cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Autosomal Dominant Arteriopathy Of The Brain Due To A Novel Mutation In Collagen 4A1 Gene In A Family With Early-Onset Stroke And Leukoencephalopathy (S15.007)

OBJECTIVE: To provide clinical and molecular characterization of autosomal dominant cerebral arteriopathy presenting in a large Hispanic family with transient ischemic episodes, headaches, seizures, stroke due to a novel COL4A1 mutation. BACKGROUND: Mutations in COL4A1 causes hereditary small vessel brain disease, with phenotypic variability including porencephaly, eye defects and systemic vascular involvement. COL4A1 mutations in the etiology of sporadic intracranial hemorrhage have been also shown. Most of these mutations affect the highly conserved glycine residues that are necessary to maintain the triple helix quaternary structure, produce fragility of basement membrane structures and predispose to stroke and hemorrhage. DESIGN/METHODS: We report on a large family with autosomal dominant leukoencephalopathy. The proband underwent whole-exome sequencing. RESULTS: The proband is a 21 year old right woman who presented with severe headache and transient hemiparesis and was found to have bilateral leukoencephalopathy on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with sparing of the anterior temporal lobes. She also had microbleeds in the deep white matter including corpus callosum. Two of her five siblings and her mother were affected similarly; her maternal aunts had early-onset renal failure. The proband’s son developed focal motor seizures at 10 months of age and had prenatal infarct of the left caudate head and bilateral leukoencephalopathy. Whole exome sequencing of the proband identified a heterozygous mutation in COL4A1 gene leading to amino acid change G805E (Glycine to Glutamic Acid). CONCLUSIONS: This codon is highly conserved from mammals to drosophila and is expected to affect the collagen structure by disrupting the repeating G-X-X structure. Different missense change in the same codon has been reported in spontaneous late-onset intracranial hemorrhage, further supporting a pathologic association of this mutation. This family contributes an additional seven cases to the literature. Our findings also underscore the impact of mutations underlying Mendelian disorders on various sporadic, common cerebrovascular disorders with underlying complex genetics. Study Supported by: none Disclosure: Dr. Matthew has nothing to disclose. Dr. Graf has nothing to disclose. Dr. Szekely has nothing to disclose.
Spawning of North American Herring

Abstract The spawning of the North American herring on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts is compared. Spawning occurs somewhere on the North American continent during every month of the year. The spawning time progression on the Pacific coast is from mid-winter in the southern part of the range to early summer in the northern part. The Atlantic coast spawning has two peaks - spring and autumn; spring activities dominate in the northern part and autumn in the south. The range of spring-spawning temperatures on both coasts is comparable. While the major portion of spawning on the Atlantic coast takes place on rocky or gravel bottoms, the eggs of Pacific herring are most often attached to marine vegetation.
Predicting functionally important residues from sequence conservation

Motivation: All residues in a protein are not equally important. Some are essential for the proper structure and function of the protein, whereas others can be readily replaced. Conservation analysis is one of the most widely used methods for predicting these functionally important residues in protein sequences. Results: We introduce an information-theoretic approach for estimating sequence conservation based on Jensen–Shannon divergence. We also develop a general heuristic that considers the estimated conservation of sequentially neighboring sites. In large-scale testing, we demonstrate that our combined approach outperforms previous conservation-based measures in identifying functionally important residues; in particular, it is significantly better than the commonly used Shannon entropy measure. We find that considering conservation at sequential neighbors improves the performance of all methods tested. Our analysis also reveals that many existing methods that attempt to incorporate the relationships between amino acids do not lead to better identification of functionally important sites. Finally, we find that while conservation is highly predictive in identifying catalytic sites and residues near bound ligands, it is much less effective in identifying residues in protein–protein interfaces. Availability: Data sets and code for all conservation measures evaluated are available at http://compbio.cs.princeton.edu/conservation/ Contact: mona@cs.princeton.edu Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
HOW MUCH IS DEMOCRACY WORTH? MARKETING DEMOCRACY AND POST‐COLD WAR SECURITY

As more countries adopt democratic government, their foreign policies increasingly emphasize their democratic commitment. If democracies do not go to war against each other, and physical insecurity still threatens, displaying one's democracy, or marketing it, is useful for demonstrating one's membership in, and commitment to the democratic community. In turn, marketing ultimately enhances a state's physical security. Marketing includes both substantive (deed) and rhetorical (verbal) dimensions. Theoretically, marketing may be better explained by international society perspectives rather than by classical realism. The experiences of the new state of Kyrgyzstan illustrate marketing and its potential rewards.
Genetic testing for hearing loss in the United States should include deletion/duplication analysis for the deafness/infertility locus at 15q15.3

