cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cell growth and gene modulatory activities of Yunzhi (Windsor Wunxi) from mushroom Trametes versicolor in androgen-dependent and androgen-insensitive human prostate cancer cells.

The incidence of prostate cancer varies greatly throughout the world; it is highest in African-Americans and lowest in the Asian populations of China, India, and Japan. Geographical differences in both prevalence of latent prostate cancer and mortality have been postulated to be influenced by diverse tumor-promoting and protective factors, both environmental and dietary. Prostate cancer is a tumor with an extremely long latency; the pattern of prostate tumorigenesis, in terms of the display and sequence of appearance of particular molecular or biochemical features, or morphological changes, characterizing different stages of the carcinogenic process, is expected to be heterogeneous. Some insights into tumor heterogeneity and progression can be obtained from studies using cell lines, particularly those derived from different anatomical sites. The present study aims to investigate whether hormone-responsive LNCaP and androgen-refractory JCA-1, PC-3, and DU-145 prostate cancer cells are responsive to Yunzhi (YZ), a proprietary dietary supplement prepared from extracts of Trametes versicolor, also known as Coriolus versicolor (a mushroom consumed by Chinese for its purported health benefits), and to elucidate its mechanism of action. Ethanolic extracts (70%) of YZ significantly reduced LNCaP cell growth, down-regulated the levels of secreted PSA, but had less effects on the expression of intracellular PSA and did not affect levels of the androgen receptor. In androgen-unresponsive prostate cancer cells, YZ had a much less pronounced suppressive effect on proliferation of PC-3 and DU-145 cells, compared to LNCaP, and was inactive against JCA-1 cells. Western blot analyses show that the expression of Rb, a key regulatory protein in G 1 /S transition, and PCNA, integrally involved in mammalian cell DNA replication, were significantly reduced by treatment with YZ in PC-3 and DU-145 cells, respectively. In contradiction, none of these biochemical parameters were affected in JCA- 1 cells under identical treatment conditions. Further analysis shows that YZ increased the levels of signal transducer and activator family of transcription factors STAT 1 and STAT 3 in JCA-1 and not LNCaP cells. The greater sensitivity of LNCaP cells to this polysaccharopeptide raises the possibility that YZ may be considered as an adjuvant therapy in the treatment of hormone responsive prostate cancer; additionally, it may have chemopreventive potential to restrict prostate tumorigenic progression from the hormone-dependent to the hormone-refractory state.
Observation of Perfluoromethylnitrene in Cryogenic Matrixes

Photolysis (254 nm) of CF3N3 in pentane at 6−10 K produced a persistent electron paramagnetic resonance spectrum typical of a triplet nitrene centered at 8620 G. The spectrum (|D/hc| = 1.736 cm-1) is attributed to triplet CF3−N, and is very similar to that of triplet NH (|D/hc| = 1.863 cm-1) and CH3-N (|D/hc| = 1.720 cm-1) which were reported previously. CF3N3 was also deposited in an argon matrix at 14 K. The azide (λmax = 257 nm) was decomposed by exposure to 254 nm light with the concurrent formation of sharp, structured absorption bands at 342, 347.5, and 354 nm. The UV bands are assigned to the triplet nitrene CF3N on the basis of its similarity to the spectrum of CH3N and time-dependent density functional theory (B3LYP) calculations.
Identification of the Dynamic Characteristics of a Bench-Type Automotive Seat for the Evaluation of Ride Quality

The effect of seat transmissibility upon the spectra of motion of a typical bench-type automotive front seat is investigated. Vertical and lateral acceleration spectra arc measured at the floorboard and at the man/seat interface. System transfer functions are identified from the experimental data using spectral analysis techniques. Analytical expressions, which can be used for system ride quality simulation and investigation are determined which best fit the experimentally determined transfer functions in a least-squares sense. A significant resonance at about 4.9 Hertz, which may have a significant effect upon system ride quality, is demonstrated in the data.
The histochemical localization of acetylcholinesterase in the rainbow trout saccular macula by electron microscopy

The hair cells of the teleost saccular macula are morphologically similar to type II vestibular hair cells of higher vertebrates. The two types of nerve endings at the base of the saccular hair cells are the non-vesiculated endings, thought to be afferent, and the vesiculated terminals, presumed to be efferent. The vesicles in the presumptive efferent endings are predominantly round and clear, and a few are dense cored. The morphological characteristics of the vesiculated endings resemble those of presumptive efferent cholinergic endings present in the inner ear of higher vertebrates. In the present study, vesiculated nerve endings were examined histochemically for acetylcholinesterase. The reaction product was observed along the plasma membranes of the vesiculated nerve endings synapsing both with the hair cells and afferent endings, but was not seen at non-vesiculated endings on hair cells. No staining was observed in control specimens incubated in the presence of eserine sulfate, an inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase. These results suggest that the vesiculated nerve endings in the trout saccular macula contain cholinergic elements.
Thin film deposition of Mo and Mo-compounds by PECVD from Mo(CO)6 and MoF6 as precursors: characterization of films and thermodynamic analysis

