cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 997: PKD1-β3-integrin complex increases E-cadherin shedding through MMP-2 and −9 secretion in prostate cancer

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Introduction: We have previously reported that Protein Kinase D1 (PKD1), a serine threonine kinase, is down regulated in advanced prostate cancer (PC) and known complex with cell adhesion protein β3-integrin to influence cell motility. Cell motility in facilitated by degradation of extracellular matrix, which is accomplished through secretion of proteins such as Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs), which are neutral proteinases that catalyze degradation of various transmembrane and extracellular matrix proteins including E-cadherin at cell surface. Here, we demonstrate the presence of PKD1-β3-integrin complex in PC cells that increases MMP-2 and −9 secretion and consequently enhances E-cadherin shedding. Methods: Protein expression, phosphorylation and secretion studies using PC cell lines were done by western blot analysis or gelatin zymography. Cell proliferation was measured by MTS assay. In silico analysis was done to validate correlation between PKD1 and MMPs expression in human PC. Results: To find out the complex formation among PKD1 and β3-integrin in PC cell, we immunoprecipitated the PKD1 protein and immunoblotted with β3-integrin antibody and observed that the PKD1 and β3-integrin proteins were in same protein complex. Then we found that overexpression of PKD1 also colocalized in PC3 cells and that was suppressed with RGD peptide, a specific β3-integrin inhibitor, treated same cells. Additionally, we found that PKD1 overexpressed cell increased in secretion of MMP-2 and −9 as well as activation of Erk and Akt those were suppressed in RGD peptide treated cells. In contrast, we observed that downregulation of PKD1 by shRNA could suppress the phosphorylation of Erk and Akt as well as MMP-2 and MMP-9 secretion in DU145 cells. Interestingly, PKD1 enhanced the expression of E-cadherin and secretion of extracellular part of E-cadherin (sE-cadherin) in conditioned media of DU145 cells, which was suppressed by treatment by MMP-2 and −9 inhibitors. In addition, suppression of cell proliferation by PKD1 was augmented by recombinant MMP-2 and −9 proteins and rescued by MMP-2 and MMP-9 inhibitor in DU145 cells, suggesting a surprising antiproliferative role for MMP-2 and −9 in PC cells. In silico analysis of publicly available DNA microarray data set derived from human PC confirmed that expression of PKD1 and MMP-2 correlated directly in metastatic PC compared to benign prostate tissue. Conclusions: Our study has identified a novel role of PKD1-β3-integrin complex for secretion of MMP-2 and −9 in prostate cancer, which is associated with E-cadherin shedding. Our data also suggested that the proteins complex limits PC cell proliferation by modulation MMP-2 and −9 secretion. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 997.
Extensible-Link Kinematic Model for Determining Motion Characteristics of Compliant Mechanisms

We present an extensible-link kinematic model for characterizing the motion trajectory of an arbitrary planar compliant mechanism. This is accomplished by creating an analogous kinematic model consisting of links that change length over the course of actuation to represent elastic deformation of the compliant mechanism. Within the model, the motion trajectory is represented as an analytical function. By Taylor series expansion, the trajectory is expressed in a parametric formulation composed of load-independent and load-dependent terms. Here, the load-independent terms are entirely defined by the shape of the undeformed compliant mechanism topology, and all load-geometry interdependencies are captured by the load-dependent terms. This formulation adds insight to the process for designing compliant mechanisms for high accuracy motion applications because: (1) inspection of the load-independent terms enables determination of specific topology modifications for improving the accuracy of the motion trajectory; and (2) the load-dependent terms reveal the polynomial orders of principally uncorrectable error components of the motion trajectory. The error components in the trajectory simply represent the deviation of the actual motion trajectory provided by the compliant mechanism compared to the ideally desired one. We develop the generalized model framework, and then demonstrate its utility by designing a compliant micro-gripper with straight-line parallel jaw motion. We use the model to analytically determine all topology modifications for optimizing the jaw trajectory, and to predict the polynomial order of the uncorrectable trajectory components. The jaw trajectory is then optimized by iterative finite elements (FE) simulation until the polynomial order of the uncorrectable trajectory component becomes apparent.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
The yeast dynamin-like protein Vps1:vps1 mutations perturb the internalization and the motility of endocytic vesicles and endosomes via disorganization of the actin cytoskeleton.

