cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mitochondrial and cytoplasmic isoleucyl-, glutamyl- and arginyl-tRNA synthetases of yeast are encoded by separate genes.

Three complementation groups of a pet mutant collection have been found to be composed of respiratory-deficient mutants with lesions in mitochondrial protein synthesis. Recombinant plasmids capable of restoring respiration were cloned by transformation of representatives of each complementation group with a yeast genomic library. The plasmids were used to characterize the complementing genes and to institute disruption of the chromosomal copies of each gene in respiratory-proficient yeast. The sequences of the cloned genes indicate that they code for isoleucyl-, arginyl- and glutamyl-tRNA synthetases. The properties of the mutants used to obtain the genes and of strains with the disrupted genes indicate that all three aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases function exclusively in mitochondrial proteins synthesis. The ISMI gene for mitochondrial isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase has been localized to chromosome XVI next to UME5. The MSR1 gene for the arginyl-tRNA synthetase was previously located on yeast chromosome VIII. The third gene MSE1 for the mitochondrial glutamyl-tRNA synthetase has not been localized. The identification of three new genes coding for mitochondrial-specific aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases indicates that in Saccharomyces cerevisiae at least 11 members of this protein family are encoded by genes distinct from those coding for the homologous cytoplasmic enzymes.
Collaborative methods in online learning in Slovakia

To be competitive and employable in a knowledge-based society, university graduates need to possess extensive communication skills, an ability to apply critical thinking, and the capacity for teamwork, flexibility and adaptability. This implies that the university teaching needs to shift towards use of more collaborative, reflective and experiential processes that would help students to gain the necessary skills. Online learning provides tools that support more student-centered, cooperative, collaborative methods of teaching, hence meeting the needs of teachers and learners in a knowledge-based society.
Patterns of community structure in fishes: summary and overview

This paper constitutes a review of topics and controversies that arose during and since the Cornell mini-symposium. A table of publications on fish community types not covered during the mini-symposium is presented, followed by discussions of three aspects of community structure in fishes. First, the general topic of temporal structure in fish communities is discussed, with emphasis on diel activity patterns, twilight changeover phenomena and the influence of predators on temporal behavior. This is followed by a section on the importance of ontogenetic changes in trophic, spatial and social activities of fish in a variety of communities. Finally, the topic of stochastic and deterministic processes in coral reef fish communities is reviewed, and methods of testing hypotheses and resolving differences of opinion are suggested. This section is concluded with a discussion of the possible influence of ecological interactions between larval fishes on reef fish community structure.
The Power of an Idea: Spinoza's Critique of Pure Will

One of the most important claims in the Ethics is Proposition 49 of Part 2: "In the Mind, there is no volition, or affirmation and negation, except that which the idea involves insofar as it is an idea."' With Spinoza's characteristic economy of expression, this proposition simultaneously embodies commitments to a representational account of mental states and to an understanding of belief solely in terms of the causal role of mental states. These dual commitments-so widespread in contemporary philosophyare in 2p49 tightly linked with Spinoza's views on mental actions and passions, the efficacy of representational content, the self-contained nature of the realms of thought and of extension, and the universal striving for selfpreservation. 2p49 thus represents, as I will show, a crystallization of much of Spinoza's metaphysics and philosophy of mind. Further, a particular theme of this paper is the way in which this proposition manifests various anti-Cartesian strands in Spinoza. Of course, as has been widely recognized, 2p49 is directed against Descartes' view that judgment or affirmation consists in part of an act of will separate from the idea affirmed, an act, one might say, of pure will. However, one aspect of the lack of full appreciation of the significance of 2p49 has been a failure to grasp how this criticism of Descartes is deeply connected with Spinoza's criticisms of Descartes on some of the other topics in metaphysics and philosophy of mind that I just mentioned, and even, as I will argue briefly at the end, with Spinoza's criticism of Descartes' account of the causation of motion. 2p49 is thus not only a crystallization of Spinoza's philosophy of
Direct measurement of quasiparticle evanescent waves in a dirty superconductor

We have used a perpendicular-current spin-polarization detector, in the form of a Permalloy-based exchange-biased spin valve, to measure the length scale for penetration of quasiparticles through superconducting-Nb thin films under diffusive transport conditions. In the low-temperature limit, this penetration length is $\ensuremath{\sim}16\mathrm{nm},$ comparable to the estimated ``dirty-limit'' zero-temperature coherence length of our Nb films.
Seasonal variations in capillary resistance of institution children

