cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dynastic Loyalty and Allegiances: Ottoman Resilience During the Seventeenth Century Crisis

Langlois explores the ways that the Ottoman Empire navigated a turbulent seventeenth century and what Geoffrey Parker terms a “Global Crisis,” through novel policies of marriage-brokering and networking, changes in the system of economic administration, a growth of charitable patronage, and new forms of political leadership, all of which ultimately contributed to the survival of the Ottoman dynastic system. This century is set apart due to the degree to which historians can correlate climate change and conflict throughout the world. It bore witness to multiple imperial collapses. This chapter also closely surveys the role female agency played in the empire’s endurance and draws attention to the high-ranking women who were instrumental in shaping the direction of the empire throughout the period by extending and securing loyalty to the dynasty.
Development and aging at the molecular level

The poet Wordsworth tells us that “the Child is father of the Man,” an aphorism fittingly descriptive of the continuum of growth, development and aging in which each part of the sequence is a prelude to the next stage. In this Interdisciplinary Symposium in the series on development and aging, we examine molecular and biochemical mechanisms involved in these processes at two important periods of the life of the mammal. First, changes in metabolic control are discussed in relation to the perinatal period. Second, molecular and biochemical changes are examined during the terminal period of the natural life-span of the mammal. The data gathered at these two periods of life serve to illustrate that control mechanisms encoded in the genome of the fertilized ovum continue to undergo change throughout the whole life-span of the organism.
Evolution of Adult Foster Care

Adult Foster Care evolved under the influence of the Catholic Church and dates to about 600 A.D. Gradually, it has been brought under the influence of the State. In 1979-80, the author surveyed 49 states and determined that 34 states had formal regulation, currently, Adult Foster Care is cost effective and reasonably humane. The future appears to have considerable promise and the need for AFC is
Genetic and Signaling Pathway Regulations of Tumor-Initiating Cells of the Prostate

Here we review current literature on genetic and signaling pathway regulators of tumor initiating cells in prostate cancer. While we emphasize the consequence of PTEN loss and PI3K/AKT activation in prostate cancer initiating cells, we also assess the importance of other signaling regulators, including RAS/MAPK, WNT/b-catenin, MYC, NKX3.1 and p53 on these cells.Importantly, we stress how these factors alone, or in collaboration, alter tumor initiating cell/cancer stem cell function and consequently, phenotypes in in vivo prostate cancer models.Our review also highlights the understanding of how genetic pathway alteration influences cancer initiation by way of lineage tracing or cell type specific disruption.Functional similarities and differences of how tumor suppressor loss impacts human prostate cancer are also addressed, where appropriate.Finally, we touch on outstanding questions that future experimentation will hopefully address.
Lithium-Mixed Gas Reactions

A series of experiments has been conducted to characterize the kinetics of lithium reactions with mixtures of oxygen, nitrogen and steam. Lithium reaction rates with the various gas mixtures were d...
Cost Effectiveness of Universal Screening for Hepatitis C Virus Infection in the Era of Direct-Acting, Pangenotypic Treatment Regimens.

Background & Aims Most persons infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the United States were born from 1945 through 1965; testing is recommended for this cohort. However, HCV incidence is increasing among younger persons in many parts of the country and treatment is recommended for all adults with HCV infection. We aimed to estimate the cost effectiveness of universal 1-time screening for HCV infection in all adults living in the United States and to determine the prevalence of HCV antibody above which HCV testing is cost effective. Methods We developed a Markov state transition model to estimate the effects of universal 1-time screening of adults 18 years or older in the United States, compared with the current guideline-based strategy of screening adults born from 1945 through 1965. We compared potential outcomes of 1-time universal screening of adults or birth cohort screening followed by antiviral treatment of those with HCV infection vs no screening. We measured effectiveness with quality-adjusted life-years (QALY), and costs with 2017 US dollars. Results Based on our model, universal 1-time screening of US residents with a general population prevalence of HCV antibody greater than 0.07% cost less than $50,000/QALY compared with a strategy of no screening. Compared with 1-time birth cohort screening, universal 1-time screening and treatment cost $11,378/QALY gained. Universal screening was cost effective compared with birth cohort screening when the prevalence of HCV antibody positivity was greater than 0.07% among adults not in the cohort born from 1945 through 1965. Conclusions Using a Markov state transition model, we found a strategy of universal 1-time screening for chronic HCV infection to be cost effective compared with either no screening or birth cohort–based screening alone.
Distance transforms in multi channel MR image registration

Deformable registration techniques play vital roles in a variety of medical imaging tasks such as image fusion, segmentation, and post-operative surgery assessment. In recent years, mutual information has become one of the most widely used similarity metrics for medical image registration algorithms. Unfortunately, as a matching criteria, mutual information loses much of its effectiveness when there is poor statistical consistency and a lack of structure. This is especially true in areas of images where the intensity is homogeneous and information is sparse. Here we present a method designed to address this problem by integrating distance transforms of anatomical segmentations as part of a multi-channel mutual information framework within the registration algorithm. Our method was tested by registering real MR brain data and comparing the segmentation of the results against that of the target. Our analysis showed that by integrating distance transforms of the the white matter segmentation into the registration, the overall segmentation of the registration result was closer to the target than when the distance transform was not used.
Connecting the Classroom and the Community: Exploring the Collective Impact of One District–Community Partnership

