cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ESCRT-III dysfunction causes autophagosome accumulation and neurodegeneration.

Summary Defects in the endosomal-lysosomal pathway have been implicated in a number of neurodegenerative disorders [1]. A key step in the endocytic regulation of transmembrane proteins occurs in a subset of late-endosomal compartments known as multivesicular bodies (MVBs), whose formation is controlled by endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) [2, 3]. The roles of ESCRT in dendritic maintenance and neurodegeneration remain unknown. Here, we show that mSnf7-2, a key component of ESCRT-III, is highly expressed in most mammalian neurons. Loss of mSnf7-2 in mature cortical neurons caused retraction of dendrites and neuronal cell loss. mSnf7-2 binds to CHMP2B, another ESCRT-III subunit, in which a rare dominant mutation is associated with frontotemporal dementia linked to chromosome 3 (FTD3). Ectopic expression of the mutant protein CHMP2B Intron5 also caused dendritic retraction prior to neurodegeneration. CHMP2B Intron5 was associated more avidly than CHMP2B WT with mSnf7-2, resulting in sequestration of mSnf7-2 in ubiquitin-positive late-endosomal vesicles in cortical neurons. Moreover, loss of mSnf7-2 or CHMP2B Intron5 expression caused the accumulation of autophagosomes in cortical neurons and flies. These findings indicate that ESCRT-III dysfunction is associated with the autophagy pathway, suggesting a novel neurodegeneration mechanism that may have important implications for understanding FTD and other age-dependent neurodegenerative diseases.
Age and Sr isotopic signature of the Catoctin volcanic province: Implications for subcrustal mantle evolution

Variations in chemical and Sr isotopic signatures of a series of basaltic flows have been correlated with newly mapped stratigraphic sections in the upper Precambrian Catoctin flood basalts in the central Appalachians. Element mobility through fluid interaction is commonly observed in flows with a well-developed fabric, but some samples with more massive textures (commonly in the cores of thicker flows) still retain relict clinopyroxene and igneous textures and show only minor element redistribution. Five whole-rock samples with relict igneous textures and a clinopyroxene mineral separate yield an isochron with an age of 570 +/- 36 Ma (2sigma) and a strontium initial ratio of 0.7035 +/- 1. This age is consistent with recent paleontological evidence for a latest Precambrian time for Catoctin volcanism and, along with isotopic age determinations of 680-710 Ma for other rift-related magmatism, suggests either a two-stage or a very long, protracted episode of continental rifting. Paleogeographic reconstruction indicates that the original site of eruption for the lavas must have been at least 56 km to the east, in the same geographic location from which the Mesozoic Appalachian tholeiite terrane evolved. Variations in Sr isotopic signatures and differences in major-element abundances between these two sequences suggest mantle heterogeneitiesmore » that must have developed beneath the eastern North American craton during the interim 400 m.y.« less
Changing the Status of Women in Management

Le pourcentage de femmes parmi les forces de travail s'est eleve dans de nombreuses parties du monde et la proportion des femmes cadres a augmente, specialement en Amerique du Nord. Les femmes, cependant, ne se trouvent pas au sommet des gouvernements et des organisations. Le statut habituel des femmes dans le management peut s'expliquer en partie par les types de solutions qui ont ete mises sur pied pour augmenter les opportunites des femmes dans cette activite. Les solutions proposees dependent de conceptions individuelles du probleme. Quatre conceptions du statut des femmes au travail et des solutions logiques correspondantes sont presentees. L'execution de strategies d'evolution parmi les plus fiables mais aussi les plus proches a atteindre, pourrait expliquer le statut habituel des femmes dans le management
Primary progressive aphasia and the language network: the 2013 H. Houston Merritt Lecture.

