of the heavily irradiated material to IGSCC, indicating that the stress corrosion process associated with irradiation-induced grain-boundary Cr depletion, rather than purely mechanical separation of grain boundaries, plays the dominant role. However, although IGSCC was suppressed, the material was susceptible to dislocation channeling at a low ECP, and this susceptibility led to a poor work-hardening capability and low ductility.
Preferential deletion in dynamic models of web-like networks

In this paper a discrete-time dynamic random graph process is studied that interleaves the birth of nodes and edges with the death of nodes. In this model, at each time step either a new node is added or an existing node is deleted. A node is added with probability p together with an edge incident on it. The node at the other end of this new edge is chosen based on a linear preferential attachment rule. A node (and all the edges incident on it) is deleted with probability q=1-p. The node to be deleted is chosen based on a probability distribution that favors small-degree nodes, in view of recent empirical findings. We analyze the degree distribution of this model and find that the expected fraction of nodes with degree k in the graph generated by this process decreases asymptotically as k^-^1^-^(^2^p^/^2^p^-^1^).
Fatty acid synthase gene regulation in primary hypothalamic neurons

Understanding the mechanisms that regulate feeding is critical to the development of therapeutic interventions for obesity. Many studies indicate that enzymes within fatty acid metabolic pathways may serve as targets for pharmacological tools to treat this epidemic. We, and others have previously demonstrated that C75, a fatty acid synthase (FAS) inhibitor, induced significant anorexia and weight loss by both central and peripheral mechanisms. Because the hypothalamus is important in the regulation of homeostatic processes for feeding control, we have identified pathways that alter the gene expression of FAS in primary hypothalamic neuronal cultures. Insulin, glucose and AICAR (an activator of AMP-activated protein kinase) affected changes in hypothalamic FAS mRNA, which may be regulated via the SREBP1c dependent or independent pathway.
Duff: software tools for visualization and processing of neuroimaging data

We developed a new software package, called Duff, to address many of the visualization needs within the Laboratory of Neuro Imaging. Duff provides synchronized visualization of multiple co-registered image volumes, surfaces, and curves, which provides users with increased abilities to represent and interpret data. We describe the development of this package and an associated collection of data processing tools, as well as its use in the Mouse Atlas Project. We also describe several of the design decisions made during development and how they were influenced by the constraints of developing software within an academic environment.
A genome-wide study of dual coding regions in human alternatively spliced genes.

Alternative splicing is a major mechanism for gene product regulation in many multicellular organisms. By using different exon combinations, some coding regions can encode amino acids in multiple reading frames in different transcripts. Here we performed a systematic search through a set of high-quality human transcripts and show that ∼7% of alternatively spliced genes contain dual (multiple) coding regions. By using a conservative criterion, we found that in these regions most secondary reading frames evolved recently in mammals, and a significant proportion of them may be specific to primates. Based on the presence of in-frame stop codons in orthologous sequences in other animals, we further classified ancestral and derived reading frames in these regions. Our results indicated that ancestral reading frames are usually under stronger selection than are derived reading frames. Ancestral reading frames mainly influence the coding properties of these dual coding regions. Compared with coding regions of the whole genome, ancestral reading frames largely maintain similar nucleotide composition at each codon position and amino acid usage, while derived reading frames are significantly different. Our results also indicated that prior to acquisition of a new reading frame, the suppression of in-frame stop codons in the ancestral state is mainly achieved by one-step transition substitutions at the first or second codon position. Finally, the selective forces imposed on these dual coding regions will also be discussed.
On “Puckering and blowing facial expressions…” Denlinger RL, et al. Phys Ther. 2008;88:909–915.

I would like to thank the authors for their important contribution in this somewhat neglected area.1 However, I would like to make a few comments as well as suggestions for future investigations. First, although the authors noted that their participants were an average of 25 months from onset of the facial movement disorder, they did not note which patients were in the acute phase (which has a temporary hypotonic presentation) and which patients were in the residual phase (which can have a more stable hypertonic presentation with the presence of synkinesis or a stable hypotonic presentation such as the one seen …
Microbes in tree swallow semen.

A frequently hypothesized but poorly studied cost of multiple mating in birds is that exposure to pathogenic sexually transmitted microbes (STM's) can lower reproductive success. Conversely, female birds may benefit from high frequencies of copulation and multiple copulation partners if they receive cloacal inoculations of beneficial STM's that can either protect them against future encounters with pathogens and/or serve as therapy against present infection. We examined the semen of 30 male tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) in 1998 to determine the presence and prevalence of potential pathogenic and beneficial STM's. Semen was collected directly from males after applying gentle pressure to the cloaca and we used standard microbiological techniques to identify microbes. We found that 19 of 30 samples contained one or more types of microbes. In these 19 positive samples, we isolated both pathogenic and beneficial microbes from 11, only pathogenic microbes from seven, and only beneficial microbes from one....
A generalized polynomial chaos based ensemble Kalman filter with high accuracy

