cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ modulates differentiation of human trophoblast in a ligand-specific manner

The ligand-dependent nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma) regulates the differentiation of several tissues and cell types. PPARgamma was recently determined to be essential for murine placental development and differentiation. We therefore assessed the influence of PPARgamma on differentiation of human placental trophoblasts. We initially used immunohistochemistry to examine term human placentas for PPARgamma expression and found that PPARgamma is present in syncytiotrophoblasts and cytotrophoblasts in placental villi. We correlated the expression of PPARgamma with differentiation of primary human trophoblasts and found that 8-bromo-cAMP, a known enhancer of trophoblast differentiation, stimulates PPARgamma activity, but has no effect on PPARgamma expression. We demonstrated that the PPARgamma ligand 15-deoxy-delta12,14-prostaglandin J2 (15deltaPGJ2) and the thiazolidinedione troglitazone stimulate PPARgamma activity in the trophoblast cell line BeWo. Importantly, whereas exposure of cultured primary trophoblasts to troglitazone enhances biochemical and morphological trophoblast differentiation, 15deltaPGJ2 diminishes trophoblast differentiation. Furthermore, 15deltaPGJ2, but not troglitazone, up-regulates p53 expression and promotes trophoblast apoptosis. These data indicate that PPARgamma is expressed in human placental trophoblasts, and that ligand-specific activation of PPARgamma results in opposing effects on trophoblast differentiation. Our results suggest that PPARgamma plays an important role in placental differentiation during human pregnancy.
Insecticide Resistance Action Committee (IRAC)

Gary D. Thompson and Bob Dutton from Dow AgroSciences at Indianapolis, IN and Abington, U.K. respectively, give a 2003 update on the activities on a committee which seeks to provide a coordinated crop protection industry response to prevent or delay the development of resistance in insect and mite pests.
Media Participation A Legitimizing Mechanism of Mass Democracy

This article reconsiders civic involvement and citizen empowerment in the light of interactive media and elaborates the concept of media participation. Departing from conventional notions of political activity which downplay the participatory opportunities inherent in communication media, the authors argue that since 1992 new media formats have made accessible to citizens a political system that had become highly orchestrated, professionalized and exclusionary. A typology of active, passive and inactive political involvement is presented to accurately distinguish civic involvement from political disengagement and to categorize the types of empowerment and rewards - both material and symbolic - that different modes of civic activity afford. Even if only symbolically empowering, civic engagement through new media serves as an important legitimizing mechanism of mass democracy.
Archaeology as Behavioral Science1

Archaeology is argued here to have a significant behavioral science component. Various kinds of laws used in the study of the past—correlates, c-transforms, n-transforms, and the laws of socio-cultural variability and change—are not readily borrowed from other sciences. It is shown that in order to fill these substantial gaps in scientific knowledge, archaeologists have for some time been carrying out nomothetic studies.
Potential Role of Rifabutin in Prophylaxis for Tuberculosis and Infections Due to Multiple Opportunistic Pathogens

Patients with advanced human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease are at risk for infections caused by protozoa, fungi, viruses, bacteria, and mycobacteria. Chemoprophylaxis is being used increasingly to prevent a growing number of opportunistic infections that occur in HIV-infected patients. Multiple opportunistic pathogen prophylaxis (MOPP) is based on the concept that use of antimicrobial agents with activity against a variety of opportunistic pathogens will result in better patient compliance, reduced toxicity, fewer drug interactions, and lower cost than does the use of numerous single agents focused on only one infection. The antimycobacterial agent rifabutin is a potential candidate for use as MOPP because of its current status as a prophylactic agent for Mycobacterium avium complex infection. Rifabutin is likely to prevent other mycobacterial infections, including tuberculosis. The possible efficacy of rifabutin therapy for bacterial infections and toxoplasmosis deserves further study. We discuss approaches to the evaluation of rifabutin in MOPP regimens, the characteristics that make it potentially useful as prophylaxis for tuberculosis, and the potential limitations associated with its use for this indication.
Psychological Distress Associated with Severe Lower-Limb Injury

Background: Little is known about the psychological morbidity associated with limb-threatening injuries. It was hypothesized that a substantial proportion of patients who sustain a severe lower-limb injury will report serious psychological distress. Methods: Adult patients who were admitted to one of eight level-I trauma centers for treatment of an injury threatening the lower limb were enrolled during their initial hospitalization. Patients were recontacted at three, six, twelve, and twenty-four months after the injury and asked to complete the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), a fifty-three-item, self-reported measure of psychological distress. Patients who screen positive on the BSI are considered likely to have a psychological disorder and should receive a mental health evaluation. Longitudinal regression techniques were used to model positive case status (i.e., likely to have a psychological disorder) as a function of patient, injury, and treatment characteristics. Results: Of the 569 patients enrolled, 545 (96%) completed at least one BSI and 385 (68%) completed all four. Forty-eight percent of the patients screened positive for a likely psychological disorder at three months after the injury, and this percentage remained high (42%) at twenty-four months. Two years after the injury, almost one-fifth of the patients reported severe phobic anxiety and/or depression. While these two subscales reflected the highest prevalence of severe psychological distress, none of the BSI subscales reflected the prevalence expected from a normal sample (i.e., 2% to 3%). Factors associated with a likely psychological disorder included poorer physical function, younger age, non-white race, poverty, a likely drinking problem, neuroticism, a poor sense of self-efficacy, and limited social support. Relatively few patients reported receiving any mental health services following the injury (12% at three months and 22% at twenty-four months). Conclusions: Severe lower-limb injury is associated with considerable psychological distress. More attention to the psychological as well as the physical health of patients who sustain a limb-threatening injury may be needed to ensure an optimal recovery following these devastating injuries. Level of Evidence: Prognostic study, Level I-1 (prospective study). See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Computer based instruction is effective to teach dairy reproductive management.

