cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Conserved Disulfide Bond within Domain II of Epstein-Barr Virus gH Has Divergent Roles in Membrane Fusion with Epithelial Cells and B Cells

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infects target cells via fusion with cellular membranes. For entry into epithelial cells, EBV requires the herpesvirus conserved core fusion machinery, composed of glycoprotein B (gB) and gH/gL. In contrast, for B cell fusion it requires gB and gH/gL with gp42 serving as a cell tropism switch. The available crystal structures for gH/gL allow the targeted analysis of structural determinants of gH to identify functional regions critical for membrane fusion. Domain II of EBV gH contains two disulfide bonds (DBs). The first is unique for EBV and closely related gammaherpesviruses. The second is conserved across the beta- and gammaherpesviruses and is positioned to stabilize a putative syntaxin-like bundle motif. To analyze the role of these DBs in membrane fusion, gH was mutated by amino acid substitution of the DB cysteines. Mutation of the EBV-specific DB resulted in diminished gH/gL cell surface expression that correlated with diminished B cell and epithelial cell fusion. In contrast, mutation of the conserved DB resulted in wild-type-like B cell fusion, whereas epithelial cell fusion was greatly reduced. The gH mutants bound well to gp42 but had diminished binding to epithelial cells. Tyrosine 336, located adjacent to cysteine 335 of the conserved DB, also was found to be important for DB stabilization and gH/gL function. We conclude that the conserved DB has a cell type-specific function, since it is important for the binding of gH to epithelial cells initiating epithelial cell fusion but not for fusion with B cells and gp42 binding. IMPORTANCE EBV predominantly infects epithelial and B cells in humans, which can result in EBV-associated cancers, such as Burkitt and Hodgkin lymphoma, as well as nasopharyngeal carcinoma. EBV is also associated with a variety of lymphoproliferative disorders, typically of B cell origin, observed in immunosuppressed individuals, such as posttransplant or HIV/AIDS patients. The gH/gL complex plays an essential but still poorly characterized role as an important determinant for EBV cell tropism. In the current studies, we found that mutants in the DB C278/C335 and the neighboring tyrosine 336 have cell type-specific functional deficits with selective decreases in epithelial cell, but not B cell, binding and fusion. The present study brings new insights into the gH function as a determinant for epithelial cell tropism during herpesvirus-induced membrane fusion and highlights a specific gH motif required for epithelial cell fusion.
Chloride channel inhibition by the venom of the scorpion Leiurus quinquestriatus.

The venom of the scorpion Leiurus quinquestriatus produced a significant, reversible inhibition of reconstituted Cl- channels of the small conductance type found in rat colonic epithelial cells. The kinetics of single-channel block by this venom were consistent with a first-order binding reaction in which the binding of one ligand molecule is sufficient to induce channel block. Single-channel mean block times were c.6 sec at −20mV, and a K1 in the submicromolar range is predicted. The active component has a mol. wt of roughly 5000 as judged by molecular sieve chromatography.
Gonadotropin Regulation in Middle-Aged Male Rats

Gonadotropin regulation was compared in middle- aged (13 months old) and young adult (3 months old) male rats. Two experiments were conducted on castrated animals given testosterone in Silastic capsules; the dimensions were adjusted to insure equivalent circulating testosterone levels in the two age groups, as validated by RIA. Plasma LH and FSH were also measured by RIA. In Exp 1, each animal was implanted immediately after castration with multiple capsules sufficient to maintain tonic suppression of LH. One capsule was removed each week, thereby reducing testosterone levels in 0.4 ng/ml steps, in order to determine the testosterone level (threshold) at which LH is released from tonic suppression. Middle-aged animals had a threshold 50% lower than young animals, requiring much less testosterone to maintain tonic LH levels. They also showed an attenuated rise in LH and FSH after release from tonic suppression. In Exp 2, long term castrates were given capsules which produced plasma testosterone levels of a...
Failures in Upward Communication in Organizations: Three Possible Culprits

The impact of trust in the superior, perceived influence of the superior, and mobility aspirations of subordinates on upward communication behavior was examined. While the importance of trust as a ...
Image analysis of β-amyloid load in Alzheimer's disease and relation to dementia severity

The protein beta-amyloid is said to be central to the disease process of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Several groups have developed transgenic models that overexpress the amyloid precursor protein or beta-amyloid and then develop AD-like neuropathology. Another report suggests that beta-amyloid accumulation in old dogs correlates with cognitive impairment. However, many other researchers argue that beta-amyloid deposition in senile plaques is a secondary event because plaque numbers in man do not correlate well with cognition. We set out to analyse this conumdrum in man. We selected 16 mild to severely demented AD cases on the basis of mini-mental state exam scores (MMSE; n = 16). We also included 4 controls who represented the upper range of cognitive ability. We used a computer-based image analysis of cross-sectional area of the brain occupied by beta-amyloid immunopositive deposition. We used this technique in preference to conventional methods of manual plaque counts and found a strong relation between beta-amyloid load in entorhinal cortex and cognition measured on various scales (r = -0.93 versus the Blessed IMC). Our study suggests that the size of cortical area affected by beta-amyloid deposition is an important factor in the clinical manifestation of dementia, and lends support to the possibility that beta-amyloid is central to the aetiology of AD.
On the photoisomerization coordinate of tetraphenylethylene