As one of the most adopted sequential data assimilation methods in many areas, especially those involving complex nonlinear dynamics, the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) has been under extensive investigation regarding its properties and efficiency. Compared to other variants of the Kalman filter (KF), EnKF is straightforward to implement, as it employs random ensembles to represent solution states. This, however, introduces sampling errors that affect the accuracy of EnKF in a negative manner. Though sampling errors can be easily reduced by using a large number of samples, in practice this is undesirable as each ensemble member is a solution of the system of state equations and can be time consuming to compute for large-scale problems. In this paper we present an efficient EnKF implementation via generalized polynomial chaos (gPC) expansion. The key ingredients of the proposed approach involve (1) solving the system of stochastic state equations via the gPC methodology to gain efficiency; and (2) sampling the gPC approximation of the stochastic solution with an arbitrarily large number of samples, at virtually no additional computational cost, to drastically reduce the sampling errors. The resulting algorithm thus achieves a high accuracy at reduced computational cost, compared to the classical implementations of EnKF. Numerical examples are provided to verify the convergence property and accuracy improvement of the new algorithm. We also prove that for linear systems with Gaussian noise, the first-order gPC Kalman filter method is equivalent to the exact Kalman filter.
A member of the Whirly family is a multifunctional RNA- and DNA-binding protein that is essential for chloroplast biogenesis

‘Whirly’ proteins comprise a plant-specific protein family whose members have been described as DNA-binding proteins that influence nuclear transcription and telomere maintenance, and that associate with nucleoids in chloroplasts and mitochondria. We identified the maize WHY1 ortholog among proteins that coimmunoprecipitate with CRS1, which promotes the splicing of the chloroplast atpF group II intron. ZmWHY1 localizes to the chloroplast stroma and to the thylakoid membrane, to which it is tethered by DNA. Genome-wide coimmunoprecipitation assays showed that ZmWHY1 in chloroplast extract is associated with DNA from throughout the plastid genome and with a subset of plastid RNAs that includes atpF transcripts. Furthermore, ZmWHY1 binds both RNA and DNA in vitro. A severe ZmWhy1 mutant allele conditions albino seedlings lacking plastid ribosomes; these exhibit the altered plastid RNA profile characteristic of ribosome-less plastids. Hypomorphic ZmWhy1 mutants exhibit reduced atpF intron splicing and a reduced content of plastid ribosomes; aberrant 23S rRNA metabolism in these mutants suggests that a defect in the biogenesis of the large ribosomal subunit underlies the ribosome deficiency. However, these mutants contain near normal levels of chloroplast DNA and RNAs, suggesting that ZmWHY1 is not directly required for either DNA replication or for global plastid transcription.
Betulinic acid induces apoptosis through a direct effect on mitochondria in neuroectodermal tumors.

Background and Procedure. We identified BetA as a new cytotoxic agent active against neuroectodermal tumor cells including neuroblastoma, medulloblastoma, glioblastoma and Ewing sarcoma cells, representing the most common solid tumors of childhood. Results. BetA induced apoptosis by a direct effect on mitochondria independent of accumulation of wild-type p53 protein and independent of death-inducing ligand/receptor systems such as CD95. Mitochondrial perturbations on treatment with BetA resulted in the release of soluble apoptogenic factors such as cytochrome c or AIF from mitochondria into the cytosol, where they induced activation of caspases. Overexpression of the anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl-2 or Bcl-XL that blocked loss of the mitochondrial membrane potential and cytochrome c release from mitochondria also conferred resistance to BetA. Most importantly, BetA exhibited potent antitumor activity on neuroblastoma cells resistant to CD95- or doxorubicin-triggered apoptosis and on primary tumor cells from patients with neuroectodermal tumors. Conclusions. Thus, BetA may be a promising new agent in the treatment of neuroectodermal tumors including neuroblastoma in vivo. Med. Pediatr. Oncol. 35:616‐ 618, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Hindrance of Grain Growth in Al2O3 by ZrO2 Inclusions.

Alumina and Al2O3/ZrO2 (1 to 10 vol%) composite powders were mixed and consolidated by a colloidal method, sintered to >98% theoretical density at 1550°C, and subsequently heat-treated at temperatures up to 1700°C for grain-size measurements. Within the temperature range studied, the ZrO2 inclusions exhibited sufficient self-diffusion to move with the Al2O3 4-grain junctions during grain growth. Growth of the ZrO2, inclusions occurred by coalescence. The inclusions exerted a dragging force at the 4-grain junctions to limit grain growth. Abnormal grain growth occurred when the inclusion distribution was not sufficiently uniform to hinder the growth of all Al2O3 grains. This condition was observed for compositions containing ≤2.5 vol% ZrO2, where the inclusions did not fill all 4-grain junctions. Exaggerated grains consumed both neighboring grains and ZrO2, inclusions. Grain-growth control (no abnormal grain growth) was achieved when a majority (or all) 4-grain junctions contained a ZrO2 inclusion, viz., for compositions containing ≥5 vol% ZrO2. For this condition, the grain size was inversely proportional to the volume fraction of the inclusions. Since the ZrO2 inclusions mimic voids in all ways except that they do not disappear, it is hypothesized that abnormal grain growth in single-phase materials is a result of a nonuniform distribution of voids during the last stage of sintering.
Development, implementation, and assessment of a bending stress tutorial

