cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Compounded Heat Transfer Enhancement in Enclosure Natural Convection by Changing the Cold Wall Shape and the Gas Composition

This article addresses compound heat transfer enhancement for gaseous natural convection in closed enclosures; that is, the simultaneous use of two passive techniques to obtain heat transfer enhancement, which is greater than that produced by only one technique itself. The compounded heat transfer enhancement comes from two sources: (1) reshaping the bounded space and (2) the adequacy of the gas. The sizing of enclosures is of great interest in the miniaturization of electronic packaging that is severely constrained by space and/or weight. The gases consist in a subset of binary gas mixtures formed with helium (He) as the primary gas. The secondary gases are nitrogen (N 2 ), oxygen (O 2 ), carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), methane (CH 4 ) , and xenon (Xe). The steady-state flow is governed by a system of 2-D coupled mass, momentum, and energy conservation equations, in conjunction with the ideal gas equation of state. The set of partial differential equations is solved using the finite volume method, for a square and a right-angled isosceles triangular enclosure, accounting for the second-order accurate QUICK and SIMPLE schemes. The grid layouts rendered reliable velocities and temperatures for air and the five gas mixtures at high Ra= 10 6 , producing errors within 1% were 18,500 and 47,300 elements for the square and triangle enclosures, respectively. In terms of heat transfer enhancement, helium is better than air for the square and the isosceles triangle. It was found that the maximum heat transfer conditions are obtained filling the isosceles triangular enclosure with a He-Xe gas mixture. This gives a good trade-off between maximizing the heat transfer rate while reducing the enclosure space in half; the maximum enhancement of triangle/square went up from 19% when filled with air into 46% when filled with He-Xe gas mixture at high Ra= 106.
Selection of Hybrids from Matings of Fibroblasts in vitro and Their Presumed Recombinants

When two clonal lines of mouse fibroblasts, each containing a drug-resistant marker, are grown together for 4 days, hybrid cells can be detected by selective conditions. These hybrid cells are presumed to be the result of mating. By the same method evidence can be obtained which suggests that mating may be followed by segregation.
3.5-THz Wide, 175 Mode Optical Comb Source

A stable 3.5-THz wide (175 modes times 20 GHz) optical comb source with nearly flat spectral phase is demonstrated. Adjustable mode spacing and wavelength tunability across the C-band are maintained.
Time-dependent behavior of insoluble monomolecular films: Fatty acids and some derivatives

Abstract Saturated fatty acids ranging from 15 to 20 carbons in alkyl chain length and some stearic acid derivatives were spread as insoluble monomolecular films and compressed at a constant velocity. As these surface films assume close packing, they exhibit a loss in surface pressure when held at constant area below an apparent collapse pressure which is not due to dissolution into the subphase solution. The higher the surface pressure to which the film is compressed, the greater the number of repeated compressions to a given surface pressure after periods of noncompression, and the longer the time period between successive compressions, the greater the rate and extent of instability. Increasing chain length increases film stability, but different behavior is noted for odd- and even-carbon acids in a manner analogous to their melting behavior. From these studies it is concluded that three-dimensional phase separation occurs when the film is compressed to surface pressures approaching the liquid condensed-solid condensed transition point. The relative rates of molecular expulsion from the surface, and of lens formation and growth determine the rate of surface pressure loss when compression is stopped. Similar studies with methyl stearate, 2-hydroxystearic acid, methyl 2-OH stearate and methyl 9-OH stearate are consistent with these conclusions.
Comparison of Cyssor analogues in the cysteine-specific chemical cleavage of ovalbumin

A comparison of analogous benzoquinonediimide protein cleavage reagents is presented. While the 2-methoxy derivative reveals no apparent advantage over the previously reported 2-methyl-N’-benzenesulfonyl-N4-bromoacetyl-benzoquinonediimide (Cyssor I ; Sigma Chemical Company), the 2-chloro analogue reveals significant cleavage of ovalbumin under identical solvent conditions, but without the application of heat. This improvement might allow application of this chemical cleavage technique to particularly temperature-sensitive proteins.
A branch-and-bound technique for nano-structure image segmentation

Images of nano-structures are often noisy. On the other hand, in many settings there is quite a lot of model knowledge regarding the observed structures. This paper proposes a method for segmenting an image using a geometric model of the the observed structure. The resulting segmentation is guaranteed to be globally optimal, for an explicitly specified score function. This property provides a great deal of robustness to the algorithm. The algorithm presented explores a pre-defined space of segmentations using a branch-and-bound algorithm. It eliminates those parts of the space that are provably poor and explores in further detail the more promising parts of the space. An example of a segmentation that can be obtained in this way is a straight line segmentation of an image into 2 regions that minimizes the intensity variation within the regions. Results showing extraction of specific nano-structures are presented. A trivial variation on the algorithm can find a maximum a-posteriori probability estimate of the segmentation when there exists an a-priori distribution over the segmentations and the objective function is interpreted as the likelihood of the image given the segmentation.
Infectivity of a Cryptosporidium parvum Isolate of Cervine Origin for Healthy Adults and Interferon-γ Knockout Mice

