cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
X-ray induced mutations causing adult life-shorting in Drosophila melanogaster.

Abstract The genetic control of adult life span has been studied in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster , by investigating mutations which markedly decrease, longevity. Three such adult lethal mutations (AL1, AL2 and AL3) were produced by X-radiation of males. Their mean adult life spans were 35, 13 and 29 days, respectively, as opposed to 69 days for the unirradiated controls. Females, also, exhibit life-shortening when they are homozygous for any of the 3 mutations. Their mean adult life spans were 30, 15 and 24 days, respectively, whereas that of unirradiated control females was 62 days. Survivorship curves were characteristic for each mutant, with the effective lethal phase occurring at a different period in the adult life of each one. From these curves it was deduced that the mode of action of AL2 and AL3 may be similar, but that AL1 acts in a different way. None of the 3 adult lethal mutations was an allele of another, as shown by the mean adult life span of females heterozygous for any combination of the 3. When the unirradiated wild type strain was screened for the presence of adult lethal mutations none was found in the sample tested to date. The implications of adult lethal mutations for the study of aging and development are discussed.
The new financial statement presentation format

In any proposed merger or acquisition, the buyer must critically examine the target company's financial statements. But the way financial statements are presented can frustrate a buyer, who needs clear and precise information about the target company. Now the Financial Accounting Standards Board and the International Accounting Standards Board are working on a joint project to improve how financial statement information is organized and presented. The authors look at this work and give some examples of the new financial statement presentations. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Human metapneumovirus infections—biannual epidemics and clinical findings in children in the region of Basel, Switzerland

Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) epidemics vary in time and severity. We report findings for PCR for hMPV and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) performed on nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPA) of hospitalized and outpatient children with respiratory tract infections between October 2004 and April 2008. A total of 3,934 NPAs were tested for hMPV and 3,859 for RSV. Of these, 198 (5%) were hMPV positive and 869 (23%) were RSV-positive. Median age was 17 months and 9 months for hMPV and RSV, respectively. Fifty-nine percent of hMPV and 58% of RSV patients were hospitalized. Proportions of hMPV positive samples for the four winter seasons were 0.4%, 11%, 0.2%, and 14%. For RSV, they were 28%, 15%, 28%, and 28%. HMPV epidemics follow a biannual variation in our area. Major epidemics were observed in winter seasons starting in odd years (2005/06 and 2007/08), minor epidemics in those starting in even years (2004/05 and 2006/07). RSV epidemics usually follow a reciprocal biannual pattern, leading to annually alternating major RSV and hMPV epidemics.
Symptom fluctuation in bulimia nervosa: relation to menstrual-cycle phase and cortisol levels.

Background. Individuals with bulimia nervosa report significant symptom fluctuation, and some studies have suggested a premenstrual exacerbation of binge frequency. The purpose of this study is to explore the hormonal correlates of symptom fluctuation in bulimia nervosa.Method. For five consecutive weeks (one full menstrual cycle), eight women with bulimia nervosa and eight non-eating-disordered control women collected morning saliva samples and recorded several mood characteristics; the bulimic women also recorded binge and purge episodes. Subsequently, salivary cortisol and androgen levels were determined by radioimmunoassay.Results. Bulimic symptoms were exacerbated in both the mid-luteal and premenstrual phases, when compared with the follicular and ovulatory phases (F(3,21)=3·76, P=0·026; contrast analysis t(7)=3·47, P<0·01). Fluctuation in cortisol was closely correlated with fluctuation of bulimic symptoms, with elevated cortisol secretion following symptom exacerbation (r(24)=0·64, P=0·001).Conclusions. Bulimic symptom fluctuation appears to be related to two hormonal phenomena – phase of the menstrual cycle and cortisol secretion – with menstrual-cycle phase influencing bulimic symptom severity, and bulimic symptom severity effecting increases in cortisol secretion. Improved understanding of the hormonal causes and consequences of symptom fluctuation may lead to improved psychological and pharmacological treatments for bulimia nervosa.
Technique without Mystique: a Study of Authoritarianism in Engineering Students

THE concept of authoritarianism is a well researched one in the field of social psychology and need not be treated in depth here. Kirscht and Dillehay (1967) have, for example, provided an extensive review of recent studies of authoritarianism. It is sufficient to mention that the characteristics most frequently associated with the syndrome are intolerance of ambiguity, categorical thinking, responsiveness to the demands of authority, and anti-intraception. Correlates to the syndrome include an extensive variety and large quantity of social psychological variables including extrinsic religiosity, prejudice, political-economic conservatism, and education. The education of engineering students, as currently constituted in many colleges and universities, seems both in structure and content to favor authoritarian modes of thinking and behavior. For example, the curriculum is often thoroughly programmed and highly structured; the time allocated for courses in the humanities is severely limited; the course material in engineering is nonambiguous in the sense that nearly every problem has a single correct answer discoverable through the application of appropriate formulae; the subject matter and often the instruction are highly impersonal and nonsubjective. Additionally, because of the highly structured en
Healing deurmekaar: theatre, social change and praxes of potential

