cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Alternative Splicing of the First Intracellular Loop of Plasma Membrane Ca2+-ATPase Isoform 2 Alters Its Membrane Targeting

Plasma membrane Ca(2+)-ATPases (PMCAs) are involved in local Ca(2+) signaling and in the spatial control of Ca(2+) extrusion, but how different PMCA isoforms are targeted to specific membrane domains is unknown. In polarized MDCK epithelial cells, a green fluorescent protein-tagged PMCA4b construct was targeted to the basolateral membrane, whereas a green fluorescent protein-tagged PMCA2b construct was localized to both the apical and basolateral domain. The PDZ protein-binding COOH-terminal tail of PMCA2b was not responsible for its apical membrane localization, as a chimeric pump made of an NH(2)-terminal portion from PMCA4 and a COOH-terminal tail from PMCA2b was targeted to the basolateral domain. Deletion of the last six residues of the COOH terminus of either PMCA2b or PMCA4b did not alter their membrane targeting, suggesting that PDZ protein interactions are not essential for proper membrane localization of the pumps. Instead, we found that alternative splicing affecting the first cytosolic loop determined apical membrane targeting of PMCA2. Only the "w" form, which contains a 45-amino acid residue insertion, showed prominent apical membrane localization. By contrast, the x and z splice variants containing insertions of 14 and 0 residues, respectively, localized to the basolateral membrane. The w splice insert was the crucial determinant of apical PMCA2 localization, and this was independent of the splice configuration at the COOH-terminal end of the pump; both PMCA2w/b and PMCA2w/a showed prominent apical targeting, whereas PMCA2x/b, PMCA2z/b, and PMCA2z/a were confined to the basolateral membrane. These data report the first differential effect of alternative splicing within the first cytosolic loop of PMCA2 and help explain the selective enrichment of specific PMCA2 isoforms in specialized membrane compartments such as stereocilia of auditory hair cells.
Distributed workflow management: the TEAM model

In the last few years, workflow systems have been the base for business-process re-engineering (BPR) but the characteristics of processes are changing and new types of problems need to be addressed. Different organizations dynamically group together (federation) to support complex projects requiring different competencies and coordination is fundamental. Focusing on the interaction among distinct distributed PCEs (process-centered environments), an abstraction model is proposed for the federation based on the partitioned workspace metaphor coupled with a CSP-like process-definition language. A component-based architecture is presented for the actual enactment of the model. Both the development and the enactment environments are presented and the interaction with local PCEs is discussed.
Après le déluge: Microbial landscape of New Orleans after the hurricanes

Now would I give a thousand furlongs of sea for an acre of barren ground. William Shakespeare, The Tempest When storms of hurricane force unleash their power on natural systems, they can reset successional sequences and even change the structure of biological communities (e.g., refs. 1–3). Should that same power descend on a center of human population, the results can be deadly catastrophic. A recent and unforgettable example is the one-two punch delivered to New Orleans in August and September 2005 by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Failure of levees within the city and the resultant flooding by waters from Lake Pontchartrain set the stage for a collapse of social norms and governmental order. Images of New Orleans' human misery after the storms have become iconic. After landfall of Hurricane Katrina, much was conjectured about potential public health repercussions of the storm (4). The arrival of Hurricane Rita 26 days afterward served only to compound the situation and increase such speculation. Fortunately, there were no large-scale outbreaks of serious communicable disease. There has been, however, increasing documentation of the storms' effects on the city's environment, especially in those low-lying areas that were under as much as 3 m of water. What are the concerns associated with the sediment, toxic chemicals, metals, and microbes mobilized by the hurricanes? In a recent issue of PNAS, Sinigalliano et al. (5) consider the poststorm “microbial landscape” of New Orleans and environs. They show that Lake Pontchartrain's microbial environment returned to prestorm (but not pristine) conditions 2 months after the hurricanes. Furthermore, they argue persuasively that the lake was not the source of fecal contamination in floodwater sediments; instead, the city's deficient sanitary infrastructure was responsible. The study represents the efforts and expertise of investigators distributed among eight academic institutions and three National Science Foundation/National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences national centers. Sampling began and was most intensive during the 2 months after New Orleans was “dewatered,” i.e., when floodwaters were pumped back into Lake Pontchartrain. Results cover the time span from October 2005 to December 2006. Thus, Sinigalliano et al. (5) did not sample floodwaters but instead tested water samples from Lake Pontchartrain and canals draining from the city into the lake. In addition, their article evaluates sediments deposited in private homes and those collected from sites around the city.
Expression of isoenzymes altered by both Glomus intraradices colonization and formononetin application in corn (Zea mays L.) roots