The infectivity of a Cryptosporidium parvum isolate of cervine origin (type 2, Moredun) propagated in calves was investigated simultaneously in healthy adult human volunteers and in interferon-gamma knockout (GKO) mice. After exposure to 100-3000 oocysts, 16 volunteers recorded, for a duration of 6 weeks, the number and form of stools that they passed and any symptoms that they experienced. Oocyst excretion was assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and direct immunofluorescence assay. Eleven subjects (69%) became ill, and 8 subjects (50%) shed oocysts in stool. The median duration of illness was 169 h, and the median number of unformed stools passed was 24. The duration and intensity of symptoms were more severe than were those associated with previously studied isolates. The median infectious dose was estimated to be 300 oocysts for humans and 1 oocyst for the GKO mouse model. The Moredun isolate was more pathogenic than the reference GCH-1 isolate. The GKO mouse model of cryptosporidiosis is useful for discerning isolate-specific differences in pathogenicity.
The precise timeline of transcriptional regulation reveals causation in mouse somitogenesis network

Background In vertebrate development, the segmental pattern of the body axis is established as somites, masses of mesoderm distributed along the two sides of the neural tube, are formed sequentially in the anterior-posterior axis. This mechanism depends on waves of gene expression associated with the Notch, Fgf and Wnt pathways. The underlying transcriptional regulation has been studied by whole-transcriptome mRNA profiling; however, interpretation of the results is limited by poor resolution, noisy data, small sample size and by the absence of a wall clock to assign exact time for recorded points.
A MERry Response After Myocardial Infarction

In mammals, billions of cells are turned over daily in a continuous succession of cell death and replacement. This occurs as part of either routine homeostasis (aged or excess cells) or after acute injury. These cells die usually by the process of apoptosis and are rapidly removed by neighboring or recruited phagocytes.1 Unlike phagocytosis of pathogens, apoptotic cell clearance actively induces immunosuppressive signaling.2 Few apoptotic cells can usually be detected, even in the tissues with high cellular turnover, because of the quick removal by phagocytes.3 The clearance of apoptotic cells critically depends on the function of phagocyte engulfment receptors, which recognize the apoptotic cell eat-me signals and mediate their removal.4 Defects in engulfment are linked to the development of autoimmunity in mice and humans, presumably because of the secondary necrosis of the dying cells and the release of their cellular contents, which activate the adaptive immune response specific to self-antigens.5 The efficiency of apoptotic cell clearance seems to also be diminished during aging and obesity.6,7 Article, see p 1004 In addition to homeostatic cellular turnover, millions of cells die during inflammatory conditions, when phagocyte clearance of the injured cells and tissue-infiltrating neutrophils contributes to the resolution of inflammation.2 Acute resolving inflammation is necessary for preservation of tissue function after an insult, such as myocardial infarction.8 Failures in resolving inflammation lead to chronic inflammation, tissue damage, and development of pathologies, including cardiovascular disease.1,9 This is exemplified in atherosclerosis, where the continual presence of lipoproteins in the arterial intima, recruitment of inflammatory macrophages, and the accumulation of nonphagocytosed apoptotic cells are linked to the generation of an inflammatory state.10,11 In animal models of atherosclerosis, impaired clearance of dying cells due to the lack of engulfment receptors …
A mathematical model of blood flow through stenotic arteries

The authors derive the equation for the velocity vector in the axial direction for an incompressible, Newtonian fluid, flowing through a nonuniform, symmetric, rigid, cylindrical tube. The authors apply their solution to regions of arteriosclerotic plaque in mammalian arteries and state the conditions under which their assumptions are valid. The results of simulations carried out for several shapes and sizes of plaque deposits, which have been modeled by a /spl beta/-distribution, are presented. >
Convective-scale assimilation of radar data : Progress and challenges

Active research has been carried out in recent years to assimilate high-resolution observations into numerical models to improve precipitation forecasting. Considerable progress has been made although great scientific and technological challenges still exist. This paper reviews techniques used in convective-scale data assimilation research. Experiences in the assimilation of radar observations into high-resolution numerical models are presented. A number of future challenges in convective-scale data assimilation are discussed. Copyright © 2005 Royal Meteorological Society
A Multichannel Continuous-Flow Analyzer

A 10-channel analyzer is described with which sodium, potassium, chloride, carbon dioxide, calcium, phosphorus, total protein, albumin, albumin blank, and uric acid levels may be determined simultaneously. Operating at the rate of 60 specimens per hour, the instrument uses less than 1 ml. of serum for all 10 determinations. The results appear on 5 two-pen recorders. The report describes the instrument, its operating characteristics, modification of the sampler module to enable sampling from test tubes, a manual system of rapid data-handling, and the system employed for nearly anaerobic sample-handling.
Spectral Reconstruction of Piecewise Smooth Functions from Their Discrete Data

