cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Operon mRNAs are organized into ORF-centric structures that predict translation efficiency.

Proteins make up much of the biological machinery inside cells and perform the essential tasks needed to keep each cell alive. Cells contain thousands of different proteins and the instructions needed to build each protein are encoded in genes. However, these instructions cannot be used directly to manufacture the proteins. Instead, a messenger molecule called mRNA is needed to carry the information stored within genes to the parts of the cell where proteins are made. In bacteria, one mRNA molecule can include information from several genes. This group of genes is called an operon and produces a set of proteins that perform a shared task. Although these proteins work together, some of them are needed in greater numbers than others. Because they are all made using information from the same mRNA, some instructions on the mRNA must be read more times than others. It is unclear how bacterial cells control how many proteins are produced from each part of one mRNA but it is thought to relate to the three-dimensional shape of the molecule itself. Burkhardt, Rouskin, Zhang et al. have now examined the production of proteins from mRNAs in the commonly studied bacterium, Escherichia coli. The results showed that each set of instructions on the mRNA formed a three-dimensional structure that corresponds to the amount of protein produced from that portion of the mRNA. When this three-dimensional structure is more stable or rigid, the corresponding instructions tended to produce fewer proteins than if the structure was relatively simple and unstable. Further investigation showed that these three-dimensional mRNA structures could form spontaneously outside of cells, suggesting that molecules other than the mRNA itself have a relatively small role in controlling the number of proteins produced. This also suggests that the entire structure of each mRNA is important and is likely to be essential for cell survival. The next step is to understand why bacteria organise their genes in this way and how the different mRNA structures control how proteins are produced. Moreover, because many bacteria are used like biological factories to produce a variety of commercially useful molecules, these new insights have the potential to enhance a number of manufacturing processes.
Assessment of DNA Binding and Oxidative DNA Damage by Acrylonitrile in Two Rat Target Tissues of Carcinogenicity: Implications for the Mechanism of Action

Exposure to acrylonitrile induces formation of tumors at multiple sites in rats, with females being more sensitive. The present study assessed possible mechanisms of acrylonitrile tumorigenicity, covalent DNA binding, DNA breakage, and oxidative DNA damage, in two target tissues, the brain and Zymbal’s glands, of sensitive female Fischer (F344) and Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats. One group received acrylonitrile in drinking water at 100 ppm for 28 days. Two other groups were administered either acrylonitrile in drinking water at 100 ppm or drinking water alone for 27 days, followed by a single oral gavage dose of 11 mg/kg bw 14C-acrylonitrile on day 28. A positive control group received a single dose of 5 mg/kg bw of 7-14C-benzo[a]pyrene, on day 27 following the administration of drinking water for 26 days. Using liquid scintillation counting, no association of radiolabeled acrylonitrile with brain DNA was found. In accelerator mass spectrometry analysis, the association of 14C of acrylonitrile with DNA in brai...
Investigation of mechanical anisotropy of the fused filament fabrication process via customized tool path generation

Abstract To aid in the transition of 3D printed parts from prototypes to functional products it is necessary to investigate the mechanical anisotropy induced by the Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) process. Since the mechanical properties of an FFF part are most greatly affected by the bead orientation and printed density, or solidity ratio, techniques to precisely control these variables are required. An open source Python program, SciSlice, was developed to create the desired tool paths/layer orientations and convert them into machine commands (e.g. G-Code). SciSlice was then used to develop tool paths which either directly printed tensile specimens or printed sheets from which specimens could be water-jet cut. The effects of proper bed leveling and feed wheel adjustment are noted and a careful analysis of both bead orientation and solidity ratio are presented. Printing artifacts related to turns made at the part edges are discussed having been found to have strong effects on the measure strength in the weakest orientation. Finally, it is shown that with proper bead orientation, low layer heights, and a maximum solidity ratio, tensile strengths within 3% of injection molded parts are achievable.
Sequential and parallel scheduling of dynamic bandwidth-intensive scientific workflows in elastic optical networks

Today's extreme-scale science applications involve the processing of bandwidth-intensive scientific workflows consisting of several inter-dependent tasks executing on heterogeneous clusters of computational resources and storage resources, which are interconnected by high-speed networks. An important challenge in such applications is the joint scheduling of computational, storage, and network resources. The tasks in each workflow can be scheduled and assigned computing and storage resources as an inseparable part (i.e., sequential scheduling); on the other hand, for some applications, tasks can be divided into small subtasks and parallel scheduling is applied. Elastic optical networks are a promising backbone for next-generation networks, since they are capable of allocating the huge fiber bandwidth more efficiently and flexibly to applications with various requirements. This is enabled by partitioning the fiber bandwidth into hundreds of subcarriers with fine granularity that may be allocated to services. In this paper, we study the problem of scheduling computational, storage, and networking resources to dynamic workflows in elastic optical networks. Four heuristics for sequential task scheduling and parallel task scheduling are proposed and compared. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approaches.
Characterization of Traffic Emissions Exposure Metrics in the Dorm Room Inhalation to Vehicle Emissions (DRIVE) Study

