cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Expression of Notch signaling pathway genes in mouse embryos lacking β4galactosyltransferase-1

A requirement for beta4galactosyltransferase-1 (beta4GalT-1) activity in the modulation of Notch signaling by the glycosyltransferase Fringe was previously identified in a mammalian co-culture assay. Notch signaling is necessary for the formation of somites in mammals. We therefore investigated the expression of eleven Notch pathway and somitogenic genes in E9.5 mouse embryos lacking beta4GalT-1. Four of these genes were altered in expression pattern or expression level. The Notch target genes Hes5 and Mesp2 were affected to some degree in all mutant embryos. The Notch ligand genes Dll1 and Dll3 were reduced or altered in expression in a significant proportion of mutants. While there were no differences in the number or morphology of somites in E9.5 B4galt1 null embryos, the number of lumbar vertebrae in mutant embryos differed from control littermates (P < or = 0.01). The subtlety of the in vivo phenotype may be due to redundancy since several B4galt genes related to B4galt1 are expressed during embryogenesis.
James Webb Space Telescope: applying lessons learned to I&T

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is part of a new generation of spacecraft acquiring large data volumes from remote regions in space. To support a mission such as the JWST, it is imperative that lessons learned from the development of previous missions such as the Hubble Space Telescope and the Earth Observing System mission set be applied throughout the development and operational lifecycles. One example of a key lesson that should be applied is that core components, such as the command and telemetry system and the project database, should be developed early, used throughout development and testing, and evolved into the operational system. The purpose of applying lessons learned is to reap benefits in programmatic or technical parameters such as risk reduction, end product quality, cost efficiency, and schedule optimization. In the cited example, the early development and use of the operational command and telemetry system as well as the establishment of the intended operational database will allow these components to be used by the developers of various spacecraft components such that development, testing, and operations will all use the same core components. This will reduce risk through the elimination of transitions between development and operational components and improve end product quality by extending the verification of those components through continual use. This paper will discuss key lessons learned that have been or are being applied to the JWST Ground Segment integration and test program.
Wet hibernacula promote inoculative freezing and limit the potential for cryoprotective dehydration in the Antarctic midge, Belgica antarctica

The terrestrial midge, Belgica antarctica, occupies a diverse range of microhabitats along the Antarctic Peninsula. Although overwintering larvae have the physiological potential to survive by freezing or cryoprotective dehydration, use of the latter strategy may be constrained by inoculative freezing within hibernacula. To investigate the influence of microhabitat type on larval overwintering, we selected four substrate types that differed markedly in their composition and hydric characteristics. Organic content of these substrates ranged from 14 to 89 %. High organic content was associated with higher values for saturation moisture content (up to 2.0 H2O g−1 dry mass) as well as elevated levels of field moisture content. Seasonal values of field moisture content remained near or above the saturation moisture value for each microhabitat type, and when larvae were cooled in substrates rehydrated to field-based levels, they were unable to avoid inoculation by environmental ice, regardless of substrate type. Consequently, our data suggest that wet hibernacula would force most larvae to overwinter in a frozen state. Yet, dehydrated larvae were collected in April during the seasonal transition to winter suggesting that spatial and temporal variations in precipitation and microhabitat conditions may expose larvae to dehydration and promote larval overwintering in a cryoprotectively dehydrated state.
Comparison of bivariate distribution construction approaches for analysing wind speed and direction data

Statistical distribution models for estimating wind energy potential spurred a great interest among researchers and practitioners recently. Bivariate statistical models for representing both wind direction and speed are helpful for the design and implementation of more efficient systems for harnessing wind energy. In this study, we construct seven different bivariate joint distributions based on three construction approaches, namely, angular-linear (AL), Farlie-Gumbel-Morgenstern (FGM) and anisotropic lognormal approaches, and then compare them using the adjusted R2 and root mean square error (RMSE) as measures of goodness of fit. For both AL and FGM approaches, the distributions of wind speed and direction need to be obtained separately before the construction of joint distribution. While using the mixture of von Mises distribution for representing the wind direction, we utilize two different mixtures of distributions for representing the wind speed, with one being the mixture of singly truncated below Normal and Weibull distribution, and the other being the mixture of three-parameter inverse Gaussian and lognormal distributions. A case study is conducted for this purpose on multiple sites in North Dakota, USA. It indicates that the two mixtures of distributions for wind speed have comparable performances. Meanwhile, there is little difference in terms of adjusted R2 and RMSE values in modelling wind direction with AL and FGM approaches. Although the anisotropic approach significantly lags behind AL and FGM approaches, the adjusted R2 and RMSE values provided by the latter two approaches are comparable. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Employee Treatment and Contracting with Private Lenders