Abstract The existence of two energetically distinct minima on the biradicaloid triplet state surface of tetraphenylethylene (TPE) was detected via AM1 and 3–21G ∗ UHF ab initio calculations. The interconversion between the minima proceeds through a large amplitude rotation of the interlocking phenyl rings. The importance of the presence of two excited state minima and the possibility of conformational trapping are discussed in context of the recent spectroscopic and opto-calorimetric measurements on TPE. The most favorable pathway for the combined cis-trans photoisomerization and enantiomerization of TPE is postulated.
Saccadic eyes recognition using 3-D shape data from a 3-D near infrared sensor

Saccadic eyes are important human behaviors and have important applications in commercial and security fields. In this paper, we focus on saccadic eyes recognition from 3-D shape data acquired from a 3-D near infrared sensor. Two salient features, normal vectors of meshes and curvatures of surfaces, are extracted. The distributions of normal vectors and curvatures are computed to represent eye states. The support vector machine (SVM) is applied to classify eyes states into saccadic and non-saccadic eyes states. To verify the proposed method, we performed three groups of experiments using different strategies for samples selected from 300 3-D data, and present experimental results that demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed algorithm.
The nature of prereaders' phonological processing abilities

We investigated the nature of prereaders' phonological processing abilities by giving 111 preschool nonreaders a battery of 12 phonological processing tasks. Each task represented one of three kinds of phonological processing: phonological awareness, phonological coding in lexical access, and phonological coding in working memory. Five alternative models of the nature of prereaders' phonological processing abilities were tested by their fit to the covariances among phonological processing tasks after IQ had been partialled out. Our results provide evidence for two coherent phonological processing abilities in prereaders that are independent of IQ: phonological coding in working memory and phonological coding in lexical access. Performance on common measures of phonological awareness appears to be a function of efficiency of phonological coding in working memory. Our results call into question the view that phonological awareness, narrowly defined, is what is being measured by common-awareness measures and, by implication, that phonological awareness in and of itself is consequential to successful acquisition of beginning reading skills. Rather, the ability to make productive use of phonological information in coding information may be what really matters, and whether or not awareness enables use is an important unresolved issue. We conclude by considering the theoretical and practical implications of our findings.
Biosynthesis of mono- and sesquiterpenes in peppermint from mevalonate-2-14C

Abstract The volatile oil from peppermint ( Mentha piperita L.) is composed primarily of monoterpenes with less than 2% sesquiterpenes. However, radioactivity from mevalonate-2- 14 C is incorporated into caryophyllene and other sesquiterpene hydrocarbons much more extensively than into monoterpenes by peppermint cuttings. Both mono- and sesquiterpenes show maximum incorporation of label after 6 hr (0·03% vs. 0·33% of the physiological isomer) and lose 75% of the incorporated label after an additional 6 hr. Caryophyllene derived from mevalonate-2- 14 C after 6 hr of incorporation was chemically degraded. The isoprenoid origin of caryophyllene was confirmed, and preferential labelling of the isopentenyl pyrophosphate derived portions of the molecule was noted. On the basis of such evidence it appears that separate sites may exist for the biosynthesis of mono- and sesquiterpenes and that an endogenous dimethylallyl pyrophosphate pool may participate in the biosynthesis of sesquiterpenes in peppermint.
Will arthritis gene therapy become a clinical reality

Gene therapy suffers the negative perception of being unsafe, expensive and ultimately inapplicable in clinical practice. In this Viewpoint, the authors discuss the benefits of gene therapy being used to treat rheumatic disease, and the requirements that have to be satisfied in order for this to become a clinical reality.
Strongest Column by the Finite Element Displacement Method

'^J exhaustive search of the existing literature reveals that the problem of optimization of columns with elastic restraints and subjected to a varying axial load distribution has not received any attention. In this paper a finite element displacement formulation is used to determine the distribution of material which will maximize the critical load parameter, Acr, of an Euler-Bernoulli column of specified length and volume, under various boundary conditions (mixed or not—with or without springs) and subject to the constraint that the cross-sectional area is no smaller than a specified value A0. Contents Consideration is restricted to those columns for which the minimum cross-sectional moment of inertia, /(x), and area, A(x\ are related by I(x) = pA"(x) (p and n are positive constants). This assumption is a restriction but with a suitable choice of p and n it covers a large class of structural configurations. For such a column, shown in Fig. 1, the Rayleigh quotient, A (the factor by which the given axial load distribution has to be scaled in order to produce instability in the column), is given by
Effects of neuraminidase on cellular calcium and contraction in cultured cardiac myocytes.