Abstract Mammalian dynamin is responsible for scission of endocytic vesicles from the plasma membrane. A previous study showed that Vps1, a yeast dynamin-like protein, plays an important role in pheromone receptor internalization ( Yu and Cai, 2004 ; J. Cell Sci. 117, 3839–3853). However, the details of how Vps1 acts in various phases of endocytosis including early internalization of the endocytic vesicle are poorly understood. To investigate the potential roles of Vps1 in both endocytic vesicle formation/maturation on the plasma membrane and endocytic vesicle internalization, time-lapse fluorescent images of GFP-tagged endocytic markers in live cells were analyzed using a particle tracking software. The loss of Vps1 leads to a robust increase in the lifespan of newly forming cortical endocytic vesicles carrying Las17-GFP, Ede1-GFP, Sla1-GFP, and Abp1-GFP, indicating that Vps1 is required for the proper assembly and maturation of endocytic vesicles. Particle track analysis revealed that Abp1-GFP vesicles in vps1 null cells moved a relatively short distance away from the cell membrane due to their non-directional movement. Furthermore, we found that the GTPase and the GED domains of Vps1 are required for the proper endocytic function of Vps1. Our tracking analysis data also revealed that the post-internalized vesicle motility en route to the vacuole was decreased significantly, perhaps due to severe disruption of the actin cables in Vps1 mutant cells.
The gaps of which communication is made 1

Mass communication, as typically defined, is an oxymoron: communication without interaction. The distance between dissemination and reception has usually been understood as making mass communication inferior to face‐to‐face interaction and as resulting from twentieth‐century technology. Instead, I argue that the gap between transmission and reception is fundamental to almost all forms of communication, such that mass communication may be the more basic form. The effort to theorize communication and mass communication has been a topic of discussion from the beginnings of western philosophy (Plato), from the beginnings of the twentieth century's most influential media system (U. S. broadcasting), and in the philosophy of interpretation (Ricoeur's hermeneutics). Some sort of conceptual contrast between open dissemination (mass) and individualized interaction (interpersonal) is inevitable, I conclude, not because scholars need to specialize but because human beings are finite. The human condition shapes the c...
Formulations for probability of progressive collapse

Abstract Practical and tractable formulations for determining the probability of progressive collapse in structures are developed. Both the case where abnormal loads are specified and the case where initiating damage levels are specified are considered. Methods for including event control measures in the formulations are also obtained. The formulations are applied to two examples: the vertical progressive collapse of a concrete panel building and the progressive collapse of a shorting system.
Exploring Personal and School Environment Characteristics that Predict Self-Determination

This study examined the degree to which multiple personal (age, gender, disability, and need for educational support) and school environment characteristics (hours in academic classes with general education peers, hours in nonacademic classes with age-peers, attendance at the most recent individualized education plan [IEP] meeting, transition goal for the future on the IEP, and experience with setting goals for the future) predicted student's relative level of self-determination. Age, disability label, hours in academic classes with general education peers, and goal setting experience were significant predictors, accounting for 22% of the variance in self-determination scores. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.
Epstein-barr virus–associated acute autonomic neuropathy

A 44-year-old man developed blurry vision, photosensitivity, orthostasis, constipation, and acrodysesthesias after a febrile illness. The neurologic examination and ancillary studies were consistent with a dysautonomic small fiber neuropathy. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) contained both Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA and antibody to EBV. This is the first report of an acute autonomic neuropathy with documented EBV infection in CSF.
Nocturnal hypoglycemia detected with the continuous glucose monitoring system in pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes

Abstract Objective: To use the Continuous Glucose Monitoring System (CGMS, MiniMed, Sylmar, Calif) to determine if bedtime blood glucose levels were associated with the occurrence of nocturnal hypoglycemia. Study design: Patients (n = 47, 18 boys, mean age 11.8 ± 4.6 years) with type 1 diabetes used CGMS for 167 nights. Data were analyzed for glucose ≤40 or ≤50 mg/dL, comparing bedtime blood glucose levels of ≤100 or >100 mg/dL and ≤150 or >150 mg/dL. Results: A glucose value of ≤40 mg/dL occurred on 27% of nights and ≤50 mg/dL on 35% of nights. There was a 2-fold increase (45% vs 22%, P =.015) in the incidence of hypoglycemia with a bedtime glucose ≤100 mg/dL and a 1.7-fold increase (46% vs 26%, P =.01) with a value of ≤150 mg/dL; most episodes occurred between 9 PM and 1 AM. There was no difference in hypoglycemia duration (86.4 minutes for glucose ≤100 mg/dL vs 84.5 minutes for >100 mg/dL, P = NS), and no bedtime glucose value between 110 and 300 mg/dL decreased the incidence of nocturnal hypoglycemia to ≤10%. The incidence of nocturnal hypoglycemia was similar for patients using insulin pump and injection therapy, and there was no correlation between hemoglobin A1c and incidence or duration of hypoglycemia. Conclusions: Nocturnal hypoglycemia is frequent, of long duration, associated with bedtime glucose values ≤100 to 150 mg/dL, and predominately in the early part of the night. CGMS is a useful tool to diagnose asymptomatic nocturnal hypoglycemia. (J Pediatr 2002;141:625-30)
Seasonal Incidence of Bythotrephes Cederstroemi in the Diet of Yellow Perch (Ages 0–4) in Little Bay de Noc, Lake Michigan, 1988

