cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Increased ribosomal accuracy increases a programmed translational frameshift in Escherichia coli.

Abstract We have tested the effect of increased ribosomal fidelity on a modified version of the programmed release factor 2 (RF2) translational frameshift. In the constructs tested, the original UGA codon at the site of the shift was replaced by either of two sense codons, UGG (tryptophan), which allows a frameshift of approximately 13%, or CUG (leucine), which allows a frameshift of only approximately 2%. We confirmed the results of Curran and Yarus [Curran, J. F. & Yarus, M. (1989) J. Mol. Biol. 209, 65-77] in a wild-type ribosomal host, including a reduction of the UGG shift following induction of tRNA(Trp) from a plasmid copy of the tRNA gene. But to our surprise, in a hyperaccurate streptomycin pseudo-dependent host, the UGG frameshift increased to more than 50%. When we added a tRNA(Trp) plasmid to these cells, induction of the tRNA(Trp) gene reduced the shift back to approximately 7%. Messenger RNA levels did not vary greatly under these different induced conditions. Other increased accuracy alleles also showed increased frameshifting with UGG at the frameshift site. All increased accuracy alleles led to slower translation rates, and there appeared to be a proportionality between the extent of reduction of synthesis for the in-frame reporter and the extent of UGG frameshift for the out-of-frame reporter. There were little effects of increased accuracy on the lower level CUG frameshift. However, over-production of the cognate tRNA(1Leu) dramatically reduced even this lower level of shift, despite the fact that tRNA(1Leu) is already the most abundant isoacceptor in Escherichia coli. These results can be rationalized by following the hypothesis of Curran and Yarus as follows: with wild-type ribosomes, limited availability of tRNA(Trp) (about 1% of total tRNA) facilitates a pause at the UGG codon (due to the vacant A site), allowing increased opportunity for ribosome realignment. Excess tRNA(Trp) reduces the time the A site is vacant and thus reduces the frameshift. The slower hyperaccurate ribosomes increase the pause time and thus increase the opportunity for shifting, a process again reversed by increasing the in-frame cognate tRNA(Trp). These data provide strong support for a model in which the extent of ribosome pause time at a programmed frameshift site is a major determinant in the efficiency of the frameshift and in which tRNA availability can be a major influence on this process.
FURTHER DEFINING THE ROLE OF THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE: A MODEL TAXONOMY FOR INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS

As global trade increases, economic competition requires U.S. citizens and institutions to develop knowledge and understanding of international cultures and countries to facilitate commerce and cultural exchange between local, geographic community college service areas and the world. To assess the extent to which community colleges provide international education (IE), a model taxonomy was developed on the basis of exemplary IE operations reported in the literature. A comprehensive model taxonomy includes policy and programs in four areas: admin‐’ istration, instruction, international student support services, and outreach. This taxonomy was applied as a baseline to assess IE in public community colleges in Texas. The findings indicate that IE practices in community colleges in Texas, when compared with a comprehensive taxonomy of IE operations described in the literature, exist in only a few institutions.
Titration without Mixing or Dilution: Sequential Injection of Chemical Sensing Membranes.

A novel, miniaturized titration was developed using beads 35 μm in diameter as semisolid aqueous titrant retained in a nonaqueous sample stream. Agarose beads with internally bound pH indicator served as a pH sensing membrane material swollen with aqueous NaOH titrant. The indicator monitored the remaining titrant within the agarose beads during perfusion with H2SO4 in 1-butanol samples. Irreversible reaction of 2 mg bead layers was made possible by automated packing and disposal in a flow cell. This strategy substituted membrane advantages for the burdens of mixing and unnecessary dilution under laminar flow conditions. The agarose environment was conditioned with NaCl to tolerate dissolved salt in the sample. Transmittance measurements were made via fiber optics through FEP PTFE optical windows. A simple inverse relationship held between endpoint volume and acid concentration so that calibration curves were linear, R2 = 0.9980.
Are government initiated recalls more damaging for shareholders? Evidence from automotive recalls, 1973–1998

Abstract Due to the increased frequency of recalls, this paper examines the stock market returns to both manufacturer and government-initiated automotive safety recalls. The equity response is shown to be independent of which entity (the government or the manufacturer) initiates the recall.
Dual-channel surface plasmon resonance sensor with spectral discrimination of sensing channels using dielectric overlayer

A novel dual-channel surface plasmon resonance sensor is described which uses a high refractive index overlayer to spectrally separate sensing channels, allowing for their simultaneous interrogation using a single spectrograph. A theoretical analysis of the sensor is presented as well as experimental results demonstrating its capability as a biosensor.
Dense, denser, densest

These words net out the driving forces, the evolutionary thrusts and the assorted limitations of the microelectronics technology—the semiconductor chips and their packaging. Current status of the technology is near the middle of the S-shaped learning curve, with the attendant highest rate of progress. This paper highlights the driving forces (e.g. cost, performance), the limiting parameters (e.g. dimensions, tolerances, power densities) and the major parametric interdependencies. Major historical trends and their extrapolations quantify key variables.
Nuclear magnetic resonance in ferromagnetic terbium

Abstract The temperature dependence of the magnetic dipole and electric quadrupole hyperfine fields has been measured by NMR in ferromagnetic terbium metal. The results are in excellent agreement with a general theoretical relation connecting moments of the magnetization. This relation allows us to separate ionic and crystalline contributions to the nuclear electric field gradient.
Intensive Treatments for Adolescents with Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia: Helping Youth Move beyond Avoidance

Panic disorder with agoraphobia (PDA) contributes to significant impairment and distress in adolescence, particularly when left untreated. Cognitive behavioral treatment of panic disorder in adoles...
C. Henry Kempe memorial lecture.

