cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cross talk between autophagy and apoptosis in pulmonary hypertension

AbstractEndothelial cell (EC) apoptosis and apoptosis resistant proliferation have been proposed to play crucial roles in the development of featured plexiform lesions in the pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertension (PH). Subsequently, EC injury associated smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation facilitates vascular remodeling and eventually leads to narrowed vascular lumen, increased pulmonary vascular resistance, increased pulmonary arterial pressure, and right heart failure. The imbalance between cell death and proliferation occurs in every stage of pulmonary vascular remodeling and pathogenesis of PH, and involves every cell type in the vasculature including, but not limited to ECs, SMCs, and fibroblasts. Despite extensive studies, the detailed cellular and molecular mechanisms on how the transition from initial apoptosis of ECs to apoptosis resistant proliferation on ECs and SMCs remains unclear. Recent knowledge on autophagy, a conservative and powerful regulatory machinery existing in almost all mamma...
Chemical characterization of Brickellia cavanillesii (Asteraceae) using gas chromatographic methods

A methanol extract of lyophilized Brickellia cavanillesii was quantitatively analyzed using gas chromatographic (GC) techniques. The chromatographic methods employed were (i) GC-flame ionization detector (GC-FID), (ii) GC-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and (iii) purge and trap GC-MS (PT (2) Bicylo (2.2.1) heptan-2-one, 1, 7, 7-trimethyl-(1S, 4S)-; (3) Phenol, 2-methoxy-4-(1-propenyl)-; (4) Benzene, 1-(1, 5-dimethyl-4-hexenyl)-4-methyl-; (5) Naphthalene, 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8a-hexahydro4, 7-dimethyl-1-1-(1-methylethyl)-, (1S-cis)-; (6) Phenol, 2-methoxy-; (7) Benzaldehyde, 3-hydroxy-4-methoxy-; (8) 11, 13-Eicosadienoic acid, methyl ester; (9) 2-Furancarboxaldehyde, 5-methyl-; (10) Maltol; (11) Phenol; (12) Hydroquinone; (13) 1H-Indene, 1-ethylideneoctahydro-7a-methyl-, (1E, 3a.alpha, 7a.beta.). Other compounds (14) 3-methyl butanal; (15) (D)-Limonene; (16) 1-methyl-4-(1-methyl ethyl) benzene; (17) Butanoic acid methyl ester; (18) 2-methyl propanal; (19) 2-butanone; (20) 2-pentanone; and (21) 2-methyl butane were also identified when PT these are the primary constituents of the essential oils of many plants and flowers.
The acetyl-CoA pathway: a newly discovered pathway of autotrophic growth

Abstract Recently, an autotrophic mechanism which is used by numerous microorganisms including some heterotrophs has been elucidated and designated the acetyl-CoA pathway.
The behavior of α‐synuclein in neurons

Despite considerable evidence linking alpha-synuclein with membranes in vitro, it has proven difficult to demonstrate membrane association of the protein in vivo. alpha-Synuclein localizes to the nerve terminal, but biochemical experiments have not revealed a tight association with membranes. To address the dynamics of the protein in live cells, we have used photobleaching and found that alpha-synuclein exhibits high mobility, although distinctly less than an entirely soluble protein. Further, neural activity controls the distribution of alpha-synuclein, causing its dispersion from the synapse. In addition to the presumed role of alpha-synuclein dynamics in synaptic function, changes in its physiological behavior may underlie the pathological changes associated with Parkinson's disease.
Determination of Total Fluoride Content in Electroslag Refining Fluxes Using a Fluoride Ion-Selective Electrode

A method for a routine, direct analysis for fluoride in electroslag refining (ESR) fluxes, using potentiometry, is described that is faster, more economical, and less operator-dependent than previously known methods of fluoride analysis in these materials. Flux samples were prepared using a rapid sodium carbonate/borate fusion with subsequent digestion in dilute nitric acid prior to chelant addition and analysis by fluoride ion-selective electrode (FISE). Disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA), ethylenediamine, ammonium citrate, ammonium tartrate, and citric acid were used to chelate metal cations in solutions of flux containing calcium fluoride (fluorspar) as a major constituent. It was found that, for optimal recovery of fluoride, pH of the chelant/flux solution must be controlled between 8.0 and 9.0. High concentrations of calcium reduced the ability of the fluoride ion-selective electrode to detect fluoride. It is suspected that high concentrations of magnesium would also contribute to this reduc...
Extracorporeal circulation in 2050: a speculation.