Abstract Mammalian plasma membranes, including the myocardial sarcolemma, are abundantly glycosylated. Sialic acid is a ubiquitous anionic sugar found at the periphery of sarcolemmal glycoconjugates. The physiological role of this sugar is not clear, but neuraminidase, which specifically hydrolyzes sialic acid from the sarcolemma, has been found to increase calcium exchange, cause electrophysiological abnormalities, and enhance the transient (T) calcium current in cardiac myocytes. The purpose of this study was to better characterize the effect of neuraminidase on cellular calcium (Ca) and contractile function. Neuraminidase removed up to 57% of total sialic acid from the cells. 45 Ca exchange was measured and neuraminidase was found to increase cell calcium proportional to the amount of sialic acid removed (18·6 ± 0·8 mmol/kg dry w, maximally). Over 80% of the increment in calcium remained rapidly exchangeable ( t 1 2 s ) under non-perfusion limited conditions and was inhibited by cations (La > Cd > Mn > Mg) and nifedipine. Using a video-monitoring system, neuraminidase was observed to transiently increase cell shortening during contraction (30 ± 9%), with progression to arrhythmias followed by cessation of contraction. These results indicate that neuraminidase, probably by removing sarcolemmal sialic acid residues, greatly augments cellular calcium in cultured cardiac myocytes. Most of the increment in Ca induced by neuraminidase was very rapidly exchangeable and most likely mediated by a Ca specific mechanism. Additionally, neuraminidase treatment altered contractile function in a manner consistent with elevated cellular Ca. Despite the many-fold increase in cellular Ca induced by sialic acid removal, cells recovered and demonstrated rhythmic contractions upon return to control incubation conditions.
Computationally Efficient Method of Calculations Involving Lumped-Parameter Transmission-Line Models

Computations involving ladder networks may be tedious if many elements are present. Lumped-circuit iterative models are traditional approximations of transmission lines and have been used well before [1]. The number of sections used to approximate the transmission line is limited by the computational expense involved in analyzing a high-order circuit. This paper develops a closed-form expression for the voltage transfer ratio for ladder networks as a function of the number of sections. Presently, lumped-circuit models [1]-[5] are analyzed using loop-current or node-voltage equations, both time-consuming and costly. The closed-form expression developed in this paper allows one to perform rapid circuit calculations for two-conductor lines, even if the number of sections is large (e.g., 50 sections or more) with very little computational effort.
Relationship Between Phase Difference and Coefficient of Restitution During Low Velocity Foreign Object Transverse Damage of Composite Plates

This work discusses a model to correlate the coefficient of restitution of low velocity transverse impacts of graphite-epoxy laminates with the residual deformation or central deflection at the end of the impact event. It is assumed that the energy absorbed by the target can be calibrated in terms of residual deflection, and thereby in terms of phase difference between the occurrence of impact force and central deflection to their maximas. Analysis was modeled on the basis of the experience from impact tests. Predictions are compared with the test results of impacted circular and flat plates. Experimentally measured values of coefficient of restitution and phase difference agreed well with the predicted relationship between them.
The Effect of Sensor Size on the Performance of Flush-Mounted Hot-Film Sensors

A parametric study was performed to determine the effect of sensor size on the performance of flush-mounted hot-film sensors, operated using constant-temperature anemometry. Three nickel sensors with surfaces of 12.5×125 microns, 25×250 microns, and 50×500 microns were deposited on glass flat-plate substrates. The frequency response and sensitivity of the sensors were measured using both electrical and flow testing. Electrical testing was performed using both sine and square waves. Flow testing was performed in a shock tube by subjecting the flush-mounted sensors to a shock-induced boundary layer. As the sensor size was decreased, frequency response increased and sensitivity decreased. These trends were observed for both electronic and flow testing conditions
Outcome Expectations for Exercise Scale Utility and Psychometrics

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to develop a measure of outcome expectations for exercise specifically for the older adult (The Outcome Expectations for Exercise [OEE] Scale), and to test the reliability and validity of this measure in a sample of older individuals. This scale was developed based on Bandura's theory of self-efficacy and the work of prior researchers in the development of measures of outcome expectations. Methods. The OEE scale, which was completed during a face-to-face interview, was tested in a sample of 175 residents in a continuing care retirement community. Results. There was support for the internal consistency of the OEE scale (alpha coefficient of .89), and some support for reliability based on a structural equation modeling approach that used R 2 estimates, although less than half of these were greater than 0.5. There was evidence of validity of the measure based on: (a) a confirmatory factor analysis in which the model fit the data (normed fit index [NFI] = .99, root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = .07, x 2 /df= 2.8); (b) support for the hypothesis that those who exercised regularly had higher OEE scores than those who did not (F = 31.3, p <.05, eta squared =.15): and (c) a statistically significant relationship between outcome expectations and self-efficacy expectations (r = .66). Discussion. This study provides some initial support for the reliability and validity of the OEE scale. Outcome expectations for exercise were related to exercise behavior in the older adult, and the OEE scale can help identify older adults with low outcome expectations for exercise. Interventions can then be implemented to help these individuals strengthen their outeome expectations, which may subsequently improve exercise behavior.
Proximal myotonic myopathy: Mini-review of a recently delineated clinical disorder

