cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Method to Estimate the Friction Coefficient and Tire Slip Angle Using Steering Torque

Knowledge of tire forces is important for vehicle control systems that aim to enhance vehicle handling and passenger safety. This paper introduces a nonlinear observer that estimates the coefficient of friction and tire slip angle, both of which are key factors in characterizing the vehicle's lateral tire forces. The observer estimates the friction coefficient and slip angle based on sensor measurements available on many production vehicles. This includes steering torque measurements readily available in steer-by-wire or electric power steering (EPS) systems. Experimental results on a steer-by-wire research vehicle (Fig. 1) demonstrate the observer's ability to provide accurate estimates out to the limits of handling.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Computational Fluid Dynamic Simulations of Pipe Elbow Flow

One problem facing today's nuclear power industry is flow-accelerated corrosion and erosion in pipe elbows. The Korean Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) is performing experiments in their Flow-Accelerated Corrosion (FAC) test loop to better characterize these phenomena, and develop advanced sensor technologies for the condition monitoring of critical elbows on a continuous basis. In parallel with these experiments, Sandia National Laboratories is performing Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) simulations of the flow in one elbow of the FAC test loop. The simulations are being performed using the FLUENT commercial software developed and marketed by Fluent, Inc. The model geometry and mesh were created using the GAMBIT software, also from Fluent, Inc. This report documents the results of the simulations that have been made to date; baseline results employing the RNG k-e turbulence model are presented. The predicted value for the diametrical pressure coefficient is in reasonably good agreement with published correlations. Plots of the velocities, pressure field, wall shear stress, and turbulent kinetic energy adjacent to the wall are shown within the elbow section. Somewhat to our surprise, these indicate that the maximum values of both wall shear stress and turbulent kinetic energy occur near the elbow entrance, on the innermore » radius of the bend. Additional simulations were performed for the same conditions, but with the RNG k-e model replaced by either the standard k-{var_epsilon}, or the realizable k-{var_epsilon} turbulence model. The predictions using the standard k-{var_epsilon} model are quite similar to those obtained in the baseline simulation. However, with the realizable k-{var_epsilon} model, more significant differences are evident. The maximums in both wall shear stress and turbulent kinetic energy now appear on the outer radius, near the elbow exit, and are {approx}11% and 14% greater, respectively, than those predicted in the baseline calculation; secondary maxima in both quantities still occur near the elbow entrance on the inner radius. Which set of results better reflects reality must await experimental corroboration. Additional calculations demonstrate that whether or not FLUENT's radial equilibrium pressure distribution option is used in the PRESSURE OUTLET boundary condition has no significant impact on the flowfield near the elbow. Simulations performed with and without the chemical sensor and associated support bracket that were present in the experiments demonstrate that the latter have a negligible influence on the flow in the vicinity of the elbow. The fact that the maxima in wall shear stress and turbulent kinetic energy occur on the inner radius is therefore not an artifact of having introduced the sensor into the flow.« less
Using in situ substratum sterilization and fluorescence microscopy in studies of microscopic stages of marine macroalgae

The methods currently used for examining the relative contribution of microscopic stages to the persistence of natural populations of marine macroalgae can be inappropriate for use in subtidal habitats. Also, because of their microscopic size, direct examination and obtaining an estimate of recruitment, growth and mortality of these stages in the field is difficult. A method of removing microscopic algal stages from natural rock surfaces using watertight tents and water-soluble chemicals is presented. Also discussed is the use of a previously described method of fluorescent labelling these microscopic stages that, when examined under UV light, allows for their precise identification and growth to be determined. Together, these methods can be effective in examining the ecology of algal microscopic stages in the field.
Activation loop phosphorylation‐independent kinase activity of human protein kinase C ζ

Atypical protein kinase C zeta (PKCzeta) plays an important role in cell proliferation and survival. PKCzeta and its truncated form containing only the kinase domain, CATzeta, have been reported to be activated by the phosphorylation of threonine 410 in the activation loop. We expressed both the full length PKCzeta and CATzeta in a baculovirus/insect cell over-expression system and purified the proteins for biochemical characterization. Ion exchange chromatography of CATzeta revealed three species with different levels of phosphorylation at Thr-410 and allowed the isolation of the CATzeta protein devoid of phosphorylation at Thr-410. All three species of CATzeta were active and their activity was not correlated with phosphorylation at Thr-410, indicating that the kinase activity of CATzeta did not depend solely on activation loop phosphorylation. Tyrosine phosphorylation was detected in all three species of CATzeta and the full length PKCzeta. Homology structural modeling of PKCzeta revealed a conserved, predicted-to-be phosphorylated tyrosine residue, Tyr-428, in the close proximity of the RD motif of the catalytic loop and of Thr-410 in the activation loop. The structural analysis indicated that phospho-Tyr-428 would interact with two key, positively-charged residues to form a triad conformation similar to that formed by phospho-Thr-410. Based on these observations, it is possible that the Thr-410 phosphorylation-independent kinase activity of CATzeta is regulated by the phosphorylation of Tyr-428. This alternative mode of PKCzeta activation is supported by the observed stimulation of PKCzeta kinase activity upon phosphorylation at the equivalent site by Abl, and may be involved in resistance to drug-induced apoptosis.
Ultra-stable sub-meV monochromator for hard X-rays.