Abstract We searched for and found alterations in isoenzymes that were characteristic of the establishment of the Zea mays-Glomus intraradices symbiosis. Isoenzyme activities for NAD-dependent malate dehydrogenase, esterase, and total peroxidase were examined in corn (Zea mays L. cv. Great Lakes-hybrid 582) roots or mycorrhizas during the first 3 weeks of growth. Soil was either inoculated with the vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungus Glomus intraradices Schenck and Smith or was left uninoculated. Plants were also grown in the presence or absence of formononetin. At 2 weeks of growth, there was an 80% relative increase in colonization in plants that received both formononetin and Glomus as compared to plants inoculated with the mycorrhizal fungus alone. One of the malate dehydrogenase isozyme was differentially expressed in VAM roots at 3 weeks. The activity of this isozyme was further enhanced in the presence of formononetin. At 2 and 3 weeks, four esterase isozymes showed higher activity in mycorrhizas than in non-mycorrhizal roots. Formononetin enhanced the activities of these four esterases following fungal colonization. At 2 weeks of growth, mycorrhizal roots had the highest total peroxidase activity compared to formononetin-treated or control roots. In the presence of formononetin, peroxidase activity was reduced below the amounts of untreated controls. According to these results, the differential expression of certain malate dehydrogenase and esterase isozymes, and the change in total peroxidase activity indicate very early physiological alterations in roots during the establishment of a VAM symbiosis. Furthermore, by examining the shifts in isoenzyme activity, the effect of exogenously-applied formononetin on root colonization could be detected at the earliest stages of the Zea-Glomus symbiosis.
Effect of oxygen vacancies in anodic titanium oxide films on the kinetics of the oxygen electrode reaction

The effect of oxygen vacancies in the anodic oxide film on passive titanium on the kinetics of the oxygen electrode reaction has been studied by potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Oxide films of different donor density were prepared galvanostatically at various current densities until a potential of 20.0 VSHE was achieved. The semiconductive properties of the oxide films were characterized using EIS and Mott-Schottky analysis, and the thickness was measured using ellipsometry. The film thickness was found to be almost constant at ∼44.7 ± 2.0 nm, but Mott-Schottky analysis of the measured high frequency interracial capacitance showed that the donor (oxygen vacancy) density in the n-type passive film decreased sharply with increasing oxide film formation rate (current density). Passive titanium surfaces covering a wide range of donor density were used as substrates for ascertaining relationships between the rates of oxygen reduction/evolution and the donor density. These studies show that the rates of both reactions are higher for passive films having higher donor densities. Possible explanations include enhancement of the conductivity of the film due to the vacancies facilitating charge transfer and the surface oxygen vacancies acting as catalytic sites for the reactions. The possible involvement of surface oxygen vacancies in the oxygen electrode reaction was explored by determining the kinetic order of the OER with respect to the donor concentration. The kinetic orders were found to be greater than zero, indicating that oxygen vacancies are involved as electrocatalytic reaction centers in both the oxygen evolution and reduction reactions.
Rapid Determination of Lactose and Its Hydrolyzates in Whey and Whey Permeate by High Performance Liquid Chromatography

Abstract A rapid method is presented for the quantitative analysis of lactose, glucose, and galactose in whey and whey permeate by high performance liquid chromatography. Samples were prepared by heating to precipitate most proteins and by eluting through a Sep-Pak™ cartridge to remove lipids, chromophores, and residual proteins. Sugars were separated on an Altex μ -Spherogel Carbohydrate column and measured by a refractive index detector. Recovery of added carbohydrates averaged 98.0% for lactose and 101.5% for glucose and galactose. Coefficients of variation for recovery ranged from .27 to 3.20%. Reproducibility was demonstrated by our monitoring rate of enzymatic hydrolysis of lactose in whey permeate. Sample preparation time was 15min; chromatographic separation was within 15min.
Integrating information retrieval, execution and link analysis algorithms to improve feature location in software

Data fusion is the process of integrating multiple sources of information such that their combination yields better results than if the data sources are used individually. This paper applies the idea of data fusion to feature location, the process of identifying the source code that implements specific functionality in software. A data fusion model for feature location is presented which defines new feature location techniques based on combining information from textual, dynamic, and web mining or link analyses algorithms applied to software. A novel contribution of the proposed model is the use of advanced web mining algorithms to analyze execution information during feature location. The results of an extensive evaluation on three Java systems indicate that the new feature location techniques based on web mining improve the effectiveness of existing approaches by as much as 87%.
Wage inequality and firm performance: Professional basketball's natural experiment

The purpose of this inquiry is to utilize a natural experiment from professional basketball to examine how wage inequality impacts the productivity of the firm. The literature suggests that wage inequality may promote firm productivity if higher wages are necessary to limit the damage potential of certain workers. In contrast, other writers have trumpeted the productivity gains from worker cooperation and thus, argued that wage disparity lowers firm output. During the 1990s, the National Basketball Association experienced dramatic increases in the level of wage inequality. The empirical evidence reported here supports a third possibility. Specifically, wage inequality and firm productivity are not related.
Lessons Learned from an Intergenerational Volunteer Program: A Case Study of a Shared-Site Model