In 2050, a 60-year-old (middle-aged) man has a large myocardial infarction. As he collapses, he vomits and aspirates gastric contents. He has two episodes of ventricular fibrillation, but is successfully defibrillated by his wife. Twelve hours later, he is in the 200-bed intensive care hospital (all inpatient beds are intensive care beds). He is fluid overloaded, in pulmonary edema and cardiogenic shock, and has no urine output. The team from the regional advanced critical care center is called. They arrive, cannulate the patient for venoarterial extracorporeal circulation. No anticoagulants are used. The circuit includes a filter that is used for continuous hemodiafiltration and nutrition and administration of all of his drugs. On the extracorporeal circulation, he is transported to the advanced critical care center, where he has a coronary revascularization by the interventional radiologist and placement of a left atrial drainage catheter; however, his myocardial function does not improve and his acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is worsening. As plans are made for an implantable assist device and later heart transplant, his pneumonia progresses to septic shock, so a sepsis cartridge is inserted into the circuit with prompt resolution of his symptoms.
Configurations For High Speed Gallium Arsenide Charge-Coupled Device Imagers

Several configurations of charge-coupled device (CCD) imagers formed on gallium arsenide are considered. A process was investigated for the fabrication of overlapping charge transfer electrode structures in CCDs on GaAs with ion-implanted active channels. The electrode metal was aluminum and the interelectrode isolation medium was anodically formed aluminum oxide. The use of aluminum electrodes and ion-implanted active channels makes this fabrication process compatible with that used for fabricating high speed integrated circuits on GaAs. Support circuitry can thus readily be integrated with the CCD imager. A computer model that simulates charge transfer through an implanted channel beneath an array of electrodes with a finite gap between each pair of electrodes is presented. The use of this model in designing the overlapping electrode structure and channel profile is demonstrated. The impetus of the device design is to maximize charge transfer efficiency and minimize channel noise.
Elevated vitamin D receptor levels in genetic hypercalciuric stone-forming rats are associated with downregulation of Snail.

Patients with idiopathic hypercalciuria (IH) and genetic hypercalciuric stone-forming (GHS) rats, an animal model of IH, are both characterized by normal serum Ca, hypercalciuria, Ca nephrolithiasis, reduced renal Ca reabsorption, and increased bone resorption. Serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25(OH)2D] levels are elevated or normal in IH and are normal in GHS rats. In GHS rats, vitamin D receptor (VDR) protein levels are elevated in intestinal, kidney, and bone cells, and in IH, peripheral blood monocyte VDR levels are high. The high VDR is thought to amplify the target-tissue actions of normal circulating 1,25(OH)2D levels to increase Ca transport. The aim of this study was to elucidate the molecular mechanisms whereby Snail may contribute to the high VDR levels in GHS rats. In the study, Snail gene expression and protein levels were lower in GHS rat tissues and inversely correlated with VDR gene expression and protein levels in intestine and kidney cells. In human kidney and colon cell lines, ChIP assays revealed endogenous Snail binding close to specific E-box sequences within the human VDR promoter region, whereas only one E-box specifically bound Snail in the rat promoter. Snail binding to rat VDR promoter E-box regions was reduced in GHS compared with normal control intestine and was accompanied by hyperacetylation of histone H3. These results provide evidence that elevated VDR in GHS rats likely occurs because of derepression resulting from reduced Snail binding to the VDR promoter and hyperacetylation of histone H3. © 2010 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Structural Basis for Biofilm Formation via the Vibrio cholerae Matrix Protein RbmA

During the transition from a free-swimming, single-cell lifestyle to a sessile, multicellular state called a biofilm, bacteria produce and secrete an extracellular matrix comprised of nucleic acids, exopolysaccharides, and adhesion proteins. The Vibrio cholerae biofilm matrix contains three major protein components, RbmA, Bap1, and RbmC, which are unique to Vibrio cholerae and appear to support biofilm formation at particular steps in the process. Here, we focus on RbmA, a structural protein with an unknown fold. RbmA participates in the early cell-cell adhesion events and is found throughout the biofilm where it localizes to cell-cell contact sites. We determined crystal structures of RbmA and revealed that the protein folds into tandem fibronectin type III (FnIII) folds. The protein is dimeric in solution and in crystals, with the dimer interface displaying a surface groove that is lined with several positively charged residues. Structure-guided mutagenesis studies establish a crucial role for this surface patch for RbmA function. On the basis of the structure, we hypothesize that RbmA serves as a tether by maintaining flexible linkages between cells and the extracellular matrix.
The constructive equivalence of covering and inductive dimensions

Abstract The equivalence of the notions of covering and inductive dimension of compact metric spaces is proved in a constructive setting. It is shown that, for each n , Cov X ⩽ n if and only if Ind X ⩽ n . A Brouwerian counterexample shows that Cov X > 0 does not imply Ind X > 0.
Multilocus Phylogenetic Study of the Scheffersomyces Yeast Clade and Characterization of the N-Terminal Region of Xylose Reductase Gene

Many of the known xylose-fermenting (X-F) yeasts are placed in the Scheffersomyces clade, a group of ascomycete yeasts that have been isolated from plant tissues and in association with lignicolous insects. We formally recognize fourteen species in this clade based on a maximum likelihood (ML) phylogenetic analysis using a multilocus dataset. This clade is divided into three subclades, each of which exhibits the biochemical ability to ferment cellobiose or xylose. New combinations are made for seven species of Candida in the clade, and three X-F taxa associated with rotted hardwood are described: Scheffersomyces illinoinensis (type strain NRRL Y-48827T = CBS 12624), Scheffersomyces quercinus (type strain NRRL Y-48825T = CBS 12625), and Scheffersomyces virginianus (type strain NRRL Y-48822T = CBS 12626). The new X-F species are distinctive based on their position in the multilocus phylogenetic analysis and biochemical and morphological characters. The molecular characterization of xylose reductase (XR) indicates that the regions surrounding the conserved domain contain mutations that may enhance the performance of the enzyme in X-F yeasts. The phylogenetic reconstruction using XYL1 or RPB1 was identical to the multilocus analysis, and these loci have potential for rapid identification of cryptic species in this clade.
"Big Metadata": The Need for Principled Metadata Management in Big Data Ecosystems

