cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Close proximity between residue 30 of phospholamban and cysteine 318 of the cardiac Ca2+ pump revealed by intermolecular thiol cross-linking.

Abstract Phospholamban (PLB) is a 52-amino acid inhibitor of the Ca2+-ATPase in cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum (SERCA2a), which acts by decreasing the apparent affinity of the enzyme for Ca2+. To localize binding sites of SERCA2a for PLB, we performed Cys-scanning mutagenesis of PLB, co-expressed the PLB mutants with SERCA2a in insect cell microsomes, and tested for cross-linking of the mutated PLB molecules to SERCA2a using 1,6-bismaleimidohexane, a 10-A-long, homobifunctional thiol cross-linking agent. Of several mutants tested, only PLB with a Cys replacement at position 30 (N30C-PLB) cross-linked to SERCA2a. Cross-linking occurred specifically and with high efficiency. The process was abolished by micromolar Ca2+ or by an anti-PLB monoclonal antibody and was inhibited 50% by phosphorylation of PLB by cAMP-dependent protein kinase. The SERCA2a inhibitors thapsigargin and cyclopiazonic acid also completely prevented cross-linking. The two essential requirements for cross-linking of N30C-PLB to SERCA2a were a Ca2+-free enzyme and, unexpectedly, a micromolar concentration of ATP or ADP, demonstrating that N30C-PLB cross-links preferentially to the nucleotide-bound, E2 state of SERCA2a. Sequencing of a purified proteolytic fragment in combination with SERCA2a mutagenesis identified Cys318 of SERCA2a as the sole amino acid cross-linked to N30C-PLB. The proximity of residue 30 of PLB to Cys318 of SERCA2a suggests that PLB may interfere with Ca2+ activation of SERCA2a by a protein interaction occurring near transmembrane helix M4.
Ethanol lowers heart carnitine in the methionine and choline deficient rat.

Abstract In agreement with the findings of others, heart carnitine levels of male, weanling Sprague-Dawley rats fed nutritionally adequate liquid diets with 35% of calories as ethanol for 3 weeks were not different from control or pair-fed rats (Experiment 1). When ethanol was given as 30% of energy in combination with a diet deficient in methionine and choline, and the feeding period was extended to 5 weeks, heart carnitine levels were significantly affected (Experiment 2). Carnitine levels in whole heart homogenates of the methionine and choline deficient chronic ethanol-fed group were 2.14±0.74 μmoles per g dry wt. significantly lower ( p
Impedance differences found with n-alkanethiol monolayers prepared by contact printing and solution adsorption

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of n-octadecanethiol, n-dodecanethiol and n-pentanethiol formed by contact printing and solution adsorption are characterized by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Impedance measurements show that monolayers prepared by contact printing are on the order of 5 times less resistive to charge transfer and have greater defect density than monolayers prepared by solution adsorption. Modeling of the average defect size and density show that the size of monolayer defects stays relatively constant independent of the monolayer preparation conditions; however, the density of defects decreases with increasing concentration for the contact printed monolayers. The impedance data also show that monolayers prepared by solution adsorption have fewer defects than those prepared by contact printing.
Teacher Education under Audit: Value-Added Measures, TVAAS, EdTPA and Evidence-Based Theory

This article describes how evidence-based theory fuels an audit culture for teacher education in the USA, placing faculty under monitoring and surveillance, and severely constraining judgment, discretion, and professional decision-making. The national education reform efforts, Race to the Top and Common Core State Standards, demand fealty to evidence-based standards, while the Teacher Performance Assessment (EdTPA) requires teacher candidates to videotape their classroom lessons and submit the ‘evidence’ for review by external reviewers. The history of this theory, findings on the Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS), a discussion between EdTPA and teacher education colleges, and examples of how faculty are expected to provide evidence of effectiveness, are all included in the article.
High resolution vuv photo-absorption cross sections of O2 near 83.4 nm

Abstract The O+ (2s2p4 4P → 2s22p3 4S0) 83.4 nm triplet is of great interest in ionosphere physics primarily for its role in remote sensing of the ionosphere. Absolute photoabsorption cross sections of O2 near 83.4 nm have been made utilizing the Very High Resolution Spectrometer at the National Institute of Standards and Technology's Synchrotron Ultraviolet Radiation Facility (SURF II). The 6.65 m spectrometer has a resolving power of ∼ 100,000 near 80 nm (FWHM = 0.8 pm). Cross sections were measured over the range 83.0 – 83.5 nm. The value of the cross sections at the positions of the triplet emission lines located at 83.4465, 83.3329, and 83.2757 nm are 14.4 ± 0.7, 18.4 ± 0.8, and 38.2 ± 1.5 Mb respectively. The cross section at the peak of the absorption band at 83.268 nm is 40.6 ± 1.6 Mb. The large discrepancies between our values and those of other investigators are probably due to their low instrumental resolution.
Federalism Revised: The Promise and Challenge of the No Child Left Behind Act

Federalism in education has undergone significant changes since the Winter Commission. During the early 1990s, federal policy makers faced the challenge of organizational fragmentation and policy incoherence in public education. In the last 15 years, the intergovernmental system has evolved from one that is predominantly compliance-driven to one that is performance based, as suggested by the congressional adoption of the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001. While the former is often characterized by images of “picket fence” federalism and administrative silos, the latter remains very much a work in progress, with the promise of raising academic proficiency. This paper first examines the paradigm shift and then considers emerging politics in intergovernmental relations. The author explores the ways in which state and local policy makers are altering the rules governing education service provision in response to performance-based federal expectations.
A system of evidenced-based techniques and collaborative clinical interventions with a chronically ill patient.

