cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Simultaneous measurement of CYP1A2 activity, regioselectivity, and coupling: Implications for environmental sensitivity of enzyme-substrate binding.

The cytochrome P450 (CYP) reaction mechanism often yields a broad array of coupled and uncoupled products from a single substrate. While it is well known that reaction conditions can drastically affect the rate of P450 catalysis, their effects on regioselectivity and coupling are not well characterized. To investigate such effects, the CYP1A2 oxidation of 7-ethoxymethoxy-3-cyanocoumarin (EOMCC) was examined as a function of buffer type, buffer concentration, pH, and temperature. A high-throughput, optical method was developed to simultaneously measure the rate of substrate depletion, NADPH depletion, and generation of the O-dealkylated product. Increasing the phosphate buffer concentration and temperature increased both the NADPH and EOMCC depletion rates by 6-fold, whereas coupling was constant at 7.9% and the regioselectivity of O-dealkylation to other coupled pathways was constant at 21.7%. Varying the buffer type and pH increased NADPH depletion by 2.5-fold and EOMCC depletion by 3.5-fold; however, neither coupling nor regioselectivity was constant, with variations of 14.4% and 21.6%, respectively. Because the enzyme–substrate binding interaction is a primary determinant of both coupling and regioselectivity, it is reasonable to conclude that ionic strength, as varied by the buffer concentration, and temperature alter the rate without affecting binding while buffer type and pH alter both.
S08-04 Multiple functions for the zinc finger transcription factor odd skipped related1 in kidney and angioblast development

The kidney and vasculature are intimately linked functionally and during development, where nephric and blood/vascular progenitor cells occupy adjacent bands of mesoderm in zebrafish and frog embryos. Developmental mechanisms underlying the differentiation of kidney vs. blood/vascular lineages are unknown. The odd skipped related1 (osr1) gene encodes a zinc finger transcription factor that is expressed in the germ ring mesendoderm and subsequently in the endoderm and intermediate mesoderm, prior to the expression of definitive kidney or blood/vascular markers. Knockdown of osr1 in zebrafish embryos resulted in a segmentspecific loss of anterior kidney progenitors and a compensatory increase in the number of angioblast cells in the same trunk region. Kidney glomeruli and proximal tubules were absent while the cardinal vein and posterior venous plexuswere expanded. Altered kidney vs. vascular development correlated with expanded endoderm development in osr1 knockdowns. Combined osr1 loss of function with blockade of endoderm development by knockdown of sox32/ casanova rescued kidney proximal tubule but not glomerular development. Absence of glomerular development correlated with osr1 co-expression with wt1 in podocyte progenitor cells. The results indicate that osr1 affects kidney proximal tubule and angioblast development by a non-cell autonomous effect mediated by endoderm while glomerular development is likely to be due to a cell-autonomous role for osr1 in podocyte progenitors.
Chlorpromazine protection against acridine-induced reversion of a histidine-requiring mutant of Salmonella typhimurium

Abstract Recent experiments indicate that the phenothiazine tranquilizer chlorpromazine is able to protect against the mutagenic effects of the acridines proflavin, acriflavin and quinacrine in tester strains of Salmonella typhimurium.
Potential impacts of Energy Policy Act on electricity and natural gas provider fleets

Section 501 of the 1992 Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPACT) mandates that alternative-fuel providers who may sell such fuels for transportation uses acquire alternative-fuel vehicles (AFVs). The potential impacts of this mandate on the two largest groups of alternative-fuel providers--electricity and natural gas (NG) providers--are presented. Nationwide, 166 electric-only utility companies, 127 NG-only utility companies, and 55 dual-utility companies will be covered by EPACT. Together, these companies own/operate nearly 122,000 light-duty vehicles in the EPACT-defined metropolitan areas. Some 63 natural gas producers and transporters, which have 9700 light-duty vehicles, are also covered. We project that covered fuel providers will purchase 2710 AFVs in 1996 and 13, 650 AFVs by 2001. We estimate that natural gas companies already have 19.4% of their existing light-duty vehicle stocks as AFVs, dual companies have 10.0%, natural gas producers and transporters have 7. 0%, and electric companies have only 1.6%. If the existing AFVs count toward meeting the Section 501 requirements, NG providers (NG utilities, dual utilities, and NG producers and transporters) will need to make little additional effort, but electric companies will have to make substantial commitments to meet the requirements.
Behavioral treatment of phobic avoidance in multiple chemical sensitivity

The clinical ecology model of environmental illness, or multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), and particularly the theoretical assumptions, diagnostic procedures, and therapeutic recommendations promulgated by clinical ecologists are reviewed. No scientific evidence is found for their claims. MCS is conceptualized, instead, as a phobic disorder explicable in terms of the two-factor model of avoidance. Three cases of MCS are discussed in light of this model, and a comprehensive behavioral treatment package that includes biofeedback-assisted in vivo desensitization and cognitive restructuring is proposed.
Calculation of the Scattering Potential from Reflection Coefficients

It is shown how the scattering potential can be calculated from suitably defined reflection coefficients in the case of the one- and three-dimensional reduced wave equations by means of a formal series expansion. The more general problem of calculating scattering potentials from elements of the scattering operator is also discussed and it is shown that to calculate the scattering potential it is often sufficient to prescribe the representation in which it is to be diagonal.
Coordinate regulation of HLA class II genes: A novel DNA binding complex