Detailed measurements and dispersion modeling was conducted to develop more accurate integrated or biologically-relevant metrics to assess exposure to potentially high pollutant levels of primary traffic emissions.
Cultural competence for the 21st century dermatologist practicing in the United States

Significant health disparities exist among under-represented minorities in the Unites States, which can partially be accounted for by the quality of patient-physician interaction. A distinguishing factor of this interaction is the ability of the provider to demonstrate cultural competence, or address the social, cultural, and community influences on healthcare behaviors and incorporate these elements into patient care. However, this practice has yet to be universally implemented in our healthcare system. These factors become even more important as the racial, ethnic and cultural distribution of the United States population changes. Multiple studies have suggested that cultural competence of the health care provider and staff leads to improved patient adherence, satisfaction, and ultimately, health outcome. Cultural competence in the workplace also leads to efficient and cost-effective healthcare and better community integration into healthcare systems. The purpose of this review is to help dermatologists understand the benefits of culturally competent care for their patients and themselves and identify methods and resources to achieve this goal.
Surface and bulk effects of K in Cu1−xKxIn1−yGaySe2 solar cells

Abstract Two strategies for enhancing photovoltaic (PV) performance in chalcopyrite solar cells were investigated: Cu1−xKxIn1−yGaySe2 absorbers with low K content (K/(K+Cu), or x ~ 0.07) distributed throughout the bulk, and CuIn1−yGaySe2 absorbers with KIn1−yGaySe2 grown on their surfaces. Distributing K throughout the bulk absorbers improved power conversion efficiency, open-circuit voltage (VOC) and fill factor (FF) for Ga/(Ga+In) of 0, 0.3 and 0.5. Surface KIn1−yGaySe2 and bulk x ~ 0.07 Cu1−xKxIn1−yGaySe2 films with Ga/(Ga+In), or y of 0.3 and 0.5 also had improved efficiency, VOC, and FF, relative to CuIn1−yGaySe2 baselines. On the other hand, y ~ 1 absorbers did not benefit from K introduction. Similar to Cu1−xKxInSe2, the formation of Cu1−xKxGaSe2 alloys was favored at low temperatures and high Na supply by the substrate, relative to the formation of mixed-phase CuGaSe2 + KGaSe2. KIn1−yGaySe2 alloys were grown for the first time, as evidenced by X-ray diffraction and ultraviolet/visible spectroscopy. For all Ga/(Ga+In) compositions, the surface KIn1−yGaySe2 absorbers had superior PV performance in buffered and buffer-free devices. However, the bulk x ~ 0.07 absorbers only outperformed the baselines in buffered devices. The data demonstrate that KIn1−yGaySe2 passivates the surface of CuIn1−yGaySe2 to increase efficiency, VOC, and FF, while bulk Cu1−xKxIn1−yGaySe2 absorbers with x ~ 0.07 enhance efficiency, VOC, and FF by some other mechanism.
Introduction: Objects of Architectural Translation

The question of how translation functions in the fields of architectural history, theory, and practice is multifaceted. There is no clearly defined historiography of architecture and translation, a...
Vibrational Interferometry Enables Single-Scan Acquisition of all χ (3) Multi-Dimensional Coherent Spectral Maps

We demonstrate a new method for multidimensional coherent spectroscopy of nanostructures. We use a heterodyne technique implemented with a confocal microscope to record the amplitude and phase of all degenerate third-order wave-mixing processes.
Engineering problems involved in supporting disposable razor blades as microtome knives.

An accurately machined stainless steel support which enables disposable safety razor blades to be used as microtome knives is described. The blade is attached to the holder with cyanoacrylate cement and is precisely located for maximum rigidity. The surface of the blade is unobstructed by clamps and the device is compatible with regular anti-roll plates.
The End of Casual: Long Live Casual:

This special issue is meant to provide an intervention. We are undertaking this project to broaden the corpus of Games Studies by both critiquing casual as a label, yet simultaneously legitimizing ...
Development of High Selective Catalyst for N,N-Dimethylaniline Production

Vapor phase aniline methylation over modified ZSM-5 zeolites for N, N-dimethylaniline production was extensively studied. The results indicated that HZSM-5 zeolite modified by alkali metal species could increase N, N-dimethylaniline selectivity. A plausible reaction path over ZSM-5 zeolite was proposed according to the IR study.
Buoyancy Effects on Concurrent Flame Spread Over Thick PMMA

The flammability of combustible materials in a spacecraft is important for fire safety applications because the conditions in spacecraft environments differ from those on earth. Experimental testing in space is difficult and expensive. However, reducing buoyancy by decreasing ambient pressure is a possible approach to simulate on-earth the burning behavior inside spacecraft environments. The objective of this work is to determine that possibility by studying the effect of pressure on concurrent flame spread, and by comparison with microgravity data, observe up to what point low-pressure can be used to replicate flame spread characteristics observed in microgravity. Specifically, this work studies the effect of pressure and microgravity on upward/concurrent flame spread over 10 mm thick polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) slabs. Experiments in normal gravity were conducted over pressures ranging between 100 and 40 kPa and a forced flow velocity of 200 mm/s. Microgravity experiments were conducted during NASA’s Spacecraft Fire Experiment (Saffire II), on board the Cygnus spacecraft at 100 kPa with an air flow velocity of 200 mm/s. Results show that reductions of pressure slow down the flame spread over the PMMA surface approaching that in microgravity. The data is correlated in terms of a non-dimensional mixed convection analysis that describes the convective heat transferred from the flame to the solid, and the primary mechanism controlling the spread of the flame. The extrapolation of the correlation to low pressures predicts well the flame spread rate obtained in microgravity in the Saffire II experiments. Similar results were obtained by the authors with similar experiments with a thin composite cotton/fiberglass fabric (published elsewhere). Both results suggest that reduced pressure can be used to approximately replicate flame behavior of untested gravity conditions for the burning of thick and thin solids. This work could provide guidance for potential ground-based testing for fire safety design in spacecraft and space habitats.
Infants Exposed To Homelessness: Health, Health Care Use, And Health Spending From Birth To Age Six

