cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Amyloidosis

Amyloidosis is a disease in which abnormal proteins form fibrillar tissue deposits that can compromise key viscera and lead to early death. In order to treat amyloidosis, the type of abnormal protein must be identified. The most common type is monoclonal immunoglobulin light chain or AL amyloidosis; the other important type is hereditary, caused by variant forms of transthyretin and other proteins, whereas amyloid associ-ated with chronic inflammation (“secondary≓) is rare in the developed world. AL can be misdiagnosed if a monoclonal gammopathy and a hereditary variant are present in the same patient. The aim of therapy in systemic AL amyloidosis is to reduce the amyloid-forming monoclonal light chain, measured with the serum free light chain assay, by suppressing the underlying plasma cell dyscrasia, while using supportive measures to sustain organ function. Amyloid deposits can be resorbed and organ function restored if the amyloid-forming precursor light chain is eliminated. The most effective treatment for systemic AL amyloidosis is risk-adapted melphalan with peripheral blood stem cell transplant (SCT). The hematologic response rate is 75% at 12 months when adjuvant therapy with thalidomide and dexamethasone is used post-SCT. Patients can achieve long-term durable remissions with organ recovery. Drugs effective in multiple myeloma are usually helpful in AL amyloidosis if tolerated. The use of novel antibody-based approaches for imaging amyloid and possibly for accelerating removal of deposits is under active investigation.
The Sur7 cytoplasmic C terminus regulates morphogenesis and stress responses in Candida albicans

MCC/eisosome subdomains of the plasma membrane promote proper cell wall morphogenesis that is critical for the fungal pathogen Candida albicans to grow invasively and resist stressful environments in the host. Sur7 localizes to MCC/eisosomes and is needed for their function, so in this work, the role of this tetraspan membrane protein was studied by mutagenesis. Deletion mutant analysis showed that the N-terminal region containing the four transmembrane domains mediates Sur7 localization to MCC/eisosomes. Mutation of 32 conserved residues in the N-terminal region indicated that extracellular loop 1 is important, although these mutants generally displayed weak phenotypes. Surprisingly, two Cys residues in a conserved motif in extracellular loop 1 were not important. However, deletion of the entire 15 amino acid motif revealed that it was needed for proper membrane trafficking of Sur7. Deletion and substitution mutagenesis showed that the C terminus is important for resisting cell wall stress. This is significant as it indicates Sur7 carries out an important role in the cytoplasm. Altogether, these results indicate that the N-terminal region localizes Sur7 to MCC/eisosomes and that the C-terminal domain promotes responses in the cytoplasm needed for cell wall morphogenesis and stress resistance.
The treatment of coronary artery disease with disodium EDTA. A reappraisal.

Abstract At the end of four years of treatment in 10 patients and after one and a half to three years in 28 others, a re-appraisal of the effect of EDTA therapy on arteriosclerotic coronary disease is reported. Whereas after three months of treatment 66 per cent of these 38 patients exhibited improved anginal patterns (their own impressions and measured exercise tolerance) and 40 per cent showed improved electrocardiographic patterns, none of these effects was lasting. At the time of this report 12 of the 38 were dead of their original disease (32%) and only 40 per cent remained clinically improved. At present we believe that chelation as used in this study did not benefit patients more than other commonly used therapeutic methods. It is not a useful clinical tool in the treatment of coronary disease at the present time.
A comprehensive framework of factory-to-factory dynamic fleet-level prognostics and operation management for geographically distributed assets

This paper proposes a comprehensive Prognostics and Health Management (PHM) framework for large fleets of geographically distributed assets. The objective of this research study is to optimize spare part inventory according to asset performance, ensuring efficient and consistent production and extended machine life. The concept of asset condition monitoring and performance prediction along with optimizing maintenance operation is proposed by leveraging existing fleet-level PHM and Decision Support Tools (DST). Dynamic clustering methodology is adopted to equip the prediction model with the ability to adaptive update. And the impact of performance degradation to production loss is evaluated through risk assessment to link asset performance with production.
Evidence-based practice for the busy nurse practitioner: part one: relevance to clinical practice and clinical inquiry process

Purpose: Evidence-based practice (EBP) continues to gain momentum within health care. The purpose of this four-part EBP series is to provide an introductory overview of the EBP process, emphasizing EBP steps one through three, in order to assist nurse practitioners (NPs) in building EBP skills that can be integrated into clinical practice. The relevance of EBP to the NP's clinical practice, an introduction to the EBP process steps, and clinical inquiry process begin the series. Data sources: Scientific literature review, gray literature, and online evidence-based practice databases and resources. Conclusions: EBP has become increasingly important to NPs, yet there is evidence suggesting it is not being fully implemented in clinical practice. EBP is one way to keep the busy NP's knowledge up to date, enhance clinical judgment, and augment the existing provider–client decision-making process. Implications for practice: The principles of EBP have become the cornerstone strategy for NPs to translate research findings into clinical practice. Practicing in an ever-changing healthcare environment, NPs have a responsibility to provide their clients with the best available evidence, while incorporating that evidence into the provider–client decision-making process.
Fundamentals of Bacterial and Viral Genetics

Before beginning the formal study of the genetics of bacteria and their viruses, it is important to have a clear understanding of the fundamentals of microbial cell structure and of basic viral processes. This chapter briefly reviews cell anatomy as well as genetic terminology and processes with respect to bacteria, yeast, and viruses. More detailed coverage of major genetic processes is provided in later chapters. However, these summaries are essential for understanding some of the experiments presented in the next few chapters.
Sonar Signal Processing

The sections in this article are 1 A Brief History of Sonar Signal Processing 2 Sound in the Ocean 3 Functions of Sonar Signal Processing 4 Scattering and Signal Modeling 5 Conclusion
Estimating vascular plant species richness on Horn Island, Mississippi using small-footprint airborne LIDAR.