L'auteur retrace l'historique de la Societe internationale de prevention des mauvais traitements d'enfants, ses orientations actuelles et ses activites de prevention. Il decrit particulierement les importantes contributions du Professeur Henry Kempe
Power supply changes for NSTX Resistive Wall Mode Coils

The National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) has been designed and installed in the existing facilities at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL). Most of the hardware, plant facilities, auxiliary sub-systems, and power systems originally used for the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) have been used with suitable modifications to reflect NSTX needs. Prior to 2004, the NSTX power system was feeding twelve (12) circuits in the machine. In 2004 the Resistive Wall Mode (RWM) Coils were installed on the machine to correct error fields. There are six of these coils installed around the machine in the mid-plane. Since these coils need fast and accurate controls, a Switching Power Amplifier (SPA) with three sub-units was procured, installed and commissioned along with other power loop components. Two RWM Coils were connected in series and fed from one SPA sub-unit. After the initial RWM campaign, operational requirements evolved such that each of the RWM coils now requires separate power and control. Hence a second SPA with three sub-units has been procured and installed. The second unit is of improved design and has the controls and power components completely isolated. The existing thyristor rectifier is used as DC Link to both of the Switching Power Amplifiers. The controls for the RWM are integrated into the overall computer control of the DC Power systems for NSTX. This paper describes the design changes in the RWM Power system for NSTX.
A substrate ambiguous enzyme facilitates genome reduction in an intracellular symbiont

Background: Genome evolution in intracellular microbial symbionts is characterized by gene loss, generating some of the smallest and most gene-poor genomes known. As a result of gene loss these genomes commonly contain metabolic pathways that are fragmented relative to their free-living relatives. The evolutionary retention of fragmented metabolic pathways in the gene-poor genomes of endosymbionts suggests that they are functional. However, it is not always clear how they maintain functionality. To date, the fragmented metabolic pathways of endosymbionts have been shown to maintain functionality through complementation by host genes, complementation by genes of another endosymbiont and complementation by genes in host genomes that have been horizontally acquired from a microbial source that is not the endosymbiont. Here, we demonstrate a fourth mechanism. Results: We investigate the evolutionary retention of a fragmented pathway for the essential nutrient pantothenate (vitamin B5) in the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum endosymbiosis with Buchnera aphidicola. Using quantitative analysis of gene expression we present evidence for complementation of the Buchnera pantothenate biosynthesis pathway by host genes. Further, using complementation assays in an Escherichia coli mutant we demonstrate functional replacement of a pantothenate biosynthesis enzyme, 2-dehydropantoate 2-reductase (E.C. 1.1.1.169), by an endosymbiont gene, ilvC, encoding a substrate ambiguous enzyme. Conclusions: Earlier studies have speculated that missing enzyme steps in fragmented endosymbiont metabolic pathways are completed by adaptable endosymbiont enzymes from other pathways. Here, we experimentally demonstrate completion of a fragmented endosymbiont vitamin biosynthesis pathway by recruitment of a substrate ambiguous enzyme from another pathway. In addition, this work extends host/symbiont metabolic collaboration in the aphid/Buchnera symbiosis from amino acid metabolism to include vitamin biosynthesis.
Serotonin modulated Ca++ dependent K+ channels in alloimmune effector cell lytic function.

AbstractPotassium channel activity has been implicated in the lytic function of cloned murine effector T lymphocytes (5) and human NK cells (12) as well as in the initiation of the injury process in tumor cells (23). In the present studies, the effects of various K+ channel blockers on the cytolytic function of in vivo derived alloimmune lymphocytes towards P815 tumor cells were evaluated. The classical K+ channel blocker 4-aminopyridine (4-AP), the naturally occurring monoamine serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) and its agonist, quipazine, as well as the Ca++ dependent K+ channel blocker quinidine were chosen for investigation based on their known ion channel gating properties. These agents, when present in the assay medium, inhibited in a dose dependent manner the lysis of P815 tumor cells as measured by specific 51Cr release. Preincubation of effector lymphocytes with the various K+ channel blockers resulted in greater inhibition of lysis than did the preincubation of target cells. The 5-HT agonist ...
Modulation of epidermal growth factor signal transduction by linoleic acid metabolites.