Homeless infants are known to have poor birth outcomes, but the longitudinal impact of homelessness on health, health care use, and health spending during the early years of life has received littl...
The role of process intensification in addressing the dual energy challenge

Abstract Worldwide, human population and living standards are rising in tandem; by 2040, the world’s population is projected to reach about 9.2 billion people compared to about 7.4 billion in 2016. Over that period, global GDP is expected to approximately double, helping billions of people join the middle class. Coincident with this growing economic activity and prosperity, global energy demand will likely rise about 25 percent even as energy efficiency gains continue to help curb energy use in many ways. The world faces a dual challenge: provide reliable and affordable energy to sustain population growth and improve living standards while protecting the environment. Process intensification (PI) is not new but has become an area of greater focus as it can lead to more sustainable, effective and efficient processes and can be part of a solution set to help mitigate the risks of climate change. This paper provides a brief introduction to PI and PI’s role in addressing the dual energy challenge. We then discuss two examples of the application of PI at ExxonMobil to develop technologies with increased energy efficiency and lower carbon footprint compared to conventional processes. Finally, we highlight the technical challenges of PI implementation and potential future developments.
Efficacy of the mini tooth positioner in improving orthodontic finishes.

Introduction The primary objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of the mini tooth positioner in improving the quality of orthodontic treatment outcomes, as measured by the American Board of Orthodontics (ABO) cast-radiograph evaluation (CRE). Methods Thirty patients were treated prospectively with a minipositioner for 4-6 weeks immediately after debond. Sixteen patients who had received a maxillary vacuum-formed retainer (VFR) and fixed mandibular canine-to-canine retainer at time of debond were enrolled retrospectively as control subjects. Models from time of debond (T1) were graded with the use of the ABO CRE and compared with models obtained 4-6 weeks after debond (T2) for each group. Results For the minipositioner group, the overall CRE score improved significantly by an average of 6.77 points. Significant improvements were noted in the categories of alignment and rotations (−0.68), marginal ridges (−1.40), buccolingual inclination (−0.45), overjet (−0.97), and occlusal contacts (−3.00). For the control group, overall CRE score improved significantly by an average of 1.16 points. Only the categories of overjet (−0.38) and occlusal contacts (−1.22) showed significant improvements. Conclusions The minipositioner is an effective tool in improving the overall finish of orthodontic treatment. In the 4-6 weeks after debond evaluated in this study, the minipositioner significantly outperformed the maxillary VFR/mandibular fixed canine-to-canine retainer in improving final treatment outcomes.
GERM LINE INTEGRATION AND LEUKEMOGENESIS OF EXOGENOUS AND ENDOGENOUS MURINE LEUKEMIA VIRUSES

ABSTRACT. Mice were infected with the exogenous Moloney leukemia virus (M-MuLV) at two different stages of development. Either newborn mice which can be considered as essentially fully differentiated animals or pre-implantation mouse embryos at the 4–8 cell stage were infected with M-MuLV. In both cases, animals were obtained that had developed an M-MuLV-induced leukemia. Two lines of evidence indicate that infection of preimplantation embryos, in contrast to infection of newborns, can lead to integration of the virus into the germ line.
MDM4 expression in fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma

Fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma (FL‑HCC) is a variant of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) that most commonly affects adolescents and young adults and is associated with an extremely poor prognosis due to the lack of effective chemotherapeutic agents. Mutations in p53 are a common oncogenic driver in HCC but not in FL‑HCC. However, in tumors lacking a p53 mutation, the tumor suppressor activity of p53 has been revealed to be dysregulated in several different cancer types. One mechanism has been attributed to the overexpression of mouse double minute 4 protein (MDM4), a negative regulator of p53, which inhibits the normal functions of p53 including induction of apoptosis and DNA repair. Therefore, restoring the normal function of p53 in cancer cells by targeting MDM4 has become a potential therapeutic strategy. Hence, in the present study the components of the DNA damage response (DDR) pathway were examined; ATM, p53, and MDM4 in FL‑HCC. Seven FL‑HCC tumors along with their adjacent non‑neoplastic hepatic tissues were examined. Ataxia‑telangiectasia mutated (ATM), p53, and MDM4 protein expression was assessed using western blot analysis and cellular localization was determined using immunohistochemistry (IHC). MDM4 mRNA transcript levels were assessed using RT‑qPCR. The present results demonstrated that the DNA damage sensor, ATM, is phosphorylated and localized to the nuclei of tumor cells. While there was a significant increase in total p53 protein in tumor cells, phosphorylated p53 was revealed to preferably localize to the cytoplasmic compartment of tumor cells. Notably, the present results revealed that MDM4 transcript levels were increased in the majority of tumor samples and the nuclear MDM4 levels were significantly increased in tumor tissue compared to their adjacent non‑neoplastic liver tissue. The present results indicated that increased MDM4 expression and nuclear localization may be a potential mechanism for p53 dysregulation in FL‑HCC.
Nonnegative sum-symmetric matrices and optimal-score partitions