This case study examines an intergenerational volunteer program that bridges the shared space and service-learning models to provide continuity of social contact for the participants over time. The program involves residents of an assisted living facility and a local Girl Scout troop that has been meeting at the facility for more than six years. Findings from focus groups and a content analysis of essays that the Girl Scouts wrote are presented. Benefits for the residents, Girl Scouts, and their parents include increased opportunities for relationship building, learning and mentoring activities, social interaction, and personal changes.
Unilateral amygdala inactivation after training attenuates memory for reduced reward

This experiment examined the effects of unilateral inactivation of the amygdalae on memory for reduction in reward magnitude. Male Sprague-Dawley rats with bilateral cannulae in the amygdala were trained to run a straight alley for ten 45-mg food pellets. On Day 10, half the animals were shifted to a 1 pellet food reward and half continued to receive 10 pellets. After the shift, the shifted animals displayed a marked increase in response latencies. Immediately following training on Day 10, the animals received bilateral intra-amygdala infusions (0.5 μl/side) of phosphate buffer or 2% lidocaine in one amygdala simultaneously with infusion of buffer in the other amygdala. On Day 11, the shifted animals given bilateral buffer infusions displayed an increase in response latencies greater than that of the unshifted groups or the shifted groups given lidocaine unilaterally. On Day 12, the runway latencies of the Shifted Vehicle group remained significantly higher than those of the Unshifted Vehicle group and the Shifted Unilateral Lidocaine-Right group but were not significantly different from those of the Shifted Unilateral Lidocaine-Left group. Also, the latencies of the Shifted Unilateral Lidocaine-Left group were significantly longer than those of the Shifted Unilateral Lidocaine-Right group. These findings indicate that post-shift inactivation of only one amygdala can attenuate the response to reward reduction. These results are consistent with previous evidence that the right amygdala may be more involved than the left in consolidation of memory storage for aversive experience.
Ablation effects on rf attenuation in the turbulent boundary layer

F slender re-entry vehicles, the significant plasma generation is restricted to the thin viscous boundary layer. The attenuation of any radio frequency (RF) signal then will be a function primarily of the peak electron concentration in the plasma sheath and of the sheath thickness. For an ablating slender re-entry vehicle, the boundary-layer thickness is dependent on the ablation rate, and the ionization may be predominantly determined by the ablation products. Although the chemistry is not well defined for most ablation products, it is possible to determine the effects of metallic atoms present in the heat shield as trace contaminants. In particular it has been shown that the presence of sodium in relatively small amounts can be sufficient to render the clean air ionization insignificant. It is the purpose of this note to present a method by which the effects of trace contaminants on RF attenuation can be determined. A turbulent boundary layer is considered since in the laminar regime the ablation rate (and hence attenuation) is significantly lower.
Occurrence of thiaminase in marine teleosts.

SummaryIn 4 species of marine teleosts no thiaminase was found according to the procedure described. This brings to a total of 12 the marine teleosts in which there appears to be no thiaminase. In only one species, the Atlantic herring, has its presence been demonstrated.
Opinion: stay on course with an evolution or choose a revolution in computing

The Nature of the Problem: Since the inception of personal computing in the early 80’s, the evolution of computing resources has created a myriad of software applications, programming languages, operating systems, platforms, and execution environment sensitive applications. Many of the developed hardware and software system components have come and gone before they had any longevity allowing return on investments in the technology by the market place. In some instances, the changeover in technology has met or exceeded Moore’s Law in the swiftness with which the fleeting technology has appeared only to be replaced. This has created a tremendous obsolescence in software, hardware, and people’s skills. The effect on software development has been an endless requirement for additional training and retraining of personnel on the use of new tools and software environments (as shown in Figure1). The long term effect is a dearth in efficiency of people’s time, and capital investments and the ability to use time, people, and investments to solve new and interesting problems left unchallenged.
Traumatic aortic transection in a child

The report presents the rare occurrence of aortic transection in a child following blunt trauma, highlights the need for suspicion of this lethal condition in pediatric patients sustaining blunt deceleration injury, and discusses its surgical management.
Identification and Characterization of the Human Ortholog of Rat STXBP1, a Protein Implicated in Vesicle Trafficking and Neurotransmitter Release

In a screen designed to identify genes expressed preferentially in retina, we identified a cDNA encoding the human ortholog of rat STXBP1 (n-Sec1, Munc-18-1, rbSec1), a protein implicated in vesicle trafficking and neurotransmitter release. This protein also has similarity to Drosophila Rop (65% aa identity) and Caenorhabditis elegans UNC-18 (58% aa identity). The major human cDNA encodes a protein of 594 amino acids which has 100 % amino acid identity with its rat and murine counterparts. Additionally, there is an alternative splice form in humans, arising from the inclusion of an additional exon, which encodes a protein of 603 amino acids and is also 100% identical to the corresponding rat isoform. We found expression of the shorter cDNA in all tissues and cell lines we examined with highest levels in retina and cerebellum. By RT-PCR analysis, we found expression of the longer cDNA in neural tissues only. We mapped the structural gene to 9q34.1, a region without obvious candidate phenotypes. However, due to its evolutionary conservation and abundant expression in retina and brain, STXBP1 should be considered a candidate gene for retinal and/or neural disorders mapping to 9q34.1.
Postcoital antifertility agents and their teratogenic effect