Summary The capillary resistance of a group of institution children was determined by the Dalldorf resistometer at five different periods during the year. The results were studied in relation to the dietary supply of vitamin C, the incidence of infections, and to the vitamin D available from sunshine at the different periods. The capillary resistance as thus determined revealed a distinct seasonal trend. The mean pressure for the group was low in February, dropped still lower in April, rose somewhat in July, higher still in August, and dropped again to a lower level in November. The records for many individual children exhibited the same trend; 83 per cent showed some tendency to follow the seasonal pattern; half of them revealed a decided correspondence, and 23 per cent almost a perfect one. No clear-cut relation appeared between the capillary resistance and incidence of infection; but a striking parallelism was found between the pressures found and the level of vitamin C supply in the dietaries. An almost equal correspondence was noted between resistance and the amount of vitamin D available from sunshine at the different periods. It is emphasized that in neither case can the parallelism be interpreted as necessarily indicating a causal relationship. It is believed that the seasonal variation in resistance herein observed is too pronounced to be accidental. Further studies carried out with more refined techniques and under controlled experimental conditions are necessary before the factor or factors responsible for the variations can be determined.
Manipulating apparent duration with simultaneous effects on memory

This experiment explored the relationship between perceived time and memory. One hundred and forty-four subjects viewed a list of 30 words under one of three conditions. The conditions were designed to induce differences in the perceived duration of the words by varying the number of incidental stimuli during the period just before each word was visible. After viewing the list, all subjects estimated the duration of each word, the number of words, and the duration of the list. Following this, subjects attempted to recognize the words among 50 distractors. It was found that increases in memory accompanied increases in perceived duration. The results were consistent with the hypothesis that changes in time perception and memory are mediated by changes in attention.
MOLTEN-SALT CONVERTER REACTORS

Abstract Molten-salt reactors appear to have substantial promise as advanced converters. Conversion ratios of 0.85 – 0.9 should be attainable with favorable fuel cycle costs, with 235U valued at $12/g. An increase in 235U value by a factor of two or three ($10–$30/lb. U3O3, $75/SWU) would be expected to increase the optimum conversion ratio, but this has not been analyzed in detail. The processing necessary to recover uranium from the fuel salt has been partially demonstrated in the MSRE. The equipment for doing this would be located at the reactor, and there would be no reliance on an established recycle industry. Processing costs are expected to be quite low, and fuel cycle optimization depends primarily on inventory and burnup or replacement costs for the fuel and for the carrier salt. Significant development problems remain to be resolved for molten-salt reactors, notably the control of tritium and the elimination of intergranular cracking of Hastelloy-N in contact with tellurium. However, these problems appear to be amenable to solution. I think that it is appropriate to consider separating the development schedule for molten-salt reactors from that for the processing technology required for breeding. The Molten-Salt Converter Reactor should be a useful reactor in its own right and would carry us far towards the achievement of true breeding in thermal reactors.
Beyond the fringe: when science moves from innovative to nonsense

Microbiology has experienced examples of highly productive researchers who have gone beyond just interpreting their experimental results with hypotheses and published nonsense that was readily recognized as such by readers. Although the most discussed cases of this pathology come from physics, studies of single-celled microorganisms, virology, and immunology have provided many examples. Five cases are described here along with some generalizations. These are the Lamarckian inheritance of acquired characteristics reported by distinguished and experienced researchers, vectorless DNA transfer and incorporation of bacterial DNA into chromosomes of plants years before vector construction of genetically modified plants was invented, water with memory of immunoglobulin IgE, a new electromagnetic radiation method for identifying bacterial and viral pathogens by the discoverer of human immunodeficiency virus, and the claim of isolation of a new bacterial isolate with arsenic replacing phosphorus in DNA. These examples represent very dissimilar areas, and the only common factor is hubris on the part of experienced researchers. Secondarily, failure of peer review sometimes happens, and journal editors do not step in, sometimes even when alerted before publication. These failures of the publishing process teach us that unnecessary mistakes occur and should warn us all to watch our own enthusiasms.
Biochemical and antibiotic susceptibility studies of H2S-negative Citrobacter.

Ninety-four strains of H2S-negative Citrobacter were biochemically characterized and their antibiograms were determined. The antibiograms demonstrated not only a difference from Enterobacter cloacae but also a difference within the Citrobacter group between the indole-negative and indole-positive strains. These differences were statistically significant and emphasize the importance of the indole reaction as an aid to speciation of the H2S-negative Citrobacter.
Multiple impacted unerupted supernumerary teeth; report of a case.

Abstract The etiology, clinical features, treatment, and surgical technique of supernumerary teeth have been described. A case of impacted supernumerary teeth is presented, emphasizing the fact that their removal presents the same problems as other types of impactions.
Elastic Moduli of Unidirectional Composites with Anisotropic Filaments

Principal elastic moduli of unidirectional composites with aniso tropic filaments are predicted from available elasticity solutions of multiple-inclusion problems. Measured data obtained from compo...
Familial transmission of alcohol use norms and expectancies and reported alcohol use.