Empirical evidence is scant on the dynamic interactions among nonshareholder stakeholders. Adopting an instrument approach for stakeholder management, we focus on two primary stakeholder groups (employees and creditors) to investigate empirically the relationship between employee treatment and loan contracts with banks. We find strong evidence that fair employee treatment reduces the cost of bank loans and limits the usage of restrictive financial covenants in loan contracts. We use the propensity-score matching method to control for potential endogeneity issue, and we also conduct a Rosenbaum sensitivity analysis to test for hidden bias. We contribute to stakeholder theory development by identifying a novel mechanism through which strategic stakeholder management creates value for shareholders.
Staurosporine-Induced Neuronal Apoptosis

Staurosporine, a nonselective protein kinase inhibitor, has been shown to induce apoptosis in several different nonneuronal cell types. We tested the hypothesis that staurosporine would also induce apoptosis in central neurons. Exposure of murine cortical cell cultures to 30-100 nM staurosporine induced concentration-dependent selective neuronal degeneration over the following day; at higher concentrations, staurosporine damaged glial cells as well. Staurosporine-induced neuronal death was accompanied by cell body shrinkage, chromatin condensation, and DNA laddering. In contrast, NMDA-induced neuronal death was accompanied by acute cell body swelling without DNA laddering. Staurosporine-induced neuronal death, unlike excitotoxic death, was markedly attenuated by the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide; this protective effect was not reversed by a glutathione synthesis inhibitor, buthionine sulfoximine. Interestingly, the glial cell death induced by 1 μM staurosporine was markedly potentiated by cycloheximide. Staurosporine-induced neuronal death was not accompanied by an increase in intracellular free Ca2+ and was attenuated by 30 mM K+; this protective effect of high K+ was blocked by nimodipine or Co2+. Present data suggest that staurosporine can induce apoptosis in cultured cortical neurons and that this apoptosis can be blocked by raising intracellular Ca2+ or by blocking protein synthesis. Staurosporine exposure may be useful as a model for studying central neuronal apoptosis in vitro.
PICTURE ENRICHMENT OF DELAYED RECALL: SUPPORT FROM A UNIQUE SOURCE

Summary. Picture effects on consistency of recall (i.e., items remembered both immediately and after a delay) and recall of unique items (i.e., those remembered only after a delay) were examined by having 100 fourth- and sixth-graders read a 360-word story and write all they could remember of it immediately and also after five days. Half of the children received pictures with the story. Pupils receiving pictures with text recalled details more consistently than pupils reading text without pictures, and sixth-graders recalled main ideas and also details more consistently than fourth-graders. Recall of fourth-graders was characterised by higher proportions of unique main ideas and details. In a significant interaction, pictures facilitated proportionate unique recall of details for sixth-graders but not for fourth-graders.
Blood Type Gene Frequency and Mental Ability

Blood group gene frequencies which are inherited according to Mendelian principles were correlated with performance on a broad base general-purpose mental ability test. Six blood groups were significantly related to the mental test scores of 54 Caucasians and of 42 Negroes. The six-variable R2s are impressive. Predictions can be made concerning the level of mental test performance from the blood group gene frequencies.
Generation of protective immunity by inactivated recombinant staphylococcal enterotoxin B vaccine in nonhuman primates and identification of correlates of immunity

At this time there are no vaccines or therapeutics to protect against staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) exposure. Here, we report vaccine efficacy of an attenuated SEB in a nonhuman primate model following lethal aerosol challenge and identify several biomarkers of protective immunity. Initial in vitro results indicated that the mutation of key amino acid residues in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II binding sites of SEB produced a nontoxic form of SEB, which had little to no detectable binding to MHC class II molecules, and lacked T-cell stimulatory activities. When examined in a mouse model, we found that the attenuated SEB retained antigenic structures and elicited protective immune responses against wild-type SEB challenge. Subsequently, a vaccine regimen against SEB in a nonhuman primate model was partially optimized, and investigations of immune biomarkers as indicators of protection were performed. SEB-naive rhesus monkeys were vaccinated two or three times with 5 or 20 microg of the attenuated SEB and challenged by aerosol with wild-type SEB toxin. Unlike exposure to the native toxin, the vaccine did not trigger the release of inflammatory cytokines (TNF alpha, IL6, or IFN gamma). All rhesus monkeys that developed anti-SEB serum titers > or = 10(4) and elicited high levels of neutralizing antibody survived the aerosol challenge. These findings suggest that the attenuated SEB is fully protective against aerosolized toxin when administered to unprimed subjects. Moreover, experiments presented in this study identified various biomarkers that showed substantial promise as correlates of immunity and surrogate endpoints for assessing in vivo biological responses in primates, and possibly in humans, to vaccines against SEs.
Genetic Variation and Differentiation among Insular Populations of the Small Indian Mongoose (Herpestes javanicus)