This paper addresses the recovery of piecewise smooth functions from their discrete data. Reconstruction methods using both pseudo-spectral coecients and physical space interpolants have been discussed extensively in the literature, and it is clear that an ap rioriknowledge of the jump discontinuity location is essential for any reconstruction technique to yield spectrally accurate results with high resolution near the discontinuities. Hence detection of the jump discontinuities is critical for all methods. Here we formulate a new localized reconstruction method adapted from the method developed in Gottlieb and Tadmor (1985) and recently revisited in Tadmor and Tanner (in press). Our procedure incorporates the detection of edges into the reconstruction technique. The method is robust and highly accurate, yielding spectral accuracy up to a small neighborhood of the jump discontinuities. Results are shown in one and two dimensions.
Impact of reduced lignin on plant fitness

Lignin content of crop plants has been reduced by traditional plant breeding, natural and induced mutations, and insertion of transgenes. The effects of these genes and associated lower lignin content have been examined in terms of agricultural fitness or with regard to economically harvestable yields of useful plant products, or, in the case of some perennial species, survivability over multiple years. In general, crop yields are depressed by significant reductions in lignin content. Other negative effects observed in plants with lowered lignin contents include lodging and reduction of long-term survival of some perennial species. However, the interactions of genes involved in lignin metabolism with genetic background and the environment in which the low-lignin crop is cultivated are substantial. Examples are provided that demonstrate that lignin can be reduced in specific lines or populations without damaging fitness. It is concluded that it will be essential to incorporate lignin reducing genes into numerous genetic backgrounds and combinations, and evaluate the resulting lines in diverse environments, to discover optimal combinations and to obtain a true measure of value and fitness in agricultural systems.
Failure pattern and factors predictive of local failure in Rhabdomyosarcoma: A report of group III patients on the third intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study

Purpose To analyze patterns of failure and factors predictive of local treatment failure in children enrolled on the third Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study who had either biopsy only or subtotal resection of their primary tumor, had no distant metastases, and received radiation therapy for local control. Patients and Methods Treatment failure was categorized as local, regional nodal, or distant metastatic. The 5-year cumulative risk of failure was estimated for each category and factors predictive of local failure risk were determined using the Cox model and binary recursive partitioning. Results The estimated 5-year cumulative incidence rates by failure category were: total local (with or without concurrent regional or distant failure), 19%; total regional nodal, 2%; total distant, 11%; and death from toxicity or unknown recurrence type, 4%. Lymph node involvement at diagnosis was the single factor most predictive of increased total local failure risk (5-year cumulative incidence 32%) compared with chil...
Growth and optoelectronic properties of III-nitride quaternary alloys

ABSTRACT InA1GaiN quaternary alloys with different In and Al compositions were grown on sapphire substrates with GaNbuffer by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). Optical properties of these quaternary alloys were studied by picosecond time-resolved photoluminescence. Our studies have revealed that InAlGaiN quaternary alloys with lattice matched with GaN (y4.7x) have the highest optical quality. More importantly, we can achieve not only higher emission energies but also higher emission intensities (or quantum efficiencies) in JnMGa1Nquaternary alloys than that of GaN. The quantum efficiency of InALGaiN quaternary alloys was also enhancedsignificantly over A1GaN alloys with a comparable Al content. We have also fabricated ultraviolet (UV)photoconductive detectors based on InAlGai.N/GaN qUaternary alloy heterostructures. We found that withvarying In and Al compositions, the cut-off wavelength of the InAlGai.N detectors could be varied to the deepUv range tnd that the responsivity of the InAlGaiN quaternary alloys exceeded that of A1GaN alloys withcomparable cut-off wavelengths by a factor of five. This showed that InAlGai.N quaternary alloys is a veryimportant material for solar-blind UV detector applications particularly in the deep UV range where Al rich
Developmental Regulation of Cell Interactions in the Arabidopsis fiddlehead-1 Mutant: A Role for the Epidermal Cell Wall and Cuticle

Although the plant epidermis serves primarily a protective role, during plant development some epidermal cells specialize, becoming competent to interact not only with pollen but also with other epidermal cells. In the former case, these interactions mediate recognition, germination, and pollen growth responses and, in the latter case, result in interorgan fusions which, most commonly, alter floral architecture in ways that are thought to promote reproductive success. In either case, all of the initial signaling events must take place across the cell wall and cuticle. In Arabidopsis, mutation of the FIDDLEHEAD gene alters the shoot epidermis such that all epidermal cells become competent to participate in both types of interactions. In fdh-1 mutants, epidermal cells manifest not only a contact-mediated fusion response but also interact with pollen. Since carpel epidermal derivatives manifest both of these properties, we postulated that fdh-1 epidermal cells were ectopically expressing a carpel-like program. In this report we demonstrate that manifestation of the fdh-1 phenotype does not require the product of the AGAMOUS gene, indicating that the phenotype is either independent of the carpel development program or that fdh-1 mutations activate a carpel-specific developmental program downstream of the AG gene. Furthermore, we demonstrate that plants bearing mutations in the fdh-1 gene show significant changes in cell wall and cuticular permeability. Biochemical analyses of the lipid composition of the crude cell wall fraction reveal that fdh-1 cell walls differ from wild-type and manifest significant changes in high-molecular-weight lipid peaks. These results suggest that cell wall and cuticular permeability may be important determinants in developmental signaling between interacting cells and implicate lipids as important factors in modulating the selectivity of the permeability barrier presented by the epidermal cell wall and cuticle.
A programmable high-resolution ultra-fast delay generator