Current big data ecosystems lack a principled approach to metadata management. This impedes large organizations' ability to share data and data preparation and analysis code, to integrate data, and to ensure that analytic code makes compatible assumptions with the data it uses. This use-case paper describes the challenges and an in-progress effort to address them. We present a real application example, discuss requirements for "big metadata" drawn from that example as well as other U.S. government analytic applications, and briefly describe an effort to adapt an existing open source metadata manager to support the needs of big data ecosystems.
DNA enzymes: New-found chemical reactivity

DNA is generally considered to be chemically rather inert, but self-cleaving DNA molecules have recently been isolated from in vitro selection experiments; their properties advance the idea that, like RNA, DNA can serve as both a catalyst and an information storage medium.
Theory of the structure factor of lipid bilayers.

The goal of this research is to obtain the structure of lipid bilayers using low-angle scattering with the q vector perpendicular to the bilayers. This requires obtaining the form factor F(h) for the bilayer, which in turn requires correcting the intensity I(h) of the hth order peak by the structure factor S(q), which is a nontrivial function for bilayers in noncrystalline arrays. In this paper the classical theory of smectic liquid crystal scattering is first used to calculate detailed structure factors for unoriented, powder averaged samples. These calculations suggest that the form factors used in conventional biophysical determinations of electron densities require very large corrections. We then show that the classical correlation function in turn requires correction. Our modified correlation function yields much smaller corrections to the form factors. We also modify the standard finite-size factor that is required to fit the peaks. This second modification changes the detailed shape of the peaks while retaining nearly the same form factor corrections and the classical power law tails.
Comparison of stability and queueing times for reader-writer queues

Abstract A reader-writer queue manages two classes of customers: readers and writers. An unlimited number of readers can be processed in parallel; writers are processed serially. Both classes arrive according to a Poisson process. Reader and writer service times are general iid random variables. There is infinite room in the queue for waiting customers. In this paper, a reader-writer queue is considered under the following priority disciplines: strong reader preference (SRP), reader preference (RP), alternating exhaustive priority (AEP), writer preference (WP), and strong writer preference (SWP). Preemptive priority is given to readers under the SRP discipline, or to writers under the SWP discipline. Non-preemptive priority is accorded to readers with the RP discipline, or to writers with the WP discipline. For the AEP discipline, customers of a given class are served exhaustively in an alternating fashion. For the five priority disciplines, a stability condition and first moments for the steady-state reader and writer queueing times are given. Using these analytical results, each of the five priority disciplines is seen to be optimal (among the five) in some region of the parameter space. Simulation results are also presented.
The effects of succimer chelation therapy on auditory function in rhesus monkeys.

Abstract Sixty-six female rhesus monkeys were randomly assigned to three lead exposure conditions (none, from birth to 1 year, and from birth to 2 years) by two chelation treatment (succimer and no succimer) conditions. Blood lead levels were maintained at 35–40 μg/dl beginning shortly after birth and continuing for 1 or 2 years postnatally. There were two separate chelation regimes: 53 and 65 weeks of age. Lead and lead–vehicle dosing were discontinued while succimer was administered. Succimer (or placebo) was administered orally at a dose of 30 mg/kg/day (divided into three doses per day) for 5 days and for 14 additional days at 20 mg/kg/day (divided into two doses per day) for a total 19-day treatment regimen. Auditory function was assessed in these monkeys at least 1 year after lead intake had been discontinued. The outcome measures included tympanometry to assess middle ear function, OAEs to assess cochlear function, and ABRs to assess the auditory nerve and brainstem pathways. There were no significant differences as a function of succimer treatment for any of the tympanometric variables measured. Suprathreshold and threshold distortion product otoacoustic emissions were comparable among the succimer and vehicle groups. However, there was a nonsignificant trend to smaller amplitude distortion products at the highest frequencies assessed (6.4–10.0 kHz). Finally, the auditory evoked response at levels from the auditory nerve to the cerebral cortex did not significantly differ as a function of succimer treatment.
The first 48 hours: Comparing 12-hour and 24-hour betamethasone dosing when preterm deliveries occur rapidly

Objective. To compare neonatal outcomes when dosing betamethasone every 12 hours compared to the standard 24-hour dosing regimen when premature deliveries occur within 48 hours of presentation.Methods. A retrospective chart review was performed on preterm deliveries from January 1, 1996 to July 1, 2000. Deliveries that occurred less than 48 hours after initiation of antenatal steroids were analyzed for neonatal outcomes.Results. Betamethasone was given to 562 women, of whom 166 delivered less than 48 hours after beginning therapy. There were no statistically significant differences in the rates of respiratory distress syndrome, surfactant use, chronic lung disease, intraventricular hemorrhage, neonatal death, or other outcomes between the two groups. The only statistically significant difference between the two groups was for venous cord blood pH (7.27 vs. 7.32, p = 0.01). Separating the results into delivery from 0–24 and 24–48 hour groups, there were no significant differences between the 12-hour and 24...
Efficacy and durability of central oversewing for treatment of aortic insufficiency in patients with continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices.