The small Indian mongoose ( Herpestes javanicus ) was introduced onto many islands of the Caribbean and the major Hawaiian islands between 1877 and 1890. A Jamaican population (derived from India in 1872) was the source of animals for most introductions, and sizes of founder colonies ranged from about four to 300 individuals. Protein electrophoresis indicated that genetic isolation of mongoose populations on Jamaica, Saint Croix, Hawaii, and Oahu for ca. 100 years has been accompanied by relatively minor genetic changes. All alleles detected in the Jamaican population were detected in populations on Saint Croix and Hawaii, and 93% of the Jamaican alleles were detected in populations on Oahu and Puerto Rico. Allelic frequencies were similar among insular populations and resulted in little genetic divergence (D = 0.005). Levels of mean heterozygosity (H = 0.035) were comparable to those for mammals and were not significantly different among populations. Although the initial founding of the Jamaican population likely did not contain all of the alleles present in native populations of the small Indian mongoose, further reduction in genetic variation due to additional founding events was not evident. Rapid population growth is proposed as the mechanism responsible for the absence of reduced genetic variation among subsequent populations of the small Indian mongoose founded by small numbers of individuals.
The Evolution Of Precision Computerized Numerical Controls (CNC)

This presentation focuses on the evolution of Computerized Numerical Controls (CNC) for precision machine tools. It starts with a discussion of some early designs and progresses through the design of the controls for POMA and LODTM. The final system discussed utilizes the knowledge gained in those projects to develop a more generalized CNC with many of the features contained in the more elaborate systems.© (1983) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Tip-deflecting wire technique for removing embedded or tilted Bard and Cook retrievable IVC filters

Learning Objectives This abstract describes a simple and effective technique for removing a tilted or caval wall embedded IVC filter. Background From 6/2009 through 7/2012, 180 IVC filters were placed. Sixty-four (36%) underwent a retrieval procedure. Only Bard and Cook brand filters were retrieved. The average dwelling time of filters before retrieval was 198 days. Fourteen filters (22%) were malpositioned with a tilt, embedded in caval wall, strut perforation or strut fracture at time of retrieval attempt. Forty-seven filters (75%) were successfully retrieved, 7 filters (12%) were not retrievable and nine attempts (13%) were aborted due to clot burden, significant malposition or chronic IVC occlusion. Techniques used to retrieve malpositioned IVC filters included modified loop snare, bronchoscopy forceps, angioplasty balloon, and tip-deflecting wire technique. The tip-deflecting wire technique was developed out of necessity and found to be simple and effective. The tip-deflecting wire technique involves routine right internal jugular vein access with normal IVC filter evaluation prior to retrieval attempt. After an 8 French sheath is positioned above the filter, a 0.035 tip-deflecting wire is positioned around the fibrin bridge between the caval wall and IVC filter. Traction is placed on the tip-deflecting wire to free the adhered fibrin bridge from the caval wall. Once the fibrin has been dissected, a loop snare can be used to capture the IVC filter hook, allowing for a normal retrieval. Clinical Findings/Procedure Details The tip-deflecting wire has been used in six patients; four as initial attempts for removing embedded filters and two after multiple other techniques failed. All four initial attempts were successful and one of the two secondary attempts was successful. No complications were observed with the tip-deflecting wire technique. Conclusion and/or Teaching Points The tip-deflecting wire technique is safe, simple and efficient. No complications have occurred with this technique. It has become a first option at our institution for removing malpositioned IVC filters. Even though the number of times we have use this technique is low, it characteristics make it a useful technique for interventional radiologists.
Histone variants in rat spermatogonia and primary spermatocytes.

The levels and synthesis of histone variants have been directly measured in spermatogonia and in various stages of primary spermatocytes purified from the rat testis. These measurements were made possible by the development of a procedure, employing centrifugal elutriation and density gradient centrifugation, to separate highly enriched populations of such cells from immature rat testes at the early stages of spermatogenesis. The results show a difference in regulation of the synthesis and accumulation of testis-specific histones H1t, TH2A, TH2B, and TH3. TH3 is present and actively synthesized in A and B spermatogonia. The testis-enriched variants, H2A.X and H1a, are also present at their maximal levels in A spermatogonia. No detectable amounts of H1t, and at most, low levels of TH2A and TH2B could be found in spermatogonia. While TH2A and TH2B are already present and actively synthesized in early primary spermatocytes (around the preleptotene stage), H1t does not accumulate until the pachytene stage.
Oxygen activation by cytochrome P450 monooxygenase

Unlike photosystem II (PSII) that catalyzes formation of the O-O bond, the cytochromes P450 (P450), members of a superfamily of hemoproteins, catalyze the scission of the O-O bond of dioxygen molecules and insert a single oxygen atom into unactivated hydrocarbons through a hydrogen abstraction-oxygen rebound mechanism. Hydroxylation of the unactivated hydrocarbons at physiological temperatures is vital for many cellar processes such as the biosynthesis of many endogenous compounds and the detoxification of xenobiotics in humans and plants. Even though it carries out the opposite of the water splitting reaction, P450 may share similarities to PSII in proton delivery networks, oxygen and water access channels, and consecutive electron transfer processes. In this article, we review recent advances in understanding the molecular mechanisms by which P450 activates dioxygen.
Exploiting empirical knowledge for bi-dimensional knapsack problem heuristics

