cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of data dictionary formats of HIV clinical trials.

Background Efforts to define research Common Data Elements try to harmonize data collection across clinical studies. Objective Our goal was to analyze the quality and usability of data dictionaries of HIV studies. Methods For the clinical domain of HIV, we searched data sharing platforms and acquired a set of 18 HIV related studies from which we analyzed 26 328 data elements. We identified existing standards for creating a data dictionary and reviewed their use. To facilitate aggregation across studies, we defined three types of data dictionary (data element, forms, and permissible values) and created a simple information model for each type. Results An average study had 427 data elements (ranging from 46 elements to 9 945 elements). In terms of data type, 48.6% of data elements were string, 47.8% were numeric, 3.0% were date and 0.6% were date-time. No study in our sample explicitly declared a data element as a categorical variable and rather considered them either strings or numeric. Only for 61% of studies were we able to obtain permissible values. The majority of studies used CSV files to share a data dictionary while 22% of the studies used a non-computable, PDF format. All studies grouped their data elements. The average number of groups or forms per study was 24 (ranging between 2 and 124 groups/forms). An accurate and well formatted data dictionary facilitates error-free secondary analysis and can help with data de-identification. Conclusion We saw features of data dictionaries that made them difficult to use and understand. This included multiple data dictionary files or non-machine-readable documents, data elements included in data but not in the dictionary or missing data types or descriptions. Building on experience with aggregating data elements across a large set of studies, we created a set of recommendations (called CONSIDER statement) that can guide optimal data sharing of future studies.
Wearable Magnetoinductive Waveguide for Low-Loss Wireless Body Area Networks

A novel approach of wearable magnetoinductive waveguide (MIW) is introduced for wireless body area network (WBAN) communications that brings forward significant advances over state-of-the-art. The MIW consists of series of electrically small resonant loops worn upon the human body to support magnetoinductive waves (MI waves) for low-loss/low-power WBANs. Compared to previous approaches, the proposed MIW exhibits 63 dB lower loss, translating conventional power levels of mW down to $\mu \text{W}$ or nW. In this work, we introduce the operating principle of MIW WBAN through underlying theory and dispersion diagrams. The proof-of-concept numerical and experimental results are reported for frequency bands centered around 40.4 and 80.7 MHz for a cylindrical human limb and are found to be in excellent agreement. Design guidelines are extensively discussed to accommodate several possible scenarios (frequency selection, gap between the loops, number of loops, and loop radius) along with practical considerations including loop tilts, anatomical limbs, limb movements, unequal loop gaps, and loop failure. Specific absorption rate (SAR) calculations confirm that this technology is highly safe for human use. A bit error rate (BER) analysis further demonstrates that the MIW can form a high-quality communication channel for WBAN. Overall, the reported approach unveils a new possibility of low-loss and seamless WBANs.
Skeletal composites: robotic fabrication processes for lightweight multi-nodal structural components

The research presented in this chapter describes the novel robotic fabrication strategies for multi-nodal structural components made from lightweight fiber composite materials. The paper contextualizes the research within a larger area of composite manufacturing in architecture and focuses on the developed methodologies for adaptive, material-efficient production. This research builds on coreless filament winding processes that eliminate the need for large surface molds and wasted materials for composite production. This process allows for large geometrically differentiated structural building components to be easily produced adaptively for architectural applications. The research tests the production of complex components for a vertical lattice structural system. The multi-nodal structural components enable continuous material and fiber orientations across the intersections of the lattice while simplifying connections. Key improvements presented in this paper included the robotic assembly process for the reconfigurable winding frames that reduce assembly times and increase accuracy, computational techniques for developing winding syntax, and physical simulation of material orientations for robotic path planning. This is followed by a conclusion and outlook to discuss the tested results on a full-scale demonstrator and the future design potentials.
Developing an Adaptive Space Governance Framework

Abstract The space governance landscape has shifted rapidly in recent years. As previous scholars have noted, this shifting environment has relied heavily on private actors and commercial interests. The space industry is now made up of not just a handful of nation states but also corporations large and small developing innovative technologies. These corporations operate alongside and in partnership with government agencies around the world. The diversity of actors and rapid changes in technology have highlighted a series of governance challenges. However, the space sector is not alone in these coordination, cooperation, and collective action problems. We argue that space governance can be understood and developed through a framework of adaptive governance (AG), which has been applied in a variety of settings including environmental governance. Furthermore, from the AG literature, we identify five criteria for AG as it applies to space governance: (1) adequate information about the resource, (2) values, (3) human-environment interaction, (4) inclusive dialog between resource users, and (5) complex, redundant, and layered institutions. By adopting the AG framework, a space policy can be developed that is highly adaptive, allows rules to evolve from feedback, and appropriately accounts for uncertainty in the environment and governance of space.
Substrate mediated elastic coupling between motile cells modulates inter–cell interactions and enhances cell–cell contact