Abstract Of agents effective in preventing implantation or interfering with embryonic development in the rabbit, teratogenicity has been noted with clomid, U11, 100A, U11, 555A, parahydroxypropiophenone, vinblastine, colcemide, BW 57-323H, and 6-azauridine. No teratogenicity (other than virilization with androgens) has been noted with any steroid, with stilbestrol, or with ORF-3858 in either the rabbit or the macaque monkey. Post facto contraception has certain obvious advantages. Precoital techniques involve some waste of contraceptive effort, require premeditation, often have unwanted side effects, may have anti-esthetic and anti-erotic aspects, and are not as yet infallible. The sex act has a degree of spontaneity, and were a perfect contraceptive method at hand, there would always be some individuals who fail to plan ahead. In addition to the requirements of effectiveness and lack of toxicity or undesirable side effects, postcoital contraception involves an additional serious hazard. This danger is that the agent when taken in marginal doses or at marginal times may prove teratogenic.
Lasercomm Demonstration in a Maritime Environment for Tactical Applications

Results of a lasercomm demonstration in the maritime environment conducted off the mid-Atlantic coast near Wallops Island, VA, in July and September 2009 will be presented and performance of the optical channel will be discussed.
Triple chromosomal mosaicism XY-XXY-XXxY in Klinefelter's syndrome.

A new type of triple chromosomal mosaicism of XY/XXY/XXxY constitution with a partially deleted x chromosome, in the short arm, of the XXxY cell line, was found in a patient with Klinefelter's syndrome who also had Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. The partially deleted x chromosome was confirmed by autoradiography and was found to be the latest replicating X chromosome.
Web sites of the Fortune 500 companies: facing customers through home pages

Abstract The growing popularity of the information superhighway has opened up exciting opportunities for companies looking to, not only maintain their current customer base, but also to reach new customers. One of the most popular methods to enter into cybermarketing has been to establish a home page or Web site on the Internet. Almost two-thirds of Fortune 500 companies currently maintain home pages on the Web. An analysis of the content of corporate home pages provides useful insights. Over four-fifths of the companies display products and services (93.2%) and company overview (86.1%) information. Roughly three-fourths of the companies present interactive feedback (79.3%) and what's new (71.1%). Less than one-third (26.2%) of Fortune 500 companies provide for online business. An analysis of the data also provides valuable insight into the future trends of home page usage by large business organizations.
The Spatial Structure of Latin American Cities

The twentieth century has witnessed a profound increase in the world's population and an equally remarkable increase in the proportion of the world's population living in urban areas. This paper analyzes the spatial structure of selected Latin American countries and compares it with that of selected North American cities in order to assess the generality of empirical results. The Latin cities are experiencing decentralization of population and some decentralization of employment. Overall population density patterns of large Latin cities resemble those in older North American cities; newer North American cities have lower densities and are more decentralized. High-status groups are somewhat concentrated in the central cities of Latin American metropolitan areas, but their concentrations there are declining. Great differences in density function parameters are likely due to the North American dependence on autos. Data presented suggest that high growth rates by themselves are not strong determinants of density patterns.
Some recent results for nonlinear acoustics in combustion chambers

Conditions of high energy densities and low losses in combustion chambers encourage the excitation and sustenance of organized unsteady motions generically called combustion instabilities. The fluctuations, common in propulsion systems, often reach sufficient amplitudes to cause excessive rates of heat transfer to exposed surfaces and unacceptable structural vibrations, causing failure in extreme cases. In many cases, to avoid the occurrence of instabilities, combustion chambers are operated below their maximum performance. Considerable effort has been spent, for more than four decades, on experimental and analytical programs devoted to solving problems of combustion instabilities. Much of the work has been required to measure quantities which, because of the complex processes involved, cannot be predicted accurately from first principles. Analytical work has been concerned largely with linear behavior, the chief purpose being to predict stability of small disturbances in combustion chambers. Many useful results have been obtained, serving in practice to help design experiments, correlate data, and predict the stability of new systems. However, linear behavior is only a small part of the general problem. A combustion chamber is an isolated system so far as its stability is concerned, and unstable disturbances evolve as 'self-excited' motions. Hence their amplitudes will grow indefinitely unless nonlinear processes are effective. Complete understanding of observed behavior will therefore be reached only by treating nonlinear behavior. In the recent past, increased attention has been paid to nonlinear combustion instabilities. It is particularly important for practical purposes to explain the existence of limit cycles and the occurrence of unstable motions in linearly stable systems exposed to large initial disturbances. These matters are far from closed, and although substantial progress has been accomplished, little impact has been made on the development of new systems. The chief purpose of this paper is to provide a brief review of work on nonlinear combustion instabilities, largely in the framework of an approximate analysis. Some connections will be made with the modern theory of nonlinear dynamical systems, including very recent and incomplete attempts by others to assess the possible chaotic behavior observed in laboratory tests.
LMP2A survival and developmental signals are transmitted through Btk-dependent and Btk-independent pathways.