This mini-review describes proximal myotonic myopathy, a recently delineated, dominantly inherited disorder that is similar to but distinct from myotonic dystrophy. Proximal myotonic myopathy is not linked to the gene locus for myotonic dystrophy or to the loci of the genes of the muscle sodium and chloride channels associated with other myotonic disorders. Patients often present with myotonia and peculiar muscle pain in early adulthood and develop weakness of the thigh muscles later in life. Cataracts that are indistinguishable from those in myotonic dystrophy also occur commonly. The gene defect responsible for proximal myotonic myopathy awaits discovery. Because of the clinical similarities between proximal myotonic myopathy and myotonic dystrophy, clarification of the genetic differences will not only shed light on the pathomechanism of proximal myotonic myopathy, but may also increase our understanding of myotonic dystrophy.
Effect of Hail Impact on Thermally Tempered Glass Substrates Used for Processing CdTe PV Modules

The IEEE 1262 standard provides qualification tests and specification to evaluate photovoltaic (PV) modules intended for power generation applications. The hail impact test is one of the tests. It is conducted to verify that the module will withstand a simulated hail impact without damage. The modules are tested with 1-in. diameter ice balls traveling at a velocity of 52 miles/h. Based on the results, the use of 3-mm tempered glass substrate for processing is recommended to withstand the hail impact test. The stresses developed by the samples during the hail impact test have been estimated.
Verbal and motor memory in the amnestic syndrome

Abstract the subject of this study was a 43-year old man who developed a disorder of memory following herpes simplex encephalitis six years earlier. Recent memory was severely affected in contrast to the preservation of both intellect and immediate and remote memory. The impairment of recent memory functions was evident on tasks using verbal material whereas memory for motor tasks such as maze learning and the rendering of new compositions for the piano was preserved. The deficit in remembering verbal items varied with (1) the type of retrieval (recall vs. recognition), (2) the modality of stimulus presentation (acoustic vs. visual), and (3) the way in which learning was attempted (serial presentation vs. self-ordering and classification). Evidence of proactive interference in memory formation was demonstrated by intrusion errors.
Analysis of large databases in stroke

Abstract Databases developed for disease surveillance and billing purposes are increasingly used to address research questions. These databases provide access to information about large and diverse patient populations, and are an efficient way to evaluate practice patterns, health care disparities, and costs of care. However, their usefulness can be limited by inaccuracy in coding, insufficient coding of comorbid diseases and disease severity, and various types of selection bias. We describe the advantages and limitations of using large databases for research, with a particular emphasis on stroke research, and suggest ways to overcome some of the difficulties associated with database studies. We also describe several databases that are currently available for research.
Contested sustainabilities: assessing narratives of environmental change in southeastern Turkey

This article contends that there is a need to more fully assess convergences and divergences between local environmental narratives in studies of environmental change and evaluations of sustainability. While much work has established the importance of being attentive to local knowledges, the possibility of evaluating points of overlap and dissonance between diverse narratives of change offers a particularly fruitful path for future work. Drawing on survey data and interviews related to irrigation-related changes in southeastern Turkey, narratives of environmental change offered by different actors are analysed to highlight key points of overlap and tension. Specifically, there is general agreement that degradation is occurring, even as actors disagree on the causal explanations for these changes. More revealing, narratives also share a tendency to validate techno-scientific approaches and continued state intervention, thus revealing crucial insights related to future agro-ecological possibilities in this ...
Regulation of Bone Marrow Angiogenesis by Osteoblasts during Bone Development and Homeostasis

Bone marrow is a highly heterogeneous and vascularized tissue. The various cell types populating the bone marrow extensively communicate with each other, and cell-to-cell cross talk is likely to be essential for proper bone development and homeostasis. In particular, the existence of osteogenesis and angiogenesis coupling has been recently proposed. Despite its high degree of vascularization, a gradient of oxygenation is present in the bone marrow, and the endosteal surface of cortical bone appears to be among the most hypoxic areas in the body. Oxygen (O2) is both an essential metabolic substrate and a regulatory signal that is in charge of a specific genetic program. An important component of this program is the family of transcription factors known as hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs). In this Perspective, we will summarize our current knowledge about the role of the HIF signaling pathway in controlling bone development and homeostasis, and especially in regulating the crosstalk between osteoblasts, progenitor cells, and bone marrow blood vessels.
Unconventional ways to travel.