We have characterized a nuclear protein complex from B lymphoblastoid cell lines that binds to HLA class II promoters as detected by electrophoretic gel mobility shift assays (EMSA). This complex (Cl) binds to three independent sites in the proximal DRA promoter which have not been identified previously as cis-acting elements. Cl is very abundant in Burkitt's lymphoma cell lines, but less abundant in “normal” B lymphoblastoid cell lines. The binding specificity of the Cl complex was analysed using competition experiments and chemical footprinting methods. Complexes with specificity similar to Cl also bind the DPA and DQA promoters. Though mutation of the sequences in the DRA promoter that severely reduced binding of the Cl complex had no effect on the ability of the DRA fragment to drive transcription of the reporter gene in transient expression or in vitro transcription assays, this conservation of binding sites among all class II promoters tested suggests functional relevance in transcription. In addition, complexes similar to Cl were observed in nuclear extracts from all cell lines examined, but minor differences in mobility appeared to correlate with class II expression. Thus, the Cl complex may act as a trans-acting factor in MHC class II expression.
First direct interfacial electron transfer between a biomolecule and a solid electrode in non-aqueous media: Direct electrochemistry of microperoxidase-11 at glassy carbon in dimethyl sulfoxide solution

The direct heterogeneous electron transfer between the imidazole complex of microperoxidase-11 (im-MP-11) and naked glassy carbon electrodes in dimethyl sulfoxide (1–3.6% H2O) containing 0.1 M tetra-n-butylammonium perchlorate has been accomplished using cyclic voltammetry. Homogeneous solutions of im-MP-11 in dimethyl sulfoxide were prepared by weak complexation with 18-crown-6. Heterogeneous electron transfer between im-MP-11 and glassy carbon has been shown to be persistent and at least quasi-reversible in dimethyl sulfoxide solution. The redox potential for im-MP-11 in dimethyl sulfoxide has been found to be −274 ± 5 mV vs. Ag/AgCl — significantly less negative than the potential (−389 mV vs. Ag/AgCl) for this same complex in aqueous 75 mM phosphate buffer, pH 7.0, containing 0.1 M NaClO4. The calculated diffusion coefficient (1.8 × 10−7 cm2 s−1) and the rate of electron transfer in dimethyl sulfoxide (2.7 ± 0.3 × 10−4 cm s−1) are approximately one order of magnitude lower than that for the same complex in 0.02 M aqueous phosphate buffer, pH 7.0.
Haemolymph lipids and fat body lipases of the southern armyworm moth

Abstract The haemolymph lipid of the southern armyworm moth, Prodenia eridania , is chiefly diglyceride with smaller amounts of triglyceride, monoglyceride, and free fatty acid also present. The stored lipid of moth fat body is almost all triglyceride. Although flight muscle contains a very active monoglyceride lipase, its ability to hydrolyse tri- and diglycerides is very low. The fat body contains enzymes able to hydrolyse tri-, di-, and monoglycerides. These data do not support the suggestion that fat body triglyceride is converted to diglyceride, which is carried in the haemolymph to the flight muscle and then hydrolysed to free fatty acid for oxidation during flight; rather, they indicate that triglyceride can be completely hydrolysed in the fat body, and the resulting free fatty acid is carried to the flight muscle to provide energy for flight.
Correlation Function Quantum Monte Carlo Study of the Excited Vibrational States of H5O2

Full dimensional (15 df) quantum Monte Carlo calculations of vibrational energies of H5O2+ are reported using the OSS3(p) potential energy surface of Ojamae et al. [Ojamae, L.; Shavitt, I.; Singer, S. J. J. Chem. Phys. 1998, 109, 5547]. The protonated water dimer, H5O2+, is an important case for vibrational study for the purpose of understanding the potential energy surface of the smallest aqueous proton-transfer system. Vibrational calculations are quite difficult for this system because of its high dimensionality and strong coupling between anharmonic low-frequency coordinates, among them motion of the central proton, which is associated with the most intense vibrational modes. In our study, the correlation function quantum Monte Carlo (CFQMC) method is employed for a full-dimensional treatment of the system. The development of an improved trial wave function gave a better starting point for understanding the excited states and was a crucial step that enabled us to obtain a set of converged energy eigen...
The Order of Plurisubharmonicity on Pseudoconvex Domains with Lipschitz Boundaries

Let $\Omega\subset\subset\mathbb{C}^n$ be a bounded pseudoconvex domain with Lipschitz boundary. Diederich and Fornaess have shown that when the boundary of $\Omega$ is $C^2$, there exists a constant $0<\eta<1$ and a defining function $\rho$ for $\Omega$ such that $-(-\rho)^{\eta}$ is a plurisubharmonic function on $\Omega$. In this paper, we show that the result of Diederich and Fornaess still holds when the boundary is only Lipschitz.
Prospects for development education: Some strategic issues facing European NGOs

Abstract This paper analyzes the evolution of European NGO development education activities and examines the ways in which they have organized and worked to change the attitudes of their constituencies and the general public and to influence their governments' policies on development issues. The author demonstrates how the NGOs have moved from a marginal role to recognized legitimacy as actors in the national and international policy processes. The discussion also deals with the limitations faced by NGOs in their development education efforts. Some strategic issues for the future are considered: the need for NGOs to keep up with political and economic changes in the European context and the broader state of international economic relations in order to maintain the policy relevance of their activites; the need to evaluate what has and has not worked in the past and to carefully set priorities for the future; the need to obtain secure and long-term resources to promote better interaction between northern and Third World NGOs in development education and to assist Third World NGOs in enhancing their own capacity for research and development education.
Magnetic tape recording and playback for ST-segment analysis.