Summary This paper describes a classroom experiment in a German College of Veterinary Medicine (Tieraerztliche Hochschule Hannover) using an instructional software package designed to increase dairy reproductive problem-solving skills. A pre-test/post-test experimental design demonstrated that learning occurred in an enjoyable environment when 21 4th year veterinary students used the program. Students' perception in respect to content, design, and usability criteria of the program were excellent to good.
A decomposition/superposition technique for multi-transmitter system SAR measurement

This paper presents a procedure for SAR estimation for multi-transmitting antenna systems is proposed. This procedure can be used towards the development of a compliance test method for MIMO systems and can also be used to reduce SAR measurement uncertainty and the number of measurements needed for multi-transmitter (e.g., MIMO) systems.
Synthesis, Structure, and Properties of Monazite, Pretulite, and Xenotime

### General characteristics Orthophosphate compounds of the type A(PO4) include the minerals monazite [RE(PO4) with RE = the light rare-earth ions, e.g., La, Ce, Nd…], xenotime [Y(PO4), and also incorporating the heavy RE ions], and pretulite [Sc(PO4)]. The name of the mineral monazite is derived from the Greek word monazein , “to be solitary,” whereas that of xenotime is derived from the Greek words xenos , meaning “foreign” and time , meaning “honor.” The mineral pretulite is named for Pretul Mountain, located in the Fischbacher Alps in Styria, Austria where the mineral was discovered (Bernhard et al. 1998). Pretulite is only the sixth mineral to have been found in which scandium is a major constituent. The anhydrous rare-earth (RE) orthophosphates can be structurally divided between the light RE-element compounds with the monoclinic monazite structure (space group P 21/ n , Z = 4) and the heavier RE compounds with the tetragonal (zircon-type) xenotime structure (space group I 41/ amd , Z = 4). In terms of the crystal chemistry of these two groups of compounds, a primary distinguishing structural feature is the coordination of the RE, Y, or Sc ions. In the monoclinic monazite structure, the RE ion is located in a polyhedron in which it is coordinated with nine oxygen ions. In the tetragonal xenotime structure, the heavier REs, Y, or Sc are located in a polyhedron in which they are coordinated with eight oxygen ions. Scandium orthophosphate is the basic constituent of the recently identified mineral, pretulite, which belongs to the orthophosphate group with the tetragonal xenotime structure (Bernhard et al. 1998). Both monazite and xenotime are relatively widely distributed as microcrystalline (or small crystalline) accessory inclusions in granitic rocks, rhyolites, pegmatites, and gneisses. Monazite also occurs in carbonatites, charnockites, migmatites, and …
Visualizing Antigen-Specific and Infected Cells in Situ Predicts Outcomes in Early Viral Infection

In the early stages of viral infection, outcomes depend on a race between expansion of infection and the immune response generated to contain it. We combined in situ tetramer staining with in situ hybridization to visualize, map, and quantify relationships between immune effector cells and their targets in tissues. In simian immunodeficiency virus infections in macaques and lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infections in mice, the magnitude and timing of the establishment of an excess of effector cells versus targets were found to correlate with the extent of control and the infection outcome (i.e., control and clearance versus partial or poor control and persistent infection). This method highlights the importance of the location, timing, and magnitude of the immune response needed for a vaccine to be effective against agents of persistent infection, such as HIV-1.
Invited Commentary: Albuminuria and Microvascular Disease of the Brain—A Shared Pathophysiology

This commentary considers the implications of the association between albuminuria and cognitive decline described by Jassal et al. in this issue of the Journal (Am J Epidemiol. 2010;171(3):290-291). The authors report that men with albuminuria had a greater likelihood than men without albuminuria of experiencing declines in cognitive function over a 6.6-year period. Albuminuria is the result of endothelial damage in the kidney, which, in turn, is the result of microvascular disease. If one of the key mechanisms of brain microvascular disease is leakage of serum proteins into the brain extracellular space, in a fashion parallel to albuminuria that occurs in nephrosclerosis, several facets of cerebrovascular disease and cognitive decline are explained. First, brain microvascular disease would not be recognized by traditional clinical features of cerebrovascular disease because brain microvascular disease occurs gradually and insidiously. Second, the extravasation of serum proteins as a result of brain microvascular disease would account for the perivascular distribution of white matter hyperintensities on magnetic resonance imaging. Albuminuria might be a useful screening test for generalized microvascular disease and, if detected, might reasonably prompt brain imaging and more intensive therapeutic efforts to forestall further endothelial dysfunction in the kidney, brain, and elsewhere.
The Arabidopsis CSN5A and CSN5B Subunits Are Present in Distinct COP9 Signalosome Complexes, and Mutations in Their JAMM Domains Exhibit Differential Dominant Negative Effects on Development