Most remote sensing studies of species diversity have been based on the use of passive imagery representing the horizontal dimensions of ecosystems. However, LIDAR (light detection and ranging), provides a means to accurately quantify vertical structure. The goal of this study was to evaluate vascular plant species richness on a coastal barrier island using indicators of community vertical structure derived from airborne, multiple-return LIDAR data. Returns from a 3 m buffer area surrounding each of 90, 15 m vegetation line transects were extracted from LIDAR data of Horn Island, Mississippi, acquired in April, 2004. LIDAR indices did not correlate with richness when data for all habitats were combined. When habitats were considered separately, several LIDAR indices correlated significantly (p 0.05) with richness in marsh, meadow and woodland habitats. Best-fit indices indicated the importance of vegetation height and structural complexity in estimating plant species richness.
Practical, low-effort equivalence verification of real code

Verifying code equivalence is useful in many situations, such as checking: yesterday's code against today's, different implementations of the same (standardized) interface, or an optimized routine against a reference implementation. We present a tool designed to easily check the equivalence of two arbitrary C functions. The tool provides guarantees far beyond those possible with testing, yet it often requires less work than writing even a single test case. It automatically synthesizes inputs to the routines and uses bit-accurate, sound symbolic execution to verify that they produce equivalent outputs on a finite number of paths, even for rich, nested data structures. We show that the approach works well, even on heavily-tested code, where it finds interesting errors and gets high statement coverage, often exhausting all feasible paths for a given input size. We also show how the simple trick of checking equivalence of identical code turns the verification tool chain against itself, finding errors in the underlying compiler and verification tool.
Functional coupling between sulfonylurea receptor type 1 and a nonselective cation channel in reactive astrocytes from adult rat brain.

We previously identified a novel, nonselective cation channel in native reactive (type R1) astrocytes (NR1As) from injured rat brain that is regulated by cytoplasmic Ca2+ and ATP (NCCa-ATP) and exhibits sensitivity to block by adenine nucleotides similar to that of sulfonylurea receptor type 1 (SUR1). Here we show that SUR1 is involved in regulation of this channel. NR1As within the site of injury and after isolation exhibited specific binding of FITC-tagged glibenclamide and were immunolabeled with anti-SUR1 antibody, but not with anti-SUR2, anti-Kir6.1 or anti-Kir6.2 antibodies, indicating absence of ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP) channels. RT-PCR confirmed transcription of mRNA for SUR1 but not SUR2. Several properties previously associated exclusively with SUR1-regulated KATP channels were observed in patch-clamp experiments using Cs+ as the charge carrier: (1) the sulfonylureas, glibenclamide and tolbutamide, inhibited NCCa-ATP channels with EC50 values of 48 nm and 16.1 μm, respectively; (2) inhibition by sulfonylureas was lost after exposure of the intracellular face to trypsin or anti-SUR1 antibody; (3) channel inhibition was caused by a change in kinetics of channel closing, with no change in channel amplitude or open-channel dwell times; and (4) the SUR activator (“KATP channel opener”), diazoxide, activated the NCCa-ATP channel, whereas pinacidil and cromakalin did not. Also, glibenclamide prevented cell blebbing after ATP depletion, whereas blebbing was produced by exposure to diazoxide. Our data indicate that SUR1 is functionally coupled to the pore-forming portion of the NCCa-ATP channel, providing the first demonstration of promiscuity of SUR1 outside of the K+ inward rectifier family of channels.
Dual regulation of genes involved in acetoin biosynthesis and motility/biofilm formation by the virulence activator AphA and the acetate‐responsive LysR‐type regulator AlsR in Vibrio cholerae

AphA is a quorum sensing-regulated activator that initiates the virulence cascade in Vibrio cholerae by cooperating with the LysR-type regulator AphB at the tcpPH promoter on the Vibrio pathogenicity island (VPI). To identify the ancestral chromosomal genes in V. cholerae regulated by AphA, we carried out a microarray analysis and show here that AphA influences the expression of 15 genes not associated with the VPI. One set of genes strongly repressed by AphA is involved in the biosynthesis of acetoin, a product synthesized by a variety of bacteria that plays a role in preventing intracellular acidification and which is essential for the viability of V. cholerae in the presence of glucose. Also present in this operon are two putative signal transduction proteins with EAL and GGDEF domains that oppositely influence motility and biofilm formation. Gel mobility shift assays show that AphA binds to a site upstream of the first gene in the acetoin operon. Transcriptional lacZ fusions indicate that at low cell density AphA represses the expression of the acetoin genes up to 15-fold. Voges Proskauer tests confirm that deletion of AphA increases the production of acetoin under non-inducing conditions and also that the LysR-type regulator AlsR divergently transcribed from the operon is required for its production. This is the first report of a specific repressor protein involved in the transcriptional control of acetoin production as well as the co-regulation of these genes with those that influence motility and biofilm formation. The results here provide a model for the dual regulation of these processes by acetate and quorum sensing through AlsR and AphA.
Electronic counting rules for the stability of metal-silicon clusters