Abstract For the past few years, there has been an increased interest in the detection of ST-segment changes in ambulatory patients. This interest has broadened the scope of application of long-term Holter ambulatory recording to include the routine monitoring of patients for episodes of asymptomatic (silent) ischemia. ST measurements derived from tape-recorded data, however, have been viewed with some skepticism, based on the poor fidelity of earlier Holter recorders and playback systems. The author focuses on the technical issues regarding accurate recording and playback of ST-segment data and demonstrates that a cassettebased recorder and playback system using “direct recording” can accurately reproduce the ST-segment. This discussion is based on the use of the impulse response (rather than frequency response) to characterize and improve the fidelity of the recorder/playback system for ST-segment changes.
Dietary exposure of bluegills (Lepomis macrochirus) to (75) Se: uptake and distribution in organs and tissues.

Under natural conditions fish concentrate selenium (Se) in visceral tissues, attaining concentration factors (tissue Se/water Se) of 590-35,000. Food chain bioaccumulation is an important route of Se exposure for fishes, and organic forms may be more readily concentrated than inorganic forms. Fish concentrate Se in liver, kidney, and heart under laboratory conditions. High Se concentrations in bluegills (Lepomis macrochirus) are associated with decreased reproduction in Se-enriched reservoirs, and Se appears to concentrate in the ovaries of these fish. Furthermore, Se may be a teratogenic agent causing abnormalities in bluegill larvae, and high Se concentrations in the ovaries of female bluegills may be responsible for these abnormalities. Therefore, the authors proposed to compare the accumulation of (75) Se in gonads with its accumulation in other tissues and organs to assess the deposition of Se in bluegills.
Crustal structure in the Changbaishan volcanic area, China, determined by modeling receiver functions

Abstract During 1998–1999, we installed a temporary broadband seismic network in the Changbaishan volcanic region, NE China. We estimated crustal structure using teleseismic seismograms collected at the network. We detected a near surface region of strong anisotropy directly under the main volcanic edifice of the volcanic area. We modeled 109 receiver functions from 19 broadband stations using three techniques. First we used a “slant-stacking” method to model the principal crustal P reverberation phases to estimate crustal thickness and the average crustal P to S speed ratio (vp/vs), assuming an average P-wave velocity in the crust. We then estimated crustal S-wave velocity (vs) and vp/vs profiles by modeling stacked receiver functions using a direct search. Finally, we inverted several receiver functions recorded at stations closest to the main volcanic edifice using least squares to estimate vs velocity profiles, assuming a vp/vs value. The results from the three estimation techniques were consistent, and generally we found that the receiver functions constrained estimates of changes in wave speeds better than absolute values. We resolved that the crust is 30–39 km thick under the volcanic region and 28–32 km thick away from the volcanic region, with a midcrust velocity transition at about 10–15 km depth. We estimated that the average crust P-wave velocity is about 6.0–6.2 km/s surrounding the main volcanic region, while it is slightly lower in the vicinity of the main volcanic edifice. The estimates of vp/vs were more ambiguous, but we inferred that the bulk crustal Poisson's ratio (which is related to vp/vs) ranges between 0.20 and 0.30, with a suggestion that the Poisson's ratio is lower under the central volcanic region compared to the surrounding areas. We resolved low S-wave velocities (down to about 3 km/s) in the middle crust in the region of the main volcanic edifice. The low velocity anomaly extends from about 5–10 to 15–25 km below the surface, probably indicating a region of elevated temperatures. We were unable to determine if partial melt is present with the data we considered in this paper.
Evaluation of a Denuder-MOUDI-PUF Sampling System to Measure the Size Distribution of Semi-Volatile Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Atmosphere

This study describes a field comparison conducted between 2 methods employing different MOUDI impactor configurations to evaluate their performance in sampling and measurement of the size distribution of 15 priority pollutant polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Samples were collected during 24 h periods approximately every 7th day, beginning at 8:00 AM, in 2 different sites of the Los Angeles Basin. One site was near Central Los Angeles in an area impacted by high vehicular traffic, whereas the other site was located about 60 km downwind of central Los Angeles (receptor site). Particle samples from about 43 m 3 of air were collected using collocated MOUDI impactors and classified in 3 aerodynamic diameter size intervals: 0-0.18 w m (ultrafine mode I), 0.18-2.5 w m (accumulation mode II), and 2.5-10 w m (coarse mode III). One MOUDI operated in the conventional mode, the other with a vapor trapping system that included an XAD-4 coated annular denuder placed upstream of the impactor and a polyurethane f...
THE CORRECTIONAL ORIENTATION OF COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS: Legislative Changes in the Legally Prescribed Functions of Community Corrections 1992-2002†