Members of 183 families (biological parents and one adult offspring) completed questionnaires on their quantity and frequency of alcohol use, what they would consider a "normal" quantity-frequency of alcohol use, "problem" quantity-frequency of use, flushing after alcohol use, and other expected physiological and subjective responses to alcohol. Within individuals, own quantity-frequency of alcohol use was moderately negatively correlated with flushing after one drink or less ("fast flushing"), but more highly positively correlated with judged normal alcohol use and with expected subjective effects. Spouse resemblances were low for quantity-frequency of alcohol use and flushing, but high for alcohol use norms and expected physiological and subjective responses. Parent-offspring resemblances were low to moderate for own alcohol use and flushing, but moderate to high for expected physiological and subjective effects. These results were discussed in terms of the effects of genetically transmitted flushing after alcohol use and culturally transmitted alcohol norms and expectations on alcohol use. Language: en
A high-affinity, low-capacity receptor for estradiol in normal and anemic mouse spleen cytosols☆

Abstract A high-affinity, low-capacity receptor activity for 17 β-estradiol has been identified in cytosols of mouse spleen, normal or erythropoietic. It appears to be a protein which sediments at 5S in high-salt gradients and with a peak at 4S and a shoulder at 8-10S in low-salt gradients. In addition to 17 β-estradiol, only 17 α-estradiol and 5(10)-estren-3 α, 17 β-diol competed successfully with the steroid ligand. A K d of 1.5 × 10 −9 M and 4.1 fmoles/mg protein for the number of binding sites were calculated for the receptor activity of early erythropoietic spleen cytosols.
High-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (tromethamine) in human plasma

Determination of tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (tromethamine) in human plasma involved derivatization of the amino and hydroxyl groups with a ultraviolet-absorbing chromophore followed by extraction into an organic phase. Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with gradient elution was used for the separation of the analyte from the internal standard (2,3-butanediol). The assay was linear in the range 1.0-1000.0 micrograms/ml of plasma and the coefficient of variation varied between 9.6 and 16.3% whereas the accuracy varied between 90 and 108%. The limit of detection for the assay was 0.282 micrograms/ml. Stability of tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane in human plasma frozen at -20 degrees C was studied over a period of three month and the data indicated no significant change.
Theory of the Integrating Sphere

The general theory of the integrating sphere as used in the measurement of total spectral reflectance is formulated as an integral equation and solved for five special cases. Two methods of measuring reflectance are considered. In the substitution method, sample and standard are placed in turn at the sample aperture and the ratio of the respective photocell readings determined. In the comparison method, both sample and standard are in place at all times at their respective apertures. The beam is switched from sample to standard and the ratio of the respective photocell readings determined. The efficiency and error, and their interdependence are discussed for both methods and for different geometries of the sphere. The design of a comparison type sphere with maximum efficiency and low error is considered.
The Impact of Preoperative Imaging for Atypical Atrial Myxoma Locations

Background: Atrial myxomas are the most common primary cardiac neoplasm. The majority (75%–80%) are located in the left atrium at the base of the foramen ovalis. Surgical removal can prevent dangerous obstructive or thromboembolic sequelae. Hypothesis: Atypically located tumors may present technical challenges requiring case-specific surgical adaptations when visualization or surrounding cardiac structures are compromised. Methods: We describe 3 cases of atypically located atrial myxomas that required preoperative transesophageal echocardiography and computed tomography to afford the optimal surgical approach. Conclusions: These cases highlight the potential need for multimodality imaging of atypically located atrial myxomas to determine the optimal technical approach for excision. Clin. Cardiol. 2012 doi: 10.1002/clc.22027 The authors have no funding, financial relationships, or conflicts of interest to disclose.
Safety and efficacy of overnight orthokeratology in myopic children.

Abstract Background This prospective case series was conducted to describe the safety and efficacy of orthokeratology with the Emerald™ Contact Lens for Overnight Orthokeratology (Oprifocon A; Euclid Systems Corporation, Herndon, Virginia) among young myopes. Methods Twenty subjects (ages 10 to 16) were enrolled in the 6-month pilot study. Subjects were fit empirically with overnight orthokeratology lenses and evaluated at 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 2 months, 3 months, and 6 months. Results Sixteen subjects completed the study. The mean baseline spherical equivalent refraction (SER) was −2.06 diopters (D) (±0.75). The mean SER at 6 months was −0.16 D (±0.38). The mean baseline uncorrected acuity was 0.78 (±0.28) logarithmic minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) equivalent (20/100 Snellen). The mean logMAR equivalent at 6 months was −0.03 ± 0.12 ( Conclusions In contrast to previously published studies that reported maximum results at 2 weeks, subjects reached maximum reduction in myopia at the 1-week visit and, on average, obtained a 92.2% reduction in spherical equivalent refractive error at 6 months. This pilot study lends to a growing body of evidence that short-term correction of mild to moderate myopia with overnight orthokeratology is safe and efficacious in children and adolescents.
Damage detection testing on a helicopter flexbeam