The COP9 signalosome (CSN) is an evolutionarily conserved multisubunit protein complex involved in a variety of signaling and developmental processes through the regulation of protein ubiquitination and degradation. A known biochemical role attributed to CSN is a metalloprotease activity responsible for the derubylation of cullins, core components for several types of ubiquitin E3 ligases. The CSN’s derubylation catalytic center resides in its subunit 5, which in Arabidopsis thaliana is encoded by two homologous genes, CSN5A and CSN5B. Here, we show that CSN5A and CSN5B subunits are assembled into distinct CSN complexes in vivo, which are present in drastically different abundances, with CSN CSN5A appearing to be the dominant one. Transgenic CSN5A and CSN5B proteins carrying a collection of single mutations in or surrounding the metalloprotease catalytic center are properly assembled into CSN complexes, but only mutations in CSN5A result in a pleiotropic dominant negative phenotype. The extent of phenotypic effects caused by mutations in CSN5A is reflected at the molecular level by impairment in Cullin1 derubylation. These results reveal that three key metal binding residues as well as two other amino acids outside the catalytic center play important roles in CSN derubylation activity. Taken together, our data provide physiological evidence on a positive role of CSN in the regulation of Arabidopsis SCF (for Skp1-Cullin-F-box) E3 ligases through RUB (for Related to Ubiquitin) deconjugation and highlight the unequal role that CSN CSN5A and CSN CSN5B play in controlling the cellular derubylation of cullins. The initial characterization of CSN5A and CSN5B insertion mutants further supports these findings and provides genetic evidence on their unequal role in plant development.
The Influence of Psychosocial Maturity on Male Juvenile Offenders' Comprehension and Understanding of the Miranda Warning

Self-report measures of psychosocial maturity and screening measures of achievement and intelligence (Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence; WASI) were used to investigate the influence of psychosocial maturity on male juvenile offenders' comprehension and appreciation of the Miranda warning (Grisso's Instruments for Assessing Understanding and Appreciation of Miranda Rights; GUAM). A sample of 67 male juvenile offenders, placed in a short-term detention facility or juvenile boot camp facility, participated in the study. Demographic differences revealed that youths in short-term detention were approximately one year older than boot camp youths. The two groups did not differ in IQ or measures of psychosocial maturity. Detention youths had GUAM subtest scores that were slightly higher than, but comparable to, those of boot camp youths. Consistent with previous research, verbal IQ correlated positively with GUAM subtest scores and was a significant predictor of all four scores after controlling for setting and age in a series of hierarchical regressions. In addition, the psychosocial maturity factor of Responsibility was a significant predictor of two GUAM subtests (CMR and FRI), while the Temperance and Perspective factors were not.
Using molecular dynamics to quantify the electrical double layer and examine the potential for its direct observation in the in - situ TEM

Understanding the fundamental processes taking place at the electrode-electrolyte interface in batteries will play a key role in the development of next generation energy storage technologies. One of the most fundamental aspects of the electrode-electrolyte interface is the electrical double layer (EDL). Given the recent development of high spatial resolution in-situ electrochemical fluid cells for scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), there now exists the possibility that we can directly observe the formation and dynamics of the EDL. In this paper we predict electrolyte structure within the EDL using classical models and atomistic Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations. Classical models are found to greatly differ from MD in predicted concentration profiles. It is thus suggested that MD must be used in order to accurately predict STEM images of the electrode-electrolyte interface. Using MD and image simulation together for a high contrast electrolyte (the high atomic number CsCl electrolyte), it is determined that, for a smooth interface, concentration profiles within the EDL should be visible experimentally. When normal experimental parameters such as rough interfaces and low-Z electrolytes (like those used in Li-ion batteries) are considered, observation of the EDL appears to be more difficult.
Molecular and phenotypic characterization of atypical Williams-Beuren syndrome.

Abstract Williams-Beuren syndrome (WBS) is a multisystemic genomic disorder typically caused by a recurrent ˜1.5-1.8 Mb deletion on 7q11.23. Atypical deletions can provide important insight into the genotype-phenotype correlations. Here, we report the phenotypic and molecular characterization of a girl with a de novo 81.8 kb deletion in the WBS critical region, which involves the ELN and LIMK1 genes only. The patient presented at 2 months of age with extensive vascular abnormalities, mild facial dysmorphism and delays in her fine motor skills. We discuss potential molecular mechanisms and the role of ELN and LIMK1 in the different phenotypic features. We compare the findings in our patient with previously reported overlapping deletions. The phenotypic variability among these patients suggests that other factors are important in the phenotype and possibly include: position effects related to copy number variation size, variations in the non-deleted alleles, genetic modifiers elsewhere in the genome, or reduced penetrance for specific phenotypes.
Polarization-encoded optical shadow-casting arithmetic-logic-unit design: separate and simultaneous output generation