Abstract The latent membrane protein 2A (LMP2A) of Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) has been implicated in controlling viral latency due to the ability of LMP2A to block B cell antigen receptor (BCR) signaling in vitro and to alter B cell development and enhance B cell survival in vivo. These LMP2A functions require interactions with the protein tyrosine kinases Syk and Lyn. However, a role for the Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk) has not been investigated for these LMP2A functions. To investigate whether Btk is important for LMP2A developmental and survival signals in vivo, LMP2A transgenic animals were mated to Btk deficient (Btk−/−) mice. Unlike LMP2A+, Btk+/+ transgenic littermate controls, LMP2A+, Btk−/− animals do not generate immunoglobulin (Ig) receptorless B cells in the periphery and instead produce Ig+ B cells similar to those in the Btk−/− mice. Interestingly, however, LMP2A+, Btk−/− animals produce B cells at a vastly reduced level compared to Btk−/− littermates, indicating that LMP2A affects B cell development in the absence of Btk. In the RAG-1−/−, Btk−/− double knockout background, LMP2A is still capable of enhancing the survival of Ig-receptorless B cells. Use of Btk phosphopeptide-specific antibodies reveals that Btk is constitutively phosphorylated in LMP2A-expressing cell lines. These data indicate that LMP2A initiates both Btk-dependent and Btk-independent pathways, resulting in altered B cell development and enhanced B cell survival.
Inhibition of DNA synthesis by lidocaine and procaine

Nachweis, dass in Ehrlich-Ascites-Zellen die DNS-Synthese durch Lokalanaesthetika starker gehemmt wird als die RNS- und die Proteinsynthese.
Laparoscopic sterilization with a spring-loaded clip.

A spring-loaded clip which can be applied to the fallopian tubes via a 10 mm diameter laparoscope was developed at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Between September 1972 and November 1973 the clip was inserted in 297 patients who underwent laparoscopic sterilization while under local anesthesia and in 3 patients while under general anesthesia. There were no major complications. Vasovagal reactions did occur in 25 patients resulting from excessive manipulation of the uterus while attempting to expose the tubes for proper application of the clip. 4 patients became pregnant after clip applications due to faulty application of the clips.
Patterns of saproxylic beetle succession in loblolly pine.

Patterns of insect succession in dead wood remain unclear, particularly beyond the first several years of decay. In the present study, saproxylic beetles were sampled from loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) logs aged between 1 month and 9 years old using both emergence traps attached to logs in the field and rearing bags in the laboratory.
Spanish and the characteristics of acquired disorders in reading and writing / El español y las características de los trastornos adquiridos de la lectura y la escritura

AbstractSpanish has unique phonological, lexical and grammatical features and a unique literacy system; these characteristics may influence the specific way acquired disorders in written language manifest themselves. The purpose of this article is to firstly review the specific characteristics of Spanish and subsequently analyse alterations in cases of alexia. A review of reading models is presented as well. It is concluded that a direct application of reading models developed for other languages that have noticeably irregular writing systems does not seem appropriate to interpret Spanish errors after brain damage.
Charge transfer rate constants for the reduction of cobaltocenium at accumulated nSi electrodes

Abstract A theoretical description of heterogeneous charge transfer rate constants has been developed for accumulated semiconductor electrodes in contact with outer sphere redox couples. Analysis of the rate constants using a Fermi Golden Rule formalism in a non-adiabatic electron transfer framework has facilitated a theoretical comparison between the rate constants of metal and accumulated semiconductor electrodes in contact with a common electrolyte-redox couple solution. Chronoamperometric measurements of nSi electrodes in contact with CH3OH-cobaltocenium (COCp2)+-CoCp2 have been performed to investigate these predictions experimentally. A standard rate constant, k°, of (2–4) × 10−2 cm S−1 was obtained for nSi/CH 3 OH-CoCp 2 + 0 contacts, while the CoCp 2 + 0 redox couple was found to be electrochemically reversible (k° > 0.1 cm s−1) at Hg electrodes under the same conditions.
Raman spectrum of Na2SO4 (phase III)

Abstract The Raman spectrum of Na 2 SO 4 in its metastable low temperature phase (space group D 2 h 17 ) has been measured at room temperature. All but two of the 18 Raman-active vibrational modes have been identified and assigned to symmetry species. The Raman spectrum of the metastable (phase III) form of Na 2 SO 4 is very different from the corresponding spectrum of the stable (phase V) form consistent with large differences in their respective orthorhombic structures. The b axis of phase V coincides with the c axis of phase III and the a axis is likely to be common to both phases.
The State of American Federalism, 2002–2003: Division Replaces Unity

