cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Correlation of pharmacological 99mTc-sestamibi myocardial perfusion imaging with poststenotic coronary flow reserve in patients with angiographically intermediate coronary artery stenoses.

BACKGROUND The physiological assessment of angiographically intermediate-severity stenoses remains problematic. Functional measurements of poststenotic intracoronary Doppler coronary flow reserve can be performed in humans but have not been correlated with hyperemic myocardial perfusion imaging or angiographic data in this patient population. METHODS AND RESULTS Thirty-three patients undergoing diagnostic quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) for assessment of intermediate-severity coronary artery disease (mean QCA percent diameter stenosis, 56 +/- 14%) were studied. Proximal and distal poststenotic Doppler coronary flow velocities were measured (left anterior descending coronary artery, 16; right coronary artery, 10; left circumflex artery, 7 patients) before and during peak maximal hyperemia with intracoronary adenosine (8 to 12 micrograms). Intravenous pharmacological stress (adenosine, 20 patients; dipyridamole, 13 patients) 99mTc-sestamibi tomographic perfusion imaging was performed within 1 week of coronary flow-velocity studies. kappa statistics were calculated to measure the strength of correlation among coronary flow velocities, perfusion imaging data, and QCA results. QCA stenosis severity (abnormal, > or = 50% diameter stenosis) and poststenotic Doppler coronary flow reserve (ratio of abnormal distal hyperemic to basal flow, < or = 2.0) were correctly correlated in 20 of 27 patients (74%; kappa = .48). QCA stenosis severity and 99mTc-sestamibi imaging (abnormal if one or more reversible myocardial segments were present in the poststenotic zone) were correlated in 28 of 33 patients (85%; kappa = .63). 99mTc-sestamibi imaging results agreed with the basal (nonhyperemic) proximal-to-distal velocity ratio (normal, < 1.7) in 15 of 31 patients (48%; kappa = .17). The strongest correlation occurred between hyperemic distal flow-velocity ratio measurements and 99mTc-sestamibi perfusion imaging results in 24 of 27 patients (89%; kappa = .78). All 14 patients with abnormal distal hyperemic flow-velocity values had corresponding reversible 99mTc-sestamibi tomographic defects. More reversibly hypoperfused segments were present in patients with abnormal poststenotic hyperemic flow-velocity ratios (abnormal, 2.4 +/- 0.7 segments; normal, 0.6 +/- 1.0 segments; P < .05). The number of poststenotic myocardial 99mTc-sestamibi perfusion defects was correlated with the QCA percent cross-sectional area reduction (P < .02) and with minimal luminal diameter (P < .05) of intermediate-severity coronary artery stenoses. CONCLUSIONS Two technologically diverse functional measures of stenosis severity--Doppler-derived poststenotic hyperemic intracoronary flow reserve and vasodilator stress 99mTc-sestamibi myocardial perfusion imaging--are highly (89%) correlated. The physiological assessment of coronary stenoses of angiographically intermediate severity may be improved by the use of these techniques.
Integration of Activity-Based Modeling and Dynamic Traffic Assignment

The traditional trip-based approach to transportation modeling has been used for the past 30 years. Because of limitations of traditional planning for short-term policy analysis, researchers have explored alternative paradigms for incorporating more behavioral realism in planning methodologies. On the demand side, activity-based approaches have evolved as an alternative to traditional trip-based transportation demand forecasting. On the supply side, dynamic traffic assignment models have been developed as an alternative to static assignment procedures. Much of the research effort in activity-based approaches (the demand side) and dynamic traffic assignment techniques (the supply side) has been undertaken relatively independently. To maximize benefits from these advanced methodologies, it is essential to combine them through a unified framework. The objective of this paper is to develop a conceptual framework and explore practical integration issues for combining the two streams of research. Technical, com...
On the First Time that a 3-D Bessel Bridge Hits a Boundary

In this work we derive the density of the first time that a 3-D Bessel bridge started at y > 0, reaches a linear level a + b·t for t ≥ 0 from above, y > a. As well as from below y < a. The reason as to why a distinction has to be made will be clarified. Next, a sort of equivalence relationship between the 3-D Bessel bridge, the 3-D Bessel process, and the Brownian bridge is derived. In order to do so, we first introduce a new classification of SDEs in terms of solutions of Burgers’ equation. For instance, these processes fall within the same class. This follows since one can show that the local drift of each is a solution to Burgers’ equation. However, the local drift of the 3-D Bessel bridge, is also the sum of two solutions of Burgers’ equation. In general, linear combinations of solutions of Burgers’ equation are not solutions themselves.
Mixed Hilbert modular forms and families of abelian varieties

In [18] Shioda proved that the space of holomorphic 2-forms on a certain type of elliptic surface is canonically isomorphic to the space of modular forms of weight three for the associated Fuchsian group. Later, Hunt and Meyer [6] made an observation that the holomorphic 2-forms on a more general elliptic surface should in fact be identified with mixed automorphic forms associated to an automorphy factor of the formfor z in the Poincare upper half plane ℋ, g = and χ(g) = , where g is an element of the fundamental group Γ⊂PSL(2, R) of the base space of the elliptic fibration, χ-Γ→SL(2, R) the monodromy representation, and w: ℋ→ℋ the lifting of the period map of the elliptic surface.
X-Ray absorption spectroscopy of LiBF4 in propylene carbonate: a model lithium ion battery electrolyte.