AbstractThis study explored how one district–community partnership, comprised of seven nonprofit community partners that serve five elementary schools in a single urban school district, improved co...
A comparison of homogeneous and heterogeneous Brønsted acid catalysts in the reactions of meso-erythritol with aldehyde/ketones

Bronsted acid catalyzed condensations of meso-erythritol with aldehyde/ketones were studied using meso-erythritol:aldehyde/ketone 1:3 ratio in a Dean–Stark apparatus. The selectivity among bis-ketal and 1,3-dioxolane-ether formation can be achieved by choosing between homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts. The catalysts could be reused without appreciable loss in activity.
Oligomers of MORE: Molecular Organometallic Resists for EUV

The EUV photoproducts of antimony carboxylate photoresists [R3Sb(O2CR′)2] are used to evaluate a possible free radical exposure mechanism by studying the change in molecular weight distribution with dose. We demonstrate the redistribution of carboxylate ligands across the metal centers in solution and use this property to create a statistical mono-olefin resist system with blended solutions of olefinic and non-olefinic antimony compounds that limit crosslinking and improve solubility of the photoproducts. Through gel permeation chromatography (GPC) analysis, we demonstrate the formation of high molecular weight oligomers with exposure dose and provide further support for the free-radical polymerization mechanism.
Properties of the manganese(II) binding site in ternary complexes of manganese.cntdot.ADP and manganese.cntdot.ATP with chloroplast coupling factor 1: magnetic field dependence of solvent proton and deuterium NMR relaxation rates

The influence of the binding of ADP and ATP on the high-affinity Mn(II) binding site of chloroplast coupling factor 1 (CF{sub 1}) was studied by analysis of field-dependent solvent proton and deuteron spin-lattice relaxation data. In order to characterize metal-nucleotide complexes of CF{sub 1} under conditions similar to those of the NMR experiments, the enzyme was analyzed for bound nucleotides and Mn(II) after incubation with AdN and MnCl{sub 2} and removal of labile ligands by extensive gel filtration chromatography. In the field-dependent NMR experiments, the Mn(II) binding site of CF{sub 1} was studied for three mole ratios of added Mn(II) to CF{sub 1}, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5, in the presence of an excess of either ADP or ATP. The results were extrapolated to zero Mn(II) concentration to characterize the environment of the first Mn(II) binding site of Cf{sub 1}. In the presence of both adenine nucleotides, pronounced changes in the Mn(II) environment relative to that in Mn(II)-CF{sub 1} were evident; the local relaxation rate maxima were more pronounced and shifted to higher field strengths, and the relaxation rate per bound Mn(II) increased at all field strengths. Analysis of the data revealed that the number of exchangeable water molecules liganded tomore » bound Mn(II) increased from one in the binary Mn(II)-CF{sub 1} complex to three and two in the ternary Mn(II)-ADP-CF{sub 1} and Mn(II)-ATP-CF{sub 1} complexes, respectively; these results suggest that a water ligand to bound Mn(II) in the Mn(II)-ADP-CF{sub 1} complex is replaced by the {gamma}-phosphate of ATP in the Mn(II)-ATP-CF{sub 1} complex. A binding model is presented to account for these observations.« less
Natural Law and Racist Jurisprudence in Early Virginia

Science informed American jurisprudence during the age of the Revolution. Colonials used science and naturalism to navigate the wilderness, define themselves against the British, and forge a new national identity and constitutional order. American legal historians have long noted the influence of science upon the Founding generation—in particular on figures like Jefferson—and historians of American slavery have mapped the influence of science upon early American racism as organized and standardized in slave codes. Building on the previous chapter, this chapter seeks to synthesize the work of American legal historians and historians of American slavery by showing how natural law jurisprudence, anchored in scientific discourse and vocabulary, brought about biological racism that enabled laws regulating black bodies. In so doing, this chapter offers sustained treatment of law and science and their mutual influence upon slave codes, especially miscegenation statutes. Historians of slavery have acknowledged but never fully explained this mutual influence. Focusing principally on Virginia during the age of Jefferson (1743–1826), this chapter argues that early Virginians of the planter class constructed the black body as biologically inferior to justify and facilitate laws that treated blacks as inferior. This process allowed planter class Virginians to initiate lower-class whites into communities of white racial solidarity while maintaining the ideology of paternalism, which held that white domination of blacks was necessary for blacks to enjoy a decent quality of life. This chapter presents the danger of focusing on abstractions such as reason or natural law absent some anchoring in pragmatic considerations involving concrete realities.
24 – Application of modern aluminium alloys to aircraft