Background Hearing loss is the most common birth defect and the most prevalent sensorineural disorder in developed countries. More than 50% of prelingual deafness is genetic, most often autosomal recessive and nonsyndromic, of which 50% can be attributed to the disorder DFNB1, caused by mutations in GJB2 and GJB6. Sensorineural hearing loss and male infertility (Deafness-Infertility Syndrome; DIS) is a contiguous gene deletion syndrome resulting from homozygous deletion of the CATSPER2 and STRC genes on chromosome 15q15.3. Females with DIS have only hearing loss and are fertile. Until recently this syndrome has only been described in three consanguineous families and 2 nonconsanguineous families.
Effect of work rate increment on peak oxygen uptake during wheelchair ergometry in men with quadriplegia.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of work rate increment on peak oxygen uptake (\(\dot VO_2\)peak) during wheelchair ergometry (WCE) in men with quadriplegia due to cervical spinal cord injuries (CSCI). Twenty-two non-ambulatory subjects (aged 20–38 years) with CSCI were divided into two groups based on wheelchair sports classification (n = 12 for IA group and n = 10 for IB/IC group). Subjects underwent three different, continuous graded exercise tests (spaced at least 1 week apart) on an electronically braked wheelchair ergometer. Following a 3-min warm-up, the work rate was increased 2, 4, or 6 W · min−1 for the IA group and 4, 6, or 8 W · min−1 for the IB/IC group. Ventilation and gas exchange were measured breath-by-breath with a computerized system. Repeated-measures ANOVA showed no significant difference among the three protocols for \(\dot VO_2\)peak in the IA group (P>0.05). The mean (SD) \(\dot VO_2\)peak values (ml · kg−1 · min−1) were 9.3 (2.4), 9.4 (3.2), and 8.4 (2.6) for the 2, 4, and 6 W · min−1 protocols, respectively. In contrast, the IB/IC group showed a significant difference among the protocols for \(\dot VO_2\)peak (P<0.05). The mean (SD) \(\dot VO_2\)peak values (ml · kg−1 · min−1) were 15.1 (4.0), 14.1 (4.4), and 12.7 (4.0) for the 4, 6, and 8 W · min−1 protocols, respectively. Post hoc analysis revealed a difference between the 4 and 8 W · min−1 protocols. Our results suggest that graded exercise testing of men with quadriplegia due to CSCI, using WCE, should employ work rate increments between 2 and 6 W · min−1 and that work rate increments of 8 W · min−1 or greater will result in an underestimate of \(\dot VO_2\)peak.
Chemical Vapor Deposition of Copper from an Organometallic Source

High purity copper has been deposited from trialkyl phosphine complexes of cyclopentadienyl and methylcyclopentadienyl copper(I) by thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Films as thick as 4.4 μm have been deposited at growth rates of up to 2000 A/min with resistivites typically 2.0 μΩ cm, just slightly higher than bulk copper. Depositions were carried out at substrate temperatures between 150 and 220 °C on a variety of substrates including Si, SiO2, polyimide, and Cr/Cu. At low substrate temperatures, copper film growth appears to show some selectivity for transition metal surfaces. An activation energy of 18 kcal/mole has been measured for film growth on Cu seeded substrates. CVD copper films have been characterized by Auger spectroscopy which showed that carbon and oxygen levels are below the limits of detection. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the copper grain size was ∼0.6μm and the grain boundaries are free of precipitates. Films show good conformality.
Coronary stenting or percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty prior to noncardiac surgery increases adverse perioperative cardiac events: the evidence is mounting

The findings of Kalusa et al. [(1)][1] support previous evidence that coronary manipulation <90 days before noncardiac surgery (NCS) does not benefit, and may actually harm, patients with coronary disease. In 1997, the American College of Physicians concluded that prophylactic coronary
Properties of III-N MOS structures with low-temperature epitaxially regrown ohmic contacts

Abstract A significant limitation in the fabrication of III-N MOSFET relates to the formation of ohmic contacts for enhancement-mode MOSFET structures. Unlike existing III-N HFET devices, which include a high free-carrier density two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in the semiconductor substrate, a MOSFET in either accumulation or inversion mode require low free-carrier concentrations for the semiconductor channel to have an off-state. The applied gate bias enhances the free-carrier density in the channel, turning on the FET. Unfortunately, a low free-carrier density substrate is problematic for the formation of ohmic contacts, a problem usually dealt with in silicon MOS through self-aligned ion implantation. The high annealing temperatures associated with activating implanted dopants to substitutional sites limits the use of ion implantation for III-N MOSFET fabrication. To overcome this difficulties, selected area epitaxial re-growth of doped III-N materials was developed to form source-drain contacts on otherwise low-doped III-N epitaxial substrates, yielding the needed N+/n−/N+ or N+/p−/N+ structures. Contact re-growth was performed by MOVPE using a silicon nitride dielectric mask defining plasma-etched recesses in the source-drain region. A significant acceleration in the growth rate and surface roughening was observed following re-growth relative to a non-selective area epitaxial growth due to the reduced fill-factor, motivating a general change in MOVPE-operating conditions during re-growth. As the re-growth was intentionally designed to limit the lateral extent of the source-drain regions, the MOVPE re-growth process was performed under conditions limiting lateral overgrowth. III-N MOSFET structures with epitaxial regrown contacts are projected to provide a pathway for low threshold voltage devices suitable for amplifier or logic applications.
Inelastic neutron scattering from zircon