Over the years, the prevailing correctional orientation in the United States has shifted back and forth between punishment and rehabilitation. These changes in correctional ideology are typically marked by differing sentencing practices and changing criminal justice research agendas. On the other hand, how corrections is legally mandated to operate is less understood. In 1993, Johnson, Dunaway, Burton, Marquait, and Cuvelier assessed the legally prescribed functions of community corrections for all 50 states and classified them as either reform or control oriented functions. They concluded the majority of states were primarily reform oriented. In this study, we replicate Johnson et al.’s (1993) methods using the statutes from all 50 states in 2002. However, we classified our findings, as well as recoded Johnson et al.’s (1993) findings, into punishment or rehabilitation functions. We make comparisons between 1992 and 2002 for the purpose of assessing where legally mandated orientation of community corrections stands today on the punishment/rehabilitation debate.
Post-Translational Processing of Synaptophysin in the Rat Retina Is Disrupted by Diabetes

Synaptophysin, is an abundant presynaptic protein involved in synaptic vesicle recycling and neurotransmitter release. Previous work shows that its content is significantly reduced in the rat retina by streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetes. This study tested the hypothesis that STZ-diabetes alters synaptophysin protein turnover and glycosylation in the rat retina. Whole explant retinas from male Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this study. Rats were made diabetic by a single intraperitoneal STZ injection (65 mg/kg body weight in 10 mM sodium citrate, pH 4.5). mRNA translation was measured using a (35)S-methionine labeling assay followed by synaptophysin immunoprecipitation and autoradiography. A pulse-chase study was used to determine the depletion of newly synthesized synaptophysin. Depletion of total synaptophysin was determined after treatment with cycloheximide. Mannose rich N-glycosylated synaptophysin was detected by treating retinal lysates with endoglycosidase H followed by immunoblot analysis. Synaptophysin mRNA translation was significantly increased after 1 month (p<0.001) and 2 months (p<0.05) of STZ-diabetes, compared to age-matched controls. Newly synthesized synaptophysin degradation was significantly accelerated in the retina after 1 and 2 months of diabetes compared to controls (p<0.05). Mannose rich glycosylated synaptophysin was significantly increased after 1 month of STZ-diabetes compared to controls (p<0.05).These data suggest that diabetes increases mRNA translation of synaptophysin in the retina, resulting in an accumulation of mannose rich glycosylated synaptophysin, a transient post-translational state of the protein. This diabetes-induced irregularity in post-translational processing could explain the accelerated degradation of retinal synaptophysin in diabetes.
Discussion: The effect of estrogens

I n women, the genital and urinary tracts derive from a common embryologic origin, the primitive urogenital sinus, and both are sensitive to the effects of female sex steroids. Estrogen and progesterone receptors are present in the vagina, urethra, bladder, and pelvic floor and symptomatic, cytologic, and urodynamic changes in the lower urinary tract (LUT) have been demonstrated during the menstrual cycle, in pregnancy, and following the menopause. Deteriorating ovarian function at the time of the menopause results in an increased incidence of urinary symptoms, including frequency, nocturia, urgency, incontinence, and dysuria, as well as the development of recurrent urinary tract infections. These symptoms may present as “the urge syndrome” and estrogens have been prescribed, usually empirically, in an attempt to improve this distressing symptom complex. Unfortunately, there have been few controlled studies of estrogen therapy reported in the literature, despite the known large placebo response in the treatment of urge incontinence. Samsioe et al.1 entered 34 women 75 years of age into a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study of oral estriol (3 mg/day) for 3 months. Despite the lack of objective assessment, they found that urge incontinence and mixed incontinence were improved by estriol, although in women with stress incontinence there was no difference between estriol and placebo. Unfortunately, we have not been able to replicate these results. In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, multicenter study involving 64 postmenopausal women with “the urge syndrome,” 3 mg/day oral estriol produced both subjective and objective improvement in urinary symptoms, particularly urgency and nocturia, but was not significantly better than placebo.2 IosiP has shown that urogenital atrophy, a late manifestation of estrogen deficiency, is completely relieved only after 1 year of treatment with 0.5 mg estriol suppositories and that symptoms recur with discontinuation of treatment. It is quite possible that 3 mg/day oral estriol is an inappropriate estrogen, given by the wrong route of administration, or given at too low a dose. It is unclear whether low-dose topical therapy, which improves genital atrophy without significant endometrial stimulation, is sufficient to treat urinary symptoms. Indeed, it is possible that estrogen is actually no better than placebo for the management of postmenopausal women with the urge syndrome, although Fantl et a1.4 have suggested that estrogen supplementation raises the sensory threshold of the bladder. We have subsequently assessed the efficacy of sustainedrelease 17P-estradiol vaginal tablets in the management of postmenopausal urinary urgency (Benness CJ, Wise BG, and Cardozo LD: unpublished data). These tablets are well absorbed from the vagina and have been shown to induce mat-
Quadratic form techniques and the Balslev-Combes theorem

We extend the theorem of Balslev and Combes on the absence of singular continuous spectrum to a class of interactions includingr −α(3/2≦α<2) local potentials. In addition, we note that the theory of sectorial operators allows a simplification of their proof and allows one to push the cuts through angles larger than the π/2 restriction employed by Balslev-Combes.
Biodiversity Curriculum that Supports Education Reform