Background Aortic insufficiency (AI) in patients supported with continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices (CF-LVAD) results in regurgitant volume returning from the aorta to the left ventricle, increased LVAD pump volume and reduced systemic cardiac output. One common strategy to address AI during CF-LVAD support is central oversewing of the aortic valve, which allows some opening between the valve leaflets laterally. However, the long-term durability of this technique has not been extensively described. Methods All patients who underwent central oversewing of the aortic valve during CF-LVAD support between January 2006 and March 2013 were included in this analysis. Pre- and post-procedure intra-operative transesophageal echocardiograms (TEEs) were reviewed to determine the efficacy of the surgical technique, whereas all subsequent transthoracic echocardiograms (TTEs) were reviewed to assess durability. AI severity was graded using the vena contracta (VC) width and the ratio between the VC and left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) diameter. Results Nineteen patients with central aortic valve oversewing were identified. Median follow-up was 560 days (range 46 to 954 days). All but 1 patient had their aortic insufficiency reduced to "none/trace" on post-operative TEE. There was no statistically significant increase in the VC width and VC/LVOT ratio between the first and last follow-up echocardiograms, and only 2 patients developed more than mild aortic insufficiency after central oversewing. Central oversewing of the aortic valve did not adversely affect outcomes after LVAD implantation. Conclusion Central oversewing of the aortic valve is an effective and durable means of addressing greater than mild AI in patients with CF-LVAD.
Modulation transfer function measurements of QWIP and superlattice focal plane arrays

Modulation transfer function (MTF) is the ability of an imaging system to faithfully image a given object. The MTF of an imaging system quantifies the ability of the system to resolve or transfer spatial frequencies. In this presentation we will discuss the detail MTF measurements of 1024x1024 pixels multi-band quantum well infrared photodetector and 320x256 pixels long-wavelength InAs/GaSb superlattice infrared focal plane arrays.
Excitation function for the reaction C13(α, nγ)O16☆

Abstract The excitation function for 6 and 7 MeV gamma radiation from the reaction C13(α, nγ)O16 has been studied at intervals of approximately 10 keV for alpha-particle energies from 5 to 10 MeV. Gamma rays were observed at 0° and 45° to the beam axis using a 10.2 cm × 10.2 cm NaI(Tl) crystal. The excitation function shows a complex structure; about 22 resonances were observed, corresponding to excited states of O17 in the region of excitation from 10.4 to 13.7 MeV, with widths varying from approximately 10 keV to several hundred keV. Details of resonance energies and widths are presented, and the results compared with those from other experiments.
Evaluation of methods that subdue the effects of polymerase chain reaction inhibitors in the study of ancient and degraded DNA

This study evaluated techniques that can potentially decrease time, cost, and labor in eliminating, circumventing, and/or inactivating as many polymerase chain reaction (PCR) inhibitors as possible while preserving DNA yield. In order to further explore the role of PCR inhibitors in ancient DNA (aDNA) studies, 140 DNA extractions were conducted on 112 Pacific salmonid vertebrae recovered from two archaeological sites located at Dionisio Point on Galiano Island, in southwestern British Columbia, Canada. These DNA extracts and their dilutions at 1:10 and 1:50 were screened for the presence of a 189 base pair (bp) portion of the 12S mitochondrial gene that is used for species identification of Pacific salmonids and other fish. These extracts and their dilutions were also screened for the presence of PCR inhibitors that can cause negative results for amplification of salmonid mtDNA. Repeat silica extraction was conducted on the full concentration extracts until: (1) they either produced a positive result in the salmonid mtDNA reaction, or (2) were deemed to be free of inhibition, but failed to amplify in the salmonid mtDNA reaction. In the latter case, the samples were concluded to not contain sufficient salmonid mtDNA to permit PCR amplification. In obtaining positive salmonid species identification, repeat silica purified extracts (81/133 successes) statistically outperformed dilutions at 1:10 (55/140, p ¼0.0018), 1:50 (63/140, p ¼0.0312), as well as across all dilutions combined (118/280, p ¼0.0025). We also explored the efficacy of EGTA as a decalcifying agent as compared to EDTA, which is commonly employed in aDNA studies. The only extracts that amplified at full concentration (6/140, 4.3%) were those in which EGTA decalcification was used. However, when diluted there was no statistical difference in the success of obtaining positive species identification from bone decalcified with EGTA or EDTA (1:10 and 1:50 dilutions, p ¼0.7891 and p > 0.9999 respectively). From the results of this study, we recommend that aDNA researchers employ greater flexibility in their methodologies as well as be cognizant of the role that PCR inhibitors may play in their investigations.
Effect of film thickness on the changes in gas permeability of a glassy polyarylate due to physical agingPart I. Experimental observations

