cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On decreolization and language death in Gullah

The sociolinguistic pressures now exerted on the Gullah-speaking communities match the general conditions that DeCamp (197ib) described for postcreole speech communities or communities in which the traditional language variety is decreolizing or dying. There is a correspondence between the dominant official language and the creole, and there is sufficient breakdown in the formerly rigid social stratification brought on by educational programs and other acculturative forces to cause social mobility and to motivate large numbers of Gullah speakers to modify their speech in the direction of standard English. Preliminary research of the processes involved in this modification activity reveals that certain features of the pronominal system are elaborating and dying while certain other features of this system are remaining static and unchanged. Elaboration is well underway in the nominative case, for example, while in the objective case elaboration has barely begun. (Sociolinguistic pressures, postcreole, decreolizing or dying, social mobility, certain features, elaborating, static) Studying a dead language is not a new concept in linguistics, but studying a dying language is. Traditionally, linguists have neglected the extinction process in dying languages not only because of their unwillingness to work with "imperfect speakers" but because there was little theoretical framework within which to study the many variations involved in language death processes. Since the emergence of the study of pidgin and creole languages where homogenous speech communities were shown to be the exception and "imperfect speakers" were shown to be the rule, variation theories developing from creole language studies now provide models from which to study variability in extinction processes. Dorian (I98I), who has recently completed one of the few, if not the only, full-scale studies of a dying language, is now capturing the attention of linguists the world over. While the study of dying languages is still rare in general, the study of dying creole languages is even more rare. It is true that during the I96os and 1970S there was a great proliferation of interest in the area of pidgin and creole studies. These studies focused primarily on (I) the contact situations causing the languages to arise, (2) the low social esteem accorded the languages and the speakers of the language, and (3) problems of classification and problems of describing the languages themselves.
Probing the heme axial ligation in the CO-sensing CooA protein with magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy.

The combination of UV/visible/near-IR variable-temperature magnetic circular dichroism (VTMCD) and EPR spectroscopies has been used to investigate the spin states and axial ligation of the heme group in oxidized, reduced, and CO-bound reduced forms of the Rhodospirillum rubrum CO oxidation transcriptional activator protein (CooA) and its H77Y and C75S variants. The energy of the porphyrin(π)-to-Fe(III) charge-transfer band (8930 cm-1) and the presence of cysteinate S-to-Fe(III) charge-transfer bands between 600 and 700 nm confirm cysteinate axial ligation to the low-spin Fe(III) hemes in oxidized wild-type and H77Y CooA. In contrast, the major component in the oxidized C75S variant is shown to be a low-spin Fe(III) heme with bis-histidine or histidine/amine axial ligation on the basis of the energy of the porphyrin(π)-to-Fe(III) charge-transfer band (6240 cm-1) and the anisotropy of the EPR signal, g = 3.23, ∼2.06, ∼1.14. These results confirm Cys75 as the cysteinyl axial ligand in oxidized CooA, indicate...
Going on beyond Zebra: A Middle School and Community-Based Arts Organization Collaborate for Change

Cet article est base sur une etude ethnographique d'une etroite collaboration entre un college public et une association locale dans la conception, la recherche et le travail preparatoire qui ont abouti a la creation d'un Peace Park, un espace de jeu et de creation artistique public. Ce projet fut concu dans une communaute ethniquement et socialement heteroclite dans la banlieue d'une importante metropole de l'Ouest des Etats-Unis. Il fut cree en reponse a une absence totale d'education artistique pour les jeunes defavorises dans cette communaute et il tend a montrer son influence sur le developpement d'une responsabilisation sociale et d'une participation democratique des jeunes impliques dans ce projet.
Comparison of the Cellsearch Profile Kit (CPK) with the Standard Cellsearch Epithelial Kit (CEK) Demonstrates the CPK Produces Higher Circulating Tumor Cell (CTC) Yields and Is Better Suited for Use in Obtaining CTC's for Molecular Characterization.