The demands of education reform in many states are constraining the time teachers have to prepare and teach new activities. Therefore, it would behoove environmental educators developing supplemental curricular materials to use their concepts to augment state reform goals. This study suggests that a biodiversity curriculum guide, using the Linking Florida's Natural Heritage database, successfully infuses environmental concepts with the writing benchmarks of Florida's Sunshine State Standards (SSS). When measured by the same rubric used for the Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test (FCAT), writing skills rose significantly after students used the five lesson biodiversity supplement.
Novel 64Cu-radiolabeled bile acid conjugates for targeted PET imaging

A promising bifunctional chelate (N-NE3TA) was conjugated to bile acids, cholic acid (CA), deoxycholic acid (DCA), and chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) as tumor targeting vectors. Bile acid conjugates of N-NE3TA (CA-N-NE3TA, DCA-N-NE3TA, and CDCA-N-NE3TA) were comparatively evaluated for complexation with (64)Cu, an imaging probe for positron emission tomography (PET). N-NE3TA-bile acid conjugates were evaluated for radiolabeling kinetics with (64)Cu, and the corresponding (64)Cu-radiolabeled conjugates were screened for complex stability in human serum and EDTA solution. The NE3TA-bile acid conjugates instantly bound to (64)Cu with excellent radiolabeling efficiency at room temperature. All NE3TA-bile acid conjugates radiolabeled with (64)Cu remained inert in human serum for 2days without releasing a considerable amount of the radioactivity. The (64)Cu-radiolabeled complexes were further challenged by EDTA in a 100-fold molar excess. Bile acid-N-NE3TA conjugates radiolabeled with (64)Cu were quite stable with a minimal transfer of (64)Cu to EDTA at 4h time point. The in vitro data indicate that the bile acid-N-NE3TA conjugates deserve further biological evaluation for (64)Cu-based targeted PET imaging applications.
Near-fatal pulmonary air embolus from presumed inadvertent pressure placed on a partially empty plastic intravenous infusion bag

Abstract The present patient had a pulmonary embolism while in a cardiac catheterization laboratory, which afforded the opportunity of recognizing and directly treating this complication. Pulmonary air embolism should be considered in the differential diagnosis of electromechanical dissociation and unexplained hypotension in hospitalized patients who have central or intravenous access catheters in place. A classic mill wheel murmur should be sought Both fluoroscopy and transesophageal echocardiography can be used to confirm the diagnosis.
Purification and identification of an estrogen binding protein from rat brain: oligomycin sensitivity-conferring protein (OSCP), a subunit of mitochondrial F0F1-ATP synthase/ATPase.

Early studies have suggested the presence in the central nervous system of possible estrogen binding sites/proteins other than classical nuclear estrogen receptors (nER). We report here the isolation and identification of a 23 kDa membrane protein from digitonin-solubilized rat brain mitochondrial fractions that binds 17β-estradiol conjugated to bovine serum albumin at C-6 position (17β-E-6-BSA), a ligand that also specifically binds nER. This protein was partially purified using affinity columns coupled with 17β-E-6-BSA and was recognized by the iodinated 17β-E-6-BSA (17β-E-6-[125I]BSA) in a ligand blotting assay. The binding of 17β-E-6-BSA to this protein was specific for the 17β-estradiol portion of the conjugate, not BSA. Using N-terminal sequencing and immunoblotting, this 23 kDa protein was identified as the oligomycin-sensitivity conferring protein (OSCP). This protein is a subunit of the F0F1 (F-type) mitochondrial ATP synthase/ATPase required for the coupling of a proton gradient across the F0 sector of the enzyme in the mitochondrial membrane to ATP synthesis in the F1 sector of the enzyme. Studies using recombinant bovine OSCP (rbOSCP) in ligand blotting revealed that rbOSCP bound 17β-E-6-[125I]BSA with the same specificity as the purified 23 kDa protein. Further, in a ligand binding assay, 17β-E-6-[125I]BSA also bound rbOSCP and it was displaced by both 17β-E-6-BSA and 17α-E-6-BSA as well as partially by 17β-estradiol and diethylstilbestrol (DES), but not by BSA. This finding opens up the possibility that estradiol, and probably other compounds with similar structures, in addition to their classical genomic mechanism, may interact with ATP synthase/ATPase by binding to OSCP, and thereby modulating cellular energy metabolism. Current experiments are addressing such an issue.
Assessing individual performance in Agile undergraduate software engineering teams

The Agile Software Development (ASD) process is at the forefront of rapid product development driven by changing customer requirements and a trusted, self-organizing development team. Scrum has become a viable model of ASD focusing on determining immediate deliverables and structuring short timelines, called Sprints, for designing, implementing, and providing them for testing by the customer. While these practices are being adopted by organizations, there is significant difficulty in scaling them to the classroom. Once in place, it is a complex task to evaluate individual student performance based solely on the product outcome and Sprint grade. Thus, there is limited opportunity to catch performance problems that may lead to missing deliverable deadlines or decreasing team trust. In this paper, we impose ASD using Scrum on a senior software projects course in Computer Science. Using a collaborative environment that embeds a social network, project management modules, and event capture system, we perform broad data and event capture and analysis to investigate metrics that are relevant to assessing individual performance aspects related to functioning on an Agile team for software development. Our results suggest that predictive data is available after each Sprint to ascertain individual performance attributes and their relationship to product outcomes.
Improving cost of ownership on KLA-Tencor wafer fab reticle inspections by implementing pixel migration via new STARlight2+ capability