This paper presents a high-resolution, low-dead-time digital delay method in which the performance is independent of the total delay time. We have implemented a low-dead-time (50 ns) and high-resolution (/spl plusmn/0.9 ns) delay generator with delay times up to hundreds of milliseconds. We propose high-resolution whole-body positron emission tomograghy (PET) with a 12-module photomultiplier tube-quadrant- sharing (PQS) detector design. This high-resolution delay unit is an important part of the new PET electronics in which a high-yield pileup event recovery (HYPER) method is used. Using the HYPER method, the energy/position signals are generated or digitized upon the arrival of the next event (arriving at a random time after the present event). If the present event is piled up by the next event, the energy/position signals are no longer synchronized with the leading edge of the triggering signal. To detect a coincidence event by using the HYPER method, the original trigger signal must be delayed by a fixed time (1.5 /spl mu/s for a PET using a bismuth germinate crystal) and a new synchronization process must also be set up between the delayed trigger and the energy/position signals before being passed to the coincidence detection electronics. Each HYPER processor requires one delay generator; there are 48 delay units inside the whole PET system. This high-resolution delay generator also can be used in other PET systems in which a delay is needed to synchronize the fast timing trigger to the slower integration or detection address outputs; this low timing jitter delay can also be applied to automatic test equipment and communications.
Modeling and Handling Uncertainty in Deception Detection

Deception detection (DD) is infused with uncertainty due to vagueness and imprecision. To address the above issue, we developed a Model of Uncertainty in Deception Detection (MUDD) and selected the Neuro-Fuzzy classifier to predict deception. A Neuro-fuzzy model integrates the fuzzy set and logic for handling uncertainty with artificial neural network for learning DD models from the data. The performance of the models was empirically tested with deception data collected from synchronous computer-mediated communication. The results show that the performance of the Neuro-fuzzy model is comparable to that of the best model from the traditional machine learning paradigm. Moreover, they have better interpretability, stability, and reliability. We can draw significant theoretical, mathematical, and practical implications to the deception research from this study.
A simulation study for comparing fixed with Variable Sampling Interval Shewhart X-bar control charts in the presence of undetected autocorrelated data

This article describes a simulation to compare the effectiveness of Variable Sampling Intervals (VSI) with Fixed Sampling Intervals (FSI). This comparison is made using both techniques in conjunction with Shewhart X-bar charts and data that are unknowingly positively autocorrelated. Simulation was essential to providing these research results because to date no theoretical solution addresses the performance of the VSI Shewhart X-bar chart when the data are autocorrelated. Control limits, calculated from initial sample observations, are utilized. The use of VSI is found to cause a quicker time to signal for an out of control process. We conclude that while the use of variable sampling intervals is advantageous when a large shift in the mean is expected, the VSI procedure is more sensitive to the impact of autocorrelation.
Polymicrobial sepsis enhances clearance of apoptotic immune cells by splenic macrophages.

Background Macrophage phagocytosis of apoptotic cells induces an anti-inflammatory macrophage phenotype. Immune cell apoptosis is widespread in sepsis; however, it is unknown whether sepsis alters the capacity of macrophages to clear this expanded population. We hypothesize that sepsis will enhance splenic macrophage phagocytosis of apoptotic immune cells, potentially contributing to immunosuppression. Methods Sepsis was induced in C57BL/6J mice by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). Apoptosis was induced in mouse thymocytes by dexamethasone incubation. At multiple time points after CLP/sham, splenic and peritoneal macrophages were isolated, plated on glass coverslips, co-incubated with apoptotic thymocytes, and fixed and the coverslips were then Giemsa stained. Splenic macrophages were also isolated 48 hours after CLP/sham, stained with the red fluorescent dye PKH26, and co-incubated with green fluorescent dye CFSE-stained apoptotic thymocytes and then coverslips were fixed and counterstained with DAPI. The macrophage phagocytic index (PI) was calculated for both staining methods. Results The PI of CLP splenic macrophages was significantly higher than sham by 24 hours, and this difference was sustained through 48 hours. Conclusions Studies suggest that apoptotic cell clearance leads to an anti-inflammatory macrophage condition, which together with our findings in septic macrophages, may point at a process that contributes to septic immune suppression.
Yeast prions: Inheritance by seeded protein polymerization?

Abstract Recent studies suggest that certain proteins may have properties that used to be thought specific to nucleic acids – they can transmit heritable traits in yeast and neurodegenerative diseases in mammals by a common mechanism, seeded protein polymerization.
Mechanisms of radiation-induced neoplastic transformation of human bronchial epithelial cells.