Background: CTC offer a potential non-invasive approach to obtain and characterize metastatic tumor cells from solid cancers. However, conventional methods for isolating CTC, which use Epcam specific immunomagnetic beads, have been limited by low CTC yields and contaminating leukocytes. We sought to optimize and characterize CTC isolation using the CPK(Veridex LLC) and compare it to conventional methods using the CEK and automated CellTracks counting system, the FDA approved standard. We hypothesized that the CPK, which avoids the potential CTC loss and destruction associated with the multiple washes and labeling steps included in the CEK, would offer improved cell recovery. Methods: We collected two peripheral blood samples from patients (Pts) with metastatic breast cancer (n = 75) and processed them in parallel. Following automated enumeration of the samples with the CEK method, the cells were washed, fixed, and processed as cytospin slides followed by HE t-test). The purity of these cells was high: 59.7 % of cells isolated by CPK (range: 20.9-95.0) were identified as tumor cells by cytokeratin staining while 6.4% (range: 0-21.8) were identified as WBCs by CD45 staining. The remaining 32.3% (range: 4.8-68.0) of cells stained with DAPI only and could not be classified as either tumor cells or lymphocytes, and appeared to have lost their membrane during the isolation. We confirmed the purity of the CTC by HER2 FISH. Among pts whose primary cancer was HER2+ (n=70), 72.4% (range: 44-100%) of CTC had an HER2 gene copy number > 4. From samples isolated from healthy controls (n = 40) and processed using the CPK method the mean total number of cells was 5 per 7.5 mL of blood (range 0-20). These cells were positive for CD45 with only 2 copies of HER2 by FISH. The CPK had low intrapatient variability (CV 9.6%) and samples were stable for at least 72hr. Recovered CTC were well suited for evaluation by IF for phospho antibodies (e.g. pHER2, pAkt), TUNEL (apoptosis), and Ki67 (proliferation). Studies using BC cell lines demonstrated that viable cells could be recovered and propagated with an input as few as 50 cells consistently yielding viable cultures. Conclusion: The CPK technique9s relatively high yield, purity, and sample stability make it well suited for use in obtaining CTC9s for molecular characterization, including FISH and IF. Assays for mutation detection are currently being evaluated. This technology potentially has a large number of applications in investigating the biology of metastatic cancer as well as in drug development where it can be used to identify predictive biomarkers, mechanisms of resistance, and facilitate pharmacodynamic studies. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(24 Suppl):Abstract nr 3003.
Paton-Chan factors in the N=2 open superstring

Abstract The inclusion of Paton-Chan factors in the open superstring with N=2 supersymmetry is investigated. For the unoriented string, this gives a mechanism for the divergence cancellation at one-loop level provided the symmetry group is SO(2) or Sp(2).
Fermi surface and electronic structure of ordered Cu 3 Au

The Fermi surface of ordered ${\mathrm{Cu}}_{3}$Au, measured by de Haas---van Alphen spectroscopy, explains why the Hall coefficient changes sign, and displays a topology in excellent agreement with a recent band calculation. A direct measurement of the neck radius in this concentrated alloy is in surprising agreement with the rigid-band value. The superlattice band gap is approximately 0.04 Ry. Since large portions of the Fermi surface are close to the superlattice zone planes, the electronic contribution to the order-disorder transformation is non-negligible.
Compressible turbulence in one dimension

Abstract The Burgers' model of compressible fluids is extended to include an adiabatic pressure and particle diffusion. For unity Prandtl number, Burgers' shock structures persist, albeit in a modified form. For the randomly forced system, it is found that energy equidissipation, not equipartition, is fundamental to the turbulent state. Implications for both compressible fluid and plasma turbulence as well as cosmological structure formation are discussed.
Identifying promising practices for evaluation: the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program

Purpose The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted a systematic screening and assessment process to identify promising practices implemented by grantees of the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program and its partners that were appropriate for rigorous evaluation.
Gas-phase H2 absorption and microstructural properties of LaNi5−xGex alloys

Abstract Metal hydride alloys were prepared based on the LaNi 5 formula by substituting 0–10 at.% of Ge for Ni. Crystal lattice parameters were obtained from X-ray diffraction patterns of each alloy. Hydrogen pressure–composition–temperature isotherms were measured for these LaNi 5− x Ge x (0≤ x ≤0.5) alloys at temperatures ranging 296 to 348 K. These isotherms were used to determine thermodynamic parameters for hydrogen absorption and desorption. The unit cell volumes increase, and the plateau pressures decrease, with increasing Ge substitution. Isotherms and capacities from gas-phase absorption are comparable to those of LaNi 5− x Sn x .
Loss in information transmission through two-way channels

A discrete memoryless two-way channel is defined by a set of transmission probabilities {p(y, y¯/x, x¯)}, where x and x¯ are the left and right input signals, and y and y¯ are the left and right received signals, respectively. If the transmission probabilities are restricted so that p(y, y¯/x, x¯) = px¯(y¯/x)p¯x(y/x¯), and if we attach to the two channel terminals independent, finite memory, stationary signal sources which generate channel inputs depending on sequences of past inputs and outputs, then expressions for average information transmission rates in the left-to-right and right-to-left directions can be developed and their sum will be a simple information measure. When mutually independent messages are to be transmitted in opposite directions through the channel, it is desirable that they be encoded into sequences of strategy functions which together with the received signals constitute inputs to a transducer whose outputs are the channel input signals. The message source—encoder—transducer combinations are stochastically equivalent to signal sources whose outputs are governed by appropriate probabilities. We can interpret the transducer—channel combination as a derived two-way channel whose inputs are the strategy functions and whose outputs are the outputs of the underlying channel. Expressions for the information transmission rate through the two directions of the derived channel are developed and are compared to the expressions for the average information about outputs of the equivalent signal sources, transmitted through the underlying two-way channel. The values of the former expressions are found to be less than or equal to the values of the latter, the difference constituting a “coding information loss.” A condition on the transmission probabilities enables us to define a class of lossless channels. Similarly another class is defined having the property that, regardless of the strategy code used, the information transmitted through the derived channel will be strictly less than the information transmitted through the underlying channel. The consequences of the above results on the random selection of message codes are discussed. It is shown that one can obtain the number of variables to be optimized when best random codes for lossy channels are desired, by using the number of variables for lossless channels as an exponent to the product of the size of the input and output signal alphabets. For the lossy channel class a simplified encoding procedure must in practice be applied, but as can be demonstrated, it will not yield optimal codes.
Three-dimensional structure of the vacuolar ATPase. Localization of subunit H by difference imaging and chemical cross-linking.