The mechanical micro-environment of cells and tissues influences key aspects of cell structure and function including cell motility. For proper tissue development, cells need to migrate, interact with other neighbouring cells and form contacts, each of which require the cell to exert physical forces. Cells are known to exert contractile forces on underlying soft substrates. These stresses result in substrate deformation that can affect migratory behavior of cells as well as provide an avenue for cells to sense each other and coordinate their motion. The role of substrate mechanics, particularly its stiffness, in such biological processesis therefore a subject of active investigation. Recent progress in experimental techniques have enabled key insights into pairwise mechanical interactions that control cell motility when they move on compliant soft substrates. Analysis and modeling of such systemsis however still in its nascent stages. Motivated by the role modeling is expected to play in interpreting, informing and guiding experiments, we build a biophysical model for cell migration and cell-cell interactions. Our focus is on situations highly relevant to tissue engineering and regenerative medicine -when substrate traction stresses induced by motile cells enable substrate deformation and serve as a medium of communication. Using a generalizable agent-basedmodel, we compute key metrics of cell motile behavior such as the number of cell-cell contacts over a given time, dispersion of cell trajectories, and probability of permanent cell contact, and analyze how these depend on a cell motility parameter and on substrate stiffness. Our results provide a framework towards modeling the manner in which cells may sense each other mechanically via the substrate and use this information to generate coordinated movements across much longer length scales. Our results also provide a foundation to analyze experiments on the phenomenon known as durotaxis where single cells move preferentially towards regions of high stiffness on patterned substrates.
Pediatric Head and Neck Tumors Associated with Li-Fraumeni Syndrome.

Introduction:Cancer predisposition syndromes are germline pathogenic variants in genes that greatly raise the risk of developing neoplastic diseases. One of the most well-known is Li-Fraumeni syndr...
Parameters and Strategies to Overcome Barriers to Systemic Delivery

In the preceding chapter, the possibilities to couple experiments with computation techniques to characterize and optimize the performance of a drug delivery system have been described. In fact, while it is important to address the problems with the physical properties of a drug delivery system for optimal delivery performance, the impact of the physiological, bio-chemical and chemical barriers within the biological system on the efficiency of systemic drug delivery should not be overlooked, either. Keeping this in mind, in this chapter we will give an overview of the various physiological, chemical and bio-chemical barriers in systemic drug delivery, using oral drug delivery route as an example. We will also discuss the challenges in drug delivery to specific targets such as solid tumors and brain since these targets pose unique barriers that need specific knowledge on to tweak them suitably for enhanced drug delivery and achieve therapeutic benefit for several life-threatening illnesses and incurable disorders. It is hoped that, with more awareness of the various barriers in systemic drug delivery and any issue with the drug property, potential losses of therapeutics in a biological body can be minimized and the efficiency of therapies can be increased at the clinical level.
Green screening: Environmental strategy and firm carbon emissions amid regulatory uncertainty in the European Union

Firms face considerable uncertainty in their regulatory environment, including uncertainty regarding whether and how newly passed policies will be implemented, especially in federated government structures. Although firms can wait until the uncertainty is resolved, they will also lose a first-mover advantage if the new policies are strictly enforced while they wait. To address this tradeoff, we propose that amidst policy implementation uncertainty, firms can screen communication between government agencies and their political principals. Such communication signals the agencies’ commitment to their political principals’ policy goals and can be screened by firms for the agency’s intent to implement the new policy. The more costly the communication, the more strongly the firm will believe in the agencies’ commitment to strict implementation of the new policy and the more likely the firm will react, such as investing in new technologies, in compliance with the new policy’s goals, even before the new policy is implemented. In addition, the firm will react even more aggressively when it has greater financial resources, but less aggressively when there is a higher divergence in agency communications across countries where the firm operates. We test these hypotheses using information about electric power generations’ changes in carbon intensity and types of investments in new technologies from 2004 to 2009 in response to the European Union’s resolution for carbon emissions reduction through a greenhouse gas emissions trading scheme, a flexible market-based regulation that allows for alternative compliance approaches.
Splint Padding Thickness: Temperature Effects and X-ray Visualization.