The national unity formed last year in response to terrorism soon vanished as more typical political infighting returned. Although overshadowed by the buildup to and the conduct of a second war against Iraq, political issues grounded in the nation's federal character contributed to a rise in divisiveness. The mid-term elections of 2002 and redistricting battles in several states drove partisanship to new heights. The continued sluggishness of the nation's economy also exacerbated interparty bickering. Republicans controlled the White House and both houses of Congress, yet some of the president's policy initiatives encountered more serious resistance in his own party than from the opposition. Many of the feuds within the majority party rested on state and regional interests typical of federalism politics. State and local governments remained trapped in the third year of a fiscal crisis, and even large reductions in expenditures did not extricate these governments from the financial fix. Despite their pleas, state and local officials were unable to obtain any significant relief from the federal government. Federal-state relations, as a consequence, exhibited more contentiousness than cooperation. Copyright 2003, Oxford University Press.
Flutter Prediction Using an Eigenvector Orientation Approach

A method for predicting the onset of coupled-mode flutter is presented. A distinguishing characteristic of this method is that it emphasizes eigenvectors rather than eigenvalues. In the popular methods based on eigenvalues, flutter is predicted as instability begins to occur, as evidenced by the movement of one or more eigenvalues from the left-hand to the right-hand side of the s-plane, or the coalescence of eigenvalues. Alternatively, the method of eigenvector orientation being presented has the potential to predict the occurence of instability. Although the eigenvectors of vibrating systems generally satisfy the orthogonality condition, there are certain cases In aeroelasticity in which they are not orthogonal. In a typical case of coupled-mode flutter, the eigenvectors Initially may be oriented orthogonally but gradually lose orthogonality as airspeed is varied. The consequence of such a progressive loss of eigenvector orthogonality on structural dynamics is a phenomenon that seems to warrant further investigation. This investigation has applications in areas such as helicopter dynamics, aeroelastic analysis of plate and shell structures, analysis of slightly mistuned bladed disk assemblies, and rotordynamics.
Invariance properties, and characterization of the greatest common divisor of a set of polynomials

On m-sets of polynomials from R[s] of degree d, &#x1d4c5;m. d the notion of extended-R-equivalence (Emd under ℯℯ( &#x1d4c5;m, d)is characterized by a complete invariant and a canonical form; it is shown that the greatest common divisor ℯ (g.c.d.) of &#x1d4c5;m d is an invariant of ℯ(&#x1d4c5;m, d )For proper sets &#x1d4c5;m, d it is also shown that the g.c.d. is invariant under the combined action of E-R-E transformations and shifting operations. Finally, a systematic procedure for the computation of the g.c.d. of &#x1d4c5;mdis given. This procedure is based on the use of elementary row operations on real matrices and shifting operations.
Fluoxetine hydrochloride for the treatment of severe refractory orthostatic hypotension

Abstract objective: To evaluate the usefulness of fluoxetine hydrochloride in the treatment of patients with severe refractory orthostatic hypotension. design: Prospective, nonrandomized study. patients: Five patients (3 men, 2 women with a mean age of 67 ± 7 years with chronic symptomatic orthostatic hypotension resistant to or intolerant of other therapies. methods: Symptoms and orthostatic responses were recorded in the baseline state. Fluoxetine hydrochloride 20 mg orally once daily was started and patients were reevaluated after 6 to 8 weeks of therapy. results: All patients demonstrated orthostatic hypotension (20 mm Hg or greater decline in systolic blood pressure) associated with symptoms (eg, dizziness, vertigo, near syncope) in the baseline state. After 6 to 8 weeks of fluoxetine therapy, 2 patients reported resolution of all symptoms, 2 had a marked reduction in symptoms, and 1 patient experienced no effect. Orthostatic responses were attenuated in 4 of the 5 patients (80%). conclusion: Fluoxetine hydrochloride may be an effective therapy for some patients with recurrent severe orthostatic hypotension refractory to other forms of therapy.
Effect of radial velocities on laminar flow, tubular reactor models

Existing models for laminar flow in tubular reactors neglect radial velocities in the momentum transport equation. The axial velocity distribution is calculated assuming fully developed flow wherein axial velocities are in local equilibrium with the radial viscosity profile. A test of this assumption has been devised using a representative model of the Newtonian viscosity, μ(r, z), and by reconstructing the radial velocity components using the continuity equation. The assumption of fully developed flow is shown to be a valid approximation for typical polymerization reactions. However, the fact that radial velocities are negligible with respect to momentum transport does not mean they are negligible with respect to convective diffusion of heat and mass. Radial convection is shown to be important for typical polymerization and heat transfer examples.
Chemical Compatibility and Reaction-Induced Exfoliation in Photopolymerizable Clay Nanocomposites

Exfoliation of clay nanoparticles is a critical step in achieving unique properties associated with clay−polymer nanocomposites. However, a rational means of designing exfoliated nanocomposites, especially in photopolymerizable systems, remain elusive to date. This study investigates the influence of monomer−clay dispersant interactions on organoclay dispersion behavior in photopolymerizable systems. The dispersion behavior of a nonpolar, nonpolymerizable organoclay in a range of monomers with different sizes and polarity was investigated utilizing X-ray scattering and electron microscopy. Results show that increasing chemical similarity between monomer and organoclay dispersant as well as enhanced polar/nonpolar interaction facilitates exfoliation. Organoclays modified with nonpolar dispersants only intercalates in polar polymers. Conversely, exfoliation of the nonpolar organoclay is facilitated in increasingly nonpolar polymers. A set of quaternary ammonium surfactants modified with methacrylate or thio...
Component fragility results for reliability and probability studies