Since their introduction into the commercial marketplace in 1991, lithium ion batteries have become increasingly ubiquitous in portable technology. Nevertheless, improvements to existing battery technology are necessary to expand their utility for larger-scale applications, such as electric vehicles. Advances may be realized from improvements to the liquid electrolyte; however, current understanding of the liquid structure and properties remains incomplete. X-ray absorption spectroscopy of solutions of LiBF4 in propylene carbonate (PC), interpreted using first-principles electronic structure calculations within the eXcited electron and Core Hole (XCH) approximation, yields new insight into the solvation structure of the Li+ ion in this model electrolyte. By generating linear combinations of the computed spectra of Li+-associating and free PC molecules and comparing to the experimental spectrum, we find a Li+–solvent interaction number of 4.5. This result suggests that computational models of lithium ion battery electrolytes should move beyond tetrahedral coordination structures.
Climate variability and projected change in the western United States: regional downscaling and drought statistics

Climate change in the twenty-first century, projected by a large ensemble average of global coupled models forced by a mid-range (A1B) radiative forcing scenario, is downscaled to Climate Divisions across the western United States. A simple empirical downscaling technique is employed, involving model-projected linear trends in temperature or precipitation superimposed onto a repetition of observed twentieth century interannual variability. This procedure allows the projected trends to be assessed in terms of historical climate variability. The linear trend assumption provides a very close approximation to the time evolution of the ensemble-average climate change, while the imposition of repeated interannual variability is probably conservative. These assumptions are very transparent, so the scenario is simple to understand and can provide a useful baseline assumption for other scenarios that may incorporate more sophisticated empirical or dynamical downscaling techniques. Projected temperature trends in some areas of the western US extend beyond the twentieth century historical range of variability (HRV) of seasonal averages, especially in summer, whereas precipitation trends are relatively much smaller, remaining within the HRV. Temperature and precipitation scenarios are used to generate Division-scale projections of the monthly palmer drought severity index (PDSI) across the western US through the twenty-first century, using the twentieth century as a baseline. The PDSI is a commonly used metric designed to describe drought in terms of the local surface water balance. Consistent with previous studies, the PDSI trends imply that the higher evaporation rates associated with positive temperature trends exacerbate the severity and extent of drought in the semi-arid West. Comparison of twentieth century historical droughts with projected twenty-first century droughts (based on the prescribed repetition of twentieth century interannual variability) shows that the projected trend toward warmer temperatures inhibits recovery from droughts caused by decade-scale precipitation deficits.
Children discard a resource to avoid inequity

Elucidating how inequity aversion (a tendency to dislike and correct unequal outcomes) functions as one develops is important to understanding more complex fairness considerations in adulthood. Although previous research has demonstrated that adults and children reduce inequity, it is unclear if people are actually responding negatively to inequity or if people dislike others getting more than them (motivated by social comparison) and like to share maximal resources, especially with those who have few resources (motivated by social welfare preferences). In order to evaluate if children are truly averse to inequity, we had 3- to 8-year-old children distribute resources to 3rd parties and found that 6- to 8-year-old children would rather throw a resource in the trash than distribute unequally, suggesting that concerns with equity can trump concerns with maximal sharing. We also demonstrated that children's reactions were not based on wanting to avoid upsetting the recipients or based on a preference for visual symmetry and that children will even throw away a resource that could have gone to themselves in order to avoid inequity. These results demonstrate the existence of inequity aversion in children, provide a new method for studying inequity aversion specifically, and suggest the need for new models to explain why inequity aversion may have evolved.
Characterization of GPR56 protein and its suppressed expression in human pancreatic cancer cells

GPR56 is an atypical G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) with an unusually large N-terminal extracellular region, which contains a long Ser/Thr-rich region forming a mucin-like stalk and due to this feature, GPR56 is thought to be an adhesion GPCR. Recent studies demonstrate that GPR56 plays a role in brain development and tumorigenesis. Here, we report that human GPR56 undergoes GPS (GPCR proteolytic site)-mediated protein cleavage to generate its extracellular domain as an N-terminal fragment (GPR56-N). We also show that GPR56-N is highly glycosylated with N-linked carbohydrate chains. Mouse Gpr56 is ubiquitously expressed in various tissues, with high levels in kidney and pancreas. GPR56 mRNA is detected in diverse human cancer cells including pancreatic cancer cells PANC-1, Capan-1, and MiaCaPa-2. Interestingly, GPR56 protein is either negligible or undetectable in these pancreatic cancer cells, despite the fact that high levels of GPR56 mRNA are observed. Moreover, we have found that protein levels of GPR56 in pancreatic cancer cells were not affected when cells were treated with a proteasome inhibitor MG132. Taken together, these results define the biochemical properties of GPR56 protein, and suggest that the expression of GPR56 protein is suppressed in human pancreatic cancer cells.
Internal symmetry groups of quantum geons