The Multidimensional Knapsack Problem (MKP) has been used to model a variety of practical applications. Due to its combinatorial nature, heuristics are often employed to quickly find good solutions to MKPs. There have been a variety of heuristics proposed for MKP and a plethora of empirical studies comparing the performance of these heuristics. However, little has been done to garner a deeper understanding of why certain heuristics perform well on certain types of problems and others do not. Using a broad range of practical MKP test problems, we use three representative heuristics and conduct an empirical study aimed at gaining a deeper understanding of heuristic procedure performance as a function of test problem constraint characteristics. Our focus is on the Two-dimensional Knapsack Problem (2KP). New insights developed regarding greedy heuristic performance are exploited to yield two new heuristics whose performance is more robust than that of three legacy heuristics on our test problem set and on benchmark sets of MKP problems. A competitive test of these new heuristics against a set of legacy heuristics, using both existing test problem sets and a new systematically developed test problem set demonstrate the superior, robust performance of our new heuristics.
Computational aspects of distributed sensor networks

In recent years, the increasing sophistication of detection and tracking systems with multiple sensors has generated a great deal of interest in the development of new computational structures and strategies. The design of such spatially distributed systems involves the integration of solutions to the problems in data-association, hypothesis testing, data fusion, etc. More importantly, the design of efficient algorithms for these problems becomes all important issue as numerous distributed computational framework models are developed. In this paper, we present a survey of the recent research work conducted on the distributed sensor networks (DSNs) ranging from multi-sensor fusion methods, through target location, complexities of sensor deployment, probabilistic optimal surveillance to mobile agent based DSN (MADSN).
Role of insulin on exercise-induced GLUT-4 protein expression and glycogen supercompensation in rat skeletal muscle

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of insulin on skeletal muscle GLUT-4 protein expression and glycogen storage after postexercise carbohydrate supplementation. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to one of six treatment groups: sedentary control (Con), Con with streptozocin (Stz/C), immediately postexercise (Ex0), Ex0 with Stz (Stz/Ex0), 5-h postexercise (Ex5), and Ex5 with Stz (Stz/Ex5). Rats were exercised by swimming (2 bouts of 3 h) and carbohydrate supplemented immediately after each exercise session by glucose intubation (1 ml of a 50% wt/vol). Stz was administered 72-h before exercise, which resulted in hyperglycemia and elimination of the insulin response to the carbohydrate supplement. GLUT-4 protein of Ex0 rats was 30% above Con in fast-twitch (FT) red and 21% above Con in FT white muscle. In Ex5, GLUT-4 protein was 52% above Con in FT red and 47% above Con in FT white muscle. Muscle glycogen in FT red and white muscle was also increased above Con in Ex5 rats. Neither GLUT-4 protein nor muscle glycogen was increased above Con in Stz/Ex0 or Stz/Ex5 rats. GLUT-4 mRNA in FT red muscle of Ex0 rats was 61% above Con but only 33% above Con in Ex5 rats. GLUT-4 mRNA in FT red muscle of Stz/C and Stz/Ex0 rats was similar but significantly elevated in Ex5/Stz rats. These results suggest that insulin is essential for the increase in GLUT-4 protein expression following postexercise carbohydrate supplementation.
A mössbauer study of zinc-iron intermediate phases and electrodeposited coatings

A Mossbauer study was made of all the single intermediate phases in the zinc-iron system. These phases were prepared by a heat-treatment method, and the Mossbauer transmission spectrum of each phase was recorded. The spectra were fitted on the basis of the crystal structure of each phase. The computer-fitted results were reported in terms of isomer shift, quadrupole splitting, and line width. These single-phase spectra were used as standards for the analysis of an electrodeposited zinc-iron alloy coating (11 wt pet Fe). The main phase detected in the coating was the δ phase, which was confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis. The advantages of the Mossbauer spectroscopy technique in comparison with the X-ray diffraction method are discussed.
Deformation Studies of Polymers by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy II: Mechanical Stretcher and its Interface to the Spectrometer

We have built a hydraulic mechanical stretcher to be used with a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer to monitor molecular response when polymer samples are deformed macroscopically. Experiments on ethylene-methacrylic acid copolymers and their neutralized forms have been carried out to demonstrate the potential usefulness of this type of experiments.
Synthesis and characterization of amphiphilic phenylene ethynylene oligomers and their Langmuir-Blodgett films.