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to determine if the thickness of splint padding could be determined on X-rays, and whether increasing layers of splint padding have an effect on temperature at the skin after placement. METHODS Both in vitro and in vivo testing was performed. Ten cadaveric lower extremities were used. A thermocouple was placed on the posterior calf for temperature determination. Cadavers were used with short leg posterior splints with sidebars placed using various thicknesses of padding: (1) 2 layers of Webril, (2) 4 layers of Webril, (3) 2 × 2 padding (Webril followed by kerlix, then repeated), and (4) bulky cotton padding. A splint with no padding was used as a control. Lateral X-rays of the ankle were obtained. The padding thickness was measured. The change in temperature at the level of the skin was measured throughout the process. The test was then repeated in vivo to correlate the cadaver findings with a live subject. RESULTS The mean thickness of the 5 padding types could be reliably determined on X-ray. Our cadaver temperature data shows that all padding thickness tested decreased temperature change after plaster curing, with no significant difference between wraps. Live subject testing showed similarities between the 2-layer Webril and 2 × 2 padding, and between the 4-layer Webril and bulky padding. CONCLUSIONS Padding thickness can be consistently determined on X-ray. We determined that at least 2 layers of Webril significantly decrease temperature change at the level of the skin caused by plaster curing. Two layers of Webril can be identified on X-ray by measuring at least 1 mm of padding.
The effect of weight reduction surgery on the efficacy and tolerability of epilepsy pharmacotherapy.

Abstract Background Bariatric surgery is an increasingly utilized procedure among patients with obesity-related medical complications. The impact of bariatric surgery on seizure frequency and antiseizure drug (ASD) levels are not well described. Methods We conducted a retrospective chart review of adult patients with a history of epilepsy or seizures undergoing bariatric surgery for morbid obesity from September 1997–September 2019. The median follow-up was 60 months [range 9–220 months]. Results Forty-six patients with a history of seizures were identified (38 female); 44 patients had recurrent and unprovoked seizures. Seventeen sets of pre- and post-surgery drug concentrations from 14 patients were reviewed. The median age at surgery was 44 years (range, 19–68). Thirty-three patients were prescribed ASDs at the time of bariatric surgery (median 1 drug [range, 1–3]). Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y was performed in 40 patients, and sleeve gastrectomy in 6 patients. Median pre-surgery weight was 120.75 kg (range, 71–230) and BMI 44.4 kg/m2 (range, 34–77.6). Six months following surgery the median weight was 89.5 kg (range, 58.2–202) and BMI 34.2 kg/m2 (range, 24.5–61.9). Nine patients (19.6%) had a worsening of seizure control on long-term follow-up (median 60, range 9–220 months) following bariatric surgery, including five (10.8%) who suffered seizures within 6 months of bariatric surgery. Five patients developed ASD-associated side effects following bariatric surgery including irritability in two patients (levetiracetam and phenytoin) and one patient each suffering from somnolence (phenytoin), hyperammonemic encephalopathy (sodium valproate), and nausea and vomiting (carbamazepine). Subtherapeutic post-surgery drug concentrations were identified in 5 patients and supratherapeutic concentrations in one patient. In the initial 6 months following surgery, ASD doses were increased in five patients and reduced in five. Conclusions The majority of patients with epilepsy who undergo bariatric surgery have no change in seizure frequency. However, a significant minority of patients may experience medication side effects or an increase in seizure tendency due to the impact of bariatric surgery on ASD drug absorption and metabolism leading. Pre- and post-surgical serum concentrations should be measured in patients with seizures or epilepsy receiving ASDs.
Rainwater catchment system design using simulated future climate data

Summary Rainwater harvesting techniques are used worldwide to augment potable water supply, provide water for small-scale irrigation practices, increase rainwater-use efficiency for sustained crop growth in arid and semi-arid regions, decrease urban stormwater flow volumes, and in general to relieve dependency on urban water resources cycles. A number of methods have been established in recent years to estimate reliability of rainwater catchment systems (RWCS) and thereby properly size the components (roof catchment area, storage tank size) of the system for a given climatic region. These methods typically use historical or stochastically-generated rainfall patterns to quantify system performance and optimally size the system, with the latter accounting for possible rainfall scenarios based on statistical relationships of historical rainfall patterns. To design RWCS systems that can sustainably meet water demand under future climate conditions, this paper introduces a method that employs climatic data from general circulation models (GCMs) to develop a suite of catchment area vs. storage size design curves that capture uncertainty in future climate scenarios. Monthly rainfall data for the 2010–2050 time period is statistically downscaled to daily values using a Markov chain algorithm, with results used only from GCMs that yield rainfall patterns that are statistically consistent with historical rainfall patterns. The process is demonstrated through application to two climatic regions of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) in the western Pacific, wherein the majority of the population relies on rainwater harvesting for potable water supply. Through the use of design curves, communities can provide household RWCS that achieve a certain degree of storage reliability. The method described herein can be applied generally to any geographic region. It can be used to first, assess the future performance of existing household systems; and second, to design or modify systems that will yield adequate storage for future climate conditions.
Visceral Organ Size and Hepatocyte Metabolic Activity in Fed and Fasted Rats