Although evidence-based treatments (EBTs) exist for both bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder, there is far less evidence underpinning the treatment of anorexia nervosa (AN). Furthermore, there is no clearly defined standardized approach to patients who have not responded to treatment over an extended period of time. Chronic eating disorder patients in particular might need long-term engagement with treatment providers offering a wide range of interventions. This case study highlights how an experienced private practitioner systematically employed a variety of EBT techniques for a patient with a severe, long-term eating disorder and its comorbidities, within a model of attachment and collaboration. The practice of utilizing a wide variety of EBT techniques in a systematic manner guided by clinical expertise and supported by a therapy relationship of collaboration and attachment may prove to be a fruitful avenue for future research. © 2013 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Shifting Mainstream of Music in America and Its Implications for Popular Culture Libraries

Abstract Much of what used to be a part of mass culture in the area of music has been transported over to the fringes of mainstream music during the last fifty years. The implications of this shift for popular culture libraries is discussed.
Fluid moment models for Landau damping with application to the ion-temperature-gradient instability.

A closed set of fluid moment equations is developed which represents kinetic Landau damping physics and which takes a simple form in wave-number space. The linear-response function corresponds to a three-pole (or four-pole) approximation to the plasma dispersion function Z. Alternatively, the response is exact for a distribution function which is close to Maxwellian, but which decreases asymptotically as 1/${\mathit{v}}^{4}$ (or 1/${\mathit{v}}^{6}$). Among other applications, these equations should be useful for nonlinear studies of turbulence driven by the ion-temperature-gradient or other drift-wave microinstabilities.
Effect of 10-Day Courses of Human Growth Hormone on Height of Short Children

Preliminary experiments showed that a 10-day course of 0.0532, 0.168, or 0.532 U human growth hormone (hGH)⁄kg BW3⁄4⁄day (dose B, C,or D,respectively) in GH-deficient children caused N retention during the period of treatment, and 1.5- to 9-fold acceleration in growth rate during the following 8 weeks. This study aimed to define therelations between dose of hGH administered for 10 days, degree of N retention during the 10 days of treatment, and increment in height during the next 8 weeks. N retention was quantified asΔN (average daily N balance (grams) during 10 days of hGH treatment minus average daily balance during the 7 preceding days) per kg BW3⁄4 × 10’1. Increment in height, ΔH, was defined as: (increase in height (centimeters) during 8 weeks after hGH treatment) minusVz (increase in height during 8 weeks before hGH treatment plus increase in heightduring weeks 8–16 after hGH). ΔN and ΔH in response to dose B, C, and D administered at 4-month intervals was measured in each of 25 GH-deficient childre...
A performance analysis of fast Gabor transform methods

Abstract Computation of the finite discrete Gabor transform can be accomplished in a variety of ways. Three representative methods (matrix inversion, Zak transform, and relaxation network) were evaluated in terms of execution speed, accuracy, and stability. The relaxation network was the slowest method tested. Its strength lies in the fact that it makes no explicit assumptions about the basis functions; in practice it was found that convergence did depend on basis choice. The matrix method requires a separable Gabor basis (i.e., one that can be generated by taking a Cartesian product of one-dimensional functions), but is faster than the relaxation network by several orders of magnitude. It proved to be a stable and highly accurate algorithm. The Zak–Gabor algorithm requires that all of the Gabor basis functions have exactly the same envelope and gives no freedom in choosing the modulating function. Its execution, however, is very stable, accurate, and by far the most rapid of the three methods tested.
Spectral tuning of opponent pathways is temporally dependent

Psychophysical test and field sensitivity data suggest that the spectral sensitivities of red/green opponent channels (red/green cells) become progressively nonopponent with decreases in stimulus size or duration. Recent data show that the shape of the field sensitivity depends not on field size per se but on the relative size of test and field. The present study examined the effect on field sensitivity of variations in the temporal parameters of stimulation. The results suggest a more complicated interaction than is observed in the spatial domain. Spectral tuning depends not only on the relative durations of test and field but also on the offset asynchrony between the two lights. Only when the test is extinguished prior to the field do the data show evidence of red/green activity. When the two lights coterminate. the field sensitivity resembles a nonopponent function, regardless of stimulus duration.
Longitudinal curvature effects in turbulent boundary layers

Abstract It is generally accepted that even relatively small longitudinal surface or streamline curvature has a significant affect on transport of momentum and heat in turbulent boundary layers. A review is made of experiments that elucidate the effects of curvature and turbulence models which attempt to account for these effects. While the main body of the review is concerned with two-dimensional boundary-layer flow, as is much of the available literature, attention is drawn to the much broader role of curvature in three-dimensional flows.
Spectrophotometer and ultrasound evaluation of late toxicity following breast-cancer radiotherapy.