In the ever-changing semiconductor industry, wafer fabs and mask shops alike are adding low cost of ownership (CoO) to the list of requirements for inspections tools. KLA-Tencor has developed and introduced STARlight2+ (SL2+) to satisfy this need. This new software algorithm is available on all TeraScanHR and TeraFab models. KLA-Tencor has cooperated with United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC) to demonstrate and improve SL2+, including its ability to lower CoO, on 65nm and below photomasks. These improvements are built on the rich history of STARlight. Over the years, STARlight has become one of the industry standards for reticle inspection. Like its predecessors, SL2+ uses only transmitted and reflected light images from a reticle to identify defects on the reticle. These images along with plate-specific information are then processed by SL2+ to generate reference images of how the patterns on the reticle should appear. These reference images are then compared with the initial optical images to identify the defects. The new and improved SL2+ generates more accurate reference images. These images reduce background noise and increase the usable sensitivity. With the results from controlled engineering tests, a fab or mask shop can then decide to inspect reticles at a given technology node with a large pixel; this is sometimes referred to as pixel migration. The larger pixel with SL2+ can then perform the inspections at similar sensitivity settings and higher throughput, thus lowering CoO.
An advance in colour photomicrography of the living eye.

SYNOPSIS A new slit-lamp microscope camera has been designed with a daylight spectral emission, a non-stroboscopic flash unit, and a wide aperture lens system that enables photographs to be taken in colour of the transparent tissues of the human cornea, crystalline lens, lens capsule, lens nucleus in section, and with high magnification.
Late Gadolinium Enhancement imaging using stack of stars and compressed sensing.

Background LGE imaging is the gold standard for identifying viable tissue and fibrosis in the LV [1]. It has also been recently applied to imaging of the LA to identify regions of RF ablation [2] and fibrosis [3]. While a Cartesian acquisition scheme is commonly used, it can take a long time [1] and can be sensitive to motion leading to inconsistent image quality [3,4]. A radial acquisition scheme can be advantageous due to its robustness to motion and undersampling. Here a hybrid radial acquisition is combined with CS to improve LGE imaging efficiency.
The relationship between occlusion and TMD: an evidence-based discussion.

The form, function, and pathofunction of the dynamic masticatory system comprises one of the most fascinating, basic, and important areas of study in dentistry. Today’s health care professional is faced with the stark reality that the most common reason patients seek medical or dental care in the United States is due to pain or dysfunction. Pain in the orofacial region is a frequent occurrence in the general population. Lipton et al’s 1 study of 45,711 households revealed that 22% of the US population experienced orofacial pain on more than one occasion in a 6-month period. Certainly it comes as no surprise that the most commonly experienced orofacial pain is odontogenic in nature. However, non-odontogenic orofacial pain such as temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is also common. TMD has been defined as BA collective term referring to a number of clinical problems involving the masticatory musculature, the temporomandibular joint(s), and associated structures or both[ (p. 116). 2 Recent studies indicate the prevalence of TMD-related pain to be 12%. 3 It has been reported that 10 million Americans suffer from TMD-related complaints each year. 4,5 Cardinal signs and symptoms of TMD are pain in the temporomandibular region, limitation or disturbance in mandibular movement and/or masticatory functional ability, and temporomandibular joint sounds. 6 Our current understanding of the complexity of innervation in the head and neck region reveals the dynamic interaction between a number of cranial andcervicalnervestoincludethetrigeminalsystem,whichmay complicate the evaluation of the orofacial pain patient. This shared neurologic circuitry may make the etiology of pain difficult to diagnose. 7 Confusion with regard to diagnostic and clinical decision making is compounded by the fact that signs associated with TMD occur quite commonly in the general population.Seventy-fivepercentofthoseevaluatedinonestudy exhibited at least 1 sign such as joint noise or palpation tenderness and 33% of this nonpatient population exhibited at least 1 symptom 8 that would potentially prompt that individual to seek evaluation and care. Signs and symptoms in the general population have been found to occur in females only slightly more frequently than males, at a ratio of approximately 2:1 as contrasted to patient populations that are significantly biased toward the female population. 9-13 Personal communication with the administrative staff of the National Institute of Dental Research (NIDR) revealed that in 1993 approximately one-third of its total funding for the study of pain was allocated to TMD research. Since that time substantial monetary resources have been expended in an effort to better understand TMD. Yet little consensus exists with regard to a universally accepted diagnostic classification schema because most formats are based on signs and symptoms rather than cause (etiology) and epidemiologic information. 4,5 A suggested classification of myogenous and arthrogenous TMD may be found in Figure 1.
Morality and Religion

In this article, I look at recent developments in the field of the philosophy of the relationship between morality, understood in a realist manner, and the primary object of religious belief in the monotheistic religions, God. Some contemporary solutions to the Euthyphro dilemma and versions of moral arguments for the existence of God are discussed.
Reversible Nitrogen Atom Transfer between Nitridomanganese(V) and Manganese(III) Schiff-Base Complexes

Nitrogen atom transfer from salen-derived nitridomanganese(V) to manganese(III) Schiff-base complexes occurs under aerobic conditions in solution at room temperature. A mechanism involving chloride dissociation followed by the formation and decay of a binuclear μ-nitrido-activated complex accounts satisfactorily for the observed kinetics data.
Decreased sensitivity to the effects of dopamine D1-like, but not D2-like, receptor antagonism in the posterior hypothalamic region/anterior ventral tegmental area on brain reward function during chronic exposure to nicotine in rats.