A lattice dynamical investigation of zircon (ZrSiO{sub 4}) has been carried out to obtain a microscopic understanding of its thermodynamic properties, as well as to examine possible soft modes that may contribute to the phase transformation to scheelite type under high pressure. We have measured the neutron weighted phonon density of states of zircon from a polycrystalline sample. The neutron spectra reveal one-phonon excitations extending to 1130 cm{sup -1}, with phonon bands centered at 226, 298, 363, 540, 661, 726, 945, and 1081 cm{sup -1}. A quantitative analysis of the neutron results was carried out using a lattice dynamical rigid-ion model. 4 refs., 3 figs.
Persistent evidence of a jovian mass solar companion in the Oort cloud

Abstract We present updated dynamical and statistical analyses of outer Oort cloud cometary evidence suggesting that the Sun has a wide-binary jovian mass companion. The results support a conjecture that there exists a companion of mass ≈ 1 – 4 M Jupiter orbiting in the innermost region of the outer Oort cloud. Our most restrictive prediction is that the orientation angles of the orbit plane in galactic coordinates are centered on Ω, the galactic longitude of the ascending node = 319° and i, the galactic inclination = 103° (or the opposite direction) with an uncertainty in the orbit normal direction subtending
A Discovery-Oriented Approach to Solid-Phase Peptide Synthesis

In this discovery-oriented laboratory experiment, students use solid-phase synthesis techniques to construct a dipeptide containing an unknown amino acid. Following synthesis and cleavage from the polymeric support, electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry is employed to identify the unknown amino acid that was used in the peptide coupling. This experiment, performed in two, 3-h laboratory periods, provides an opportunity for students to learn the technique of solid-phase peptide synthesis and to critically evaluate data that they generate in the laboratory. The experiment is suitable for second-semester organic chemistry students as they learn methods for the formation of amide bonds or upper-level biochemistry students as they learn about the primary structures of proteins.
Integrating Cognitive Neuroscience Research and Cognitive Behavioral Treatment with Neurofeedback Therapy in Drug Addiction Comorbid with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Conceptual Review

ABSTRACT Persons with co-occurring mental and substance use disorders have a more persistent and refractory illness course than those without dual diagnosis. However, few studies have assessed the effects of cognitive-behavioral and biobehavioral treatments on brain function and behavioral indices in people with comorbid drug abuse and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In this conceptual review, we propose an integrated approach to assessment and treatment utilizing cognitive neuroscience methods, conventional psychotherapeutic treatment and neurofeedback therapy to assess the recovery of cognitive and emotional functions affected by chronic psychostimulant drug abuse co-occurring with PTSD. We review cognitive and motivational factors (e.g., craving, hypersensitivity to drug- and threat-related cues, deficient executive top-down control etc.) involved in addiction and PTSD, and discuss reasons for their persistence and high vulnerability to relapse in cocaine and methamphetamine users with co-morbid ...
Densification and Crystallization Kinetics of Cordierite Glass-Ceramic Coatings on Rigid Substrates

The authors report their findings on the sintering kinetics of slip-cast glass-ceramic coatings on rigid substrates at temperatures between 900 C and 1000 C, the glass-ceramic crystallizes into cordierite at sintering temperatures above 900 C. Changes in coating thickness during sintering were monitored in situ using an optical setup, and the crystallization of the coatings was determined by x-ray diffraction. The coatings went through a rapid shrinkage due to initial densification, followed by an expansion stage caused by the transformation of the glass into a crystalline phase with a lower density. The rate and extent of the expansion were more noticeable at sintering temperatures above 900 C. The authors also found that wetting between the glass-ceramic and the substrate was important to the sintering kinetics and sintered microstructure of the coatings. For coatings formed on silicon substrate, growth of large pores was observed at the glass-ceramic/silicon interface. Using wafer-curvature measurement technique, the authors found a significant tensile stress build-up in the coatings during the initial stage of sintering. They believe that the combination of poor wetting and the tensile stress build-up led to the observed desintering phenomenon at the glass-ceramic/silicon interface.
The effect of oxygen vacancy concentration on the elastic modulus of fluorite-structured oxides

Abstract The elastic modulus of fluorite-structured pure ceria, gadolinium doped ceria (GDC) and yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) with different levels of oxygen vacancy concentration were measured by the nanoindentation technique. The samples were heat treated at 800 °C under an oxygen partial pressure in the range of 0.21 to 10 − 25 atm for 15 h until equilibrium was reached at a sufficient depth. The defect concentrations were conserved to room temperature by fast cooling. The results reveal that the elastic modulus of both pure ceria and GDC decreases drastically in samples heat treated at very low partial pressures of oxygen. However, the elastic modulus change for YSZ, within the studied range, is insignificant. An analysis of the experimental results suggests that an increase in the point defect content weakens the attractive forces between atoms in fluorite-structured oxides.
Experimental Research on High Temperature Corrosion Prevention Technology for Water Wall of Opposed Wall Fired Ultra Supercritical Boiler