Objective: Review of clinical and biological features of primary progressive aphasia (PPA). Results and conclusions: The PPA syndrome arises when language-dominant (usually left) hemisphere becomes the principal target of neurodegeneration. Depending on the distribution of neuronal loss within the language network, agrammatic (PPA-G), logopenic (PPA-L), and semantic (PPA-S) subtypes are identified. The most common underlying neuropathology is frontotemporal degeneration with tauopathy in PPA-G, frontotemporal degeneration with TDP-43 proteinopathy in PPA-S, and Alzheimer pathology in PPA-L. When Alzheimer pathology is detected, the neurofibrillary tangles show lower entorhinal-to-neocortical ratios and greater leftward asymmetry in PPA than in the typical amnestic dementia of Alzheimer disease. The e4 allele of APOE , a major risk factor for Alzheimer pathology in amnestic dementias, is not a risk factor for Alzheimer pathology in PPA. These observations indicate that Alzheimer disease has biological variants with distinct patterns of lesion distribution and perhaps also molecular background. The selective vulnerability of the language network in PPA is likely to reflect complex interactions between factors that determine the type of histopathology, on one hand, and those that influence the resilience of the language network, on the other. A history of learning disability, including dyslexia, is emerging as one of the potential factors in this second group of determinants. Patient care in PPA should be individualized so that speech therapy can address the specific type of language impairment while pharmacologic therapy is directed to the underlying disease process.
Design of the Power6 Microprocessor

The POWER6trade microprocessor combines ultra-high frequency operation, aggressive power reduction, a highly scalable memory subsystem, and mainframe-like reliability, availability, and serviceability. The 341mm2 700M transistor dual-core microprocessor is fabricated in a 65nm SOI process with 10 levels of low-k copper interconnect. It operates at clock frequencies over 5GHz in high-performance applications, and consumes under 100W in power-sensitive applications.
Multiple scattering effects with inclusion of cyclical terms in radar scattering of vegetated surfaces using vector radiative transfer theory

For vegetation layer when the scattering albedo and optical thicknesses are significant, the effects of multiple scattering need to be taken into account. In vegetated surfaces, the scattering albedo and the optical thicknesses increase with frequency. In this paper, we study the multiple scattering effects in radar scattering from the vegetation layer overlying soil surface from L band to Ka band.
Discovery of Associated Absorption Lines in an X-Ray Warm Absorber:Hubble Space Telescope* Observations of PG 1114+445

The unified picture of X-ray/UV absorbers offers a unique opportunity to probe the nuclear environment of active galactic nuclei. To test the unified absorber scenario and to understand the physical properties of the absorber, we obtained the first UV spectrum of PG 1114+445 using the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Faint Object Spectrograph. PG 1114+445 is known to have an X-ray ionized ('warm') absorber,so that UV absorption is predicted. The HST spectrum clearly shows strong UV absorption lines due to Lyalpha, C iv, and N v, blueshifted by approximately 530 km s(exp -1) with respect to the quasar redshift. Since both X-ray and UV absorbers are rare in radio-quiet quasars, these observations argue strongly that the X-ray and UV absorbers are closely physically related. perhaps identical. We place constraints on the parameters of the absorber and conclude that the mass outflow rate is comparable to the accretion rate in PG 1114+445.
Simultaneous ion-beam collection for precise measurement of nuclidic ion-current ratios in spark-source mass spectrometry.

Abstract Simultaneous ion-beam collection techniques make significant improvement possible in the precision of measurements when electrical ion-detection is used with the spark ion-source. The advantage of reference of specific ion-current signals only to those from desired regions of the mass spectrum is that reproducible measurements may be made on heterogeneous samples such as oxide—graphite pellets. For example, isotopic ratio measurements from separate samplings of an oxide (pelleted with graphite) are reproducible to better than ±0·5%. The technique is also advantageous when sparking dissimilar electrodes, such as a gold probe and a metal bar.
The Risks of Scholarly Militarization: A Feminist Analysis

Michael Mosser's thoughtful essay calls on us as political scientists to engage more closely with the contemporary US military. To weigh the implications of such a proposal, we need to consider, I think, not just the military but the wider, deeper processes of militarization. As a multi-layered economic, political, and cultural process, militarization can be blatant and off-putting; but just as often it can be subtle and seductive. All of us trying to craft the best practices of political science here in the United States in the early decades of the twenty-first century are making those scholarly efforts at a time when militarization is a potent process in American public life. Awareness of its potency breeds scholarly caution.
SU‐E‐J‐68: Plan Rejections during Treatment Planning: A Part of Normal Process Or An Opportunity for Improvement