Abstract Molybdenum hexacarbonyl, Mo(CO) 6 , and molybdenum hexafluoride, MoF 6 , have been used as precursors, with hydrogen or methane as reductants, to produce thin, dense and largely uniform layers of amorphous structure, on silicon (100) substrates. A plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) setup was used for the deposition. XPS and AES analysis showed that Mo(CO) 6 with CH 4 produces a film containing a mixture of Mo compounds, mostly consisting of MoO 2 . Carbon appears to be present as Mo 2 C rather than elemental carbon, although the latter is thermodynamically favored. Similarly, Mo(CO) 6 and H 2 as the reactant mixture produce a film containing only one single, metastable compound, namely a Mo-oxycarbide. A mixture of MoF 6 with hydrogen is capable of producing pure molybdenum deposits without fluorine surface contamination. With CH 4 as the reductant, MoF 6 is expected to produce a mixture of elemental Mo and Mo 2 C, while MoF 6 with NH 3 as the reductant is expected to yield predominantly Mo 2 N.
Cytoplasmic Ca2+ does not inhibit the cardiac muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum ryanodine receptor Ca2+ channel, although Ca2+-induced Ca2+ inactivation of Ca2+ release is observed in native vesicles

Single channel properties of cardiac and fast-twitch skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) release channels were compared in a planar bilayer by fusing SR membranes in a Cs+-conducting medium. We found that the pharmacology, Cs+ conductance and selectivity to monovalent and divalent cations of the two channels were similar. The cardiac SR channel exhibited multiple kinetic states. The open and closed lifetimes were not altered from a range of 10−7 to 10−3 M Ca2+, but the proportion of closed and open states shifted to shorter closings and openings, respectively.
Jacobi-like forms, differential equations, and Hecke operators

We construct a map from the space of Jacobi-like forms [image omitted]() for a discrete subgroup [image omitted] to the space [image omitted] of sequences of meromorphic functions satisfying certain conditions determined by some linear ordinary differential operators and prove that the Hecke operator actions on [image omitted]() and on [image omitted] are compatible with respect to this map.
Manganese peroxidase from the basidiomycete Phanerochaete chrysosporium: spectral characterization of the oxidized states and the catalytic cycle.

Manganese peroxidase (MnP), an extracellular heme enzyme from the lignin-degrading fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium, catalyzes the Mn(II)-dependent oxidation of a variety of phenols. Herein, the authors spectroscopically characterize the oxidized states of MnP compounds I, II, and III and clarify the role of Mn in the catalytic cycle of the enzyme. Addition of 1 equiv of H/sub 2/O/sub 2/ to the native ferric enzyme yields compound I, characterized by absorption maxima at 407, 558, 605, and 650 nm. Addition of 2 or 250 equiv of H/sub 2/O/sub 2/ to the native enzyme yields compound II or III, respectively, identified by absorption maxima at 420, 528, and 555 nm or at 417, 545, and 579 nm, respectively. These characteristics are very similar to those of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and lignin peroxidase (LiP) compounds I, II, and III. Addition of 1 equiv of either Mn(II), ferrocyanide, or a variety of phenols to MnP compound I rapidly reduces it to MnP compound II. In contrast, only Mn(II) or ferrocyanide, added at a concentration of 1 equiv, reduces compound II. The Mn(III) produced by the enzymic oxidation of Mn(II) oxidizes the terminal phenolic substrates. This indicates that compounds I and II of MnP contain 2more » and 1 oxidizing equiv, respectively, over the native ferric resting enzyme and that the catalytic cycle of the enzyme follows the path native enzyme ..-->.. compound I ..-->.. compound II ..-->.. native enzyme. In addition, these results indicate that Mn(II) serves as an obligatory substrate for MnP compound II, allowing the enzyme to complete its catalytic cycle. Finally, the Mn(II)/Mn(III) redox couple enables the enzyme to rapidly oxidize the terminal phenolic substrates.« less
Chern-simons on a lattice

Abstract Let u be a continuous SU (2)-valued lattice gauge field on a triangulation Λ of a manifold X of dimension ≥3. Let ξ be the corresponding principal SU (2)-bundle over X . It is shown how to choose a piecewise smooth connection ω in ξ with the following property. The Chern-Simons character χ of the gauge field (ξ,ω) can be computed as the sum of local contributions ^χ(σ), one for each 3-simplex σ of Λ, where ^χ(σ) is the sum of one term that can be exactly calculated from u , and other terms (volumes of elementary regions in the 3-sphere) which can be estimated in terms of u by simple Monte-Carlo methods. For any 3-cycle Z = Σ i a i σ i , the sum Σ i a i ^ χ ( σ i ), reduced mod Z , is gauge-invariant.
Evaporation of charged fine droplets