: Aluminum alloys have been the primary material of choice for structural components of aircraft since about 1930. Although polymer matrix composites are being used extensively in high-performance military aircraft and are being specified for the major structural weight of the new Boeing 787 and Airbus A350, aluminum alloys will continue to be used for many commercial and military applications. Well-known performance characteristics, known fabrication costs, design experience and established manufacturing methods and facilities, and their use in hybrid structures are just a few of the reasons for the continued confidence in aluminum alloys that will ensure their use in significant quantities for many years. There have been major advances in aluminum aircraft alloys that continue to keep them in a competitive position. In the early years aluminum alloys were developed by trial and error, but over the past 40 years there have been significant advances in our understanding of the relationships among composition, processing, microstructural characteristics and properties. This knowledge base has led to improvements in properties that are important to aircraft applications. This chapter covers the factors that drive development of new aircraft materials, performance and property requirements for airframe components, and describes aluminum alloys and product forms which meet these requirements. It also discusses the structure–property relationships of aluminum aircraft alloys. Finally, technologies under development for future aircraft are discussed.
Linking anatomical and physiological markers of auditory system degeneration with behavioral hearing assessments in a mouse (Mus musculus) model of age-related hearing loss

Age-related hearing loss is a very common sensory disability, affecting one in three older adults. Establishing a link between anatomical, physiological, and behavioral markers of presbycusis in a mouse model can improve the understanding of this disorder in humans. We measured age-related hearing loss for a variety of acoustic signals in quiet and noisy environments using an operant conditioning procedure and investigated the status of peripheral structures in CBA/CaJ mice. Mice showed the greatest degree of hearing loss in the last third of their lifespan, with higher thresholds in noisy than in quiet conditions. Changes in auditory brainstem response thresholds and waveform morphology preceded behavioral hearing loss onset. Loss of hair cells, auditory nerve fibers, and signs of stria vascularis degeneration were observed in old mice. The present work underscores the difficulty in ascribing the primary cause of age-related hearing loss to any particular type of cellular degeneration. Revealing these complex structure-function relationships is critical for establishing successful intervention strategies to restore hearing or prevent presbycusis.
Independent external validation of a nomogram to define risk categories for a significant decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate after robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy.

Objective To validate the Martini nomogram predicting the decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate after robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy. Methods Estimated glomerular filtration rate of 406 patients from a single surgeon series was calculated before robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy and at postoperative intervals. To determine the risk group, we calculated the total score and corresponding risk of significant estimated glomerular filtration rate reduction at 15 months using the Martini nomogram. The primary outcome was a reduction in estimated glomerular filtration rate of ≥25% from preoperative levels between 1 and 12 months after surgery. Results The median length of follow up for this study was 12 months (interquartile range 6-12 months). Overall, 134 (33%) patients were in the low-, 143 (35%) in the intermediate-, 119 (29%) in the high- and 10 (2%) in the very high-risk groups. The Kaplan-Meier estimates for the probability of significant estimated glomerular filtration rate reduction by 12 months after robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy was 12.9% in the low-risk group, 24.0% in the intermediate-risk group, 49.7% in the high-risk group and 40.0% in the very high-risk group. Harrell's C-index for discriminating between those with and without a significant reduction in estimated glomerular filtration rate 1-12 months after robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy was 0.73 (95% confidence interval 0.68-0.78). Conclusions The risk groups proposed by the Martini nomogram are accurate in predicting those at higher risk for a >25% decline in postoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate after robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy at 12 months.
Knee Acoustic Emissions as a Digital Biomarker of Disease Status in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis.

In this paper, we quantify the joint acoustic emissions (JAEs ) from the knees of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and support their use as a novel biomarker of the disease. JIA is the most common rheumatic disease of childhood; it has a highly variable presentation, and few reliable biomarkers which makes diagnosis and personalization of care difficult. The knee is the most commonly affected joint with hallmark synovitis and inflammation that can extend to damage the underlying cartilage and bone. During movement of the knee, internal friction creates JAEs that can be non-invasively measured. We hypothesize that these JAEs contain clinically relevant information that could be used for the diagnosis and personalization of treatment of JIA. In this study, we record and compare the JAEs from 25 patients with JIA - 10 of whom were recorded a second time 3-6 months later - and 18 healthy age- and sex-matched controls. We compute signal features from each of those record cycles of flexion/extension and train a logistic regression classification model. The model classified each cycle as having JIA or being healthy with 84.4% accuracy using leave-one-subject-out cross validation (LOSO-CV). When assessing the full JAE recording of a subject (which contained at least 8 cycles of flexion/extension), a majority vote of the cycle labels accurately classified the subjects as having JIA or being healthy 100% of the time. Using the output probabilities of a JIA class as a basis for a joint health score and test it on the follow-up patient recordings. In all 10 of our 6-week follow-up recordings, the score accurately tracked with successful treatment of the condition. Our proposed JAE-based classification model of JIA presents a compelling case for incorporating this novel joint health assessment technique into the clinical work-up and monitoring of JIA.
Building Trust: How Leaders Can Engender Feelings of Trust Among Followers