Abstract In canonical quantum gravity asymptotically trivial diffeomorphisms not deformable to the identity can act nontrivially on the quantum state space. We show that for many 3-manifolds, the inequivalent diffeomorphisms comprise coverings in SU(2) of crystallographic groups. When the diffeomorphism R 2π associated with 2π-rotation is nontrivial, state vectors can have half-integral angular momentum; we list all 3-manifolds with R 2π trivial.
The Short Index of Self-Actualization and Purpose in Life

Jones and Crandall's recently developed Short Index of Self-actualization was statistically significantly correlated .49 (n = 46) with a measure of purpose in life, thereby providing further constr...
Control selection and pesticide exposure assessment via GIS in prostate cancer studies.

Background Pesticide exposures have recently been linked to prostate cancer, but accurate exposure assessment to date has been challenging. Additionally, historical exposures have rarely been examined. The utility of a geographic information system (GIS)–based model for assessing residential exposure to pesticides is examined in a population-based case–control setting among groups easily recruited as control subjects. Methods Historical pesticide and land-use data were used to generate exposure measures for two distinct pesticides previously linked to prostate cancer risk for control series and prostate cancer cases in three rural California counties. Simple estimates of residential exposures for different exposure periods are compared between case and control groups and the value of complete residential histories is examined. Results Residential exposure to methyl bromide based on current address resulted in an overestimation of exposure for distant exposure periods, whereas exposures to organochlorines were similar regardless of availability of historical residence information. A response bias was detected in Medicare controls such that unexposed elderly control subjects were characterized by a higher response rate. Conclusions The frequency and amount of application of pesticides seem to affect the bias introduced into GIS-based exposure assessments. Inclusion of subjects’ complete residential histories into the computation of exposure estimates seems to reduce bias from this source, but it may also introduce an additional bias through control self-selection. The use of randomly sampled controls from Medicare and residential parcels listings independent of subject response seems to result in the opportunity for relatively unbiased estimates of pesticide exposures.
Some calculations on the lighter bis(pyridine)halogen(I) cations

Abstract Semi-empirical CNDO/2 calculations have been carried out on cations of the typs [Py 2 X] + for X = H, F, Cl. Molecular properties such as barrier to internal rotation, force constants, electron densities and orbital energies have been calculated. These properties are discussed as trends through the series, and are compared with available experimental data and other calculations.
Short communication: Comparison of 2 methods of assessing calf birth weights in dairy calves

The collection of calf birth weight on US dairies is not a common practice. Calf birth weight was collected on 3 dairies (2 Holstein herds and 1 Jersey herd) over a 6-wk period. All calf birth weights were collected less than 2h after birth. A total of 872 calves were weighed by a spring scale and their weight was also estimated using a hoof circumference tape, with both weights and sex recorded. The general linear models procedure (PROC GLM; SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC) was used to estimate least squares means for spring scale birth weight along with sex of the calf and dairy. Calf spring scale versus hoof circumference-estimated birth weight was compared using the regression procedure (PROC REG; SAS Institute Inc.). Calf birth weight was also broken down into increments, and spring scale versus hoof circumference-estimated birth weight was compared by t-test. Bull calves had a heavier birth weight compared with heifer calves [36.7±0.4 kg (n=450) vs. 34.6±0.4 kg (n=422), respectively]. The dairy on which calves were born had a significant effect on calf birth weight [dairy 1: 36.8±0.4 kg (n=204); dairy 2: 39.5±0.2 kg (n=463); dairy 3: 25.9±0.4 kg (n=205)]. When the spring scale calf birth weight was linearly regressed by hoof circumference-estimated birth weight, a significant relationship was observed, with an R(2) value of 0.91. For calves weighing less than 31.3 kg, the hoof circumference tape overestimated calf birth weight compared with the spring scale. However, for calves that weighed between 31.3 and 44.9 kg, no significant difference was observed between spring scale and hoof circumference tape-estimated birth weight. For calves weighing greater than 44.9 kg, the hoof circumference tape underestimated birth weight compared with the spring scale. Collection of calf BW by spring scale or estimated by hoof circumference tape appeared to be comparable for most calves because most calves weighed between 31 and 45 kg, but caution should be used for calves with a light or heavy birth weight.
A study of the corrosion products of mild steel in high ionic strength brines.