Recent studies of border cells in the Drosophila melanogaster ovary have identified a novel mechanism that is involved in cell migration. Binding of the minus-end-directed motor, Myosin VI, to the cell adhesion molecule, DE-Cadherin, stabilizes the cadherin–catenin complex. This interaction might promote the formation of long cellular extensions (LCEs) at the leading edge of migrating border cells.
Off-Nuclear AGNs as a Signature of Recoiling Massive Black Holes

During the final phases of inspiral, a massive black hole (MBH) binary experiences a recoil due to the asymmetric emission of gravitational waves. We use recent results from numerical relativity simulations together with models of the assembly and growth of MBHs in hierarchical cosmologies, to study the dynamics, statistics, and observability of recoiling MBHs. We find that, at redshift z < 3, kicked nonrotating holes are typically found between 1 and 30 kpc from their galaxy centers, while rapidly rotating ones are typically between 10 and a few hundred kpc. A recoiling hole that carries an accretion disk may shine as an "off-nuclear AGN" while it moves away from the center of its host galaxy. We predict that, depending on the hole spin distribution and the duration of their active phase, a population of off-nuclear AGNs may already be detectable at low and intermediate redshifts in present deep Hubble Space Telescope observations. The James Webb Space Telescope may discover tens of wandering AGNs per square degree, most of them moving within their host halos on unbound trajectories.
Intracellular localization of certain membrane glycoproteins in mouse T‐lymphoma cells using immunoferrtin staining of ultrathin frozen sections

Comparative studies on the cellular morphology of culturd mouse T-lymphoma cells (with particular emphasis on organelles and membrane-associated materials) were conducted using both frozen thin sections and epon thin sections. Due to the fact that the frozen thin sectioning technique allows antigenicity to be retained and also permits good accessibility of the external macromolecular reagents to the interior of the cell, we have been able to explore the intracellular localization of some membrane glycoproteins such as Con A-binding sites and viral membrane glycoprotein, gp 69/71. Our data indicate that most of the membranous cellular structures (e.g., rough endoplasmic reticulum, vesicles, Golgi and nuclear envelope) contain the Con A-specific sugars, mannose, and glucose. In addition, we have found that intracellular gp 69/71 molecules exist in an aggregated form at the terminal region of cisternae of rough endoplasmic reticulum and in vesicles of two size ranges (0.1 to 0.15 microns and 0.3 to 0.4 microns) as well as in the cytoplasm close to the plasma membrane. These findings have not only confirmed some of the previous biochemical data but have also provided new information concerning the biochemical nature of intracellular membrane components and the possible biosynthetic fate of membrane precursor molecules.
Metamagnetic behavior of fcc iron

The Stoner model of itinerant ferromagnetism in combination with self-consistent linear muffin-tin orbital non-spin-polarized calculations are used for analysis of metamagnetic behavior of fcc iron. The developed procedure enables one to identify all the possible ferromagnetic phases (stable, metastable, and unstable) and find the areas of their existence. The results obtained earlier by Moruzzi and co-workers using the fixed spin-moment method are confirmed. Moreover, it is found that fcc iron has three (rather than two) different ferromagnetic states stable at the same volume: the high-spin (HS) state and two low-spin (LS1 and LS2) states. The LS states exist in the narrow areas within the range of stability of the HS state (rather than outside). The border of stability of the nonmagnetic phase is also found, and the theoretical explanation of two types of metamagnetic behavior observed earlier is suggested.
The Neighborhood Environments of Mutual-help Recovery Houses: Comparisons by Perceived Socio-economic Status.

This study examined the setting and house-level characteristics of 160 self-governed, mutual-support substance abuse recovery homes, called Oxford Houses (OHs), across the United States. These dwellings were located in four different neighborhood types: upper or middle class (n = 23 houses), urban working or lower class (n = 71 houses), suburban upper or middle-class (n = 39 Houses), and suburban working or lower class (n = 27 houses). Interior dwelling characteristics and amenities located within a 2-block radius were similar across the four neighborhood types. However, houses in urban, working, and lower class neighborhoods reported more alcohol- or drug-intoxicated persons. Most importantly, despite the greater potential for environmental temptations and easier access for substances, none of the neighborhood factors including neighborhood socioeconomic status significantly predicted relapse rates over a 12-month period.
Phase Associations and Mobilization of Iron and Trace Elements in Coeur d'Alene Lake, Idaho

Sediments of Coeur d'Alene Lake, ID, are heavily contaminated with mine tailings that contain high levels of iron, lead, zinc, arsenic, and other trace elements. These tailings originate from the Silver Valley mining district drained by the South Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River. The possibilities that either lake eutrophication or the develop ment of a seasonally anoxic hypolimnion could mobilize trace elements from sediments into overlying waters led us to evaluate their phase associations. Analysis of ∼0.5 m gravity cores reveals these sediments to be highly reduced, and the trace elements therein predominantly associated with an operationally defined sulfidic phase. Vertical patterns of metal distribution suggest that Fe, Mn, and As have mobilized toward the sediment−water interface; these patterns are consistent with diagenetic solubilization. This is not the case for Zn, Pb, and other trace elements whose maximum abundance is generally found in deeper sediments. We postulate that metal sulfide format...
First deep-space flight demonstration of Regenerative pseudo-noise ranging