Abstract Under a sponsorship of the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) has formed a test data base of seismic fragility of nuclear power plant equipment and analyzed the data for use in reliability and probability studies. This paper describes the data base and discusses the analysis methods and results. A large sample of test data has been collected from various sources for the data base. A standardization technique has been applied for conversion of the data to a uniform and consistent data set. The zero period acceleration (ZPA) and the average spectral acceleration (ASA) over the 4–16 Hz frequency range have been selected to represent a test response spectrum and these two parameters have been used in the statistical analysis. A logarithmic distribution of the data has been assumed. Test data of six classes of equipment have been analyzed. For each equipment type, the median value, the coefficients of variance and a high confidence (95%) value correspon ding to a low probability (5%) of failure have been computed. These results are obtained for both the ZPA and ASA fragility parameters and for different failure modes. The fragility results are expected to provide a strong basis for future reliability and probability studies. The data base at BNL is being expanded by collection of test information for additional equipment categories.
A comment on “empirical Bayes estimation of the truncation parameter with asymmetric loss function using NA samples”

Recently, there are some empirical Bayes procedures using NA samples. We point out a key equality which may not hold for NA samples. Thus, the results of those empirical Bayes procedures based on NA samples are dubious
Vacuum laser acceleration using a radially polarized CO2 laser beam

Abstract Utilizing the high-power, radially polarized CO 2 laser and high-quality electron beam at the Brookhaven Accelerator Test Facility, a vacuum laser acceleration scheme is proposed. In this scheme, optics configuration is simple, a small focused beam spot size can be easily maintained, and optical damage becomes less important. At least 0.5 GeV/m acceleration gradient is achievable by 1 TW laser power.
Sodium Channel β1 Subunits: Overachievers of the Ion Channel Family

Voltage gated Na+ channels in mammals contain a pore-forming alpha subunit and one or more beta subunits. There are five mammalian beta subunits in total: beta1, beta1B, beta2, beta3, and beta4, encoded by four genes: SCN1B-SCN4B. With the exception of the SCN1B splice variant, beta1B, the subunits are type I topology transmembrane proteins. In contrast, beta1B lacks a transmembrane domain and is a secreted protein. A growing body of work shows that VGSC beta subunits are multifunctional. While they do not form the ion channel pore, beta subunits alter gating, voltage-dependence, and kinetics of VGSC alpha subunits and thus regulate cellular excitability in vivo. In addition to their roles in channel modulation, beta subunits are members of the immunoglobulin superfamily of cell adhesion molecules and regulate cell adhesion and migration. Beta subunits are also substrates for sequential proteolytic cleavage by secretases. An example of the multifunctional nature of beta subunits is beta1, encoded by SCN1B, that plays a critical role in neuronal migration and pathfinding during brain development, and whose function is dependent on Na+ current and gamma-secretase activity. Functional deletion of SCN1B results in Dravet Syndrome, a severe and intractable pediatric epileptic encephalopathy. Beta subunits are emerging as key players in a wide variety of pathophysiologies, including epilepsy, cardiac arrhythmia, multiple sclerosis, Huntington's disease, neuropsychiatric disorders, neuropathic and inflammatory pain, and cancer. Beta subunits mediate multiple signaling pathways on different timescales, regulating electrical excitability, adhesion, migration, pathfinding, and transcription. Importantly, some beta subunit functions may operate independent of alpha subunits. Thus, beta subunits perform critical roles during development and disease. As such, they may prove useful in disease diagnosis and therapy.
Evaluating ortholog prediction algorithms in a yeast model clade.

Background Accurate identification of orthologs is crucial for evolutionary studies and for functional annotation. Several algorithms have been developed for ortholog delineation, but so far, manually curated genome-scale biological databases of orthologous genes for algorithm evaluation have been lacking. We evaluated four popular ortholog prediction algorithms (MultiParanoid; and OrthoMCL; RBH: Reciprocal Best Hit; RSD: Reciprocal Smallest Distance; the last two extended into clustering algorithms cRBH and cRSD, respectively, so that they can predict orthologs across multiple taxa) against a set of 2,723 groups of high-quality curated orthologs from 6 Saccharomycete yeasts in the Yeast Gene Order Browser. Results Examination of sensitivity [TP/(TP+FN)], specificity [TN/(TN+FP)], and accuracy [(TP+TN)/(TP+TN+FP+FN)] across a broad parameter range showed that cRBH was the most accurate and specific algorithm, whereas OrthoMCL was the most sensitive. Evaluation of the algorithms across a varying number of species showed that cRBH had the highest accuracy and lowest false discovery rate [FP/(FP+TP)], followed by cRSD. Of the six species in our set, three descended from an ancestor that underwent whole genome duplication. Subsequent differential duplicate loss events in the three descendants resulted in distinct classes of gene loss patterns, including cases where the genes retained in the three descendants are paralogs, constituting ‘traps’ for ortholog prediction algorithms. We found that the false discovery rate of all algorithms dramatically increased in these traps. Conclusions These results suggest that simple algorithms, like cRBH, may be better ortholog predictors than more complex ones (e.g., OrthoMCL and MultiParanoid) for evolutionary and functional genomics studies where the objective is the accurate inference of single-copy orthologs (e.g., molecular phylogenetics), but that all algorithms fail to accurately predict orthologs when paralogy is rampant.
A decision analysis to determine a testing threshold for computed tomographic angiography and d-dimer in the evaluation of aortic dissection