A high-resolution silicon monochromator suitable for 21.541 keV synchrotron radiation is presented that produces a bandwidth of 0.27 meV. The operating energy corresponds to a nuclear transition in 151Eu. The first-of-its-kind, fully cryogenic design achieves an energy-alignment stability of 0.017 meV r.m.s. per day, or a 100-fold improvement over other meV-monochromators, and can tolerate higher X-ray power loads than room-temperature designs of comparable resolution. This offers the potential for significantly more accurate measurements of lattice excitation energies using nuclear resonant vibrational spectroscopy if combined with accurate energy calibration using, for example, high-speed Doppler shifting. The design of the monochromator along with its performance and impact on transmitted beam properties are presented.
Children's Gender Identity Development: The Dynamic Negotiation Process between Conformity and Authenticity.

In the current study, 45 girls and 41 boys participated in focus groups following a program designed to teach them about social justice. The children articulated the discrepancy between their own gender identity and gender role stereotypes and discussed potential problems with conforming to gender role expectations as well as consequences of nonconformity. They articulated the ways in which gender identity is complex and they described the importance of choice and authenticity. Based on these findings, we present a model of how children’s gender identity develops in relationship to experiences of gender prejudice. In particular, we highlight how children act and react to gender role socialization as part of a dynamic negotiation process. Throughout the current article we strive to highlight the need for an alternative in the gender conformity process for children, with children in the position of power regarding their own gender identity development.
Physics of Single Photon Avalanche Detectors With Built-In Self-Quenching and Self-Recovering Capabilities

A single photon avalanche detector featuring a transient carrier buffer layer to form an energy barrier that tentatively stops avalanche-generated carriers, demonstrates self-quenching and self-recovering capabilities. The escape rate of those stopped avalanche carriers from the barrier determines the self-recovery time and thus the count rate of the single photon detector. A physical model has been developed to simulate the dynamic characteristics of the detector. The simulation results agree well with the experimental data, and the self-recovery time is found to be reduced with the increase of the temperature and the overbias magnitude as well as the decrease of the dosage in the charge layer and the barrier height. In addition, thermionic emission shows a stronger dependence on temperature and a weaker dependence on device bias and charge layer dosage than tunneling. The model contains no fitting parameters and therefore can be used to model and predict the device behaviors.
Direct measurement of the oceanic carbon monoxide flux by eddy correlation

This report presents results from a field trial of ship-based air-sea flux measurements of carbon monox- ide (CO) by direct eddy correlation with an infrared-laser trace gas analyzer. The analyzer utilizes Off-Axis Integrated- Cavity-Output Spectroscopy (OA-ICOS) to achieve high se- lectivity for CO, rapid response ( 2 Hz) and low noise. Over a two-day sea trial, peak daytime seawater CO concentra- tions were 1.5 nM and wind speeds were consistently 10- 12 m s 1 . A clear diel cycle in CO flux with an early after- noon maximum was observed. An analysis of flux error sug- gests the effects of non-stationarity are important, and air-sea CO flux measurements are best performed in regions remote from continental pollution sources.
Virtual backbone generation and maintenance in ad hoc network mobility management

In this paper, we present the implementation issues of a virtual backbone that supports the operations of the uniform quorum system (UQS) and the randomized database group (RDG) mobility management schemes in an ad hoc network. The virtual backbone comprises nodes that are dynamically selected to contain databases that store the location information of the network nodes. Together with the UQS and RDG schemes, the virtual backbone allows both dynamic database residence and dynamic database access, which provide high degree of location data availability and reliability. We introduce a distributed database coverage heuristic (DDCH), which is equivalent to the centralized greedy algorithm for virtual backbone generation, but only requires local information exchange and local computation. We show how DDCH can be employed to dynamically maintain the structure of the virtual backbone, along with database merging, as the network topology changes. We also provide a means to maintain connectivity among the virtual backbone nodes. We discuss optimization issues of DDCH through simulations. Simulation results suggest that the cost of ad hoc mobility management with a virtual backbone can be far below that of the conventional link-state routing.
Local similarity analysis reveals unique associations among marine bacterioplankton species and environmental factors

Motivation: Characterizing the diversity of microbial communities and understanding the environmental factors that influence community diversity are central tenets of microbial ecology. The development and application of cultivation independent molecular tools has allowed for rapid surveying of microbial community composition at unprecedented resolutions and frequencies. There is a growing need to discern robust patterns and relationships within these datasets which provide insight into microbial ecology. Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC) analysis is commonly used for identifying the linear relationship between two species, or species and environmental factors. However, this approach may not be able to capture more complex interactions which occur in situ; thus, alternative analyses were explored. Results: In this paper we introduced local similarity analysis (LSA), which is a technique that can identify more complex dependence associations among species as well as associations between species and environmental factors without requiring significant data reduction. To illustrate its capability of identifying relationships that may not otherwise be identified by PCC, we first applied LSA to simulated data. We then applied LSA to a marine microbial observatory dataset and identified unique, significant associations that were not detected by PCC analysis. LSA results, combined with results from PCC analysis were used to construct a theoretical ecological network which allows for easy visualization of the most significant associations. Biological implications of the significant associations detected by LSA were discussed. We also identified additional applications where LSA would be beneficial. Availability: The algorithms are implemented in Splus/R and they are available upon request from the corresponding author. Contact: [email protected]
A nonlinear viscoelastic fracture analysis of concrete/FRP delamination in aggressive environments