The structure of the proton-pumping vacuolar ATPase (V-ATPase) from bovine brain clathrin coated vesicles was analyzed by electron microscopy and single molecule image analysis. A three-dimensional structural model of the complex was calculated by the angular reconstitution method at a resolution of 27 A. Overall, the appearance of the V0 and V1 domains in the three-dimensional model of the intact bovine V-ATPase resembles the models of the isolated bovine V0 and yeast V1 domains determined previously (Wilkens, S., and Forgac, M. (2001) J. Biol. Chem. 276, 44064–44068; Zhang, Z., Charsky, C., Kane, P.M., and Wilkens, S. (2003) J. Biol. Chem. 278, 47299–47306). To determine the binding position of subunit H in the V-ATPase, electron microscopy and cysteine-mediated photochemical cross-linking were used. Difference maps calculated from projection images of intact bovine V-ATPase and a V-ATPase preparation in which the two H subunit isoforms were removed by treatment with cystine revealed less protein density at the bottom of the V1 in the subunit H-depleted enzyme, suggesting that subunit H isoforms bind at the interface of the V1 and V0 domains. A comparison of three-dimensional models calculated for intact and subunit H-depleted enzyme indicated that at least one of the subunit H isoforms, although poorly resolved in the three-dimensional electron density, binds near the putative N-terminal domain of the a subunit of the V0. For photochemical cross-linking, unique cysteine residues were introduced into the yeast V-ATPase B subunit at sites that were localized based on molecular modeling using the crystal structure of the mitochondrial F1 domain. Cross-linking was performed using the photoactivatable sulfhydryl reagent 4-(N-maleimido)benzophenone. Cross-linking to subunit H was observed from two sites on subunit B (E494 and T501) predicted to be located on the outer surface of the subunit closest to the membrane. Results from both electron microscopy and cross-linking analysis thus place subunit H near the interface of the V1 and V0 domains and suggest a close structural similarity between the V-ATPases of yeast and mammals.
Changes in the metabolism of hypothalamic norepinephrine associated with the onset of maternal behavior in the nulliparous rat.

Both norepinephrine (NE) and its major metabolite, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG), were assayed both in the hypothalamus of nulliparous rats that had behaved maternally toward foster young and in the hypothalamus of those that had failed to behave maternally. It was found that the maternally-behaving animals had both lower concentrations of NE and higher concentrations of MHPG as compared with their nonresponding counterparts. These data parallel those reported for the puerperal female and suggest that the onset of material behavior may be mediated by increased transmission across hypothalamic noradrerergic synapses.
Catalytic Ring-Opening Polymerization of Propylene Oxide by Organoborane and Aluminum Lewis Acids

Catalytic ring-opening polymerization of propylene oxide (PO) was studied with 12 organoborane and aluminum catalysts in combination with 12 hydroxylic initiators. These catalysts vary in Lewis acidity and ligand steric bulk, whereas the initiators differ in their functional groups and Bronsted acidity. This study examined four aspects of PO polymerization: degree of polymerization control, effects of catalyst and initiator structure on activity and polymer molecular weight, reactions of catalyst with initiator and catalyst with monomer, and structures of PPOs produced. In the absence of hydroxylic initiators, B(C6F5)3 predominantly catalyzes isomerization of PO to propionaldehyde in hexanes and additionally produces low oligomers in toluene; interestingly, the sterically encumbered perfluorobiphenyl borane B(C12F9)3 affords no such isomerization products. With addition of sufficient high concentration of hydroxylic initiators in a [PO]0:[−OH]0 ratio of 41.7, however, PPOs with the desired Mn range of a ...
Improving Asphalt Paving Productivity

The asphalt paving industry has an opportunity to improve the productivity of labor, equipment, and material resources with existing technologies. A systems approach is provided for measuring and improving the use of asphalt paving resources with established productivity methods. Production data from an asphalt paving project are evaluated using crew balance charts and computer simulation to understand equipment interaction and minimize paving production costs. Implementation of productivity evaluation methods and construction process planning can reduce costs and increase profits on asphalt paving projects through more efficient use of resources. Owner agencies must be aware of contractor cost elements so that cost-effective project contract documents can be prepared. A review of current practices in asphalt paving productivity, analyses of traditional productivity measurement methods, and an application of improving productivity using collected data are provided. A productivity management system is proposed that uses existing global positioning system technology to process asphalt paving productivity data through real-time data acquisition, productivity analysis, and information feedback.
The inhibitory action of stimulated whole saliva on the in vitro growth of clostridium tetani