Abstract Zhao, Y. L., Piao, C. Q., Hall, E. J. and Hei, T. K. Mechanisms of Radiation-Induced Neoplastic Transformation of Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells. Carcinogenesis is a multistage process with sequences of genetic events that govern the phenotypic expression of a series of transformation steps that lead to the development of metastatic cancer. To better understand the mechanisms involved in human bronchial carcinogenesis induced by α particles from radon, we have developed a model of neoplastic transformation based on human papillomavirus-immortalized human bronchial epithelial (BEP2D) cells. Cells exposed to α particles become tumorigenic after progressing through a series of sequential stages including altered growth pattern, resistance to serum-induced terminal differentiation, agar-positive growth, tumorigenicity, and metastasis, with each step representing a necessary yet insufficient step toward the later, more malignant phase. Cell fusion studies indicated that the radiation-induced tumorig...
The Interaction between CD8+ Cytotoxic T Cells and Leishmania-infected Macrophages

Leishmania is resident within the macrophages of its vertebrate host. In any intramacrophage infection, where the pathogen is present in a form capable of mediating cell to cell transmission, the contribution of a cytotoxic T cell response to protective immunity is questionable. This study presents data from an in vitro model designed to elucidate the outcome of an interaction between CD8+, cytotoxic T cells and infected macrophages. Experiments were conducted with an H-2d-restricted, cytotoxic CD8+ T cell clone and Leishmania parasites present in mixed macrophage cultures, with the parasites confined to either histocompatible BALB/c macrophages, or incompatible CBA macrophages. Initial experiments indicated that the viability of Leishmania was unaffected by the lysis of its host macrophage by cytotoxic T cells. However, extended experiments showed that the parasites were killed between 24 and 72 h. The same results were obtained regardless of whether the parasites were resident in the target, BALB/c, macrophages or the bystander, CBA, macrophages. Addition of neutralizing, anti-IFN-g antibody to the cultures ablated most of the leishmanicidal behavior, indicating that parasite death was attributable to macrophage activation, resulting from cytokine secretion from the T cells following the initial recognition event.
Targeting Src-family kinase activation and downstream molecular events to overcome MM cell growth, survival, and drug-resistance.

Abstract IL-6 induces growth and survival factor in multiple myeloma (MM) via ERK and Akt signaling cascades. Our recent studies difined early signaling events mediating phosphorylation of ERK and Akt-1: specifically, a gp130/Hck- containing complex plays a pivotal role in Hck- mediated phosphorylation of Grb2- associated binder (Gab) family adapter proteins thereby mediating downstream signaling (Podar et al, 2004). We have also shown that IL-6 triggers resistance to dexamethasone via a PI3kinase/ Akt-1 signaling pathway by specific activation of SHP2 phosphatase, withsubsequent blockade of related adhesion focal tyrosine kinase (Chauhan et al, 2000). In the present study we first evaluated AP 23464, a potent adenosine 5′-triphosphate (ATP)- based inhibitor of Src kinase (ARIAD Pharmaceuticals Inc., Cambridge, MA), for its effect on proliferation and survival in MM cells. Our results show that AP23464 markedly inhibits both IL-6- triggered Hck activation and the association of Gab adapter protein Gab1 with SH2- domain containing protein- tyrosine phosphatase - 2 (SHP2). Consequently, AP23464 both inhibited MM cell proliferation, as evidenced by 3H[dT] uptake, and induced apoptosis, evidenced by marked increase in sub-G1 phase cells. In contrast, proliferation of normal donor peripheral blood mononuclear cells remained unchanged. Next we investigated the role of Gab-1- SHP2 association mediating IL-6- induced resistance to dexamethasone, and conversely, the effect of inhibition by AP23464. Specifically, we determined whether IL-6- triggered Gab1- SHP2 binding is required for both RAFTK binding to SHP2 and associated IL-6- mediated dexamethasone resistance in MM cells. Utilizing wild- type Gab1 and SHP2- Gab1 binding mutants, our results show marked reduction in IL-6- triggered SHP2- RAFTK association. Moreover, IL-6- triggered resistance to dexamethasone was markedly inhibited in MM cells transfected with SHP2- Gab1 mutants, but not with wild type- Gab1. Importantly, AP23464 downregulated IL-6- mediated resistance to dexamethasone in a dose- dependent manner. Taken together, the present study shows anti-MM effects of AP23464, including abrogation of IL-6- induced dexamethasone resistance via inhibition of SHP2/ RAFTK- binding to Gab1. These studies provide the preclinical basis for the therapeutic evaluation of AP23464, alone or in combination with dexamethsoneto improve patient outcome in MM.
Developing the School Physical Activity and Nutrition Environment Tool to Measure Qualities of the Obesogenic Context.

BACKGROUND Practical tools are needed that reliably measure the complex physical activity (PA) and nutrition environments of elementary schools that influence children's health and learning behaviors for obesity prevention. The School Physical Activity and Nutrition-Environment Tool (SPAN-ET) was developed and beta tested in 6 rural Oregon elementary schools. METHODS Extension educators were trained to assess elementary school PA and nutrition environments using the SPAN-ET. Two auditors per school worked with school health stakeholders and collected data via document review, interviews, and direct observations. A reliability analysis using percent agreement and kappa statistics was performed to determine consistency between independent auditors. Content analyses of qualitative data were used to triangulate intercoder ratings, verify evidence, and improve reliability. RESULTS Across the 6 schools, for all 182 measured criteria (PA = 103; nutrition = 79), the percent agreement ranged from 80.8% to 96.8% and kappa from 0.61% to 0.94. CONCLUSION The SPAN-ET was a reliable instrument for assessing the quality of elementary school PA and nutrition environments, and a sensitive measure for objectively identifying specific attributes of SPAN-ET areas of interest to target for school environmental and policy improvements aimed at supporting students' obesity preventing behaviors.
Use of Nutrient Self-Selection as a Diet Refining Tool in Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