This article proposes a praxis perspective on the use of theatre as a tool for healing and social change that engages with the contemporary complexities of any context in which it is used, rather than relying on the rigid replication of tried forms. The South African colloquialism ‘deurmekaar’ becomes a pivot around which this proposition turns, informed by the dual meanings of the word: on the one hand denoting complexity and confusion, and on the other the literal meaning ‘through one another’. Using the Indian Theatre of the Oppressed organization, Jana Sanskriti (JS), as a case study, I explore the potential of a theatre that both informs, and is informed by, the lived experiences of its participants, as well as prioritizes aesthetic experience as a catalyst for dialogue and consciousness raising. Following this, I argue for entry into the concept of healing and social change through theatre that promotes dialogue and multivocality over singular narratives and insularity. While I advocate for the impo...
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: A Toxic Response

Causes of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) remain elusive. Much of the current literature points to an infectious cause with a role for proinflammatory cytokines and septic shock in stimulating an overwhelming response in an infant. This article reviews the literature and possible causes of this devastating condition.
Resistance to the cowpea weevil (Callosobruchus maculatus) larva in pods of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata)

Thirty cowpea, Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walpers, cultivars were evaluated as intact pods to determine if any possessed resistance to the cowpea weevil, Callosobruchus maculatus (Fabr.). Pod resistance was measured as pre-establishment larval mortality (PreM); those larvae dying after egg hatch but before penetrating into the seeds, and as post-establishment within-seed mortality (PostM); those larvae dying after penetrating into the seeds. Among the 30 varieties examined, PreM ranged from 57.9% to 99.4% and PostM ranged from 6.7%, to 82.6%. Ten varieties exhibited total intact pod mortality (mortality from egg hatch to adult emergence from the seed) greater than 95%. Physical measurements were made of several pod and seed characteristics to ascertain whether the observed pod resistance was due to seed factors, pod-wall factors, or to interactions between the pod and seeds. Although resistance to breakage (from handling plus pod dehiscence) is a necessary characteristic for overall pod protection against C. maculatus; other factors are also important. Among the other pod and seed characteristics measured to identify major resistance factors, seed coat thickness was the one most highly correlated with pod resistance. Our results suggest that interactions between pod-wall and seed coat characteristics play a large role in pod resistance of cowpeas to C. maculatus.
Changing Ideology in a Transnational Market: Chile and Chileros in Mexico and the US

The role of entrepreneurs in transnational markets is an important but neglected topic in market and entrepreneurial studies. This paper addresses the social organization of a specific commodity market, that of chile, used by Mexican entrepreneurs engaged in distributing product in the Los Angeles Wholesale Market Terminal. In addition to describing the primary activity for chile buyers for the markets of Los Angeles and Tijuana, Mexico, this paper discusses the ideology of chileros, chile entrepreneurs, that revolves around both the commodity and the Mexican construct of equipos based on confianza, and patron-client type relationships. With an emerging capitalism and competition for product in production regions throughout Mexico, the chilero system of distribution and its accompanying ideology is breaking down. The importance of this cultural behavior is contextualized in the ongoing debate about the North American Free Trade Act and emerging ethnic markets resulting from new configurations of immigrant...
Robust Kalman filter design for active flutter suppression systems

Additional insight is provided into the use of the Doyle-Stein (1979, 1981) technique in aeroelastic control problems by examining the application of the method to a flutter control problem. The system to be controlled consists of a full-size wind tunnel model of a wing, plus an aileron, an actuator, and an accelerometer used to sense the motion of the wing. A full-state feedback controller was designed using linear optimal control theory, and a Kalman filter was used in the feedback loop for state estimation. The filter design procedure is explained along with that to improve closed-loop properties of the system. The locus of the poles of the filter is examined as a scalar design parameter is varied. The Doyle-Stein design procedure is shown to substantially improve the stability properties of an active flutter controller designed using the linear quadratic Gaussian control theory.
The structural and stratigraphic evolution of the La Rioja basin, Argentina

Abstract The La Rioja sedimentary basin underlies the Llanos de La Rioja valley in the Sierras Pampeanas region of western Argentina. The Sierras Pampeanas is a region of young reverse-fault-bounded ranges of crystalline basement separated by broad valleys. Repsol-YPF allowed use of 280 km of 2D seismic lines registered in the western La Rioja basin, which were processed and interpreted for structural and stratigraphic relationships. Lacking wells within the seismic grid, we relied on refraction data, nearby geological studies, and seismic stratigraphy to constrain the interpretation. The findings indicate a substantial thickness (up to 800 m) of Paleozoic strata thinning to the east and directly covering the crystalline basement. The predominate unit is Cenozoic fill, which dominates the upper 1–3 s of the seismic data and ranges in thickness from 3 km below the city of La Rioja, near the western basin margin, to approximately 1.5 km at the east end of the seismic grid, 60 km east of La Rioja. Between the Paleozoic and Cenozoic strata are two units, one regionally distributed and the other very localized. The regionally extensive unit is a thin horizon with high reflectivity that overlies the more localized unit. This local unit is interpreted as a narrow rift basin in the northern La Rioja basin that is likely of Cretaceous age. Deformation within the La Rioja basin is controlled predominantly by north-trending reverse faults with offsets ranging from 200 to 2000 m. Faults in the north half of the basin are not continuous with those in the south half, which suggests the existence of an east-trending transfer zone, aligned with the east-trending valley separating Sierra de Velasco into northern and southern blocks and aligned with the north end of Sierra Brava. The major north-trending faults were active during accumulation of the upper half of the Cenozoic strata.
Structure and assembly of protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase

Dioxygenases catalyse the cleavage of molecular oxygen with subsequent incorporation of both oxygen atoms into organic substrates. Some of the best-studied dioxygenases have been isolated from bacteria where they catalyse the critical ring-opening step in the biodegradation of aromatic compounds. These bacterial enzymes generally contain nonheme ferric iron as the sole cofactor. Protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase (3,4-PCD) was one of the first such enzymes recognized and catalyses the intradiol cleavage of protocatechuic acid by oxygen to produce beta-carboxy-cis,cis-muconic acid. Previous studies have shown that the 3,4-PCD found in Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an oligomer with a relative molecular mass (Mr) of 587,000 (587K) containing 12 copies each of alpha (22.3K) and beta (26.6K) subunits. The X-ray structure determination of 3,4-PCD reveals the catalytic iron environment required for oxygenolytic cleavage of aromatic rings and also provides a novel holoenzyme assembly with cubic 23(T) symmetry and first examples of mixed beta-barrel domains.
Physiological levels of resveratrol metabolites are ineffective as anti-leukemia agents against Jurkat leukemia cells.

Dietary resveratrol is metabolically transformed in vivo by the intestine and liver to produce resveratrol glucuronides and sulfates in humans. Little is known about the anticancer activities of these metabolic products. The majority of in vitro studies have investigated effects of resveratrol aglycone at supraphysiological levels. Physiological levels of resveratrol-3-O-glucuronide, resveratrol-4′-O-glucuronide, and resveratrol-3-O-sulfate, the major in vivo metabolites of dietary resveratrol, were evaluated as anticancer agents against Jurkat T leukemia cells. Propidium iodide was use to measure cell death and changes in cell cycle, and the mitochondrial membrane dye JC-1 was used to measure changes in mitochondrial membrane potential by flow cytometry. PKH67 was used to evaluate changes in proliferation of the cells by flow cytometry. Jurkat cells were exposed to 0, 2.5, 5, 10, 15, and 20 μM of each resveratrol metabolite, which are concentrations achievable in vivo. None of the resveratrol metabolites...
Chronic morphine acts via a protein kinase Cγ–Gβ–adenylyl cyclase complex to augment phosphorylation of Gβ and Gβγ stimulatory adenylyl cyclase signaling

Abstract Chronic morphine augments protein kinase C (PKC) phosphorylation of G β , which enhances the potency of G βγ to stimulate adenylyl cyclase II (ACII) activity. The present study demonstrates an in vivo association between phosphorylated G β and a specific PKC isoform, PKCγ. We investigated the association of G β and PKCγ by assessing the ability of anti-PKCγ antibodies to co-immunoprecipitate G β from 32 P-radiolabeled Chinese Hamster Ovary cells stably transfected with a μ-opioid receptor (MOR-CHO). PKCγ immunoprecipitate (IP) obtained from MOR-CHO membranes contained radiolabeled signals of ≈33 and 36–38 kDa that were subsequently identified as G β (s). Chronic morphine significantly increased (≈75%) the magnitude of 32 P incorporated into G β present in PKCγ IP. This suggests that G β is an in vivo substrate for PKCγ, which mediates the chronic morphine-induced increment in G β phosphorylation. In order to evaluate AC as a putative effector for phosphorylated G βγ , its presence in IP obtained using anti-AC antibodies was evaluated. Autoradiographic analyses of AC IP also revealed the presence of phosphorylated G β (s), the magnitude of which was significantly enhanced (≈60%) following chronic morphine treatment. This indicates that phosphorylated G βγ associates and presumably interacts in vivo with AC, indicating that it is a target for the enhanced phosphorylated G βγ that is generated following chronic morphine treatment. This would contribute to the previously observed shift from predominantly G iα inhibitory to G βγ stimulatory AC signaling following chronic morphine. The PKCγ–G β –AC complex identified in this study provides an organizational framework for understanding the well-documented participation of PKCγ in opioid tolerance-producing mechanisms.
Oligomerization reactions of deoxyribonucleotides on montmorillonite clay: the effect of mononucleotide structure, phosphate activation and montmorillonite composition on phosphodiester bond formation.