Abstract Freshly stimulated saliva exhibits an inhibitory action toward the tetanus bacillus. The factor is distinct from lysozyme and is not filterable through the Seitz filter. It appears to be associated with the oral microbiota. Exposure of tetanus spores to the oral microbiota does not destroy them but does inhibit their germination.
Serum pepsinogens and gastrins in chronic hemodialysis patients

Abstract Gastrointestinal symptoms commontly associate with uremia include nause, vomiting, diarrhea, and gastrointestinal bleeding (1). Although maintenance hemodialysis alleviates many of these symptoms, the persis tent high incidence of gastrointestinal complaints in these patients is well documented (2–4). Symptoms may vary from mild dyspepsia to severe peptic ulceration and bleeding requiring surgery. A high incidence of hermorrhage from gastrointestinal ulcers and gastritis also occurs in trans plant recipients (5). The reasons for the increased incidence of upper gastrointestinal sypmtoms and lesions in uremia are not clearly under stood. Earlier studies (6,7) of chronically uremic patients reported hypo or normo-chlorhydria, but more recent studies of maintenance dialysis patients also show hyperchlorhydria (2–4). The correlation be tween gastric acid secretion and peptic ulceration is not absolute. Pepsin, gastrin, stress, ect. are also implicated in the etiology of peptic ulcer disease. The following study presents some observations about the relationships between clinical symptoms, rerum gastrin levels, and rerum pepsinogen levels, in maintenence hemodialysis patients.
Somatic and genetic factors in sun and shade population differentiation in Plantago lanceolata and Anthoxanthum odoratum

Differences between individuals collected from sun and shade populations could result from either somatic or genetic differences, particularly in populations of perennial plants. Our objective in this study was to separate somatic from genetic differences. We collected Anthoxanthum odoratum and Plantago lanceolata from sun and shade populations and made measurements on both vegetatively propagated clones and seed progeny from each clone. The parental populations differed in a wide range of physiological and morphological traits. However, only photosynthetic capacity was significantly different between both the original sun and shade populations and their seed progeny. In both species, plants from the sun population had higher photosynthetic capacities than those from the shade population when grown in a common environment. This demonstrates that there was genetic differentiation between the sun and shade populations. Photosynthetic capacity of parents and offspring also differed, suggesting a somatic effect. Since many of the original clones were virus-infected, but all but one of the offspring were virus-free, this might have been a result of virus infection. However, in spite of the fact that the parents and offspring clones were propagated vegetatively so that the plants were at the same developmental stage at the time of measurement, we cannot rule out the possibility that differences in age of cell lines could also have been a factor.
Quantitative phase recovery from asymmetric illumination on an LED array microscope

Differential phase contrast (DPC) is a quantitative phase imaging technique which measures the sample’s phase derivative by taking two images from complementary asymmetric illumination patterns. Distinct from coherent techniques, DPC relies on partially coherent illumination, providing 2× better lateral resolution, better optical sectioning, and immunity to speckle noise. In this paper, we derive the weak object transfer function to quantify how sample’s phase is converted into our DPC measurements, then develop quantitative inversion methods. Phase reconstructions from single-axis DPC measurements suffer from missing frequencies along the axis of asymmetry. We measure the missing frequency information by taking DPC measurements from other axes. Our phase reconstruction method provides a unified framework for both single and multi-axis DPC measurements. We implement our DPC measurements in real-time and along arbitrary axes of asymmetry by computational illumination on an LED array microscope.
Laid-off workers, the Chrysler Loan Guarantee and corporatist legitimacy: A thematic analysis

This study explores sources of support and disaffection from corporatist resolutions to economic crises. The article proceeds by: (1) presenting corporatism as an ideal type of legitimate domination; (2) discussing the Chrysler Loan Guarantee Act as an instance of corporatist legitimacy; and (3) analyzing interviews conducted with laid-off Chrysler workers in the aftermath of the loan guarantee. The findings suggest that while there is considerable support for corporatist themes such as economic interdependence and nationalism, there is substantial resistance to demands for sacrifice and cynicism toward hierarchical elites.
Pretraining Influence on Relationship between Extent of Deprivation and Probability Learning Performance

The probability-learning performance of 16 rats at two different extents of deprivation was compared after pretraining conditions under which Ss received equal or different numbers of reinforcement...
The Impact of Organizational Structure and Supervisory Listening Indicators on Subordinate Support, Trust, Intrinsic Motivation, and Performance

Abstract A field study of a tool manufacturing organization examined the impact of supervisory listening indicators on subordinate perceptions of support, trust, and intrinsic motivation and on subordinate performance (productivity and absenteeism). The moderating impact of organizational structure was also investigated. The results indicated that the impact of supervisory listening indicators was very different dependent upon whether the structure of the organizational work group was more mechanistic or more organic. Within the more organic portions of the organization, supportive listening indicators were positively related to production and negatively related to absenteeism. The opposite occurred within the mechanistic levels. At all levels, perceived listening increased supportiveness, trust, and intrinsic motivation, although listening for accuracy had the strongest impact.
Gluconeogenesis In Extremely Preterm Infants Receiving Parenteral Nutrition.† 1434

Background: In extremely preterm infants, hypoglycemia may result from insufficient hepatic glycogen stores, inadequate gluconeogenesis or both. In early postnatal life, these infants are often given parenteral glucose alone at high rates both to prevent hypoglycemia and to satisfy energy requirements. Due to diminished glucose tolerance, however, hyperglycemia accompanied by urinary loss of water and glucose calories is a frequent consequence.
The effects of colony differences on muricidal behavior in rats within one strain.