The main and tail rotor systems of a helicopter must be maintained in a damage-free condition to ensure the safety of the helicopter. The components of the rotor system require regular maintenance and inspection, and some of the components are difficult to inspect. Accordingly, an integrated sensor system that continuously monitors the structural integrity of the rotor system is needed to assure the safety of flight and reduce the cost of maintenance of the rotor system. This smart monitoring system could also provide immediate information on the dynamic loading in the rotor system. This information could define the performance limit of the helicopter based on the condition of the rotor system. The operator will then be able to adjust the flight condition and prevent damage from occurring or propagating. The challenges in designing this monitoring system are related to the operating conditions of the helicopter. These include significant aerodynamic and external damping in bending and torsion modes, moder...
Seasonal and Spatial Variations in Human Cell Mutagenicity of Respirable Airborne Particles in the Northeastern United States

Samples of respirable airborne particles (similar in size to PM_(2.5)) were collected at five sites in the northeastern United States every sixth day during 1995 and tested in a mutagenicity assay based on human cells. Three sites were located in Massachusetts: in downtown Boston, in a suburban area 20 km to the north, and in a rural area 100 km west of Boston. The other two sites were located in downtown Rochester in upstate New York and in a rural area 35 km to the west. Bimonthly composite samples (10−11 sampling days per composite) were extracted in organic solvents and tested for mutagenicity at the thymidine kinase locus in h1A1v2 cells, a line of human B-lymphoblasts that constitutively expresses P450 CYP1A1 cDNA. Mutagenicity levels were significantly higher in winter than in summer at all sites, both per microgram of airborne particulate organic carbon (OC) and per cubic meter of air. Mutagenicity per microgram of OC was significantly inversely correlated with air temperature (r = −0.95 in NY, r = −0.40 in MA) and ambient concentrations of OC (r = −0.4). Annual averages of mutagenicity per microgram of OC in upstate New York were roughly 2-fold higher than in Massachusetts; however, no clear intrastate spatial variations were evident. Mutagenicity per cubic meter of air showed an increase of roughly 1.5−2-fold from rural areas to urban centers within each state. This increase was influenced by higher OC concentrations in the urban locations (up to 2-fold) but not by higher mutagenicity per microgram of OC. These results indicate that cold weather is significantly correlated with the human cell mutagenicity of respirable particles in the northeastern United States and further show that populations of urban centers in this region are exposed to higher levels of airborne human cell mutagens than in nearby rural areas.
2018 Panel of Computing Students with Disabilities

A panel of college students with disabilities who are computing majors or have taken multiple computing courses will describe their experiences both in and out of the classroom. The goal of the panel is to provide the audience with an opportunity to hear first-hand how their educational needs were met as non-traditional computing students. In addition to the panelists' short presentations, the moderator will facilitate a dialog between the members of the audience and the panelists.
Linear time algorithms for two disjoint paths problems on directed acyclic graphs

We present an algorithm that, given two vertices s"1 and s"2 of a directed acyclic graph, constructs in linear time a data structure using linear space that, for each pair (u,v) of two vertices u and v, in constant time can output a tuple (s"1,t"1,s"2,t"2) with {t"1,t"2}={u,v} such that there are two disjoint paths p"1, from s"1 to t"1, and p"2, from s"2 to t"2, if such a tuple exists. The data structure is simpler than such a data structure for general directed graphs that can be obtained from results of Georgiadis and Tarjan. Disjoint can mean vertex- as well as edge-disjoint. As an application and main result we show that the data structure can be used to solve the 2-disjoint paths problem on directed acyclic graphs optimally, i.e., in linear time.
A study of soil contamination and plant lead uptake in Boston urban gardens

Abstract This study has demonstrated a serious problem of Pb contamination in the normal environment of many urban residents. Many soil samples have been analyzed by X‐ray fluorescence spectroscopy from backyard and play areas as well as from large community gardens and playgrounds. An average Pb level of 800 ppm was found in about 900 soil samples. The elevated Pb levels are definitely traceable to widespread use of Pb paint in the past. Tissues of selected plant species grown in garden soils containing Pb levels ranging from 100–2000 ppm showed differing affinities for Pb uptake. The amount of Pb found in tissues was generally related to the soil Pb concentration but was also organ or tissue related; fruits taking up less than roots and roots less than tops. Experimental design insured that the soil was probably the sole source of Pb in this study. This points to positive translocation of Pb from soil into plant tissue.
The adsorption of CO on Fe-covered W(110)