The corrosion layer on steel surfaces that formed after exposure to waste isolation pilot plant (WIPP) brines under anoxic conditions was characterized for chemical composition, thickness and phase composition. The chemical composition of the corrosion layer was determined both by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and by chemical analysis of acid solutions used to remove the corrosion layer. Atomic force microscopic (AFM) images indicated that the brine-corroded surface layer shows extensive granulation along the contours of the steel surface that is characteristic of sharp polishing marks. The corrosion layer seemed to be porous and could be dissolved and detached in dilute hydrochloric acid. The corrosion layer appears to be composed of iron oxides with some ionic substitutions from the brines. The 77 K Mossbauer spectrum recorded for iron powder leached under similar conditions indicated the corrosion layer was comprised principally of green rust.
Prospective predictors of suicide and suicide attempts in 1,556 patients with bipolar disorders followed for up to 2 years

Objectives: Bipolar disorders are associated with high rates of suicide attempts (SAs) and completions. Several factors have been reported to be associated with suicide in persons with bipolar disorder, but most studies to date have been retrospective and have not utilized multivariate statistics to account for the redundant prediction among variables submitted for analysis. Methods: This study examined the association between baseline clinical and demographic variables and subsequent SAs and completions through 2 years of follow-up of participants in the Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder using a pattern-mixture model. Results: Of the sample with complete data (n = 1,556), 57 patients (3.66%) experienced an SA or completion (CS). Several variables predicted suicidality (SA + CS) in this data set when considered alone, but after controlling for redundant prediction from other baseline characteristics, only history of suicide [odds ratio (OR) = 4.52, p < 0.0001] and percent days depressed in the past year (OR = 1.16, p = 0.036) were significantly associated with SAs and completions. A secondary analysis included a greater number of variables but a smaller sample size (n = 1,014). In the secondary analyses, only prior SAs predicted prospective suicidality (OR = 3.87, p = 0.0029). Conclusions: These results indicate that patients with bipolar disorder who present with a history of SAs are over four times as likely to have a subsequent SA or completion. Further studies are needed to evaluate and prevent future attempts in this high-risk cohort.
Biological hydrogen production: effects of pH and intermediate products

Abstract A series of batch tests were conducted to investigate the effects of pH and intermediate products on biological hydrogen production. The tests were run in serum bottles to determine the optimal operating conditions to maximize hydrogen production using sucrose and starch as organic substrates. Apart from hydrogen, variations in pH, volatile fatty acids, and solvent concentrations were also monitored. Initial pH was found to have a profound effect on both hydrogen production potential and hydrogen production rate. A mixed microbial culture was involved in the fermentation process with H2, propionate, acetate, butyrate, and CO2 as major products. The lowest initial pH of 4.5 gave the highest specific hydrogen production potentials of 214.0 ml H2/g chemical oxygen demand (COD) and 125.0 ml H2/g COD for sucrose and starch respectively, but with the lowest specific hydrogen production rate. Although hydrogen production started earlier with the high production rate at a higher initial pH, the duration of the production was shorter. The rapid pH depletion could have caused a metabolic alteration of the microorganisms involved in hydrogen production, thereby resulting in the shift of intermediates production pathway [variation of the acetate/butyrate (HAc/HBu) ratio] and a consequent decrease in hydrogen production. The specific hydrogen production rate was highest for the pH range of 5.5–5.7. For the optimum pH range, the HAc/HBu ratio was in the range of 3–4 for both sucrose and starch. The findings of this study can be applied in the design of a high rate hydrogen bioreactor.
Design of novel chimeric melanotropin-deltorphin analogues. Discovery of the first potent human melanocortin 1 receptor antagonist.

A number of novel α-melanotropin (α-MSH) analogues have been designed, synthesized, and assayed for bioactivity at the melanocortin-1 (MC1) receptor from Xenopus frog skin, and selected potent analogues were examined at recombinant human MC1, MC3, and MC4 receptors expressed in human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells. These ligands were designed from Deltorphin-II, by a new hybrid approach, which incorporates the hydrophobic tail and the address sequence of Deltorphin-II (Glu-Val-Val-Gly-NH2) and key pharmacophore elements of melanotropins. Some of the ligands designed, c[Xxx-Yyy-Zzz-Arg-Trp-Glu]-Val-Val-Gly-NH2 {XXX = nothing, Gly, β-Ala, γ-Abu, 6-Ahx; YYY = His, His(3-Bom), (S)-cyclopentylglycine (Cpg); ZZZ = Phe, d-Phe; d-Nal(2‘)}, show high potency at melanocortin receptors. One ligand, GXH-32B-c[β-Ala-His-d-Nal(2‘)-Arg-Trp-Glu]-Val-Val-Gly-NH2, the most potent of the chimeric analogues tested, displayed agonist activity at each of the MC receptor subtypes analyzed, with an EC50 of 2 nM at the amphibian MC...
On the energy crisis in the Io plasma torus

Recent calculations of the energy balance of the Io plasma torus show that the observed UV and EUV radiation cannot be maintained solely via energy input by the ion pickup mechanism. Current theoretical models of the torus must be modified to include non-local energy input. It is argued that the required energy may be supplied by inward diffusion of energetic heavy ions with energies less than about 20 keV.
Satellite-Viewed Jet Stream Clouds in Relation to the Observed Wind Field