Abstract Chronic administration of nicotine induces adaptations in central nervous system function to counteract nicotine's acute effects. When nicotine administration ceases, these adaptations remain unopposed and may lead to drug withdrawal. The present studies were conducted to assess the effects of chronic nicotine administration on dopamine D1- and D2-like receptor activity in the posterior hypothalamus/anterior ventral tegmental area (VTA). An intracranial self-stimulation discrete trial procedure that provides current intensity thresholds was used to provide a measure of brain reward function in rats. Previous studies showed that systemic administration of dopamine D1- or D2-like receptor antagonists induced elevations in brain reward thresholds in drug-free rats, indicative of a decrease in brain reward function. We show here that injections of the D1-like receptor antagonist SCH 23390 (1–4 μg total bilateral dose) into the posterior hypothalamus/anterior VTA differentially elevated brain reward thresholds in rats chronically treated with nicotine (9 mg/kg/day, salt) versus saline-treated rats. The nicotine-treated rats were less sensitive to the threshold elevating effects of D1-like receptor antagonism. By contrast, the D2-like receptor antagonist eticlopride (1–4 μg total bilateral dose) injected into the posterior hypothalamus/anterior VTA significantly elevated brain reward thresholds in saline- and nicotine-treated rats. No differential effect of eticlopride on brain reward thresholds in saline- and nicotine-treated rats was observed. Decreased sensitivity to D1-like receptor antagonism in the posterior hypothalamus/anterior VTA may partly mediate the development of tolerance to the reinforcing effects of nicotine and the manifestation of negative affective signs associated with cessation of nicotine administration.
Coupling pair programming and writing: learning about students' perceptions and processes

Pair Programming has been successful in many introductory computer science courses. Its success has manifested in increased retention rates, better performance on programming tasks, increased confidence, and decreased frustration. This paper highlights experiences using pair programming coupled with individual written reports in a large, introductory computer science course. Through analysis of survey data and written reports, our study shows that students perceive benefits in pair programming, such as those documented earlier (social structure, peer help, less frustration, reduced workload). Regarding the written reports, students cited benefits such as a chance to summarize their project, to reflect on the code, and to use new vocabulary. We discuss what we learn about students' processes, their challenges, and the resources they use for supporting their learning.
Utilization of advanced imaging technologies for target delineation in radiation oncology.

Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate the utilization of advanced imaging technologies for target delineation among radiation oncologists in the United States. Methods A random sample of 1,600 radiation oncologists was contacted by Internet, e-mail, and fax and questioned regarding the use of advanced imaging technologies, clinical applications, and future plans for use. Advanced imaging technologies were defined as any of the following that were directly incorporated into radiation therapy planning: MRI, PET, single-photon emission CT, 4-D CT, functional MRI, and MR spectroscopy. Results Of 1,089 contactable physicians, 394 (36%) responded. Of respondents, 65% were in private practice and 35% were in academic practice. The proportion using any advanced imaging technology for target delineation was 95%. However, the majority reported only rare (in 18 F]fluoro-2-deoxyglucose PET (76%), MRI (72%), and 4-D CT (44%). The most common cancers treated using image-guided target delineation were those of the lung (83%), central nervous system (79%), and head and neck (79%). Among users of advanced imaging technologies, 66% planned to increase use; 30% of nonusers planned to adopt these technologies in the future. Conclusions Advanced imaging technologies are widely used by US radiation oncologists for target delineation. Although the majority of respondents used them in
Achieving improved frequency response of the rain structure from spaceborne radar altimeters by employing deconvolution methods

A technique is described for arriving at improved measurements of the rain structure near the earth's surface from satellite-borne radars. The method uses deconvolution and Fourier transform procedures and assumes a knowledge of the antenna beam pattern. As an example, the method is directed toward the application of future spaceborne radar altimeters that may contain additional range gates to permit the measurement of rain in the lower troposphere. Using a radar-measured rain reflectivity profile acquired at Wallops Island, VA, in a simulation example, it is specifically demonstrated that improved measurements of the spatial frequency spectrum of the rain structure may be deduced by means of deconvolution methods, as compared to the measured spectrum derived by beam averaging. Rain measurements are considered vital from the standpoint of providing a flag for altimeter data that may be corrupted by rain. Such measurement capabilities should also provide sorely needed data on rain over the oceans where few or no such data are available for the meteorologist or the communicator interested in space diversity communications.
Reduction-responsive gold-nanoparticle-conjugated Pluronic micelles: an effective anti-cancer drug delivery system