The 2(prime)-d-5(prime)-GMP and 2(prime)-d-5(prime)-AMP bind 2 times more strongly to montmorillonite 22A than do 2(prime)-d-5(prime)-CMP and 5(prime)-TMP. The dinucleotide d(pG)2 forms in 9.2 percent yield and the cyclic dinucleotide c(dpG)2 in 5.4 percent yield in the reaction of 2(prime)-d-5(prime)-GMP with EDAC in the presence of montmorillonite 22A. The yield of dimers which contain the phosphodiester bond decreases as the reaction medium is changed from 0.2 M NaCl to a mixture of 0.2 M NaCl and 0.075 M MgCl2. A low yield of d(pA)2 was observed in the condensation reaction of 5(prime)-ImdpA on montmorillonite 22A. The yield of d(pA)2 obtained when EDAC is used as the condensing agent increases with increasing iron content of the Na(+)-montmorillonite used as catalyst. Evidence is presented which shows that the acidity of the Na(+)-montmorillonite is a necessary but not sufficient factor for the montmorillonite catalysis of phosphodiester bond formation.
The RNA Processing Enzyme RNase MRP Is Identical to the Th RNP and Related to RNase P

Sera from patients with autoimmune diseases often contain antibodies that bind ribonucleoproteins (RNPs). Sera from 30 such patients were found to immunoprecipitate ribonuclease P (RNase P), an RNP enzyme required to process the 5' termini of transfer RNA transcripts in nuclei and mitochondria of eukaryotic cells. All 30 sera also immunoprecipitated the nucleolar Th RNP, indicating that the two RNPs are structurally related. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the Th RNP revealed it was identical to the RNA component of the mitochondrial RNA processing enzyme known as RNase MRP. Antibodies that immunoprecipitated the Th RNP selectively depleted murine and human cell extracts of RNase MRP activity, indicating that the Th and RNase MRP RNPs are identical. Since RNase P and RNase MRP are not associated with each other during biochemical purification, we suggest that these two RNA processing enzymes share a common autoantigenic polypeptide.
Theoretical conditions for high-frequency hair bundle oscillations in auditory hair cells.

Substantial evidence exists for spontaneous oscillations of hair cell stereociliary bundles in the lower vertebrate inner ear. Since the oscillations are larger than expected from Brownian motion, they must result from an active process in the stereociliary bundle suggested to underlie amplification of the sensory input as well as spontaneous otoacoustic emissions. However, their low frequency (<100 Hz) makes them unsuitable for amplification in birds and mammals that hear up to 5 kHz or higher. To examine the possibility of high-frequency oscillations, we used a finite-element model of the outer hair cell bundle incorporating previously measured mechanical parameters. Bundle motion was assumed to activate mechanotransducer channels according to the gating spring hypothesis, and the channels were regulated adaptively by Ca2+ binding. The model generated oscillations of freestanding bundles at 4 kHz whose sharpness of tuning depended on the mechanotransducer channel number and location, and the Ca2+ concentration. Entrainment of the oscillations by external stimuli was used to demonstrate nonlinear amplification. The oscillation frequency depended on channel parameters and was increased to 23 kHz principally by accelerating Ca2+ binding kinetics. Spontaneous oscillations persisted, becoming very narrow-band, when the hair bundle was loaded with a tectorial membrane mass.
Liver myeloid-derived suppressor cells expand in response to liver metastases in mice and inhibit the anti-tumor efficacy of anti-CEA CAR-T

Chimeric antigen receptor-modified T cell (CAR-T) technology, a promising immunotherapeutic tool, has not been applied specifically to treat liver metastases (LM). While CAR-T delivery to LM can be optimized by regional intrahepatic infusion, we propose that liver CD11b+Gr-1+ myeloid-derived suppressor cells (L-MDSC) will inhibit the efficacy of CAR-T in the intrahepatic space. We studied anti-CEA CAR-T in a murine model of CEA+ LM and identified mechanisms through which L-MDSC expand and inhibit CAR-T function. We established CEA+ LM in mice and studied purified L-MDSC and responses to treatment with intrahepatic anti-CEA CAR-T infusions. L-MDSC expanded threefold in response to LM, and their expansion was dependent on GM-CSF, which was produced by tumor cells. L-MDSC utilized PD-L1 to suppress anti-tumor responses through engagement of PD-1 on CAR-T. GM-CSF, in cooperation with STAT3, promoted L-MDSC PD-L1 expression. CAR-T efficacy was rescued when mice received CAR-T in combination with MDSC depletion, GM-CSF neutralization to prevent MDSC expansion, or PD-L1 blockade. As L-MDSC suppressed anti-CEA CAR-T, infusion of anti-CEA CAR-T in tandem with agents targeting L-MDSC is a rational strategy for future clinical trials.
Acetonitrile covalent adduct chemical ionization mass spectrometry for double bond localization in non-methylene-interrupted polyene fatty acid methyl esters.

Covalent adduct chemical ionization (CACI) using a product of acetonitrile self-reaction, (1-methyleneimino)-1-ethenylium (MIE; CH2CN+CH2), has been investigated as a method for localizing double bonds in a series of 16 non-methylene-interrupted fatty acid methyl esters (NMI-FAME) of polyenes with three and more double bonds. As with polyunsaturated homoallylic (methylene-interrupted) FAME and conjugated dienes, MIE (m/z 54) reacts across double bonds to yield molecular ions 54 mass units above the parent analyte. [M + 54]+ ions of several 20- and 22-carbon FAME that include one double bond in the C2−C3 position separated by two to five methylene units from a three, four, or five C homoallylic system dissociated according to rules for the homoallylic system, with an additional fragment corresponding to cleavage between the lone double bond and the carboxyl group and defining the position of the lone double bond. Triene FAME with both methylene and ethylene interruption yielded characteristic fragments dis...
Antiestrogen stimulated human endometrial cancer growth: laboratory and clinical considerations