Abstract A new method to refine existing dietary supplements for improving production of the yellow mealworm, Tenebrio molitor L. (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), was tested. Self-selected ratios of 6 dietary ingredients by T. molitor larvae were used to produce a dietary supplement. This supplement was compared with existing supplement formulations mixed with wheat bran at 1:4 ratio and a control consisting of wheat bran alone for food utilization efficiency, larval growth, development time, immature survival, and fecundity. Ingredients of dietary supplements included dry potato as a source of carbohydrate; dry egg white and soy protein as a source of protein and; peanut, canola, and salmon oil as a source of lipid. A supplement consisting of dry potato alone significantly improved food utilization, growth, development time, survival, and fecundity compared with the wheat bran-only control group. The addition of protein to the supplement significantly shortened development time and improved food conversion e...
Augmentative Communication:: Selection of an Initial Vocabulary

Selection of an initial vocabulary is a critical element in the implementation of any augmentative communication technique. This article reviews the literature on the subject then proposes a proced...
Affinity labeling of steroid binding sites. Study of the active site of 20-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase with 6-beta- and 11 alpha-bromoacetoxyprogesterone.

6β- and 11α-Bromoacetoxyprogesterone were synthesized to further characterize the active site of 20β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase from Streptomyces hydrogenans. Both of the affinity-labeling steroids react with cysteine, histidine, methionine, and 2-mercaptoethanol in 0.05 m phosphate buffer at pH 7.0, 25°, and are substrates for the enzyme, with apparent Km values of 2.0 x 10-5 and 2.78 x 10-5 m , respectively. 6β- and 11α-Bromoacetoxyprogesterone inactivate 20β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.53) in an irreversible and time-dependent manner. Inactivation follows pseudo-first order kinetics with t1/2 values of 22 min and 12 hours, respectively. 6β-[2-3H]Bromoacetoxyprogesterone and 11α-[2-3H]bromoacetoxyprogesterone were synthesized in order to radiolabel the enzyme active site. The amount of radioactivity incorporated during inactivation indicated that each steroid labels a single amino acid. Amino acid analysis of acid hydrolysates of the radiolabeled enzyme revealed that 6β-bromoacetoxyprogesterone reacts with a cysteine residue and 11α-bromoacetoxyprogesterone reacts with a methionine residue within the active site. The degree of mobility of a steroidal substrate at the active site is discussed on the basis of our earlier and present affinity-labeling experiments.
smFRET and DEER Distance Measurements as Applied to Disordered and Structured Proteins

FRET and DEER are two spectroscopic methods that are widely applied for biophysical studies of protein structure. Both methods are based on measuring dipolar interactions - electrical dipoles in case of FRET and magnetic dipoles in case of DEER - between specifically labeled protein sites. The experimental data are then analyzed to derive the distance between the interacting dipoles and relate this distance to the structure of biomacromolecule(s). Molecular volume of EPR labels is generally smaller vs. that of the fluorescent probes and DEER experiments can be carried out by labeling cysteines with identical molecular tags whereas FRET typically relies on orthogonal labeling with distinct donor and acceptor fluorophores. Another essential difference is that FRET can be performed under physiological conditions, but DEER typically requires cryogenic or near cryogenic temperatures because of short phase memory time for nitroxides at ambient conditions. Finally, single molecule (sm) FRET reports on conformation of individual protein molecules whereas DEER provides information on ensemble average. While the distance ranges of these two methods overlaps the direct comparison of FRET and DEER data is rarely found in the literature. Here we report on the distance measurements and conformational states using both smFRET and DEER on three protein systems. We attached probes to a unique pair of cysteines in the neuronal SNARE protein SNAP-25. SNAP-25 is highly disordered in isolation, but it folds into a stable alpha-helix bundle upon forming SNARE complex with syntaxin and synaptobrevin. We also labeled intrinsically disordered Glutamate Receptor Cytoplasmic Domain N2B. Results of smFRET and DEER distances and distance distribution are compared for disordered SNAP-25 and folded SNAP-25 within the SNARE complex and for disordered N2B.
Technology in the Field

If you are going to the trouble of travelling a long way to ask someone about their language, you want to have some way of recording their answers. You might want the recordings later on so that you can check your transcriptions. Perhaps the narratives you’ve recorded will be used for a talking book, or maybe you transcribed your recordings with one aim in mind and later will wish to go back to them for other data. Transcriptions are a pale shadow compared to the original audio and video.
Hicksian Non-Linearity

In Value and Capital (Hicks, 1939) Hicks strongly foreshadows the view made famous in his Contribution to the Theory of The Trade Cycle (Hicks, 1950). In the culmination of Chapter XXIV, one can see the germination of a theory of the trade cycle that was later to appear in The Trade Cycle. A stripped-down version of Hicks’s Trade Cycle macro model postulates an investment accelerator function of the difference of lagged output together with a consumption function of lagged output that combines with material balance to generate a unique unstable steady state. The model is completed by postulating an exogenously imposed floor on investment and ceilings on invest-ment and output. In symbols it can be written: $$F[Y(t)] = C[Y(t - 1)] + I[Y(t - 1) - Y(t - 2)]$$ where Y(t) is aggregate output at date t, C(-) is the consumption function, I(·) is the investment function, and F is a function of output. Both F and I are non-linear to capture the effects of floors and ceilings.
The Effect of Delivery System and Light Activation on Tooth Whitening Efficacy and Hydrogen Peroxide Penetration.