Changes in visceral organ mass and hepatocyte metabolic activity in response to nutrient deprivation were studied in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Forty-two rats (320 g) were given ad libitum access to feed or fasted for 72 h after which time visceral organ mass and metabolic activity were measured. Liver metabolic activity was measured in vitro by [14C]valine incorporation into acid-precipitable protein and oxygen consumption in isolated hepatocytes. Fasted rats had lower weights of liver and intestines and similar kidney and stomach weights relative to body weight than fed rats. Compared with fed controls, fasted rats had lower RNA and higher DNA concentrations in liver and intestines with decreased RNA and protein mass in all visceral organs. Nutrient deprivation generally resulted in reduced ratios of RNA/DNA and protein/DNA in visceral tissues. Nutrient deprivation had no effect on in vitro oxygen consumption or [14C]valine incorporation expressed per g tissue. However, in vitro oxygen consumption and valine incorporation expressed per unit DNA and estimated total liver oxygen consumption were reduced in fasted rats. These data suggest that nutrient deprivation reduced visceral organ mass of RNA and protein primarily through an apparent reduction in cell size. Nutrient deprivation resulted in decreased liver oxygen consumption because of decreased organ size rather than by tissue metabolic activity.
Clarifying Energy Storage Field Structure in Dynamic Systems

The energy variables associated with a dynamic system can be considered as a set of candidate state variables. However, when algebraic coupling among the energy variables exists, then the associated state-space equations are implicit in form. Typically, such equations require implicit integration methods for their solution, unless the original model is modified suitably. Bond graph models, through the use of causality techniques, allow one to identify the existence of algebraic energy-variable coupling. Based on the detailed nature of the coupling, various options are available for solving such problems. In this paper a modification of and extension to the standard Sequential Causality Assignment Procedure is given that permits the detailed identification of the structure of energy fields.
Right to Remain Silent?: What the Voting Rights Act Can and Should Say About Felony Disenfranchisement

Despite the popular belief that all U.S. citizens should have a voice in government, many states continue to have felony disenfranchisement. laws depriving felons of their voting rights in some fashion. There is, furthermore, sufficient evidence that such felony disenfranchisement laws have a greater effect on minorities than on others. As such, some litigants have turned to the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which is aimed at eliminating racially discriminatory voting regulations and practices, as a means of overturning felony disenfranchisement taws. This Note examines the current caselaw surrounding the application of the Voting Rights Act to state felony disenfranchisement statutes. In analyzing the caselaw, this Note attempts to explain the shortcomings of this strategy. Lastly, this Note suggests that future litigants should undertake an approach based on the Fourteenth Amendment's constitutional guarantee of an individual's right to vote.
Application of protein engineering to improve crystal properties

There is accelerating use of protein engineering by protein crystallographers. In this chapter, procedures that have been used successfully in protein crystallography are outlined. Topics covered include: improving solubility; use of fusion proteins; mutations to improve diffraction quality; avoiding protein heterogeneity; engineering crystal contacts to enhance crystallization in a particular crystal form; and engineering heavy-atom sites. Keywords: crystal quality; crystallization; fusion proteins; heavy-atom sites in protein engineering; mutations; protein engineering; protein heterogeneity; improving solubility of proteins
Community-based learning: design patterns and frameworks

Information technology adoption and literacy are typically not first-order goals for community-based volunteer organizations. Nonetheless, information technology is vital to such groups for member recruiting and management, communication and visibility to the community, as well as primary group activities. However, volunteer organizations are often not able to make effective use of Internet-based technologies and content. They lack resources of all sorts (money, skills, telecommunications infrastructure) as well as organizational structures, protocols, and continuity to effectively cope with the rate of change in Internet technology. We describe a design pattern, a standard solution schema for a recurring problem, that proposes a self-sustained process in which volunteer organizations identify and analyze their technology needs, and then learn about information technology through active engagement in solving their own problems. The pattern, called Community-based Learning, is grounded in our fieldwork experience in several community computing projects. We discuss patterns and pattern frameworks as a research approach to community computing.
Matrix based subdivision depth computation for extra-ordinary catmull-clark subdivision surface patches

A new subdivision depth computation technique for extra-ordinary Catmull-Clark subdivision surface (CCSS) patches is presented. The new technique improves a previous technique by using a matrix representation of the second order norm in the computation process. This enables us to get a more precise estimate of the rate of convergence of the second order norm of an extra-ordinary CCSS patch and, consequently, a more precise subdivision depth for a given error tolerance.
A Shortage of Accounting Ph.D. Candidates and its Effect on Universities

According to The Pathways Commission’s (sponsored by the American Accounting Association (AAA) and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)) July 2012 report, the shortage in tenure-track accounting faculty continues to be well documented and has become a concern. Based on various studies conducted, there is substantial evidence that a shortage of Ph.D. faculty does exist and that this shortage may continue to increase. In addition, authors Ruff, Thibodeau, Bedard, and The Pathways Commission report, document that, as a result of the average full-time faculty members’ age, rate of retirements has been increasing while the accounting Ph.D. graduates is moving at a slower pace. Due to the low supply of potential faculty members, studies show that there has been a substantial increase in salary. Given these conditions, why is there is a shortage and is this shortage really considered an opportunity or predicament for potential accounting Ph.D. candidates? The incentives, benefits, difficulties, and students’ perception of obtaining a Ph.D. in accounting and the various uncertainties Ph.D. candidates in an accounting program face will be the focus of this paper. In addition, this paper will examine costs to both universities as well as potential Ph.D. candidates. Proposals and recommendations addressing these challenges will also be addressed.
Contesting the Indian City: Global Visions and the Politics of the Local