Although the cladoceran Bythotrephes cederstroemi is reported in the diets of many fish species in Europe and the Great Lakes, no studies address seasonal and quantitative ingestion of B. cederstroemi by fish of various ages and sizes. As part of a larger, ongoing study, stomach contents were examined from 928 yellow perch (Perca flavescens) collected from Little Bay de Noc, Lake Michigan, June through October, 1988. Diet through August consisted of several taxa considered typical for yellow perch. During September and October, 116 perch (76–213 mm TL) contained 1-110 (mean = 17.4) B. cederstroemi. Rock bass (Ambloplites rupestris) was the only other fish species found to have ingested B. cederstroemi in Little Bay de Noc. Within individual fall net samples, from 18 to 72% of the yellow perch contained B. cederstroemi. Yellow perch appeared to prefer B. cederstroemi (when available) over other food items that had composed their diet earlier in the year. Age-0 yellow perch consumed B. cederstroemi, but 1- to 4-yr-old fish may have been more efficient in handling the cladoceran. This paper presents base-line data for fish diets during the early expansion of B. cederstroemi in a new environment.
The ability of Ia and H‐2Kk‐bearing membranes to replace the antigen‐presenting cell in an H‐2Kkallogeneic cytotoxic T cell response

Induction of an allogeneic cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response is dependent, in part, on uptake and processing of the class I alloantigen by antigen-presenting cells and subsequent Ia-restricted recognition of the alloantigen by helper T cells, resulting in lymphokine production. The nature of the antigen-processing event has been investigated using reconstituted membranes to replace the antigen-presenting cells in the generation of a secondary allogeneic CTL response. Membranes were isolated from an Iad-positive antigen presenting B cell lymphoma (D2N), detergent solubilized and then reconstituted together with affinity-purified H-2Kk antigen in the presence of protease inhibitors. These reconstituted vesicles, containing both syngeneic Ia and alloantigen, were able to induce the helper T cell arm of the CTL response in cultures depleted of antigen-presenting cells. A variety of control experiments provided strong evidence that the helper T cells recognized the H-2Kk, probably in its native form, in an Ia-restricted manner on the vesicles, while the pre-CTL can directly recognize H-2Kk. Recognition was only effective if both the Ia and alloantigen were inserted into the same membrane bilayer. The results strongly suggest that the obligatory antigen processing event required for helper T cell recognition of alloantigen is simply the insertion of the alloantigen into the same membrane bilayer as the syngeneic Ia restricting element.
Disclaimer Intraducible: My Life / Is Based / on a Real Story

This article showcases the tensions between the survivor's need to tell, and the constraints exercised by publishers, translators, scholars, and human rights professionals. After discussing Gail Wronsky's assertion that politics is what really gets lost in translation, it proposes two strategies to empower survivors: an affirmative action position, and a continuous engagement in co/labor/actions.
Ballistic-Ohmic quantum Hall plateau transition in a graphene p − n junction

Recent quantum Hall experiments conducted on disordered graphene $p\text{\ensuremath{-}}n$ junction provide evidence that the junction resistance could be described by a simple Ohmic sum of the $n$ and $p$ mediums' resistances. However in the ballistic limit, theory predicts the existence of chirality-dependent quantum Hall plateaus in a $p\text{\ensuremath{-}}n$ junction. We show that two distinctively separate processes are required for this ballistic-Ohmic plateau transition, namely, (i) hole/electron Landau states mixing and (ii) valley isospin dilution of the incident Landau edge state. These conclusions are obtained by a simple scattering theory argument, and confirmed numerically by performing ensembles of quantum magnetotransport calculations on a $0.1\text{ }\ensuremath{\mu}\text{m}$ wide disordered graphene $p\text{\ensuremath{-}}n$ junction within the tight-binding model. The former process is achieved by $p\text{\ensuremath{-}}n$ interface roughness, where a $p\text{\ensuremath{-}}n$ interface disorder with a root-mean-square roughness of 10 nm was found to suffice under typical experimental conditions. The latter process is mediated by extrinsic edge roughness for an armchair edge ribbon and by intrinsic localized intervalley scattering centers at the edge of the $p\text{\ensuremath{-}}n$ interface for a zigzag ribbon. In light of these results, we also examine why higher Ohmic-type plateaus are less likely to be observable in experiments.
The application of a local similarity concept in solving the radial flow problem

Abstract A technique is described for solving the radial flow problem of underground water by the application of a similarity transformation when all the requirements for the application of such a transformation are not met. The transformed equation involves a stray time variable which is interpreted as a system parameter. When this parameter is properly interpreted, the solutions of the transformed system are very good numerical approximations for the solutions of the original system. The technique was checked for many different nonconstant diffusivities. The advantage of solving the transformed system is the great saving in computer time, since no marching process is involved.
Response of swine to inactivated foot-and-mouth disease vaccine. Duration of immunity and local tissue reaction.