A memory-efficient dual cell and a multioutput parallel arithmetic logic unit are designed by using a polarization-encoded optical shadow-casting scheme. The design algorithms for identifying the source patterns, input encoding, and output mask are also presented.
Probabilistic Structural Optimization Under Reliability, Manufacturability, and Cost Constraints

A methodology is presented for probabilistic design optimization of aircraft structures subject to a set of multidisciplinary constraints including reliability, manufacturability, and manufacturing cost. Using the advanced firstorder second-moment method, reliability of each structural component is evaluated by considering its primary static failure mode. Metrics-based analytical models are used in manufacturability analysis, and semi-empirical models are used for manufacturing cost estimation. The described design methodology is developed into a software tool and applied to probabilistic sizing optimization of a moderately loaded built-up wing spar. Using two alternative web design concepts, one limited by buckling and the other by diagonal semitension field action, the spar model is optimized for weight considering uncertainties in the material properties, structural sizing, and loading parameters. The optimization problem is solved using the method of sequential quadratic programming for different values of target reliability, with or without any limit on manufacturing cost. The optimization results are used to highlight the interactions between reliability, weight, and cost, whereas the probabilistic sensitivities are used to examine the influence of each random variable on structural reliability.
The case for ecoregion rather than regional extension water education.

In 2000 the National Water Quality program (USDA-CSREES) was refocused to provide water resources education to citizens on a regional basis. The Pacific Northwest—consisting of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington—comprises one of these regions. Even though the Pacific Northwest appears to be a relatively homogeneous region, there are large internal differences in climate, demographics (urban vs. rural), natural resources, and agriculture within the region. The purpose of this study is to evaluate splitting the region into three sub-ecoregions and then targeting unique programming to clientele to better meet citizen educational needs. Zip code data was used to separate responses from a comprehensive regional needs assessment survey on water resources into three eco-regions. The data were then analyzed using SAS and chi-square analysis to compare water resource issue differences within the Pacific Northwest. Residents of the wetter Ecoregion (I) were more concerned with endangered species and less concerned with water quantity issues than residents of the drier Ecoregion II. Residents of Ecoregion II were more likely to need educational programming on irrigated agriculture and yard water use. Based on the data, dividing the region into three ecoregions for extension programming makes sense and could result in efficiencies of existing human resources.
Development of progressive weight bearing rehabilitation system

Physical therapists treat many Physical therapists treat many patients with decreased strength, mobility, and weight bearing tolerance. In order to maximize rehabilitation, therapists must utilize early progressive controlled mobilization, as Wolff's and Davis' law describe. The system has been designed to precisely and quantitatively measure a patient's lower body strength and improvement, through the use of a Force Measurement Scale with a U-Bar, a custom-made force transducer. R2 values for the first and second U-Bar tests are 0.99 and 0.97, respectively, thus proving efficacy of the system.
Detection of Rickettsia rickettsii and Bartonella henselae in Rhipicephalus sanguineus Ticks from California

Sixty-two questing adult Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille) ticks were collected by direct removal from blades of turfgrass and adjacent concrete walkways at a suburban home in Riverside County, CA, and tested for the presence of Rickettsia, Bartonella, and Ehrlichia DNA. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to amplify fragments of the 17-kDa antigen gene and the rOmpA gene of the spotted fever group rickettsiae. One male tick contained R. rickettsii DNA; its genotype differed from R. rickettsii isolates found in Montana and Arizona that cause Rocky Mountain spotted fever and from Hlp#2 and 364D serotypes. One male tick and one female tick contained B. henselae DNA. No Ehrlichia platys or Ehrlichia canis DNAs were detected using nested PCR for their 16S rRNA genes. These findings extend the area where Rickettsia rickettsii may be vectored by Rh. sanguineus. Rh. sanguineus also may be infected with Bartonella henselae, a human pathogen that is typically associated with fleas and causes cat scratch disease.
Microtubule dynamics and kinetochore function in mitosis.

INTRODUCTION 527 DYNAMIC INSTABILITY ........ ..... . . 52R Free Microtubule Ends ....... 528 Microtubule Ends at the Kinetochore ........ . 530 ISOLATED KINETOCHORES ... ... ........ 531 Nucleation .... ..... 531 Microtubule Capture . . .. .. 531 Microtubule Depo!ymerization at the Kinetochore 532 Microtubule Polymerization at the Kinetochore ...... . ....... 534 KINETOCHORE MICROTUBULE DYNAMICS IN THE SPINDLE 535_, Anaphase ...... ..... 535 Metaphase ..... ...... . .. 537 Prometaphase , 541 KINETOCHORE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION ........ 542 Force Generationfrom Depolymerization 542 Force Generationfrom Polymerization 544 . Regulation of Dynamics at the Kinetochore 544 ' Molecules Involved in Force Generation ...... . . ....... ......... 546
Institutional Culture & Academic Entrepreneurship Averting a Crisis and Salvaging the Last Bastion of Competitiveness