At about the minimum flow rate, mono-disperse charged droplets have been produced by electrospray from an aqueous solution of trifluoroacetic acid. Charged droplets and ions formed from the droplets were passed through a heated copper tube and then analyzed with a differential mobility analyzer. In the mobility spectra it was found that with increasing temperature the current of the charged droplet peak at 3.75 × 10−5m2 V−1 s−1 decreases and finally disappears, while that of the ion peak at 7.20 × 10−5m2 V−1 s−1 decreases much less. This result shows that ions are formed from heated droplets. The electric field at the droplet surface was determined as (1.32 ± 0.09) × 109V m−1.
The Energetics of Consensus Promoter Opening by T7 RNA Polymerase

The consensus 23 base-pair T7 DNA promoter is classically divided into two domains, an upstream binding domain (-17 to -5), and a downstream initiation domain (-4 to +6) relative to the transcription start site at +1. During transcription initiation, T7 RNA polymerase (T7 RNAP) melts specifically the -4 to +2/+3 (TATAGG/G) region of the duplex DNA promoter to form a pre-initiation open complex. No external energy source is used and the energy for open complex formation is derived from the free energy of specific interactions with the binding domain, particularly the specificity region (-13 to -6). Using 2-aminopurine fluorescence-based equilibrium and kinetic measurements, we have measured the binding affinities of various topologically modified DNA promoters (40 bp in length) that represent initial, final, and transition-state analogs of the promoter DNA in the T7 RNAP-DNA complex, to determine the energy of specific binding interactions, and the energy required for forming an initiation bubble. The results indicate that 16-16.5 kcal mol(-1) of free energy is made available upon T7 RNAP binding (through specificity loop) to the promoter binding domain. To melt the TATAGG/G sequence 7-8 kcal mol(-1) of free energy is utilized; this compares with approximately 6 kcal mol(-1) predicted from nearest neighbor analysis. The remaining 8.5-9.5 kcal mol(-1) of net free energy is retained for stabilization of the specific pre-initiation binary complex. Of the 7-8 kcal mol(-1) energy that is used to generate the pre-initiation DNA bubble in the open complex, we estimate that one half (3.5-4 kcal mol(-1)) is utilized for nucleation/deformation process (through bending, untwisting, etc.) in the melting region (-4 to -1 TATA) of the initiation domain (-4 to +6), and appears to be independent of the nucleation site within this region. The other half is utilized in unpairing the +1 to +2/+3 GG/G sequence for initiation. The interactions of T7 RNAP with a 20-bp non-specific DNA on the other hand are very weak (DeltaG<-5k cal mol(-1)), which is not sufficient to melt and stabilize an open complex of a non-specific DNA.
Effect of non aqueous solvent on structural stability of α-amylase: A cost-effective prospective for protein stabilization

Abstract The aim of the present study is to assess the effect of non-aqueous organic solvent on structural stability, molecular integrity and structure of α-amylase. The activity and thermal stability of the enzyme was measured before and after treatment with non polar solvent (i.e. hexane). The activity was found to be marginally affected and thermal stability was found to be significantly increased after treatment with hexane. The enzyme was found to be more resistant to thermal inactivation in hexane compared to in an aqueous buffer. The fluorescence measurement indicated a blue shift of 3 nm in the emission maximum ( λ max ) probably due to a minor change in the polarity of aromatic amino acid residues after treatment with a non-aqueous solvent. Assessment of thermal denaturation profile, 1-anilino-8-naphthalene-sulfonate (ANS) binding and acrylamide quenching of the enzyme suggested an increase in the molecular integrity and overall stability of the enzyme after treatment with hexane. However, these entire molecular events were not accompanied by any major change in the secondary structure. Our findings suggest that treatment of proteins or enzymes in non-aqueous solvents could be an attractive and cost-effective strategy to improve their structural stability without compromising their biological functions.
Resilient Control for Serial Manufacturing Networks With Advance Notice of Disruptions

This paper discusses optimal control policies to achieve resilience in a class of serial manufacturing networks. Resilience is the ability of a system or enterprise to minimize the effects of a disruption. Although resilient manufacturing enterprises have been investigated in many different areas, there has been little analytical investigation into real-time control policies for resiliency. Our goal is to study the real-time resilient control for manufacturing systems through mathematical analysis. To achieve this, we start with developing a model for a general manufacturing network. Then, the optimal control problem is developed for a simple type of serial network called a Decreasing Storage Cost and Decreasing Capacity (DSCDC) network given disruptions with advance warning. It is then shown that the results of the DSCDC network can be generalized to more general serial networks.
Implementation of the Thompson mechanism

This paper reconsiders the largely overlooked Thompson insurance mechanism for public choice. The mechanism's apparent defects can be remedied by a multi-part mechanism that generates necessary information and corrects potential errors. The added parts are (a) a sample of the population of eligible voters, who prepare a program for all voters' approval, and (b) the Vickrey-Clarke-Groves pivot mechanism. One can use classical statistical methods to draw valid inferences from a population sample about the entire electorate, preserving incentive compatibility and permitting efficient outcomes.
Notes on the Curriculum Field 1978

in this way: "I have the disquieting feeling that to justify its continued existence, research in curriculum will have to do more than increase our comprehension of curricular realities. It may also have to create new curricular possibilities, if it and public education are to survive. Comprehension is a good first step toward improvement, but it is not enough."'I In this paper I wish to discuss the history of Professor Walker's "disquieting feeling" by sketching briefly the recent history of the field. In so doing I will underscore the ideas "curricular possibilities" and "improvement" as these have been understood in
Proton/hydroxide conductance through phospholipid bilayer membranes: effects of phytanic acid.