The main result of the note describes certain optimal-score partitions. This result is based on the fact that any nonnegative square matrix whose column sums are the same as the corresponding row sums can be represented as the sum of circuit matrices.
TGF-β1 increases sialidase 3 expression in human lung epithelial cells by decreasing its degradation and upregulating its translation

AbstractPurpose: We previously found extensive desialylation of glycoconjugates and upregulation of the sialidase enzyme NEU3 in fibrotic lesions in human and mouse lungs. However, studies using mi...
The straight and narrow: a novella

Mallory is a young woman who’s given her life to her local church, but she finds herself struggling to live up to the group’s expectations. When her life doesn’t go as planned, she has to decide whether to stay on the straight and narrow or find her own way.
The use of innominate artery cannulation for antegrade cerebral perfusion in aortic dissection

Direct cannulation of the innominate artery for selective antegrade cerebral perfusion has been shown to be safe in elective proximal aortic reconstructions. We sought to evaluate the safety of this technique in acute aortic dissection. A multi-institutional retrospective review was undertaken of patients who underwent proximal aortic reconstruction for Stanford type A dissection between 2006 and 2016. Those patients who had direct innominate artery cannulation for selective antegrade cerebral perfusion were selected for analysis. Seventy-five patients underwent innominate artery cannulation for ACP for Stanford Type A Dissections. Isolated replacement of the ascending aorta was performed in 36 patients (48.0%), concomitant aortic root replacement was required in 35 patients (46.7%), of whom 7 had a valve-sparing aortic root replacement, ascending aorta and arch replacement was required in 4 patients (5%). Other procedures included frozen elephant trunk (n = 11 (14.7%)), coronary artery bypass grafting (n = 20 (26.7%)), and peripheral arterial bypass (n = 4 (5.3%)). Mean hypothermic circulatory arrest time was 19 ± 13 min. Thirty-day mortality was 14.7% (n = 11). Perioperative stroke occurred in 7 patients (9.3%). This study is the first comprehensive review of direct innominate artery cannulation through median sternotomy for selective antegrade cerebral perfusion in aortic dissection. Our experience suggests that this strategy is a safe and effective technique compared to other reported methods of cannulation and cerebral protection for delivering selective antegrade cerebral perfusion in these cases.
Ethical action in the age of austerity: cases of care in two community land trusts

As social housing diminishes in the U.S., community land trusts have tried to adapt to the age of austerity, growing in numbers and expanding their terrain. We argue their continued success and gro...
Perceived barriers to providing spiritual care among psychiatric mental health nurses.

Abstract Background Although nurses typically view spiritual care as important, it is provided infrequently. Objectives This research investigated psychiatric mental health nurses' perceived barriers to providing spiritual care, and how these barriers were associated with frequency of spiritual care and demographic factors. Methods This cross-sectional correlational study of 159 psychiatric mental health nurses used questionnaires to measure frequency of spiritual care and barriers to spiritual care. Results The most frequent barriers to providing spiritual care were lack of education and fear of exacerbating psychiatric symptoms. Psychiatric mental health nurses provided spiritual care infrequently. Conclusions Nurses need education about providing spiritual care to those with psychiatric mental health needs.
There is no such thing as a short-term issue

Abstract This paper challenges the commonplace assumption that it is possible to clearly distinguish between short- and long-term issues or problems in public affairs. I conduct a limited but illustrative analysis of how these terms have been used by scholars in political science and future studies, and I consider four plausible definitions but find that each is inadequate. I conclude that we cannot easily or consistently make a priori judgments about which issues should be considered “short-term” ones and which should be considered “long-term” ones. Furthermore, these distinctions, even if they could be made, are not useful — and many be counterproductive — in public affairs and institutional design. Instead of adopting special institutions to deal with long-term issues, we need general-purpose institutions that are capable of dealing with the temporal-complexities inherent in all public issues.
Quantitative immunohistochemical analysis of VEGF expression on a pancreatic cancer tissue microarray