Summary Two experiments were performed to investigate the origin of colony differences in muricidal behavior within the same strain of rat. In the first experiment (N = 52 male Long-Evans rats), the first generation offspring of parents from two different colonies were reared under identical conditions and tested for muricide. No differences were found, indicating that an environmental effect accounted for previously observed differences. The second experiment (N = 36 male Long-Evans rats) examined the effects of the presence or absence of mice in the rearing quarters. Again, no differences in muricidal rates were found. Overall, the offspring of killer mothers killed significantly more often than the offspring of nonkiller mothers.
Longitudinal associations between television viewing patterns and adolescent body satisfaction.

Abstract This study addressed profiles of adolescent television use and associations between television viewing profiles and the development of body satisfaction. A sample of 841 adolescent boys and girls, ages 11–17, was recruited for participation in a longitudinal study of adolescent media use. Prior research established eight adolescent television profiles among this sample, reflecting unique patterns of consumption of certain genres, character types, and themes (e.g., romance). This study examined whether an adolescent's television profile predicted Time 2 body satisfaction, after controlling for Time 1 body satisfaction. Among boys, television viewing was unrelated to Time 2 body satisfaction. After controlling for initial body satisfaction, hours spent watching television marginally predicted lower Time 2 body satisfaction among girls. After including television profiles alongside television hours, however, television profile emerged as the stronger predictor. Specifically, a group of girls who watched television frequently and indiscriminately reported the most severe drop in body satisfaction.
Medición directa e indirecta de la exposición de los pacientes a la radiación durante la corrección de un aneurisma aórtico

Con la complejidad cada vez mayor de los procedimientos endovasculares, ha aumentado la preocupacion relativa a la exposicion del paciente a la radiacion. La correccion de aneurisma aortico abdominal (AAA) representa el mas complejo de los procedimientos efectuados hoy dia por cirujanos vasculares. El presente estudio evalua la dosis de radiacion recibida por el paciente durante la reparacion endovascular de un AAA. Durante un periodo de 3 meses, monitorizamos prospectivamente la dosis de radiacion en una serie de pacientes sometidos a la reparacion endovascular de estas lesiones. Todos los pacientes se sometieron al procedimiento estandar con la implantacion de una de las endoprotesis disponibles comercialmente utilizando la unidad GE OEC 9800. Se registro la medicion directa de la dosis de maxima radiacion a nivel cutaneo (dosis cutanea pico, DCP) mediante una pelicula de dosimetria radiografica GAFCHROMIC. Con el dosimetro del brazo C se registraron mediciones indirectas de la dosis de radiacion (tiempo de fluoroscopia y producto dosis-area [PDA]). Se evaluo un total de 12 pacientes consecutivos, sometidos a la reparacion endovascular estandar de AAA. La DCP media fue de 0,75 Gy (limites 0,27-1,25). El tiempo medio de fluoroscopia total fue de 20,6 min (limites 12,6-34,2) con una media del 92% invertido en fluoroscopia estandar y un 8% invertido en cinefluoroscopia. Con respecto al tiempo de fluoroscopia total, el 49% se invirtio en un campo de vision normal y el 51%, en campo de vision aumentado. El PDA medio fue de 15.166 cGy/cm2 (limites 5.207-24.536). La DCP se correlaciono con el PDA (r = 0,9, p 0,05). La DCP tambien se correlaciono con el indice de masa corporal (IMC; r = 0,82, p
Integrin α4β1-dependent adhesion to ADAM 28 (MDC-L) requires an extended surface of the disintegrin domain

ADAMs (a disintegrin and metalloprotease) are a family of proteins that possess functional adhesive and proteolytic domains. ADAM 28 (MDC-L) is expressed by human lymphocytes and contains a disintegrin-like domain that serves as a ligand for the leukocyte integrin, α4β1. To elucidate which residues comprise the α4β1 binding site in the ADAM 28 disintegrin domain, a charge-to-alanine mutagenesis strategy was utilized. Each alanine substitution mutant was evaluated and compared to the native sequence for its ability to support cell adhesion of the T-lymphoma cell line, Jurkat. This approach identified ADAM 28 residues Lys437, Lys442, Lys455, Lys459, Lys460, Lys469, and Glu476 as being essential for α4β1-dependent cell adhesion. The epitope for a function-blocking monoclonal antibody, Dis 1-1, was localized to the N-terminal end of the ADAM 28 disintegrin domain using these same charge-to-alanine mutants. Three distinct molecular models based upon the known structures of snake venom disintegrins suggested th...
14-3-3β Binds to and Negatively Regulates the Tuberous Sclerosis Complex 2 (TSC2) Tumor Suppressor Gene Product, Tuberin