Results from engineering concept inventories indicate that students' conceptual understanding of engineering concepts is very poor. The research described herein is based on the development, implementation, and assessment of a tutorial consisting of inquiry based problem solving and ranking tasks to assist students in developing conceptual understanding of stresses due to bending in MOM. This tutorial was implemented in one section of MOM and another different section of MOM was used as a control group. Select questions from the MOM concept inventory (CI) were given to students in both sections. Contrary to the researcher's expectations, students in the control group performed better on two of five questions on the CI at a statistically significant level. Performance on the tutorial does not provide explanatory power to the difference in concept inventory results. Results of this research reveal concerns when implementing curricular materials to improve students' conceptual understanding.
Association of plasma free fatty acids and left ventricular diastolic function in patients with clinically severe obesity

Background Obesity is an important contributor to many cardiovascular risk factors and has been associated with abnormalities in cardiac contractile function. Causes of impaired contractile function are not fully understood and may include an oversupply of substrates. Objective We tested the hypothesis that metabolic dysregulation may adversely influence cardiac function. Specifically, we examined the effects of plasma free fatty acids and insulin sensitivity on left ventricular function in patients with clinically severe obesity. Design We measured metabolic and cardiac variables in 64 obese patients [body mass index (BMI; in kg/m(2)) > 35], including 2-D complete echocardiogram with M-mode and tissue Doppler imaging, anthropometric measurements, and analysis of blood chemistries. Results The median (25th and 75th percentile) age and BMI were 46 y (36, 53 y) and 51.5 (42.5, 56.5), respectively. The prevalence of diabetes, hypertension, and insulin resistance were 38%, 53%, and 90%, respectively. Plasma free fatty acid (FFA) concentrations were elevated in the cohort. No association was observed between insulin sensitivity or anthropometric measurements and left ventricular contractile function. However, FFA concentration was independently associated with diastolic function (r = -0.33, P = 0.01), and 40% of the cohort showed age-adjusted diastolic impairment as measured by tissue Doppler imaging. Conclusion The negative association between FFA and diastolic function, in the setting of insulin resistance, suggests that excess FFA may exert a lipotoxic effect on the heart.
The Gift of Generations: Japanese and American Perspectives on Aging and the Social Contract

1. Introduction: the social designation of deserving citizens The private discourse: expectations of vulnerability - the public discourse: responsibilities for intervention - values, interests, and symbolic equity: a framework of analysis 2. Two communities - two societies: West Haven - Westside Odawara - comparing communities 3. Rights and responsibilities in the public domain: entitlement, obligation, and equity - individual, family, and state 4. The practice of protection and intervention in the private domain: inside the household - outside the household - family and network - the recognition of vulnerability 5. The Japanese viewpoint: the protective approach 6. The American viewpoint: the contingency approach 7. Cultural assumptions and values: trajectories of need - conditions of security - intergenerational equity - primary bonds of affection - units of self-sufficiency - visions of resource affluence 8. The social regulation of interests: credit, debt, and mutual interests - rights, responsibilities, and collective interests - the logic of symbolic equity - distribution of symbolic resources: empowerment and disempowerment - social and cultural constructions of support - vulnerability and security - entitlement and obligation - reciprocity and dependency - failures and costs 9. Conclusion: Reflections on diversity and change.
Self-Trapping of Optical Beams and Light-Induced Waveguiding in Photorefractive InP at Telecommunication Wavelengths

We demonstrate self-trapping of a two-dimensional beam at 1.3 microns wavelength in resonantly-enhanced InP. The self-trapped beam also induces a two-dimensional optical waveguide in bulk InP, which guides a second beam at 1.55 micron wavelength.
Polyethylene glycol modified-albumin enhances the cold preservation properties of university of wisconsin solution in rat liver and a hepatocyte cell line

Liver grafts preserved in cold storage undergo changes mainly manifested by morphological modifications of the sinusoidal endothelium that result in poor graft function upon reperfusion. The present studies aimed to determine if the addition of polyethylene glycol-albumin to University of Wisconsin (Peg-AlbUW) solution ameliorates the cold preservation injuries of liver grafts. Rat livers were preserved cold with various preservation solutions and evaluated for weight changes and endothelial morphology. Solutions that preserved graft weight and endothelial morphology were tested in the isolated perfused rat liver model to assess graft function. A rat hepatocyte cell line was evaluated for both viability and glutathione concentrations emulating cold preservation and reperfusion conditions. Liver grafts preserved with Peg-AlbUW maintained their initial weight and showed a conserved endothelial morphology compared with liver grafts preserved in UW for 30h (P 0.05); glutathione concentrations (reduced and total) were significantly increased in hepatocytes preserved in 3% Peg-AlbUW compared with other preservation solutions (P The addition of Peg-Alb to UW preservation solution ameliorated the cold preservation injuries of rat liver grafts as shown by stable liver graft weight, a better preservation of the endothelial morphology, improved portal vein blood flow, and increased bile secretion. Peg-Alb-UW solution improved the integrity of the glutathione redox buffer system of a hepatocyte cell line after cold storage and reperfusion.