We report the synthesis of a series of amphiphilic molecular building blocks that can be self-assembled at the air−water interface to form two- and three-dimensional nanostructures with tunable optoelectronic properties. Compression of these molecular building blocks using the Langmuir−Blodgett method gives rise to monolayer and multilayer thin films with different packing densities and electronic properties that are tunable due to varying π−π (hydrophobic) interactions. Depending on the noncovalent interaction between chromophores, we observe a transition toward denser packing with increasing number of phenylene ethynylene repeat units. Additionally, we use quantum-chemical simulations to help determine the excited-state electronic structure, intermolecular interactions, and packing trends. Our results demonstrate that the interplay between dipole−dipole and π−π interactions dominates the formation of thin films with various packing densities and determines the associated optical properties.
A new model for simple neural nets and its application in the design of a neural oscillator.

The results of a previous theoretical study of a class of systems are applied for the design of neural nets which try to simulate biological behavior.
Transient analysis of the TRAPATT mode in avalanche diodes

Abstract The start-up transient behavior of the TRAPATT mode of oscillation in both n+pp+ and p+nn+ Si avalanche diodes is studied by computer simulation in the time domain through a device-circuit interaction program. The start-up transient is investigated for various rise times of the applied bias pulse. The TRAPATT waveforms obtained from the simulation are in agreement with those observed experimentally. The theory of TRAPATT operation in a coaxial circuit is revised and its previous inconsistencies are resolved. The low-frequency bias-circuit oscillation is discussed and its relation to device instabilities and tuning-induced burnout are presented.
Determination of the drug-DNA binding modes using fluorescence-based assays.

Abstract Therapeutic drugs and environmental pollutants may exhibit high reactivity toward DNA bases and backbone. Understanding the mechanisms of drug–DNA binding is crucial for predicting their potential genotoxicity. We developed a fluorescence analytical method for the determination of the preferential binding mode for drug–DNA interactions. Two nucleic acid dyes were employed in the method: TO-PRO-3 iodide (TP3) and 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI). TP3 binds DNA by intercalation, whereas DAPI exhibits minor groove binding. Both dyes exhibit significant fluorescence magnification on binding to DNA. We evaluated the DNA binding constant, Kb, for each dye. We also performed fluorescence quenching experiments with 11 molecules of various structures and measured a C50 value for each compound. We determined preferential binding modes for the aforementioned molecules and found that they bound to DNA consistently, as indicated by other studies. The values of the likelihood of DNA intercalation were correlated with the partition coefficients of the molecules. In addition, we performed nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies of the interactions with calf thymus DNA for the three molecules. The results were consistent with the fluorescence method described above. Thus, we conclude that the fluorescence method we developed provides a reliable determination of the likelihoods of the two different DNA binding modes.
Total laryngectomy in patients with advanced bulbar symptoms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Our objectives were to 1) increase awareness of total laryngectomy (TL) as a treatment for complications of bulbar weakness in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and outline specific surgical indications; 2) educate physicians about the surgical procedure, peri-operative course and benefits from having a TL; and 3) retrospectively review the clinical course of Mayo Clinic-Florida patients with ALS who had a TL. The method used was a retrospective review of patients recommended to undergo TL for advanced bulbar symptoms related to ALS at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. Between January 1999 and September 2008, 15 patients with severe bulbar symptoms associated with ALS were recommended to undergo TL. Only five patients opted for the surgery. All patients were aphonic at time of surgery with a multitude of bulbar symptoms. Average surgical time was 114 min (range 87-162 min). No intraoperative complications were reported. All patients and caregivers were pleased with the results of the TL. In conclusion, TL is a relatively safe, quick and uncomplicated surgical procedure that should be considered earlier and more frequently in the treatment plan of patients with advanced bulbar symptoms due to ALS. We recommend considering TL in patients with aspiration problems who are unable to phonate intelligibly.
Generating thermal facial signatures using thermal infrared images

This paper presents preliminary findings using thermal infrared imaging for the detection of the human face vasculature network at the skin surface and the generation of thermal facial signatures. A thermal infrared camera with reasonable sensitivity provides the ability to image superficial blood vessels on the human skin. The experiment presented here consists of the image processing techniques used in thermal infrared images captured using a mid-wave infrared camera from FLIR systems. For the purpose of this experiment thermal images were obtained from 10 volunteers, they were asked to sit straight in front of the thermal infrared camera and a snapshot was taken of their frontal view. The thermal infrared images were then analyzed using digital image processing techniques to enhance and detect the facial vasculature network of the volunteers and generate a thermal facial signature for each volunteer.
Mineralogy: Garnet goes hungry

Sinking slabs of oceanic lithosphere often stagnate in Earth's mantle. Experiments show that common slab minerals transform to their high-pressure, high-density counterparts at very slow rates, thus keeping the slabs buoyant and impeding subduction.
Effect of oral calcium disodium EDTA on iron absorption in a human model of iron overdose.