The duration of immunity was studied for a 365-day period in swine vaccinated with a foot-and-mouth disease trivalent vaccine, inactivated for 48 hours with acetylethyleneimine and combined with an oil adjuvant. A satisfactory degree of immunity was afforded at 90 and 180 days postinoculation (DPI). At 365 DPI, vaccinated swine still maintained a degree of resistance to infection despite marked lowering of neutralizing antibody. At 6 months, lesions at inoculation sites were of very limited extent and appeared as scattered islands of small yellowish streaks of fibrous tissue and some spherical nodules. Histologically, lesions were multiple, foreign-body-type granulomas characterized by oil vacuoles, reticuloendothelial cell proliferation and fibrosis. Tissues surrounding lesions were normal. At 12 months, these lesions were almost impossible to locate. Microscopically, they were comparable to those observed at 6 months. Whether these lesions are more serious than those obtained with current products and other adjuvants and whether these constitute a carcass blemish remain to be determined.
Sequential kidney/islet transplantation using prednisone-free immunosuppression.

Islet transplantation is becoming established as a treatment option for type I diabetes in select patients. Individuals with type I diabetes who have previously received a successful kidney allograft may be good candidates for islet transplantation. They have already assumed the risks of chronic immunosuppression, so the added procedural risk of a subsequent islet transplant would be minimal. Furthermore, because of the preimmunosuppressed state it is possible that islet-after-kidney transplantation may result in a more efficient early islet engraftment. Consequently, insulin independence might be achieved with significantly fewer islets than the approximately 8-10,000 islet equivalents/kg/b.w. currently required. A mass that usually demands two or more cadaveric donors. A case of successful islet-after-kidney transplantation is described using the steroid-free Edmonton immunosuppression protocol. Characteristics of the final islet product are: a) islet equivalents: 265,888 (4100 islet equivalents/kg/b.w.); b) islet purity: 75-80%; c) viability: >95% (trypan blue exclusion); and d) mean islet potency (static low-high glucose challenge): 4.16 +/- 1.91-fold increase. Post-transplant the patient's hypoglycemic episodes abated. Exogenous insulin requirements were eliminated at week 12 post-transplant as basal and Ensure (Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL, USA) oral glucose stimulated C-peptide levels peaked and stabilized. Twenty-four-hour continuous glucose monitoring confirmed moment-to-moment glycemic control, and periodic nonfasting finger stick glucose determinations over the next month confirmed glycemia was controlled. Hemoglobin A1c levels declined from a pretransplant level of 6.9% to 5.3%. Renal allograft function remained changed.
Control of Phytophthora root and crown rot of bell pepper with composts and soil amendments in the greenhouse

Abstract Ten composts and soil amendments were evaluated in the greenhouse for control of Phytophthora root and crown rot of bell pepper caused by Phytophthora capsici . Three rates of calcium humate, calcium sulfate, chitosan, citrus pulp, citrus pulp with molasses, crab shell waste, humate, mustard residue, composted sewage sludge-yard trimming, and wood chips were incorporated into soil in pots prior to transplanting 6-week-old bell pepper cultivar Early Calwonder. P. capsici zoospores (2 × 10 4 ) were placed into the soil of each pot 2 weeks after transplanting. Areas under the disease progress curves (AUDPC) for disease severity and stem lesion length were determined, and final root and shoot dry weights were also evaluated. Soil populations of five microbial functional groups, and total microbial activity, measured by fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis analysis, were evaluated. Certain rates of chitosan, crab shell waste, and citrus pulp with molasses significantly reduced disease severity and/or stem lesion length, and increased root or shoot dry weights, compared with unamended controls. None of the other treatments were effective in reducing root and crown rot of bell pepper. Citrus pulp with molasses was unique in enhancing the total microbial activity and populations of certain microbial functional groups, compared with unamended controls.
Reduced-order feedback control of distributed parameter systems via singular perturbation methods

Abstract Implementable feedback control of distributed parameter systems must often be based on reduced-order models due to the infinite dimensional nature of the actual open-loop system. The behavior of controllers designed via reduced-order models obtained with singular-perturbation techniques is analyzed. When such controllers are used in the actual distributed parameter system, the closed-loop stability is in question. The results presented here provide bounds on the smallness of the singular perturbation parameter to ensure stable operation; such a priori bounds may be used to evaluate potential reduced-order controllers for distributed parameter systems.
NECROPSY DIAGNOSIS OF ENDOMETRIAL CANCER AND DETECTION-BIAS IN CASE/CONTROL STUDIES

Abstract As an explanation for the alleged association between exogenous oestrogens and endometrial cancer, the detection-bias hypothesis has been contested by epidemiologists who argue that few cases of symtomless cancer remain undetected during life. In this study to determine the frequency with which endometrial cancer escapes detection, all necropsies performed at Yale-New Haven Hospital (YNHH) from 1918 to 1978 and at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) from 1952 to 1978 were reviewed. The necropsies performed on 8998 eligible women showed previously unsuspected endometrial cancers in 24 of them. The estimated rates of undetected cancer,22/10 000 at YNHH and 31/10 000 at MGH, are four to five times higher than the detection rate of 5/10 000 noted by the Connecticut State Tumor Registry. The results provide empirical evidence which supports the detection-bias hypothesis, and indicate that previous risk estimates linking oestrogens to endometrial cancer are substantially raised above the true value.
Farming and optimal resource utilization in Guyuan, China