ABSTRACT Trust has long been recognized across cultures, industries, and organizations as a key component of social exchange. Yet, in many communities and organizations throughout the world, there is a growing trust deficit. In this paper, we explore what leaders can do to generate trust among the individuals within their organizations to help facilitate better relationships and positive outcomes for both individuals and organizations. More specifically, we present a qualitative study in which semi-structured interviews with employees at an assisted living care facility highlighted two ways that leaders can build trust within their organization: 1) demonstrating humility in their communication, and 2) exhibiting compassion in their behavior. We further highlight two characteristics, authenticity and proactivity, that can help leaders increase the effectiveness of these actions. By making these behaviors part of how they lead, leaders and managers can more successfully generate feelings of trust among the individuals within their organizations and help their organization to maintain and strengthen its competitive advantage.
Genetic ancestry differences in pediatric asthma readmission are mediated by socioenvironmental factors.

Background Social and financial hardships, combined with disease managment and environmental factors explain approximately 80% of the observed disparity in asthma-related readmissions between Black and White children. Objective We sought to determine whether asthma-related readmissions differed by degree of African ancestry and the extent to which such an association would also be explained by socioenvironmental risk factors. Methods This study used data from a prospective cohort study of 695 Black and White children aged 1 to 16 years with an asthma-related admission. The primary outcome was a similar readmission within 12 months. Each subject’s African ancestry was determined by single nucleotide polymorphisms on a continuous scale ranging from 0 to 1 (0 = no African ancestry; 1 = 100% African ancestry). We also assessed 37 social, environmental, and clinical variables that we clustered into 6 domains (for example, hardship, disease management). Survival and mediation analyses were conducted. Results A total of 134 children (19.3%) were readmitted within 12 months. Higher African ancestry was associated with asthma readmission (odds ratio 1.11, 95% confidence interval 1.05-1.18 for every 10% increase in African ancestry) with adjustment for age and gender. The association between African ancestry and readmission was mediated by hardship (sβ = 3.42, P 50% of African ancestry’s effect on readmission. African ancestry was no longer significantly associated with readmission (sβ = 0.035, P = .388) after accounting for these mediators. Conclusions African ancestry was strongly associated with readmission, and the association was mediated by family hardship and disease management. These results are consistent with the notion that asthma-related racial disparities are driven by factors like structural racism and social adversity.
Towards the Next Generation of Scholarship: Challenges and Opportunities for Full Participation in Ph.D. Training in Economics

A great advantage of our rigorous doctoral training is that as PhD economists we speak a common language that allows for efficient vetting and quick dissemination of ideas and insights. But what good is sophisticated grammar and a powerful vocabulary if the contents of our narratives are lacking? Our top three “most important” criteria for admissions to economics PhD programs are prior coursework in math, the quantitative GRE score, and prior coursework in economics. To attract top talent and prevent becoming a stagnant discipline that loses the influence we have in society and academia, students’ creativity, originality, and drive should receive more weight.
Predictors of cancer screening among Black and White Maryland Medicaid enrollees with serious mental illness

Background Cancer is the second leading cause of death for people with serious mental illness (SMI), such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. People with SMI receive cancer screenings at lower rates than the general population. Aims We sought to identify factors associated with cancer screening in a publicly insured population with SMI and stratified by race, a factor itself linked with differential rates of cancer screening. Materials and methods We used Maryland Medicaid administrative claims data (2010-2018) to examine screening rates for cervical cancer (N = 40,622), breast cancer (N = 9818), colorectal cancer (N = 19,306), and prostate cancer (N = 4887) among eligible Black and white enrollees with SMI. We examined individual-level socio-demographic and clinical factors, including co-occurring substance use disorder, medical comorbidities, psychiatric diagnosis, obstetric-gynecologic and primary care utilization, as well as county-level characteristics, including metropolitan status, mean household income, and primary care workforce capacity. Generalized estimating equations with a logit link were used to examine the characteristics associated with cancer screening. Results Compared with white enrollees, Black enrollees were more likely to receive screening for cervical cancer (AOR: 1.18; 95% CI: 1.15-1.22), breast cancer (AOR: 1.27; 95% CI: 1.19-1.36), and colorectal cancer (AOR: 1.07; 95% CI: 1.02-1.13), while similar rates were observed for prostate cancer screening (AOR: 1.06; 95% CI: 0.96-1.18). Primary care utilization and longer Medicaid enrollment were positively associated with cancer screening while co-occurring substance use disorder was negatively associated with cancer screening. Conclusion Improving cancer screening rates among populations with SMI should focus on facilitating continuous insurance coverage and access to primary care.
Libya and the International System: Retracing the Aftermath of the Lockerbie Bombing