In this paper, the durability of the bondline between concrete and FRP reinforcement was characterized at various temperature and humidity levels. The linear and nonlinear viscoelastic constitutive behavior of the epoxy bondline was characterized and used for a nonlinear viscoelastic fracture analysis of delamination. A hygrothermal nonlinear viscoelastic pseudo-stress model was developed and calibrated in order to compute a generalized J integral. Driven wedge tests were conducted for examining the fracture behavior of the interface. A finite element analysis was developed for determining the cohesive zone size and the generalized J integral at various temperature and humidity levels. The fracture energy obtained from these parameters greatly depended upon crack growth rate, temperature and humidity.
Cryopreservation of parathyroid tissue: an illustrated technique using the cleveland clinic protocol.

Received June 21, 2012; Revised September 17, 2012; Acce 18, 2012. From the Andrology Laboratory and Sperm Bank, Glickm and Kidney Institute (Agarwal, Sharma, Gupta), Departmen Surgery, Endocrinology and Metabolism Institute (Wagh Clinic, Cleveland, OH, and Department of Surgery, Oreg Sciences University, Portland, OR (Milas). Correspondence address: Ashok Agarwal, PhD, Andrology Sperm Bank, Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute, C 9500 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44196. email: agarwaa@
Insulating interlocked ferroelectric and structural antiphase domain walls in multiferroic YMnO3

Hexagonal YMnO(3) shows a unique improper ferroelectricity induced by structural trimerization. Extensive research on this system is primarily due to its candidacy for ferroelectric memory as well as the intriguing coexistence of ferroelectricity and magnetism. Despite this research, the true ferroelectric domain structure and its relationship with structural domains have never been revealed. Using transmission electron microscopy and conductive atomic force microscopy, we observed an intriguing conductive 'cloverleaf' pattern of six domains emerging from one point--all distinctly characterized by polarization orientation and structural antiphase relationships. In addition, we discovered that the ferroelectric domain walls and structural antiphase boundaries are mutually locked and this strong locking results in incomplete poling even when large electric fields are applied. Furthermore, the locked walls are found to be insulating, which seems consistent with the surprising result that the ferroelectric state is more conducting than the paraelectric state. These fascinating results reveal the rich physics of the hexagonal system with a truly semiconducting bandgap where structural trimerization, ferroelectricity, magnetism and charge conduction are intricately coupled.
Measuring the Armature Position in a Railgun Using Embedded Permanent Magnets

This paper describes how small permanent magnets embedded in a launch package can be used to locate armature position during launch with greater accuracy than can be achieved by detecting the dipole field of the armature itself. Using this technique, we determined armature position in a medium-caliber launcher to within a millimeter of the value measured with photonic Doppler velocimetry, a precise optical technique. This paper describes the technique and some experimental results.
Human immunodeficiency virus reverse transcriptase and protease sequence database

The HIV RT and Protease Sequence Database is an online relational database that catalogs evolutionary and drug-related human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) reverse transcriptase (RT) and protease sequence variation (http://hivdb.stanford.edu ). The database contains a compilation of nearly all published HIV RT and protease sequences including International Collaboration database submissions (e.g., GenBank) and sequences published in journal articles. Sequences are linked to data about the source of the sequence sample and the antiretroviral drug treatment history of the individual from whom the isolate was obtained. The database is curated and sequences are annotated with data from >230 literature references. Users can retrieve additional data and view alignments of sequence sets meeting specific criteria (e.g., treatment history, subtype, presence of a particular mutation). A gene-specific sequence analysis program, new user-defined queries and nearly 2000 additional sequences were added in 1999.
Effects of the 5 Alpha-Reductase Inhibitor Dutasteride on Gene Expression in Prostate Cancer Xenografts