Abstract The effects of thickness (0.25–33 μm) and aging time on the gas permeation properties of films formed from a glassy polyarylate made from bisphenol-A benzophenone dicarboxylic acid were examined. Evidence is presented which shows that physical aging is responsible for a significant decrease in gas permeability with time following quenching the polymer from above its glass transition temperature; the rate of change is greater for the thinner films. Two methods of determining accurate film thicknesses were used to obtain absolute permeability coefficients. The importance of the permeation protocol on the aging rate was examined, and a reversal of the aging process was demonstrated by annealing the aged film above the T g . These results indicate that physical aging occurs by two distinct simultaneous mechanisms: one which is thickness dependent and another that is not.
Edward Everett: Unionist Orator

Foreword Preface Introduction The Young Orator Politics and Unionist Oratory, 1825-1840 The Reluctant Orator, 1840-1854 Saving the Union Conclusion Sample Speeches Indian Affairs (extract) The History of Liberty The Character of Washington National Cemetery at Gettysburg (extract) Chronology of Speeches Bibliographical Essay Index
Determination of lysophosphatidic acids by capillary electrophoresis with indirect ultraviolet detection

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is the simplest form of lysophospholipid. Molecular species of LPA have been identified as the potent components in the ovarian cancer activation factor. The elevated plasma LPAs may be used as potential biomarkers for the early detection of ovarian cancer. This paper is the first report on the quantitative analysis of molecular species of LPA using capillary electrophoresis. In this work, the separation of LPAs was achieved within 14 min in an adenosine monophosphate-borate–methanol–water solution, and the measurement was accomplished by indirect UV detection. With LPA (D) as internal standard, the method had linear calibration ranges for LPAs from 2.8 to 75 μM. The detection limits for various molecular species of LPA were from 1.2 to 2.3 μM by the pressure injection at 3.45 kPa for 5 s. The method had been applied to serum fortified with LPA (S), LPA (O), LPA (P), and LPA (M) and the recoveries ranged from 83 to 112%.
Hg/HgO electrode and hydrogen evolution potentials in aqueous sodium hydroxide

Abstract The Hg/HgO electrode is usually utilized as a reference electrode in alkaline solution such as for development of an alkaline hydrogen electrode. The reference electrode provides a suitable reference point but is available from few commercial vendors and suffers from inadequate documentation on potential in varying electrolytes. A new numerical method uses activity, activity coefficients, and a few correlated empirical equations to determine the potential values in both dilute and concentrated sodium hydroxide solutions at temperatures of 0–90 °C and at concentrations of 0.100–12.8 mol k g H 2 O − 1 . The computed potentials of the Hg/HgO electrodes versus a normal hydrogen electrode (NHE) at 25 °C and 1 atm are 0.1634 V for 0.100m, 0.1077 V for 1.00m, and 0.0976 V for 1.45m NaOH solutions. The Hg/HgO reduction potential further changes to −0.0751 V versus NHE and hydrogen evolution potential changes to −0.9916 V versus NHE in a solution of 30.0 wt.% NaOH at 80 °C. The calculated values are compared with the measured data at 25 and 75 °C. The experimental data agree well with the numerical values computed from the theoretical and empirical equations.
Universal Optimum-Response Curves for Arbitrarily Coupled Resonators

In many radio-engineering applications it is desired to provide a network having a narrow pass-band and very high rejection near by. In lumpedconstant work it has been found that a useful solution to this problem is the familiar coupled circuit. Two resonant circuits are generally used, and occasionally three. Similar problems arise at very-high frequencies, where transmission-line or even wave-guide networks must be used. This paper provides a general analysis of this type of circuit. It is shown that, to a first approximation, the optimum response obtainable has a universal form which depends solely on the number of resonant circuits, and not on the type of circuits or of coupling. The problem of construction of such circuits is thus greatly simplified. The engineer can immediately select from the curves given here the minimum number of tuned circuits which he can use in view of the specifications given him. He can then be sure that other factors are perfectly arbitrary. Hence, he may select the type of resonators and coupling to be used entirely from considerations of ease of manufacture, ease of calculation or of empirical adjustment, stability, cost, procurements, etc.
Effects of Mixed-Mode and Crack Surface Convection in Rapid Crack Growth in Coupled Thermoelastic Solids

Two Green's function problems for rapid two-dimensional steady-state crack growth governed by fully coupled (dynamic) linear thermoelasticity are analyzed. In Problem A, normal and in-plane shear line loads move on the insulated surfaces of a semi-infinite crack growing at a subcritical speed. Problem B involves only normal line loads, but crack surface convection is allowed. Problem A involves, therefore, mixed traction/ displacement boundary conditions, while Problem B also exhibits mixed thermal boundary conditions. Robust asymptotic forms based on exact solutions for related problems reduce Problems A and B to coupled sets of integral equations. Both sets exhibit both Cauchy and Abel operators, but are solved exactly. The solutions show that Mode II loading couples the tangential crack face separation and discontinuity in crack-face temperature changes, while crack surface convection enhances thermal response, especially at large distances.
Circulation of Harmonics in Transformer Circuits