Abstract Twenty cases of jet stream cirrus clouds observed in TIROS photographs over the United States are related to the atmospheric wind field. The orientation of features such as shadow lines, sharp-edged cirrus sheets, cirrus bands and transverse waves is compared with the horizontal wind and the vertical wind shear in the upper troposphere. Wind data are derived from standard rawinsonde ascents. Differences between the orientation of the major cloud features and the wind direction are generally less than 40°, and tend to decrease with increasing wind speed. Cases that include areas of transverse waves are associated with higher wind speeds and larger vertical shear and static stability than cases without transverse waves. The empirical results of the study are believed to be potentially useful in operational upper air wind analyses in data-sparse areas.
Development of an algebraic turbulence model for analysis of propulsion flows

A simple turbulence model that will be applicable to propulsion flows having both wall bounded and unbounded regions was developed and installed within the PARC Navier-Stokes code by linking two existing algebraic turbulence models. The first is the Modified Mixing Length (MML) model which is optimized for wall bounded flows. The second is the Thomas model, the standard algebraic turbulence model in PARC which has been used to calculate both bounded and unbounded turbulent flows but was optimized for the latter. This paper discusses both models and the method employed to link them into one model (referred to as the MMLT model). The PARC code with the MMLT model was applied to two dimensional turbulent flows over a flat plate and over a backward facing step to validate and optimize the model and to compare its predictions to those obtained with the three turbulence models already available in PARC.
Adsorption/Desorption Studies of 224-Trimethylpentane in β-Zeolite and Mesoporous Materials Using a Tapered Element Oscillating Microbalance (TEOM)

The facile desorption of C8 and heavier products from solid acid alkylation catalysts is essential to thwart catalyst deactivation by fouling. To better understand this phenomenon, a tapered element oscillating microbalance (TEOM) was employed to investigate the adsorption/desorption characteristics of 224-trimethylpentane (224-TMP), a proxy C8 alkylate product, on β-zeolite and mesoporous materials (T = 298−473 K, P224-TMP = 0−0.3 bar). It is found that the 224-TMP desorption rates from saturated β-zeolite (by helium purging) are characterized by a rapid initial “burst” of 224-TMP followed by a rather long desorption phase. Complementary experimental and modeling investigations using pelletized β-zeolites of known sizes indicate that the adsorption rate and initial desorption (during the burst phase) rate of 224-TMP are controlled by meso-/macropore diffusion resistance external to the β-zeolite crystals and that the long transient could be due to pore diffusion resistance within the β-zeolite crystals. ...
Laser Repair Process Yields for MEMS Devices Adhered During Release or Operation

Undesirable adhesion in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) is referred to as stiction and is a principal failure mechanism in surface-micromachined MEMS devices. Adhesive failures can occur in a number of ways. The adhesive failures that occur during the release stage, which includes the etching of sacrificial layers, the subsequent chemical treatments, and the drying processes, are referred to as release-related stiction and failures that occur while the device is in operation are referred to as in-use stiction. A method of repairing these stiction-failed structures released from isopropyl alcohol (IPA) by Nd:YAG laser irradiation is described by Rogers et al. [1]. The current paper reports the effectiveness of the laser repair process and the corresponding thermomechanical model predictions for microcantilevers that have failed due to release from water, octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) and supercritical CO2 drying, along with IPA released structures. The paper also discusses the efficiency of the model and the laser repair process for devices that have failed due to in-use stiction. The results show that the laser repair process is very effective for both failure modes and that the model predicts the laser repair of cantilevers that have failed due to release-related stiction much better than for in-use stiction failed cantilevers.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Quantifying radiation safety and quality in medical imaging, part 1: creating the infrastructure.

An integral part of cost-benefit analysis within medicine is the comparative assessment of the clinical gains introduced by a service or application compared with the patient costs, which can be measured in economic or clinical terms. When analyzing medical imaging, a number of factors must be included, the most important of which include issues pertaining to patient safety, image quality, and clinical outcomes. Although ionizing radiation has long been recognized as a potential carcinogen capable of introducing harm to patients, the long-term derived benefits have been accepted because of the diagnostic and therapeutic benefits derived from its use. With the increased utilization of high-dose ionizing radiation examinations (such as multidetector computed tomography), it is essential that the medical community create data-driven methodologies to quantify risk in objective terms, develop community-wide radiation standards and “best practice” guidelines (evidence-based medicine), develop new technologies and applications to proactively minimize radiation dose while maintaining quality, and create accountability measures for all pertinent stakeholders.
Bounding Worst-Case Performance for Multi-Core Processors with Shared L2 Instruction Caches

As the first step toward real-time multi-core computing, this paper presents a novel approach to bounding the worst-case performance for threads running on multi-core processors with shared L2 instruction caches. The idea of our approach is to compute the worst-case instruction access interferences between different threads based on the program control flow information of each thread, which can be statically analyzed. Our experiments indicate that the proposed approach can reasonably estimate the worst-case shared L2 instruction cache misses by considering the inter-thread instruction conflicts. Also, the worst-case execution time (WCET) of applications running on multi-core processors estimated by our approach is much better than the estimation by simply assuming all L2 instruction accesses are misses.
Integral representations and asymptotic expansions for Shannon and Renyi entropies

Abstract We derive integral representations for the Shannon and Renyi entropies associated with some simple probability distributions. These include the Poisson, binomial, and negative binomial distributions. Then we obtain full asymptotic expansions for the entropies.
Blue-green algal proteins: assembly forms of C-phycocyanin from Synechococcus sp.