The defining moment of Libya's relationship with the United States during the last decade of the 20th century was the 1991 implication of Libya and its government by the United States and United Kingdom in the 1988 bombing of Pan American Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. The controversial decision of the United Nations Security Council to employ sanctions against Libya after its refusal to surrender two bombing suspects to the United States and United Kingdom was largely ignored by European countries with interests in Libya, and led to the eventual open opposition to sanctions by many of Libya's African neighbors. Libya was quickly found guilty in the U.S. and UK courts of public opinion; however the common assumption that Libya's refusal reflected its indignation toward the West is problematic, and does not take into account historical factors that pushed Libya away from compliance, nor the lengths to which Libya attempted to sidestep those factors in order to respect international law. This article places Libya's reaction to the destruction of Flight 103 into the context of its recent relationship with the United States, and argues that despite the tainted U.S. public perception of Libya and its leader, the aftermath of the destruction of Flight 103 no longer plays an important role in shaping United States–Libya relations.
Reciprocity in Elastodynamics: Some elastodynamic theory

Introduction Problems of the motion and deformation of solids are rendered amenable to mathematical analysis by introducing the concept of a continuous medium. In this idealization it is assumed that properties averaged over a very small element, for example the mean mass density and the mean displacement and stress, are continuous functions of position and time. Although it might seem that the microscopic structure of real materials is not consistent with the concept of a continuum, the idealization produces very useful results, simply because the lengths characterizing the microscopic structure of most materials are generally much smaller than any lengths arising in the deformation of the medium. Even if in certain special cases the microstructure gives rise to significant phenomena, these can be taken into account within the framework of the continuum theory by appropriate generalizations. Continuum mechanics is a classical subject that has been discussed in great generality in numerous treatises. The theory of continuous media is built upon the basic concepts of stress, motion and deformation, upon the laws of conservation of mass, linear momentum, moment of momentum (angular momentum) and energy and on the constitutive relations. The constitutive relations characterize the mechanical and thermal response of a material while the basic conservation laws abstract the common features of mechanical phenomena irrespective of the constitutive relations. The governing equations used in this book are for homogeneous, isotropic, linearly elastic solids.
Abstract 19824: Percutaneous Mitral Balloon Comissurotomy versus Surgical Comissurotomy in the Treatment of Severe Symptomatic Mitral Stenosis

Introduction: Percutaneous mitral balloon comissurotomy (PMBC) and surgical comissurotomy can be used for treatment of stage D mitral stenosis. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing PMBC and surgery have shown inconsistent results. Hypothesis: PMBC is associated with better hemodynamic and clinical results for the treatment of stage D mitral stenosis. Methods: Databases were searched for RCTs that compared double-balloon PMBC to surgical comissurotomy. Inclusion criteria were no left atrial clot, a favorable valve morphology and absence of significant mitral regurgitation. Clinical and hemodynamic outcomes were evaluated within short-term (less than 6 months) and long-term (over 6 months) follow up. Random-effects model was used due to anticipated heterogeneity. Results: A total of 6 RCTs with 474 patients were included, of whom 222 (46.8%) underwent PBMC. In short-term follow up, PMBC was associated with a larger mitral valve area (MVA) compared to surgical comissurotomy (mean difference 0.41 cm2...
Bird Populations in a Black Cottonwood Community, Grand Teton National Park

Baseline information on the avifauna of the riparian communities in Grand Teton National Park is sparse. Consequently, the objective of this project is to collect information on the composition, density, distribution and habitat of the bird species inhabiting a portion of the black cottonwood, Populus trichocarpa, community in Grand Teton National Park. The study was initiated in June 1980 on a portion of the western floodplain of Pilgrim Creek. The southeast conner of this 300m x 400m (12ha) plot is identified by a metal post. This post can be located on a bearing line of 4Â° E of N. 77 mm from the fiducial center of the infrared aerial photo N 31 (U.S. Bur. of Reclamation Series B/Rl7, 7-16-79). This floodplain community is predominantly black cotton wood with scattered trees of quaking aspen, Populus tremuloides, engelman spruce, Picea engelmannii and lodgepole pine, Pinus contorta. In restricted moister areas several small patches of alder, Alnus incana occur under the larger trees and a few patches of willow, (Salix, sp.) are located in moist openings of the woodland.
Transposition of Tn7 in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Isolation of alk::Tn7 Mutations