BACKGROUND In the prostate, androgens play a crucial role in normal and cancerous growth; hence the androgenic pathway has become a target of therapeutic intervention. Dutasteride is a 5 alpha-reductase (5AR) inhibitor currently being evaluated both for chemoprevention and treatment of prostate cancer. Dutasteride inhibits both 5AR I and II enzymes, effectively blocking conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in the prostate. This greatly reduces the amount of the active ligand DHT available for binding to the androgen receptor (AR) and stimulating proliferation, making this a good candidate for chemoprevention of prostate cancer. In this study, we sought to determine how dutasteride is functioning at the molecular level, using a prostate cancer xenograft model. METHODS Androgen-responsive LuCaP 35 xenograft tumors were grown in Balb/c mice. Subcutaneously implanted time-release pellets were used for drug delivery. Microarray analysis was performed using the Affymetrix HG-U133Av2 platform to examine changes in gene expression in tumors following dutasteride treatment. RESULTS Dutasteride significantly reduced tumor growth in LuCaP 35 xenografts by affecting genes involved in apoptotic, cytoskeletal remodeling, and cell cycle pathways among others. Notably, genes in the Rho GTPase signaling pathway, shown to be important in androgen-deprivation conditions, were significantly up-regulated. CONCLUSION We have identified multiple pathways outside of the androgenic pathway in prostate cancer xenografts affected by treatment with dutasteride. These findings provide insights into the function of dutasteride within the tumor microenvironment, potentially allowing for development of agents that can be used in combination with this drug to further enhance its effectiveness. Prostate 69: 1730–1743, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Adolescent students’ reading during writing behaviors and relationships with text quality: an eyetracking study

This study employed eyetracking technology to investigate adolescent students’ reading processes as they composed and to explore relationships between these reading processes and text quality. A sample of 32 adolescent students composed narrative and expository texts while eyetracking equipment recorded their eye movements. Eye movements upon a computer monitor indicating reading processes during composing were coded according to their position in the emerging text, and were coded as: reading at the point of inscription (monitoring recently composed words); local reading (reading recently composed sentences); global reading (reading paragraphs); or prompt reading. It was hypothesized that two reading during writing behaviors, global reading and local reading, would be related to text quality. Results of the multinomial multilevel logistic regression analysis indicated significant relationships between two reading processes (local reading and reading at the point of inscription, but not global reading), composing rate, and text quality.
Over-response of tissue-equivalent ionization chambers at low energies: Effect of high-Z surface contamination

Inner wall surface contamination of an ionization chamber by high‐Z materials can produce an over‐response to low‐energy photons which is greatly underestimated by the percentage composition of the contaminant in the entire chamber. Experience with a chamber contaminated in such a manner is presented. Examples are included which illustrate the magnitude of possible clinical effects from low‐energy units which have been calibrated with a chamber contaminated with a thin layer of relatively high‐Z material.
Time-Resolved X-Ray Studies During Pulsed-Laser Irradiation of Ge

Synchrotron x-ray pulses from the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS) have been used to carry out nanosecond resolution measurements of the temperature distrubutions in Ge during UV pulsed-laser irradiation. KrF (249 nm) laser pulses of 25 ns FWHM with an energy density of 0.6 J/cm2 were used. The temperatures were determined from x-ray Bragg profile measurements of thermal expansion induced strain on oriented Ge. The data indicate the presence of a liquid-solid interface near the melting point, and large (1500–4500°C/pm) temperature gradients in the solid; these Ge results are analagous to previous ones for Si. The measured temperature distributions are compared with those obtained from heat flow calculations, and the overheating and undercooling of the interface relative to the equilibrium melting point are discussed.
A New Boreal Species of Boletina Staeger Fungus Gnat (Diptera: Mycetophilidae)

Abstract. A new species of Boletina Staeger fungus gnat was discovered in western Michigan and named Boletina ciliata Taber. Two adult males flew to a Malaise trap in an ecotone between swamp and second-growth forest dominated by black ash (Fraxinus nigra Marshall), paper birch (Betula papyrifera Marshall), red maple (Acer rubrum L.), and black cherry (Prunus serotina Ehrhart). Adult females and juveniles of Boletina ciliata remain unknown.
G Protein–Coupled Receptor Kinase-6 Interacts with Activator of G Protein Signaling-3 To Regulate CXCR2-Mediated Cellular Functions

The IL-8 (CXCL8) receptors CXCR1 and CXCR2 couple to Gαi to induce leukocyte recruitment and activation at sites of inflammation. We recently showed that CXCR1 couples predominantly to the G protein-coupled receptor kinase (GRK)2, whereas CXCR2 interacts with GRK6 to regulate cellular responses. In addition to G protein-coupled receptors, GRKs displayed a more diverse protein/protein interaction in cells. In this study, we sought to identify GRK6 binding partner(s) that may influence CXCL8 activities, using RBL-2H3 cells stably expressing CXCR1 (RBL-CXCR1) or CXCR2 (RBL-CXCR2), as well as human and murine neutrophils. Our data demonstrated that, upon CXCR2 activation, GRK6 interacts with activator of G protein signaling (AGS)3 and Gαi2 to form a GRK6/AGS3/Gαi2 complex. This complex is time dependent and peaked at 2-3 min postactivation. GTPγS pretreatment blocked GRK6/AGS3/Gαi2 formation, suggesting that this assembly depends on G protein activation. Surprisingly, CXCR2 activation induced AGS3 phosphorylation in a PKC-dependent, but GRK6-independent, fashion. Overexpression of AGS3 in RBL-CXCR2 significantly inhibited CXCL8-induced Ca(2+) mobilization, phosphoinositide hydrolysis, and chemotaxis. In contrast, short hairpin RNA inhibition of AGS3 enhanced CXCL8-induced Ca(2+) mobilization, receptor resistance to desensitization, and recycling to the cell surface, with no effect on receptor internalization. Interestingly, RBL-CXCR2-AGS3(-/-) cells displayed a significant increase in CXCR2 expression on the cell surface but decreased ERK1/2 and P38 MAPK activation. Taken together, these results indicate that GRK6 complexes with AGS3-Gαi2 to regulate CXCR2-mediated leukocyte functions at different levels, including downstream effector activation, receptor trafficking, and expression at the cell membrane.
Inhibition of human mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase by the disulfiram metabolite S-methyl-N,N-diethylthiocarbamoyl sulfoxide: structural characterization of the enzyme adduct by HPLC-tandem mass spectrometry.