PURPOSE To evaluate the whitening efficacy of a new two-layer technology in-office system compared to a conventional gel-type system and determine hydrogen peroxide penetration (HPP) into the pulp cavity. MATERIALS AND METHODS Extracted molars (n = 60) were assigned to group NC: glycerol gel; group QPRO: 20% HP varnish (Zoom Quick Pro, Philips Oral Healthcare); group ZOOM_NL: 25% HP gel (Zoom Chairside Whitening); and group ZOOM_WL: 25% HP gel (Zoom Chairside Whitening) with light-activation. HPP levels were estimated with leucocrystal-violet and horseradish-peroxidase. Instrumental color measurements were performed at baseline (T0 ), 1-day post first whitening (T1 ), 1-day post second whitening (T2 ), 1-day post third whitening (T3 ), and 1-month post whitening (T4 ). One-way analysis of variance followed by post hoc Tukey's HSD test was performed to detect difference in ΔE* and HP penetration levels (α = 0.05). RESULTS ΔE* of NC was lower than other groups, whereas ΔE* of ZOOM_WL was greater than the other three groups, at T3 and T4 . Mean HPP level obtained from ZOOM_WL (1.568 ± 0.753 μg/mL) was significantly greater than those obtained from the other groups, whereas the mean HPP level observed in NC group (-0.131 ± 0.003 μg/mL) was significantly lower than the other groups. CONCLUSIONS Tooth whitening efficacy and HPP levels vary based on whitening systems used. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE The two-layer technology in-office varnish system may be an alternative whitening option to reduce chair time in the office. (J Esthet Restor Dent 28:313-320, 2016).
Neoadjuvant long‐course chemoradiation remains strongly favored over short‐course radiotherapy by radiation oncologists in the United States

BACKGROUND Short-course radiotherapy (SC-RT) and long-course chemoradiotherapy (LC-CRT) are accepted neoadjuvant treatments of rectal cancer. In the current study, the authors surveyed US radiation oncologists to assess practice patterns and attitudes regarding SC-RT and LC-CRT for patients with rectal cancer. METHODS The authors distributed a survey to 1701 radiation oncologists regarding treatment of neoadjuvant rectal cancer. Respondents were asked questions regarding the number of patients with rectal cancer treated, preference for SC-RT versus LC-CRT, and factors influencing regimen choice. RESULTS Of 1659 contactable physicians, 182 responses (11%) were received. Approximately 83% treated at least 5 patients with rectal cancer annually. The majority of responding radiation oncologists (96%) preferred neoadjuvant LC-CRT for the treatment of patients with locally advanced rectal cancer and 44% never used SC-RT. Among radiation oncologists using SC-RT, respondents indicated they would not recommend this regimen for patients with low (74%) or bulky tumors (70%) and/or concern for a positive circumferential surgical resection margin (69%). The most frequent reasons for not offering SC-RT were insufficient downstaging for sphincter preservation (53%) and a desire for longer follow-up (45%). Many radiation oncologists indicated they would prescribe SC-RT for patients not receiving chemotherapy (62%) or patients with a geographic barrier to receiving LC-CRT (82%). Patient comorbidities appeared to influence regimen preferences for 79% of respondents. Approximately 20% of respondents indicated that altered oncology care reimbursement using capitated payment by diagnosis would impact their consideration of SC-RT. CONCLUSIONS US radiation oncologists rarely use neoadjuvant SC-RT despite 3 randomized controlled trials demonstrating no significant differences in outcome compared with LC-CRT. Further research is necessary to determine whether longer follow-up coupled with the benefits of lower cost, increased patient convenience, and lower acute toxicity will increase the adoption of SC-RT by radiation oncologists in the United States. Cancer 2017;123:1434–1441. © 2016 American Cancer Society.
Minimal Physical Features Required for Social Robots

Social robotics strives to create robots that enable social interactions similar to those experienced between two humans with the goal to increase performance in human-robot interaction (HRI). This...
Using Hydrogen Bond Surrogate Technology to Stabilize Beta-Hairpins