Objective. Anecdotal case reports and animal models have suggested that the administration of CaNa2 EDTA (EDTA) may be effective in reducing the absorption of iron after an oral iron overdose. We designed this study to determine the effect of orally administrated EDTA with or without activated charcoal (AC) on iron absorption after a mild iron ingestion in healthy human volunteers. Methods. A randomized, crossover study was conducted in eight healthy human volunteers. All subjects ingested 5 mg/kg of elemental iron in the form of ferrous sulfate. One hour post ingestion, subjects were randomized to receive 35 mg/kg EDTA, EDTA plus 50 grams of AC, or water. Serial iron levels were obtained at baseline and every hour for the first 6 hours, then at 8, 12, and 24 hours. A 2-week washout was used between study arms. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used for the following comparisons between treatment groups: baseline serum iron levels, area under time-concentration curves (AUCs) from baseline to 12 hours and baseli...
DNA sequence GCGAATGAGC containing the human centromere core sequence GAAT forms a self-complementary duplex with sheared G.A pairs in solution.

The DNA sequence dGCGAATGAGC has a well-resolved, two-dimensional nuclear Overhauser (NOESY) spectrum that is suitable for high quality solution structure determination by NMR methods; in solution this sequence forms a stable self-complementary duplex containing sheared G.A base-pairs. A total of 220 distance constraints derived from time-dependent NOE measurements were collected and refined by repeated back-calculation of the NOESY spectra. Distance information from imino proton studies and from exclusive two-dimensional correlated spectroscopy (E. COSY) and/or linewidth analysis was included in the structure calculation using the program DSPACE 4.2, followed by restrained energy minimization with the program DISCOVER using the AMBER force field. The energies of the distance geometry (DG) structures decreased rapidly in the first few cycles and approached -510 +/- 3 kcal after 1000 cycles of conjugate gradient minimization (about 540 kcal lower than in the initial DG structures). All 15 final DG structures converged to a single family of closely related structures with pair-wise r.m.s.d. values of 0.96 +/- 0.34 A, which was further reduced by energy minimization to 0.70 +/- 0.35 A. Rather unusual structural features of the duplex are revealed in the final structures. The results indicate that, in addition to normal sequences with standard base-pairing, unusual nucleic acid structures can also be determined in solution with quite high precision by NMR/distance geometry methods.
Orbital polarization from DC slice imaging: S(1D2) alignment in the photodissociation of ethylene sulfide

Abstract DC slice imaging [Rev. Sci. Instrum. 74 (2003) 2530], a recently developed high-resolution `slicing' approach that directly provides the full 3D product distribution in imaging experiments, has been adapted to yield the absolute speed-dependent angular momentum alignment anisotropy parameters in a photodissociation experiment. We present the theoretical machinery for interpretation of a small basis set of sliced experimental images recorded under different laser polarization geometries and then demonstrate its application in the study of electronic orbital angular momentum alignment of excited state S( 1 D 2 ) atoms following 193.3 nm photodissociation of ethylene sulfide. We find the slicing approach to be a highly sensitive and widely applicable technique for the study of orbital polarization, even in instances where the magnitude of such effects is small. The approach outlined here represents a direct route to the determination of recoil-angle dependent orbital alignment for a continuous range of photofragment kinetic energy release.
Irregular planar polar elements for stress analysis of complex systems having contact surfaces rotating members and interference fits

Abstract Planar polar triangular and quadrilateral stress elements with polar joint freedoms and their element matrices for general forms of shape functions are developed for the stress and deformation analysis of complex planar elastic systems, especially those having contact surfaces between members, rotating machine members and interference fits. Joint freedom irregularities are introduced to permit non-polar sliding joint freedoms on the non-polar contact surfaces, and permit non-polar force applications. Shape functions used permit higher order variations of stresses within the elements as compared to their cartesian counter parts. Three numerical examples (a curved beam, a layered curved vehicle spring and a rotating wheel) illustrate the efficiency and applications of these elements, where some result are compared with those of photoelasticity solutions. Finally article develops method for the stress analysis of complex systems having single or multiple interference fits, where the external loading and the normal interference distributions along the contact surfaces are known, but the contact pressures and the radial displacements of the contact joints on the inner and outer members of the fits are not known. Four additional numerical examples investigate stresses and deformations in elastic systems having single and multiple interference fits, where the results for fits of concentric cylinders are compared with those of exact elasticity solutions. Digital computer programs are made available for the interested reader.
Three-dimensional kinematic dynamos with equatorial symmetry: Application to the magnetic fields of Uranus and Neptune