Purpose: To describe a process for learning from radiation treatment plan(RTP) rejections by physicians and physicists for improvement of quality, safety, and efficiency of treatment planning. In our clinic IMRTtreatment plans are pre‐checked by physicists for technical and quality validation before review by the physician. Any problems identified during physics or physician reviews of RTPs offer an opportunity to identify systematic and random deviations and to develop tools, processes, and training to eliminate or reduce such problems in the future. We describe a process wherein the collection of plan rejections and related reasons is considered a part of normal process and not as additional work. Methods: In our clinic we use the DMAIC formalism for management of our operations, whereby processes are understood as comprising of define, measure, analyze, improve and control activities. Systematically quantifying plan rejections and the corresponding reasons offers an opportunity for improvement of treatment planning process and monitoring the effectiveness of corrective measures. This was accomplished through a set of features in our electronic whiteboards that seamlessly and effectively collect rejection information that were further analyzed for identification of improvement opportunities. Efficacy of any implemented improvement measures can then also be evaluated by quantifying future rejections. In this study we concentrate on plan rejections by physicists. Results: There were 110 plan rejections by physicists from September 2010 to Mar 2011. The rejections were due to plan‐quality, plan technical integrity and in some cases data‐entry errors. These rejections were used to identify systematic opportunities for training and better education and for design of in‐house developed auto‐planning and quality‐control scripts. Conclusions: Systematic and sustainable collection of treatment plan rejections for purposes of process improvement is possible. We have demonstrated that this data collection can be seamlessly integrated in normal treatment planning process through the use of electronic white boards.
Molecular Cloning, Characterization, and Dynamics of Rat Formiminotransferase Cyclodeaminase, a Golgi-associated 58-kDa Protein*

A peripherally associated 58-kDa Golgi protein (58K) of unknown function has been previously described (Bloom, G. S., and Brashear, T. A. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 16083-16092). To molecularly characterize 58K, we used a monoclonal anti-58K antibody (monoclonal antibody 58K-9) to screen a rat liver cDNA expression library. Positive clones were isolated, characterized, and partially sequenced. The obtained sequences show a high level of identity with sequences of porcine formiminotransferase cyclodeaminase (FTCD), suggesting that 58K is rat FTCD. Rat FTCD is structurally similar to porcine FTCD, a metabolic enzyme involved in conversion of histidine to glutamic acid, and exists in dimeric, tetrameric, and octameric complexes resistant to proteolysis. To define parameters of FTCD association with the Golgi, comparison of its behavior with various Golgi and ER-to-Golgi intermediate compartment marker proteins was examined under specific conditions. The results show that extraction parameters of FTCD are similar to those of GM130, a tightly associated Golgi matrix protein. FTCD appears to be a dynamic component of the Golgi, and a proportion of FTCD molecules cycle between the Golgi and earlier compartments of the secretory pathway. FTCD remains associated with Golgi fragments during microtubule disruption and is not released into cytosol during brefeldin A treatment. Instead, FTCD relocates from the Golgi, but the time course of its redistribution is distinct from that of mannosidase II relocation. FTCD is already dispersed into small punctate structures at a time when mannosidase II is still largely localized to Golgi structures. FTCD is not observed in tubules originating from the Golgi and containing mannosidase II. Instead, it appears to redistribute in small vesicles arranged in a linear "pearls on a string" pattern. These results suggest that FTCD relocation is temporally and spatially distinct from mannosidase II relocation and that FTCD provides a novel marker to study Golgi dynamics.
Sepsis-induced inhibition of neutrophil chemotaxis is mediated by activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ

Neutrophils (polymorphonuclear leukocytes [PMNs]) are critical to the immune response, including clearance of infectious pathogens. Sepsis is associated with impaired PMN function, including chemotaxis. PMNs express peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ), a ligand-activated nuclear transcription factor involved in immune and inflammatory regulation. The role of PPAR-γ in PMN responses, however, is not well characterized. We report that freshly isolated human PMNs constitutively express PPAR-γ, which is up-regulated by the sepsis-induced cytokines TNF-α and IL-4. PMN chemotactic responses to formylmethionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP) and IL-8 were dose-dependently inhibited by treatment with the PPAR-γ ligands troglitazone and 15-deoxy-Δ12,14-prostaglandin J2 (15d-PGJ2) and by transfection of PMN-like HL-60 cells with a constitutively active PPAR-γ construct. Inhibition of chemotaxis by PPAR-γ ligands correlated with decreases in extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1 and -2 activation, actin polymerization, and adherence to a fibrinogen substrate. Furthermore, PMN expression of PPAR-γ was increased in sepsis patients and mice with either of 2 models of sepsis. Finally, treatment with the PPAR-γ antagonist GW9662 significantly reversed the inhibition of PMN chemotaxis and increased peritoneal PMN recruitment in murine sepsis. This study indicates that PPAR-γ activation is involved in PMN chemotactic responses in vitro and may play a role in the migration of these cells in vivo.
Mental disorders and cardiovascular disease among adults in the United States

Abstract Objective Numerous population-based studies have found an association between major depression and CVD, though these studies did not assess anxiety disorders. Patient samples have shown associations between anxiety disorders and cardiovascular disease (CVD), but without consideration of depressive disorders. Therefore, it remains unclear whether: (a) both anxiety and depressive disorder are associated with CVD; (b) these associations are generalizable to adults in the community. Materials and Methods Data were drawn from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC), a nationally representative sample of 43,093 civilian non-institutionalized participants aged 18 and older. Results CVD (total prevalence 3.3%) was associated with increased likelihood of any anxiety disorder (OR = 1.43, (1.20, 1.71)), after adjusting for depressive disorders, as well as Generalized Anxiety Disorder (OR = 1.48 (1.09, 2.01)), Panic disorder (OR = 1.46 (1.12, 1.91)), and specific phobia (OR = 1.29 (1.04, 1.59)). CVD was significantly associated with any mood disorder (OR = 1.34 (1.13, 1.58)) after adjusting for anxiety disorders, though neither the link with major depression, nor other specific mood disorders remained significant after adjustment. Conclusions Our findings suggest that anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and CVD are highly comorbid among adults in the United States, and demonstrate the importance of including anxiety disorder assessment in studies of mental and physical comorbidity. These results reveal how the lack of investigation into specific relationships between CVD and the range of mental disorders in population-based studies of risk factors for CVD may obscure important relationships.
Exploiting Jump-Resonance Hysteresis in Silicon Auditory Front-Ends for Extracting Speaker Discriminative Formant Trajectories

Jump-resonance is a phenomenon observed in non-linear circuits where the amplitude of the output signal exhibits an abrupt jump when the frequency of the input signal is varied. For Gm-C filters used in the design of analog auditory front-ends (AFEs), jump-resonance is generally considered to be undesirable and several techniques have been proposed in literature to avoid or alleviate this artifact. In this paper we explore the use of jump-resonance based hysteresis in Gm-C band-pass filters for encoding speech formant trajectories. Using prototypes of silicon AFEs fabricated in a 0.5 μm CMOS process, we demonstrate the benefits of the proposed approach for extracting speaker discriminative features. These benefits are validated using speaker recognition experiments where consistent improvements in equal-error-rates (EERs) are achieved using the jump-resonance based features as compared to conventional features.
Partial deficiencies in the myelin proteins of developing mice heterozygous for the shiverer mutation.