Abstract The adsorption of CO on Fe monolayers on W(110), with Fe deposited at 90 K, or so deposited and then annealed at 600 K, was studied by thermal desorption, XPS, UPS, work-function and electron-impact measurements. Although the CO-free 90 K and 600 K Fe layers show very different work functions, they behave very similarly in CO adsorption. The latter is qualitatively similar to what is seen on clean W(110). CO is adsorbed without dissociation at 90 K to a coverage of CO W = 0.8–0.85 on both layers. Heating leads to desorption of part of the CO with peaks in the TPD spectrum at 320 K for the 600 K Fe layer and 250 and 340 K for the 90 K layer, compared to 360 K for CO W (110) , and conversion of an amount CO W = 0.27 to dissociated CO (i.e. β-CO), as indicated by a shift in the O 1s peak from Eb = 531.8 eV for virgin CO to 530.1 eV for β-CO (both relative to EF). These values are the same as for CO on clean W(110). Work-function increments Δo relative to the clean Fe layers are 1.46 and 1.33 eV for the 90 and 600 K layers, respectively, slightly higher than for CO on clean W(110) (1.1 eV at CO W = 0.72 ). UPS spectra for the two Fe layers are very similar and do not differ appreciably from that of CO on W(110). Electron-stimulated desorption yielded neutral CO and also CO+, the latter with a much smaller cross-section than on clean W(110). The total desorption cross-sections for the two Fe layers were very similar. Neutral desorption from both Fe layers showed two regimes. The first has cross-sections of ∼ 1.3 × 10−17 cm2 if both regimes coexist ab initio and ∼ 5 × 10−18 cm2 if the second regime is created by electron impact. The second regime has a cross section of ∼ 10−18 cm2 for both layers. These results indicate that the 90 and 600 K Fe layers have very similar properties despite their work-function differences.
Application of voltammetric techniques to membrane studies

The application of voltammetric methods to planar bilayer lipid membranes (BLM) studies is described. BLM-compound interaction experiments lead to the measurement of the membrane current underlying transport phenomena. From measurements of current/voltage of BLM in unstirred solutions as a function of scan rates, it is possible to obtain both thermodynamic and kinetic information. In past years, a variety of techniques have been used to study the electrical properties of BLMs, but in terms of versatility, the cyclic voltammetric technique is outstanding. Cyclic voltammetry is the definitive means of characterizing the redox process of electroactive membranes.
Ultralow interfacial tensions and their relation to phase separation in micellar solutions

Interfaces having very low tensions can be produced when a micellar solution separates into a micelle-rich and a micelle-lean phase. For separation to occur under reasonable conditions, the micelles must contain enough solubilized oil or water to be about 100 A in diameter or larger. A simple model is developed to predict the conditions for phase separation and the compositions of the phases in equilibrium. Interfacial tension is calculated by adapting Cahn and Hilliard's approach (J. Chem. Phys. 28 , 258 (1958)). Results show that interfacial tensions can be 10 −2 dyn/cm or lower even when the system is far from a consolute point. Predictions of the theory are in general agreement with the data of Healy et al . (Soc. Petrol. Eng. J. 16 , 147 (1976)) on low interfacial tensions in oil-water systems with a synthetic petroleum sulfonate surfactant.
Dual‐band 3D magnetic EZ antenna

Several dual-band three-dimensional magnetic EZ antenna designs and their simulated performance characteristics are presented. The proposed antennas are formed by integrating multiple capacitively loaded loop elements with a coaxially fed electrically small semicircular loop antenna. They can be designed for a broad range of frequencies by tuning the near field resonant parasitic elements separately. The design details, radiation efficiencies, and fractional bandwidths of these antenna systems for their different dual-band frequency ranges are reported. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52:971–975, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.25067
Orofacial Pain and Sleep

Pain is defined by the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) as ‘‘.an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage.’’ Acute pain is short term and although the impact on sleep may be significant, it does not have a longstanding influence. Chronic pain, however, can have a long-standing and negative impact on sleep. The IASP defines chronic pain as ‘‘pain without apparent biologic function that has persisted beyond the normal tissue healing time’’ (usually taken to be 3 months). Chronic pain includes such disorders as arthritis, neuropathic pain, and sometimes headache. Melzack in 1993 described a pain neuromatrix that involved all regions of the brain, helping to explain the emotional and cognitive response to the pain. Nofzinger and Derbyshire described the ‘‘significant overlaps between the neuromatrix of pain and that of sleep.’’ The interrelationship between pain and sleep is complex and that relationship may be overlooked by clinicians treating only orofacial pain or only treating sleep disorders. Pain and sleep seem to represent opposing forces. Pain is a conscious process and in going to sleep, awareness of the surrounding environment decreases and the neural networks related to wakefulness become less active. Nevertheless, pain can intrude into the unconsciousness of sleep, bringing pain into consciousness, thereby disturbing sleep. Melzack and Wall in 1965 proposed a pain modulating system called the ‘‘gate control theory of pain.’’ This system has been modified over the years as the understanding of ascending and descending modulation has increased. Nevertheless,
Determinants of TRPV4 activity following selective activation by small molecule agonist GSK1016790A.