Abstract S-Methyl-N,N-diethylthiocarbamoyl sulfoxide (MeDTC-SO) is a known metabolite of the aversion therapy drug disulfiram (DSF). MeDTC-SO is also a potent inhibitor of human mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase (hmALDH) with an ic50 of 1.5 μM. Inhibition of the enzyme by MeDTC-SO resulted in the addition of ~100 Da to the molecular mass of the intact protein, as determined by on-line HPLC-electrospray ionization MS (LC-MS). Dialysis of the inhibited protein did not reverse the inhibition, and the molecular mass of 54,533 Da (± 0.01%) remained unchanged, indicating that a covalent modification of the protein had occurred. Proteolytic digestion of hmALDH under basic conditions using trypsin at pH 7.8 revealed that the adduct was base labile. However, treating the adducted protein with endopeptidase-Glu-C at pH 3.7 produced a peptide adduct at MH+ = 4924, tentatively attributable to a carbamoylated peptide. This peptide contains three adjacent cysteines, one of which has been implicated as a key amino acid in the highly conserved active site region of ALDH. A pepsin digestion of hmALDH carried out at pH 3.7 and subsequent LC-MS analysis revealed an ion at MH+ = 501.5, corresponding to the carbamoylated peptide FNQGQC1C2C3. This peptide contains the same adjacent active site cysteines. This latter peptide was subjected to LC-MS/MS, which enabled us to determine that the site of carbamoylation was at Cys2. The MS/MS product ion data also confirmed the presence of a carbamoyl group as the adduct species.
Visuomotor Correction is a Robust Contributor to Force Variability During Index Finger Abduction by Older Adults.

We examined aging-related differences in the contribution of visuomotor correction to force fluctuations during index finger abduction via the analysis of two datasets from similar subjects. Study 1) Young (N= 27, 23+/-8 yrs) and older adults (N=14, 72+/- 9 yrs) underwent assessment of maximum voluntary contraction force (MVC) and force steadiness during constant-force (CF) index finger abduction (2.5, 30, 65% MVC). For each trial, visual feedback of the force (VIS) was provided for 8-10 s and removed for 8-10s (NOVIS). Visual gain of the force feedback at 2.5% MVC was high; 12- and 26-fold greater than the 30% and 65% MVC targets. Mean force, standard deviation (SD) of force, and coefficient of variation (CV) of force was calculated for detrended (<0.5Hz drift removed) VIS and NOVIS data segments. Study 2) A similar group of 14 older adults performed discrete, randomly-ordered VIS or NOVIS trials at low target forces (1-3% MVC) and high visual gain. Study 1) For young adults the CV of force was similar between VIS and NOVIS for the 2.5% (4.8 vs. 4.3%), 30% (3.2 vs. 3.2%) and 65% (3.5 vs. 4.2%) target forces. In contrast, for older adults the CV of force was greater for VIS than NOVIS for 2.5% MVC (6.6 vs. 4.2%, P<0.001), but not for the 30% (2.4 vs. 2.4%) and 65% (3.1 vs. 3.3%) target forces. At 2.5% MVC, the increase in CV of force for VIS compared with NOVIS was significantly greater (age x visual condition P=0.008) for older than young adults. Study 2) Similarly, for older adults performing discrete, randomly ordered trials the CV of force was greater for VIS than NOVIS (6.04 vs. 3.81%, P=0.01). When visual force feedback was a dominant source of information at low forces, normalized force variability was ~58% greater for older adults, but only 11% greater for young adults. The significant effect of visual feedback for older adults was not dependent on the order of presentation of visual conditions. The results indicate that impaired processing of visuomotor information underlies the greater motor variability observed in older adults during lab-based isometric contractions
Comparison of Young Clinical Investigators’ Accuracy and Reproducibility When Measuring Pulmonary and Skin Surface Nodules Using a Circumferential Measurement Versus a Standard Caliper Measurement: American Association for Cancer Research/American Society of Clinical Oncology Clinical Trials Workshop