First principles electronic structure calculations have been carried out to examine the stability of cationic, neutral, and anionic $M{\mathrm{Si}}_{15}$, $M{\mathrm{Si}}_{16}$, and $M{\mathrm{Si}}_{17}$ ($M=\mathrm{Sc}$, Ti, and V) clusters. ${{\mathrm{ScSi}}_{16}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$, ${\mathrm{TiSi}}_{16}$, and ${{\mathrm{VSi}}_{16}}^{+}$ are found to be particularly stable in agreement with recent experiments. It is shown that the enhanced stability can be reconciled within a model where each Si atom coordinated to the metal contributes one electron to the valence pool. Clusters where the total number of valence electrons obtained by summing one electron from each Si site coordinated to metal atom and the valence electrons of the metal attain 20 are found to be particularly stable. Combined with the earlier reported stability at 18 electrons, it is proposed that such valence pools might be looked upon as a nearly free electron gas inside a silicon cage.
Effects of the PPARα Agonist and Widely Used Antihyperlipidemic Drug Gemfibrozil on Hepatic Toxicity and Lipid Metabolism

Gemfibrozil is a widely prescribed hypolipidemic agent in humans and a peroxisome proliferator and liver carcinogen in rats. Three-month feed studies of gemfibrozil were conducted by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) in male Harlan Sprague-Dawley rats, B6C3F1 mice, and Syrian hamsters, primarily to examine mechanisms of hepatocarcinogenicity. There was morphologic evidence of peroxisome proliferation in rats and mice. Increased hepatocyte proliferation was observed in rats, primarily at the earliest time point. Increases in peroxisomal enzyme activities were greatest in rats, intermediate in mice, and least in hamsters. These studies demonstrate that rats are most responsive while hamsters are least responsive. These events are causally related to hepatotoxicity and hepatocarcinogenicity of gemfibrozil in rodents via peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-α (PPARα) activation; however, there is widespread evidence that activation of PPARα in humans results in expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism, but not in hepatocellular proliferation.
Introduction Political Information Efficacy and Young Voters

With young voters reporting lower levels of political knowledge and information than older voters, and with young citizens often attributing their abstention from voting to their lack of political ...
Cyclic Oxidation of Fecraly/Al2o3 Composites

Three-ply FeCrAlY/Al2O3 composites and FeCrAlY matrix-only samples were cyclically oxidized at 1000 C and 1100 C for up to 1000 1-hr cycles. Fiber ends were exposed at the ends of the composite samples. Following cyclic oxidation, cracks running parallel to and perpendicular to the fibers were observed on the large surface of the composite. In addition, there was evidence of increased scale damage and spallation around the exposed fiber ends, particularly around the middle ply fibers. This damage was more pronounced at the higher temperature. The exposed fiber ends showed cracking between fibers in the outer plies, occasionally with Fe and Cr-rich oxides growing out of the cracks. Large gaps developed at the fiber/matrix interface around many of the fibers, especially those in the outer plies. Oxygen penetrated many of these gaps resulting in significant oxide formation at the fiber/matrix interface far within the composite sample. Around several fibers, the matrix was also internally oxidized showing Al2O3 precipitates in a radial band around the fibers. The results show that these composites have poor cyclic oxidation resistance due to the CTE mismatch and inadequate fiber/matrix bond strength at temperatures of 1000 C and above.
Glucose metabolism in severely burned patients.

We have used the simultaneous primed-constant infusion of 6-3H- and U-13C-glucose to investigate glucose metabolism in 15 severely burned patients. Although the mean basal insulin level was significantly elevated in burn patients, the basal rate of glucose production was significantly higher (p < 0.01) than the average value for normal volunteers. The mean basal rate of glucose uptake and clearance were also both elevated in burn patients, but a decreased percentage of uptake was completely oxidized directly to CO2. Rather, there was an increased rate of recycling of glucose carbons for reincorporation into glucose. Basal plasma concentrations of glucagon, catecholamines and cortisol were elevated in the burn patients, but no individual hormone or combination of hormone concentrations was correlated with any parameter of glucose metabolism. An exogenous glucose infusion caused an exaggerated insulin response in the burn patients. The extent of suppression of glucose production was comparable in burn patients and controls, but the high peripheral insulin concentration in the burn patients was not associated with a corresponding increase in the glucose clearance rate. Normoglycemia could be maintained during glucose infusion at 4 mg/kg · min if insulin was simultaneously infused, but approximately five times as much exogenous insulin was required in burn patients than in controls. We conclude that the burn patients had a decreased responsiveness to the action of insulin both at the liver and peripherally. Glucose production was high for the prevailing plasma insulin concentration, and high peripheral concentrations of insulin did not stimulate glucose clearance as anticipated from control studies.
Midbrain areas required for locomotion initiated by electrical stimulation of the lateral hypothalamus in the anesthetized rat.