Conjugal crosses with Pseudomonas aeruginosa donors carrying the CAM-OCT and RP4::Tn7 plasmids result in transfer of the Tn7 trimethoprim resistance (Tpr) determinant independently of RP4 markers. All Tpr exconjugants which lack RP4 markers have CAM-OCT genes and therefore must have received CAM-OCT::Tn7 plasmids formed by transposition of Tn7 from RP4::Tn7 to CAM-OCT. Most crosses yield exconjugants carrying mutant CAM-OCT plasmids which no longer determine either camphor or alkane utilization and thus appear to carry Tn7 inserts in the cam or alk loci, respectively. Transduction and reversion experiments indicated that at least 13 alkane-negative, camphor-positive, Tpr CAM-OCT::Tn7 plasmids carry an alk::Tn7 mutation. Determination of linkage between the alk mutation and the Tpr determinant of Tn7 on these plasmids is complicated by the presence of multiple copies of the Tn7 element in the genome. Generalized transduction will remove Tn7 from a CAM-OCT alk::Tn7 plasmid to yield alk+ cells which carry no Tpr determinant on the CAM-OCT plasmid (as shown by transfer of the plasmid to a second strain). But the transduction to alk+ does not remove all Tpr determinants from the genome of the recipient cell because the alkane-positive transductants remain trimethoprim resistant. Thus, it appears that copies of Tn7 can accumulate in the genome of P. aeruginosa (CAM-OCT alk::Tn7) strains without leaving their original site. This result is consistent with transposition models that involve replication of the transposable element without excision from the original site.
Downstream of Kinase, p62dok, Is a Mediator of FcγRIIB Inhibition of FcεRI Signaling

The low-affinity receptor for IgG, FcγRIIB, is expressed widely in the immune system and functions to attenuate Ag-induced immune responses. In mast cells, coaggregation of FcγRIIB with the high-affinity IgE receptor, FceRI, leads to inhibition of Ag-induced degranulation and cytokine production. FcγRIIB inhibitory activity requires a conserved motif within the FcγRIIB cytoplasmic domain termed the immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibition motif. When coaggregated with an activating receptor (e.g., FceRI, B cell Ag receptor), FcγRIIB is rapidly phosphorylated on tyrosine and recruits the SH2 domain-containing inositol 5-phosphatase (SHIP). However, the mechanisms by which SHIP mediates FcγRIIB inhibitory function in mast cells remain poorly defined. In this report we demonstrate that FcγRIIB coaggregation with FceRI stimulates enhanced SHIP tyrosine phosphorylation and association with Shc and p62dok. Concurrently, enhanced p62dok tyrosine phosphorylation and association with RasGAP are observed, suggesting that SHIP may mediate FcγRIIB inhibitory function in mast cells via recruitment of p62dok and RasGAP. Supporting this hypothesis, recruitment of p62dok to FceRI is sufficient to inhibit FceRI-induced calcium mobilization and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 activation. Interestingly, both the amino-terminal pleckstrin homology and phosphotyrosine binding domains and the carboxyl-terminal proline/tyrosine-rich region of p62dok can mediate inhibition, suggesting activation of parallel downstream signaling pathways that converge at extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 activation. Finally, studies using gene-ablated mice indicate that p62dok is dispensable for FcγRIIB inhibitory signaling in mast cells. Taken together, these data suggest a role for p62dok as a mediator of FcγRIIB inhibition of FceRI signal transduction in mast cells.
Air pollution: forest health and passive sampling

32nd Annual Air Pollution Workshop Auburn University in Auburn, AL, USA, April 2000 Air pollution has profound effects on agriculture, forests and natural ecosystems. The first Air Pollution Workshop was held over 30 years ago, and the most vital issues have always been highlighted within this forum. This year, forest health and passive sampling of air pollutants were two key areas of interest.
11 The aids epidemic: Demographic aspects, population biology, and virus evolution

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the demographic aspects, population biology, and virus evolution of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) epidemic. The evolution of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic reflects many of the underlying factors responsible for the emergence of an infectious disease. The review presented in the chapter involves ecological changes, human demographics and behavior, international travel, technology and industry, microbial adaptation and change, and breakdown in public health measures. Data from Uganda demonstrate a strong correlation between HIV infection and migration status. The early phases of emergence and dissemination influenced the next phase of escalation, which occurred during the 1980s and 1990s. The transmission of HIV was amplified among many high-risk populations and spread to other populations at risk, including injecting drug users (IDUs), heterosexual partners of infected individuals, female spouses of men who visit female sex workers, blood transfusion recipients, and eventually segments of the general population in both urban and rural settings. The strong association between HIV transmission and the presence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) has been termed as “epidemiological synergy” because of the strong behavioral and biological association between HW and STDs.
Reducing the interference between sidelobe cancellers and sidelobe blankers in electronic scanning array radars

The interferometer effects that result from combining SLB (sidelobe blanker) and SLC (sidelobe canceller) auxiliary antennas threaten the compatibility of the two functions within a single radar system. An investigation of techniques to reduce or eliminate these effects is presented. Descriptions are presented of the simulation models (which consisted of planar arrays and cylindrical arrays), analytical approach, and results of the study. The results from early tests of two techniques-namely aperture switching and jammer assignment or beam switching of steerable auxiliaries on a pulse-to-pulse basis during the duration of a pulse burst-unmistakably indicate that the interference effects can be reduced. >
In Vitro Mutational and Bioinformatics Analysis of the M71 Odorant Receptor and Its Superfamily