This laboratory is studying arachidonic acid and linoleic acid metabolites formed by prostaglandin H synthase and lipoxygenases as modulators of growth factor signaling pathways that lead to cellular proliferation. Growth factors bind to specific receptors located on the cell surface and initiate a series of biochemical events that ultimately leads to cellular proliferation. Occupation of the receptor by growth factor causes dimerization of the receptor and stimulates the receptor’s intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity. The kinase activity phosphorylates key tyrosine residues present in several intracellular signaling proteins and initiates a series of tyrosine, serine and threonine phosphorylation of proteins that link the cell surface with the nucleus. Phosphorylation of these signaling proteins regulates their catalytic activity and the association to other signaling proteins. The final step in the signaling cascade appears to be activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP kinase) which in turn activates transcription factors. The nature of this intracellular communication is poorly understood and thus is the subject of intense study. Several lines of evidence suggest that prostaglandin H synthase and lipoxygenase catalyzed metabolites of arachidonic acid and linoleic acid modulate the epidermal growth factor (EGF) mitogenic signal in fibroblasts.
Depression determines illness conviction and pain impact: a structural equation modeling analysis.

Psychiatry, and West Los Angeles VA Health Care Center Objective. The present study sought to derive an algorithm using factor analysis and structural equa- tion modeling (SEM) to describe headache and orofacial pain patients using measures of behavioral and psychological functioning. This investigation further examined whether the underlying factor structure differed in 3 presumed distinct diagnostic categories: myofascial, neuropathic, and neurovas- cular pain. Design. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2), Multidimensional Pain In- ventory (MPI), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), and visual analog scale for functional limita- tion (VAS-FL) were administered to the subjects. A split group design was used. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to describe distinct factor domains in the first group. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using SEM tested this structure in the second group and described causal relationships between the revealed (latent) factors. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test for differences in demographic variables and diagnostic group factor structure. Setting. The Pain Center is a comprehensive, multidisciplinary pain medicine program at Cedars- Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California. Subjects. Three hundred and ninety (N 5 390) subjects were assigned to 1 of 3 diagnostic categories: myofascial pain syndrome, neuropathic pain, or neurovascular pain. Results. EFA revealed a 3-factor solution. The factors were labeled Depression, Illness Conviction, and Pain Impact, reflecting the content of their respective variables with highest loadings. CFA using SEM validated the 3-factor solution, and further revealed that Depression was a critical causal factor determining Illness Conviction and Pain Impact. No causal relationship was observed between Illness Conviction and Pain Impact. ANOVA found no differences in demographics. No difference in factor structure emerged for the 3 diagnostic categories. Conclusions. Analysis derived a 3-factor solution. The factors were Pain Impact, Illness Conviction, and Depression. SEM revealed the critical causal pathway showing that Depression determined Illness Conviction and Pain Impact. We conclude that the main target for pain treatment is depression. No differences in factor structure were found for the 3 diagnostic categories of myofascial, neuropathic, or neurovascular pain. This suggests that psychological processes are similar in chronic headache and orofacial pain patients despite their presumed distinct underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. SME is a powerful methodology to construct causal models that has been underutilized in the pain lit- erature.
Laminar distribution of receptive field properties in the primary visual cortex of the mouse

We studied the receptive field properties of single neurons in the primary visual cortex (area 17) of the mouse and the distribution of receptive field types among the cortical laminae. Three basic receptive field types were found: 1) Cells with oriented receptive fields, many of which could be classified as simple or complex, were found in all layers of the cortex, but occurred with greater frequency in layers I1 and I11 and less commonly in Layer IV. 2) Cells with non-oriented receptive fields had ON, OFF, or ON-OFF centers; they were found in all layers but were predominant in layer IV. Two subclasses of non- oriented receptive fields were characterized based on their responses to stationary and moving stimuli. One group of cells with non-oriented receptive fields responded vigorously with sustained firing to stationary flashing stimuli, and also responded well to moving stimuli over a wide range of stimulus velocities. A second group of non-oriented cells, termed motion-selective, responded poorly or not at all to stationary stimuli and responded optimally to moving stimuli over a restricted range of velocities. 3) A distinct group of neurons, termed large field, non-oriented (LFNO) cells, were found almost exclusively in layer V. LFNO cells had receptive fields that were larger than those of the other two major classes at all visual-field locations; they also had higher rates of spontaneous activity and responded to higher stimulus velocities than the other classes. In these respects, LFNO cells resembled the layer V cells of area 17 in the cat and the layer V and VI cells of area 17 in the monkey that project to the superior colliculus. We injected horseradish peroxidase into the superior colliculus, and determined that corticotectal cells in the mouse were also located in layer V, the layer where we recorded LFNO cells. Additional evidence that some LFNO cells project to the superior colliculus was provided by preliminary experiments in which we stimulated the superior colliculus and antidromically activated cortical cells with LFNO receptive fields. Neurons with LFNO receptive fields thus constitute a class that is functionally distinct, with cell bodies that are located in a single layer (V) of area 17 in the mouse. The aggregation of neuronal cell bodies and their processes into laminae is one of the most striking of the morphological features that characterize cerebral cortex. Laminae in a given cortical region differ from one another in the size, shape, number, and packing den- sity of the neurons they contain, and regions of cortex may be differentiated from one an- other in part on the basis of variations in these features from one area to the next (Brod- mann, '03; Campbell, '03; Vogt, '03). In recent years, a number of approaches have been used in the study of the visual cortex to provide evidence for the proposition that cortical lam- ination has functional significance. Anatomi- cal studies in cat and monkey have convinc- ingly demonstrated that afferents to visual
Immediate and Time-Dependent Compression of Tire Derived Aggregate