The central nervous system of the shiverer mouse is known to be severely deficient in myelin. Animals heterozygous for this autosomal-recessive mutation were crossed, and the myelin proteins were examined in the brains and spinal cords of shiverers and unaffected littermates among the offspring. In the brains and spinal cords of nine of the 14 unaffected littermates examined, the quantities of the myelin basic and proteolipid proteins were lower than normal. Furthermore, in the brains of heterozygotes 33 to ∼ 150 days old, the myelin basic and proteolipid proteins were reduced in amount, compared to wild-type controls; the myelin basic protein was also present in subnormal amounts in the spinal cords from heterozygous animals at the ages of 17 to 150 days. More severe reductions in the quantities of the myelin proteins were observed in central nervous system tissue from homozygous shiverer mice, and the quantity of the myelin proteolipid protein in the central nervous system of the shiverer mouse, expressed as a ratio to the control value at each age, underwent a developmental decline. In heterozygotes, as well as shiverers, the peripheral nerves were also deficient in the P1 and Pr proteins, which are the same as the basic proteins in rodent central nervous system myelin. The findings regarding heterozygotes suggest that the defective primary gene product in the shiverer mouse could be the myelin basic protein itself or a protein required for a rate-limiting step in the processing of the myelin basic protein.
Selective effects of a therapeutic protein targeting tumor necrosis factor-alpha on cytochrome P450 regulation during infectious colitis: implications for disease-dependent drug–drug interactions

We studied the impact of administering XPro1595, a novel antagonist of soluble tumor necrosis factor-α(TNFα), on the regulation of hepatic cytochrome P450 enzymes in the Citrobacter rodentium model of infectious colitis. XPro1595 was administered subcutaneously every 3 days throughout the infection, or as a single injection near the peak of infection. When given throughout the infection, XPro1595 selectively blocked the downregulation of Cyp3a11 and 3a25 mRNAs, as well as the induction of Cyp2a4/5, without affecting the downregulation of Cyp4a10, Cyp4a14, Cyp2b10, or flavin-mooxygenase-3. Induction of Cyp3a11, Cyp3a25, Cyp2c29, and Cyp3a13 mRNAs were observed only in XPro1595-treated mice. Administration of a single dose of XPro1595 was relatively ineffective. These results (1) confirm the role of soluble TNFα in hepatic Cyp3a regulation during infectious colitis deduced from studies in TNFα receptor-1 knockout mice; (2) indicate the potential for soluble TNFα -specific antagonists to cause disease-dependent drug–drug interactions; and (3) suggest a novel mechanism by which an anti-inflammatory therapeutic protein can produce an opposite effect to that of the disease by selectively neutralizing one of multiple signals regulating drug-metabolizing enzyme expression. More research is needed to determine whether or not this is applicable to other diseases or disease models.
Electromyographic and cinematographic analysis of elbow function in tennis players using single- and double-handed backhand strokes

It is generally believed that tennis players using a double-handed backhand rarely develop lateral epicondylitis since the helping arm appears to absorb more energy and changes the mechanics of the swing. The purpose of this paper was to compare muscle activity about the elbow in single- and double-handed backhand strokes in competitive tennis players. Muscle activity in 3 elbow extensors, a wrist flexor, and a forearm pronator of the dominant arm was compared during the single-handed (N = 14) and double-handed (N = 13) backhand ground strokes using indwelling electromyography and high-speed cinematography. Significantly higher activity was seen in the double-handed technique in the flexor carpi radialis muscle in the preparation phase and in the pronator teres muscle in the acceleration phase. Higher flexor carpi radialis muscle activity in preparation of the double-handed stroke appeared to be a function of the double-handed grip used on the racquet, and the increased pronator teres muscle activity in acceleration indicated maintenance of greater pronation provided by the grip of the non-dominant hand. The decreased occurrence of lateral epicondylitis in players using a double-handed backhand may not be caused by decreased extensor activity, but rather by factors associated with flawed stroke mechanics more often seen in the single-handed technique.
A Satellite Infrared Technique to Estimate Tropical Convective and Stratiform Rainfall

Abstract This paper describes a new method of estimating both tropical convective precipitation and stratiform precipitation (produced under the anvils of mature and decaying convective systems) from satellite infrared data. The method, denoted CST (Convective-stratiform Technique) locates, in an array of infrared data, all local minima in the brightness temperature field (Tmin. After an empirical screening to eliminate cirrus, these points are assumed to be convective centers. Rainrate and rain area are assigned to each minimum point as a function of its Tmin, based on one-dimensional cloud model results. A stratiform rain algorithm, using a brightness temperature threshold based on the mode temperature of thunderstorm anvils, completes the convective/stratiform rain estimation. Individual CST rain fields wore spatially most similar to the radar for young, isolated storms, and most dissimilar in capturing linear features such as squall lines. Some convective features were missed, while others (generally ...
A Kinetic Study of the Mechanism of the Solid-State Reaction between Pyromellitic Dianhydride (PMDA) and Oxydianiline (ODA)