Federal research funding for universities (chiefly, NSF, NIH, DOD, DOE) stands at a staggering 30 billion dollars or so, and there is an increasing level of questioning and scrutiny as to the return on investment for such dollars, interms of societal economic impact both within the funding agencies and by our elected representatives. Figuring out ways to foster and sustain academic entrepreneurship (industry engagement; licensing of IP; launching start-ups) may be the way to take advantage of industry funding for research, while also ensuring that research of anapplied nature (particularly in engineering programs) can directly solve industry problems and thus support the creation of jobs. Thirty years after the Bayh-Dole Act-meant to encourage academic entrepreneurship, we find ourselves where university-industry interaction is still not pervasive. The proposed research is predicated on the notion that organizational culture (policies, processes, beliefs, and attitudes) have a significant influence on academic entrepreneurship. An understanding of the institutional culture and how it correlates to entrepreneurial activities of faculty can thus be instructive and helpful. The proposed study aims to identify and understand this. The proposed research is guided by initial insights obtained from a small set of (6 faculty) open-ended interviews that were conducted as pilot data collection. This was complemented by an autoethnographic examination of university culture, carried out over the course of a semester to examine university-industry interactions. Data collection via a designed survey instrument is being proposed as the means for obtaining the data for subsequent analysis and interpretation. Understanding the drivers (institutional culture) of academic entrepreneurship and the measures of an entrepreneurial culture can, in the long-run, play a pivotal part in universities embracing their 3rd mission-that of economic impact and industry development (the first 2 missions being teaching and research).
Marijuana dependence moderates the effect of posttraumatic stress disorder on trauma cue reactivity in substance dependent patients.

Abstract Background Individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are at heightened risk for marijuana use. Although extant studies speak to the importance of examining the co-occurrence of PTSD and marijuana use as it relates to a variety of clinically-relevant outcomes, no studies have explored the way in which marijuana use may affect in-the-moment emotional responding among individuals with PTSD. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore the role of marijuana dependence in the relation between PTSD and subjective and biological emotional reactivity in response to a trauma cue. Methods Participants were 202 patients with and without current PTSD consecutively admitted to a residential SUD treatment facility. Patients were administered diagnostic interviews, and subjective (negative affect) and biological (cortisol) reactivity to a personalized trauma cue were assessed. Results Whereas current PTSD was associated with greater subjective emotional reactivity among participants without marijuana dependence, there were no significant differences in subjective emotional reactivity as a function of PTSD status among participants with marijuana dependence. Moreover, marijuana dependent participants (with and without PTSD) reported less subjective emotional reactivity than participants with PTSD and without marijuana dependence. No significant findings were obtained for cortisol reactivity. Conclusions Findings suggest that patients with co-occurring PTSD and marijuana dependence may experience alterations in their emotional processing in response to a trauma cue (i.e., dampening of arousal). Additional research is required to clarify the specific mechanisms through which marijuana use influences emotional reactivity and fear-related emotional processing, as well as how such effects may influence PTSD treatment.
Measurement of boundaries between two-phase and three-phase regions in emulsified systems by titration calorimetry. III: C6H13(OC2H4)2OH/n-tetradecane/water

Abstract Isoperibolic titration calorimetry has been used to determine tie-triangles (i.e., compositions of conjugate top, middle, and bottom phases) of the system C6H13(OC2H4)2OH/n-tetradecane/water at seven temperatures from 15 through 45°C. The concentration of each component in each phase was approximately a linear function of temperature over this temperature range. The density of C6H13(OC2H4)2OH from 24 to 50°C also is reported.
The Computer Is Only a Tool and Not an Outcome

To the ongoing debates in total knee arthroplasty on whether to use cemented or cementless fixation, whether to preserve or replace the posterior cruciate ligament, whether or not to resurface the patella, and, more recently, what is the appropriate alignment of a total knee replacement (mechanical or “kinematic”), we now add whether the use of computer navigation in total knee arthroplasty will alter the outcome of the surgery. The article by Kim and colleagues in this issue of The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American Volume) provides midterm clues, yet raises several important questions. The seminal issue raised by this paper is one that requires further examination: Are we asking the correct questions when we assess the effect of computer navigation on the outcome of a surgical procedure? In their prospective randomized trial, Kim et al. reported the results of 520 patients who underwent bilateral total knee arthroplasty performed sequentially during the same anesthetic session by a single experienced surgeon. The patients were randomly assigned to undergo either total knee arthroplasty with the use of conventional guides or computer-navigated total knee arthroplasty on the first limb, followed by the opposite approach on the contralateral limb. The authors posed three study questions: (1) Was clinical function improved in the computer-navigated surgery group? (2) Did computer-navigated surgery improve alignment and, …
A Statistical Investigation on Particle to Particle Variation of Fly Ash Using SEM-AIA-EDAX Technique.