Purpose: Radiation-induced normal-tissue toxicities are common, complex, and distressing side effects that affect 90% of patients receiving breast-cancer radiotherapy and 40% of patients post radiotherapy. In this study, the authors investigated the use of spectrophotometry and ultrasound to quantitatively measure radiation-induced skin discoloration and subcutaneous-tissue fibrosis. The study’s purpose is to determine whether skin discoloration correlates with the development of fibrosis in breast-cancer radiotherapy.Methods: Eighteen breast-cancer patients were enrolled in our initial study. All patients were previously treated with a standard course of radiation, and the median follow-up time was 22 months. The treated and untreated breasts were scanned with a spectrophotometer and an ultrasound. Two spectrophotometer parameters—melanin and erythema indices—were used to quantitatively assess skin discoloration. Two ultrasound parameters—skin thickness and Pearson coefficient of the hypodermis—were used to quantitatively assess severity of fibrosis. These measurements were correlated with clinical assessments (RTOG late morbidity scores).Results: Significant measurement differences between the treated and contralateral breasts were observed among all patients: 27.3% mean increase in skin thickness (p < 0.001), 34.1% mean decrease in Pearson coefficient (p < 0.001), 27.3% mean increase in melanin (p < 0.001), and 22.6% mean increase in erythema (p < 0.001). All parameters except skin thickness correlated with RTOG scores. A moderate correlation exists between melanin and erythema; however, spectrophotometer parameters do not correlate with ultrasound parameters.Conclusions:Spectrophotometry and quantitative ultrasound are objective tools that assess radiation-induced tissue injury. Spectrophotometer parameters did not correlate with those of quantitative ultrasound suggesting that skin discoloration cannot be used as a marker for subcutaneous fibrosis. These tools may prove useful for the reduction of radiation morbidities and improvement of patient quality of life.
A Pilot Study of Vitamin D and Balance Characteristics in Middle-Aged, Healthy Individuals

Objective To examine what relationship exists between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) levels and postural competency in the middle-aged, healthy individual. Design A community convenience sample. Setting Major medical center employees. Subjects Thirty-five healthy individuals older than 40 years of age who demonstrated appropriate cognition and physical stability. Specific exclusion criteria included any prior history of hip, knee, or ankle fracture or surgery. Methods Questionnaire regarding exercise and sun exposure, vitamin D blood level, followed by computerized dynamic posturography (CDP) assessment of balance. Main Outcome Measurements CDP scores of individuals with normal and subnormal vitamin D levels. Results Thirteen male and 22 female subjects had a mean age of 56.0 years (standard deviation, 7.6; range, 42-77). Self-reported, retrospective mean weekly sun exposure was 7.36 hours (standard deviation, 6.4 hours). Twenty-six subjects (76.5%) described themselves as regular exercisers. Mean 25-OHD level for the sample was 21.5 ng/mL (standard deviation, 12.1 ng/mL). When subjects were divided into those with low and high 25-OHD levels, there was no significant difference in composite limits of stability reaction time scores (mean, 0.98 seconds and 0.84 seconds; P = .23), composite maximal velocity scores (4.2°/second and 5.5°/second; P = .08), composite end point excursion (70.3% and 70.1%; P = .95), and directional control composite scores (71.0% and 71.4%; P = .93). The two groups also showed no significant differences in rhythmic weight shifting left and right as well as forward and backward. Conclusions Unlike studies involving elderly subjects, this study of younger, healthy subjects did not demonstrate a relationship between vitamin D and balance.
The ontogeny and homology of the Weberian apparatus in the zebrafish Danio rerio (Ostariophysi: Cypriniformes)

The ontogeny of the Weberian apparatus was examined in the zebrafish, Danio rerio, using both cleared and stained specimens and histology. Over 300 individuals from four independent zebrafish lineages, ranging in size from 3 to 28 mm TL, were examined for this study. Results provide a basic understanding of the development of the Weberian apparatus in the wild-type zebrafish. Our results, in conjunction with those already published, point to substantial variation in the development of the Weberian apparatus among otophysans and new interpretations of the homology of certain ossicles (e.g. tripus and claustrum). Hypotheses of homology among various Weberian ossicles are considered and represent an important step in understanding the evolution of sound transmission in ostariophysan fishes. © 2004 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2004, 140, 241–254.
RENAL PELVIS VOLUME DURING DIURESIS IN CHILDREN WITH HYDRONEPHROSIS: IMPLICATIONS FOR DIAGNOSING OBSTRUCTION WITH DIURETIC RENOGRAPHY

ABSTRACTPurpose: We measured the volume of the renal pelvis during diuretic renography (DR) in children with normal and hydronephrotic kidneys to determine if changes in pelvic volume could affect ...
Verve: A General Purpose Open Source Reinforcement Learning Toolkit