TRPV4 (Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 4) channels are activated by a wide range of stimuli, including hypotonic stress, non-noxious heat and mechanical stress and some small molecule agonists (e.g. phorbol ester 4α-PDD). GSK1016790A (GSK101) is a recently discovered specific small molecule agonist of TRPV4. Its effects on physical determinants of TRPV4 activity were evaluated in HeLa cells transiently transfected with TRPV4 (HeLa-TRPV4). GSK101 (10 nM) causes a TRPV4 specific Ca2+ influx in HeLa-TRPV4 cells, but not in control transfected cells, which can be inhibited by ruthenium red and Ca2+-free medium more significantly at the early stage of the activation rather than the late stage, reflecting apparent partial desensitization. Western blot analysis showed that GSK101 activation did not induce an increase in TRPV4 expression at the plasma membrane, but caused an immediate and sustained downregulation of TRPV4 on the plasma membrane in HeLa-TRPV4 cells. Patch clamp analysis also revealed an early partial desensitization of the channel which was Ca2+-independent. FRET analysis of TRPV4 subunit assembly demonstrated that the GSK101-induced TRPV4 channel activation/desensitization was not due to alterations in homotetrameric channel formation on the plasma membrane. It is concluded that GSK101 specifically activates TRPV4 channels, leading to a rapid partial desensitization and downregulation of the channel expression on the plasma membrane. TRPV4 subunit assembly appears to occur during trafficking from the ER/Golgi to the plasma membrane and is not altered by agonist stimulation.
Microvascular reconstruction of the breast.

The growth of microsurgical procedures has led to significant technological, scientific, and clinical advances that have made these procedures safe, reliable, reproducible, and routine in most major medical centers. In many instances, free flap reconstruction has become the primary reconstructive method for many major defects, including breast reconstruction. The advantages of free flap breast reconstruction include better flap vascularity, broader patient selection, easier insetting of the flap, and decreased donor site morbidity. Free flap breast reconstruction can occur either at the time that the mastectomy is performed or as a delayed reconstruction following a previous mastectomy. Immediate reconstructions have the advantage of avoiding scar contracture and fibrosis within the mastectomy flaps and at the recipient vessel site. The most common recipient vessel sites are the thoracodorsal vessels and the internal mammary vessels. The thoracodorsal vessels are most frequently used in immediate reconstruction because they are partially exposed during the mastectomy procedure. The internal mammary vessels are used more frequently in delayed reconstructions, to avoid repeat surgery in the axilla. This recipient site also allows more medial placement of the reconstruction. Flap selections for free autogenous breast reconstruction include the transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flap, the superior gluteal myocutaneous flap, the inferior gluteal myocutaneous flap, the lateral thigh flap, and the deep circumflex iliac soft tissue flap (Rubens). The TRAM flap is most commonly used in free flap breast reconstruction. For patients with inadequate abdominal tissue or prior abdominal surgery, the superior gluteal flap is typically used. Both the TRAM flap and the superior gluteal flap can be designed as perforator flaps, preserving all of the involved muscle and, in the TRAM perforator, all the rectus fascia. These flaps are more technically demanding, with minimal impact on donor site function. The other flaps are less frequently used and limited to special patient circumstances. Free flap autogenous breast reconstruction provides a natural, long-lasting result with a high degree of patient satisfaction. Semin. Surg. Oncol. 19:264-271, 2000.
Role of anisotropy in turbulent mixing noise

The objective is to explore the role of anisotropy on aerodynamic mixing noise because of fine-scale turbulence. The usual assumption of isotropic turbulence is replaced with that of axisymmetric turbulence. The analysis is based on source terms of Lilley's equation. In addition, flowlacoustic interaction is accounted for in terms of a high-frequency solution to the axisymmetric Lilley's equation. In the limiting case of isotropy, various source correlation terms derived here simplify to those obtained with an isotropic turbulence model of Batchelor. A Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes solution with a k-∈ turbulence model for a Mach 1.0 jet is used to make flow and acoustic predictions. A parametric study of the turbulence scales indicates that anisotropy increases the peak noise level.
Visual search under conditions of very rapid sequential Input rates

The purposes of the present experiment were to provide information on rate of information processing in visual perception and to determine the degree to which the “sequential blanking” effect found by Mayzner. Tresselt, and Cohen (1966) constituted a limitation on rapid sequential input rates. A 10-channel tachisto scope was employed that permitted controlled durations of each of the 10 channels and the 9 inter channel intervals. The S’s task was one of visual search or detection in which he searched for a target letter among noise letters. A temporal interval forced-choice procedure was used. In addition to varying the rate at which letters were sequentially presented, various irregular temporal spatial orders of presentation of the letter sequences were employed and the direction and orientation of the display in the visual field was varied as was also the spacing between adjacent stimuli. No evidence of “sequential blanking” was found either in terms of the detection criterion or in the Ss’ phenomenal reports. Detection performance was as good at a rate of 2 1/2 msec per letter as it was at a rate of 30 msec per letter.
Delayed song maturation and territorial aggression in a songbird

Asymmetries in competitive ability can determine the outcome of social interactions in animals and are often expressed through differences in sexual traits. Competitive ability (resource holding po...
Action Planning: A Call To Action

Action planning is both a new and an old concept. Goal setting became an important part of mental health interventions as early as the 1960s. For many years, the terms goal setting, contracting, and self-regulation were used more or less interchangeably. More recently, the concept has been termed
GRACE: enabling collaborations in wide-area distributed systems