Due to the particle to particle variation of coal mineral properties and random coalescence of mineral particles during coal burnout, fly ash particle properties change from particle to particle. The variations of particle properties (e.g. SiO2 content, viscosity) can be mathematically described by random variables. Since bulk analysis of fly ash gives only the mean values of chosen random variables, it is considered insufficient to describe the fly ash behavior either in boiler slagging/fouling or in different concrete structures. SEM-AIA-EDAX technique was used to supply raw data for estimating the distribution functions of particle size and chemical compounds in Texas lignite minerals and fly ash and Eagle Butte fly ash. To determine the volume based size distributions of these samples from their area-based size distributions, Abelian transformation was used. To estimate the distribution functions of CaO and SiO2 contents of the samples, particle area fractions were used. The confidence limits were also calculated for the estimated parameters. By determining the distribution functions of particle viscosity and chemical composition, it was shown that in the case of Texas lignite the coal burnout does not cause significant changes in the mineral matter properties. It was observed that the properties of fly ash depended solely on the mineral matter properties. However, in the Eagle Butte case the coal burnout has a major effect on the fly ash size distribution and its chemical composition.
Delphinidin, a major anthocyanidin in pigmented fruits and vegetables inhibits HGF/Met- mediated proliferation and invasion in immortalized MCF10A cells

4203 Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a pleiotropic cytokine that promotes survival and proliferation in a wide variety of cells. Increased expression of HGF and its receptor Met has been linked to invasive human cancer and metastasis. Delphinidin , an anthocyanidin present in pigmented fruits and vegetables possesses potent anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic properties. We have recently shown that ‘ delphinidin protects against UVB-mediated oxidative stress and apoptosis in immortalized HaCaT cells’ (J Invest Dermatol.; 2006, In press). Here, we assessed the anti-proliferative and anti-invasive effect of delphinidin on HGF-mediated responses in the immortalized, nontumorigenic breast cell line, MCF10A. Exposure of MCF10A cells to exogenous HGF (40 nM; 30 min) resulted in tyrosyl-phosphorylation and increased expression of the Met receptor that was completely abolished by treatment of cells with delphinidin (5-40 μM; 3h). The functional involvement of PI3/AKT and Raf/MAPK pathway in HGF activation plays an important role in carcinogenesis. Immunoblot analysis shows that delphinidin treatment completely inhibited HGF-mediated activation of Raf/ MEK/ ERK pathway in MCF10A cells resulting in decreased phosphorylation of (i) Raf-1, MEK-1 and ERK1/2 MAPKs, (ii) JNK and p38 MAPKs; and (iii) increased expression of RasGap protein. Delphinidin treatment further resulted in the downregulation of HGF-mediated (i) activation of PI3K/AKT, (ii) phosphorylation of mTOR and its downstream target p70S6Kinase, and (iii) increased expression of MMPs 2 and 9. Oncogenic signals involve activation of kinases that transduce signals, leading to cell proliferation or inhibition of apoptosis by activating NFκB family of transcription factors. Our studies show that HGF-activated NFκB transcription in MCF10A cells was repressed by delphinidin treatement resulting in a decrease in HGF-mediated (i) phosphorylation of IKKα/β and IκBα, and (ii) activation and nuclear translocation of NFκB/p65. Delphinidin treatment to MCF10A cells resulted in nuclear translocation of PKCα, a serine/threonine kinase central to a variety of cellular functions including proliferation, motility, and inflammation. Cell invasion studies showed that delphinidin treatment resulted in attenuation of HGF-mediated enhanced migration of cells across the matrigel in a dose-dependent manner. A requirement of STAT3 signaling for HGF/Met mediated tumorigenesis has been reported. HGF stimulation of MCF10A cells resulted in activation of STAT3, and delphinidin-mediated ablation of STAT3 expression may in part be responsible for a reduction of Met-driven invasiveness. In conclusion, our results strongly suggest a potential inhibitory role of delphinidin in preventing HGF-mediated activation of various signaling pathways implicated in breast cancer.
Metallurgical Characteristics of Swirling Flow Reactor Using Gravity Potential Energy of Hot Metal from Blast Furnace

The jet-flowof hot metal from the blast furnace has a certain initial kinetic energy. In addition,the tapping channel has a certain degree of slope. An innovative metallurgical reactor using the gravitational potential energy of the hot metal was proposed. On the basis of turbulent model and multiphase flowmodel,the fluid flowand the free-surface shape with VOF( volume of fluid) model in metallurgical reactor was numerically simulated,which was verified by the water model. The results showthat the best swirling flowis formed in the bowl-shape reactor compared with other shapes. The curve of residence time distribution( RTD) obtained from experiment is in good agreement with the simulated result. The effect of swirling flowin bowl-shape reactor is greater than the others,which produces the most intensive and stable swirling flow.
Introduction: Defining Salafism, Analyzing Canons