This paper examines immediate and time-dependent compression of tire derived aggregate (TDA) and TDA-soil composites. To accommodate large particle sizes, modified experimental devices were developed and used to test tire chips and tire shreds. Immediate compression of TDA, which results almost entirely from the reduction of pore volume, increases with TDA content and tire particle size. The secant constrained modulus ( Msec ) of TDA defined over the stress range of 0–50 kPa varied from a low of 255 kPa (100% tire shreds) to a high of 1,320 kPa (50% tire chips). A characteristic relationship between strain and time exists for TDA and TDA composites under one-dimensional confined compression. Time-dependent deformation is well described by the modified secondary compression index ( Cαe ) , which ranged from 0.0010 (50% tire chips) to 0.0074 (100% tire chips). Time-dependent deformation was inversely proportional to sand content, with the most significant changes resulting from the addition of 15% sand. Bot...
Enhancing Multilingual Latent Semantic Analysis with Term Alignment Information

Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA) is based on the Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) of a term-by-document matrix for identifying relationships among terms and documents from cooccurrence patterns. Among the multiple ways of computing the SVD of a rectangular matrix X, one approach is to compute the eigenvalue decomposition (EVD) of a square 2 x 2 composite matrix consisting of four blocks with X and XT in the off-diagonal blocks and zero matrices in the diagonal blocks. We point out that significant value can be added to LSA by filling in some of the values in the diagonal blocks (corresponding to explicit term-to-term or document-to-document associations) and computing a term-by-concept matrix from the EVD. For the case of multilingual LSA, we incorporate information on cross-language term alignments of the same sort used in Statistical Machine Translation (SMT). Since all elements of the proposed EVD-based approach can rely entirely on lexical statistics, hardly any price is paid for the improved empirical results. In particular, the approach, like LSA or SMT, can still be generalized to virtually any language(s); computation of the EVD takes similar resources to that of the SVD since all the blocks are sparse; and the results of EVD are just as economical as those of SVD.
Substance Use and Delinquency High-Risk Behaviors as Predictors of Teen Pregnancy Among Adolescents Involved With the Child Welfare System

Although there has been a decline in teen pregnancy in recent decades, reports have provided evidence that the decline is reversing. Adolescents involved in the child welfare system (CWS) are vulnerable to engage in high-risk behaviors including sexual behaviors, substance use, and delinquency. The literature on sexual risk behaviors in adolescents in the CWS has emphasized that such behaviors are associated with unplanned pregnancies; however, few studies have explored the co-occurrence of other risk behaviors and sexual behaviors. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which substance use and delinquent acts predict teen pregnancy of youths involved with the CWS. The sample consisted of 291 female adolescents in the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being study. Results indicated females who engage in substance use or delinquency at baseline were more likely to have been pregnant 36 months later than those who did not engage in such behaviors.
Nminiature UWB antenna design and its limitations

More and more applications require small conformal ultra-wide bandwidth (UWB) antenna designs. The radiation performance of such antennas faces fundamental limitations imposing on impedance, gain and bandwidth. Antenna miniaturization can be achieved by slowing down the currents and fields propagating along antenna arms. Convention approaches involve the utilization of dielectric loading or meandered arms. The former increases the shunt capacitance and the later increases the serial inductance. Either approach decreases the wavelength of local currents (or fields) on antenna, thus achieving resonance at a smaller physical size. This paper discusses such miniaturization techniques and their relationship with fundamental limitations.
Monte Carlo optimization of depth-of-interaction resolution in PET crystals

The light distribution along one edge of a positron emission tomography (PET) scintillation crystal was investigated with a Monte Carlo simulation. This position-dependent light can be used to measure the 511-keV photon interaction position in the crystal on an event-by-event basis, thus reducing radial elongation. The expectant full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the light distribution on the 3-mm*30-mm surface of a 3-mm*10-mm*30-mm bismuth germanate (BGO) crystal surrounded by a diffuse reflector was determined to be 3.0 mm. This light distribution does not change as the width (originally 3 mm) is varied from 1 to 6 mm, but decreases monotonically from 3.0 to 1.8 mm FWHM as the height (originally 10 mm) is reduced to 3 mm. Other geometrical modifications were simulated, including numerous corner reflectors on the opposing 3-mm *30-mm surface, which reduced the FWHM to 2.4 mm. The response of a dual-wedge photodiode combined with the predicted light distribution for the 3-mm*10-mm*30-mm BGO scintillation crystal results in an expected depth of interaction resolution of 7.5 mm FWHM. >
Absolute-radiometric calibration of Landsat-5 Thematic Mapper and the proposed calibration of the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer

The reflectance-based method is used to determine an absolute-radiometric calibration of Landsat-5 Thematic Mapper for the solar reflective portion of the spectrum. Results are given for data collected at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico on 1993-08-15 and 1993-10-21. These results are compared to those obtained from applying an identical approach to data collected in 1984, 1985, and 1988. Results indicate sensor degradation in the first three bands with greatest degradation at the shortest wavelengths. The reflectance-based method is also to be used for the in-flight, absolute-radiometric calibration of the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) to be launched on the Earth Observing System's AM1 platform. The authors describe the anticipated improvements to the reflectance-based method and their application and impact on the calibration of ASTER. These improvements should allow the absolute calibration of ASTER at the 3% level. >
Improving system reliability by failure-mode avoidance including four concept design strategies

To be reliable, a system must be robust—it must avoid failure modes even in the presence of a broad range of conditions including harsh environments, changing operational demands, and internal deterioration. This paper discusses and codifies techniques for robust system design that operate by expanding the range of conditions under which the system functions. A distinction is introduced between one-sided and two-sided failure modes, and four strategies are presented for creating larger windows between sets of one-sided failure modes. Each strategy is illustrated through two examples from industrial practice. For each strategy, one example is from paper handling and another is from jet engines. By showing that every strategy has been successfully applied to each system, we seek to illustrate that the strategies are widely applicable and highly effective. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Eng 8: 245–261, 2005
The Dependence of Reflection on Incidence Angle

A Iossy dielectric sheet has complex dielectric constant epsilon = epsilon (x) and complex permeability µ = µ(x), where x is the distance to one interface. This sheet is backed by a conducting surface and used as an absorber. If | epsilon (x)µ(x) | >>epsilon/sub 0/µ/sub 0/, so that (epsilon/epsilon/sub0/)(µ/µ/sub0/) - sin² theta is nearly independent of the incidence angle theta, then the amplitude reflection R(theta) is wholly determined by R(0). Typical results: When R(theta/sub0/) = 0 at one polarization, then at theta=theta/sub 0/ the reflection for the other polarization corresponds to a voltage standing-wave ratio SWR =sec² theta/sub 0/. At perpendicular polarization max | R(theta) | on (theta/sub 1/, theta/sub 2/) is least, for given | R(0) I, if R(0) is real and positive; and then R(theta) = 0 at tan²theta/2 = R(0). But for parallel polarization R(0) must be real and negative to get optimum performance. When the absorber functions at both polarizations the best obtainable result is | R(theta) | = tan²theta/2, no matter what interval (theta/sub 1/, theta/sub 2/) is specified. The error in the approximation is investigated theoretically and experimentally. A complete set of graphs is included, suitable for design of those absorbers to which the theory applies. The analysis also yields an exact expression for the limiting behavior of the reflection at grazing incidence. This can be used in problems such as computation of the field due to a dipole over a plane earth. Finally, the theory of the Salisbury screen is re-examined as an aid in checking the other developments.
Arterial Spin Labeling Blood Flow MRI: Its Role in the Early Characterization of Alzheimer's Disease

Arterial spin labeling (ASL) enables the noninvasive, quantitative imaging of cerebral blood flow using standard magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) equipment. Because it requires no contrast injection, ASL can add resting functional information to MRI studies measuring atrophy and signs of ischemic injury. Key features of ASL technology that may affect studies in Alzheimer's disease are described. The existing literature describing ASL blood flow imaging applied to Alzheimer's disease and related dementia is reviewed, and the potential role of ASL in treatment and prevention studies of early Alzheimer's disease is discussed.
Standardisation of near Infrared Spectrometers: Evaluation of Some Common Techniques for Intra- and Inter-Brand Calibration Transfer:

Six standardisation methods (direct standardisation, piecewise direct standardisation, robust standardisation, slope and bias and bias only post regression correction and no standardisation or spectral pre-treatment only) were compared for the transfer of whole soybean protein, oil and linolenic acid models. Two Foss Infratec and two Bruins OmegAnalyzerGs instruments were used to evaluate the standardisation methods in intra- and inter-brand scenarios. Each instrument was calibrated on its own calibration set for comparison. Partial least squares was used to develop all models. For each brand, a master was selected and the calibrations developed on it were transferred to the secondary unit of its own network (intra-brand transfer) and to the two units of the other brand (inter-brand transfer). Foss Infratec models were transferable to Bruins OmegAnalyzerG units with a similar or better precision than when all instruments were calibrated on their own calibration sets and vice versa. Optical standardisation...
The content of cigarette counter-advertising: are perceived functions of smoking addressed?