Abstract Objective The objective of this study is to determine at what probability of thoracic aortic dissection (TAD) to use a computed tomographic angiography (CTA) or a d -dimer test. Methods We used decision analysis software to determine the testing threshold (TT) for 3 hypothetical decisions when evaluating for TAD: (1) no testing vs CTA, (2) no testing vs d -dimer, and (3) CTA vs d -dimer. One- and 2-way sensitivity analyses were performed to determine which variables were drivers of the TTs. Results We found TTs of 0.03%, 0.013%, and 0.6% for decisions 1, 2, and 3, respectively. For all 3 decisions, patient age and the annual rate of cancer were major drivers of the TT. In decisions 1 and 2, the probability of acute renal failure requiring renal replacement therapy was a major driver, whereas d -dimer sensitivity was a major driver for decision 3. Conclusion The TTs for TAD are low and reflect the large mortality benefit from diagnosis and treatment when compared with the small risks of CTA. However, given the low prevalence of TAD (~ 0.05% among emergency department patients presenting with symptoms previously attributed to TAD), our results suggest that without high-risk features, clinicians should not order a CTA test for TAD. Depending on age, CTA should be considered for those patients with a disease probability greater than 0.3% to 2.1%, whereas d -dimer testing is appropriate in the range of pretest probabilities from 0.01% to 0.6%. Future studies should focus on clinical decision rules that place disease probabilities below, between, and above the calculated TTs.
The NTPase/helicase activities of Drosophila maleless, an essential factor in dosage compensation

Drosophila maleless (mle) is required for X chromosome dosage compensation and is essential for male viability. Maleless protein (MLE) is highly homologous to human RNA helicase A and the bovine counterpart of RNA helicase A, nuclear helicase II. In this report, we demonstrate that MLE protein, overexpressed and purified from Sf9 cells infected with recombinant baculovirus, possesses RNA/DNA helicase, adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) and single-stranded (ss) RNA/ssDNA binding activities, properties identical to RNA helicase A. Using site-directed mutagenesis, we created a mutant of MLE (mle-GET) that contains a glutamic acid in place of lysine in the conserved ATP binding site A. In vitro biochemical analysis showed that this mutation abolished both NTPase and helicase activities of MLE but affected the ability of MLE to bind to ssRNA, ssDNA and guanosine triphosphate (GTP) less severely. In vivo, mle-GET protein could still localize to the male X chromosome coincidentally with the male-specific lethal-1 protein, MSL-1, but failed to complement mle1 mutant males. These results indicate that the NTPase/helicase activities are essential functions of MLE for dosage compensation, perhaps utilized for chromatin remodeling of X-linked genes.
On the Effects of Magnetic Bonding in Rare Earth Transition Metal Interxmetallics

Neutron diffraction experiments on rare-earth transition metal magnetic alloys Er2 Fe14 B and Er 2 Fe 17 have been carried out at temperatures above and below the ordering temperature (Tc). An anomalously large magnetic moment is observed at the crystallographic j2 site in Er2Fe14B which is the intersection point of the major ligand lines in the crystal structure. The interatomic Fe-Fe distances are in the range of strong ferromagnetic bonds (≥2.66 A). The analogous f site in Er2Fe17 does not develop as large a magnetic moment. In addition, the same sites show strong preference for Fe atoms in the respective substituted compounds. Due to poor phase stability of Er2(CoxFe1-x)14B compounds, iron substitution has been studied in detail in Er2(CoxFe1-x)17 alloys for site specific order and lattice distortion effects. However, a nonlinear change in the c lattice parameter observed in the neutron diffraction results cannot be explained on the basis of site preference alone. p]The neutron refinement results indicate iron rich compositions in Er2(CoxFe1-x)17 materials, which is related to random substitution of Fe dumbbell pairs on the rare earth sites in the lattice. However, extensive electron microscopy (selected area electron diffraction and high resolution imaging) of Er2Fe17 and Er2(Co.40Fe.60)17 failed to reveal any microscopic inhomogeneity. At this stage, the concept of direct negative exchange interaction between dumbbell Fe atom pairs at very short distances of −2.38 A is invoked and its effect is correlated with phase stability. We further suggest that the addition of boron in Er2Fe14B suppresses the substitution of dumbbell Fe pairs as a result of which Tc is raised significantly.