In order to solve the problem of high temperature corrosion to water wall of opposed wall fired ultra supercritical boiler, comprehensive study is carried out by combining theoretical analysis and experimental research, obtaining the variation of flue gas composition before and after introduction of near wall wind and effect of primary air velocity, central air opening, swirl intensity of outer secondary air and inner secondary air opening on composition of flue gas in near wall region. The results show that 1) the introduction of near wall wind significantly improves reducing atmosphere in near wall region; 2) among the four parameters listed above, swirl intensity of outer secondary air and inner secondary air opening have greater influence on composition of near wall flue gas; 3) under the comprehensive effect of swirl intensity of outer secondary air and inner secondary air opening, the volume fraction of CO in near wall flue gas can be controlled below 1500ppm, which effectively disturbs the condition for high temperature corrosion.
Comparison of denitrification activity measurements in groundwater using cores and natural-gradient tracer tests

The transport of many solutes in groundwater is dependent upon the relative rates of physical flow and microbial metabolism. Quantifying rates of microbial processes under subsurface conditions is difficult and is most commonly approximated using laboratory studies with aquifer materials. In this study, we measured in situ rates of denitrification in a nitrate-contaminated aquifer using small-scale, natural-gradient tracer tests and compared the results with rates obtained from laboratory incubations with aquifer core material. Activity was measured using the acetylene block technique. For the tracer tests, co-injection of acetylene and bromide into the aquifer produced a 30 μM increase in nitrous oxide after 10 m of transport (23−30 days). An advection−dispersion transport model was modified to include an acetylene-dependent nitrous oxide production term and used to simulate the tracer breakthrough curves. The model required a 4-day lag period and a relatively low sensitivity to acetylene to match the na...
Energy adjustment of nutrient intakes is preferable to adjustment using body weight and physical activity in epidemiological analyses.

Objective Adjustment for body weight and physical activity has been suggested as an alternative to adjusting for reported energy intake in nutritional epidemiology. We examined which of these approaches would yield stronger correlations between nutrients and their biomarkers. Design A cross-sectional study in which dietary fatty acids, carotenoids and retinol were adjusted for reported energy intake and, separately, for weight and physical activity using the residual method. Correlations between adjusted nutrients and their biomarkers were examined. Setting USA. Subjects Cases and controls from a nested case–control study of erythrocyte fatty acids and CHD (n 442) and of plasma carotenoids and retinol and breast cancer (n 1254). Results Correlations between intakes and plasma levels of trans-fatty acids were 0·30 (energy-adjusted) and 0·16 (weight- and activity-adjusted); for erythrocyte levels, the corresponding correlations were 0·37 and 0·25. Energy-adjusted intakes of linoleic acid and α-linolenic acid were more strongly correlated with their respective biomarkers than weight- and activity-adjusted intakes, but the differences were not significant except for linoleic acid (erythrocyte). Weight- and activity-adjusted DHA intake was slightly more strongly correlated with its plasma biomarker than energy-adjusted intake (0·37 v. 0·34). Neither method made a difference for DHA (erythrocyte), carotenoids and retinol. Conclusions The effect of energy adjustment depends on the nutrient under investigation, and adjustment for energy calculated from the same questionnaire used to estimate nutrient intakes improves the correlation of some nutrients with their biomarkers appreciably. For the nutrients examined, adjustment using weight and physical activity had at most a small effect on these correlations.
Bacteriophage Mu genome sequence: analysis and comparison with Mu-like prophages in Haemophilus, Neisseria and Deinococcus.

We report the complete 36,717 bp genome sequence of bacteriophage Mu and provide an analysis of the sequence, both with regard to the new genes and other genetic features revealed by the sequence itself and by a comparison to eight complete or nearly complete Mu-like prophage genomes found in the genomes of a diverse group of bacteria. The comparative studies confirm that members of the Mu-related family of phage genomes are genetically mosaic with respect to each other, as seen in other groups of phages such as the phage lambda-related group of phages of enteric hosts and the phage L5-related group of mycobacteriophages. Mu also possesses segments of similarity, typically gene-sized, to genomes of otherwise non-Mu-like phages. The comparisons show that some well-known features of the Mu genome, including the invertible segment encoding tail fiber sequences, are not present in most members of the Mu genome sequence family examined here, suggesting that their presence may be relatively volatile over evolutionary time. The head and tail-encoding structural genes of Mu have only very weak similarity to the corresponding genes of other well-studied phage types. However, these weak similarities, and in some cases biochemical data, can be used to establish tentative functional assignments for 12 of the head and tail genes. These assignments are strongly supported by the fact that the order of gene functions assigned in this way conforms to the strongly conserved order of head and tail genes established in a wide variety of other phages. We show that the Mu head assembly scaffolding protein is encoded by a gene nested in-frame within the C-terminal half of another gene that encodes the putative head maturation protease. This is reminiscent of the arrangement established for phage lambda.
A Fiber Optic Digital Uplink For Ocean-Floor Experimentation