Media campaigns can be an effective tool in reducing adolescent smoking. To better understand the types of ads that have been used in campaigns in the United States, a content analysis was conducted of ads available at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Media Campaign Resource Center (MCRC; Waves 1 through 7). A total of 487 ads were coded. Ads were coded for target audience, primary theme present in the ad, and sensation value—production techniques that have been demonstrated to attract attention and increase arousal. Primary themes extended earlier studies by focusing on the perceived functions of smoking (weight lose, stress management, controlling negative affect) as well as the traditional themes of industry attack, the health consequences of smoking, secondhand smoke, quitting, and the social image of smokers. A majority of ads were rated as having moderate sensation value, and ads targeted at teens and children were, on the average, higher in sensation value than those target...
A FRET-based sensor reveals large ATP hydrolysis-induced conformational changes and three distinct states of the molecular motor myosin.

Abstract The molecular motor myosin is proposed to bind to actin and swing its light-chain binding region through a large angle to produce an ∼10 nm step in motion coupled to changes in the nucleotide state at the active site. To date, however, direct dynamic measurements have largely failed to show changes of that magnitude. Here, we use a cysteine engineering approach to create a high resolution, FRET-based sensor that reports a large, ∼70 degree nucleotide-dependent angle change of the light-chain binding region. The combination of steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer measurements unexpectedly reveals two distinct prestroke states. The measurements also show that bound Mg.ADP.P i , and not bound Mg.ATP, induces the myosin to adopt the prestroke states.
Experimental Investigation on Acousto-ultrasonic Sensing Using Polarization-Maintaining Fiber Bragg Gratings

This report discusses the guided Lamb wave sensing using polarization-maintaining (PM) fiber Bragg grating (PM-FBG) sensor. The goal is to apply the PM-FBG sensor system to composite structural health monitoring (SHM) applications in order to realize directivity and multi-axis strain sensing capabilities while using reduced number of sensors. Comprehensive experiments were conducted to evaluate the performance of the PM-FBG sensor in a composite panel structure under different actuation frequencies and locations. Three Macro-Fiber-Composite (MFC) piezoelectric actuators were used to generate guided Lamb waves and they are oriented at 0, 45, and 90 degrees with respect to PM-FBG axial direction, respectively. The actuation frequency was varied from 20kHz to 200kHz. It is shown that the PM-FBG sensor system is able to detect high-speed ultrasound waves and capture the characteristics under different actuation conditions. Both longitudinal and lateral strain components in the order of nano-strain were determined based on the reflective intensity measurement data from fast and slow axis of the PM fiber. It must be emphasized that this is the first attempt to investigate acousto-ultrasonic sensing using PM-FBG sensor. This could lead to a new sensing approach in the SHM applications.
Accessorizing Clarissa: How Virginia Woolf changes the clothes and the character of her lady of fashion

The period following the first world war in England saw dramatic changes in women's clothing: the manufacturing of quality ready-made clothing brought fashion to the masses, and modern fashions helped liberate women with simpler, lighter, and more youthful designs. These changes, I argue, have great consequence for Virginia Woolf's lady of fashion, Clarissa Dalloway. In her story “Mrs Dalloway in Bond Street” (1922), Woolf produces an ultimately satirical portrait of Clarissa, who remains insulated, by class privilege and fashion sensibility, from the working world about her; but when Woolf rewrites her story as a novel (1925), Clarissa comes to feel deeply for her lower-class counterparts. The change reflects Woolf's modernist technique, which strips away Clarissa's material insulation. But Woolf's dematerialized modernism in turn echoes contemporary women's fashions, which likewise were revolting against heavy materials, exploring youthful looseness, and even allowing ladies and workers to become fashio...
Standardized testing and school segregation: like tinder for fire?

AbstractRecent research suggests that high-stakes standardized testing has played a negative role in the segregation of children by race and class in schools. In this article we review research on the overall effects of segregation, the positive and negative aspects of how desegregation plans were carried out following the 1954 Supreme Court decision Brown v. Board of Education, and the de facto re-segregation that followed the dismantling of many desegregation plans, along with the increase of school choice plans. We then analyze these effects in light of the ways that high-stakes standardized testing has grown in importance and intensity in US education policy and practice, especially during the most recent period of school re-segregation. Based on the evidence we argue that the intrinsic features of high-stakes testing, combined with current systems of school choice, function as mechanisms used for racial coding that facilitate segregation and compound inequalities found in schools.
Optofluidic distributed feedback dye laser

We demonstrated an optofluidic distributed feedback (DFB) dye laser on a poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) chip. Single-mode operation was obtained with 0.21 nm linewidth. We achieved nearly 60 nm continuously tunable output by mechanically varying the grating period.
Leptin and exercise.