This symposium brings together three empirical studies and one conceptual overview examining the politics of redevelopment in contemporary Indian cities. Collectively these articles seek to redress the relative dearth of concerted attention to the institutional, economic and socio-spatial changes that are shifting the terrain of urban politics in post-liberalization India.
Aspirin intolerance and recurrent urticaria in normal adults and children. Epidemiology and review.

The frequency of aspirin intolerance by history in 2,592 normal individuals was 0.3%. Although the frequency of aspirin intolerance was similar in adults and children, the bronchospastic type predominated in adults, and only the urticarial regardless of etiology, was significantly greater in adults than in children. The frequency of recurrent urticaria, regardless of etiology, was significantly greater in adults than in children (3.8% vs. 0.3, P<0.001). In adults the frequency of aspirin intolerance was over 20 times greater in individuals with recurrent urticaria than in normal individuals (6.5% vs. 0.3%, P<0.001).
Occupational therapy students’ perspectives regarding international cross-cultural experiences

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the perspectives of occupational therapy students who have engaged in international, cross-cultural learning and service experiences. Methods: This study utilized a qualitative, phenomenological design. Nine semi-structured interviews were conducted with students who engaged in international learning opportunities. The interviews were coded and analyzed using a constant comparative analysis approach. Results: Three central themes emerged from the data anlysis. Connectedness is the process of forming relationships with others while engaging in cross-cultural experiences. Students formed relationships with faculty, other students, and people within the community. Cultural awareness is the recognition and understanding of a different culture and responding to those differences. Students attempted to understand the new culture in comparison to their own lived experiences. Complexity portrays cross-cultural opportunities as dynamic, multi-faceted and intricate. This was demonstrated as the students raised additional questions about the conflict between their own culture and the new culture they entered. Students also identified limited orientation, support and structure with such experiences and the conflicting roles between volunteer, student, and team member. Conclusions: The ability to connect with others when building relationships in diverse cultural contexts held meaning for the students; however, the students also expressed conflict in trying to make sense of the new culture as it often challenged personal beliefs and constructs. The complexity and challenges of engaging in these opportunities needs to be recognized and further explored to assess how curricula and faculty best supports culturally responsive care.
Regulation of stimulus-dependent hippocampal acetylcholine release by okadaic acid-sensitive phosphoprotein phosphatases.

Abstract Isolated nerve endings (synaptosomes) from rat hippocampas were used to characterize the influence by serine/threonine-specific phosphoprotein phosphatase (PP) inhibitors on acetylcholine release. Brief exposure to low concentrations of selective PP inhibitors (okadaic acid and calyculin A) caused a concentration-dependent attenuation of stimulus-dependent (calcium-evoked or potassium-evoked) [ 3 H]acetylcholine ([ 3 H]ACh) release, while having no effect on the rate of basal transmitter efflux. In view of the observed potencies for okadaic acid and calyculin A (pseudo-IC 50 ) values near 3 nM), these data indicate that Type 1 (PP1) or Type 2A (MA) enzymes play a permissive role in exocytotic [ 3 H]ACh release. In contrast, the absence of any measurable effect by sodium ortho -vanadate argues against a similar influence by tyrosine-specific phosphoprotein phosphatases. While the neuronal substrate(s) responsible for PP regulation of [ 3 H]ACh release are unknown, the underlying mechanism clearly differs from that through which muscarinic autoreceptors act since inhibition by okadaic acid and oxotremorine (an autoreceptor agonist) are additive and the former is not blocked by the muscarinic receptor antagonist atropine. Based upon these results, we conclude that dephosphorylation steps catalyzed by okadaic acid-sensitive PP represent an important regulatory mechanism for stimulus-dependent transmitter release in septo-hippocampal cholinergic neurons.
Portable parallel performance from sequential, productive, embedded domain-specific languages