A kinetic study of the solid-state reaction between the polyimide precursor monomers PMDA and ODA has been carried out in the temperature range between −50 and +23 °C, using molecular beam depositi...
Inheritance of Permethrin Resistance in the Pink Bollworm (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae)

A strain of pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders), collected from cotton fields in Yuma, Ariz., was found to be resistant to permethrin. The strain was then selected in the laboratory to increase the level ofhomogenity for mode-of-inheritance studies. The lines obtained for the reciprocal F1 hybrid progeny indicated that inheritance ofpermethrin resistance was autosomal and that there were no maternal effects. Degree of dominance (D) was estimated to be 0.37 and 0.31 for the two reciprocal F1 generations, S♀ × R♂ and R♀ × S♂, respectively, indicating that resistance is conferred by incompletely dominant gene(s). Chi-square analysis of responses of backcross progeny suggested that resistance was conferred by a major gene under the influence of minor gene(s).
Taxonomic position of Termitaria and Mattirolella (entomogenous Deuteromycetes)

A B S T R A C T Termitaria snyderi Thaxter is found in and around Gainesville, Florida, infecting the subterranean termites Reticulitermes virginicus (Banks) and R. flavipes (Kollar). The fungus forms sporodochia-like structures on the exoskeleton of the termites. These structures have a subhymenium of tightly held phialides. The phialides cut off phialoconidia apically in basipetal succession into the collarettes at conidiogenous loci. The basal layer of the thallus has certain thick-walled cells that send haustoria into the integument of the host termite. Termitaria appears to be closely related to another cuticle-infecting parasite of termites, Mattirolella Colla. A new species of the latter, M. crustosa, is described here. The relationships of the two genera are discussed and a new order of Deuteromycetes, Termitariales is proposed for them. THE GENUS Termitaria was established by Thaxter (1920) for entomophilous, ectoparasitic deuteromycetes growing on the exoskeleton of different species of termites. He visualized it as a closely compacted sporodochium of vertically
Improving retrospective sorting of 4D computed tomography data

Respiratory correlated CT is commercially available, and we have implemented its routine clinical use in planning lungtumor patients. Its value is determined by the fidelity of the spatiotemporal data set after processing the acquired reconstructed slices. Retrospective sorting of reconstructed slices is based on respiratory phase. However, the existing commercial software inadequately models respiratory phase for about 30% of the patients, mainly due to irregularities in the respiratory cycle. We have developed software that improves phase determination and consequently leads to an improvement of retrospective data sorting to make 4DCT data acquisition feasible for routine clinical use. Peak inhalation and exhalation respiratory states are selected manually; intermediate phases are interpolated. Residual motion artifacts in the resulting 4DCT volumes are reduced and allow use of the 4D imaging studies for treatment planning.
Cell separation on microfabricated electrodes using dielectrophoretic/gravitational field-flow fractionation.

Dielectrophoretic/gravitational field-flow fractionation (DEP/G-FFF) was used to separate cultured human breast cancer MDA-435 cells from normal blood cells mixed together in a sucrose/dextrose medium. An array of microfabricated, interdigitated electrodes of 50 μm widths and spacings, and lining the bottom surface of a thin chamber (0.42 mm H × 25 mm W × 300 mm L), was used to generate DEP forces that levitated the cells. A 10-μL cell mixture sample containing ∼50 000 cells was introduced into the chamber, and cancerous and normal blood cells were levitated to different heights according to the balance of DEP and gravitational forces. The cells at different heights were transported at different velocities under the influence of a parabolic flow profile that was established in the chamber and were thereby separated. Separation performance depended on the frequency and voltage of the applied DEP field and the fluid-flow rate. It took as little as 5 min to achieve cell separation. An analysis of the DEP/G-F...
Effective cluster model of dielectric enhancement in metal-insulator composites