We performed an extensive mutational analysis of the canonical mouse odorant receptor (OR) M71 to determine the properties of ORs that inhibit plasma membrane trafficking in heterologous expression systems. We employed the use of the M71::GFP fusion protein to directly assess plasma membrane localization and functionality of M71 in heterologous cells in vitro or in olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) in vivo. OSN expression of M71::GFP show only small differences in activity compared to untagged M71. However, M71::GFP could not traffic to the plasma membrane even in the presence of proposed accessory proteins RTP1S or mβ2AR. To ask if ORs contain an internal “kill sequence”, we mutated ~15 of the most highly conserved OR specific amino acids not found amongst the trafficking non-OR GPCR superfamily; none of these mutants rescued trafficking. Addition of various amino terminal signal sequences or different glycosylation motifs all failed to produce trafficking. The addition of the amino and carboxy terminal domains of mβ2AR or the mutation Y289A in the highly conserved GPCR motif NPxxY does not rescue plasma membrane trafficking. The failure of targeted mutagenesis on rescuing plasma membrane localization in heterologous cells suggests that OR trafficking deficits may not be attributable to conserved collinear motifs, but rather the overall amino acid composition of the OR family. Thus, we performed an in silico analysis comparing the OR and other amine receptor superfamilies. We find that ORs contain fewer charged residues and more hydrophobic residues distributed throughout the protein and a conserved overall amino acid composition. From our analysis, we surmise that it may be difficult to traffic ORs at high levels to the cell surface in vitro, without making significant amino acid modifications. Finally, we observed specific increases in methionine and histidine residues as well as a marked decrease in tryptophan residues, suggesting that these changes provide ORs with special characteristics needed for them to function in olfactory neurons.
Ribozymes and RNA Catalysis

The discovery that RNA could catalyze chemical reactions revolutionized the field of biochemistry and changed the way people view biological catalysis. Proteins were no longer the sole facilitators of chemical reactivity. RNA catalysis laid the groundwork for a theory that RNAs were biology's original catalysts. They were in fact well suited for this role since they both carried the information necessary for their self-replication as well as the means to promote the duplication event. Thus, the so-called RNA World Theory provides a plausible route through this evolutionary quandary. This article reviews the scope and basic tenets of ribozyme biochemistry. Seven families of natural ribozymes are introduced together with a sampling of the novel catalysts that have been generated in the laboratory by in vitro selection. Finally, the discussion provides an overview of how the structural and chemical properties of RNAs relate to their catalytic behavior and compares this chemistry to examples of protein enzymes that catalyze equivalent reactions. Catalytic machines like the ribosome, composed of both RNA and protein, thus may reflect the evolutionary transition away from an all-RNA protoribosome. Keywords: enzyme; hydrolysis; in vitro selection; mechanism; nucleic acid; phosphotransferase; RNA World; structure
Gelation behavior of polysaccharide-based interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) hydrogels

We report the preparation and rheological characterization of interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) hydrogels made from alginate and hydrophobically modified ethyl hydroxyl ethyl cellulose (HMEHEC). To our knowledge, there have been no studies of the gelation behavior of IPNs. We found that the rheology of these systems can be easily tuned, with the elastic modulus of the IPN strongly dependent on the relative ratio of HMEHEC to alginate. The sol–gel transition of these systems was found to satisfy the Winter–Chambon criterion for gelation at various crosslinker densities. From the power law relationship of the dynamic moduli (G ′ ~G ″ ~ω n), the exponent n appears to be dependent on both the crosslinker density and relative amount of two polymers. The value of n was found to be ~0.5 for all samples for stoichiometric amounts of crosslinker. The effect of molecular weight of HMEHEC on the gel point and viscoelastic exponent has also been reported. Alginate seems to dominate the kinetics of the process but the effect of high molecular weight HMEHEC on the gel point, especially at lower proportion was also evident.
Mechanistic studies of the transfer dehydrogenation of cyclooctane catalyzed by iridium bis(phosphinite) p-XPCP pincer complexes.

Reaction of bis(phosphinite) PCP iridium pincer complexes (p-XPCP)IrHCl (5a−f) [X = MeO (5a), Me (5b), H (5c), F (5d), C6F5 (5e), ArF(= 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl) (5f)] with NaOtBu in neat cyclooctane (COA) generates 1:1 mixtures of the respective (p-XPCP)IrH2 complexes 4a−f and the cyclooctene (COE) olefin complexes (p-XPCP)Ir(COE) (6a−f) at 23 °C. At higher temperatures, complexes 4 and 6 are equilibrated because of the degenerate transfer dehydrogenation of COA with free COE (6 + COA ⇌ 4 + 2COE), as was shown by temperature-dependent equilibrium constants and spin saturation transfer experiments at 80 °C. At this temperature, the COE complexes 6 exchange with free COE on the NMR time scale with the more electron-deficient complexes 6 exchanging COE faster. The exchange is dissociative and zero order in [COE]. Further analysis reveals that the stoichiometric hydrogenation of COE by complex 4f, and thus the separated back reaction 4f + 2COE → 6f + COA proceeds at temperatures as low as −100 °C with ...
Recent developments in heavy-ion fusion reactions