Abstract Locomotor stepping in the Nembutal-anesthetized rat was elicited by electrical stimulation of either of two sites in the right or left posterolateral hypothalamus. Essential midbrain loci were identified by reversibly blocking the elicited locomotion through local injections of the anesthetic procaine (15%, 0.5 μl). Two types of critical midbrain sites were found. At ipsilateral block sites (n = 21), procaine blocked only that locomotion elicited by ipsilateral stimulation. These sites could be along the course of a direct descending ipsilateral pathway although a possible bidirectional pathway is not to be excluded. At bilateral block sites (n = 21), procaine blocked locomotion elicited by both ipsilateral and contralateral stimulation. These sites could be involved in functions prerequisite for the initiation of locomotion or in the generation of the stepping pattern. Procaine injections in 35 sites had no effect on locomotion. Ipsilateral and bilateral block sites were intermixed and generally located in regions ventral to the midbrain central gray: chiefly the anterior ventromedial midbrain, the pontis oralis nucleus and the pedunculopon-tine nucleus. Negative sites were located in both the dorsal and ventral midbrain. Ipsilateral block sites were relatively prevalent in the anterior midbrain, indicating that the locomotor initiation signals are lateralized at this level. Bilateral block sites were more prevalent in the posterior levels, suggesting that the initiation signals are proximal to, or interact with, circuits that have a bilateral influence on locomotion.
Cumulative illness severity and progression from moderate to severe retinopathy of prematurity.

To test cumulative neonatal illness severity (IS) and IS fluctuation as predictors of progression from moderate to severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Data from research databases and medical record review were collected for infants from four neonatal intensive care unit (NICUs) admitted between 1995 and 2001 and diagnosed with prethreshold ROP. Cumulative neonatal IS measured using daily Scores for Neonatal Acute Physiology (SNAP) for the first 28 days of life, and IS fluctuation as assessed by summing changes between daily SNAP scores, were tested as predictors of progression to threshold ROP using logistic regression. Infants progressing to threshold (n=79), compared to those not progressing to threshold (n=130), had significantly (P<0.05) lower gestational ages (25.2±1.1 versus 25.8±1.4 weeks), higher cumulative neonatal SNAP (255±77 versus 224±63 weeks) and had more severe hospitalizations as indicated by diagnoses and medical management. In regression analysis, gestational age, chronological age and presence of plus disease at first diagnosis of prethreshold were associated with development of threshold. After adjusting for these factors, cumulative neonatal SNAP was significantly associated with progression to threshold. However, addition of cumulative SNAP to the model only increased receiver-operating characteristic curve area from 0.77 to 0.78 (NS). Other factors, including SNAP fluctuation, were not associated with progression to threshold after adjustment using this model. Cumulative neonatal IS, as measured by cumulative SNAP, is an independent risk factor for progression from moderate to severe ROP. However, cumulative IS does not enhance assessment of risk for ROP progression after adjusting for simpler clinical factors.
Dental Patients’ Perceptions of Women Dentists

Stereotypic perceptions of women as less competent than men would seriously interfere with the ability of female dentists to establish their professional competency in the eyes of their patients. This study examines whether those stereotypes exist.
Limestone Corrosion by Neutrophilic Sulfur-Oxidizing Bacteria: A Coupled Microbe-Mineral System

Subsurface karst aquifers receiving sulfidic water can host complex chemolithotrophic microbial communities that are capable of dissolving limestone, forming new karstic habitat. Neutrophilic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria use reduced sulfur compounds as energy rich substrate, potentially producing sulfuric acid as a geochemically reactive byproduct. The physicochemical relationship between a biofilm forming on a limestone surface and the extent of microbial influence on dissolution rate, however, are unknown. We investigated the rate of Madison limestone dissolution by sulfur-oxidizers both in the field at Lower Kane Cave, WY (LKC), and in the laboratory using continuous flow culture reactors and microbial mat collected from LKC. In the field, a microbial consortium rapidly colonized limestone chips forming a thick biofilm, with deep etching of mineral surfaces underneath. In the laboratory we found that a microbial biofilm oxidizing thiosulfate on the limestone surface accelerated dissolution rate up to 7 ti...
High-Resolution Mobile Monitoring of Carbon Monoxide and Ultrafine Particle Concentrations in a Near-Road Environment

Assessment of near-road air quality is challenging in urban environments that have roadside structures, elevated road sections, or depressed roads that may impact the dispersion of traffic emissions. Vehicles traveling on arterial roadways may also contribute to air pollution spatial variability in urban areas. To characterize the nature of near-road air quality in a complex urban environment, an instrumented all-electric vehicle was deployed to perform high spatial- and temporal-resolution mapping of ultrafine particles (UFPs, particle diameter <100 nm) and carbon monoxide (CO). Sampling was conducted in areas surrounding a highway in Durham, NC, with multiple repeats of the driving route accomplished within a morning or evening commute time frame. Six different near-road transects were driven, which included features such as noise barriers, vegetation, frontage roads, and densely built houses. Under downwind conditions, median UFP and CO levels in near-road areas located 20-150 m from the highway were a factor of 1.8 and 1.2 higher, respectively, than in areas characterized as urban background. Sampling in multiple near-road neighborhoods during downwind conditions revealed significant variability in absolute UFP and CO concentrations as well as in the rate of concentration attenuation with increasing distance from the highway. During low-speed meandering winds, regional UFP and CO concentrations nearly doubled relative to crosswind conditions; however, near-road UFP levels were still higher than urban background levels by a factor of 1.2, whereas near-road CO concentrations were not significantly different than the urban background.
Electron transmission through a microsize tapered glass capillary