Aggregation states of C-phycocyanin isolated from Synechococcus sp. strain 6301 (Anacystis nidulans) were examined both by spectrophotometric and electron microscopic methods. The electron microscope observations support previous results which showed that the separated α and β chains of the protomer can be recombined in vitro to form a reversible aggregate (hexamer) composed of 6 copies of each chain. This aggregate has the same disc shape as native phycocyanin, and the assembly process can be followed in solution by distinctive changes in circular dichroism properties. A new observation was the occurrence of higher assembly forms (short rods and ordered bundles) probably related to the structure of the intact phycobilisome. However, conditions were not found which allow assembly of these structural forms in vitro from highly purified phycocyanin alone.
Sociological Analyses of Race and Ethnicity Since the 1950s: A Sociology of Sociology Explanation for Metatheoretical Shift

Abstract This contribution to the sociology of sociology identifies and offers an explanation for a transformation in the categorical underpinnings of the discipline. Through the articulation of the arguments of Chertok (1990) and Szymanski (1985), it is argued that “metatheoretical shifts” — systematic changes in the categorical and paradigmatic underpinnings of sociological theories and analyses — are a function of the vitality of social movements. Through a historical and textual analysis of the characteristics of sociological analyses of race and ethnicity since the 1950s, tentative evidence for the existence of a recent metatheoretical shift is documented.
Model predictive control from signal temporal logic specifications: a case study

This paper describes current work on framing the model predictive control (MPC) of cyber-physical systems as synthesis from signal temporal logic (STL) specifications. We provide a case study using a simplified power grid model with uncertain demand and generation; the model-predictive control problem here is that of the ancillary service power flow from the buildings. We show how various relevant constraints can be captured using STL formulas, and incorporated into an MPC framework. We also provide preliminary simulation results to illustrate the promise of the proposed approach.
In vivo three-dimensional spectroscopic photoacoustic imaging for monitoring nanoparticle delivery

In vivo monitoring of nanoparticle delivery is essential to better understand cellular and molecular interactions of nanoparticles with tissue and to better plan nanoparticle-mediated therapies. We developed a three-dimensional ultrasound and photoacoustic (PA) imaging system and a spectroscopic PA imaging algorithm to identify and quantify the presence of nanoparticles and other tissue constituents. Using the developed system and approach, three-dimensional in vivo imaging of a mouse with tumor was performed before and after intravenous injection of gold nanorods. The developed spectroscopic PA imaging algorithm estimated distribution of nanoparticle as well as oxygen saturation of blood. Moreover, silver staining of excised tumor tissue confirmed nanoparticle deposition, and showed good correlation with spectroscopic PA images. The results of our study suggest that three-dimensional ultrasound-guided spectroscopic PA imaging can monitor nanoparticle delivery in vivo.
Kuttner tumor (chronic sclerosing sialadenitis).

Kuttner tumor (KT), known descriptively as chronic sclerosing sialadenitis, is a chronic inflammatory disease of the salivary gland. Clinically, it produces a firm swelling of the glands and may be difficult to distinguish from neoplasia. The diagnosis can only be made histologically and should not be difficult if the pathologist is aware of the condition's existence. Errors in diagnosis arise because KT is underrecognized and few cases have been reported in the English literature. We present a case of KT initially diagnosed as a primary salivary gland neoplasm that intraoperative frozen section revealed to be chronic sclerosing sialadenitis. Excision of the mass, usually carried out diagnostically, is adequate treatment.
Applications of a field method to the theory of vibrations

This paper presents a field method suitable for studying the motion of conservative and non-conservative holonomic dynamical systems possessing finite numbers of degrees of freedom. It is shown that any complete solution of a quasi-linear partial differential equation of the first order can be used for finding the motion of the dynamical system without any additional integration. The method presented is combined with the two time scales asymptotic method in the study of weakly non-linear vibration problems. Several examples are analyzed in detail.
Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma: Surgical Roles and Novel Therapies

Abstract Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a uniformly fatal disease that has been recalcitrant to curative therapies. Median survivals of 8–18 months have, for the most part, led to a sense of frustration and nihilism in the medical and surgical community with regard to management of the disease, and the relatively small numbers of patients with mesothelioma have made it an orphan among other cancers with regard to research efforts and funding. This review will comment on the clinical presentation of the disease and therapeutic options that are available at this time. The role, timing, degree, and availability of cytoreductive surgery in the context of a multimodality approach for MPM will be highlighted, and various strategies that incorporate adjunctive therapies before, during, or after the operation will be discussed. Newer cytotoxic chemotherapies, either alone or in combination, are reviewed, with an emphasis on the increasing number of options with increased response rates that are becoming available for MPM patients. The results of protocols at selected centers that offer gene therapy, photodynamic therapy, hyperthermic chemotherapeutic perfusion, and intrapleural chemokines will be discussed, as well as newer preclinical approaches that base targeted therapies on novel molecular findings. In considering the newest approaches to the disease, one is encouraged to seek specialty consultation at centers that concentrate programmatic efforts on mesothelioma in order to design translational-based approaches on preclinical findings. By using such an approach, the patient and physician will find that there are considerably more options in the new century for mesothelioma.
Overcoming the Rigors of Klebsiella pneumoniae