Abstract The new antiestrogen toremifene (TOR) is currently on the market for the treatment of advanced breast cancer in postmenopausal women. TOR is known to exhibit a similar efficacy profile as tamoxifen (TAM) in the treatment of advanced breast cancer and there are studies to suggest that the beneficial side effects of TAM on bone and blood lipids are also achieved with TOR. However, the data concerning the action of TOR on the endometrium is sorely lacking. In light of the estrogenic effect of TAM on the uterus and the 2–3-fold increased incidence in endometrial carcinoma detected in patients receiving TAM therapy, it is imperative to investigate the effect of TOR on endometrial carcinoma. We compared the actions of TAM and TOR on the EnCa101 human endometrial tumor model and find that both antiestrogens have similar growth stimulatory effects. To investigate a potential mechanism of antiestrogen-stimulated endometrial tumor growth, we have examined known activators of the AP-1 signal transduction pathway, the protein kinase C (PKC) family of isozymes, in the EnCa101 human endometrial tumor model. We find that increased PKC isozyme expression correlates with hormone-independent breast cancer as well as antiestrogen-stimulated endometrial cancer.
The automatic improvement of locality in storage systems

Disk I/O is increasingly the performance bottleneck in computer systems despite rapidly increasing disk data transfer rates. In this article, we propose Automatic Locality-Improving Storage (ALIS), an introspective storage system that automatically reorganizes selected disk blocks based on the dynamic reference stream to increase effective storage performance. ALIS is based on the observations that sequential data fetch is far more efficient than random access, that improving seek distances produces only marginal performance improvements, and that the increasingly powerful processors and large memories in storage systems have ample capacity to reorganize the data layout and redirect the accesses so as to take advantage of rapid sequential data transfer. Using trace-driven simulation with a large set of real workloads, we demonstrate that ALIS considerably outperforms prior techniques, improving the average read performance by up to 50p for server workloads and by about 15p for personal computer workloads. We also show that the performance improvement persists as disk technology evolves. Since disk performance in practice is increasing by only about 8p per year, the benefit of ALIS may correspond to as much as several years of technological progress.
The Effect of Test Conditions On the Relative Toxicity of the Pyrolysis Products From Some Upholstery Fabrics

Nine upholstery fabrics were evaluated for relative toxicity using seven different test conditions of the USF methodology. The materi als were 99% wool/1% spandex, 86% wool/14% nylon, 100% polyester, 100% cotton, 100% rayon, 100% polyolefin, and 100% nylon.
Investigation of structure and dynamics in membrane proteins using site-directed spin labeling

Abstract Site-directed spin labeling has emerged as a powerful method for determining the structure and topography of proteins. The technique has recently been extended to include time-resolved detection of structural changes with high spatial resolution. The current state of the art and future directions are reviewed.
Sedimentation of two prolate spheroids in close proximity

Experiments concerned with the rate of fall of two prolate spheroids (needle-like objects) in close proximity to each other are described in this paper. Quantitative agreement with S. Wakiya's theoretical predictions is obtained for the case in which two prolate spheroids are settling, one above the other, in the direction perpendicular to their axis of symmetry and for the case in which two prolate spheroids are settling end to end in the same horizontal plane in the direction perpendicular to their axis of symmetry. These experiments and this theoretical treatment apply only in the creeping motion region. At higher velocities, inertial effects would become significant. On decrit dans ce travail des experiences sur la vilesse de chute de deux spheroides allonges (objets ressemblant a des aiguilles) qui sont proches l'un de l'autre. On obtient une concordance quantitative avec les predictions theoriques de S. Wakiya dans le cas ou deux spheroides allonges reposent l'un sur l'autre, dans une direction perpendiculaire a leur axe de symetrie, ainsi qui dans le cas ou deux spheroides allonges sont places bout a bout dans le meme plan horizontal, dans une direction perpendiculaire a leur axe de symetrie. Les dites experiences et theories ne s'appliquent que dans la region ou le mouvement est ascendant. A des velocites plus grandes, les effets d'inertie deviendraient notables.
Molecular topology in crystals and fibers of hemoglobin S