In this study, gold-nanoparticle-crosslinked Pluronic micelles were synthesized and used as a carrier for paclitaxel (PTX). The resultant PTX-loaded gold-nanoparticle-crosslinked Pluronic micelles were about 69 nm in diameter. Physical stability and in vivo pharmacokinetic studies revealed that these micelles were more stable as compared to the non-cross-linked controls. Fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry analyses showed that PTX-loaded cross-linked micelles had excellent cellular uptake ability by human glioma U87 cells. The cleavage of disulfide bridge linkages under glutathione stimulus resulted in destruction of micelles and induced rapid drug release. In vitro cytotoxicity studies revealed that these cross-linked micelles exhibited high anti-cancer activity against glutathione monoester pre-treated U87 cells compared to non-pretreated cells. Cytoarchitecture studies demonstrated a similar cytoskeleton pattern before and after cross-linked micelles loaded into bone marrow derived macrophages. In vivo fresh frozen sections showed that cross-linked micelles were preferably accumulated in spleen and liver. These results indicated that gold-nanoparticle-crosslinked Pluronic micelles can be used as potential anti-cancer drug carriers for intelligent drug delivery.
The ultraviolet photodissociation of 2-chlorobutane: an imaging study comparing state-resolved and universal probe techniques

Abstract We present an imaging study of the Cl elimination channel in the 193 nm photodissociation of 2-chlorobutane. We compare the results obtained using resonant 2+1 photoionization of the Cl( 2 P 3/2 ) and Cl * ( 2 P 1/2 ) products with those obtained using single photon ionization of the 2-butyl radical cofragment, and find reasonable agreement between the two techniques. The product translational energy distribution is sharply peaked at ∼50% of the available energy, while the branching fraction to the spin–orbit excited Cl ∗ is 0.50. We also present results for H elimination in the 157 nm photodissociation of 2-chlorobutane. The results are interpreted using a simple impulsive model of the dissociation dynamics.
Competing Crossover Pathways Act During Meiosis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae the MSH4-MSH5, MLH1-MLH3, and MUS81-MMS4 complexes act to promote crossing over during meiosis. MSH4-MSH5, but not MUS81-MMS4, promotes crossovers that display interference. A role for MLH1-MLH3 in crossover control is less clear partly because mlh1Δ mutants retain crossover interference yet display a decrease in crossing over that is only slightly less severe than that seen in msh4Δ and msh5Δ mutants. We analyzed the effects of msh5Δ, mlh1Δ, and mms4Δ single, double, and triple mutants on meiotic crossing over at four consecutive genetic intervals on chromosome XV using newly developed computer software. mlh1Δ mms4Δ double mutants displayed the largest decrease in crossing over (13- to 15-fold) of all mutant combinations, yet these strains displayed relatively high spore viability (42%). In contrast, msh5Δ mms4Δ and msh5Δ mms4Δ mlh1Δ mutants displayed smaller decreases in crossing over (4- to 6-fold); however, spore viability (18–19%) was lower in these strains than in mlh1Δ mms4Δ strains. These data suggest that meiotic crossing over can occur in yeast through three distinct crossover pathways. In one pathway, MUS81-MMS4 promotes interference-independent crossing over; in a second pathway, both MSH4-MSH5 and MLH1-MLH3 promote interference-dependent crossovers. A third pathway, which appears to be repressed by MSH4-MSH5, yields deleterious crossovers.
Exploring the fidelity-efficiency design space using imprecise arithmetic

Recently many imprecise circuit design techniques have been proposed for implementation of error-tolerant applications, such as multimedia and communications. These algorithms do not mandate absolute correctness of their results, and imprecise circuit components can therefore leverage this relaxed fidelity requirement to provide performance and energy benefits. In this paper, several imprecise adder design techniques are classified and compared in terms of their error characteristics and power-delay efficiency. A general methodology for fidelity-efficiency design space exploration is presented and is applied to a case study implementing the CORDIC algorithm in 130nm technology. The case study reveals that simple precision scaling often provides better power-delay efficiency for a given fidelity than more complex imprecise adders, but different choice of algorithm and fidelity can influence the outcome.
A Major Role for hERG in Determining Frequency of Reentry in Neonatal Rat Ventricular Myocyte Monolayer

Rationale:The rapid delayed rectifier potassium current, IKr, which flows through the human ether-a-go-go-related (hERG) channel, is a major determinant of the shape and duration of the human cardiac action potential (APD). However, it is unknown whether the time dependency of IKr enables it to control APD, conduction velocity (CV), and wavelength (WL) at the exceedingly high activation frequencies that are relevant to cardiac reentry and fibrillation. Objective:To test the hypothesis that upregulation of hERG increases functional reentry frequency and contributes to its stability. Methods and Results:Using optical mapping, we investigated the effects of IKr upregulation on reentry frequency, APD, CV, and WL in neonatal rat ventricular myocyte (NRVM) monolayers infected with GFP (control), hERG (IKr), or dominant negative mutant hERG G628S. Reentry frequency was higher in the IKr-infected monolayers (21.12±0.8 Hz; n=43 versus 9.21±0.58 Hz; n=16; P<0.001) but slightly reduced in G628S-infected monolayers. ...