The globalization of businesses and the cooperation between organizations have brought on an ever increased need for providing support for distributed collaborations. In this paper, we argue that existing peer-to-peer frameworks, although suitable for collaborative environments, fail to provide the support for multiple consistency semantics required by modern complex collaborations. We present GRACE, a middleware platform that enables distributed and mobile collaborations, by combining the capabilities of distributed hash tables (DHTs) with a layered architecture that supports a wide range of semantics. The DHT substrate provides support for mobility, high scalability, availability and load balancing of data, as well as self-repairing capabilities and ease of management, while the layered architecture takes into account the different semantic needs of the applications. We evaluate the efficiency of the algorithm for routing requests to the correct replica in an implementation of GRACE built on Pastry.
The menopause transition

The menopause transition commences with the onset of first menstrual irregularity and ends 12 months after the final menstrual period (FMP)(1). The median age at onset of menstrual irregularity is approximately 47 years, with a median age at final menses of 51.4 years (2). Ethnic differences in the age at final menses have been reported: Hispanic and African American women seem to have a somewhat earlier age at FMP, whereas Chinese American and Japanese American women have a later completion of the transition (3). It is often not appreciated that lifestyle and social factors play a role in menopause. Cigarette-smoking is one of the largest identified modifiers of age at FMP and has been shown to advance FMP by as much as 2 years (2,3). In addition, socioeconomic status (SES), as defined by financial strain, was associated with an earlier FMP in some studies (3,4). Genetic factors influencing the onset of menopause are just beginning to be defined. The presence of an estrogen receptor polymorphism, PvuII, was associated with a near-double risk of hysterectomy and an earlier onset of the FMP by about 6 months (5). It is likely that additional genetic modifiers will be identified in the near future. Although previously believed to be a time of relative hormonal quiescence, the menopause transition has been shown to be marked by irregular fluctuations in reproductive hormones and intermittent adverse symptoms (6-8). The relationships between reproductive hormone and menstrual status, progression through the transition, and symptoms are currently the subject of active investigation by several research teams worldwide. This article summarizes the work to date, integrating large- and small-scale studies.
Detecting unusual activity in video

We present an unsupervised technique for detecting unusual activity in a large video set using many simple features. No complex activity models and no supervised feature selections are used. We divide the video into equal length segments and classify the extracted features into prototypes, from which a prototype-segment co-occurrence matrix is computed. Motivated by a similar problem in document-keyword analysis, we seek a correspondence relationship between prototypes and video segments which satisfies the transitive closure constraint. We show that an important sub-family of correspondence functions can be reduced to co-embedding prototypes and segments to N-D Euclidean space. We prove that an efficient, globally optimal algorithm exists for the co-embedding problem. Experiments on various real-life videos have validated our approach.
Regulation of nucleocytoplasmic localizatioin of the atDjC6 chaperone protein.

The sequence of the atDjC6 chaperone protein includes three potential nuclear localization signal (NLS) sequences (A–C) and three potential nuclear export signal (NES) sequences (X–Z). The subcellular localization of atDjC6 was studied by scanning laser confocal microscopy of chimera with the green-fluorescent protein (GFP) transiently expressed in tobacco BY-2 cells. The localization of the atDjC6::GFP chimera was coincident with that of the nuclear stain propidium iodide. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to verify the predicted NLS sequences. Each was individually fused to GFP and tested for protein localization. The individual NLS sequences were sufficient to direct partial nuclear localization of GFP, although the targeting information within NLS-B is apparently conformation sensitive. Site-directed mutagenesis of the NES sequences increased the amount of each chimera that was nuclearly localized, indicating a decrease in nuclear export. When any pair of NLS sequences were appended to GFP, the chimera were entirely nuclearly localized. Quantitative two-hybrid analysis was used to verify that the decoding of NLS sequence information involves interaction with the NLS-receptor protein importin-α. Each of the NLS sequences is flanked by a site of potential Ser phosphorylation, and recombinant atDjC6 could be phosphorylated in vitro. Mutagenesis of Ser residues to the P-Ser mimic Asp interfered with nuclear targeting, apparently by preventing recognition or binding by importin-α. Our results are consistent with a regulated nucleocytoplasmic localization of the atDjC6 chaperone protein.
Ivy Groundwater Assessment and Mapping