Mechanisms of proton/hydroxide conductance (GH/OH) were investigated in planar (Mueller-Rudin) bilayer membranes made from decane solutions of phospholipids or phospholipids plus phytanic acid (a 20-carbon, branched chain fatty acid). At neutral pH, membranes made from diphytanoylphosphatidylcholine or bacterial phosphatidylethanolamine had GH/OH values in the range of (2–5) · 10−9 S · cm−2, corresponding to H+/OH− ‘net’ permeabilities of about (0.4–1.0) · 10−5cm · s−1. GH/OH was inhibited by serum albumin, phloretin, glycerol and low pH, but was increased by chlorodecane and voltage > 80 mV. Water permeability and GH/OH were not correlated, suggesting that water and H+/OH− cross the membrane by separate pathways. Addition of phytanic acid to the phospholipids caused an increase in GH/OH which was proportional to the first power of the phytanic acid concentration. In membranes containing phytanic acid, GH/OH was inhibited by albumin, phloretin, glycerol and low pH, but was increased by chlorodecane and voltages > 80 mV. The results suggest that phytanic acid acts as a simple (A− type) proton carrier. The qualitative similarities between the behavior of GH/OH in unmodified and phytanic-acid containing membranes suggest that phospholipids may contain weakly acidic contaminants which cause most of GH/OH at pH > 4. However, there is also a significant background (pH independent) GH/OH which may be due to hydrogen-bonded water chains. The ability of phytanic acid to act as a proton carrier may help to explain the toxicity of phytanic acid in Refsum's disease, a metabolic disorder in which phytanic acid accumulates to high levels in plasma, cells and tissues.
A design approach for self-diagnosis of fault-tolerant clock synchronization

A general design approach for self-diagnosis of faulty clocking modules in a fault-tolerant clock synchronization (FTCS) system is presented. The approach is based on a statistical testing method. The major advantages are better self-stability control and lower overhead. The design methodology includes a self-diagnosis algorithm to transform a partially self-stabilizing clocking system into a self-stabilizing one. Compound to partially self-stabilizing clocking systems, this approach offers several advantages. First, the self-stabilization of the FTCS system is achieved with the support of repair techniques. Second, the system availability for performing synchronization and coordinated actions is controlled by the designer. Third, the transformation overhead is kept to a minimum. Finally, the approach is not limited to the situation in which single clock failure occurs between successive diagnoses. >
The symmetrization of a silaorganomercurial

Abstract The question of possible solvolysis of [(phenyldimethylsilyl)methyl]mercuric salts as a means of producing intermediate siliconium ions is examined. A competitive symmetrization reaction is reported and provides a constrast between the chemistry of these compounds and their carbon analogs.
How social structure and institutional order co-evolve beyond instrumental rationality

This study proposes an agent-based model where adaptively learning agents with local vision who are situated in the Prisoner's Dilemma game change their strategy and location as well. Besides both the copying-highest-scoring strategy and the tie dissolution among defectors as the instrumental rationale, two other heuristics are considered: following-the-majority in the influence process; and the tie dissociation between cooperators and defectors in the selection process. Under the overall setting which is not favorable to cooperation, it turned out that cooperative culture is less likely to emerge and its transmission is more unstable when more agents stick to follow the trend on the fixed network. Given the same set of conditions but with the small amount of social plasticity, cooperative culture is much more likely to emerge and sustain on a hierarchical network where the average clustering coefficient is higher and the average path length is still similar compared to those of the equivalent random network when the small degree of freedom from defectors is allowed to defectors only; much higher and slightly longer, respectively, when cooperators also have that freedom.
Evidence-Based Practice: An Alternative to Authority-Based Practice

There is no agreement on “one way of knowing” in social work, and it is certainly not scientific reasoning that is accepted, as can be seen by examining the literature in social work on “different ways of knowing.”
The coordination of compensatory tracking and anticipatory timing tasks

Abstract Two experiments investigated the presence of a coordination factor in a task consisting of compensatory tracking and anticipatory timing components. The task (Intercept task) resembles a computer game in which a rocket must be aimed and fired to shoot an incoming missile. The studies were designed to determine if a coordinating ability exists above and beyond the abilities needed to perform the component tasks alone. We also investigated the nature of coordination abilities through correlations with other types of coordination tasks and measures of intelligence. Is coordination a general cognitive ability that contributes to performance in a wide range of coordination tasks, or is coordination ability task specific? Multiple regression analyses indicated the existence of a coordination ability in the Intercept task. This coordination ability, however, was shown to be unrelated to the coordination of visual and linguistic processing and to psychometric measures of intelligence as assessed by the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). Coordination of visual and linguistic processing correlated with a component of the ASVAB measuring perceptual speed. We conclude that, although the ability to integrate separate components of a complex task draws on a coordination ability, this ability is domain specific and thus varies depending on the nature of the component tasks.
Acoustic Pyrometry for Harsh, Chemically Reacting Environments