Abstract Transmission of 500, 800, and 1000 eV electrons through a tapered Borosilicate glass capillary was studied for the first time. Interestingly, almost no transmission was seen for the lowest energy (500 eV), while electrons were transmitted for the higher two energies. The time (charge) dependence of the electron transmission intensity at 1000 eV was examined for tilt angles up to 1.0° with sudden bursts of elastic transmission at the lower sample tilt angles occurring. No stable equilibrium was seen even at long charge times for the measured tilt angles. The results reveal unique features of electron transmission through tapered glass capillaries compared to what has been observed for highly charged ions and electrons so far.
Reflections of an outgoing ASA office holder

This is a brief report by an ASA Council member of efforts to get the council to accept new policies regarding social responsibility towards the most oppressed people in our society.
Free fatty acid levels in several species of arctic carnivores.

Abstract 1. 1. Plasma (free fatty acids) FFA concentrations were measured in six species of mammals at Point Barrow, Alaska in the summer (June and July) of 1969. 2. 2. FFA levels were two to three times higher than those of a key temperate-zone carnivore. 3. 3. Plasma FFA levels of most of the arctic species were greater than the levels found by others to be pathological in the temperature-zone dog or rabbit.
Power factor of active filtering systems

Solid state power conditioners have historically presented poor power factors to single phase supplies. An analysis technique is presented, while several typical input currents are discussed and waveform bounds presented which allow high (0.9) power factors.
Preference for Smooth Bromegrass Clones Is Affected by Divergent Selection for Nutritive Value

Selective grazing by sheep (Ovis aries) leads to diet improvement. To learn whether animals select the most nutritious food available, differences in percent consumption were determined among smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss.) clones selected for divergent levels of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) or in vitro dry matter disappearance (IVDMD). High- and low-NDF clones from a single population and high- and low-IVDMD clones from four populations were evaluated as spaced plants in separate replicated trials. Preference was determined by offering sheep grazing access to complete blocks comprised of both high and low selections. Pre- and post-grazing plant height and weight were measured and the differences used to calculate percent consumption, which was used as an indicator of preference. Preference and forage nutritive value were determined at three grazing periods in each of 2 yr. High-IVDMD clones (mean IVDMD = 700 g kg -1 ) were 12% more preferred (29 vs. 26% of height consumed) than low-IVDMD clones (mean IVDMD = 690 g kg -1 ). Low-NDF clones (mean NDF = 470 g kg -1 ) were 36% more preferred (34 vs. 25% of height consumed) than high-NDF clones (mean NDF = 505 g kg -1 ). Preference was positively correlated with IVDMD in three of four populations and negatively correlated with NDF. Sheep discriminated between equally-accessible, more- and less-nutritious clones and preferentially selected the more nutritious clones.
Contributions to late Archaean sulphur cycling by life on land

Life on land dates back at least 2.7 billion years, but the effects of this early terrestrial biosphere on biogeochemical cycling are poorly constrained. Marine sulphur data and geochemical modelling suggest that microbial pyrite weathering has transferred a substantial amount of sulphur to the oceans for at least 2.5 billion years.
Integrated Bayesian Hierarchical Choice Modeling to Capture Heterogeneous Consumer Preferences in Engineering Design

Choice models play a critical role in enterprise-driven design by providing a link between engineering design attributes and customer preferences. However, existing approaches do not sufficiently capture heterogeneous consumer preferences nor address the needs of complex design artifacts, which typically consist of many subsystems and components. An integrated Bayesian hierarchical choice modeling (IBHCM) approach is developed in this work, which provides an integrated solution procedure and a highly flexible choice modeling approach for complex system design. The hierarchical choice modeling framework utilizes multiple model levels corresponding to the complex system hierarchy to create a link between qualitative attributes considered by consumers when selecting a product and quantitative attributes used for engineering design. To capture heterogeneous and stochastic consumer preferences, the mixed logit choice model is used to predict consumer system-level choices, and the random-effects ordered logit model is used to model consumer evaluations of system and subsystem level design features. In the proposed approach, both systematic and random consumer heterogeneity are explicitly considered, the ability to combine multiple sources of data for model estimation and updating is provided using the Bayesian estimation methodology and an integrated estimation procedure is introduced to mitigate error propagated throughout the model hierarchy. The new modeling approach is validated using several metrics and validation techniques for behavior models. The benefits of the IBHCM method are demonstrated in the design of an automobile occupant package.
DOM characteristics along the continuum from river to receiving basin: a comparison of freshwater and saline transects