Several lines of evidence indicate a close correspondence between the linear double filaments in the crystal form of hemoglobin S grown from solutions containing polyethylene glycol and the seven pairs of helical filaments that occur in the 14-filament fibers of hemoglobin S. An analysis of the adjustments to the intermolecular contacts required to convert the double filaments from crystals to fibers is presented here. In addition, postulated contacts between the helical double filaments, which are distinct from any of the contacts of the crystals, are specified for the first time. The movements from crystals to fibers are described in terms of three rotation angles: α, the inclination of the filaments with respect to the fiber axis; δ, the tilt of successive molecules along the filaments; and ω, the rotation of successive molecules along the filaments. On the basis of the fiber structure determined by three-dimensional reconstruction of electron micrographs and the assignment of filament pairs from data on incomplete fibers, the various angles have been evaluated. For the filaments at various radii in the fibers, a varies from 3 ° to 12 °, δ varies from 1 ° to 4 ° and ω is constant at 9 °. The effects of the rotations on the contacts between molecules of hemoglobin S at various positions in the fibers are characterized using surface maps based on polar coordinates. For each residue on the surface of hemoglobin the centroid position of its side-chain is located by a longitude, a latitude and an altitude. Locations on the maps are assigned for the contacts within the helical double filaments, as well as 11 classes of new contacts describing the potential interaction sites between double filaments. The resulting maps (1) deduce roles for the various α mutants of hemoglobin known to influence fiber formation that have been identified by the Benesches; (2) distinguish effects for the α chain mutants on the same (cis) or opposite (trans) α1β1 dimer as the β6 Val in asymmetric tetramers; (3) propose new sites where effects of mutations on fiber formation may be found; and (4) suggest why some mutants may inhibit, while others enhance, fiber formation. Concerning the last point, the possibility of certain mutants “correcting” the effects of other mutants is proposed as a test of contact assignments.
Quantum noise in superluminescent diodes

Intensity noise in a superluminescent diode (SLD) has been studied over the frequency range from 100 Hz to 2 MHz. The "1/f" noise which dominates at low frequencies ( 500 kHz). A more extensive investigation has been carried out in this higher frequency regime, where the intensity noise is assumed to result from quantum fluctuation effects. For a given SLD driving current, the excess noise power is found to be a linear function of photodetector current to the maximum observed level of 12 dB. These results agree well with the behavior predicted by a quantum amplifier model for the SLD.
II. Segregation of Active Constituents from Tablet Formulations During Grinding: Significance to Pharmaceutical Analysis

AbstractThe preparatory step in the analysis of active drugs in tablet dosage forms has generally consisted of the grinding or milling of a given number of the tablets into a fine powder. Certain drugs formulated as tablets have been shown to undergo physical separation from other tablet components as a result of grinding. This phenomenon accounts, at least in part, for the poor reproducibility found in duplicate assays for these drugs in tablet composites. This same phenomenon also explains discrepancies between the average of the individual tablet assay values of samples prepared by direct dissolution, and the assay value of the corresponding composites.This paper illustrates this phenomenon using a problem dosage form and suggests methods of sample preparation that avoid segregation of ingredients. These methods include the direct dissolution of a representative number of individual tablets in a suitable solvent, the sieving and regrinding of the ground tablets, the grinding of a composite with a suita...
Ambulatory containment treatment in Perthes' disease.

Abstract The results of four different ambulatory methods used in the treatment of 248 patients with Perthes' disease were compared in five different hospitals. In each hospital the patient population was selected for the era of treatment policy. Seventy-two patients were treated with crutches alone, 58 with a Scottish Rite orthosis, 48 with a Newington abduction orthosis (a bilateral long-leg brace holding the hips in abduction and internal rotation), and 70 with proximal femoral osteotomy. The end results of treatment were rated according to head sphericity using the MOSE method. Prognostic indicators were recorded, including age of onset of disease, Catterall type, and femoral subluxation. Patients with partial-head involvement under eight years of age at disease onset with minimal lateral subluxation (less than 1.5 lateral subluxation ratios) and no proximal subluxation fared equally well with crutch walking or any of the three ambulatory-containment treatments studied. With greater degrees of subluxation, all three containment groups were superior to crutch walking and all were equally effective. In partial-head involvement, patients between eight and 12 years of age, with or without lateral or proximal subluxation, all three ambulatory containment methods were superior to crutch walking. Femoral osteotomy and the Newington abduction orthosis were equally effective. Only five Scottish Rite patients were in this age group, too small a number to compare with the other treatment methods. Patients with partial-head involvement over 12 years of age at disease onset had poor results. For patients with total-head involvement under eight years of age at disease onset, femoral osteotomy was correlated with a lesser degree of femoral head flattening than either brace or crutch treatment. In whole-head involvement patients over eight years old at disease onset, all three ambulatory containment methods were equally effective and superior to crutch walking; however, there were few crutch walking and Newington abduction arthrosis patients in this age group.
Statistically Equivalent Representative Volume Elements for Unidirectional Composite Microstructures: Part I - Without Damage

The representative volume element (RVE) of a material microstructure plays an important role in the analysis of heterogeneous materials, such as composites. Effective material properties in a composite material depend on the microstructural concentration and dispersion of different phases in the RVE. In this study, a combination of statistical and computational tools are proposed for identifying the statistically equivalent RVE (SERVE) for an elastic composite with nonuniform dispersion of inclusions. Numerical tests are conducted with various statistical functions of geometry, stresses, and strains to examine the validity of potential alternative definitions of the SERVE. In the first of this two-part article, methods are addressed for undamaged composite microstructures with continuous interfaces between the fiber and the matrix. The sequel article deals with the evolution of SERVE caused by damage due to interfacial debonding.
MEANINGS OF FORM