This book examines the interaction between two important forces on the world stage: Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa, and Salafism, a loosely organized community of Muslim activists who claim that they alone incarnate the practices and beliefs of the earliest Muslims. In northern Nigeria, a majority-Muslim region, Salafis have become prominent as preachers, media stars, and allies of certain elected politicians. These Salafis challenge the religious dominance of hereditary Muslim rulers and Sufi shaykhs by advancing a largely textualist model of religious authority. This book provides insight into how Nigerian Muslims are negotiating their relationships with one another and with the contemporary Middle East – especially Saudi Arabia, where Salafism receives political and institutional support. At the same time, the trajectory of Salafism in northern Nigeria sheds light on the stages through which the global Salafi movement has passed. Salafis around the world, even in non-Arab lands, have come to invoke a set of Arabic texts and a group of twentieth-century Middle Eastern thinkers as standards of authority in local struggles over who gets to speak for Islam. Examining Salafism in Nigeria illustrates how references to core texts can reflect membership in religious communities – and how such references provide a key tool for understanding the many geographically dispersed, decentralized religious activist networks that are helping to shape the world today. On the basis of fieldwork in Nigeria and a historical study of the formation of Salafism, I argue that Salafism is embodied in and transmitted through a canon, a communally negotiated set of texts that is governed by rules of interpretation and appropriation. Salafis invoke the canon to spread Salafism but also to police the boundaries of Salafism. The idea of a Salafi canon is implicit, although underdeveloped, in some previous work on Salafism; here I make it the explicit theoretical frame for analysis, examining how the canon formed and how it is disseminated. This understanding of Salafism challenges widespread Western depictions of Salafism as a one-dimensional and “literalist” school of interpreting the Qurʾan and the Sunna (the authoritative tradition of the Prophet Muḥammad, as preserved in reports of his words and deeds, reports known as aḥādīth in the plural and ḥadīth in the singular).
Process modeling of direct coal-biomass to liquids (CBTL) plants with shale gas utilization and CO2 capture and storage (CCS)

Abstract Direct coal liquefaction (DCL) technologies have been commercially demonstrated for producing transportation fuels from non-petroleum sources. However, significant amount of hydrogen is required in the DCL process due to the low H/C ratio in coal. As a result, DCL processes are usually associated with a high level CO2 emission from hydrogen production units. Hence, direct coal biomass to liquids (CBTL) processes with CO2 capture and storage (CCS) and shale gas utilization are proposed in this work as an option for reducing CO2 emission. In this study, the focus is on process simulation and calculation of material and energy balances of novel direct CBTL plants, which can be used as a basis for further studies, such as optimization, techno-economic analysis and life-cycle analysis. In this process, coal with moderate amount of biomass is converted into syncrude through reaction with H-donor solvent and gaseous hydrogen in a catalytic two-stage liquefaction unit. Hydrogen required for the liquefaction and product upgrading unit is produced from the liquefaction residue partial oxidation unit and the shale gas steam reforming unit or from the coal/biomass/residue co-gasification unit. Different CCS technologies are evaluated to achieve 90% overall carbon capture if high extent of CO2 capture is considered. Results of individual plant sections are validated with the existing data, if available. Sensitivity studies have been conducted to analyze the effects of key operating parameters and design parameters, such as the sources of hydrogen, CCS technologies, extent of CCS, and biomass/coal ratio. Key measures studied in this work include the fuel yield, thermal efficiency, CCS penalty and CO2 emission.
The Effect of Three Temperature Conditioning Treatments and Subcutaneous Fat Removal on Lamb Quality

Thirty Suffolk and Suffolk crossbred ewe lambs w e r e blocked on live weight and randomly assigned to carcass conditioning treatments of 0, 16 and 23"C for 8 h. Subcutaneous fat over the longissimus muscle and kidney fat were removed from the left side of each carcass during slaughter. The 23"C conditioning treatment had significantly higher temperatures from 2 through 12 h compared with 0"C and 16"C treatments, and the 16"C treatment had higher (P < .05) temperatures from 2 through 12 h compared with the 0~ treatment. There was an interaction between conditioning treatments and fat removal for postmortem temperature. The intact sides had significantly higher temperatures at 2 and 4 h for the 0"C treatment, whereas trimmed sides had higher (P < .05) longissimus muscle temperatures than the intact sides at 6 h postmortem for both the 16 and 23"C treatments. The conditioning treatments increased the pH decline; the 23"C treatment had lower pH values at almost all time periods compared with the 0"C treatment. The 16~ treatment had lower (P < .05) pH values at 6, 8 and 12 h postmortem than the 0~ treatment. The 16"C treatment improved tenderness of the longissimus muscle, as indicated by lower shear force (3.45 kg) and higher sensory panel tenderness ratings (4.80) compared with the 0~ (4.74 kg and 3.82) and 23"C (4.63 kg and 3.61) treatments. Fat removal had no significant effect on pH, sarcomere length, shear force or sensory panel ratings. The 16~ conditioning treatment improved lamb tenderness compared with 0 and 23"C, whereas fat removal at slaughter had no significant effect on lamb quality. (
Modification of defects and potential fluctuations in slow-cooled and quenched Cu2ZnSnSe4 single crystals