The electrical permittivity of a suspension of conducting spheres at high volume loading exhibits a large enhancement above the value predicted by the Clausius-Mossotti approximation. The permittivity enhancement is a dielectric anomaly accompanying a metallization transition that occurs when conducting particles are close packed. In disordered suspensions, close encounters can cause a permittivity enhancement at any volume loading. We attribute the permittivity enhancements typically observed in monodisperse disordered suspensions of conducting spheres to local metallized regions of high density produced by density fluctuations. We model a disordered suspension as a mixture, or mesosuspension, of isolated spheres and random close-packed spherical clusters of arbitrary size. Multipole interactions within the clusters are treated exactly. External interactions between clusters and isolated spheres are treated in the dipole approximation. Model permittivities are compared with Guillien's experimental permittivity measurements [Ann. Phys. (Paris) Ser. 11, 16, 205 (1941)] on liquid suspensions of Hg droplets in oil and with Turner's conductivity measurements [Chem. Eng. Sci. 31, 487 (1976)] on fluidized bed suspensions of ion-exchange resin beads in aqueous solution. New permittivity measurements at 10 GHz on solid suspensions of monodisperse metal spheres in polyurethane are presented and compared with the model permittivities. The effective spherical cluster model is in excellent agreement with the experiments over the entire accessible range of volume loading.
Four key questions about metformin and cancer

Navdeep Chandel took a BA in mathematics and a PhD in cell physiology at University of Chicago, where he also did his post-doctoral work, on cytochrome c oxidase. The recognition of the role of mitochondria in activating apoptosis and hypoxic responses led him to his present research focus on mitochondria as signaling organelles at Northwestern University, where he is a Professor of Medicine and Cell Biology. What follows is the edited and updated transcript of an interview he gave at the Biomed Central conference on Metabolism, Diet and Disease in May [1], where the topic was cancer and metabolism and he spoke on the contentions surrounding the issue of whether and how the antidiabetic drug metformin acts to inhibit tumor growth.
Negative Concord in Child African American English: Implications for Specific Language Impairment.

In this study, African American English (AAE)-speaking children's comprehension of 2 different types of double negative sentences was examined and contrasted with that of a comparison group of Stan...
California's New Greenhouse Gas Laws

AbstractSince 2004, California has taken a variety of measures to control greenhouse gas emissions. This culminated in August 2006 with the passage of AB 32, which requires that overall GHG emissio...
Sustained virologic response to therapy of recurrent hepatitis C after liver transplantation is related to early virologic response and dose adherence

Sustained virologic response (SVR) after antiviral therapy for recurrent hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in liver transplant (LT) recipients is consistently lower than that achieved in non-LT patients. We evaluated efficacy and safety of pegylated interferon (IFN) and ribavirin (RBV) therapy in LT recipients with recurrent HCV and factors associated with SVR. All subjects with histologic evidence of recurrent HCV were intended to be treated for 48 weeks with full-dose pegylated IFN; target dose of RBV was 800 mg/day. Thirty-five LT recipients with recurrent HCV, median age 48.5 years, 77% genotype 1, and median pretreatment HCV RNA 6.4 log10 IU/mL were treated between January 2000 and February 2006. Antiviral therapy was discontinued prematurely in 15 subjects as a result of adverse events. Median overall treatment duration was 46 weeks. Early virologic response at week 12 was seen in 17 (49%) and an end-of-treatment virological response in 19 (54%) patients. SVR was achieved in 13 patients (37%), and all 9 patients followed for >1 year after treatment had durable response. Patients with SVR had significantly lower pretreatment HCV RNA (5.7 vs. 6.5 log10 IU/mL, P=0.003), more likely to have a week 12 virological response (85% vs. 27%, P=0.0009) and received higher cumulative doses of pegylated IFN (75% vs. 33%, P=0.029) and RBV (90% vs. 26%, P=0.016) compared with patients whose disease did not respond to therapy. In conclusion, SVR was achieved in 37% of patients with recurrent hepatitis C after LT. Similar to non-LT patients, those with lower pretreatment HCV RNA, a week 12 virological response, and pegylated IFN and RBV dose adherence were more likely to achieve SVR.
Occurrence and Detection of AmpC Beta-Lactamases among Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Proteus mirabilis Isolates at a Veterans Medical Center