Domain-expert productivity programmers desire scalable application performance, but usually must rely on efficiency programmers who are experts in explicit parallel programming to achieve it. Since such programmers are rare, to maximize reuse of their work we propose encapsulating their strategies in mini-compilers for domain-specific embedded languages (DSELs) glued together by a common high-level host language familiar to productivity programmers. The nontrivial applications that use these DSELs perform up to 98% of peak attainable performance, and comparable to or better than existing hand-coded implementations. Our approach is unique in that each mini-compiler not only performs conventional compiler transformations and optimizations, but includes imperative procedural code that captures an efficiency expert's strategy for mapping a narrow domain onto a specific type of hardware. The result is source- and performance-portability for productivity programmers and parallel performance that rivals that of hand-coded efficiency-language implementations of the same applications. We describe a framework that supports our methodology and five implemented DSELs supporting common computation kernels.Our results demonstrate that for several interesting classes of problems, efficiency-level parallel performance can be achieved by packaging efficiency programmers' expertise in a reusable framework that is easy to use for both productivity programmers and efficiency programmers.
MODULATION OF ARRESTIN RELEASE IN THE LIGHT-DRIVEN REGENERATION OF RH1 DROSOPHILA RHODOPSIN

We report studies of the in vitro regeneration of Rh1 Drosophila rhodopsin using immunochemical and spectroscopic probes for the release of arrestin (49 kDa). Upon illumination of metarhodopsin-containing membrane suspensions isolated from homogenized Drosophila heads, arrestin was released into the aqueous medium. In contrast, no release of arrestin was observed upon illumination of metarhodopsin in lipid/detergent micellar extracts. The spectroscopic changes associated with the transition from metarhodopsin to rhodopsin were, however, similar in membrane suspensions and in micellar extracts. The light-driven release of arrestin was restored in reconstituted liposomes formed by dialysis of detergent from the micellar extracts. We conclude that micellar solubilization of membranes decouples the light-driven release of arrestin from rhodopsin structural changes which are responsible for altering the lambda max of the chromophore. The finding that arrestin release from rhodopsin can be modulated by changes in the local membrane environment provides an opportunity to further characterize the nature of rhodopsin conformational changes during regeneration.
Quinazolines II. metal hydride reductions

The following sodium borohydride reductions are reported: 3-methylquinazolium iodide (I) or its methanolate (II) Nα, Nα-dimethyl-α, 2-toluenediamine; quinazoline 3,4-dihydroquinazoline or 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinazoline (V). The following lithium aluminum hydride reductions are reported: I or II 3-methyl-l,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinazoline; quinazoline V + Nα -methyl-α, 2-toluenediamine (VI); 4 - chloroquinazoline VI; 2-chloroquinazoline VI; 2,4 - dichloroquinazoline V; 2-chloro-4-phenylquinazo- line 4-phenyl-3,4-dihydroquinazoline; 2-phenyl-4-chloroquinazoline 2-phenyl-3,4-dihydroquinazoline or Nα - benzyl-α, 2 - toluenediamine; 4 - methoxyquinazoline 4-methoxy-l,2-dihydroquinazoline; 4-phenoxyquinazoline 4-phenoxy-l,2-dihydroquinazoline; 4-thiophenoxyquinazoline VI.
Activated MEK5 induces serial assembly of sarcomeres and eccentric cardiac hypertrophy.

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways couple intrinsic and extrinsic signals to hypertrophic growth of cardiomyocytes. The MAPK kinase MEK5 activates the MAPK ERK5. To investigate the potential involvement of MEK5–ERK5 in cardiac hypertrophy, we expressed constitutively active and dominant-negative forms of MEK5 in cardiomyocytes in vitro. MEK5 induced a form of hypertrophy in which cardiomyocytes acquired an elongated morphology and sarcomeres were assembled in a serial manner. The cytokine leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), which stimulates MEK5 activity, evoked a similar response. Moreover, a dominant-negative MEK5 mutant specifically blocked LIF-induced elongation of cardiomyocytes and reduced expression of fetal cardiac genes without blocking other aspects of LIF-induced hypertrophy. Consistent with the ability of MEK5 to induce serial assembly of sarcomeres in vitro, cardiac-specific expression of activated MEK5 in transgenic mice resulted in eccentric cardiac hypertrophy that progressed to dilated cardiomyopathy and sudden death. These findings reveal a specific role for MEK5–ERK5 in the induction of eccentric cardiac hypertrophy and in transduction of cytokine signals that regulate serial sarcomere assembly.
Information processing within the motor cortex. I. Responses of morphologically identified motor cortical cells to stimulation of the somatosensory cortex