Recent literature reports have shown the ability to manipulate Cu-Zn cation ordering for Cu2ZnSnSe4 (CZTSe) via low temperature treatments. Theoretical arguments suggest that one of the major roadblocks to higher VOC—significant band tailing—could be improved with increased cation order; however, few direct measurements have been reported and significant device improvements have not yet been realized. This report investigates electrical properties, defects, and devices from quenched and slow-cooled single crystals of CZTSe. The extent of disorder was characterized by Raman spectroscopy as well as x-ray diffraction, where the change in Cu-Zn order can be detected by a changing c/a ratio. Quenched samples show higher acceptor concentrations, lower hole mobilities, and a lower-energy photoluminescence (PL) peak than crystals cooled at slower rates, consistent with a reduction in the bandgap. In addition, samples quenched at the highest temperatures showed lower PL yield consistent with higher quantities of d...
Analysis and numerical solution of transient electromagnetic scattering from two cavities

This paper presents a finite-element boundary integral method to model transient scattering from two cavities embedded in a ground plane. Multiple-cavity scattering in the time domain both increases the computational complexity of the scattering problem and introduces cross-talk between scatterers. By modeling the cavities together, coupling effects are enforced directly and multiple reflections are readily observable. The variational formulation is shown to be well-posed for each time step and a stable numerical implementation for rectangular cavities is demonstrated.
Inclusion of a Mixed Condition Makes the Day/Night Task More Analogous to the Adult Stroop

In a study with 4-year-old children, we added a mixed condition to the traditional day/night task to examine performance and response times for congruent and incongruent trials within the same condition. There were no differences in percentage correct performance between the incongruent and mixed conditions; however, children performed best on the congruent condition. EEG recordings showed differential patterns of frontal power and coherence suggesting increasing cognitive load from congruent to incongruent to mixed conditions. Our pattern of findings suggest that the mixed condition of the day/night Stroop task is a more appropriate child equivalent to the adult color-word Stroop task.
Two-photon laser induced fluorescence of Krypton using femtosecond pulses

We report a comprehensive spectroscopic study of ultrashort-pulse-based, two-photon laser induced fluorescence of Krypton gas. Prominent fluorescence emission lines are identified in the near-IR region which are useful for multiple flow diagnostics applications.
Engine A/F and Torque Control by Using Secondary Throttles

Abstract The proper functioning of a catalytic converter requires precise regulation of A/F to the stoichiometric value. The control of A/F is usually based on regulating the fuel flow in proportion to air flow changes imposed by the driver. However, due to the relatively long time delays in the fuel feedback loop, the controller cannot properly compensate for rapid air flow changes. To overcome this deficiency, the possibility of air flow control has been suggested by implementing secondary throttles in the intake runners. In this paper, a new structure for A/F and torque control is proposed to enhance the global performance of a secondary throttles engine.
Principles of Patient Selection for Surgical Management of Lymphedema

Advances in lymphatic imaging have greatly improved the surgeon’s ability to properly select patients and apply the most appropriate surgical intervention to the specific diagnosis. Physiologic procedures are commonly used to treat earlier forms of lymphedema in a fluid-dominant state, while liposuction may be indicated in the more advanced fat-dominant state. Four components of the work-up include evaluation of lymphatic function, fibrofatty proliferation, immunologic function, and the venous system. Indocyanine green lymphangiography and magnetic resonance lymphangiography allow the surgeon to determine the patency and function of lymphatic collectors which impact decision-making for vascularized lymph node transfer and lymphaticovenular anastomosis. Magnetic resonance angiography can provide information about the fluid-to-fat ratio as well as the status of the venous system that is fundamental to assessing any swollen limb. Prospective study with newer imaging technologies will further optimize selection criteria and outcomes.
New Group of Lipid Mediators Containing ω-Hydroxyarachadonic Acid (20-HETE)

20-HETE is a biologically active product of arachidonic acid and cytochrome P450 ω-hydroxylase of the 4A gene family and is an abundant microsomal eicosanoid in the rat kidney.1 However, very little is known about factors controlling the biosynthesis and metabolic fate of 20-HETE in the kidney. Cyclooxygenase metabolizes 20-HETE into ω-OH-PGs, formation of which was proposed to explain the vasoconstrictor activity of 20-HETE in the kidney.2 Human platelets metabolize 20-HETE into a complex mixture of products of which 11,20-dihydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (11,20-DiHETE), and 12,20-DiHETE are the major metabolites.3. We observed that the stimulation of the rat kidney with hormones or calcium ionophore results in an accumulation of 20-HETE, which is readily detectable by GC/MS.4, 5 The release of 20-HETE from renal slices stimulated by calcium ionophore cannot be inhibited with ETYA, which suggested to us that calcium influx is required for the release of 20-HETE. The isolated perfused kidney, challenged with angiotensin II (ang II) or endothelin-1, rapidly releases 20-HETE and often other CYP450 subterminal HETEs, into the perfusion fluid in amounts 5 to 10-fold higher relative to control levels. Brief stimulation of mTAL cells with ang II leads to a selective release of 20-HETE.6 These results suggested that 20-HETE could be released from renal tissue phospholipids via a receptor-mediated activation of phospholipase (PL)A2. In this study we obtained evidence that the release of 20-HETE from renal phospholipids is possible and represents a new component of ang II-dependent effects on renal function.