The objective of this research is to demonstrate the feasibility of using acoustic pyrometry methods to take measurements in harsh, chemically reacting flow such as gas turbine engine combustion chambers. Conventional methods utilize flow invasive devices, have line of sight requirements, or use exterior parameters to measure the internal temperatures of a combustion chamber. Acoustic pyrometry methods can avoid many of these compromises and have been applied to a wide variety of industrial systems including the measurement of furnace exit gas temperatures, waste-to-energy boilers, cement kilns, metal treatment furnaces, and many other applications. The passive system works on the concept that temperature affects the speed of sound through a fluid. This work establishes that passive acoustic pyrometry is a viable option for determining combustor performance and for measuring fuel-to-air ratios and temperatures from acoustic resonances in an engine. The results include the ability to monitor temperature distributions and develop algorithms to obtain several other data sets. The work detailed includes research performed and compared with results obtained using conventional methods at NASA Glenn Research Center and Rolls Royce.
Ultra-thin atomic layer deposition films for corrosion resistance

We evaluated the chemical and electrochemical corrosion resistance of ultra-thin films deposited via atomic layer deposition (ALD) for potential wafer-scale passivation of biomedical microdevices. A variety of ALD coatings can be deposited conformally on metal or silicon surfaces at low temperature. We were able to protect aluminum electrodes against corrosion in ionic media with a voltage stress of 1V for 200 hours using a double ALD film stack of 5nm Al2O3 and 5nm HfO2.
Glyphosate Adjuvant Formulation with Glycerin

The development of many crops with glyphosate tolerance has created a large demand for glyphosate herbicide formulations. Commercial aqueous solution glyphosate formulations usually contain a surfactant along with other formulation additives. The surfactant can function to help the spray solution wet the weed surface, and can also help potentiate the active ingredient. The other formulation ingredients usually include materials that function as humectants, antigelling agents, and antifreeze agents. Various traditional petrochemical derivatives have been used to achieve these effects. In this paper glycerin, a renewable natural material provides all of the nonsurfactant excipient properties. The advent of biodiesel production has created a surge in the production of glycerin. It has been found that this crude glycerin can be incorporated into commercial aqueous glyphosate formulations and can replace the traditional petrochemical derivative constituents. The glycerin functions as the humectant, antigelling agent, and antifreeze agent. This paper deals with the modifications and specifications necessary to achieve a suitable finished glyphosate product, as well as the performance results observed from field trials with the final formulation.
Treatment of menorrhagia with meclofenamate sodium

A double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial was undertaken to determine the efficacy of meclofenamate sodium in the treatment of menorrhagia. Twenty-nine patients who had a baseline menstrual blood loss greater than 60 ml received 2 months' each of meclofenamate sodium, 100 mg by mouth, three times a day, or a placebo. The mean menstrual blood loss was reduced from 141.6 ± 15.9 ml at baseline to 69.0 ± 6.3 ml during treatment cycles but remained increased during placebo cycles (135:6 ± 11.3 ml). The symptoms of dysmenorrhea, backache, and headache were significantly reduced only during active drug periods. The number of days of flow and pads or tampons used was also reduced during drug cycles but not during placebo cycles. Overall, 26 of the 29 patients evaluated had a reduction in menstrual blood loss with the use of meclofenamate sodium. It appears that many women with unexplained menorrhagia may benefit from this treatment.
Who should have surgery for an intervertebral disc herniation? Comparative effectiveness evidence from the spine patient outcomes research trial.