A fiber optic data link has been implemented to carry data from an ocean-floor geomagnetic data collection system to a surface telemetry buoy. The battery-powered link was designed to operate at depths of up to 100 meters although the system margin would allow depths in excess of 1.5 km. Pulse-code modulated data is obtained from sampled analog data, organized into frames, preceded by a synchronizing code word, and applied to the optical transmitter. Data rates of up to 250 kb/s were achieved. Commercial transmitters and receivers were incorporated into waterproof housings with bulkhead penetrators of local design used to provide fiber access. Fiber optic cable with Kevlar strength members was used for the link. A nonmagnetic deployment apparatus was fashioned to to allow for deployment and recovery of the experiment from an oceanographic research vessel. The experiment was sucessfully deployed, operated, and recovered in Monterey Bay on three separate oc-casions.© (1984) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Advances in producing cost-effective direct borohydride fuel cells and road to its commercialization

Abstract A direct borohydride fuel cell (DBFC) converts chemical energy stored in borohydride ion (BH4-) and an oxidant directly into electricity by redox processes. Usually, a DBFC employs an alkaline solution of sodium borohydride (NaBH4) as fuel and oxygen or hydrogen peroxide as oxidant. Some of the attractive features in DBFC include high open circuit potential, ease of electro-oxidation of BH4- on non-precious metals, such as nickel, low operational temperature and high power density. The DBFC is a promising power system for portable applications. The biggest barriers to its commercialization are its high cost and long-term stability. This paper discusses some of the recent advances made in reducing the cost of DBFC. The technology is reaching a point where it could soon be commercialized. The effect of the reduced cost on its commercialization is discussed in this paper.
17.1: Comparison of Motion‐Blur Measurement Methods

Motion blur is a significant display property for which accurate, valid, and robust measurement methods are needed. Recent motion blur measurements of a set of eight displays by a set of six measurement devices provided an opportunity to evaluate techniques of measurement and analysis. We found significant discrepancies between instruments, and variability within instruments. 1 Objective and Background Many modern display technologies, notably LCD, are subject to motion blur. Motion blur arises when the eye tracks a moving image, while the display presents individual frames that persist for significant fractions of a frame duration, or longer. As a result, the image is smeared across the retina during the frame duration. There have been a number of attempts to characterize motion blur in a systematic and meaningful way. Most of these involve estimating the width of an edge subjected to motion blur. This edge can be captured in any of three ways[1, 2]. The first method employs a pursuit camera that tracks a vertical edge (between two graylevels) as it moves horizontally across the screen. The camera is simulating the eye as it pursues the moving edge. The result, after averaging over time, is a picture of the blurred edge. After averaging over the vertical dimension (orthogonal to the motion), a one-dimensional waveform representing the cross-section of the blurred edge can be obtained. It describes relative luminance (a number proportional to luminance) as a function of horizontal position in pixels. We will call this the Moving Edge Spatial Profile (MESP). When recorded at several speeds of edge motion, the waveforms are usually found to correspond when the horizontal scale is divided by the speed. Therefore it is conventional to rescale the horizontal axis of the profile (pixels) by dividing by the speed (pixels/frame) to obtain a waveform that is a function of time (frames). We call this the Moving Edge Temporal Profile (METP). It is also conventional to characterize the width of the METP in terms of the time interval between 10% and 90% points of the curve. This quantity is called the Blur Edge Time (BET) and is reported in msec. The second method employs a stationary high-speed camera. With a sufficiently high frame rate, it is possible to capture a sequence of frames, that, with appropriate shifting and adding, can also yield a record of the MESP and thereby the METP. The highspeed camera avoids the mechanical challenges of the pursuit camera. The third method employs a fixed non-imaging detector such as a photodiode which measures the luminance over time as the display is switched from one graylevel to another. This temporal step response is then convolved with a pulse of duration equal to the hold time (for an LCD, typically one frame), to obtain another version of the METP [3]. This last method relies on an assumption that all pixels are independent. It has been
Early Care and Education in Ghana

(2001). Early Care and Education in Ghana. Childhood Education: Vol. 77, No. 4, pp. 214-218.
The syntheses and crystal structures of some bis(l,2-diaryl-l,2-ethylenedithiolato)nickel complexes and their photostabilising efficiency to organic dy