Abstract Since the late 1970s the Chinese have all but dissolved their collective agriculture and restored agricultural decision making to peasant families. Under recent reforms, open market pricing and rational shifts in crop and livestock patterns are the keys to change in rural China. In this study, a linear programming model is used to analyse expected changes in cropping patterns and maximum profit for farm production in the region of Guyuan. It incorporates constraints for government requirements as well as available resources. The results indicate several areas for possible improvement in the resources currently used in the region.
Lundberg on Business Cycles and Public Policy

Introduction, 221. — I. The pattern of Swedish business cycles, 221. — II. Alternative policy targets, 224. — III. Targets and policy variables, 225. — IV Fiscal policy, 227. — V. Monetary policy, 230. — VI. Wages and full employment, 231. — VII. Lundberg's positive program, 233.
Understanding Structure and Function in the Light-Driven Proton Pump Bacteriorhodopsin

The atomic structure of bacteriorhodopsin and the outlines of its proton transport mechanism are now available. Photoisomerization of the retinal in the chromophore creates a steric and electrostatic conflict at the retinal binding site. The free energy gain sets off a sequence of reactions in which directed proton transfers take place between the protonated retinal Schiff base, Asp-85, and Asp-96. These internal steps, and other proton transfers at and near the two aqueous interfaces, add up to the translocation of a proton from the cytoplasmic to the extracellular side of the membrane. Bound water plays a crucial role in proton conduction in both extracellular and cytoplasmic regions, but the means by which the protons move from site to site differ. Proton release to the extracellular surface is through interaction of a hydrogen-bonded chain of identified aspartic acid, arginine, water, and glutamic acid residues with Asp-85, while proton uptake from the cytoplasmic surface utilizes a single aspartic acid, Asp-96, whose protonation state appears to be regulated by the protein conformation dependent hydration of this region. The directionality of the translocation is ensured by the accessibility of the Schiff base to the extracellular and cytoplasmic directions after the retinal is photoisomerized, as well as the changing proton affinities of the acceptor Asp-85 and donor Asp-96.
Indirect Pulverized-Coal Fired Air Heaters for Gas Turbine Service

This paper discusses design considerations for pulverized-coal fired indirect heaters for gas turbines and presents results of model studies of flow and mixing for a heater design. Analysis shows that flue-gas recirculation can reduce peak flame temperature without reducing flame stability, leading to smoothing of radiation to gas-cooled furnace walls. This, in turn, results in acceptable tube-metal temperatures. Experimental model studies of flow and mixing in a single burner, and in a complete furnace model with 12 burners, show that excellent mixing can be obtained in a small volume, with flue gas injected so as to mix downstream of the burner flameholding region.Copyright © 1982 by ASME
Using technology to facilitate active learning in economics through experiments

Classroom experiments are becoming increasingly popular as active-learning exercises for courses in economics. There are many situations where technology is needed to facilitate the effective use of classroom experiments. This article examines how computers and wireless handheld devices are being used to enhance the flexibility of classroom experiments and expand their usability to larger classes. Evidence on learning gains from the use of computer-assisted experiments in the classroom is also reported.
Re-engineering Xen internals for higher-assurance security

The Xenon project is investigating the construction of a higher-assurance open source separation kernel based on the Xen open source hypervisor. Just as the Xen open source hypervisor was initially developed from the open source Linux operating system, by simplifying Linux and modifying its design, the Xenon separation kernel is being developed from Xen. The primary goal of the Xenon project is to investigate issues in creating an open source software product with higher security assurance than conventional open source software. The Xenon project is also focused on (1) problems relating to separation kernels that support unmodified uninterpreted commercial off the shelf (COTS) guests and (2) distinctions between these kinds of separation kernels and hypervisors. This paper explains the Xenon project's approach to re-engineering Xen's internal structure into a higher-assurance form. If conventional open source software cannot be brought into this form with moderate amounts of re-engineering then higher-assurance open source software is probably not practical. Our results indicate that moderate amounts of re-engineering will be sufficient for all but a small part of the code. The remaining code is small enough to be addressed in a reasonable time, even though more effort is required.
Syntactic complexity in Spanish narratives: a developmental study

Syntactic complexity in the movie retellings of 77 school-age Spanish-speaking children was examined using a structural constituent analysis. The results demonstrated developmental differences in t...
Commanding the Middle: The American Agenda at the Kennedy Round

The Kennedy Round of GATT was an opportunity for Australia and New Zealand to achieve their commercial interests of expanding agricultural exports and adjusting trade flows to the power of the United States, the loss of preferential markets in Britain and the new presence of the European Common Market. Both found commonalities with America, both managed to assert some of their concerns, but both also were decidedly junior and weaker partners to the free-trading United States in the GATT regime. The issues explored in this article range from trade in commodities to the protests of the Third World.
Distribution of fluid inclusions in igneous quartz of the Capitan pluton, New Mexico, USA