The chemical characteristics of bulk (sterile-filtered) and high molecular-weight dissolved organic matter (HMW DOM) were analyzed for freshwater (St. Louis River, Minnesota to Lake Superior) and saline (Elizabeth River, Virginia to Chesapeake Bay) river-to-receiving basin transects. Dissolved organic carbon concentrations and UV–Visible spectroscopy of bulk DOM demonstrated a reduction in organic carbon, colored DOM and aromatic compounds downstream in both transects. The proportion of DOM recoverable via ultrafiltration as HMW material also decreased downstream in both transects, although there was an offset in recoveries between the transects that may be explained by the effects of ionic strength and/or differences in ultrafiltration technique. The analysis of HMW DOM by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy illustrated similar trends between transects, with a general shift from aromatic/carboxylic compounds nearshore to aliphatic/carbohydrate materials offshore. The parallel changes observed along saline and freshwater transects imply that similar processes play significant roles in the down-gradient alteration of DOM and that ionic strength or pH changes cause second-order effects.
Structural interpretation of the vibrational spectra of a-Si: H alloys

The ir and Raman spectra of $a$-Si: H alloys produced by plasma decomposition of Si${\mathrm{H}}_{4}$ are studied for a wide range of deposition conditions. The vibrational spectra display modes which can be characterized as predominantly hydrogen motions. Analysis of these modes shows four types of local Si-H bonding environments which are identified as SiH, Si${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$, Si${\mathrm{H}}_{3}$, and coupled Si${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ or ${(\mathrm{Si}{\mathrm{H}}_{2})}_{n}$ units. On the basis of these identifications, it is found that samples produced on high-temperature (above 200\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C) substrates have SiH, Si${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$, and ${(\mathrm{Si}{\mathrm{H}}_{2})}_{n}$ groups with very little Si${\mathrm{H}}_{3}$. In contrast, the ir and Raman spectra of samples produced on room-temperature or cooled substrates are dominated by vibrational modes of Si${\mathrm{H}}_{3}$ and ${(\mathrm{Si}{\mathrm{H}}_{2})}_{n}$. The relative concentrations of these hydrogen-containing groups are not simply proportional to the total hydrogen concentration in a given sample.
STUDIES ON THE SPECIFIC CHARACTERISTICS OF SYPHILITIC BLOOD PROTEINS I. SURFACE TENSION AND SOLUBILITY

These experiments show: 1. That the surface tension of normal blood serum is considerably lowered by standing undisturbed for a period of 1 hour (time-drop). 2. That the greatest time-drop recorded is with serum diluted approximately 10,000 times in fresh serum, and 50,000 times in heated serum. 3. That immune serum is not affected in the same manner by heat as is normal serum. Syphilitic serum and anti-sheep cell rabbit serum behave similarly in this respect. 4. That serum albumin is much more readily soluble in alkaline buffer solutions than globulin is, and that globulin from normal serum ionizes more than that from syphilitic serum. Further investigations are being made in an effort to determine why the proteins aggregate or dissociate under the influence of the factors under consideration.
Signal-Selectivity of Parathyroid Hormone (PTH)/PTH-Related Peptide Receptor-Mediated Regulation of Differentiation in Conditionally Immortalized Growth-Plate Chondrocytes1

Type-1 PTH/PTH-related peptide receptors (PTH1Rs), which activate both adenylyl cyclase and phospholipase C (PLC), control endochondral bone development by regulating chondrocyte differentiation. To directly analyze PTH1R function in such cells, we isolated conditionally transformed clonal chondrocytic cell lines from tibial growth plates of neonatal mice heterozygous for PTH1R gene ablation. Among 104 cell lines isolated, messenger RNAs for PTH1R, collagen II, and collagen X were detected in 28%, 90%, and 29%, respectively. These cell lines were morphologically diverse. Some appeared large, rounded, and enveloped by abundant extracellular matrix; whereas others were smaller, flattened, and elongated. Two PTH1R-expressing clones showed similar PTH1R binding and cAMP responsiveness to PTH and PTH-related peptide but disparate morphologic features, characteristic of hypertrophic (hC1–5) or nonhypertrophic (nhC2–27) chondrocytes, respectively. hC1–5 cells expressed messenger RNAs for collagen II and X, alkal...
252Cf-based hydrogen analyzer

Abstract A system is described for the nondestructive analysis of hydrogen. 3He tube are used to detected 252 Cf fission neutrons which have been slowed by collisions with hydrogen atoms. The system is capable of measuring hydrogen in amounts as small ase 5 mg.
Self-administration of the high-affinity cocaine analog 2β-carbomethoxy-3β-(4-fluorophenyl)tropane

Self-administration of the high-affinity cocaine analog 2 beta-carbomethoxy-3 beta-(4-fluorophenyl)tropane (CFT) and cocaine were compared in squirrel monkeys responding under a second-order schedule of IV drug injection. Both CFT and cocaine maintained self-administration in all subjects. As the dose of either drug was increased, the rate of responding first increased and then decreased. Although the two drugs had qualitatively similar effects, CFT was approximately six times more potent than cocaine. This potency relation corresponds closely with the potency relations reported for CFT and cocaine in studies of dopamine uptake inhibition and binding at cocaine recognition sites. The results are consistent with the view that the reinforcing effects of cocaine-like drugs are mediated at cocaine recognition sites associated with the dopamine uptake system, and suggest that radioligand probes based on CFT may be suitable markers for these sites.
On shadowing in photoproduction and inelastic electron scattering from complex nuclei