The conversion of rural land from farming and forest cover to uses for housing and commercial development has significant adverse impacts on ecological, environmental, and natural resources. When housing is developed in rural areas without the extension of public infrastructure for water and sewage, these developments must draw on groundwater, mostly from private wells, for their drinking water supply, and use septic tanks with drain fields for their sewage. This type of land conversion is occurring at an accelerated pace in many parts of Virginia, particularly in the City of Charlottesville and surrounding Albemarle County. It is important to know the carrying capacity of the regional groundwater resource in order to ensure that there will be water and septic system absorbing capacity to support current and planned levels of development. Unfortunately County officials do not have information on the availability of regional groundwater resources. As a result, new development permits are granted without information about their long term impact on the availability and quality of the resource on which the majority of private homes depend for their water supply. This project extends the work of a previous Capstone to assess the availability and quality of groundwater from private wells in Albemarle County, and map the results for use by County planners in making decisions about the location and intensity of development across the county. The study draws upon a review of the literature on groundwater assessment, natural resource conservation, smart growth, and collaborative environmental problem solving, including a review of State programs, resources at the Environmental Protection Agency and the US Geological Survey, and a survey of four states in the Blue Ridge geological region. Finding little consistent guidance in the literature on either groundwater assessment methodology, data management, or use of results in decision making, the project developed its own methodology for groundwater assessment using the community of Ivy, in Western Albemarle County as a case study. Groundwater assessment was done using samples from private wells tested with a kit developed by a previous Capstone project. The results were consolidated with data on well construction, flow rate, and water quality, maintained by the Virginia Department of Health, the Department of Mines , Minerals and Energy; and the County Office of Groundwater Resources. The well water assessment results were mapped in ArcGis, and presented to members of a project advisory board for user testing in decision-making about regional development based on groundwater capacity information. Detailed user testing is planned for members of the County Board of Supervisors, and other representatives of stakeholder groups with an interest in land use in Albemarle County and surrounding areas. The results of this work are expected to serve as a model for natural resource assessment and use in development planning for other communities nationwide confronting the issue of urban sprawl and its impact on rural areas.
Using Quality Control Activities to Develop Scientific and Mathematical Literacy.

The daily activities of business and industry provide many fascinating opportunities to study basic concepts of mathematics and science. These activities often lend themselves to an activity-based, manipulative-enhanced learning environment. This article focuses upon a quality control activity used in the manufacturing of camera film. It suggests how this activity can be adapted to science and mathematics classrooms, and discusses some basic concepts of scientific methodology, probability, and statistics.
IMMUNOTHERAPY OF MALIGNANT MELANOMA

Immunotherapy and biologic therapy of malignant melanoma are based on a sound scientific rationale and show promising preliminary results. As the nature of immune response to melanoma becomes further characterized, it is likely that more specific immune manipulations may be approached clinically. The fact that complete and partial remissions are induced in some patients with metastatic malignant melanoma by INF-alpha, IL-2, LAK cells, TIL cells, tumor vaccines, and the like clearly indicates a potential role for immunotherapy. As the overall response rates to these maneuvers are only in the range of 20%, more basic research is needed to understand more fully the immune mechanisms of tumor rejection. The combination of chemotherapy with biologic therapy has also provided promising leads. A major area waiting for development is the use of immunotherapy and biologic therapy as adjuvant treatment for the prevention of recurrence after surgical removal of high-risk Stage I/II and Stage III disease. The future of immunotherapy, either specific active immunization with appropriate vaccines or adoptive immunotherapy, must be based on well-defined molecules and antigenic systems, with appropriate enhancement based on the principles of immune reaction. Numerous strategies may be developed to enhance immune response, with resultant activation and proliferation of effector cells, including MHC- and non-MHC-restricted cytotoxic effector cells against tumor cells. The practice and principles of immunotherapy of human melanoma may be applied to other solid tumors that are resistant to chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Further experimentation in immunotherapy trials of melanoma may result in reliable and predictable clinical responses.
Heterogeneous Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein A1 Binds to the 3′-Untranslated Region and Mediates Potential 5′-3′-End Cross Talks of Mouse Hepatitis Virus RNA

The 3′-untranslated region (3′-UTR) of mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) RNA regulates the replication of and transcription from the viral RNA. Several host cell proteins have previously been shown to interact with this regulatory region. By immunoprecipitation of UV-cross-linked cellular proteins and in vitro binding of the recombinant protein, we have identified the major RNA-binding protein species as heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 (hnRNP A1). A strong hnRNP A1-binding site was located 90 to 170 nucleotides from the 3′ end of MHV RNA, and a weak binding site was mapped at nucleotides 260 to 350 from the 3′ end. These binding sites are complementary to the sites on the negative-strand RNA that bind another cellular protein, polypyrimidine tract-binding protein (PTB). Mutations that affect PTB binding to the negative strand of the 3′-UTR also inhibited hnRNP A1 binding on the positive strand, indicating a possible relationship between these two proteins. Defective-interfering RNAs containing a mutated hnRNP A1-binding site have reduced RNA transcription and replication activities. Furthermore, hnRNP A1 and PTB, both of which also bind to the complementary strands at the 5′ end of MHV RNA, together mediate the formation of an RNP complex involving the 5′- and 3′-end fragments of MHV RNA in vitro. These studies suggest that hnRNP A1-PTB interactions provide a molecular mechanism for potential 5′-3′ cross talks in MHV RNA, which may be important for RNA replication and transcription.