Abstract Previous studies of kinematic dynamo theory have sought solutions dominated by the axial dipole component of magnetic field, so as to model the field of the Earth. Motivated by the observed magnetic fields of the planets Uranus and Neptune, we obtain 3D kinematic dynamos with a different morphology: specifically, fields possessing equatorial symmetry, and so lacking an axial dipole component, where the axis is that of the differential rotation present in most of the flows studied. We base our investigations on the standard Kumar-Roberts flow, and find that with a small alteration this flow is capable of supporting a wide range of dynamos with equatorial symmetry, albeit in a different region of parameter space from the Earth-like solutions. A particularly interesting example is a dynamo generated by a flow with no toroidal component. We include an impenetrable inner core within the dynamo region, but find its effect to be slight compared with small alterations in the chosen flow, and observe no effect on the preferred symmetry of the solution. Solutions for a conducting or insulating inner core are very similar, although there is evidence that this is due to our particular choice of flow. On the evidence of kinematic dynamos, the axial dipole morphology seems to be strongly preferred only in the presence of strong axial differential rotation. However, our results are sensitive to the ad hoc choice of steady flow, which may limit the applicability of our conclusions.
Long sleep and mortality: rationale for sleep restriction

Epidemiologic studies have consistently shown that sleeping >8 h per night is associated with increased mortality. Indeed, the most recent American Cancer Society data of 1.1 million respondents showed that sleeping longer than 7.5 h was associated with approximately 5% of the total mortality of the sample. The excess mortality was found even after controlling for 32 potentially confounding risk factors. Although epidemiologic data cannot prove that long sleep duration causes mortality, there is sufficient evidence to warrant future testing of the hypothesis that mild sleep restriction would decrease mortality in long sleepers. Sleep restriction might resemble dietary restriction as a potential aid to survival. Sleep restriction has several potential benefits besides possible enhanced survival. Acute sleep restriction can have dramatic antidepressant effects. Also, chronic sleep restriction is perhaps the most effective treatment for primary insomnia. Conversely, spending excessive time in bed can elicit daytime lethargy and exacerbate sleep fragmentation, resulting in a vicious cycle of further time in bed and further sleep fragmentation. Sleep restriction may be most beneficial for older adults, who tend to spend excessive time in bed and have more sleep fragmentation compared with young adults.
Kinetic mechanism of rat polymerase β-dsDNA interactions. Fluorescence stopped-flow analysis of the cooperative ligand binding to a two-site one-dimensional lattice

Kinetics of cooperative binding of rat polymerase beta to a double-stranded DNA has been studied using the fluorescence stopped-flow techniques. The data have been analyzed by an approach developed to examine complete kinetics of cooperative large ligand binding to a one-dimensional lattice. The method is based on using the smallest possible system that preserves key ingredients of cooperative binding; i.e., at saturation, the lattice can accept only two ligand molecules. It allows the identification of collective amplitudes as well as amplitudes describing particular normal modes of the reaction. The mechanism of the intrinsic binding of pol beta to the dsDNA is different from the analogous mechanism for the ssDNA. The difference originates from different enzyme orientations in the corresponding complexes. Intrinsic binding to the dsDNA includes only two sequential steps: a very fast bimolecular association followed by an energetically favorable conformational transition of the complex. The transition following the bimolecular step does not facilitate the engagement of the enzyme in cooperative interactions. Its role seems to be reinforcing the affinity of the bimolecular step. Salt and magnesium cations affect both the bimolecular step and the conformational transition. As a result, the bimolecular step is less sensitive to the increased salt concentration, allowing the enzyme to preserve its initial dsDNA affinity. The changing character of cooperative interactions between bound enzyme molecules as a function of NaCl concentration and MgCl(2) concentration does not affect the binding mechanism. The engagement in cooperative interactions is approximately 3-4 orders of magnitude slower than the conformational transition of the DNA-bound polymerase. The importance of the obtained results for the pol beta activities is discussed.
Comparison between micellar electrokinetic chromatography and HPLC for the determination of Betamethasone Dipropionate, Clotrimazole and their related substances

The complete separation of a composite mixture that consisted of Betamethasone Dipropionate (BMD), Clotrimazole and their derivatives in a pharmaceutical dosage form was achieved within 15 min using sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC). For the MEKC separations, electrophoretic media consisting of SDS-phosphate buffer and various concentrations of alcohols or acetonitrile were used. The optimal condition for separating BMD, Clotrimazole and their analogues was found to be 50 mM SDS-15% acetonitrile-5% butanol at pH 7.2. The results demonstrated that the method was valid for the quantitation of BMD, Clotrimazole and analogues with selectivity and precision comparable to that of High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).
The Growth Advantage in Stationary-Phase Phenotype Conferred by rpoS Mutations Is Dependent on the pH and Nutrient Environment