Deep-space missions traditionally use sequential, turnaround ranging to measure the distance to the spacecraft. The spacecraft demodulates the uplinked ranging signal (composed of sequential frequency tones) and retransmits it (“turnaround”) onto the downlink. Since this operation is bent-pipe, noise on the uplink within the ranging channel bandwidth is also retransmitted. When the received uplink signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is low, regenerating the ranging signal can increase the retransmitted ranging SNR by 30 dB or more, compared to the bent-pipe method. The Regenerative pseudo-noise (PN) ranging creates this gain by using a PN digital ranging signal on the uplink and detecting that signal in the spacecraft receiver. The PN signal is regenerated digitally, with no uplink noise, and retransmitted to the ground. We report the first deep-space flight demonstration of regenerative ranging on the New Horizons Mission to Pluto. We provide an overview of the technique, including the operational PN ranging capability deployed at NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN). We describe the regenerative ranging implementation on the New Horizons spacecraft. Finally, we report on the operational flight tests, compare their results to the current trajectory (and sequential ranging), and detail how this technique will aid this mission in the future.
A Concentrated Outbreak of Tornadoes, Downbursts and Microbursts, and Implications Regarding Vortex Classification

A remarkable case of severe weather occurred near Springfield, Illinois on 6 August 1977. Aerial and ground surveys revealed that 17 cyclonic vortices, an anticyclonic vortex, 10 downbursts and 19 microbursts occurred in a limited (20 km x 40 km) area, associated with a bow-shaped radar echo. About half of the vortices appeared to have occurred along a gust front. Some of the others appear to have occurred within the circulation of a mesocyclone accompanying the bow echo, but these vortices seem to have developed specifically in response to localized boundary-layer vorticity generation associated with horizontal and vertical wind shears on the periphery of microbursts. Some of these vortices, and other destructive vortices in the literature, do not qualify as tornadoes as defined in the Glossary of Meteorology. A more pragmatic definition of a tornado is suggested.
A pharmacoeconomic analysis of liver transplant charges

Objective—To analyze hospital charges for all liver transplant admissions to determine major cost drivers of the total charge.Study Design—Retrospective review of hospital billing records.Methods—Hospital charges were collected for all liver transplant admissions between July 1995 and December 2005 and 276 billing records were included in the analysis. Charges were itemized into pharmacy, inpatient room, laboratory, organ acquisition, and other.Results—Despite maintaining a median length of stay of about 10 days, hospital charges increased from 1995 to 2005. Mean total pharmacy charges (± SEM) before a 1998 cost-containment initiative were $17 405 ±$4080 and constituted a 12% fraction of total charges, but had reduced to $11 238 ±$2828 (7.8% of total charges) immediately thereafter, decreasing to $9891 ±$2351 (3.7% of total charges) for the most current period (2005). The increase in the total charge was largely driven by an increase in the organ acquisition charge and daily laboratory and room charges.Co...
Applying Economic Model ‘Efficiency Wage’ Concept for Pharmacists Can ‘Efficient’ Salaries Reduce Pharmacist Turnover?

Professional articles regarding managerial means to address pharmacist turnover generally focus on policy and psychological dimensions in lieu of relative cost analysis. We present a cost–benefit argument, based on ‘efficiency wage theory’ from the economics literature to reduce the rate of pharmacist turnover in retail establishments and hospitals. Drawing from national pharmacist data, we discuss the rationale for how much management could enhance pharmacist salaries in an organization to cost effectively reduce the turnover rate. We suggest using the approach as an adjunct to existing managerial policies aimed at reducing pharmacist turnover.
Restraint induced ulceration in rats during estrus and diestrus.

Abstract The present study was designed to assess the degree of ulceration found in male, estrous female, and diestrous female rats following immobilization stress. After 19 hr of restraint, diestrous females showed greater ulceration than males while the extent of ulceration for estrous females fell between that observed in the diestrous and male groups. Neither weight loss during restraint nor measures of heart rate were consistently related to the development of ulcers.
Seasonal variation of the lower ionosphere at Wallops Island during the IQSY.

Lower ionosphere electron density profiles at Wallops Island during IQSY, noting seasonal variation
Introduction: The Invention of Courts