Intelligent agents are becoming increasingly important in our society in applications as diverse as house cleaning robots, computer-controlled opponents in video games, unmanned aerial combat vehicles, entertainment robots, and autonomous explorers in outer space. However, the broader adoption of intelligent agents is often hindered by their limited adaptability to new tasks; when conditions change slightly, agents may quickly become confused. Additionally, a substantial engineering effort is required to design an agent for each new task. This paper presents an adaptable, general purpose intelligent agent toolkit based on reinforcement learning (RL), an approach with strong mathematical foundations and intriguing biological implications. RL algorithms are powerful because of their generality: agents simply receive a scalar reward value representing success or failure, which greatly simplifies the agent design process. Furthermore, these algorithms can be combined with other techniques (e.g., planning from a learned internal model) to improve learning efficiency. The design and implementation of an open source RL toolkit is presented here as a step towards the goal of general purpose agents. Experimental results show learning performance on several tasks, including two physical control problems.Copyright © 2006 by Tyler Edward Streeter
Vitamin D and Depression: Where is all the Sunshine?

Depression in its own right is a disabling condition impairing all aspects of human function. In persons with a chronic medical disease, depression often makes the management of chronic illness more difficult. Recently, vitamin D has been reported in the scientific and lay press as an important factor that may have significant health benefits in the prevention and the treatment of many chronic illnesses. Most individuals in this country have insufficient levels of vitamin D. This is also true for persons with depression as well as other mental disorders. Whether this is due to insufficient dietary intake, lifestyle (e.g., little outdoor exposure to sunshine), or other factors is addressed in this paper. In addition, groups at risk and suggested treatment for inadequate vitamin D levels are addressed. Effective detection and treatment of inadequate vitamin D levels in persons with depression and other mental disorders may be an easy and cost-effective therapy which could improve patients’ long-term health outcomes as well as their quality of life.
Detection of the 3A2 state of CS2 by multiphoton ionization

Abstract The application of the technique of resonance-enhanced multiphoton iontzation (REMPI) spectroscopy to the detection of triplet states via a first photon resonance is examined. It is shown to work well for the a 3 A 2 state of CS 2 . This technique promises to permit the detection of spin-forbidden transitions at high resolution and with great sensitivity.
A Review of Remote Sensing of Forest Biomass and Biofuel: Options for Small-Area Applications

Forests have served as a primary reservoir of terrestrial carbon and have long been investigated in the global climate change context. In addition, increased exposure in the public domain of climate change issues has caused greater interest in the role of forests in the global energy balance. Researchers have been investigating the use of forests as carbon sequestration systems, as well as using forest products for conversion into biofuels. Remote sensing has been widely utilized as a cost-effective tool to provide forest baseline data (e.g., biomass) for effective and efficient forest management. Forest biomass is one of the forest parameters that is widely investigated using remote sensing because biomass is directly related to the productivity of forests and provides valuable information that is necessary for understanding ecosystem functions and carbon cycling. In this paper, we review remote sensing of forest biomass, focusing on recent advances and applications (published after 2000). We also explor...
Inhibition of L-type Ca2+ channel current in Xenopus oocytes by amiodarone.

Background Although amiodarone has been referred to as a class III antiarrhythmic agent, it also possesses electrophysiologic characteristics of the three other classes (classes I and IV and minor class II effects). Previous studies have demonstrated that amiodarone inhibits Ca2+ channel current in intact cardiac myocytes. However, it is not clear whether this response reflects a pure class IV effect (direct Ca2+ channel inhibition) or a class II effect (β-adrenergic receptor blockade) of amiodarone. Methods In the current study, the effects of amiodarone on Ca2+ current were studied in the absence of sympathetic regulation using a Xenopus oocyte expression system. The L-type Ca2+ channel α1C subunit was coexpressed with the α2Δ and β2a subunits in enzymatically digested Xenopus oocytes. Ca2+ currents were recorded using the cut-open oocyte preparation. Results We found that perfusion of 10 μM isoproterenol produced no significant change in peak Ca2+ current (from 223±33 to 210±29 nA, mean±SEM, n=5, P=not significant), indicating the absence of a functional stimulatory sympathetic signal pathway in these oocytes. After 10 minutes of exposure to 10 μM amiodarone, Ca2+ current amplitude was significantly decreased from 174±33 to 100±26 nA (n=8, P Conclusions These results demonstrate that amiodarone inhibits Ca2+ current in the absence of a functional intrinsic β-adrenergic stimulatory system and, therefore, represents a true class IV effect.
Off-energy-shell continuation of the two-nucleon transition matrix in the presence of tensor forces

Abstract For a coupled partial wave with a bound state, the entire T-matrix is determined by the bound-state energy and wave function, the on-shell mixing parameter and a real symmetric matrix function σ(k2,α2 k1α1) of the continuous momentum variables k and the discrete eigenchannel labels α. The on-shell part of σ is given by the eigenphases, the arbitrariness of the T-matrix is the off-shell continuation of this phase-shift matrix σ(kα2, kα1) into two dimensions. Three possible techniques are suggested to go from α to the entire T-matrix. This construction procedure for T avoids the usual complications of a potential fit.
The Influence of Progesterone and Estradiol on the Acute Changes in Pulsatile Luteinizing Hormone Release Induced by Ovariectomy on Diestrus Day 1 in the Rat