Abstract The question of higher mass vector state contributions to shadowing in photo- and electroproduction is investigated quantitatively in a simple optical model approach. A large amount of shadowing comparable in magnitude to the one found in photoproduction is predicted also for inelastic electron or muon scattering for moderately large q 2 (⪅ 2 GeV 2 / c 2 ) as soon as the energy of the virtual photon lies in the 100 GeV range. Comparison with the available inelastic electron scattering data below 17 GeV ( q 2 ⪅ 1.5 GeV 2 / c 2 ) shows that even the ϱ O , ω and Φ contributions to shadowing are larger than the experimentally observed shadow. Further experimental work establishing more clearly the transition from strong shadowing in photoproduction ( q 2 = 0) to its vanishing at sufficiently high q 2 would be desirable to clarify the situation.
Mössbauer spectroscopic studies on surfaces and thin films

Abstract We have investigated the magnetic properties of surface layers of Fe films using Mossbauer spectroscopy. (110) epitaxial Fe films were made of 56 Fe with appropriate probe layers of 57 Fe in the surface region. In this way we were able to profile the magnetism at and near the surface of our films. Studies of the temperature dependence of layers at the surface indicate a quasilinear dependence of magnetization on temperature while the temperature dependence of layers further inside the material show the usual T 3/2 dependence. In addition to this we note that a region of surface thermal spin deviations larger than bulk values extends over 3 to 4 layers at the surfaces. These results are in qualitative agreement with a number of theoretical studies including those of Mathon. Bender and Hohenberg, and Wolfram et al. The quasilinear temperature dependence of the surface layer implies a weakening of the surface exchange. In addition to the unusual temperature dependence of the surface magnetization we have generally observed larger surface magnetic hyperfine fields near T = 0.
Synthesis of Functionalized Polyethers by Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization of Unsaturated Crown Ethers

A variety of polyethers were synthesized by a tandem approach incorporating ring-closing metathesis (RCM) followed by ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) using RuCl_2(=CHPh)(PCy_3)_2 (1) as an initiator. Unsaturated crown ether monomers, including a 12-crown-4 analogue (3), a benzocrown ether (8), and a benzocrown ether with a pendent phenylalanine methyl ester (9), were synthesized in good yields using a lithium ion as a template and 1 as a catalyst for RCM. Saponification of 9 afforded the benzocrown phenylalanine carboxylic acid monomer 10. The ROMP of 3, 8, and 9 with 1 as an initiator yielded the homopolymers 11, 12e, and 13e, respectively. The relative concentrations of 3 to 1 were varied to produce 11 with a wide range of molecular weights (M_n from 10 900 to 206 300). Hydrogenation of 11 proceeded quantitatively to yield a saturated polyether. Monomers 8 and 9 were copolymerized with 3 to generate polymers 12a−d and 13a−d, respectively. The copolymer composition corresponded to the feed ratio of the monomers. Crown ether 10 was copolymerized with 3 at a low feed ratio to form the corresponding polyether with pendent amino acids.
Microwave Interferometer Measurements for the Determination of Plasma Density Profiles in Controlled Fusion Experiments

A method for determining the spatial distribution in density of a plasma has been outlined in a previous paper. The method involves measuring the dispersive microwave propagation coefficients simultaneously at several frequencies and comparing the measured values with the values calculated for various distribution functions. The present paper demonstrates experimental verification of the method and describes the procedure used to determine the distribution function in a sample laboratory plasma experiment.
SU-E-QI-05: Denoising Intravoxel Incoherent Motion Magnetic Resonance Images Using Non-Local Mean Technique for Oropharyngeal Cancer Study

Purpose: Intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) normally shows a low signal to noise ratio (SNR) due to the presence of noise which complicates and biases the estimation of quantitative diffusion parameters. In this study, a Non-local Means (NLM) approach was applied to remove the noise in oropharyngeal cancer IVIMMRI images. Methods: Eight male patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx were included in this study under an approved IRB protocol. IVIM-MRI was carried out on a 3.0-T GE MRI. NLM denoising technique was performed using the MIPAV (V7, NIH). IVIM parameters (D, pure diffusion coefficient; f, perfusion fraction; D*, pseudodiffusion coefficient) were calculated on a pixel-by-pixel basis using a bi-exponential model implemented within ImageJ (V1.47, NIH) with ten b-values ranging from 0 – 800 s/mm2. SNR with and without denoising processing was calculated and compared in tumor regions. The agreements of IVIM-MRI parameters estimated between with and without NLM processing in tumor region were assessed by Bland-Altman plots. Results: Examples of IVIM images (b=800 s/mm2) and parametric maps (D, D* and f) with and without NLM applied are illustrated in Fig. 1 for an oropharynx cancer patient. Results of SNR and IVIM diffusion parameters between two different processing, as mean and standard deviation on 8 patients, are reported in Table 1. Bland-Altman plots (Fig. 2) between the two approaches show better concordance for D (0.22% ± 1.42%) and f (0.56% ± 3.49%), whereas larger discrepancies were found for D* (0.86% ± 6.25%). Conclusion: NLM approach gives better SNR and quantitative data quality, also shows a good agreement between the IVIM parameters processed with and without NLM approaches. Therefore, NLM denoising technique can be applied to improve performance in terms of denoising quality and estimation of IVIM parameter as a post-processing step without increasing the scanning time.
Accuracy of parents' reports of height and weight