Abstract The syntheses and properties of a series of compounds of general formula [(RCSCSR') 2 -Ni, R and R=phenyl, substituted phenyl, condensed or heterocyclic rings] were studied. These complexes were prepared by reaction of symmetrical or asymmetrical benzoin derivatives (α-naphthoin.furoin and α-pyridoin) with phosphorus pentasulphide, and then with nickelchloride. The effect of the complexes on the photostabilisation of a quinophthalone dye was investigated in cellulose acetate films. It was observed that the films with these complexes, with the exception of the complex involving four furan rings in the symmetric ligand, showed excellent lightfastness relative to systems without the complexes. This stabilising function, based on singlet oxygen quenching, is discussed in connection with the crystal structure.
An N- and C-terminal truncated isoform of zinc finger X-linked duplicated C protein represses MHC class II transcription

The zinc finger X-linked duplicated A (ZXDA) and ZXDC proteins are both required for robust transcription of major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC II) genes. Aside from the full length ZXDC mRNA transcript, at least one additional mRNA is produced by the ZXDC gene, in which transcription initiates within the first exon and terminates within the seventh intron. The protein product produced from this transcript, which we have named ZXDC2, is truncated on both the N- and C-terminus. We demonstrate here that ZXDC2 functions to repress MHC II transcription induced in HeLa cells treated with IFN-γ. We further demonstrate that ZXDC2 interacts with both ZXDA and ZXDC, suggesting a mechanism by which ZXDC2 may inhibit MHC II transcription. These studies not only provide additional support for the role of ZXD proteins in regulating MHC II transcription, but also demonstrate a unique mechanism for the synthesis of a mRNA isoform.
Characterization of physiological responses of two alfalfa half-sib families with improved salt tolerance

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is a major forage crop worldwide that is relatively sensitive to soil salinity. Improved cultivars with high production on saline soil will benefit many producers and land managers. This study reports the characterization of physiological responses of two unrelated experimental alfalfa half-sib families, HS-A and HS-B, selected for their improved survival under saline conditions (up to EC 18). Six-week-old plants were subjected to NaCl-nutrient solution treatment for three weeks starting at an electrical conductivity (EC) of 3 dS m(-1) with incremental increases of 3 dS m(-1) every week, reaching 9 dS m(-1) in the third week. HS-B showed greater leaf number (72%) and stem length (44%) while HS-A showed better leaf production (84%) under salt treatment compared to the initial genetic backgrounds from which they were developed. This improved growth is associated with 208% and 78% greater accumulation of chlorophyll content in HS-B and HS-A, respectively. Both HS-A and HS-B also showed improved capability to maintain water content (RWC) under salt stress compared to the initial populations. Differing from its initial populations (P-B), HS-B did not accumulate Na in shoots after salt treatment. HS-B also maintained K(+)/Na(+) and Ca(2+)/Na(+) ratios, while P-B showed 59% and 69% decrease in these ion ratios, respectively. Na(+) content in HS-A was not different from its initial populations (P-A) after salt treatment. However, HS-A showed an enhanced accumulation of Ca(2+) and maintained the levels of Mg(2+) and K(+) in shoots compared to the P-A populations. This study provides physiological support of improved salt tolerance in HS-A and HS-B and suggests that these plants maintain ion homeostasis but have different mechanisms of coping with high salinity.
A family physician questions the conclusions from ALLHAT

A key Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial (ALLHAT) conclusion is that thiazide diuretics should be preferred for first-step antihypertensive therapy. ALLHAT was not a monotherapy trial, and rational drug combinations were discouraged by study design in the lisinopril limb. The ALLHAT conclusion that recommends chlorthalidone for initial hypertension therapy seems unjustified because ALLHAT was not a trial that initiated therapy for hypertension. ALLHAT was not of sufficient length to detect the poorer outcomes that are inevitable with increased rates of diabetes in the chlorthalidone limb. The heart failure subset analysis was not prospectively established. ALLHAT was not designed to make the conclusions claimed by its authors.
Model-Based Communication Networks and VIRT: Orders of Magnitude Better for Information Superiority

Defense community leaders have spearheaded an effort to transform and elevate military capability around information superiority. This means improving decisions and outcomes by making US and coalition forces better informed, more coordinated, faster and more adaptive. Our research focuses on how to architect communications so these goals are reached. We find that the "smart pull" approach described in Global Information Grid (GIG) technical guidance can't meet these goals. The principal weaknesses stem from the stateless approach that can't make good use of the operator's context and dynamic information requirements. A better approach must exploit dynamic context and operator requirements to assure that high-value information flows quickly where it's needed (VIRT) and is processed promptly by recipients. Initial studies have shown that this approach reduces the volume of bits by several orders of magnitude. It also raises the productivity of every operator enormously by assuring each can give immediate attention to truly valued information. Because the GIG, NCES, FORCEnet and related initiatives promise to cost billions of dollars and span a decade or more, we believe a change in direction is required to attain the goals of information superiority. Model-based communication networks and VIRT are essential pillars of an effective approach.
Alternative Formulations of The Laplace Transform Boundary Element (LTBE) Numerical Method for the Solution of Diffusion-Type Equations