Short-term exercise ( or =60 min) exercise, a reduction in leptin concentrations reported from 1 to 3 hr of running or cycling has been attributed to diurnal reduction in circulating leptin, independent of exercise. Exercise that produces a sufficient energy imbalance (kilocalorie intake versus kilocalorie expenditure) suppresses 24-hr mean and amplitude of the diurnal rhythm of leptin in women. Suppression of leptin concentrations may be counterbalanced by feeding and may explain consistent reports of reductions in leptin concentrations following extreme bouts of exercise such as marathons or ultramarathons. In addition, leptin concentrations are reduced 48 hr after long-term aerobic exercise and long-term resistance exercise is associated with delayed leptin reduction 9 hr postexercise. Training studies have documented that short-term exercise training ( 12 weeks) training studies, with a number of studies finding no effect of training on leptin concentrations other than effects induced by fat loss, and other studies finding reductions in leptin concentrations after accounting for fat loss. Exercise training-induced reductions in leptin levels have been attributed to alterations in energy balance, improvements in insulin sensitivity, alterations in lipid metabolism, and unknown factors. Hormone replacement does not seem to affect leptin adaptations to training. Patients with type 2 diabetes show delayed effects of short-term resistance exercise on leptin concentrations, reduced leptin levels with long-term training, and appear to be more sensitive to training-induced leptin adaptations than other populations.
Ecological Studies of Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) in Central Mississippi: Lateral Movement of Adult Ticks

Lateral movement by adult Ixodes scapularis Say was measured by two mark-release-recapture studies in which ticks were collected by flagging, marked with tiny drops of model paint, released at predetermined spots within the study site, and subsequently recaptured during weekly sampling by flagging. In the first mark-release-recapture experiment, 10/23 ticks were recaptured; all but 3 (2 collected at 3 m and 1 at 1 m) were collected at the release point. In the second experiment, 43/82 ticks were recaptured and all but 1 (which was collected 1 m from the release point) were collected within 0.5 m of their release point. Results of this study indicate that lateral movement by questing adult I. scapularis is minimal.
Can I get a Witness? The Role of the Audience in Impression Management Effectiveness

Using Goffman’s (1959) original dramaturgical theory of self- presentation, we argue that impression management can be most effectively measured by the audience, to whom the behaviors are targeted....
Frequency notching effects on GPR imagery while operating in crowded spectrum scenarios

Over the past decade, the radio frequency (RF) spectrum in which radar, telecommunication, navigational, and other systems operate has become increasingly crowded. The Army Research Laboratory has developed a Stepped-Frequency Radar (SFR) which can avoid areas of the RF spectrum in which systems are already operating. This allows for mitigation of RF interference (RFI) on the radar, as well as reduction in the interference from the radar that might affect other systems. This paper addresses the impact of frequency notching on GPR imagery, and methods of mitigating negative effects. The SFR operates over 300–2000 MHz, with a minimum frequency step size of 1 MHz. The radar transmits and receives in pulsed intervals, allowing for receiver blanking of close-in targets. The SFR is vehicle mounted and utilizes two dualpolarized transmit (Tx) horn antennas on either side of the receiver (Rx) antenna aperture, which consists of 16 Vivaldi notch antennas (which can be rotated to either H or V polarization). The radar is capable of completing a sweep over its entire operating band in <250 μsec. Furthermore, the radar is capable of coherently averaging directly on the field programmable gate array (FPGA) in which it digitizes the Rx channels, albeit at the cost of increased data collection time.
Starch Binding Domain-containing Protein 1 Plays a Dominant Role in Glycogen Transport to Lysosomes in Liver

A small portion of cellular glycogen is transported to and degraded in lysosomes by acid α-glucosidase (GAA) in mammals, but it is unclear why and how glycogen is transported to the lysosomes. Stbd1 has recently been proposed to participate in glycogen trafficking to lysosomes. However, our previous study demonstrated that knockdown of Stbd1 in GAA knock-out mice did not alter lysosomal glycogen storage in skeletal muscles. To further determine whether Stbd1 participates in glycogen transport to lysosomes, we generated GAA/Stbd1 double knock-out mice. In fasted double knock-out mice, glycogen accumulation in skeletal and cardiac muscles was not affected, but glycogen content in liver was reduced by nearly 73% at 3 months of age and by 60% at 13 months as compared with GAA knock-out mice, indicating that the transport of glycogen to lysosomes was suppressed in liver by the loss of Stbd1. Exogenous expression of human Stbd1 in double knock-out mice restored the liver lysosomal glycogen content to the level of GAA knock-out mice, as did a mutant lacking the Atg8 family interacting motif (AIM) and another mutant that contains only the N-terminal 24 hydrophobic segment and the C-terminal starch binding domain (CBM20) interlinked by an HA tag. Our results demonstrate that Stbd1 plays a dominant role in glycogen transport to lysosomes in liver and that the N-terminal transmembrane region and the C-terminal CBM20 domain are critical for this function.
Synthesis of acid-degradable hyperbranched polymers by chain-growth CuAAC polymerization of an AB3 monomer