The aim of this study was to determine whether the rapid increases in LH pulse amplitude and frequency that occur within 24 h after ovariectomy (ovx) on diestrus day 1 (Dl) were due to the removal of progesterone (P) and/or estradiol (E). Initial studies demonstrated that plasma levels of E and P were 18.2 ± 1.2 pg/ml and 34.1 ± 3.2 ng/ml, respectively, between the evening of Dl and the morning of D2 in our colony of intact rats. Immediately after ovx and jugular venous cannulation on the morning of Dl, rats were implanted either with empty Silastic capsules or capsules capable of restoring physiological levels of E and P to the control values reported above. These rats were continuously bled (75 μl/6 min) for 3 h 1 day after ovx for analysis of pulsatile LH release, and then additional plasma samples were gathered for determination of E and P levels. Rats with empty capsules had decreased levels of E and P and increases in mean blood LH levels, LH pulse amplitude, and pulse frequency. Animals with E caps...
Next steps for use of item response theory in the assessment of health outcomes.

Objectives We review the NCI/DIA conference, “Improving health outcomes assessment based on modern measurement theory and computerized adaptive testing,” and suggest next steps in use of item response theory (IRT) to assess health outcomes.
Christmas in the 1960s: A Charlie Brown Christmas, Religion, and the Conventions of the Television Genre

This study of Christmas television programming from the 1960s is prompted by the repeated assertion that A Charlie Brown Christmas was an aberration within the television medium because its creator, Charles Schulz, dared to include religious content in the mainstream title. Grounded by historical/archival research, this article presents a content analysis of Christmas titles from the 1960s formative decade-of-change in order to substantiate the claim of television’s secularity. The findings demonstrate that even in the genre of Christmas programming, mainstream television has abided by a public/private split from this early era, embracing a model of secularity that resists references to religious belief. A Charlie Brown Christmas and its contemporaries are also analyzed to determine the conventions of the genre that may at times afford such religious aberration when otherwise followed.
Synthesis and Thermoelectric Properties of Bi2Se3 Nanostructures

Bismuth selenide (Bi2Se3) nanostructures were synthesized via solvothermal method. The crystallinity of the as-synthesized sample has been analyzed by X-ray diffraction, which shows the formation of rhombohedral Bi2Se3. Electron microscopy examination indicates that the Bi2Se3 nanoparticles have hexagonal flake-like shape. The effect of the synthesis temperature on the morphology of the Bi2Se3 nanostructures has also been investigated. It is found that the particle size increases with the synthesis temperature. Thermoelectric properties of the Bi2Se3 nanostructures were also measured, and the maximum value of dimensionless figure of merit (ZT) of 0.096 was obtained at 523 K.
394 SERUM SULFATED (S) AND NONSULFATED (NS) BILE ACID (BA) CONCENTRATION VIA DUAL-BEAM SPECTROPHOTOFLUORI-IMETRY (DBSF)

394 SERUM SULFATED (S) AND NONSULFATED (NS) BILE ACID (BA) CONCENTRATION VIA DUAL-BEAM SPECTROPHOTOFLUORI-IMETRY (DBSF)
Optoelectronics And Interface Electronics

This paper is divided into four subsections: 1) LED Source Components, 2) Source Modulation Electronics, 3) Photodetector Components, and 4) Receiver Electronics. The important characteristics of LED source components are discussed, both qualitatively and quantitatively. Edge, dome, flat, Burrus, and miniature-lensed Burrus LED types are identified, and performance parameters available from each are comparatively tabularized. The source modulation electronics discussion is divided into analog and digital categories. Two practical linear IM driver configurations are presented (low and high frequency), and practical, digital low and high bit rate driver configurations are presented. The design considerations underlying each circuit are discussed. Solid-state optoelectronic detectors of interest in fiber optics communications fall into the two general categories of avalanching and nonavalanching (PN/PIN). Available performance in several key parameter areas is quantified for both types. The receiver electronic configuration discussion begins with examination of a general block diagram and brief description of each function. Focus is then concentrated on the transresistance preamplifier function, with the presentation and parameter comparison of four practical preamplifier configurations (including two hybrid preamplifiers). A graph showing the available system NEP performance versus avalanche gain with one of the best available avalanche detectors is presented.
Induction of peroxisomal β-oxidation by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Abstract Several chemical and pharmacologic agents have been identified as peroxisome proliferators in rodents. Most of these compounds contain a lipophilic backbone linked to an acid moiety, generally a carboxylate. Since ibuprofen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs share these structural characteristics, their effects on peroxisomal β-oxidation were examined. Ibuprofen, flurbiprofen, and indomethacin caused dose-related increases in peroxisomal β-oxidation in cultured rat hepatocytes. The dose-response for ibuprofen and flurbiprofen was roughly equivalent to that of clofibric acid, whereas indomethacin was less active. Ibuprofen and flurbiprofen are arylpropionic acids, which are structurally similar to the aryloxyisobutyric acid clofibric acid. Indomethacin differs structurally in that the acid substitution is on an indole ring. This structural difference may be responsible for the difference in activity. Ibuprofen and clofibric acid were also compared in vivo following 2-week dietary administration to rats. Ibuprofen increased relative liver weight and peroxisomal β-oxidation and reduced serum lipids. Clofibric acid was more active than ibuprofen in vivo , particularly with respect to induction of peroxisomal β-oxidation (16.8-fold vs 3-fold, respectively). The difference in activity of the two compounds in vivo was not consistent with the results in vitro . The disparity in peroxisomal activity of ibuprofen in the two test systems may be related to pharmacokinetic factors which are not present in vitro .
Nonlinear structural design sensivitity analysis for path dependent problems. Part 1: General theory