424 Immunohistochemical measures of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in pancreatic cancer have typically been qualitative or semi-quantitative. Furthermore, VEGF levels in primary versus metastatic sites are not well characterized. We have recently developed a set of algorithms called automated quantitative analysis (AQUA) that can assess tissue microarrays (TMA) using fluorescent tags to define tumors, localize sub-cellular compartments, and grade intensity of specific markers on a continuous scale. Our purpose was to use AQUA to compare VEGF levels on a pancreatic cancer TMA containing tumors removed from pancreas and metastatic sites. TMAs were constructed by arraying 1.5-mm cores from 80 cases of pancreatic adenocarcinoma (1996-2002) obtained from the archives of the Yale Dept. of Pathology. Fourteen normal pancreatic cores served as controls. Staining for AQUA is similar to standard immunohistochemistry and involves antigen retrieval and application of primary antibodies, but with epifluorescence detection. Slides are then counterstained with DAPI for nuclear and cytokeratin for membrane visualization. Primary antibodies used were VEGF specific for isoforms 165, 189, and 206 (BD Pharmingen) and cytokeratin (DAKO). Of the 80 cases on the TMA, 58 were evaluable, of which 35, 9, and 14 were from pancreas, liver, and other intraabdominal contiguous or metastatic sites, respectively. Mean VEGF expression of malignant tissue (score 32.8) was similar to that of normal pancreatic tissue (score 29.9; p=0.43 two-tailed student’s t-test). Mean VEGF expression in extratumoral, stromal compartments, however, was lower in malignant spots (score 6.9) compared to normal pancreas (score 17.6; p=0.00042). VEGF expression among the different cancer sites did not differ significantly with the exception of pancreas (score 33.5) compared to non-hepatic contiguous or metastatic sites (score 26.3; p=0.038). In conclusion, VEGF expression was similar in normal pancreatic and malignant tissue as measured by quantitative immunohistochemistry. Stromal VEGF expression however, appeared to be lower in malignant tissue than in normal pancreas, and tumor expression of VEGF was lower in non-hepatic contiguous or metastatic sites compared with primary pancreatic cancers. Further evaluation will be performed on an expanded cohort of patients and correlated with clinical outcome.
Gobeille v. Liberty Mutual: An Opportunity to Correct the Problems of ERISA Preemption

Gobeille v. Liberty Mutual Insurance Company. is an opportunity for the U.S. Supreme Court to correct the three fundamental problems of its current ERISA preemption jurisprudence. While incrementalism has its virtues, on balance, it would be better for the Court to use Gobeille to correct the basics of ERISA preemption.Specifically, the Court should acknowledge the tension between Shaw v. Delta Air Lines, Inc. and the Court’s subsequent decision in New York State Conference of Blue Cross & Blue Shield Plans v. Travelers Ins. Co. by reconsidering the statute afresh. As part of such reconsideration, the Court should construe ERISA § 514(a) as creating a presumption for preemption. Such a construction of § 514(a) respects the text of the statute without yielding to the potential indeterminacy of the statute’s broad language. Finally, the Court should jettison the notion that traditional areas of state law as defined by the Court are immune from ERISA’s more expansive than usual preemption and should instead acknowledge what the statute says: Per §§ 514(b)(2)(A) and 514(b)(4), the areas immunized from ERISA’s more stringent preemption are – and are only – state banking, securities, insurance, and criminal laws.In the final analysis, a system of statutory law requires courts to take statutes seriously.
Machine Learning Prediction of Fall Risk in Older Adults Using Timed Up and Go Test Kinematics

Falls among the elderly population cause detrimental physical, mental, financial problems and, in the worst case, death. The increasing number of people entering the higher risk age-range has increased clinicians’ attention to intervene. Clinical tools, e.g., the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, have been created for aiding clinicians in fall-risk assessment. Often simple to evaluate, these assessments are subject to a clinician’s judgment. Wearable sensor data with machine learning algorithms were introduced as an alternative to precisely quantify ambulatory kinematics and predict prospective falls. However, they require a long-term evaluation of large samples of subjects’ locomotion and complex feature engineering of sensor kinematics. Therefore, it is critical to build an objective fall-risk detection model that can efficiently measure biometric risk factors with minimal costs. We built and studied a sensor data-driven convolutional neural network model to predict older adults’ fall-risk status with relatively high sensitivity to geriatrician’s expert assessment. The sample in this study is representative of older patients with multiple co-morbidity seen in daily medical practice. Three non-intrusive wearable sensors were used to measure participants’ gait kinematics during the TUG test. This data collection ensured convenient capture of various gait impairment aspects at different body locations.
Deletion of the Feeding-Induced Hepatokine TSK Ameliorates the Melanocortin Obesity Syndrome

Work in recent decades has established that metabolic hormones released by endocrine cells and diverse other cell types serve to regulate nutrient intake and energy homeostasis. Tsukushi (TSK) is a leucine-rich repeat-containing protein secreted primarily by the liver that exerts an inhibitory effect on brown fat sympathetic innervation and thermogenesis. Despite this, physiological regulation of TSK and the mechanisms underlying its effects on energy balance remain poorly understood. Here we show that hepatic expression and plasma concentrations of TSK are induced by feeding and regulated by melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) signaling. We generated TSK and MC4R-double-knockout mice to elucidate the nature of cross talk between TSK and the central regulatory circuit of energy balance. Remarkably, TSK inactivation restores energy balance, ameliorates hyperphagia, and improves metabolic health in MC4R-deficient mice. TSK ablation enhances thermogenic gene expression in brown fat, dampens obesity-association inflammation in the liver and adipose tissue, and protects MC4R-null mice from diet-induced nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. At the cellular level, TSK deficiency augments feeding-induced c-Fos expression in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. These results illustrate physiological cross talk between TSK and the central regulatory circuit in maintaining energy balance and metabolic homeostasis.
CLINICAL OUTCOMES AFTER MEDIAL PATELLOFEMORAL LIGAMENT RECONSTRUCTION UTILIZING ALLOGRAFT TISSUE IN PEDIATRIC AND ADOLESCENT PATIENTS: MINIMUM 2-YEAR FOLLOW-UP:

Background:Medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction has gained popularity as a tool to manage recurrent patellar instability. The use of allograft for reconstruction includes benefits o...
Cell surface glycolipid and glycoprotein glycosyltransferases of normal and transformed cells.