LINDAGREENHOUSE, a Fellow of the American Academy since 1994 and a member of the Academy’s Council, is the Joseph Goldstein Lecturer in Law at Yale Law School. She covered the Supreme Court for The New York Times from 1978–2008 and continues to write a biweekly column on law as a contributing columnist for The New York Times website. Her publications include The U.S. Supreme Court: A Very Short Introduction (2012), Before Roe v. Wade: Voices That Shaped the Abortion Debate Before the Supreme Court’s Ruling (with Reva B. Siegel, 2010), and Becoming Justice Blackmun: Harry Black mun’s Supreme Court Journey (2005). This volume is both prequel and sequel. In 2008, Daedalus published an issue entitled “On Judicial Independence,” exploring from a variety of perspectives the de1⁄2nition of that term, as well as ageold and newly emergent threats to the ability of judges to do their work without undue constraint. Six years later, we both carry that story forward and shift the analytical frame to consider courts them selves: their past and ongoing evolution, and the work that a democracy can reasonably expect them to do. To write about courts is to write about political theory, about lawyering, about 1⁄2scal priorities, and about social welfare, as well as about courts’ dependence on and independence from the body politic. The subject evokes a great variety of conver sations, from the highly theoretical to the nitty gritty of service delivery for human needs in all their man ifestations. Discussions of courts, at least in the United States, bring lawyers rapidly into view, along with criminal defendants, civil litigants, administrative agencies, budgets, public 1⁄2nancing, and popular opinion. Courts exist in our imagination and in bricks and mortar, in the stories we tell ourselves about the society we hope to be and in our acknowledgment that in our aspiration for “justice for all,” we too often fall short. Our egalitarian ambitions for courts have grown over the years, perhaps outstripping our will to provide the means to ful1⁄2ll our promises. Across a shifting landscape, we assign courts an astonishing range of tasks while lacking consensus on whether
Determination of the Peptide Torsion Angle φ by15N Chemical Shift and13Cα-1HαDipolar Tensor Correlation in Solid-State MAS NMR

Abstract We demonstrate a dipolar-chemical shift correlation technique for sign-sensitive determination of the torsion angle φ in solid peptides and proteins under magic-angle spinning. The indirect dimension of the experiment is obtained by separate but synchronous evolution of the magnetization under the 15 N chemical shift and the C-H dipolar coupling. The resulting sum and difference spectrum of the two frequencies, with more than ten independent sidebands, depends strongly on the relative orientation of the 15 N chemical shift tensor and the C α -H α bond. This relative orientation reflects the C(O) i−1 -N-C α -C(O) i torsion angle. The technique can distinguish φ angles over the full range of 360° when the amide 15 N chemical shift tensor does not possess reflection symmetry with respect to the peptide plane. Thus it complements our previous HNCH experiment, in which two mirror-symmetric conformers of the H N -N bond relative to the C α -H α bond around the N-C α axis cannot be distinguished.
Gating Charges in the Activation and Inactivation Processes of the hERG Channel

The hERG channel has a relatively slow activation process but an extremely fast and voltage-sensitive inactivation process. Direct measurement of hERG's gating current (Piper, D.R., A. Varghese, M.C. Sanguinetti, and M. Tristani-Firouzi. 2003. PNAS. 100:10534–10539) reveals two kinetic components of gating charge transfer that may originate from two channel domains. This study is designed to address three questions: (1) which of the six positive charges in hERG's major voltage sensor, S4, are responsible for gating charge transfer during activation, (2) whether a negative charge in the cytoplasmic half of S2 (D466) also contributes to gating charge transfer, and (3) whether S4 serves as the sole voltage sensor for hERG inactivation. We individually mutate S4's positive charges and D466 to cysteine, and examine (a) effects of mutations on the number of equivalent gating charges transferred during activation (za) and inactivation (zi), and (b) sidedness and state dependence of accessibility of introduced cysteine side chains to a membrane-impermeable thiol-modifying reagent (MTSET). Neutralizing the outer three positive charges in S4 and D466 in S2 reduces za, and cysteine side chains introduced into these positions experience state-dependent changes in MTSET accessibility. On the other hand, neutralizing the inner three positive charges in S4 does not affect za. None of the charge mutations affect zi. We propose that the scheme of gating charge transfer during hERG's activation process is similar to that described for the Shaker channel, although hERG has less gating charge in its S4 than in Shaker. Furthermore, channel domain other than S4 contributes to gating charge involved in hERG's inactivation process.
Characterization of 1.8-MeV proton-irradiated AlGaN/GaN field-effect transistor structures by nanoscale depth-resolved luminescence spectroscopy

We have used depth-resolved cathodoluminescence spectroscopy to examine AlGaN/GaN modulation-doped field-effect transistors that display degraded source-drain current characteristics after 1.8-MeV proton irradiation, along with bulk heterojunction field-effect transistor material after similar proton irradiation. For both cases, we have observed distinct changes in spectral emission features due to decreased internal electric-field strength and new point defects within different layers of the device structure with nanometer-scale depth resolution. These changes can account for the degraded electrical characteristics.
Asthma mortality rates among California youths.

Asthma mortality rates for California youths (ages 5-17 years) were examined over the period 1981-1995. Data were analyzed by Poisson regression from the California Departments of Vital Statistics, Finance, and the U.S. Census Bureau. Aggregate statewide mortality demonstrated a 2.01%, statistically insignificant, upward trend without geographic clustering. Stratified race/ ethnicity rates differed significantly, with African-American mortality twice that of the Caucasian population. In addition, an increased number of deaths occurred in households of African-Americans, Caucasians (including Hispanics), and Hispanics with incomes below statewide medians. This study on California youths differs from reports on larger populations with its minimal aggregate increase in asthma mortality, yet mirrors national trends of disproportionate impact on African-Americans and the economically disadvantaged.
Assessing changes in vascular permeability in a hamster model of viral hemorrhagic fever