The accuracy of parents' reports of their own height and weight and the height and weight of their obese children, who were about to enter a weight control program, was assessed. Measured height and weights of 146 mothers, 55 fathers, and 150 children who attended a screening session were compared to the heights and weights they had previously reported on a demographic questionnaire. Eighty-four percent of the reported weights were accurate within ±5 lbs.; 71% of the reported heights were accurate within ±1 in. Parents' reports of weight tended to underestimate actual weights, with the magnitude of underestimation greater for mothers than for fathers, while reported heights overestimated actual height, with the magnitude of overestimation greatest for fathers. Errors in the parents' reports of children's weight were related to the child's actual weight and body mass index (BMI), with substantial underestimation of actual weight in the heaviest decile of children in the sample.
A threshold level of oxalate oxidase transgene expression reduces Cryphonectria parasitica-induced necrosis in a transgenic American chestnut (Castanea dentata) leaf bioassay

American chestnut (Castanea dentata) was transformed with a wheat oxalate oxidase (oxo) gene in an effort to degrade the oxalic acid (OA) secreted by the fungus Cryphonectria parasitica, thus decreasing its virulence. Expression of OxO was examined under two promoters: a strong constitutive promoter, CaMV 35S, and a predominantly vascular promoter, VspB. Oxo gene transcription was quantified by RT-qPCR. Relative expression of OxO varied approximately 200 fold among events produced with the 35S-OxO. The lowest 35S-OxO event expressed approximately 3,000 fold higher than the highest VspB-OxO event. This was potentially due to the tissue-specific nature of the VspB-controlled expression, the strength of the CaMV 35S constitutive promoter, or position effects. Leaf assays measuring necrotic lesion length were conducted to better understand the relationship between OxO expression level and the blight fungus in planta. A threshold response was observed between the OxO expression level and the C. parasitica lesion length. Five events of the 35S-OxO line showed significantly reduced lesion length compared to the blight-susceptible American chestnut. More importantly, the lesion length in these five events was reduced to the same level as the blight-resistant Chinese chestnut, C. mollissima. This is the first report on enhanced pathogen resistance in transgenic American chestnut.
Clinical Pharmacokinetics of Inhaled Antimicrobials

Administration of inhaled antimicrobials affords the ability to achieve targeted drug delivery into the respiratory tract, rapid entry into the systemic circulation, high bioavailability and minimal metabolism. These unique pharmacokinetic characteristics make inhaled antimicrobial delivery attractive for the treatment of many pulmonary diseases. This review examines recent pharmacokinetic trials with inhaled antibacterials, antivirals and antifungals, with an emphasis on the clinical implications of these studies. The majority of these studies revealed evidence of high antimicrobial concentrations in the airway with limited systemic exposure, thereby reducing the risk of toxicity. Sputum pharmacokinetics varied widely, which makes it challenging to interpret the result of sputum pharmacokinetic studies. Many no vel inhaled antimicrobial therapies are currently under investigation that will require detailed pharmacokinetic studies, including combination inhaled antimicrobial therapies, inhaled nanoparticle formulations of several antibacterials, inhaled non-antimicrobial adjuvants, inhaled antiviral recombinant protein therapies and semi-synthetic inhaled antifungal agents. Additionally, the development of new inhaled delivery devices, particularly for mechanically ventilated patients, will result in a pressing need for additional pharmacokinetic studies to identify optimal dosing regimens.
Mitochondrial 8-oxoguanine glycosylase decreases mitochondrial fragmentation and improves mitochondrial function in H9C2 cells under oxidative stress conditions

The mitochondrial DNA base modification 8-hydroxy 2′-deoxyguanine (8-OHdG) is one of the most common DNA lesions induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) and is considered an index of DNA damage. H...
Evaluation of the heuristic polynomial GCD

The Heuristic Polynomial GCD procedure (GCDHEU) is used by the Maple computer algebra system, but no other. Because Maple has an especially efficient kernel that provides fast integer arithmetic, but a relatively slower interpreter for non-kernel code, the GCDHEU routine is especially effective in that it moves much of the computation into “bignum” arithmetic and hence executes primarily in the kernel. We speculated that in other computer algebra systems an implementation of GCDHEU would not be advantageous. In particular, if all the system code is compiled to run at ‘[full speed” in a (presumably more bulky) kernel that is entirely written in C or compiled Lisp, then there would seem to be no point in recasting the polynomial GCD problem into a bignum GCD problem. Manipulating polynomials that are vectors of coefficients would seem to be equivalent computationally to manipulating vectors of big digits. Yet our evidence suggests that one can take advantage of the GCDHEU in a Lisp system as well. Given a good implementation of bignums, for most small problems and many large ones, a substantial speedup can be obtained by the appropriate choice of GCD algorithm, including often enough, the GCDHEU approach. Another major winner seem to be the subresultant polynomial remainder sequence algorithm. Because more sophisticated sparse algorithms are relatively slow on small problems and only occasionally emerge as superior (on larger problems) it seems the choice of a fast GCD algorithm is tricky.