Escherichia coli cells that are aged in batch culture display an increased fitness referred to as the growth advantage in stationary phase, or GASP, phenotype. A common early adaptation to this culture environment is a mutant rpoS allele, such as rpoS819, that results in attenuated RpoS activity. However, it is important to note that during long-term batch culture, environmental conditions are in flux. To date, most studies of the GASP phenotype have focused on identifying alleles that render an advantage in a specific environment, Luria-Bertani broth (LB) batch culture. To determine what role environmental conditions play in rendering relative fitness advantages to E. coli cells carrying either the wild-type or rpoS819 alleles, we performed competitions under a variety of culture conditions in which either the available nutrients, the pH, or both were manipulated. In LB medium, we found that while the rpoS819 allele confers a strong competitive fitness advantage at basic pH, it confers a reduced advantage under neutral conditions, and it is disadvantageous under acidic conditions. Similar results were found using other media. rpoS819 conferred its greatest advantage in basic minimal medium in which either glucose or Casamino Acids were the sole source of carbon and energy. In acidic medium supplemented with either Casamino Acids or glucose, the wild-type allele conferred a slight advantage. In addition, populations were dynamic under all pH conditions tested, with neither the wild-type nor mutant rpoS alleles sweeping a culture. We also found that the strength of the fitness advantage gained during a 10-day incubation is pH dependent.
Treatment of infant leukemias: challenge and promise

Leukemia in infants is rare but generates tremendous interest due to its aggressive clinical presentation in a uniquely vulnerable host, its poor response to current therapies, and its unique biology that is increasingly pointing the way toward novel therapeutic approaches. This review highlights the key clinical, pathologic, and epidemiologic features of infant leukemia, including the high frequency of mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) gene rearrangements. The state of the art with regard to current approaches to risk stratified treatment of infant leukemia in the major international cooperative groups is discussed. Finally, exciting recent discoveries elucidating the molecular biology of infant leukemia are reviewed and novel targeted therapeutic strategies, including FLT3 inhibition and modulation of aberrant epigenetic programs, are suggested.
Combining capillary electrophoresis with mass spectrometry for applications in proteomics

Mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics is currently dominated by the analysis of peptides originating either from digestion of proteins separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) or from global digestion; the simple peptide mixtures obtained from digestion of gel-separated proteins do not usually require further separation, while the complex peptide mixtures obtained by global digestion are most frequently separated by chromatographic techniques. Capillary electrophoresis (CE) provides alternatives to 2-DE for protein separation and alternatives to chromatography for peptide separation. This review attempts to elucidate how the most promising CE modes, capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) and capillary isoelectric focusing (CIEF), might best be applied to MS-based proteomics. CE-MS interfacing, mass analyzer performance, column coating to minimize analyte adsorption, and sample stacking for CZE are considered prior to examining numerous applications. Finally, multidimensional systems that incorporate CE techniques are examined; CZE often finds use as a fast, final dimension before ionization for MS, while CIEF, being an equilibrium technique, is well-suited to being the first dimension in automated fractionation systems.
Die Mitbestimmung der Arbeitnehmer

Mitbestimmung bedeutet im allgemeinsten Wortsinn, das bestimmte Entscheidungen nur durch die Mitwirkung von zwei oder mehr Personen oder Gruppen Zustandekommen. In etwas engerem Sinne ist mit Mitbestimmung gemeint, das die von bestimmten Entscheidungen betroffenen Personen oder Personengruppen an derartigen Entscheidungen mitwirken. Die wesentliche Bedeutung einer Mitbestimmung allgemein liegt darin, “das Herrschafts- oder Leitungsbefugnisse (= Entscheidungsmacht) nicht streng einseitig ausgeubt werden, sondern nur unter Mitwirkung der Betroffenen” (Zollner/Loritz 1992, S. 438).
Total Synthesis and Structural Revision of Antibiotic CJ‐16,264

The total synthesis and structural revision of antibiotic CJ-16,264 is described. Starting with citronellal, the quest for the target molecule featured a novel bis-transannular Diels-Alder reaction that casted stereoselectively the decalin system and included the synthesis of six isomers before demystification of its true structure.
Comparative Political Systems

W A f HAT I PROPOSE to do in this brief paper is to suggest how the application of certain sociological and anthropological concepts may facilitate systematic comparison among the major types of political systems operative in the world today. At the risk of saying the obvious, I am not suggesting to my colleagues in the field of comparative government that social theory is a conceptual cure-all for the ailments of the discipline. There are many ways of laboring in the vineyard of the Lord, and I am quite prepared to concede that there are more musical forms of psalmody than sociological jargon. I suppose the test of the sociological approach that is discussed here is whether or not it enables us to solve certain persistent problems in the field more effectively than we now are able to solve them. Our expectations of the field of comparative government have changed in at least two ways in the last decades. In the first place as American interests have broadened to include literally the whole world, our course offerings have expanded to include the many areas outside of Western Europe Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. Secondly, as our international interests have expanded and become more urgent, our requirements in knowledge have become more exacting. We can no longer view political crises in France with detached curiousity or view countries such as IndoChina and Indonesia as interesting political pathologies. We are led to extend our discipline and intensify it simultaneously. It would simply be untrue to say that the discipline of comparative government has not begun to meet both of these challenges. As rapidly as it has been possible to train the personnel, new areas have been opened up to teaching and research; and there has been substantial encouragement to those who have been tempted to explore new aspects of the political process both here and abroad and to employ new methods in such research. It is precisely because