Inputs from the somatosensory cortex to the motor cortex have been proposed to function in learning of motor skills. In an attempt to analyze how these somatosensory inputs were processed in the motor cortex, neurons in the superficial layer of the cat motor cortex were classified into three groups on the basis of synaptic responses elicited by intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) of area 2. ICMS was delivered through seven electrodes implanted in area 2. When ICMS through one of the seven sites produced a response that was greater than 50% of the response produced by stimulating the seven sites at a time, the site was called a "dominant" site. Type I cells were those that had a dominant stimulation site and showed a constant response latency when examined by a double shock test. Type II cells were those that had a dominant site but displayed a variable latency. Type III cells had no dominant site and showed a variable latency. Latency of type I responses was 1.2-2.6 milliseconds, which was much shorter than that of type II and type III responses. Seventy-nine neurons in layers II/III of the motor cortex, which responded to ICMS in area 2, were stained by intracellular injection of biocytin. From the presence of an apical dendrite and rich spines on the dendrites, 23 type I, 21 type II, and 15 type III cells were classified as pyramidal cells. Type II pyramidal cells were located more superficially than type I and type III pyramidal cells. On the basis of the absence or sparseness of dendritic spines, three type I and four type II cells in layers II/III were classified as nonpyramidal cells. These cells consisted of five small multipolar cells in layer II and a large multipolar cell and a small bitufted cell in layer III. The remaining 11 cells were not classified because of insufficient staining. Since type I and type II cells are considered to represent monosynaptic and polysynaptic responses to stimulation of area 2, respectively, information flow from type I cells to more superficially located type II cells is presumed in layers II/III of the motor cortex. Type III responses suggest the presence of a convergent flow of impulses inside of and/or between areas 2 and 4.
Epoxy allylic carbocations as conceptual intermediates in the biogenesis of diverse marine oxylipins

Marine organisms, especially marine algae, are extremely rich in a diversity of novel oxylipin structures. Many of these oxylipins contain functionalities and rings of a type and location unknown in mammalian systems. In this perspective reviewing marine oxylipins, a proposal is formulated for the central intermediacy of an epoxy allylic carbocation in the biogenesis of these diverse structures. This proposal is strengthened by the relatively large number of examples which are consistent with this type of mechanistic transformation.
A classification of phase diagrams by means of “Elementary” Catastrophe Theory (ECT) II

Abstract In this paper phase diagrams in field spaces are classified according to the qualitative local shapes (QLS) of their sets of first- and second-order phase transition points (PS). The QLS are defined in terms of diffeomorphisms. We proceed from a rather general Landau-type model of phase transitions and employ a variant of “elementary” catastrophe theory (ECT). This variant is developed in terms of polynomials in a more general context including also the usual “local” variant of ECT. An essential concept is GM stability of C∞ unfoldings (i.e. families) Φ of functions and a criterion for this property is derived. It is shown that, near every type of point μ0 in the field space, any GM stable Φ by appropriate diffeomorphic substitutions can be reduced to a GM standard form, i.e. an unfolding of functions, constructed from one or more simple polynomials. A finite list of GM standard forms, which is complete for less than nine fields, can be made. Further an extension of Gibbs phase rule is considered.
Partial characterization of an endogenous inhibitor of a calcium-dependent form of insulin protease

Abstract Insulin protease activity has resisted high-yield purification to homogeneity, due to its low amount in tissues, its instability, and its erratic recovery from several types of chromatography. This report outlines the preliminary characterization of a naturally-occurring insulin protease inhibitor that accounts for some of these problems in rat skeletal muscle. In these experiments, inhibitory activity was assayed by its effect upon hydrolysis of 125I-(A14)-insulin by the partially purified insulin protease activity of rat skeletal muscle cytosol. During Sephadex G-200 chromatography of cytosol at pH 7.5, inhibitory activity copurifies with insulin protease activity, and the incomplete resolution of the two activities contributes to the impression that insulin protease exists in distinct 180,000-dalton and 80,000-dalton forms. By contrast, during DEAE-Sephacel chromatography of cytosol at pH 7.5, inhibitory activity and insulin protease activity are resolved by eluting the resin with 50 mM NaCl and 200 mM NaCl, respectively. Post-DEAE-Sephacel inhibitor has an Mr(app) of 67,000 daltons or 80,000–120,000 daltons, as determined by high-performance liquid chromatography or Sephadex G-150 chromatography, respectively. Post-DEAE-Sephacel insulin protease activity exhibits a Km for insulin of 15 nM and resides in a 200,000-dalton neutral thiol protease which requires 50 micromolar calcium for its maximum insulin-degrading activity. The inhibitor reduces the enzyme's activity reversibly, nonprogressively, and non-competitively with respect to insulin, but it does not alter the enzyme's sensitivity to calcium ion. These observations suggest that calcium and an endogenous protease inhibitor may influence cellular degradation of insulin via previously unrecognized effects upon cytosolic insulin protease activity.
Investigating the combined effects of shape, density, and rotation on small body surface slopes and erosion rates