Abstract Two procedures (direct differentiation and adjoint structure) for design sensitivity analysis of nonlinear structural systems with path dependent effects are described in this paper. Continuum formulation is used and both geometric and material nonlinearities are included in the derivations. Incremental nonlinear analysis based on the total Lagrangian concept is adopted. The reference volume concept is used to unify the shape and nonshape design problems. To show the generality of the theory, the derived expressions are reduced to some special cases that have been treated previously in the literature. In Part 2 of the paper a few analytical example problems will be solved to demonstrate the use of the design sensitivity analysis theory. The theory has also beendiscretized elsewhere using finite element approximations for implementation into structural analysis programs. These developments offer a firm foundation for design optimization of complex structural systems.
On the compatibility between a graph and a simple order

Abstract Following a definition of Goodman [2], we define a notion of compatibility between an (unoriented) graph and a simple (linear) order. The notion of indifference graph, introduced in [6] for finite graphs, is extended to graphs of arbitrary cardinalities; and the graphs compatible with some simple order are characterized as precisely the indifference graphs. The uniqueness of the compatible simple order is investigated, and it is shown that there is “essentially” only one such for each indifference graph. A definition of compatibility between oriented graphs and simple orders is also introduced and the oriented graphs compatible with some simple order are characterized as the semiorders of Luce [5] and Scott and Suppes [7]. It is proved that there is essentially only one simple order compatible with each semiorder. Finally, the compatibility results are applied to solve the psychologically-motivated problem of representing a graph (oriented graph) by “just noticeable difference” intervals on the real line. In the work on infinite graphs, the Axiom of Choice is freely (and tacitly) assumed.
Microwave noise parameter measurements of a high temperature superconducting flux flows transistor

The noise parameters of a high-temperature superconducting (HTS) flux flow transistor made of TlBaCaCuO operating at 77 K and 3-5 GHz were experimentally determined. It is assumed that the dominant noise mechanism of the device, which is based on an array of weak links with a magnetic control line, is due to the statistical nature of flux nucleation and motion in the links. The noise parameters dictate the dependence of the noise figure on the source impedance, and are calculated by measuring source impedances. Sensitivity analysis is used to estimate the accuracy of the measurements. The measurements indicate a minimum noise figure of less than 1 dB at 3 GHz.
Evaluation of Health Information Technology: Methods, Frameworks and Challenges

The widespread adoption and use of Health Information Technology (HIT) in clinical environments has broadly corresponded with several reports of workflow and usability concerns and, in some cases, resulting in sentinel and adverse events. Recent reports from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and other federal agencies have highlighted the crucial role of rigorous evaluation methods for the design and development of safer HIT. In this chapter, we describe various methods for evaluating HIT: the first section focuses on the usability methods related to the intrinsic aspects of human-computer interaction (HCI), both from an analytic and user-centered perspective; the second section focuses on the usability methods related to the external and situated aspects of human-computer interaction in complex clinical settings, both from a descriptive and contextual perspective of HIT use. Each of the evaluation methods is described with examples from recent empirical studies published in the biomedical informatics research. Finally, we conclude the chapter by highlighting the challenges of conducting HIT evaluation studies, and potential mechanisms for mitigating some of these methodological challenges.
Dissociable neural correlates of stereotypes and other forms of semantic knowledge

Semantic knowledge refers to the information that people have about categories of objects and living things. Social psychologists have long debated whether the information that perceivers have about categories of peoplei.e. stereotypesmay be a unique form of semantics. Here, we examine this question against well-established findings regarding the neural basis of semantics, which suggest that two brain regionsleft inferior frontal gyrus and inferotemporal cortexare critical for general semantic knowledge. During functional magnetic resonance imaging, participants answered questions about their knowledge of both non-social and social categories. We reasoned that if stereotypes are a typical form of semantic knowledge, then these same regions should subserve the activation and retrieval of stereotypes. Inconsistent with this possibility, left inferior frontal gyrus and inferotemporal cortex were activated only during non-social category judgments. Instead, judgments of social categories were associated with regions frequently linked to social cognition, including medial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate, bilateral temporoparietal junction and anterior temporal cortex. Together, these results suggest that social stereotypes should be con- sidered distinct from other forms of semantic knowledge, and may have more in common with representing mental states than retrieving semantic knowledge about objects and non-human living things.
Measurement of the frequency dependent impedance of major station equipment