The Laplace Transform Boundary Element (LTBE) method is a recently introduced numerical method, and has been used for the solution of diffusion-type PDEs. It completely eliminates the time dependency of the problem and the need for time discretization, yielding solutions numerical in space and semi-analytical in time. In LTBE solutions are obtained in the Laplace space, and are then inverted numerically to yield the solution in time. The Stehfest and the DeHoog formulations of LTBE, based on two different inversion algorithms, are investigated. Both formulations produce comparable, extremely accurate solutions. The Stehfest formulation uses real values for the Laplace space parameter λ, combines linearly the results of a limited number of matrix solutions (6 to 8), does not increase computer storage, is simple to code, and requires significantly less execution time, but yields a solution at a single observation time t for each set of λ’s. The DeHoog formulation uses complex values for the λ’s, needs more matrix inversions, and uses non-linear combinations of the solutions, but allows solutions at a range of times t from a single set of λ’s. Compared to the Stehfest LTBE, the DeHoog LTBE produces matrices 4 times as large, increases execution times per matrix inversion by at least a factor of 12 and the memory requirements by a minimum factor of 4. The Stehfest LTBE seems to have a clear advantage, except in cases involving very steep functions of time.
Pressure-coupled combustion response model for solid propellants based on Zeldovich-Novozhilov approach

An exact analytical solution is given to the problem of long-time propellant thermal response to a specified pressure oscillation. Coupling to the gas phase is made using the quasisteady Zeldovich-Novozhilov approximation. Explicit linear and lowest order (quadratic) nonlinear expressions for propellant response are obtained from the implicit nonlinear solutions. Using these expressions, response curves are presented for an ammonium perchlorate composite propellant and HMX monopropellant.
Calculation of Isomer Shift in Mössbauer Spectroscopy

The approximations normally used in the calculation of the isomer shift are compared with the exact expressions using Dirac-Slater orbitals and a three-parameter Fermi-type nuclear charge distribution. The nonuniformity of the electronic density over the nuclear volume affects the results. Different choices of the nuclear surface thickness $t$ and the radius $c$ in the protonic density ${\ensuremath{\rho}}_{N}(r)$ also affects the isomer shift differently even though the values are chosen to yield a given value of $\ensuremath{\Delta}〈{r}^{2}〉$. The change in the electronic charge density which is caused by the alteration of ${\ensuremath{\rho}}_{N}(r)$ in the ground state and excited state of the nucleus is discussed using two extreme models and the possible influence on the observable isomer shift is estimated.
Pharmacology of putative selective hBRS-3 receptor agonists for human bombesin receptors (BnR): Affinities, potencies and selectivity in multiple native and BnR transfected cells

The orphan receptor, bombesin receptor subtype-3(BRS-3) is a G-protein-coupled receptor classified in the bombesin (Bn) receptor family because of its high homology (47-51%) with other members of this family [gastrin-releasing peptide receptor [GRPR] and neuromedin B receptor [NMBR]]. There is increasing interest in BRS-3, because primarily from receptor knockout studies, it seems important in energy metabolism, glucose control, insulin secretion, motility and tumor growth. Pharmacological tools to study the role of BRS-3 in physiology/pathophysiology are limited because the natural ligand is unknown and BRS-3 has low affinity for all naturally occurring Bn-related peptides. However, a few years ago a synthetic high-affinity agonist [dTyr(6),betaAla(11),Phe(13),Nle(14)]Bn-(6-14) was described but was nonselective for BRS-3 over other Bn receptors. Based on this peptide, in various studies a number of putative selective, high-potency hBRS-3 agonists were described, however the results on their selectivity are conflicting in a number of cases. The purpose of the present study was to thoroughly study the pharmacology of four of the most select/potent putative hBRS-3 agonists (#2-4, 16a). Each was studied in multiple well-characterized Bn receptor-transfected cells and native Bn receptor bearing cells, using binding studies, alterations in cellular signaling (PLC, PKD) and changes in cellular function(growth). Two peptides (#2, #3) had nM affinities/potencies for hBRS-3, peptide #4 had low affinity/potency, and peptide #16a very low (>3000 nM). Peptide#3 had the highest selectivity for hBRS-3 (100-fold), whereas #2, 4 had lower selectivity. Peptide #16a's selectivity could not be determined because of its low affinity/potencies for all hBn receptors. These results show that peptide #3 is the preferred hBRS-3 agonist for studies at present, although its selectivity of only 100-fold may limit its utility in some cases. This study underscores the importance of full pharmacological characterization of newly reported selective agonists.
Metglas/Pb(Mg 1/3 Nb 2/3 )O 3 -PbTiO 3 magnetoelectric gradiometric sensor with high detection sensitivity

We developed a novel biaxial magnetoelectric (ME) gradiometer sensor system using Metglas/ Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3 laminates for investigation of ac magnetic dipole detection. We demonstrate a detection sensitivity of 20 pT/√Hz in an open environment (unshielded) at quasi-static frequencies with a noise rejection efficiency of 23.5 dB, relative to a uniform external noise. In addition, a signal processing method was used to compute the magnetic field amplitude at a driven frequency of 7 Hz, and the results were also verified by theory. Practical testing and mathematical predictions show that there are only 7.2% and 4.2% gradiometric measurement errors in the x- and y-axis gradiometer components, enabling high-precision target detection.
The relationship of the factor V Leiden mutation and pregnancy outcomes for mother and fetus.