In this review the main advances in heavy-ion fusion research that have taken place over the last decade are addressed. During this period, experimental studies have been extended to deep subbarrier energies to reveal the unexpected phenomenon of fusion hindrance. The coupled-channels descriptions have been refined to include the effects of nucleon transfer and to account for the fusion hindrance in terms of the ion-ion potential in the strongly overlapping region. Substantial progress has been made in time-dependent Hartree-Fock theory to the point that this approach now can make parameter-free predictions of heavy-ion fusion excitation functions. As several heavy-ion fusion reactions are of crucial importance in late-stage giant-star evolution, these reactions continue to be studied with better experimental and theoretical tools in order to provide improved input to astrophysical models. The effects of loosely bound valence nucleons on the fusion cross sections are the focus of a number of experimental studies involving radioactive beams, which have only recently become available. And finally, as the active field of synthesizing superheavy elements relies on heavy-ion fusion to reach the nuclei of interest, it is important to understand the fusion dynamics that plays a crucial role in both the “cold-fusion” and “hot-fusion” approaches to the superheavy island of stability. Also this area has seen significant progress in several different approaches to the problem of predicting the cross sections for formation and survival of these rare nuclei.
Choosing an investment strategy by stochastic control

A portfolio optimisation problem on an infinite time horizon is considered. Risky asset price obeys a logarithmic Brownian motion, and the interest rate varies according to a Markov diffusion process. This paper obtains an investment strategy considering one stock, one bond where the risk-free interest rate, the appreciation and the volatility of the stock depend on an external finite state Markov chain. We investigate the problem of maximising the expected utility from terminal wealth and solve it explicitly by stochastic control methods for a specific utility function U (x ) = logx.
A Reconstruction Approach to High -Order Schemes Including Discontinuous Galerkin for Diffusion

We in troduce a new approach to high -order accuracy for the numerical solution of diffusion problems by solving the equations in differential form using a reconstruction technique . The approach has the advantages of simplicity and economy. It results in several new high -order methods including a simplified version of discontinuous Galerkin (DG). It also leads to new definitions of common value and common gradient —quantities at each interface shared by the two adjacent cells . In addition, the new approach clarifie s the relation s among the various choices of new and existing common quantities. Fourier stability and accuracy analyses are carried out for the resulting scheme s. Extensions to the case of quadrilateral meshes ar e obtained via tensor products. For the two -point boundary value problem ( steady state), it is shown that these schemes , which include most popular DG methods, yield ex act common interface quantities as well as exact cell average solutions for nearly all cases. Keywords . Discontinuous Galerkin meth ods, high -order methods, reconstruction, diffusion equation.
Principles of activation and permeation in an anion-selective Cys-loop receptor.

Fast inhibitory neurotransmission is essential for nervous system function and is mediated by binding of inhibitory neurotransmitters to receptors of the Cys-loop family embedded in the membranes of neurons. Neurotransmitter binding triggers a conformational change in the receptor, opening an intrinsic chloride channel and thereby dampening neuronal excitability. Here we present the first three-dimensional structure, to our knowledge, of an inhibitory anion-selective Cys-loop receptor, the homopentameric Caenorhabditis elegans glutamate-gated chloride channel α (GluCl), at 3.3 A resolution. The X-ray structure of the GluCl-Fab complex was determined with the allosteric agonist ivermectin and in additional structures with the endogenous neurotransmitter L-glutamate and the open-channel blocker picrotoxin. Ivermectin, used to treat river blindness, binds in the transmembrane domain of the receptor and stabilizes an open-pore conformation. Glutamate binds in the classical agonist site at subunit interfaces, and picrotoxin directly occludes the pore near its cytosolic base. GluCl provides a framework for understanding mechanisms of fast inhibitory neurotransmission and allosteric modulation of Cys-loop receptors.
Validation of the hypomania interview guide-seasonal affective disorder (HIGH-SAD) version in patients with rapid cycling bipolar disorder.

We validated the Hypomania Interview Guide-Seasonal Affective Disorder (HIGH-SAD) version in patients with rapid cycling bipolar disorder (RCBD). Fourteen outpatients were rated on six separate occasions (total= 84 visits). On each visit the patients were rated with the HIGH-SAD and the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) in a counterbalanced order. Clinical assessment was completed at the end of the visit by the treating psychiatrist. Patients were assessed as hypomanic/manic on 22 of the visits. Pearson correlation coefficient between the YMRS total scores and the HIGH-SAD total scores for those 22 visits in which patients were hypomanic/manic was r= 0.629 (P< 0.05) and for all visits was r= 0.769 (P<0.0001). Analysis with only one rating per patient yielded a Pearson correlation coefficient of r=0.792 (P<0.0004). We found that the HIGH-SAD was a valid scale for the measurement of hypomania in patients with RCBD. However, the scale does not differentiate hypomania from mania in this group of patients. Depression and Anxiety 8:166–168, 1998. Published 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc. This article is a US Government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.