Background A number of RNA viruses cause viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF), in which proinflammatory mediators released from infected cells induce increased permeability of the endothelial lining of blood vessels, leading to loss of plasma volume, hypotension, multi-organ failure, shock and death. The optimal treatment of VHF should therefore include both the use of antiviral drugs to inhibit viral replication and measures to prevent or correct changes in vascular function. Although rodent models have been used to evaluate treatments for increased vascular permeability (VP) in bacterial sepsis, such studies have not been performed for VHF.
American Society of Clinical Oncology endorsement of the Cancer Care Ontario practice Guideline on Nonhormonal Therapy for Men with Metastatic Hormone-Refractory (castration-resistant) Prostate Cancer

Purpose In 2006, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Board of Directors (BOD) approved a policy and a set of procedures for endorsing clinical practice guidelines that have been developed by other professional organizations. Methods The Cancer Care Ontario (CCO) Guideline on Non-Hormonal Therapy for Men With Metastatic Hormone-Refractory Prostate Cancer (HRPC) was reviewed for developmental rigor by methodologists. An ad hoc prostate cancer guideline review panel consisting of prostate cancer experts reviewed the content. Results The ASCO ad hoc prostate cancer guideline review panel concurred that the recommendations are clear, thorough, based on the most relevant scientific evidence in this content area, and present options that will be acceptable to patients. The CCO guideline was subsequently endorsed by the ASCO BOD. The guideline recommends the use of docetaxel, prednisone/hydrocortisone, and/or mitoxantrone in specific settings. Docetaxel-based chemotherapy is the only treatment that h...
Dynamic modeling and control of three phase pulse width modulated power converters using phasors

Although the application of power electronic converters in ac power systems has been mostly limited to unidirectional loads like motor drives, various evolving applications such as power quality conditioners and distributed generation systems feature complex dynamic interactions affecting the operation of the ac power system. The focus of this paper is to present systematic technologies for modeling switching power converters in conjunction with their controls to determine their dynamic properties and assess their performance in an ac power network. The paper presents a dynamic phasor-oriented modeling technique that is readily compatible with classical power system analysis techniques. A state space model that represents the dynamic properties of the system in the magnitude-angle form is developed. The model can be used for obtaining steady state small signal dynamic properties at various operating conditions, and hence be used for design of appropriate regulators. Application of the technique is illustrated using a current source inverter example.
The expression of STAT-1 and phosphorylated STAT-1 in conjunctival granulomas.

Purpose: Sarcoidosis is a granulomatous inflammatory disease whose cause is unknown. Based on gene expression profiles of peripheral blood and on immunostaining of lymph nodes from sarcoidosis patients, the authors recently implicated the transcription factor STAT-1 in the pathogenesis. They explored the potential contribution of STAT-1 in an ocular manifestation of this disease.Methods: Conjunctival biopsies from 4 subjects with known sarcoidosis and from 8 subjects with conjunctival granulomas presumed from causes other than sarcoidosis were immunostained for STAT1.Results: STAT-1 was readily detectable in all biopsies from patients with sarcoidosis and in 3 controls. The activated form of STAT-1, phosphorylated STAT-1, was also more frequently detected in tissue from subjects with sarcoidosis relative to controls.Conclusions: The activities of STAT-1 in regulating the inflammatory response suggest that it contributes to the conjunctival granulomas characteristic of sarcoidosis, but its expression is no...
Phenotypic plasticity and differentiation in fitness-related traits in invasive populations of the Mediterranean forb Centaurea melitensis (Asteraceae)

UNLABELLED PREMISE OF THE STUDY Biological invasions threaten global biodiversity, resulting in severe ecological and economic costs. Phenotypic plasticity and differentiation in fitness-related traits after introduction can contribute to increased performance in invasive populations of plants. We determined whether postintroduction evolution in trait means or in their plasticity, or inherent species-wide phenotypic plasticity has promoted invasiveness in a European annual forb. • METHODS In a common greenhouse, we compared several fitness-related traits and the phenotypic plasticity of those traits under four levels of nutrients among native and invasive populations of Centaurea melitensis. We tested 18 populations from three regions of similar mediterranean climate type: the native range (southern Spain) and two invaded ranges (California and central Chile). • KEY RESULTS Centaurea melitensis possesses overall phenotypic plasticity, which is a trait that promotes invasiveness. Invasive populations were differentiated from native plants for several trait means and their levels of phenotypic plasticity in directions that enhance competitive ability and success. Invasive plants flowered earlier and grew faster in the early stages of growth phases, important features for invasiveness. • CONCLUSIONS Phenotypic plasticity, its evolution postinvasion, and the evolution of fitness-related trait means in invasive populations have potentially contributed to the invasion of C. melitensis in California and Chile. Along with an overall wide range of tolerance to growing conditions, C. meltiensis populations that have colonized habitats in California and Chile have undergone rapid evolution in several life history traits and the plasticities of those traits in directions that would promote invasiveness in mediterranean ecosystems.