STUDY DESIGN Combined prospective randomized controlled trial and observational cohort study of intervertebral disc herniation (IDH), an as-treated analysis. OBJECTIVE To determine modifiers of the treatment effect (TE) of surgery (the difference between surgical and nonoperative outcomes) for intervertebral disc herniation (IDH) using subgroup analysis. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA The Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial demonstrated a positive surgical TE for IDH at the group level. However, individual characteristics may affect TE. No prior studies have evaluated TE modifiers in IDH. METHODS IDH patients underwent either discectomy (n = 788) or nonoperative care (n = 404) and were analyzed according to treatment received. Thirty-seven baseline variables were used to define subgroups for calculating the time-weighted average TE for the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) across 4 years (TE = ΔODI(surgery) -ΔODI(nonoperative)). Variables with significant subgroup-by-treatment interactions (P < 0.1) were simultaneously entered into a multivariate model to select independent TE predictors. RESULTS All analyzed subgroups improved significantly more with surgery than with nonoperative treatment (P < 0.05). In minimally adjusted univariate analyses, being married, absence of joint problems, worsening symptom trend at baseline, high school education or less, older age, no worker's compensation, longer duration of symptoms, and an SF-36 mental component score (MCS) less than 35 were associated with greater TEs. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that being married (TE, -15.8 vs. -7.7 single, P < 0.001), absence of joint problems (TE, -14.6 vs. -10.3 joint problems, P = 0.012), and worsening symptoms (TE, -15.9 vs. -11.8 stable symptoms, P = 0.032) were independent TE modifiers. TEs were greatest in married patients with worsening symptoms (-18.3) vs. single patients with stable symptoms (-7.8). CONCLUSION IDH patients who met strict inclusion criteria improved more with surgery than with nonoperative treatment, regardless of specific characteristics. However, being married, without joint problems, and worsening symptom trend at baseline were associated with a greater TE.
Membrane Potential Controls Adipogenic and Osteogenic Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Background Control of stem cell behavior is a crucial aspect of developmental biology and regenerative medicine. While the functional role of electrophysiology in stem cell biology is poorly understood, it has become clear that endogenous ion flows represent a powerful set of signals by means of which cell proliferation, differentiation, and migration can be controlled in regeneration and embryonic morphogenesis. Methodology/Principal Findings We examined the membrane potential (Vmem) changes exhibited by human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) undergoing adipogenic (AD) and osteogenic (OS) differentiation, and uncovered a characteristic hyperpolarization of differentiated cells versus undifferentiated cells. Reversal of the progressive polarization via pharmacological modulation of transmembrane potential revealed that depolarization of hMSCs prevents differentiation. In contrast, treatment with hyperpolarizing reagents upregulated osteogenic markers. Conclusions/Significance Taken together, these data suggest that the endogenous hyperpolarization is a functional determinant of hMSC differentiation and is a tractable control point for modulating stem cell function.
Purification and characterization of mouse brain Thy-1.2 differentiation alloantigen

Abstract Subcellular fractionation of C57B1/6J mouse brains produced a crude synaptosome preparation which contained virtually all of the Thy-1.2 antigenic activity of the isotonic whole brain homogenate. The Thy-1.2 was solubilized from the synaptosomes, following delipidation with acetone, by deoxycholate extraction. A glycoprotein fraction rich in Thy-1.2 was isolated from the bulk of the detergent-soluble material by lectin affinity chromatography. Fractionation of the lectin retentate by gel filtration chromatography produced a single peak of Thy-1.2 activity purified more than 2000-fold over the original homogenate. SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of this material revealed a single band which corresponded to an apparent molecular weight of 24,000. Amino acid composition data indicated that the protein portion of the molecule is similar to Thy-1.1 from mouse lymphoblastoid cells. Carbohydrate analysis revealed a qualitative similarity between mouse brain Thy-1.2 and Thy-1.1 from rat brain. Structural differences which could account for the Thy-1.1 and Thy-1.2 antigenic distinctions are apparently too subtle to be detected by compositional analysis.
Binding of bis(p-chlorophenyl) acetic acid with bovine serum albumin

Abstract The binding of bis( p -chlorophenyl) acetic acid with bovine serum albumin has been monitored by observing the changes in the relaxation times of bis( p -chlorophenyl) acetic acid proton magnetic resonance peaks. The addition of bovine serum albumin to an aqueous solution of bis( p -chlorophenyl) acetic acid increased linewidths in a manner suggesting rapid, reversible binding. Line broadening was found to be greater for the ring protons than for the benzylic proton, indicating that the ring presents the stronger binding site. The equilibrium constant has been approximated. The binding results are discussed in terms of environmental and toxicological considerations.
Maternal correlates of self-esteem and overall adjustment in children with birth defects.

The present study was designed to test hypotheses relating eight maternal attitudes and behaviors to the self-esteem and overall adjustment of children with birth defects. To test these hypotheses, 35 pre- and early adolescent children with birth defects and their mothers were each independently assessed, by means of questionnaires and systematic, quantitative ratings of semistructured interviews. The results generally support the hypotheses for five of the maternal variables: (a) active “cognitive confrontation” of the child's defect at the time of its discovery; (b) open communication with the child about his defect and related issues; (c) liking and respect for the child; (d) a positive accepting outlook towards the child's future; and (e) encouragement of the child's independence and achievement.
Measurement of Gas Viscosity at High Pressures and High Temperatures

Gas viscosity is an important fluid property in petroleum engineering due to its impact in oil and gas production and transportation where it contributes to the resistance to the flow of a fluid both in porous media and pipes. Although the property has been studied thoroughly at low to intermediate pressures and temperatures, there is lack of detailed knowledge of gas viscosity behavior at high pressures and high temperatures (HPHT) in the oil and gas industry. The need to understand and be able to predict gas viscosity at HPHT has become increasingly important as exploration and production has moved to ever deeper formations where HPHT conditions are more likely to be encountered. Knowledge of gas viscosity is required for fundamental petroleum engineering calculations that allow one to optimize the overall management of a HPHT gas field and to better estimate reserves. Existing gas viscosity correlations are derived using measured data at low to moderate pressures and temperatures, i.e. less than 10,000 psia and 300 oF, and then extrapolated to HPHT conditions. No measured gas viscosities at HPHT are currently available, and so the validity of this extrapolation approach is doubtful due to the lack of experimental calibration. The falling body viscometer is selected to measure gas viscosity for a pressure range of 3,000 to 24,500 psia and temperature range of 100 to 415 oF. Nitrogen was used to calibrate the instrument and to account for the fact that the concentrations of non-hydrocarbons are observed to increase dramatically in HPHT reservoirs. Then methane viscosity is measured to reflect the fact that, at HPHT conditions, the reservoir fluids will be very lean gases, typically methane with some degree of impurity. The experiments showed that while the correlation of Lee et al. accurately estimates gas viscosity at low to moderate pressure and temperature, it does not provide a good match to gas viscosity at HPHT conditions.
Sterol metabolism. III. Sterols of marine waters