The paper describes the manner in which certain series of harmonic currents may be permitted to flow within a transformer network. In particular it is shown how the fifth and seventh harmonics of transformer exciting current may be eliminated from transmission lines. The extent to which the harmonic currents generated in a rectifier may be eliminated from the a-c. lines by means of phase multiplication is also indicated.
Nonlinear hyperbolic wave propagation in a one-dimensional random medium

Abstract We use an asymptotic expansion introduced by Benilov and Pelinovskiĭ to study the propagation of a weakly nonlinear hyperbolic wave pulse through a stationary random medium in one space dimension. We also study the scattering of such a wave by a background scattering wave. The leading-order solution is non-random with respect to a realization-dependent reference frame, as in the linear theory of O’Doherty and Anstey. The wave profile satisfies an inviscid Burgers equation with a nonlocal, lower-order dissipative and dispersive term that describes the effects of double scattering of waves on the pulse. We apply the asymptotic expansion to gas dynamics, nonlinear elasticity, and magnetohydrodynamics.
Distinctive ERK and p38 signaling in remote and infarcted myocardium during post‐MI remodeling in the mouse

Global activation of MAP kinases has been reported in both human and experimental heart failure. Chronic remodeling of the surviving ventricular wall after myocardial infarction (MI) involves both myocyte loss and fibrosis; we hypothesized that this cardiomyopathy involves differential shifts in pro- and anti-apoptotic MAP kinase signaling in cardiac myocyte (CM) and non-myocyte. Cardiomyopathy after coronary artery ligation in mice was characterized by echocardiography, ex vivo Langendorff preparation, histologic analysis and measurements of apoptosis. Phosphorylation (activation) of signaling molecules was analyzed by Western blot, ELISA and immunohistochemistry. Post-MI remodeling involved dramatic changes in the phosphorylation of both stress-activated MAP (SAP) kinase p38 as well as ERK, a known mediator of cell survival, but not of SAP kinase JNK or the anti-apoptotic mediator of PI3K, Akt. Phosphorylation of p38 rose early after MI in the infarct, whereas a more gradual rise in the remote myocardium accompanied a rise in apoptosis in that region. In both areas, ERK phosphorylation was lowest early after MI and rose steadily thereafter, though infarct phosphorylation was consistently higher. Immunostaining of p-ERK localized to fibrotic areas populated primarily by non-myocytes, whereas staining of p38 phosphorylation was stronger in areas of progressive CM apoptosis. Relative segregation of CMs and non-myocytes in different regions of the post-MI myocardium revealed signaling patterns that imply cell type-specific changes in pro- and anti-apoptotic MAP kinase signaling. Prevention of myocyte loss and of LV remodeling after MI may therefore require cell type-specific manipulation of p38 and ERK activation.
Predicting the Effects of Coastal Hypoxia on Vital Rates of the Planktonic Copepod Acartia tonsa Dana

We describe a model predicting the effects of low environmental oxygen on vital rates (egg production, somatic growth, and mortality) of the coastal planktonic copepod Acartia tonsa. Hypoxic conditions can result in respiration rate being directly limited by oxygen availability. We hypothesized that A. tonsa egg production, somatic growth, and ingestion rates would all respond in a similar manner to low oxygen conditions, as a result of oxygen dependent changes in respiration rate. Rate data for A. tonsa egg production, somatic growth, and ingestion under low environmental oxygen were compiled from the literature and from supplementary experiments. The response of these rates to oxygen was compared by converting all to the analogous units in terms of oxygen utilization, which we termed analogous respiration rate. These analogous respiration rates, along with published measurements of respiration rates, were used to parameterize and evaluate the relationship between A. tonsa respiration rate and environmental oxygen. At 18°C, our results suggest that A. tonsa experiences sub-lethal effects of hypoxia below an oxygen partial pressure of 8.1 kPa (∼3.1 mg L−1 = 2.3 mL L−1). The results of this study can be used to predict the effects of hypoxia on A. tonsa growth and mortality as related to environmental temperature and oxygen partial pressure. Such predictions will be useful as a way to incorporate the effects of coastal hypoxia into population, community, or ecosystem level models that include A. tonsa. This approach can also be used to characterize the effects of hypoxia on other aquatic organisms.
Structure of 2-oxo-3-deoxygalactonate kinase from Klebsiella pneumoniae

In most organisms, efficient d-galactose utilization requires the highly conserved Leloir pathway that converts d-galactose to d-glucose 1-phosphate. However, in some bacterial and fungal species alternative routes of d-galactose assimilation have been identified. In the so-called De Ley–Doudoroff pathway, d-galactose is metabolized into pyruvate and d-­glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate in five consecutive reactions carried out by specific enzymes. The penultimate step in this pathway involves the phosphorylation of 2-oxo-3-deoxygalactonate to 2-oxo-3-deoxygalactonate 6-phosphate catalyzed by 2-­oxo-3-deoxygalactonate kinase, with ATP serving as a phosphoryl-group donor. Here, a crystal structure of 2-oxo-3-deoxygalactonate kinase from Klebsiella pneumoniae determined at 2.1 A resolution is reported, the first structure of an enzyme from the De Ley–Doudoroff pathway. Structural comparison indicates that the enzyme belongs to the ASKHA (acetate and sugar kinases/hsc70/actin) family of phosphotransferases. The protein is composed of two α/β domains, each of which contains a core common to all family members. Additional elements introduced between conserved structural motifs define the unique features of 2-oxo-3-deoxygalactonate kinase and possibly determine the biological function of the protein.
Use of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate and prevalent leiomyoma in young African American women