High-voltage direct-current (HVDC) converter stations generate radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic (EM) noise due to valve firing. The noise propagates into the AC and DC switchyards and along their corresponding transmission lines. This noise can affect the performance of adjacent communication, control, and computer equipment, and it can interfere with carrier system operation. Therefore, it is important to measure, predict, and mitigate the EM noise and interference. Measurements on equipment are necessary for the purpose of determining these impedance characteristics. A description is given of the instrumentation, improved measurement procedures, a systematic measurement program, and equipment representation concepts. All these have been developed and applied successfully in practice in the course of a project sponsored by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). Transformer-related examples are used to illustrate the more relevant features of the study. >
Thinking big in the global village

Internet technologies inspires us to think beyond national borders. The ability to collaborate, communicate, and do business online offers the potential for a truly global village. Yet communication in cyberspace is by no means seamless. Issues of gender, copyright, free speech, privacy, and electronic commerce must be considered in terms of global, not local, standards. This paper presents thoughts and considerations on each of these individual issues, connecting to other research and noting that despite the abundance of utopian claims about online communication, there are still many challenges before we can truly utilize the Internet at its full potential.
Inducible Protein Traps with Dominant Phenotypes for Functional Analysis of the Drosophila Genome

The Drosophila melanogaster genome has been extensively characterized, but there remains a pressing need to associate gene products with phenotypes, subcellular localizations, and interaction partners. A multifunctional, Minos transposon-based protein trapping system called Hostile takeover (Hto) was developed to facilitate in vivo analyses of endogenous genes, including live imaging, purification of protein complexes, and mutagenesis. The Hto transposon features a UAS enhancer with a basal promoter, followed by an artificial exon 1 and a standard 5′ splice site. Upon GAL4 induction, exon 1 can splice to the next exon downstream in the flanking genomic DNA, belonging to a random target gene. Exon 1 encodes a dual tag (FLAG epitope and mCherry red fluorescent protein), which becomes fused to the target protein. Hto was mobilized throughout the genome and then activated by eye-specific GAL4; an F1 screen for abnormal eye phenotypes was used to identify inserts that express disruptive fusion proteins. Approximately 1.7% of new inserts cause eye phenotypes. Of the first 23 verified target genes, 21 can be described as regulators of cell biology and development. Most are transcription factor genes, including AP-2, CG17181, cut, klu, mamo, Sox102F, and sv. Other target genes [l(1)G0232, nuf, pum, and Syt4] make cytoplasmic proteins, and these lines produce diverse fluorescence localization patterns. Hto permits the expression of stable carboxy-terminal subfragments of proteins, which are rarely tested in conventional genetic screens. Some of these may disrupt specific cell pathways, as exemplified by truncated forms of Mastermind and Nuf.
A phase I‐II study of high‐dose recombinant human interleukin‐2 in disseminated renal‐cell carcinoma

Natural interleukin-2 is a lymphokine with an immunoregulatory function. The recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2) is cloned from a human lymphoblastoid T-cell line for this trial. The gene is expressed in E-coli, allowing production of large quantities of rIL-2. This study is an open label phase I-II trial designed to evaluate the toxicity and efficacy of a rIL-2 in disseminated renal cell carcinoma. After surgical resection of the primary tumor, 3 X 10(6) units/m2 day rIL-2 is administered by 2-hr IV infusions daily for 5 days every other week for a total of eight cycles. At the conclusion of eight cycles of therapy, the patients were re-evaluated for response. Patients with complete and partial responses were eligible to receive an additional eight cycles every other week. Patients demonstrating progressive disease during this study were withdrawn. The toxicities of the high-dose rIL-2 included transient hypotension, pyrexia, malaise, and skin rashes. The transient hypotension responded to fluid replacement, and the other toxicities also responded to symptomatic treatment. The early results in ten patients indicate two partial and one complete response. We have concluded that administration of high-dose interleukin-2 has acceptable toxicities with encouraging response and deserves a phase III study.
Self-report depression scales in the elderly: the relationship between the CES-D and ZUNG

Depression is one of the most common mental health problems in the elderly, but there is little consensus about the best way to assess depression in the aged. The relationship between the CES-D and the ZUNG self-report depression scales was investigated in seventy-eight elderly people with osteoarthritis (mean age 71). The correlation between the scales was r = .69, with the CES-D classifying 15 percent of the participants as depressed, as compared to 6 percent by the ZUNG. Psychological symptoms had the strongest relationship with overall depression scores on both scales. No sex differences were found on psychological items on either scale, but females reported more somatic symptoms on the ZUNG. People over age seventy-four reported more psychological symptoms than their younger counterparts.
Reactions of Ferrocenyl Amines and Alcohols with Hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene

The reactions of ferrocenyl methanol, ferrocenyl 2-propanol and N-methyl-2-ferrocenylmethylamine with chlorocyclophosphazenes have been examined. The pentachlorocyclotriphosphazene derivative of ferrocenylmethanol undergoes rapid decomposition via a phosphazene-phosphazane rearrangement, however when the alcohol function is β to the cyclopentadienyl ring modest yields of N3P3Cl5OCHMeCH2C2H4FeCp may be obtained. By way of contrast N-methyl-2-ferrocenylmethylamine gives a broad range of stable derivatives, N3P3Cl6-n[NMeCH2C5H4FeCp]n(n=l-3). The substitution process follows a predominantly trans non-geminal pathway. The corresponding reaction with the butylmethacrylate derivative, N3P3Cl5O(CH2)4OC(O)CMe=CH2 leads to the unexpected geminal product, 2,2′-N3P3Cl4[O(CH2)4OC(O)CMe=CH2]NMeCH2C5H4FeCp. Polymers containing the 2-ferrocenylmethylamine function have been obtained by reactions of poly(dichlorophosphazene) with the ferrocenylamine and by radical addition polymerization of the aforementioned mixed ferroc...
Saccharomyces Genome Database (SGD) provides secondary gene annotation using the Gene Ontology (GO)

The Saccharomyces Genome Database (SGD) resources, ranging from genetic and physical maps to genome-wide analysis tools, reflect the scientific progress in identifying genes and their functions over the last decade. As emphasis shifts from identification of the genes to identification of the role of their gene products in the cell, SGD seeks to provide its users with annotations that will allow relationships to be made between gene products, both within Saccharomyces cerevisiae and across species. To this end, SGD is annotating genes to the Gene Ontology (GO), a structured representation of biological knowledge that can be shared across species. The GO consists of three separate ontologies describing molecular function, biological process and cellular component. The goal is to use published information to associate each characterized S.cerevisiae gene product with one or more GO terms from each of the three ontologies. To be useful, this must be done in a manner that allows accurate associations based on experimental evidence, modifications to GO when necessary, and careful documentation of the annotations through evidence codes for given citations. Reaching this goal is an ongoing process at SGD. For information on the current progress of GO annotations at SGD and other participating databases, as well as a description of each of the three ontologies, please visit the GO Consortium page at http://www.geneontology.org. SGD gene associations to GO can be found by visiting our site at http:// genome-www.stanford.edu/Saccharomyces/.
Complement receptor 3 (CR3, Mac-1, integrin alpha M beta 2, CD11b/CD18) is required for tyrosine phosphorylation of paxillin in adherent and nonadherent neutrophils

Expression of the leukocyte (beta 2) integrins is required for many functions of activated neutrophils (PMN), even when there is no recognized ligand for any beta 2 integrin. To investigate the hypothesis that beta 2 integrins may be involved in a signal transduction pathway related to cytoskeletal reorganization, we examined whether beta 2 integrins have a role in tyrosine phosphorylation of the cytoskeletal protein paxillin. Treatment of PMN in suspension with phorbol esters, f-Met-Leu-Phe, and TNF-alpha resulted in paxillin tyrosine phosphorylation. However, treatment of beta 2-deficient (LAD) PMN failed to induce paxillin tyrosine phosphorylation. Normal PMN phosphorylated paxillin in response to adhesion to immune complexes, while the LAD PMN did not. Adhesion of phorbol ester activated-LAD PMN to the extracellular matrix proteins fibronectin, laminin, and vitronectin failed to induce paxillin tyrosine phosphorylation. Treatment of activated normal PMN with mAb directed against the beta 2 integrin alpha chains demonstrated that CR3 (alpha M beta 2) was required for paxillin phosphorylation. Transfection of the cell line K562 with CR3 confirmed that CR3 ligation resulted in paxillin tyrosine phosphorylation. As a control, K562 transfected with CR2 (CD21) which bound equally avidly to the same complement C3-derived ligand (C3bi) as the CR3 transfectants, showed no enhanced tyrosine phosphorylation of paxillin upon receptor ligation. While both CR2 and CR3 transfectants showed efficient adhesion to a C3bi-coated surface, only the CR3 transfectants spread during adhesion and phosphorylated paxillin. Together these data demonstrate that CR3 is required for paxillin phosphorylation during activation of both adherent and nonadherent PMN. Even PMN activated in suspension or by adhesion to immune complexes, when no CR3 ligand is apparent, still require CR3 for a signal transduction pathway leading to paxillin tyrosine phosphorylation. This pathway is likely to be important for PMN function in inflammation and host defense.
Data Smoothing: Prediction of Human Behavior, Detection of Behavioral Patterns, and Monitoring Treatment Effectiveness in Single-Subject Behavioral Studies

Data-smoothing can be particularly useful in predicting human behavior, detecting behavioral patterns, and monitoring treatment effectiveness in highly variable single-subject behavioral experiments that cannot be determined by only visual inspection of their graphs. Using an example from the applied behavior analytic literature, the use of moving-averag e and exponential data-smoothing aided the detection of the unique behavioral patterns of a child with autism across different treatments. Furthermore, the utility of the data-smoothing procedures to monitor and control the effectiveness of an intervention is discussed. The ease of their calculations suggest use of data-smoothing by behavior analysts whenever the effects of particular interventions are questionable.