PURPOSE: The clinical investigator must understand that errors in measuring tumors can greatly affect such clinical-trial end points as tumor response. We performed a prospective, controlled study of tumor measurements that compared circumferential measurements made with a loop planimeter with linear measurements made with a standard caliper. METHODS: Using a cross-over design, 76 clinical oncology fellows/junior oncology faculty members attending a Methods in Clinical Cancer Research Workshop sponsored by the American Association for Cancer Research and the American Society of Clinical Oncology measured five pulmonary nodule phantoms that ranged in size from 1.76 to 13.21 cm2 and five surface nodule phantoms with sizes ranging from 2.3 to 12.9 cm2. To perform these measurements, they used both a loop planimeter and a caliper. Forty-two and 40 participants repeated measurements 3 days later on pulmonary and surface nodules. Accuracy, reproducibility, and time efficiency were evaluated. RESULTS: The linear...
Evaluating the Disposition of a Mixed Aldehyde Oxidase/Cytochrome P450 Substrate in Rats with Attenuated P450 Activity

Marketed drugs cleared by aldehyde oxidase (AO) are few, with no known clinically relevant pharmacokinetic drug interactions associated with AO inhibition, whereas cytochrome P450 (P450) inhibition or induction mediates a number of clinical drug interactions. Little attention has been given to the consequences of coadministering a P450 inhibitor with a compound metabolized by both AO and P450. Upon discovering that VU0409106 (1) was metabolized by AO (to M1) and P450 enzymes (to M4-M6), we sought to evaluate the in vivo disposition of 1 and its metabolites in rats with attenuated P450 activity. Male rats were orally pretreated with the pan-P450 inactivator, 1-aminobenzotriazole (ABT), before an i.p. dose of 1. Interestingly, the plasma area under the curve (AUC) of M1 was increased 15-fold in ABT-treated rats, indicating a metabolic shunt toward AO resulted from the drug interaction condition. The AUC of 1 also increased 7.8-fold. Accordingly, plasma clearance of 1 decreased from 53.5 to 15.3 ml/min per kilogram in ABT-pretreated rats receiving an i.v. dose of 1. Consistent with these data, M1 formation in hepatic S9 increased with NADPH-exclusion to eliminate P450 activity (50% over reactions containing NADPH). These studies reflect possible consequences of a drug interaction between P450 inhibitors and compounds cleared by both AO and P450 enzymes. Notably, increased exposure to an AO metabolite may hold clinical relevance for active metabolites or those mediating toxicity at elevated concentrations. The recent rise in clinical drug candidates metabolized by AO underscores the importance of these findings and the need for clinical studies to fully understand these risks.
Energy control of inhomogeneous nonlinear lattices

This paper considers energy control of an n-d.f. inhomogeneous nonlinear lattice with fixedfixed and fixedfree ends. The lattice consists of dissimilar masses wherein each mass is connected to its ...
Independence at Home: Living Beyond Safety Concerns

Date Presented 4/17/2015 In this research paper, I describe real and perceived performance patterns among older African American women with rheumatic conditions who live with disease-specific disabilities that affect their participation in meaningful occupations and safety concerns within their homes.
Influence of growth oxygen level on eicosanoid release from lung endothelial cells during hypoxia

Eicosanoid products of arachidonic acid are suspected modulators of hypoxic vasoconstriction in the pulmonary vasculature. Vascular endothelial cells (EC) release several eicosanoids, but there is disagreement regarding the effect of hypoxia on EC eicosanoid release. We postulated that the oxygen level of growth in culture might influence the release of eicosanoids during acute hypoxia. We studied EC cultured from the main pulmonary arteries of pigs and grown at either 5% or near 20% oxygen, representing the normal limits of oxygen exposure to endothelium in normal lungs. Although cultures grown in 5% oxygen grew slightly faster by 4 days, the confluent cell number, protein content, and baseline eicosanoid release were no different compared with paired cultures grown in 20% oxygen. However, with an acute decrease in oxygen level, cultures grown in 5% oxygen released less prostaglandin E2, F2 alpha, and 6-ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha compared with amounts released at the growth oxygen level. In contrast, cultures grown in 20% oxygen released increased amounts of these eicosanoids compared with release at the growth oxygen level. Release of thromboxane B2 was not significantly different during hypoxia between cultures grown at 5% vs. 20% oxygen. In other experiments, cyclooxygenase activity, stimulated arachidonic acid release by calcium ionophore A23187, and uptake of arachidonic acid were no different in cultures grown at 5% vs. 20% oxygen. However, arachidonic acid release during hypoxia was reduced in 5% cultures and increased in 20% cultures.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Investigation on the hygienic quality of peanut oil produced by private oil extraction workshop in Xiang'an district,Xiamen city

Objective:To understand the hygienic conditions about private peanut oil extraction workshops and the sanitary quality of peanut oil in workshops in Xiang'an District,Xiamen City to provide scientific evidence for strengthening supervision.Methods:32 individual peanut oil extraction workshops were investigated in Xiang'an District,Xiamen city and 44 peanut oil samples from them were collected randomly.AFB1,acid value,peroxide value,As,Pb,Cd and Cr in these samples were detected according to the methods of GB/T5009 and were evaluated according to the standards of GB 2716-2005 and GB 2761-2005.Results:Production conditions and environment were bad in the 32 private peanut oil extraction workshops in Xiang'an District.The qualified rate of 44 peanut oil samples was 65.9%.and the unqualified item were Lead,AFB1 and peroxid value.The content of Cd and Cr were 3.2 μg/kg,0.63 mg/kg respectively.The qualified rate of AFB1 in 43 peanut raw materials was 100%.Conclusion:It showed that the management and monitoring in the private oil extraction workshops should be strengthened to improve the hygienic quality of peanut oil.
Zinc and ZIP14 (Slc39a14) are Required for Adaptation to ER stress in Mouse Liver