Beta-hairpins are comprised of two β-strands connected by a short hairpin loop. The β-hairpin motif is critical in many protein folds and diverse protein-protein interactions (PPIs). Extensive studies on the forces governing β-hairpin folding and stability have led to the development of many strategies for β-hairpin stabilization, including side-chain cross-linking, rigid loop mimics, and macrocyclization. While these strategies have provided valuable insight into β-hairpin behavior, sacrifice of side chains may limit their application in the design and evaluation of β-hairpin PPI inhibitors. To overcome these challenges, we investigated the hydrogen bond surrogate (HBS) strategy as a method for β-hairpin stabilization. Previous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of the HBS strategy in nucleation and stabilization of peptides in the α-helical conformation. Alpha-helix nucleation is accomplished by replacing the N-terminal backbone hydrogen bond with a covalent bond using ring-closing olefin metathesis on alkene substrates positioned at the i and i+4 peptide positions. Importantly, mimicry of a backbone hydrogen bond yields peptides with a full complement of side-chain functional groups. Our model system is a well-characterized β-hairpin derived from the B1 domain of protein G (GB1). The HBS macrocycle was formed on solid support by joining alkenes that mimic a hydrogen bond between the peptide's N- and C-termini. Conformational stabilities of unconstrained and HBS peptides were evaluated by circular dichroism (CD) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Consistent with previous results, we find that the unconstrained peptides show weak propensity for the β-hairpin conformation while HBS macrocyclization significantly increases β-hairpin propensity. We envision that the HBS strategy will be generally effective in stabilizing diverse β-hairpin sequences.
Abstract 218: Orphan Nuclear Receptor Nur77 is a Novel Negative Regulator of ET-1 Expression in Vascular Endothelial Cells

Objective Endothelin-1 (ET-1), a vasoactive peptide mainly produced by vascular endothelial cells, plays an important role in the regulation of vascular tone and the development of cardiovascular diseases. The objective of the present study is to identify the novel regulators implicated in the regulation of ET-1 expression in vascular endothelial cells (ECs), and to determine the molecular mechanism involved. Method and Results by using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), we showed that either ectopic expression of Nur77 or pharmacological activation of Nur77 by 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) substantially inhibited the ET-1 expression, under both basal and thrombin stimulated conditions, in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Furthermore, knockdown of Nur77 enhances both basal and thrombin induced ET-1 expression, suggesting that Nur77 is a negative regulator of the ET-1 expression in vascular ECs. Inhibition of ET-1 expression by Nur77 mainly occurs at the gene transcriptional levels, since Nur77 potently inhibited the ET-1 promoter activity, without affecting the ET-1 mRNA stability. As shown in electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), Nur77 over-expression substantially inhibited both basal and thrombin stimulated transcriptional activity of AP-1, which is a critical transcriptional factor implicated in the ET-1 expression in ECs. Mechanistically, we found that Nur77 specially interacts with c-Jun in the nuclear fraction of endothelial cells by immunoprecipitation and inhibits the AP-1 dependent c-Jun promoter activity, which eventually leads to the decreased expression of c-Jun, a critical component for both AP-1 transcriptional activity and ET-1 expression in ECs. Conclusions These results demonstrate for the first time that Nur77 is a novel negative regulator of the ET-1 expression in vascular ECs through an inhibitory interaction with c-Jun/AP-1 pathway. Targeting Nur77 may represent a potentially novel therapeutic strategy for preventing certain cardiovascular diseases, such as atherosclerosis, vascular complications of diabetes, and pulmonary artery hypertension.
Home-based therapy for chronic Wernicke's aphasia.

Many stroke survivors experience language impairments (aphasia) beyond 6 months to 1 year after the stroke. Language is a fundamental element in human interaction, and aphasia is independently associated with less participation in rehabilitation programmes, depression and worse quality of life.1–3 Nonetheless, aphasia is not an untreatable condition. Speech therapy can be greatly effective to improve verbal communication, even many years after the stroke.4 The problem resides in the fact that not all stroke survivors benefit equally from therapy; some achieve remarkable improvements, whereas others show no response. Moreover, effective treatment usually means several hours over many days of …
Frequencies of Private Mentions and Sharing of Mammography and Breast Cancer Terms on Facebook: A Pilot Study.

Background: The most popular social networking site in the United States is Facebook, an online forum where circles of friends create, share, and interact with each other’s content in a nonpublic way. Objective: Our objectives were to understand (1) the most commonly used terms and phrases relating to breast cancer screening, (2) the most commonly shared website links that other women interacted with, and (3) the most commonly shared website links, by age groups. Methods: We used a novel proprietary tool from Facebook to analyze all of the more than 1.7 million unique interactions (comments on stories, reshares, and emoji reactions) and stories associated with breast cancer screening keywords that were generated by more than 1.1 million unique female Facebook users over the 1 month between November 15 and December 15, 2016. We report frequency distributions of the most popular shared Web content by age group and keywords. Results: On average, each of 59,000 unique stories during the month was reshared 1.5 times, commented on nearly 8 times, and reacted to more than 20 times by other users. Posted stories were most often authored by women aged 45-54 years. Users shared, reshared, commented on, and reacted to website links predominantly to e-commerce sites (12,200/1.7 million, 36% of all the most popular links), celebrity news (n=8800, 26%), and major advocacy organizations (n=4900, 15%; almost all accounted for by the American Cancer Society breast cancer site). Conclusions: On Facebook, women shared and reacted to links to commercial and informative websites regarding breast cancer and screening. This information could inform patient outreach regarding breast cancer screening, indirectly through better understanding of key issues, and directly through understanding avenues for paid messaging to women authoring and reacting to content in this space. [J Med Internet Res 2017;19(6):e201]