TSC2, or tuberin, is the product of the tuberous sclerosis tumor suppressor gene TSC2 and acts downstream of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-Akt signaling pathway to negatively regulate cellular growth. One mechanism underlying its function is to assemble into a heterodimer with the TSC1 gene product TSC1, or hamartin, resulting in a reduction in phosphorylation, and hence activation, of the ribosomal subunit S6 kinase (S6K). We identified a novel interaction between TSC2 and 14-3-3β. We found that 14-3-3β does not interfere with TSC1-TSC2 binding and can form a ternary complex with these two proteins. Association between 14-3-3β and TSC2 requires phosphorylation of TSC2 at a unique residue that is not a known Akt phosphorylation site. The overexpression of 14-3-3β compromises the ability of the TSC1-TSC2 complex to reduce S6K phosphorylation. The antagonistic activity of 14-3-3β toward TSC is dependent on the 14-3-3β-TSC2 interaction, since a mutant of TSC2 that is not recognized by 14-3-3β is refractory to 14-3-3β. We suggest that 14-3-3 proteins interact with the TSC1-TSC2 complex and negatively regulate the function of the TSC proteins.
Electrochemical- and Thermal-Performance Model of a High-Temperature SOFC System for Geothermic Fuel Cell Application

A one-dimensional model of a high-temperature solid-oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stack contained in a geothermic fuel cell (GFC) assembly is presented. The GFC concept, developed by IEP Technology Inc., involves the harnessing of heat generated during SOFC stack operation for the liberation of oil and gas from oil shale. The first GFC prototype, designed and built by Delphi Automotive, LLC., is comprised of three 1.5-kW SOFC stacks housed in a stainless-steel casing. Hot exhaust gases exiting the stacks are directed out of the stack-containment vessel, rejecting heat to the surroundings before being exhausted above ground. The primary aims of this work are to develop modeling tools to (1) predict the stack electrochemical performance and (2) elucidate the thermal characteristics of the stack assembly during operation through modeling and simulation. Aspen Plus process-simulation software and an embedded electrochemical model are utilized to predict the temperature dynamics and the electrical output of the GFC stack. The stack performance is decomposed with a temperature-dependent Area Specific Resistance (ASR) obtained from analysis of experimental data from a single stack that was operated over a wide temperature range. Independent full-scale stack testing has enabled performance validation of the electrochemical model. Experimental data from the three-stack GFC assembly has been used to calibrate the thermal-modeling approaches and the external heat-rejection predictions. Simulation results for steady-state conditions under hydrogen fuel are presented and compared to experimental data from thermocouples on the GFC prototype. The model will be used to explore the interaction of the geothermic fuel cell with the oil-shale formation in which it is installed.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Minimal Diameter of Certain Sets in the Plane

We investigate the problem of finding the smallest diameterD(n) of a set ofnpoints such that all the mutual distances between them are at least 1. The asymptotic behaviour ofD(n) is known; the exact value ofD(n) can be easily found up to 6 points. Bateman and Erdo?s proved thatD(7)=2. In this paper we determineD(8).
The Role of the spv Genes in Salmonella Pathogenesis

Salmonella strains cause three main types of diseases in people: gastroenteritis, enteric (typhoid) fever, and non-typhoid extra-intestinal disease with bacteremia. Genetic analysis indicates that each clinical syndrome requires distinct sets of virulence genes, and Salmonella isolates differ in their constellation of virulence traits. The spv locus is strongly associated with strains that cause non-typhoid bacteremia, but are not present in typhoid strains. The spv region contains three genes required for the virulence phenotype in mice: the positive transcriptional regulator spvR and two structural genes spvB and spvC. SpvB and SpvC are translocated into the host cell by the Salmonella pathogenicity island-2 type-three secretion system. SpvB prevents actin polymerization by ADP-ribosylation of actin monomers, while SpvC has phosphothreonine lyase activity and has been shown to inhibit MAP kinase signaling. The exact mechanisms by which SpvB and SpvC act in concert to enhance virulence are still unclear. SpvB exhibits a cytotoxic effect on host cells and is required for delayed cell death by apoptosis following intracellular infection. Strains isolated from systemic infections of immune compromised patients, particularly HIV patients, usually carry the spv locus, strongly suggesting that CD4 T cells are required to control disease due to Salmonella that are spv positive. This association is not seen with typhoid fever, indicating that the pathogenesis and immunology of typhoid have fundamental differences from the syndrome of non-typhoid bacteremia.
Method for fabrication of liquid‐crystal cells with narrow gap, fast switching, and flexible plastic substrates