The detection and tentative identification of three sterols, cholesterol, stigmasterol, and β-sitosterol, in hexane extracts of Gulf of Mexico waters has been achieved by using thin-layer and gas chromatographic procedures. The identifications are assigned on the basis of chromatographic properties of the free sterols, of their acetates, and of their trimethylsilyl ethers.
Evidence of the dynamic importance of auricular systole in man

Summary1. The duration of ventricular systole and its ejection phase are influenced at corresponding heart rates by the diastolic filling and the initial pressure of the ventricles, as demonstrated by recent experimental work.2. The duration of these periods in hearts with auricular fibrillation is shorter (than normal at corresponding heart rates, even in spite of the higher venous pressures present.3. These intervals increase when the heart reverts to a normal mechanism.We conclude, therefore, that these observations give probable if indirect evidence of the dynamic importance of auricular systole in the normal heart beat in man.
Disentangling molecular alignment and enhanced ionization in intense laser fields

Using circular and linear laser polarization for strong-field dissociative ionization we show that iodine molecules are rotationally fixed by their own moment of inertia during the dissociative ionization with a 80-fs pulse. What seems to be alignment of the fragments is created by an enhancement of the ionization rate, which is strongly dependent on the angle between the molecular axis and the laser electric-field vector. By the introduced method we can measure the degree of alignment for ${\mathrm{I}}_{2}, {\mathrm{Br}}_{2}, {\mathrm{Cl}}_{2},$ and ${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ and independently estimate the enhancement of the ionization rate for ${\mathrm{I}}_{2}.$
Using activity theory to evaluate and improve K-12 school and university partnerships

This chapter reports on an evaluation methodology development study for K-12 school and university partnerships. The method is based on Engestrom’s (1987) activity systems analysis that allows researchers to examine qualitative datasets of complex human interactions. This study was designed for participants to evaluate partnership relations and activities. We investigated how the use of activity systems analysis in K-12 school and university partnership evaluation meetings affected participant communication processes. In this study, during a one day retreat K-12 school staff and university staff used a modified activity systems model to identify persisting institutional tensions in their program that often trigger miscommunications and strain their relations. During the discussion sessions, study participants collaboratively examined their partnership relations and identified strategies for overcoming difficulties. Additionally, in subsequent monthly partnership meetings during the school year, participants examined findings from the evaluation to design and implement improvement strategies. The results from this methodology development and implementation study provided researchers and partnership participants a new means to (a) evaluate partnership activities, (b) identify institutional barriers, (c) plan future activities, and (d) listen to and incorporate the ideas of less vocal staff members into the planning of future activities.
Charge Hopping in Organic Semiconductors: Influence of Molecular Parameters on Macroscopic Mobilities in Model One-Dimensional Stacks

We present a Monte Carlo approach to estimate how molecular parameters impact hopping rates and charge mobilities in organic π-conjugated materials. Our goal is to help in establishing structure−properties relationships. As a first step, our approach is illustrated by considering a model system made of a one-dimensional array of pentacene molecules; we describe the variations of the electron-transfer rates and of the resulting charge mobilities as a function of electric field and of the presence of molecular disorder and traps. The results highlight that there is no direct relationship between the degree of spatial overlap among adjacent molecules and charge mobility.
Anatomic explanation of mobile systolic clicks: Implications for the clinical and echocardiographic diagnosis of mitral valve prolapse

An echocardiogram (echo) is often ordered for suspected mitral valve prolapse (MVP). Using echo as the gold standard, we conducted a meticulous physical examination on 61 patients with this referral diagnosis. Ninety percent of patients with negative physical examination and echo results for MVP had physical examination findings likely to have been misinterpreted as MVP by the referring physician. Redundant portions of the mitral valve apparatus were found in 57% of patients with MVP on our physical examination but not on echo. A carefully performed physical examination (including dynamic auscultation) can exclude MVP. Not all mobile systolic clicks are associated with anatomic echo prolapse; they can be generated by redundant chordae tendineae and, in the absence of echo prolapse, probably by redundant leaflets. Patients with mobile systolic clicks should have an echo to determine the portion of the spectrum of echo prolapse present and to determine risk stratification and management.
Cerebellar-Thalamic Connectivity in Schizophrenia