A 57-year-old Japanese man with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus presented with 3 weeks of fevers, chills, and a 15-pound weight loss. On examination, he was afebrile (37.5 C) and hypotensive (99/60 mmHg). He was noted to have severe rigors. Physical examination revealed right upper quadrant abdominal pain, and Murphy’s sign was not present. Laboratory tests were significant for leukocytosis (19,800/ul, 91% neutrophils), hyponatremia (122 mmol/l), and hyperglycemia (592 mg/dl). Albumin was low at 1.9 g/dl. Computerized tomography of the abdomen showed a large intrahepatic lesion containing gas (Fig. 1). Given the concern about a pyogenic liver abscess, the patient proceeded to interventional radiology, and percutaneous drainage removed more than 400 ml of purulent material. Klebsiella pneumoniae subsequently grew from both the drainage material and blood cultures. HIV testing returned negative. The patient did well and was discharged home with oral antibiotics and a hepatic drain on hospital day 10. Figure 1 Computerized tomography of the abdomen showing a large intrahepatic lesion containing gas. The prevalence of Klebsiella pneumoniae as a pathogen in hepatic abscesses is rising in Asian countries, particularly in Japan and Taiwan.1 Patients with diabetes, alcoholism, or cancer are at increased risk. In contrast to other pyogenic hepatic abscesses, Klebsiella hepatic abscesses are usually solitary and monomicrobial.2 Early drainage is associated with improved outcomes.3
Meshless analysis of piezoelectric devices

The sensor and actuator properties of piezoelectric materials make them well suited for applications in a variety of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Simulating the response of piezoelectric devices requires solving coupled electrical and mechanical partial differential equations. In this paper, we have implemented a meshless point collocation method (PCM) to solve the governing equations. Interpolation functions are constructed from a reproducing kernel approximation, and the governing equations are discretized using a collocation approach. PCM is implemented using either a relaxation algorithm or a fully-coupled algorithm. Comparisons between the two algorithms are given. To demonstrate the performance of PCM, the behavior of two static single-layer problems and a piezoelectric bimorph have been modeled. The bimorph analysis is extended to model a prototype MEMS device.
Reverse stress metastability of shunt current in CIGS solar cells

Partial shading in thin film solar panels can result in reverse bias stress across shaded cells. Therefore, it is important to understand the effect of such reverse stress in commercially competitive PV technologies such as CIGS. In this paper, we systematically investigate the effect of moderate reverse bias on solution-processed CIGS solar cells. We subject the solar cells to varying degrees of reverse biases and continuously monitor the impact of the stress on dark current. We also explore the relaxation behavior of dark current following passive storage and the long term effect of the shadow stress on power output of the cell. We find that the reverse stress affects only the localized shunt current paths, without affecting the bulk device characteristics. The shunt current exhibits a metastable change with reverse stress, and can increase or decrease on application of reverse stress. We analyze this phenomenon in detail, and discuss the hypothesis that can explain its characteristic features.
Structure and thermal behavior of the new superprotonic conductor Cs2(HSO4)(H2PO4).

Table 2 in the paper by Chisholm & Haile [(1999), Acta Cryst. B55, 937–946] was printed incorrectly. The following is the correct version, including H-atom coordinates.
Quantitative changes in DNA, RNA, and protein during prenatal and postnatal growth in the rat.

Abstract Normal growth in the rat has been studied by determining total animal and individual organ DNA, RNA, protein, and weight at various times from 10 days after conception to maturity. From these data the number of nuclei and the weight, protein, and RNA per nucleus have been determined. Beginning at 10 days after conception and continuing for a variable period in all organs, growth proceeds entirely by cell division. After this, both cell division (as indicated by increasing amounts of DNA) and cell enlargement (as indicated by an increase in weight or protein per nucleus) occur simultaneously in most organs. Finally only cell enlargement (increase in total weight or protein with no further increase in DNA) occurs. Growth stops when total organ weight or protein reaches a constant amount. Organs of the lymphoid system do not show the second and third phase of growth. Growth proceeds by cell division alone. RNA in most organs remains proportional to DNA during the period studied, resulting in a constant figure for RNA per nucleus. These data establish certain quantitative events that occur during normal growth and should provide a baseline for further studies involving growth retardation.
Mercury capture by boiler modifications with sub-bituminous coals