Objective:We sought to estimate the frequency of pregnancy-related thromboembolic events among carriers of the factor V Leiden (FVL) mutation without a personal history of thromboembolism, and to evaluate the impact of maternal and fetal FVL mutation carriage or other thrombophilias on the risk of a
The role of the constituent phases in determining the low temperature toughness of 5.5Ni cryogenic steel

Ferritic Fe-Ni steels that are intended for service at low temperature are usually given an intercritical temper as the final step in their heat treatment. The temper dramatically decreases the ductile-brittle transition temperature, TB. Its metallurgical effect is to temper the lath martensite matrix and precipitate a distribution of fine austenite particles along the lath boundaries. Prior research suggests that the low value of TB is a consequence of the small effective grain size of the ferrite-austenite composite. The present research was done to test this suggestion against the counter-hypothesis that the low TB is due to the inherent toughness of the constituent phases. The approximate compositions of the tempered martensite and precipitated austenite phases in the composite microstructure of tempered 5.5Ni steel are known from STEM analysis. Bulk alloys were cast with these two compositions. Their mechanical properties were measured after heat treatment and compared to those of the parent alloy in the toughened ‘QLT’ condition. Both of the constituent phases are brittle at low temperature. It follows that the outstanding low-temperature toughness of the tempered alloy cannot be attributed to the inherent properties of the constituent phases, but must reflect their cooperative behavior in the composite microstructure. The austenitic bulk alloy was also used to investigate the stability of the precipitated austenite phase. The thermomechanical stability of the bulk alloy approximates that of the precipitated austenite within tempered 5.5Ni steel. This result is consistent with previous data, and supports the conclusion that the stability of the precipitated austenite is determined mainly by its chemical composition.
Cholesterol Side-Chain Degradation and Cleft Palate Development in the Rat

The teratogenic action of cholesterol in developing rat fetuses was evaluated by the use of 14C-4, 3H-7, and 14C-26 labeled cholesterol. A comparison of radioactivity present in the fetuses indicated that the teratogenic activity of this steroid resides in a metabolite of cholesterol rather than in the intact molecule.
Radical SAM enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of purine-based natural products.

Abstract The radical S-adenosyl- l -methionine (SAM) superfamily is a widely distributed group of iron–sulfur containing proteins that exploit the reactivity of the high energy intermediate, 5′-deoxyadenosyl radical, which is produced by the reductive cleavage of SAM, to carry-out complex radical-mediated transformations. The reactions catalyzed by radical SAM enzymes range from simple group migrations to complex reactions in protein and RNA modification. This review will highlight three radical SAM enzymes that catalyze reactions involving modified guanosines in the biosynthesis pathways of the hypermodified tRNA base wybutosine; secondary metabolites of 7-deazapurine structure, including the hypermodified tRNA base queuosine; and the redox cofactor F420. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Radical SAM enzymes and Radical Enzymology.
Networks and Groups in Southeast Asia: Some Observations on the Group Theory of Politics

The paper describes a “dyadic” type of political structure which, it is argued, is a necessary supplement to class and interest group models for the analysis of informal political structure in contemporary Southeast Asia, and probably in other developing areas.Various types of simple and complex dyadic structures are described. The paper then examines four Southeast Asian polities, of different degrees of political development, with attention to the manner in which they combine group and dyadic structures. The examples are the Kalinga, a pagan ethnolinguistic group of Northern Luzon; the Tausug, a Muslim group of the Sulu archipelago; the traditional Thai monarchy; and the present Republic of the Philippines. In each case the effects of structure upon the operation of the system are explored. The paper concludes with a set of paired propositions concerning the characteristics of “trait associations” and “personal followings.”
Somatic stem cell heterogeneity: diversity in the blood, skin and intestinal stem cell compartments

Somatic stem cells are responsible for tissue maintenance and repair throughout life. Studies on blood, skin and intestinal epithelium have revealed that multiple types of stem cells with distinct roles perform such regenerative functions. Moreover, stem cells have greater developmental flexibility than had previously been appreciated under stress conditions such as acute injury. Somatic stem cells replenish many tissues throughout life to repair damage and to maintain tissue homeostasis. Stem cell function is frequently described as following a hierarchical model in which a single master cell undergoes self-renewal and differentiation into multiple cell types and is responsible for most regenerative activity. However, recent data from studies on blood, skin and intestinal epithelium all point to the concomitant action of multiple types of stem cells with distinct everyday roles. Under stress conditions such as acute injury, the surprising developmental flexibility of these stem cells enables them to adapt to diverse roles and to acquire different regeneration capabilities. This paradigm shift raises many new questions about the developmental origins, inter-relationships and molecular regulation of these multiple stem cell types.