The literature on alterations in brain structure and function in schizophrenia, particularly in relationship to impairments in cognitive, motor, and affective functions, has made it increasingly clear that changes in the function of a single brain region cannot explain the range of impairments seen in this illness.1–4 This realization has led to a surgence of interest in studies examining neurobiological changes in schizophrenia from the perspective of brain networks and connections among brain regions and networks, with a particular focus on neural circuits known to work together to support sensory, cognitive, and emotional processes.5 This shift in focus is consistent with long-standing hypotheses about schizophrenia as a “dysconnection” syndrome, where impairments in cognition and behavior occur because of a failure of coordinated action across multiple brain regions. As many researchers have noted,6 versions of this hypothesis were put forth as early as the work of Wernicke7 and Bleuler.8 Further, theories about abnormalities in connections among brain regions have also played a central role in more recent theories of the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. For example, one such prominent theory, put forth by Andreasen and colleagues,9 suggested that schizophrenia involves a disruption in the integration of cortical-subcortical-cerebellar circuits, a hypothesis termed “cognitive dysmetria.”
Pulse Waveforms with a Correlation Criterion for Synthetic Aperture Imaging Systems

We introduce a method for the synthesis of pulse waveforms that possess a given time-bandwidth product, have narrow auto-correlation functions, and simultaneously, small cross-correlation functions. Pulse sets with such characteristics are desirable in various contexts in communications and rang- ing applications: the narrow auto-correlation property provides noise-immunity and enhances temporal resolution, while small cross-correlations minimize mutual interference in multiple- access systems. We leverage the energy concentration property of the prolate spheroidal wave functions to ensure small pair- wise cross-correlations, and develop an iterative algorithm that enforces a desired shape on the auto-correlation functions of the resulting waveforms. The effectiveness of the method is illustrated with examples: the correlation functions of the pulses that we obtain show significant improvements over those of PN sequences, and of pulses obtained by a previously reported method. I. INTRODUCTION The correlation properties of the signal waveforms are important in several aspects of radar, sonar, and commu- nications engineering. In ranging applications, for example, an auto-correlation function (ACF) with a narrow main-lobe and rapidly decaying side-lobes is necessary for adequate temporal resolution. In the context of digital communications, a well-localized ACF is beneficial to timing acquisition and synchronization, and multipath resolution in mobile fading environments. In systems where multiple signals share the same channel, their cross-correlation properties are equally im- portant, as signal discrimination and interference suppression techniques primarily rely on the cross-correlation functions (CCFs) being nearly zero. Examples of such multiple-access systems include CDMA communications, multiple-transmitter synthetic aperture imaging (SAI), etc.. In the following we denote the correlation function of the complex-valued signals si(t) ,s j(t) at lag τ by ri,j(τ ) as defined by the formula
Iron Deficiency Alters the Day‐Night Variation in Monoamine Levels in Mice

Monoamine metabolism in the central nervous system is altered by dietary iron deficiency, with a stronger effect seen during the active than rest span of the circadian cycle. In this report, we examined changes in intracellular and extracellular monoamine levels, synthetic enzymes, transporter and receptor densities, and responses to amphetamine‐induced dopamine (DA) efflux in iron‐deficient and iron‐sufficient mice. Extracellular striatal DA levels were 15–20% higher in all groups during the active dark phase compared to the inactive light phase, with correspondingly lower dopamine transporter (DAT) and higher tyrosine hydroxylase levels. Iron deficiency decreased DAT density by 20% and 28% in the light and dark phases, respectively, and elevated the DOPAC/DA ratio only in the dark, indicating that iron deficiency does interact with the normal diurnal cues for cyclicity. Enhanced DA efflux after amphetamine stimulation indicates no limitation on monoamine synthesis and release and is consistent with alte...
Resource-efficient computing paradigm for computational protein modeling applications

Many computational protein modeling applications using numerical methods such as Molecular Dynamics (MD), Monte Carlo (MC), or Genetic Algorithms (GA) require a large number of energy estimations of the protein molecular system. A typical energy function describing the protein energy is a combination of a number of terms characterizing various interactions within the protein molecule as well as the protein-solvent interactions. Evaluating the energy function of a relatively large protein molecule is rather computationally costly and usually occupies the major computation time in the protein simulation process. In this paper, we present a resource-efficient computing paradigm based on “consolidation” to reduce the computational time of evaluating the energy function of large protein molecule. The fundamental idea of consolidation is to increase computational density to a computer in order to increase the CPU utilizations. Consolidation will be particularly efficient when the consolidated computations have heterogeneous resource demands. In computational protein modeling applications with costly energy function evaluation, we advocate the use of “thread consolidation,” which is to spawn concurrent threads to carry out parallel energy function terms computations. Our computational results show that 7%∼11% speedup in a protein loop structure prediction program on various hardware architectures where memory-intensive and computation-intensive terms coexist in the energy function. For an MD protein simulation program where computation-intensive energy function evaluations are divided and carried out by concurrent threads, we also find slight performance improvement when the thread consolidation technique is applied.