Normal and transformed mouse fibroblasts catalyze transfer of sialic acid, galactose, N-acetylgalactosamine, N-acetylglucosamine, glucose, and mannose from nucleotide sugar donors to glycolipids and glycoproteins. The enzyme activity is associated with intact cells. Kinetic parameters and optimal ion concentrations have been determined for the glycosyltransferase activities detected when whole cells are incubated with nucleotide sugars. Homogenization of cells either decreased or did not change the activity observed. Adding unlabeled sugars did not affect incorporations. Trypsin caused a 50% inhibition of observable activity only when present in concentrations which also caused significant cell destruction. Swiss SV40 transformed cells showed decreased sialic acid-transferring ability compared to the parent cell line. Swiss Py3T3 and SV3T3 cells had reduced ability to catalyze transfer of N-acetylgalactosamine to glycolipids compared with the normal cell line. Since these alterations have also been reported in homogenates of these cells, and in view of the large number of glycosyltransferase activities observed, the in vitro whole cell reactions probably detect the normal cellular systems which are in the process of synthesizing glycoproteins and glycolipids. Evidence supporting this conclusion was obtained from experiments in which glycolipid products synthesized in cells incubated in the presence of [3H]galactose and UDP-[14C]galactose are compared.
Tracking errors: Practical alternatives for digital servo systems

Some practical alternatives for minimizing steady-state errors when tracking various types of inputs with digital servo systems are presented. Error correction is accomplished by either feedforward control action(s) or by manipulating the reference (setpoint) input, using the steady-state error values expressed as functions of controller gains. Results obtained analytically are verified experimentally using a microcomputer-controlled motor drive system. >
When the East is a Career: The Question of Exoticism in Indian Anglophone Literature

This essay defends the critical position that there is a strong element of exoticism in Indian Anglophone literature. I do so by offering a rebuttal of two recent articles, written in each case by a prominent writer, defending Indian Anglophone literature against its detractors. Amit Chaudhuri's article, 'The East as a Career,' in the New Left Review, challenges head-on the charges levied against Anglophone literature. Vikram Chandra, in his piece 'The Cult of Authenticity' in the Boston Review similarly decries the critics of Indian Anglophone literature. I choose to discuss Chaudhuri and Chandra's pieces as they are established writers of the genre, their views are aired in prestigious journals and they are therefore in a position to mold critical opinion. I begin with an overview of Chaudhuri and Chandra's position and then proceed to interrogate some of their central assumptions. I contend that the writers choose to misread the political character of the exoticism critique. Contrary to what they suggest, the particular skepticism towards Indian Anglophone literature is not grounded in a nativistic position; instead, it is rooted in the legitimate concerns about the place of English in social reproduction.
Skinner, Burrhus Frederic

B. F. Skinner (1904–1990), an American psychologist, provided the experimental foundations of contemporary behavior analysis and its applications. He interpreted verbal behavior in terms of those foundations, and he was outspoken about the differences between the methods of behavior analysis and those of cognitive psychology. Keywords: behavior analysis; operant behavior; verbal behavior; selectionism; public versus private
Mujeres indígenas y antropología médica. El caso del cáncer en Boruca (Costa Rica)

En este reporte etnogrifico, se estudian las acciones de las mujeres indigenas de Boruca, Costa Rica, quienes han planteado asuntos de importancia a1 notar una aka incidencia de chncer en su comunidad. La estrategia utilizada por las mujeres boruqueiias para explicar el problema fue organizada per0 indirecta en sus planteamientos. Las razones de esta forma de proceder se comprenden si tomamos en cuenta las variables Ctnicas y de g6nero. El entendimiento del rol que juegan dichas variables en la cotidianeidad de algunos grupos atendidos por las instituciones de salud es de gran utilidad para implementar cualquier tipo de acci6n dirigida a la salud comunitaria. Realizar esta investigacibn, desde una perspectiva antropolcigica, supuso una serie de obsticulos previos que debian ser superados. El inter& por la investigaci6n se inici6 con la premisa de que, efectivamente, habia una incidencia significativa de cincer en Boruca en comparaci6n con otras comunidades del resto del pais. Seguidamente, se debia realizar una investigaci6n cuya metodologia de trabajo permitiera el entrenamiento eficaz de un equipo de estudiantes para realizar el trabajo etnogrifico en un period0 de dos semestres. El trabajo se inici6 con la realizaci6n de un video exploratorio que documenta la preocupaci6n de las mujeres boruqueiias sobre la incidencia de cincer que ellas notaban en su comunidad. DespuCs de este primer acercamiento, se organizd y planific6 el trabajo etnogrifico para el semestre de enero-junio de 2001. Este estuvo orientado a responder dos preguntas fundamentales:
Hell Disappeared. No One Noticed. A Civic Argument