Abstract Fluid inclusions in granites have been used extensively in studies of magmatic-hydrothermal processes, but few studies have documented the distribution of secondary fluid inclusions within the nonmineralized main body of an intrusion. Previous work on fluid inclusions in Th-U-REE quartz/ fluorite vein deposits in the Capitan pluton suggests that these veins resulted from high-temperature, high-salinity, magmatic fluids in fractured and brecciated zones in the cooled outer carapace of the pluton. Petrographic examination of phenocryst quartz in forty-four thin sections of granite from the Capitan pluton reveals that these same fluids are found in secondary fluid inclusions. Fluid inclusions with daughter minerals commonly occur in the outer granophyre and aplite zones, but are usually absent in the porphyritic core. Microthermometric data and calculated salinities from fifty-eight fluid inclusions in phenocryst quartz and thirty-one fluid inclusions in miarolitic quartz (both samples taken from the granophyre zone) also correlate fairly well with the data from the Th-U-REE quartz/fluorite vein deposits, and similar types of fluid inclusions are found in all three occurrences of quartz. A major difference, however, is that vapor-rich inclusions, abundant as secondary inclusions in igneous phenocryst quartz, are extremely scarce in the vein quartz. Liquid-vapor homogenization temperatures of high-salinity inclusions in phenocryst quartz range from 204–509°C with an average of 384°C. Halite dissolution temperatures of high salinity inclusions range from 442–583°C with an average of 525°C. Total homogenization temperatures are not as well documented due to decrepitation of many of the high salinity inclusions before total homogenization. Samples of miarolitic quartz appear to contain more low-salinity fluid inclusions than the phenocryst quartz, but high-salinity inclusions are present as well. These observations suggest that the magmatic-hydrothermal fluids responsible for vein mineralization were not only concentrated in the vein systems, but were also widely dispersed within the outer portions of the pluton. Furthermore, the greater abundance of fluid inclusions in the outer textural zones of the pluton suggests that the interior of the pluton had not yet fully crystallized when these fluids exsolved from the magma.
Hepatocellular carcinoma and dysplastic nodules in patients with cirrhosis: prospective diagnosis with MR imaging and explantation correlation.

PURPOSE: To determine the sensitivity and specificity of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging for detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and dysplastic nodules (DNs) by using explantation correlation in patients with cirrhosis and no known HCC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-one patients without a known history of HCC who underwent MR imaging and subsequent transplantation within 90 days were examined. Breath-hold turbo short inversion time inversion-recovery and/or T2-weighted turbo spin-echo MR images were obtained. Dynamic two- or three-dimensional gadolinium-enhanced gradient-echo MR images were obtained in the hepatic arterial, portal venous, and equilibrium phases. Prospective MR image interpretations were compared directly with explanted liver pathologic results. RESULTS: Eleven (15%) of 71 patients had hepatic malignancies; MR imaging enabled diagnosis of tumor in six (54%) of 11 patients. On a lesion-by-lesion basis, MR imaging depicted 11 of 20 hepatic neoplasms, for an overall sensitivity of 55...
Nonlinear motion-compensated interpolation for low-bit-rate video

By augmenting the ITU-T H.263 standard bit stream with supplementary motion vectors for to-be-interpolated frames, a new deformable block-based fast motion-compensated frame interpolation (DB-FMCI) scheme is presented. Unlike other motion-compensated interpolation methods, which assume a constant motion velocity between two reference P frames, the proposed scheme takes into account the non-linearity of motion to achieve a better interpolation result. The supplementary motion information for the so-called M frame (motion frame) is defined, which consists of compressed residues of linear and non-linear motion vectors. The non-linear motion vectors of skipped frames are used at the decoder to determine the 6- parameter affine-based DB-FMCI. Experimental results show that the proposed non-linear enhancement scheme can achieve a higher PSNR value and better visual quality in comparison with traditional methods based only on the linear motion assumption.
Advanced materials from corn: isosorbide-based epoxy resins

Water soluble epoxy resins were prepared from diglycidyl ethers of isosorbide (DGEI) and isosorbide diamine (ISODA). We investigated the effect of synthesis methods on the structure of DGEI and ISODA and their influence on properties of cured resins, and compared with bisphenol A commercial epoxy resins (DGEBA). DGEI and DGEBA were cured with diethylene triamine (DETA) and ISODA to give optically clear yellow to brown epoxy resins of different degrees of crosslinking. All systems containing isosorbide either on the epoxy or amine side were faster than the standard petrochemical epoxy resin (DGEBA/DETA). The glass transition of isosorbide-based resins was about 60 °C lower than those of DGEBA/DETA. The effect of DGEI molecular weight on properties of cured resins was tested. Isosorbide-based epoxy resins displayed equal or better tensile and impact strength than commercial epoxy resins and are a viable replacement for DGEBA resins but extensive research is necessary to improve hydrolytic stability.
International dimensions of the productivity paradox