The accumulation of unfolded or misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) induces the unfolded protein response (UPR). UPR leads cells to adaptation against ER stress by improving protei...
Moral and Market Economies Meet: Remaking Exchange

Both Adam Smith and Emile Durkheim believed profit-oriented, instrumental rationality—behavior we associate with the stereotypical market actor—was not enough to sustain working economies. For Smith (2002 [1759]), sympathy was crucial for social or economic exchanges. Exchange for material gain alone was too cold a foundation for exchange, and only sympathy and shared values—and exchange of empathy, as it were—would reduce opportunism that would be a natural outgrowth of instrumental rationality. For Durkheim (1947), a utilitarian rationality could not explain how exchange persisted as continual practice, much for the same reasons Smith noted: self-interest and even the power of the state were insufficient to keep market exchange running in a consistent fashion. For Durkheim, “non-contractual elements of contract” were essential: self-interest and the state had to be augmented by shared norms of reciprocity and the sanctity of contract, else opportunism would be rife and the state would be overloaded with policing violations. Without shared norms of the sanctity of law and contract, economic life would disintegrate into a Hobbesian state of nature. While exchange in post-Soviet Russia between economic actors (firms, entrepreneurs, consumers) is on a relatively firm footing as of 2010—there are enough lawyers to prosecute contract violations, and banks helped contract defense by allowing seizure of assets—exchange was far from stable in the 1990s.
Chapter 11 – Organizational Considerations and Trends in the Pharmaceutical Industry

Although scientific knowledge is critical to the success of any program dedicated to the development of novel therapeutics, the process must be organized in a manner that is conducive to both scientific collaboration and business success. There are no perfect organizational structures that can be described and replicated, but there are a number of areas that are common to institutions attempting to bring new drugs to market. Program teams, for example, a standard feature, although their composition will vary from one organization to the next. Industry and global trends can also have a significant impact on how companies pursue the next generation of therapeutics. Mergers, acquisitions, outsourcing, and changes in the availability of funding, for example, have radically changed the pharmaceutical industry. The ability to succeed in the pharmaceutical industry is often a function of both scientific acumen and an understanding of macroeconomic trends that impact the industry.
Modulation of the Fibularis Longus Hoffmann Reflex and Postural Instability Associated With Chronic Ankle Instability.

Context: Individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI) present with decreased modulation of the Hoffmann reflex (H-reflex) from a simple to a more challenging task. The neural alteration is asso...
Autophagy-mediated catabolism of visual transduction proteins prevents retinal degeneration

Autophagy is a lysosomal degradation pathway critical to preventing the accumulation of cytotoxic proteins. Deletion of the essential autophagy gene Atg5 from the rod photoreceptors of the retina (atg5Δrod mouse) results in the accumulation of the phototransduction protein transducin and the degeneration of these neurons. The purpose of this study is to test the hypothesis that autophagic degradation of visual transduction proteins prevents retinal degeneration. Targeted deletion of both Gnat1 (a gene encoding the α subunit of the heterotrimeric G-protein transducin) and Atg5 in the rod photoreceptors resulted in a significantly decreased rate of rod cell degeneration as compared to the atg5Δrod mouse retina, and considerable preservation of photoreceptors. Supporting this we used a novel technique to immunoprecipitate green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged autophagosomes from the retinas of the GFP-LC3 mice and demonstrated that the visual transduction proteins transducin and ARR/arrestin are associated with autophagosome-specific proteins. Altogether, this study shows that degradation of phototransduction proteins by autophagy is necessary to prevent retinal degeneration. In addition, we demonstrate a simple and easily reproducible immunoisolation technique for enrichment of autophagosomes from the GFP-LC3 mouse retina, providing a novel application to the study of autophagosome contents across different organs and specific cell types in vivo.
Social Class and Race in the Classroom

As an overview to social class and schooling, as well as the complexities of the intersection of race and class, Lewis provides a literature review of relevant research studies pertaining to the need to equip teachers with tools to address social class within their classrooms. Also explored are topics of social class in the Black community and how preservice teachers negotiate social class.
A Major New Court Decision: Are Blurred Boundaries Worth the Price on the Eligibility Side?