Abstract Based upon observational evidence and the derived shape-models from seven small Solar System bodies (Comets 103P Hartley 2 and 9P Tempel 1; Asteroids 433 Eros, 243 Ida, 951 Gaspra, and 25143 Itokawa; and the martian moon Phobos) we explore the existence of a self-correcting (negative-feedback) system in which disturbance-triggered downslope regolith flow is constantly working to erode the local surface topography of rotating, irregularly shaped, small bodies towards that of a flat, equipotential surface. This process is driven by the fact that erosion rates are very non-linear with respect to slope: becoming quite high as slopes approach the angle-of-repose, but also quite low when slopes are small. Four conditions are required for this system: (1) the mean rotational force is a significant fraction of the mean gravitational force; (2) a sufficiently thick, low cohesion, mobile regolith layer exists over most of the body’s surface; (3) a downslope flow disturbance source is present, such as volatile activity on comets or impact-induced seismic shaking; and (4) a sufficient amount of time has occurred since the body’s last major surface alteration. When these conditions are met, then the magnitude of the gravitational force for the body (and hence its bulk density) can be estimated by assuming that the body has reached an erosional ‘saddle-point’ in which either increasing or decreasing the body’s rotation rate will increase erosion rates and drive the surface topography back towards a low-slope state. This technique yields bulk density estimates of 220 (140–520) kg m −3 for Comet 103P Hartley 2, and 1400 (930–2800) kg m −3 for Asteroid 951 Gaspra, neither of which have accurate density measurements via other means.
A modified cyclic AMP binding assay

Abstract A protein binding method based on Gilman's procedure for the measurement of cyclic AMP is described with two particular modifications. First, the assay utilizes a commercial phosphodiesterase preparation which contains a cyclic AMP binding protein as a contaminant; and second, a cation-exchange resin is used for the separation of free from bound cyclic AMP. These modifications serve to reduce both the time and expense of the measurement of cyclic AMP.
Tech: a RhoA GEF selectively expressed in hippocampal and cortical neurons

Recent studies implicating the Rho family of small G proteins in the regulation of neuronal morphology have focused attention on identifying key components of Rho signaling pathways in neurons. To this end, we have conducted studies aimed at defining the localization and function of Tech, a Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) family member that is highly enriched in brain. We have found that Tech is selectively expressed in cortical and hippocampal neurons with prominent Tech immunostaining apparent in the cell bodies and dendrites of these cells. In vitro studies with prototypical members of the major Rho subfamilies, RhoA, Rac1 and Cdc42, indicate that Tech binds selectively to and activates RhoA. To assess whether Tech may be involved in the regulation of neuronal morphology, we examined the effects of Tech constructs on the morphology of cortical neurons grown in primary culture. We found that a constitutively active Tech construct, Tech 245DeltaC, decreases the number of dendritic processes present on these neurons. This reduction appears to be mediated by activation of RhoA as it is blocked by insertion of a point mutation into the DH domain of Tech which blocks its ability to activate RhoA or coexpression of a dominant negative RhoA construct. As Tech protein levels increase during post-natal development and remain at peak levels into adulthood, these results indicate that Tech regulates RhoA signaling pathways in developing and mature forebrain neurons.
Agreeing to Disagree: Domestic Institutional Congruence and U.S. Dispute Behavior

Domestic and international politics are linked so that domestic structure and domestic political preferences affect international conflict behavior. In particular, states' policy preferences can be...
Isostasy in Australia and the Evolution of the Compensation Mechanism

A linear transfer function analysis has been applied to gravity and topographic data from Australia to calculate the isostatic response function of Dorman and Lewis. The Australian response function is considerably different from that calculated for the United States. The differences can be explained on the basis of an apparent evolution of the isostatic compensation mechanism in which viscoelastic creep occurs in the lithosphere and relaxes the initial long-wavelength elastic stresses.
Two coordination polymers based on a new nickel fluoride cluster

Abstract Nickel 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate (trimesic acid, TMA) and nickel 5-sulfoisophthalate (SIPA) coordination polymers, containing a unique planar tetranickel cluster bridged by μ 3 -F, were synthesized hydrothermally and characterized by single crystal XRD. Ni2(TMA)(F)(H2O)4⋅2H2O [1] crystallizes in the triclinic space group P-1 with cell parameters at 293 K: a = 7.7447 ( 2 ) A , b = 8.6239 ( 3 ) A , c = 10.6572 ( 3 ) A , α = 101.01 ( 1 ) ° , β = 92.29 ( 1 ) ° , γ = 94.89 ( 1 ) ° , V = 695.00 ( 1 ) A 3 , R 1 = 0.0826 . Ni2(SIPA)(F)(H2O)5⋅4H2O [2] crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/c with cell parameters at 293 K: a = 20.6425 ( 4 ) A , b = 11.1001 ( 2 ) A , c = 18.1779 ( 4 ) A , β = 114.67 ( 1 ) ° , V = 3785.06 ( 1 ) A 3 , D c = 1.937 g cm −3 , R 1 = 0.0533 . The two-dimensional sheets of TMA are transformed into the one-dimensional chains of SIPA when a sulfonate group replaces a carboxylate group on otherwise similar ligands.
Effects of three syllable durations using the melodic intonation therapy technique.

Five nonfhient aphasics were presented English phrases with three syllable durations; a regular speech, non-intoned duration < 1 sec per syllable, and two modified Melodic Intonation Therapy (MIT) ...