Author(s): Dewan, S; Kraemer, KL | Abstract: Despite the fact that the productivity paradox of IT is an international phenomenon, virtually all of the considerable debate on the subject has been restricted to the U.S. The purpose of this article is to go beyond the U.S. and examine the experiences of other developed countries with respect to returns on IT investments.
EARTHQUAKE MOTION INPUT AND ITS DISSEMINATION VIA THE INTERNET

Objectives of this task are to conduct research on seismic hazards, and to provide relevant input on the expected levels of these hazards to other tasks. Other tasks requiring this input include those dealing with inventory, fragility curves, rehabilitation strategies and demonstration projects. The corresponding input is provided in various formats depending on the intended use: as peak ground motion parameters and/or response spectral values for a given magnitude, epicentral distance and site conditions; or as time histories for scenario earthquakes that are selected based on the disaggregated seismic hazard mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey and are incorporated in building codes. The user community for this research is both academic researchers and practicing engineers who may use the seismic input generated by the synthesis techniques that are developed under this task for a variety of applications. These include ground motions for scenario earthquakes, for developing fragility curves and in specifying ground motion input for critical facilities (such as hospitals) located in the eastern U.S.
Extension of the simulated drinking game procedure to multiple drinking games.

The present study extended the Simulated Drinking Game Procedure (SDGP) to obtain information about different types of drinking games. Phase I participants (N = 545) completed online screening questionnaires assessing substance use and drinking game participation. Participants who met the selection criteria for Phase II (N = 92) participated in laboratory sessions that consisted of three different periods of drinking game play. Sixty-two percent (N = 57) of the sample was female. Data from these sessions was used to estimate the peak Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) a participant would achieve if they consumed alcohol while participating in the SDGP. Total consumption and estimated BAC varied as a function of game type. The total consumption and estimated BAC obtained while playing Beer Pong and Memory varied significantly as a function of group. Total ounces consumed while playing Three Man varied significantly as a function of group; however, the variation in estimated BAC obtained while playing Three Man was not significant. Results indicated that estimated BACs were higher for female participants across game type. Previous experience playing the three drinking games had no impact on total drink consumption or estimated BAC obtained while participating in the SDGP. The present study demonstrated that the SDGP can be used to generate estimates of how much alcohol is consumed and the associated obtained BAC during multiple types of drinking games. In order to fully examine whether previous experience factors in to overall alcohol consumption and BAC, future research should extend the SDGP to incorporate laboratory administration of alcohol during drinking game participation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved). Language: en
Implementation of a cost-saving algorithm for pelvic radiographs in blunt trauma patients.

Background In a previous retrospective study, we demonstrated that pelvic radiographs (PXRs) in the evaluation of blunt trauma patients undergoing abdominal computed tomographic (CT) scanning have limited utility in the absence of hemodynamic instability and significant physical findings. The purpose of this study was to prospectively validate an algorithm defining indications for PXR in blunt trauma patients in the emergency department. Methods We performed a prospective observational study of consecutive blunt trauma patients over 6 months at a single Level 1 trauma center. The trauma faculty agreed to implement an algorithm of obtaining PXRs in patients undergoing abdominal CT scanning only if a specific set of criteria were met: systolic blood pressure Results Nine hundred ninety-five consecutive blunt trauma patients whose evaluation was to include an abdominal CT scan were included in the study. Only 54 patients (6%) received a PXR. Fifty-six indications for PXR were provided: 35 (63%) severe pelvic pain, 14 (25%) proximal fractures, 3 (5%) hip dislocations, and only 4 (7%) had unexplained hypotension. No adverse events or delays in care occurred such as hypotension in the CT scanner or a delay in contacting interventional radiology, blood transfusion, or application of a pelvic binder. The algorithm selected PXR for patients who were more likely to have a pelvic fracture (33% vs. 4.5%, p $226,000 in 6 months. Conclusion When objective evaluation of the abdomen is to be obtained via CT scanning, PXR in the emergency department is obsolete in the absence of hemodynamic instability and significant physical examination findings. Implementation of a selective algorithm in this patient population can result in significant cost savings without adverse patient outcomes.
The borderline of science: on the value of factor analysis for understanding presence

The use of exploratory factor analysis in research on presence is summarized and critically examined. We conclude that, as with research on human intelligence in the first half of the twentieth century, exploratory factor analysis has been extremely limited in its ability to test hypotheses and to advance theory. To illustrate these ideas, we examine a recent analysis by Witmer, Jerome, and Singer (2005, Presence 14, 298-312). We suggest that analyses based on confirmatory methods are in general better suited to advance our understanding of the concept of presence.
Role of CpG deserts in the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of differential DNA methylation regions.