An abstract of this essay would reveal two interests, one civil and one religious. The first has to do with a public debate over values in American elementary and secondary education and what this debate symbolizes about national life in general. Specifically, I want to suggest that the stated intentions of citizens who demand religious instruction in the public schools could only be fulfilled, logically, if this instruction included doctrines of eternal punishment—in short, the possibility of hell. This is especially true if they wish to restore moral instruction “as it used to be.” My second argument urges that such a teaching would impose on schools a doctrine that has disappeared or been drastically diminished in the preachments of most American religious groups. It is a doctrine that is hence not culturally available.
Highly p-type carbon-doped InGaAs grown by atmospheric pressure organometallic vapor-phase epitaxy

Carbon doped, p-type, In x Ga 1-x As (0.2 < x < 0.65) epilayers have been grown on InP substrates at relatively low temperature (450°C) using atmospheric pressure organometallic vapor-phase epitaxy (APOMVPE). Excellent morphology was obtained in all cases. After growth van der Pauw-Hall measurements revealed high hole concentrations in the range 8.5 x 10 18 -8.7 x 10 19 cm -3 (highest reported to date for APOMVPE). The effects of growth temperature, V/III ratio and CCl 4 partial pressure on the carrier concentration and mobility are reported. X-ray diffraction reveals excellent crystal quality. Annealing the samples in different ambients at 400-500°C caused no significant variation in the carrier concentration or mobility, i.e. minimal dopant ion passivation was measured. However, reversible hole compensation was measured after annealing at 650°C. This suggests that macroscopic defects probably are associated with carrier compensation.
Targeting Host E-Selectin Expression by Antisense Oligodeoxynucleotides as Potential Antiendotoxin Therapy In Vivo

This study sought to determine if antisense oligodeoxynucleotides would inhibit E-selectin expression, which mediates leukocyte adhesion on endothelial cells, otherwise induced by in vivo endotoxin challenge. Six antisense phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotides calculated to bind porcine E-selectin mRNA were tested in porcine aortic endothelial cells. One, ISIS9481, exerted significant inhibition of E-selectin expression induced by tumor necrosis factor-α + endotoxin [lipopolysaccharide (LPS)]. Pigs were challenged with LPS (10 μg/kg) and treated with ISIS9481 (10 mg/kg) (n = 6). Two control groups were used, an antisense inactive in porcine aortic endothelial cells (n = 6) and saline (n = 5), and were combined as control (C = 11). Control pigs challenged with LPS expressed E-selectin in heart, lung, kidneys, and liver, whereas antisense-treated pigs expressed little E-selectin in these tissues. Cardiovascular data indicated that antisense treatment attenuated pathophysiological alterations induced by LPS...
Mouse MHC class I tetramers that are unable to bind to CD8 reveal the need for CD8 engagement in order to activate naive CD8 T cells.

Although the role of CD8 as a supplier of lck is unchallenged, its role in contributing to the formation of a stable complex between class I molecules and the TCR, as well as its role as an adhesion molecule, is less clear. To address the role of CD8/MHC-I interactions, we generated tetramers composed of H2-Kb molecules with mutations in the α 3 domain of H2-Kb thatabolish CD8 binding. We show that the ability of tetramers to stain and activate CD8 T cells is strongly dependent on binding of CD8 to the same class I molecule engaged by the TCR. We characterizea mutation in the α 3 domain that results in H2-Kb molecules capable of staining specific CD8 T cells with little ensuing activation. Although CD8 to some extent serves an adhesive function, this contribution is modest and does not substitute for lack of binding of CD8 to the class I molecule engaged by the TCR. We show that CD8 and the TCR associate in a process independent of binding of CD8 to class I. Our data support the notion that CD8 is required to form a stable complex between class I and the TCR.
Correlations in ion channel expression emerge from homeostatic tuning rules

Experimental observations reveal that the expression levels of different ion channels vary across neurons of a defined type, even when these neurons exhibit stereotyped electrical properties. However, there are robust correlations between different ion channel expression levels, although the mechanisms that determine these correlations are unknown. Using generic model neurons, we show that correlated conductance expression can emerge from simple homeostatic control mechanisms that couple expression rates of individual conductances to cellular readouts of activity. The correlations depend on the relative rates of expression of different conductances. Thus, variability is consistent with homeostatic regulation and the structure of this variability reveals quantitative relations between regulation dynamics of different conductances. Furthermore, we show that homeostatic regulation is remarkably insensitive to the details that couple the regulation of a given conductance to overall neuronal activity because of degeneracy in the function of multiple conductances and can be robust to “antihomeostatic” regulation of a subset of conductances expressed in a cell.
Maturation and water composition of murine cerebrum, cerebellum, brain stem and spinal cord.