— A phase-separation method for the construction of devices with specific internal architecture of LC/polymer composite system is presented. The method results in adjacent uniform polymer and LC films parallel to the substrates. Scanning electron microscopy was employed to investigate the internal structures. The results show that the thicknesses of the LC and the polymer films in cells constructed with fixed-size spacers directly depends on the LC/polymer in the initial mixture. This can be effectively used for precision cell-gap control and to fine-tune the LC optical path length. Cells with a submicrometer gap, prepared with this method and with 35 wt.% of LC in the mixture, exhibited a total response time approaching 1 msec. This method has also been used to fabricate devices with plastic substrates.
Spatial and temporal variability of microgeographic genetic structure in white-tailed deer

Techniques are described that define contiguous genetic subpopulations of white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ) based on the spatial dispersion of 4,749 individuals that possessed discrete character values (alleles or genotypes) during each of 6 years (1974–1979). White-tailed deer were not uniformly distributed in space, but exhibited considerable spatial genetic structuring. Significant non-random clusters of individuals were documented during each year based on specific alleles and genotypes at the Sdh locus. Considerable temporal variation was observed in the position and genetic composition of specific clusters, which reflected changes in allele frequency in small geographic areas. The position of clusters did not consistently correspond with traditional management boundaries based on major discontinuities in habitat (swamp versus upland) and hunt compartments that were defined by roads and streams. Spatio-temporal stability of observed genetic contiguous clusters was interpreted relative to method and intensity of harvest, movements, and breeding ecology.
Synthesis of small glycopeptides by decarboxylative condensation and insight into the reaction mechanism.

The chemical synthesis of homogeneous glycoproteins and glycopeptides facilitates progress toward understanding the functional role of carbohydrates attached to proteins and is important in the pre...
Cloning and expression of human UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) 1A8.

The mRNA expression of human UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A8 (UGT1A8) has been found in jejunum, ileum, and colon but not in liver. A cDNA with a complete UGT1A8 coding region was amplified from total human ileal RNA by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and inserted into the mammalian expression vector, pcDNA3. Lysates of HK293 cells expressing UGT1A8 revealed the expression of a protein with a molecular mass of 56 kDa by Western blot analysis. Transiently expressed human UGT1A8 shows glucuronidation activities with coumarins, anthraquinones, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, catechol estrogens, 17-hydroxyandrogens, primary amines such as the carcinogen 4-aminobiphenyl, and certain opioids. This UGT may play an important role in the detoxification of xenobiotics in human intestine.
System-Optimal Stochastic Transportation Network Design

In transportation engineering, the network design problem (NDP) aims at finding an optimal link improvement in a network for given demand. Although traffic demand is essentially uncertain, many previous studies assumed it to be deterministic. The demand stochasticity is incorporated and formulas are developed for system-optimal (SO) flow stochastic NDP. The SO assumption is justified by comparing results from SO deterministic NDP with those of user-equilibrium NDP. The difference in social cost between the two approaches is found to be less than 5%. Two two-stage stochastic programs with recourse formulations are proposed: one with penalty function and the other without. The main advantage of the first formulation is that a planner can exert better control on improvement by appropriately weighing reduction in the congestion versus improvement costs. The challenge, however, lies in selecting an appropriate penalty function. A nonlinear penalty function is found suitable for the test network studied. The second formulation does not require penalty function but results in a large number of scenarios. Nonanticipativity constraints are introduced in the second formulation to arrive at uniform improvement over all scenarios. Both formulations are solved on a test network. It is found that necessary improvements and the total costs with both models are more than those for average demand.
Fragile without fractures

Despite being the commonest inherited disease of bone, osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a rare cause of fractures in daily clinical practice. Its prevalence in the general population is 1 to 5 per 100 000. The clinical spectrum ranges from mild forms with relatively few fractures and normal mobility to the lethal form, with multiple intrauterine fractures and death in perinatal period. The diagnosis of OI is based on fracture rates, family history, and clinical signs. However, the rarity of the condition coupled with the subtle signs of mild OI can lead to cases being missed altogether or misdiagnosed in some as “post-menopausal” osteoporosis. In asymptomatic members of a family with mild OI, it is even harder to decide whether they have the condition or not. It has recently been suggested that consultation by a physician familiar with the variability of OI (such as a medical geneticist) is essential for the early diagnosis.1 Clearly, this is possible only in selected centres of expertise, and in most clinical settings one is forced to tackle the problem with locally available resources. A 30 year old lady with known OI presented to the “Bone Clinic” with her two children in February 1992. The diagnosis of OI in the family was established three years before this visit when her 3 year old daughter was brought to the local accident and emergency department for a skull fracture with minor trauma. This child had suffered two long bone fractures previously, also with minor trauma. This led to initial suspicion for “non-accidental injury” or child abuse, though the family history suggested otherwise. The child's 65 year old grandmother had a history of four fractures, fracture of both “legs” (details unclear) at age 6 months, fracture of a bone in left foot age 16 and a fractured right forth …
Energy transfer in colloid CdSe quantum dots