The expressions ‘form’, ‘structure’, ‘schema’, ‘shape’, ‘pattern’, ‘figure’, ‘mold’, and related locutions are used in logic both as technical terms and in metaphors. This paper juxtaposes, distinguishes, and analyses uses of these expressions by logicians. No such project has been attempted previously. After establishing general terminology, we present a variant of traditional usage of the expression ‘logical form’ followed by a discussion of the usage found in the twovolume Chateaubriand book Logical Forms (2001 and 2005)—the most comprehensive work on the subject ever written and in many ways the focus of this paper. Resumo:As expressoes ‘forma’, ‘estrutura’, ‘esquema’, ‘formato’, ‘modelo’, ‘figura’, ‘molde’, e termos relacionados sao usados em logica tanto como termos tecnicos quanto como em metaforas. O presente artigo justapoe, diferencia e analisa o uso destas expressoes por logicos. Nunca se tentou levar a cabo um tal projeto antes. Apos estabelecer uma terminologia geral, apresentamos uma variante do uso tradicional da expressao ‘forma logica’, seguida de uma discussao do uso encontrado nos dois volumes do livro Logical Forms (2001 e 2005) de Chateaubriand - o trabalho mais abrangente ja escrito sobre o assunto e, em larga medida, o foco deste artigo.Palavras chave: Morfologia. Carater. Sentido. Sentenca. Proposicao. Forma. Estrutura. Esquema. Constituinte alternativo. Tipo. Token.
Neutralizing murine TGFβR2 promotes a differentiated tumor cell phenotype and inhibits pancreatic cancer metastasis

Elevated levels of TGF-β are a negative prognostic indicator for patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer; as a result the TGF-β pathway is an attractive target for therapy. However, clinical application of pharmacologic inhibition of TGF-β remains challenging because TGF-β has tumor suppressor functions in many epithelial malignancies including pancreatic cancer. In fact, direct neutralization of TGF-β promotes tumor progression of genetic murine models of pancreatic cancer. Here we report that neutralizing the activity of murine TGF-β receptor 2 using a monoclonal antibody (2G8) has potent anti-metastatic activity in orthotopic human tumor xenografts, syngenic tumors and a genetic model of pancreatic cancer. 2G8 reduced activated fibroblasts, collagen deposition, microvessel density and vascular function. These stromal specific changes resulted in tumor cell epithelial differentiation and a potent reduction in metastases. We conclude that TGF-β signaling within stromal cells participates directly in tumor cell phenotype and pancreatic cancer progression. Thus, strategies that inhibit TGF-β dependent effector functions of stromal cells could be efficacious for the therapy of pancreatic tumors.
Myelin basic protein-specific T-cell responses in identical twins discordant or concordant for multiple sclerosis

Although multiple sclerosis (MS) is thought to be an autoimmune disease, the target antigen of the immune response is unknown. Both myelin basic protein (MBP) and proteolipid protein (PLP) have been considered candidate autoantigens. Because the immune response to either foreign or self antigens is influenced by the genetic background of the host, the importance of these candidate antigens has been difficult to establish in humans because of genetic diversity. To eliminate genetic differences in MS patients and healthy controls, we have studied the MBP-specific T-cell response in 6 sets of identical twins, 3 of which were concordant and 3 discordant for MS. A total of 638 short-term T-cell lines were established and characterized for MBP-specific proliferative and cytotoxic activity, fine specificity, and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) restriction. Similar frequencies of MBP-specific T cells were observed in affected and unaffected individuals. A slightly higher percentage of cytotoxic T-cell lines was found in affected individuals. For most of the cell lines, the restriction elements were the HLA class II antigens that have been reported previously to be associated with MS; no important differences with respect to HLA restriction were found between the patients and healthy individuals. The peptide epitopes of MBP that were recognized most frequently by the T-cell lines were those previously shown to be immunodominant. Differences in specificity were seen in some discordant twins indicating that, despite genetic identity, the MBP-specific T-cell repertoire may be shaped differently. These findings indicate that differences in frequency, peptide specificity, or HLA restriction are not sufficient to implicate MBP-specific T cells in the pathogenesis of MS. However, the T-cell response to MBP may still represent one necessary component with disease occurring when this response is combined with other host characteristics such as regulation of cytokine-, adhesion molecule-, or HLA-antigen expression in the nervous system or immunoregulatory mechanisms.
Systolic number radix converters

Hardware number radix converters may be required at the input and output interfaces of high-speed arithmetic processors implemented in VLSI. Systolic hardware realisation of the radix conversion process along with hardware implementation details are discussed in this paper. The main results are that it is always possible to accept one input digit in a continuous stream ofk-digit operands on every clock tick and that the total conversion delay (from the acceptance of the first digit of an operand to the emergence of the first digit in the corresponding k'-digit result) is k + k'/b clock ticks, where b is a design tradeoff parameter affecting the cell complexity, intercell communication, and possibly the clock period in the systolic converter.
Uncertainty, responsibility, and the evolution of the physician/patient relationship