Previously a variety of environmental toxicants were found to promote the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of disease through differential DNA methylation regions (DMRs), termed epimutations, present in sperm. The transgenerational epimutations in sperm and somatic cells identified in a number of previous studies were further investigated. The epimutations from six different environmental exposures were found to be predominantly exposure specific with negligible overlap. The current report describes a major genomic feature of all the unique epimutations identified (535) as a very low (<10 CpG/100 bp) CpG density in sperm and somatic cells associated with transgenerational disease. The genomic locations of these epimutations were found to contain DMRs with small clusters of CpG within a general region of very low density CpG. The potential role of these epimutations on gene expression is suggested to be important. Observations suggest a potential regulatory role for lower density CpG regions termed “CpG deserts”. The potential evolutionary origins of these regions is also discussed.
The DSM-III-R field trial of disruptive behavior disorders.

Abstract The members of the DSM-III-R Advisory Committee responsible for the diagnostic criteria for the disruptive behavior disorders (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, and conduct disorder) were able to reach agreement on potential items to be included in the final diagnostic criteria. However, there was considerable disagreement about the relative utility of different items for the three disorders and no agreement on how many items should be required from a final list of discriminating items to establish each of the diagnoses. This article describes the method and results of a national field trial of the proposed criteria. Using as a standard the diagnosis of these disorders made by expert clinicians with experience with these disorders, the diagnostic criteria that were finally included in DSM-III-R demonstrated high sensitivity, specificity, and internal consistency. J. Am. Acad. ChildAdolesc. Psychiatry. 1990, 29, 5:690–697.
Alcohol evaluations and acceptability: Examining descriptive and injunctive norms among heavy drinkers

Objectives This study assessed descriptive and injunctive norms, evaluations of alcohol consequences, and acceptability of drinking.
Cytochrome c folds through a smooth funnel

A dominant feature of folding of cytochrome c is the presence of nonnative His-heme kinetic traps, which either pre-exist in the unfolded protein or are formed soon after initiation of folding. The kinetically trapped species can constitute the majority of folding species, and their breakdown limits the rate of folding to the native state. A temperature jump (T-jump) relaxation technique has been used to compare the unfolding/folding kinetics of yeast iso-2 cytochrome c and a genetically engineered double mutant that lacks His-heme kinetic traps, H33N,H39K iso-2. The results show that the thermodynamic properties of the transition states are very similar. A single relaxation time tau(obs) is observed for both proteins by absorbance changes at 287 nm, a measure of solvent exclusion from aromatic residues. At temperatures near Tm, the midpoint of the thermal unfolding transitions, tau(obs) is four to eight times faster for H33N,H39K iso-2 (tau(obs) approximately 4-10 ms) than for iso-2 (tau(obs) approximately 20-30 ms). T-jumps show that there are no kinetically unresolved (tau < 1-3 micros T-jump dead time) "burst" phases for either protein. Using a two-state model, the folding (k(f)) and unfolding (k(u)) rate constants and the thermodynamic activation parameters standard deltaGf, standard deltaGu, standard deltaHf, standard deltaHu, standard deltaSf, standard deltaSu are evaluated by fitting the data to a function describing the temperature dependence of the apparent rate constant k(obs) (= tau(obs)(-1)) = k(f) + k(u). The results show that there is a small activation enthalpy for folding, suggesting that the barrier to folding is largely entropic. In the "new view," a purely entropic kinetic barrier to folding is consistent with a smooth funnel folding landscape.
Financial impact of adult living donation.

Key points 1. Cost analyses of living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT) and deceased-donor liver transplantation should capture costs incurred during the pretransplantation time period because benefits of LDLT likely result from reducing complications and cost pretransplantation. 2. Cost analyses should capture the costs associated with donor evaluation in LDLT since these costs are specific to LDLT and not associated with deceased-donor liver transplantation. 3. Indirect costs, such as time lost from work for donor and recipient, are difficult to estimate and frequently are not incorporated in cost-effectiveness analyses. However, they are important, particularly from a societal perspective.
The dose distribution around the edges of an improved /sup 32/P source for endovascular brachytherapy: a Monte Carlo study

Endovascular brachytherapy has proven to be an effective tool in the reduction of restenosis following balloon angioplasty for coronary heart disease, while the range of optimal doses and precise target tissue are still unknown. However, over-dosing has been associated with increased thrombogenicity and permanent damage to vessel walls. Under-dosing has been found to stimulate neointima formation, causing restenosis. It has been suggested that restenosis near the edges (edge effect) of the intervention may be caused by the dose falloff towards near the source ends. Monte Carlo code EGS4 was used to calculate the dose distribution around the ends of a Guidant /sup 32/P source. At the ends of the source the 100% isodose curve was found to bend back toward the source starting at about 3 mm from the end of the active source (prescription to 2 mm radius). The 80% isodose line crossed the prescription line 1 mm from the source ends. Further calculations predicted improvement can be achieved by changing the specific activity within 1 mm of the ends of the source. A four-fold increase in specific activity in 0.5 mm segments at the ends of the source, followed by a 0.5 mm gap between the ends and the middle part of the source, kept the 100% isodose line at the prescription distance to within 0.5 mm of the active length of the source without any over-dosing. With five times the activity in the terminal segments, a "full length source" is achieved, involving a small over-dosing.