ABSTRACTLegally, the ultimate criterion for eligibility under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is whether the child needs special education. A new decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals suggests that providing various interventions and accommodations in general education might mean that a child who meets the criteria for any IDEA classification and receives such services is eligible for an individualized education program. The scope of this new decision and the relationship between special and general education are subject to several questions. However, using various individualized approaches in general education, including response to intervention, may be worth the limited risk of a judicially reversed eligibility determination.
A high‐order backward forward sweep interpolating algorithm for semi‐Lagrangian method

Summary Conventional semi-Lagrangian methods often suffer from poor accuracy and imbalance problems of advected properties because of low-order interpolation schemes used and/or inability to reduce both dissipation and dispersion errors even with high-order schemes. In the current work, we propose a 4th-order semi-Lagrangian method to solve the advection terms at a computing cost of 3rd-order interpolation scheme by applying backward and forward interpolations in an alternating sweep manner. The method was demonstrated for solving 1-D and 2-D advection problems, and 2-D and 3-D lid-driven cavity flows with a multi-level V-cycle multigrid solver. It shows that the proposed method can reduce both dissipation and dispersion errors in all regions, especially near sharp gradients, at a same accuracy as but less computing cost than the typical 4th-order interpolation because of fewer grids used. The proposed method is also shown able to achieve more accurate results on coarser grids than conventional linear and other high-order interpolation schemes in the literature.
“Our Kids Aren’t Dropping Out; They’re Being Pushed Out”: Native American Students and Racial Microaggressions in Schools

Poor graduation rates, truancy rates, and standardized tests results have been presented as indicators of a school crisis among Native American youths. This crisis, however, relies on ahistoric and...
OR19 MIRNA mediated post transcriptional regulation of HLA transcripts

Aim MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate the post-transcriptional expression of targeted mRNA transcripts, however little is known about the influence of HLA polymorphisms on altered miRNA target specificity & allele specific post-transcriptional regulation. We utilize a custom developed bioinformatics platform, utilizing both miRNA transcript expression data and computational miRNA target site prediction to study the influence of HLA polymorphisms on altered miRNA target specificity and differential post-transcriptional regulation of HLA alleles within B and T lymphocytes. Methods Computational predicted miRNA target sites for all known miRNA transcripts (miRBase release 21) within the 3 ′ UTR of every known full-length HLA allele for HLA-A, HLA-B, HLA-C, HLA-DQA1, HLA-DQB1, HLA-DPB1 and HLA-DRB1 (IMGT version 3.27) were determined using miRanda with a minimum heteroduplex energy of −20 Kcal/mol. Tissue specific miRNA expression profiles were subsequently used to filter miRNA-target interactions in order to determine the tissue specific differential miRNA target specificity HLA alleles. Results Our data demonstrate that endogenously expressed miRNA within both B and T lymphocytes display differential target specificity across HLA alleles, driven by polymorphisms present within the 3 ′ UTR of HLA alleles. Interestingly, we find differential targeting of endogenously expressed miRNA within polymorphic regions of HLA-DRB1 and HLA-G that have been associated with altered HLA expression and implicated in GVHD, preeclampsia, oncogenesis and allograft rejection. We also observe that several endogenously expressed miRNAs target the 3 ′ UTR of numerous HLA genes, acting as a potential master, universal regulator of HLA expression with B and T lymphocytes. Conclusions The developed bioinformatics platform identifies target sites of all known miRNA on the 3 ′ UTR of every annotated full-length HLA allele. This atlas is further refined using tissue specific miRNA expression patterns to generate tissue specific target maps, revealing altered miRNA target specificity both across tissue types and across HLA alleles, driven by polymorphisms across HLA alleles. This powerful platform may be used to test novel hypothesis related to altered HLA expression as it relates to a variety of disease states.
Size- and Interface-Modulated Metal-Insulator Transition in Solution-Synthesized Nanoscale VO 2 -TiO 2 -VO 2 Heterostructures.

The M1 form of vanadium dioxide, which exhibits a reversible insulator-metal transition above room temperature, has been incorporated into nanoscale heterostructures through solution-phase epitaxial growth on the tips of rutile TiO2 nanorods. Four distinct classes of VO2 -TiO2 -VO2 nanorod heterostructures are accessible by modulating the growth conditions. Each type of VO2 -TiO2 -VO2 nanostructure has a different insulator-metal transition temperature that depends on the VO2 domain sizes and the TiO2 -VO2 interfacial strain characteristics.
An Example of Identifying the Specific Mechanism of Resonant Energy Transfer: Sb3+ → Mn2+ in Fluorophosphate Phosphors(Abstract)

The kinetics of energy transfer from antimony donor to manganese acceptor in fluorophosphate phosphors has been studied for the purpose of identifying the specific mechanism of resonant energy transfer (1). By comparison of the manganese concentration dependence of the experimental donor quantum yield and of the emission decay curves with the theoretical calculations for dipole-dipole, dipole-quadrupole, and exchange mechanisms, the energy transfer was found to take place through the exchange mechanism. The probability per unit time for the energy transfer by exchange is given by P=KR16e-2R/L sin2 Θ · cos2⌽ where the empirical parameters were found to be K–48.7 A -16 μ sec-1 and L=0.55A. In the absence of manganese acceptors add for the low donor concentrations investigated, the antinomy emission decay curve was found to be exponential over more than two orders of Magnitude with a lifetime of 7.65 + 0.05μ sec.
Fluid Network Models: Linear Programs for Control and Performance Bounds

Abstract. It has been shown recently that fluid limit models provide the means to substantially simplify the stability analysis of multiclass queueing networks. This paper begins to address the most natural second question: do fluid models provide a tool for developing high performance scheduling policies for queueing networks?