A tetrafunctional AB3 monomer that was composed of one alkynyl group, three azido groups and one acetal linker was used in the one-pot copper-catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) polymerization for producing acid-degradable hyperbranched polymers (HBPs). In various feed ratios of the AB3 monomer to a B3 core, the polymerizations demonstrated a chain-growth mechanism with a linear increase of molecular weight versus conversion, low polydispersity and a high degree of branching (DB). The large amount of terminal azido groups on the HBPs periphery were further modified via reaction with an alkynyl-terminated poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) to produce water-soluble PEGylated HBPs. Under acidic conditions, both the HBPs and the PEGylated HBPs exhibited clean and fast degradation into low-molecular weight compounds, confirming the labile acetal linkers in the backbone of HBPs.
Toll-tally tubular: A newly identified Toll-like receptor–FoxO pathway regulates dynamics of the neuronal microtubule network

Recent studies reveal a conserved role for FoxO transcription factors in establishing neuronal structure and circuit function. In this issue, McLaughlin et al. (2016. J. Cell Biol. http://dx.doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201601014) identify a novel Toll-like receptor-FoxO pathway that represses the mitotic kinesin Pavarotti/MKLP1 to promote dynamic microtubules required for axonal transport and activity-dependent remodeling of presynaptic terminals.
Career Development and Promotion in an Academic Health Center.

This paper examines the successive stages of the career path for psychologists who commit to spending their professional lives working in academic health centers. Key factors for success at each stage are described, as are the steps required for progressing to subsequent stages of professional development. The paper breaks new ground by including consideration of a post-retirement stage, “Professor Emeritus status.”
Short-term Memory in Childhood Dyslexia: Deficient Serial Order in Multiple Modalities

In children with dyslexia, deficits in working memory have not been well-specified. We assessed second-grade children with dyslexia, with and without concomitant specific language impairment, and children with typical development. Immediate serial recall of lists of phonological (non-word), lexical (digit), spatial (location) and visual (shape) items were included. For the latter three modalities, we used not only standard span but also running span tasks, in which the list length was unpredictable to limit mnemonic strategies. Non-word repetition tests indicated a phonological memory deficit in children with dyslexia alone compared with those with typical development, but this difference vanished when these groups were matched for non-verbal intelligence and language. Theoretically important deficits in serial order memory in dyslexic children, however, persisted relative to matched typically developing children. The deficits were in recall of (1) spoken digits in both standard and running span tasks and (2) spatial locations, in running span only. Children with dyslexia with versus without language impairment, when matched on non-verbal intelligence, had comparable serial order memory, but differed in phonology. Because serial orderings of verbal and spatial elements occur in reading, the careful examination of order memory may allow a deeper understanding of dyslexia and its relation to language impairment. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Allosteric Effects in Ethylene Polymerization Catalysis. Enhancement of Performance of Phosphine-Phosphinate and Phosphine-Phosphonate Palladium Alkyl Catalysts by Remote Binding of B(C6F5)3

Remote binding of B(C6F5)3 to (PPO)PdMeL (L = pyridine or lutidine) or {(PPO)PdMe}2 ethylene polymerization catalysts that contain phosphine-arenephosphinate or phosphine-arenephosphonate ligands (PPO– = [1-PAr2-2-PR′O2-Ph]−: Ar = R′ = Ph (1a); Ar = Ph, R′ = OEt (1b); Ar = Ph, R′ = OiPr (1c); Ar = 2-OMe-Ph, R′ = OiPr (1d)) significantly increases the catalyst activity and the molecular weight of the polyethylene (PE) product. In the most favorable case, in situ conversion of (1d)PdMe(py) to the base-free adduct {1d·B(C6F5)3}PdMe increases the ethylene polymerization activity from 9.8 to 5700 kg mol–1 h–1 and the Mn of the PE product from 9030 to 99 200 Da (80 °C, 410 psi). X-ray structural data, trends in ligand lability, and comparative studies of BF3 activation suggest that these allosteric effects are primarily electronic in origin. The B(C6F5)3 binding enhances the chain growth rate (Rgrowth) by increasing the degree of positive charge on the Pd center. This effect does not result in the large increas...
Redox Biology in Neurological Function, Dysfunction, and Aging

Reduction oxidation (redox) reactions are central to life and when altered, they can promote disease progression. In the brain, redox homeostasis is recognized to be involved in all aspects of central nervous system (CNS) development, function, aging, and disease. Recent studies have uncovered the diverse nature by which redox reactions and homeostasis contribute to brain physiology, and when dysregulated to pathological consequences. Redox reactions go beyond what is commonly described as oxidative stress and involve redox mechanisms linked to signaling and metabolism. In contrast to the nonspecific nature of oxidative damage, redox signaling involves specific oxidation/reduction reactions that regulate a myriad of neurological processes such as neurotransmission, homeostasis, and degeneration. This Forum is focused on the role of redox metabolism and signaling in the brain. Six review articles from leading scientists in the field that appraise the role of redox metabolism and signaling in different aspects of brain biology including neurodevelopment, neurotransmission, aging, neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration, and neurotoxicity are included. An original research article exemplifying these concepts uncovers a novel link between oxidative modifications, redox signaling, and neurodegeneration. This Forum highlights the recent advances in the field and we hope it encourages future research aimed to understand the mechanisms by which redox metabolism and signaling regulate CNS physiology and pathophysiology. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 28, 1583-1586.