Abstract The extent of mercury (Hg) emissions at a particular coal-fired boiler is unit-specific and determined by factors that include the type of coal fired, boiler operating conditions, and the amount of Hg removed at the boiler back-end by the pollution control devices. Mercury speciation, adsorption and removal in the boiler are affected by parameters such as the flue gas and fly ash characteristics, and back-end boiler configuration/operation. Various studies have reported that boiler operating conditions can be optimized to enhance the “naturally” occurring Hg capture in coal-fired boilers. A study was carried out to investigate the impact of boiler operating conditions on Hg emissions at a full-scale coal-fired power plant. Testing was performed at a 810 MW coal-fired power plant firing a Northern Powder River Basin (PRB) coal, and equipped with a low-NO x system and a wet flue gas desulfurization (FGD) system for particulate and sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) control. Speciated (total and elemental, Hg 0 ) Hg measurements and analytical procedures were performed according to the Ontario Hydro Method (OHM)/ASTM D6784-02 Method. OHM measurements were conducted at the air preheater (APH) inlet and the stack. Mercury emissions were also continuously monitored using single-point, non-isokinetic sampling with semi-continuous emissions monitors (SCEM). Readings from these analyzers were used for guidance during boiler control setting manipulations. Individual semi-continuous sampling modules were installed at four single-point locations along the convective pass: APH inlet, FGD inlet, FGD outlet and the stack. The test results obtained in this study showed the benefit of boiler modifications for Hg control and the extent to which the “natural” Hg control could be influenced. Parametric testing indicated a modest, but inconsistent improvement in the stack Hg (Hg T ) emissions at reduced excess oxygen. This was probably due to the fact that the fly ash unburned carbon levels were very low (less than 1.0%). Modifications to the low-NO x system over-fire registers, burner tilt and FGD liquid-to-gas (L/G) ratio resulted in stack Hg T reductions in excess of 25%. The FGD L/G ratio manipulations also resulted in an improvement in oxidized mercury removal across the FGD. However, none of the test data suggested any reduction in Hg 0 across the FGD. The combination of optimal boiler control settings for reduced Hg emission operation resulted in a 34.5% reduction in Hg T at the stack.
Age-related differences in medial prefrontal activation in response to emotional images.

Research has suggested that aging results in a “positivity effect,” with young adults dwelling on negative information, and older adults attending to positive information. In order to understand age-related changes in emotional processing underlying this effect, the present fMRI study compared neural activity in young and older adults as they viewed positive, negative, and neutral images. Results indicated a striking age-related reversal in the valence of information eliciting activity within the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC). Negative in comparison with positive images activated the VMPFC more for young adults, whereas positive in comparison with negative images activated the VMPFC more for the older adults. The VMPFC is a region associated with the processing of emotional information, and more specifically, with emotion generation and emotion regulation. Therefore, the present results suggest that age-related changes in these processes implemented by the VMPFC contribute to older adults’ “positivity effect.”
Effects of salicylate and phenobarbital on lymphocyte proliferation and function.

Abstract Salicylate inhibited the response of human peripheral lymphocytes to phytohemagglutinim (PHA), concanavalin A (Con A), pokeweed mitogen (PWM), and X-irradiated allogeneic lymphocytes. In addition, salicylate suppressed the generation of cytotoxic lymphocytes (CL) in vitro. The effect was dose dependent with over 90% inhibition at 48 mg%. Once CL were generated, however, the drug had little effect on their ability to lyse target cells. Sodium salicylate also suppressed the proliferative response of parental mouse thymocytes adoptively transferred into lethally irradiated F1 hybrid recipients as assessed by splenic uptake of [125I] iododeoxyuridine. High-dose, chronic treatment of both thymocyte donors and recipients was necessary to effect a 20–60% suppression. Similar chronic treatment of mice depressed the number of splenic plaque-forming cells by 48–72% when assayed 4 days after primary challenge with sheep erythrocytes. On the contrary, we could find no effect of phenobarbital on the response to PHA, mixed lymphocyte culture, or on the generation of CL.
Potential impact of pharmacist interventions to reduce cost for Medicare Part D beneficiaries

The objective was to determine the impact of simulated pharmacist interventions on out-of-pocket cost, time to coverage gap, and cost per patient to the Medicare Part D program using actual patient cases from an adult general medicine clinic. Medication profiles of 100 randomly selected Medicare-eligible patients from a university-affiliated general internal medicine clinic were reviewed by a pharmacist to identify opportunities to cost-maximize the patients' therapies based on the plan. An online Part-D calculator, Aetna Medicare Rx Essentials, was used as the standard plan to determine medication cost and time to gap. The primary analysis was comparison of the patients' pre-review and post-review out-of-pocket cost, time to coverage gap, and cost to Medicare. A total of 65 patients had at least 1 simulated pharmacist cost intervention. The most common intervention was substituting for a less costly generic, followed by substituting a generic for a brand name. Projected patient cost savings was $476 per year. The average time to coverage gap was increased by 0.7 ±1.2 months. This study illustrates that the pharmacists may be able to reduce cost to some patients as well as to the Medicare Part D program.