Study question Is use of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) a risk factor for or a protective factor against prevalent uterine leiomyoma? Summary answer Ever use of DMPA was associated with a decreased risk (adjusted risk ratio (RR): 0.8, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.6, 0.9) of prevalent leiomyoma in young African American women. What is known already Although progesterone is associated with growth of leiomyoma, previous epidemiological studies have shown a protective association for DMPA use. These previous studies may have been biased by studying clinically diagnosed leiomyoma (DMPA may mask symptoms thus delaying diagnoses). Study design, size, duration Cross sectional analysis of baseline data from a cohort study of 1696 African American women. Participants/materials, setting, methods Community-based recruitment (e.g. letters, flyers, radio and TV announcements) were used to enroll African American women between 23 and 34 years old without a previous diagnosis of leiomyoma in the Metropolitan Detroit area. Extensive questionnaire data were used to determine DMPA use and screening ultrasound detected the presence of leiomyoma ≥0.5 cm in diameter. Relative risks with adjustment for covariates were calculated for the presence of leiomyoma based on ever use of DMPA as well as duration and recency of use. Main results and the role of chance Among the 1696 volunteers who enrolled, 43% had used DMPA. Leiomyoma were detected in 17% of those who had ever used DMPA compared with 26% of those who had never used DMPA. The reduction in prevalence remained after adjustment for potential confounders and was highest among women who had used DMPA for more than 4 years (adjusted RR: 0.5, 95% CI: 0.3, 0.8). The reduction in risk was seen for women whose most recent use was up to 8 years prior to study enrollment. Limitations, reasons for caution The use of cross-sectional data means that the timing of initial fibroid development is not known, so the temporality of the association is uncertain. However in this sample of young women, most fibroids were small, suggesting that DMPA exposure may have occurred before leiomyoma development. Wider implications of the findings Our findings are in agreement with previous epidemiological studies, but protected from the bias inherent in the use of clinically diagnosed leiomyoma. Although further studies will be needed to elucidate the mechanism, use of DMPA as a contraceptive appears to provide long lasting protection against uterine leiomyoma. Study funding/competing interests No competing interests. This research was supported in part by the Intramural Research Program of the NIH, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and in part by funds allocated for health research by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Trial registration number N/A.
SLIDERS: the next generation of automated optical design tools has arrived

Optical design tools are presented to provide automatic generation of reflective optical systems for educational use. The tools are graphical in nature and use an interactive slider interface with freely available optical design software. Operation of the sliders provides input to adjust first-order and other system parameters (e.g. focal length), while appropriate system construction parameters are automatically updated to correct aberrations. Graphical output is also presented in real-time (e.g. a lens drawing) to provide the opportunity for a truly visual approach to optical design. Available systems include two- and three-mirror telescopes, relays, and afocal systems, either rotationally symmetric or having just a plane of symmetry. Demonstrations are presented.
Effect of viral infection on drug metabolism and pesticide disposition in ducks

The influence of duck hepatitis virus (DHV) on hepatic drug metabolism was investigated using adult mallard ducks. Mallard drakes were fed 900 ppm of DDT and were killed at various times over periods of 10 or 12 days. Pesticide analysis by electron-capture gas chromatography revealed an enhanced in vivo biotransformation of DDT in mallards infected with DHV 48 hr prior to feeding the DDT diet for 12 days. Concentrations of DDT were lower in the serum of infected ducks, while the concentration of the metabolite DDD was significantly higher (p < 0.001) in the bile of infected ducks throughout the 12-day feeding trial. The ratio of biliary DDD to DDE increased steadily in both control and DHV-treated groups, but was significantly higher (p < 0.01) among the virus-treated birds indicating a preferential induction of the microsomal dechlororeductase activity which produces DDD. Microsomal enzyme activities were generally higher in the virus-treated birds fed DDT than in noninfected controls fed DDT. The differences were most pronounced on Day 8 when the activities of all three enzymes were higher at the p < 0.05 level.
An optically pumped phonon laser in a silicon micromechanical oscillator

We experimentally demonstrate and explain phonon “lasing” (“PhASER”) in a photo-pumped micromechanical cavity that exhibits all the characteristic of a standard laser near threshold and is described by the standard laser equations.
The use of spin label oximetry in the study of photodynamic inactivation of Chinese hamster ovary cells.