Colloid CdSe quantum dots have been synthesized and their photonic application as a two-wave mixing medium has been demonstrated. Large energy transfer from a strong pump beam to a weak signal beam has been observed.
Differential algebraic determination of high-order off-energy closed orbits, chromaticities, and momentum compactions

Abstract For some modern particle accelerators, including the planned muon collider, the accurate analysis of non-linear time-of-flight effects in the form of momentum compactions is critical for the preservation of bunch structure. A Differential Algebra-based (DA) method is presented that allows the determination of off-energy closed orbits and chromaticities to any order. By performing a coordinate transformation to the off-energy closed orbit, it is possible to compute momentum compactions analytically. This method has been implemented in the code COSY INFINITY and is tested for two cases where analytical solutions can be obtained by hand; agreement to machine precision is found. By contrast, comparisons are made with several codes that use conventional numerical methods for the determination of momentum compaction, and it is found that these approaches sometimes yield rather inaccurate results, especially for higher orders.
High‐Strain‐Rate Testing of Materials

Experimental methods of probing material behavior at high rates of strain are concerned with measuring the variation of mechanical properties, such as strength and ductility, that can vary with strain rate. Interest in the high-rate mechanical behavior of materials has continued to expand during the last four decades, driven by demands for increased understanding of material response in impact events. High-rate tests also provide the data critically needed to create predictive constitutive model descriptions of materials. These descriptions strive to capture the fundamental relationships between the ways that each of the independent variables—stress, strain rate, strain, and temperature—independently affect the constitutive behavior of materials. Measurements of the mechanical properties of materials are normally conducted via loading test samples in compression, tension, or torsion. Mechanical testing frames can be used to achieve nominally constant loading rates for limited plastic strains and thereby a constant engineering strain rate. Typical screw-driven or servohydraulic testing machines are routinely used to measure the stress-strain response of materials up to strain rates as high as 1 s−1. Specially designed testing machines, typically equipped with high-capacity servohydraulic valves and high-speed control and data acquisition instrumentation, can be used during compression testing to achieve strain rates as high as 200 s−1. Above this strain rate regime, > 200 s−1, alternative techniques using projectile-driven impacts to induce stress-wave propagation have been developed. Chief among these techniques is the split-Hopkinson pressure bar, which is capable of achieving the highest uniform uniaxial stress loading of a specimen in compression at nominally constant strain rates of the order of 103 s−1. Stress is measured by using an elastic element in series with the specimen of interest. Stress waves are generated via an impact event and the elastic elements utilized are long bars such that the duration of the loading pulse is less than the wave transit time in the bar. Utilizing this technique, the dynamic stress-strain response of materials at strain rates up to 2 × 104 s−1 and true strains of 0.3 can be readily achieved in a single test. Keywords: hopkinson pressure bar; material behaviour; principles; practical aspects; stress-state equilibrium; high strain rates; sample preperation; specimen modification; inertia; friction; strain-gauge measurements
Comparison of Measured and Modeled Sound Levels in the Vicinity of Traffic Noise Barriers

A detailed noise prediction model was used to compare 11 highway noise barrier locations in Florida. Insertion losses, ground effects, shadow zones, and overall trends were determined or analyzed, or both. Each location was modeled using STAMINA2.0 (current FHWA regulatory model), STAMINA2.1 (Florida's version of STAMINA2.0 with state-specific emission levels), the Traffic Noise Model (often referred to as TNM; this model will replace STAMINA2.0 in the year 2002), and the University of Central Florida Community Noise Model (CNM5.0). The modeled results were then statistically compared with the measured results. Statistical evaluation results were similar for all models for overall, absolute prediction compared with the measured value, with STAMINA2.1 being slightly better. All models provided adequate results, but ranges of error were significant. When the propagation components were explored, by comparing reference levels with those behind the barrier, the TNM was significantly better. The results also p...
Detection of an Adherence Factor of Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli with a DNA Probe

A DNA probe to detect genes conferring localized adherence of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) to Hep-2 cells was evaluated by using E. coli isolates from the stools of Peruvian infants with and without diarrhea. The probe was both sensitive and specific and revealed that Hep-2 adherence (because of the EPEC adherence factor [EAF] was more frequent in some O serogroups of EPEC than in others. Those serogroups in which EAF is almost always found have been designated class I EPEC; serogroups in which EAF is rarely found have been designated class II. Both class I (EAF-positive) and class II EPEC are associated with diarrheal disease.
Structure of crystallographically challenged materials by profile analysis of atomic pair distribution functions: Study of LiMoS2 and mesostructured MnGe4S10

The approach of the atomic pair distribution function (PDF) technique to study the structure of materials with significant disorder is considered and successfully applied to LiMoS2 and mesostructured MnGe4S10. We find that LiMoS2 is built of layers of distorted MoS6 octahedra stacked along the c axis of a triclinic unit cell with well-defined Mo-Mo bonding. Mesostructured MnGe4S10 is a three-dimensional framework of “adamantane-like” [Ge4S10] units bridged by Mn atoms.