Percentage change in water content and total solids was determined for the developing murine brain for both males and females from birth to 120 days. The central nervous system was divided into four components: (1) cerebrum (2) cerebellum (3) brain stem (4) spinal cord. The percentage of water was determined by dessication for groups of five animals at each day from birth to 20 days and then at five-day increments to day 60 and at day 90 and day 120. Plots of the per cent solids (water content) against body weight showed a linear relationship for all parts except the cerebellum. No sex differences were noted. The cerebellum showed an early rapid water loss with a changing rate to a linear curve as the animal matured. Growth data were submitted to asymptotic regression using a computer to fit a curve y = α+βρx when y is the per cent solid at time × (in days) and α, β, ρ the constants to be determined. All of the central nervous system components gave constants of the same order of magnitude.
The renaissance of palladium(II)-catalyzed oxidation chemistry

Palladium(II)-catalyzed oxidations constitute a paramount reaction class but have remained immature over the past few decades. Recently, this field has reappeared at the forefront of organometallic catalysis. This emerging area article outlines recent developments in palladium(II)-catalyzed oxidation chemistry with discussion of potential future growth.
Scaled Quantum Mechanical Force Fields and Vibrational Spectra of Nucleic Acid Constituents. 9. Tetrahydrofuran

Infrared and Raman spectra of 1 M aqueous solution of tetrahydrofuran (THF) were recorded in the 850−3050 and 560−3050 cm-1 frequency range, respectively. The effects of hydrogen bonding on vibrational spectra of THF were analyzed by comparing spectra of aqueous solution with the spectra of liquid and solid THF reported previously by Cadioli et al. [J. Phys. Chem. 1993, 97, 7844]. More regular band shapes and smaller bandwidths of ring stretching modes indicate that the barrier for pseudorotation of the furanose ring increases in aqueous solution. This finding is in agreement with the results of our ab initio calculations using the Langevin dipoles (LD) solvation model, which predicted that the pseudorotational barrier of gaseous THF increases in aqueous solution by 0.25 ± 0.1 kcal/mol. Considering available gas-phase data, the free energy barrier for the pseudorotation in aqueous solution was estimated to be 0.5 ± 0.2 kcal/mol. The geometric structure and harmonic force fields of the C2 conformer of THF ...
STUDIES ON THE MOLECULAR MECHANISM OF HYDROCARBON CARCINOGENESIS.

Studies have been reviewed on the interaction of C14- and H3-labeled carcinogenic hydrocarbons with the tissue constituents of mouse skin in vivo. It has been found that there is a covalent binding between the hydrocarbons and the soluble proteins of mouse skin. Fractionation of these by starch-gel electrophoresis has shown one characteristic radioactive band of proteins to which the hydrocarbons are bound in a direct quantitative relation to their carcinogenic activity. These proteins resemble electrophoretically the soluble proteins from rat liver to which the hepatocarcinogenie aminoazo dyes are also covalently bound. These proteins are absent from the tumors induced by the hydrocarbons. It has been shown that some papers reporting the in vitro interaction of carcinogenic hydrocarbons and DNA are in error, and that no binding had actually occurred. In studies in vivo, no radioactivity could be detected in DNA from mouse skin purified by cesium chloride density gradient centrifugation, following application of highly radioactive hydrocarbons. A possible theory that could explain carcinogenesis by means of a derangement in metabolic control circuitry has been proposed. This theory eliminates the necessity of postulating a direct interaction between the carcinogen and genetic material.
The Information-Energy Model and Comparative Administration:

The field of comparative public administration continues to be plagued by self-doubts. Like many of its other macrocosmic theories, Dorsey's Information-Energy model illustrates an overemphasis on ...
Nanocrystallization of a CoNbBC metallic glass

Abstract We have applied field ion microscopy (FIM), atom probe field ion microscopy (APFIM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to study the micro-structural and nano-compositional changes of a rapidly quenched, metallic glass due to annealing. Ribbons of a CoNbBC metallic glass were prepared by the melt-spinning technique. Subsequent annealing at 973 K for one hour produced a fully crystalline, four phase material. The phases consist of a nanocrystalline boride phase, a nanocrystalline Co 3 Nb phase, both with average grain sizes of 20–50 nm, a nanocrystalline NbC phase with an average grain size of 10–30 nm, and a relatively pure cobalt matrix. The various phases exhibited significantly different field evaporation and imaging behavior. In the fully crystallized material, which was brittle, initial field evaporation was done at elevated temperatures to maximize specimen life.
A predictive model for the mechanical behavior of particulate composites. Part I: Model derivation

A method for predicting the highly nonlinear stress-strain behavior and dilatation induced by cavitation of highly filled particulate composites from constituent properties has been developed. The approach presented uses a variation of linear elasticity throughout and has no adjustable parameters, unlike the methods currently used, which require large numbers of fitting factors and complicated nonlinear analyses. An energy balance derived from the first law of thermodynamics calculates critical strain values at which filler particles will debond when subjected to deformation. Repeated calculations of critical strain values using re-evaluated material properties accounting for the damage caused by debonding give very nonlinear stress-strain and dilatation curves. Experimentally observed dependencies on particle size, filler concentration, adhesion, and matrix and filler properties are correctly predicted. The method can be generalized for any state of stress or particle shape. Comparisons of experimental data with the model results give good agreement.