The practice of evidence based medicine has changed the role of the physician from information dispenser to gatherer and analyser. Studies and controlled trials that may contain unknown errors, or uncertainties, are the primary sources for evidence based decisions in medicine. These sources may be corrupted by a number of means, such as inaccurate statistical analysis, statistical manipulation, population bias, or relevance to the patient in question. Regardless of whether any of these inaccuracies are apparent, the uncertainty of their presence in physician information should be disclosed to the patient. These uncertainties are not, however, shared by physicians with patients, and have caused a direct increase in patient responsibilities and mistrust. Only when disclosure of uncertainty becomes commonplace in medical practice will the physician/patient relationship evolve to a level of greater understanding and satisfaction for both the physician and patient.
Developing conservation subdivisions: Ecological constraints, regulatory barriers, and market incentives

The majority of people in the world now live in urban areas. Traditional urban development has threatened terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems through direct habitat destruction, various forms of pollution, and introduction of exotic species. Development practices that minimize ecological damage are becoming more prevalent in the United States. One of these development forms is conservation subdivisions (CSDs). CSDs are residential or mixed use subdivisions typically designed to minimize site disturbance and protect ecologically sensitive areas of a site. In practice, however, they sometimes do not accomplish ecological goals and many barriers exist to their widespread implementation. In this study, we evaluate how CSDs can be encouraged and effectively used to mitigate for traditional development impacts using the state of Georgia as a case study. We identify a number of environmental, institutional and market constraints that limit the effectiveness of CSDs and provide recommendations for how jurisdictions may overcome these constraints using both market-based incentives, such as marketing and income tax reductions, and regulatory initiatives such as expedited permitting and zoning code revisions.
"Vasoactivators"—a New Concept for Naturally Secreted vasoconstrictor Substances

Many vasoconstrictor substances have been demonstrated as being vasodilators through the mechanism of endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) release. The authors have hypothesized that all naturally secreted vasoconstrictor substances may potentially be vasodilators as well in order to maintain an adequate physiological vascular tone. To test this hypothesis, they studied the effect of thromboxane A2--a naturally secreted vasoconstrictor substance released from platelets, which has not been demonstrated as an EDRF stimulus, using its stable analog U46619 in the porcine coronary artery (CA). The results have shown that U46619 is a stimulus for EDRF biosynthesis/release. This effect may be blocked by the specific inhibitor of EDRF biosynthesis/release NG-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA). Therefore, this study supports the aforementioned hypothesis. The authors suggest that naturally secreted vasoconstrictor substances may be more accurately termed "vasoactivator" substances. These vasoactivators, according to the balance between their constrictive or relaxing effects, may be classified as (1) Type I: vasoconstriction-predominant type such as acetylcholine (ACh), and U46619 in porcine which mainly cause contraction in endothelium-intact arteries; (2) Type II: balanced type such as norepinephrine (NE) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in porcine CA, which cause little contraction in endothelium-intact arteries but cause a great contraction when the endothelium is denuded. Usually, the receptor subtypes located in the endothelium and smooth muscle stimulated by any one of these vasoactivator substances are different. All these characteristics of vasoconstrictor substances may play an important role in maintaining an adequate vascular tone.
A dewpoint temperature sensor based on Nd/sup 3+/-doped fiber fluorescence

The design and performance characteristics of a portable dewpoint temperature sensor based on the fluorescence emission derived from an 830-nm diode-pumped, single-mode Nd/sup 3+/-doped fiber, are reported. Dewpoint temperature is measured using an optical reflectance technique at the fiber-fluorescence emission wavelength of 950 nm, where water has a local absorption maximum and substrate reflectivity exceeds 98%. The sensor exhibits a signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) of 22 dB and a dewpoint precision of /spl plusmn/0.2/spl deg/C at a fluorescence power of 5 /spl mu/W. >
Differentiation-dependent expression of Adhfe1 in adipogenesis

Abstract We have determined that adipocytes are a major site of expression of the transcript for the novel alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), Adhfe1. Adhfe1 is unique in that the sequence of its encoded protein places it among the iron-activated ADHs. Western blot analysis reveals Adhfe1 encodes a 50 kDa protein and immunocytochemical staining indicates mitochondrial localization. Adhfe1 transcript exhibits differentiation-dependent expression during in vitro brown and white adipogenesis. Unlike many adipocyte-enriched genes, however, Adhfe1 transcript expression in adipocytes is refractory to TNFα-mediated downregulation. However, use of pharmacological inhibitors reveals PI 3-kinase-mediated signals maintain the basal level of Adhfe1 transcript in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Tissue profiling studies show Adhfe1 transcript is restricted to white and brown adipose tissues, liver, and kidney. In comparison to C57BL/6 mice, Adhfe1 transcript is downregulated 40% in white adipose tissue of ob/ob obese mice. Further characterization of Adhfe1 should yield new insights into adipocyte function and energy metabolism.
Infrared Reflectance of Paints

The Kubelka-Munk coefficients for paint films in the 0.8-2.0-micro wavelength range are determined from reflectance measurements on films of several different thicknesses over a black substrate. The scattering coefficients S of the paints studied are inversely proportional to the wavelength lambda of the incident light raised to a power p which varies among the paints investigated between 1.5 and 2.5. The absorption coefficients K exhibit a similar dependence on lambda except in the regions of specific absorption bands. The dependence of K and S on the pigment concentration is also discussed.