Spin label oximetry has been used to study the effects of photosensitizer hematoporphyrin on oxygen consumption in Chinese hamster ovary cells. These measurements demonstrate that, in the presence of the sensitizer, there occurs (i) an increase in total oxygen consumption during irradiation and (ii) a decrease in oxygen consumption following irradiation. These results are attributed to the effects of photosensitized oxygen consumption and decreased cellular respiration due to cell inactivation. Thus the inhibition of oxygen consumption after irradiation was shown to correlate with decreased cell survival measured in cell culture experiments. Possible mechanisms of inactivation and extensions of the oximetric approach are discussed.
Absolute Souslin-F spaces and other weak-invariants of the norm topology

Abstract Let h :(A, weak )→(B, weak ) be a homeomorphism where A and B are arbitrary subsets of (possibly different) Banach spaces. Then any property that holds for (B, norm ) whenever it holds for (A, norm ) is said to be a weak-invariant of the norm topology. We show that, relative to the norm topologies on A and B , the map h and its inverse are F σ -measurable and take norm discrete collections to norm σ -discretely decomposable collections. We deduce from this a number of properties that are weak-invariants of the norm topology, including such properties as being an absolute Borel space, being an absolute Souslin- F space, and being σ -locally of weight less than some infinite cardinal κ . The latter two properties generalize results of Namioka and Pol (1993) who showed previously that being an absolute Souslin- F space of weight ⩽ℵ 1 and being a σ -discrete set are weak-invariants of the norm topology. Other weak-invariants such as (A, weak ) being σ -fragmented by the norm are also established.
Case Study: Structure and Function Prediction of a Protein with No Functionally Characterized Homolog

The post-genomic era has seen a significant increase in the use of computational prediction methods to gain insights into structure and function of proteins. Prediction tools are used to guide the experimental design to test various hypotheses about structure and function of known proteins. However, these tools are particularly useful when studying putative protein sequences with no known function. The genomic era produced a large number of sequences that are described as either hypothetical proteins or as proteins with unknown function. Current molecular biology techniques are not adequate to efficiently study this vast reservoir of genetic information. However, computer algorithms can process large amounts of sequence data to predict structure and function. These knowledge-based computational tools use available experimental data and are regularly updated to improve their predictive power. The simplest form of function prediction is achieved by comparison of the query sequence to all available sequences using BLAST. If the query sequence is highly similar to previously characterized proteins, then it is likely that the query sequence has similar functions. However, if the query sequence does not have any homologous sequence with known function, then more sophisticated computational tools are necessary to gain insight into structure and function. Various methods have been developed to search for known domains, motifs, patterns, or profiles. The quality of predictions is dependent on the type of tools used and is limited to the closeness of the query sequence to known proteins.
Gene Duplication, Gene Conversion and the Evolution of the Y Chromosome

Nonrecombining chromosomes, such as the Y, are expected to degenerate over time due to reduced efficacy of natural selection compared to chromosomes that recombine. However, gene duplication, coupled with gene conversion between duplicate pairs, can potentially counteract forces of evolutionary decay that accompany asexual reproduction. Using a combination of analytical and computer simulation methods, we explicitly show that, although gene conversion has little impact on the probability that duplicates become fixed within a population, conversion can be effective at maintaining the functionality of Y-linked duplicates that have already become fixed. The coupling of Y-linked gene duplication and gene conversion between paralogs can also prove costly by increasing the rate of nonhomologous crossovers between duplicate pairs. Such crossovers can generate an abnormal Y chromosome, as was recently shown to reduce male fertility in humans. The results represent a step toward explaining some of the more peculiar attributes of the human Y as well as preliminary Y-linked sequence data from other mammals and Drosophila. The results may also be applicable to the recently observed pattern of tetraploidy and gene conversion in asexual, bdelloid rotifers.
The efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia in patients with chronic pain

Abstract Study objectives To assess the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) in patients with non-malignant chronic pain. Methods Twenty-eight subjects with chronic neck and back pain were stratified according to gender, age, and ethnicity, then assigned to one of the two treatment groups: CBT-I or a contact control condition. Intervention Eight weeks of CBT-I including sleep restriction, stimulus control, sleep hygiene, and one session of cognitive therapy devoted to catastrophic thoughts about the consequences of insomnia. Measurements and results Outcomes included sleep diary assessments of sleep continuity, pre–post measures of insomnia severity (ISI), pain (Multidimensional Pain Inventory), and mood (BDI and POMS). Subjects receiving CBT-I ( n =19), as compared to control subjects ( n =9), exhibited significant decreases in sleep latency, wake after sleep onset, number of awakenings, and significant increase in sleep efficiency. The diary findings were paralleled by significant changes in the ISI ( p =0.05). Significant improvement ( p =0.03) was found on the Interference Scale of the Multidimensional Pain Inventory. The groups did not significantly differ on mood measures or measures of pain severity. Conclusions CBT-I was successfully applied to patients experiencing chronic pain. Significant improvements were found in sleep as well as in the extent to which pain interfered with daily functioning. The observed effect sizes for the sleep outcomes appear comparable to or better than meta-analytic norms for subjects with Primary Insomnia.
A model of flops

A firm surveys a large number of consumers, some of whom sincerely report their tastes and others of whom report strategically. It makes product decisions using the sample mean of survey responses. When firms and consumers agree on the fraction of sincere consumers, information loss is severe, and many products are flops as they poorly match consumer tastes. When beliefs differ, however, equilibrium is in linear strategies, and information aggregates. Despite this, flops still arise. A firm, however, can solve the flops problem by limiting the effect of strategic consumers. Binary surveys offer one such solution.