AmpC beta-lactamases are cephalosporinases that confer resistance to a wide variety of β-lactam drugs and that may thereby create serious therapeutic problems. Although reported with increasing frequency, the true rate of occurrence of AmpC beta-lactamases in Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Proteus mirabilis remains unknown. We tested a total of 1,286 consecutive, nonrepeat isolates of these three species and found that, overall, 45 (3.5%) yielded a cefoxitin zone diameter less than 18 mm (screen positive) and that 16 (1.2%) demonstrated AmpC bands by isoelectric focusing. Based on the species, of 683 E. coli, 371 K. pneumoniae, and 232 P. mirabilis isolates tested, 13 (1.9%), 28 (7.6%), and 4 (1.7%), respectively, demonstrated decreased zone diameters and 11 (1.6%), 4 (1.1%), and 1 (0.4%), respectively, demonstrated AmpC bands. Cefoxitin resistance was transferred for all but 8 (E. coli) of the 16 AmpC producers. We also describe a three-dimensional extract test, which was used to detect phenotypically isolates that harbor AmpC beta-lactamase. Of the 45 cefoxitin-resistant isolates, the three-dimensional extract test accurately identified all 16 AmpC producers and 28 of 29 (97%) isolates as non-AmpC producers. Interestingly, most (86%) isolates in the latter group were K. pneumoniae isolates. These data confirm that, at our institution, E. coli, K. pneumoniae, and P. mirabilis harbor plasmid-mediated AmpC enzymes.
Predictive VM consolidation on multiple resources: Beyond load balancing

Effective consolidation of different applications on common resources is often akin to black art as application performance interference may result in unpredictable system and workload delays. In this paper we consider the problem of fair load balancing on multiple servers within a virtualized data center setting. We especially focus on multi-tiered applications with different resource demands per tier and address the problem on how to best match each application tier on each resource, such that performance interference is minimized. To address this problem, we propose a two-step approach. First, a fair load balancing scheme assigns different virtual machines (VMs) across different servers; this process is formulated as a multi-dimensional vector scheduling problem that uses a new polynomial-time approximation scheme (PTAS) to minimize the maximum utilization across all server resources and results in multiple load balancing solutions. Second, a queueing network analytic model is applied on the proposed min-max solutions in order to select the optimal one. We experimentally evaluate the proposed two-stage mechanism using a Xen virtualization testbed that hosts multiple RUBiS multi-tier applications. Experimental results show that the proposed mechanism is robust as it always predicts the optimal consolidation strategy.
Geographies of Corporate Decision‐Making and Control: Development, Applications, and Future Directions in Headquarters Location Research

This article surveys the body of investigation related to the location of headquarters and other elite corporate decision-making activities, a research field known as quaternary location studies. The discussion includes four main sections following an introduction. The first reviews the initial development of headquarters location research from the early 20th century to 1980. The second section discusses contemporary developments and criticisms of the field that have diversified the field beyond its early focus on large-firm headquarters alone to examine the geography of all activities related to corporate decision making. We posit that incorporation of rapidly growing firms in quaternary research is a key element of this diversification. The third section examines the possibilities for further headquarters location research by making a connection between decision-making location and the literature of techno-economic paradigms. The article concludes by summarizing the current state of the field, and argues that a continued diversification of research interests and perspectives is vital to the advancement of quaternary location studies as an important contributor to improved corporate strategies and more effective public policy.
A 10 GHz optoelectronic oscillator with continuous frequency tunability and low phase noise

A 10 GHz optoelectronic oscillator (OEO) with continuous frequency tunability and low phase noise is presented. By means of coarse tuning (selecting different RF filter) and fine tuning (tuning control voltage of phase shifter), we demonstrated the OEO can operate at any frequency on X-band (/spl sim/10 GHz, and any frequency. on the interested frequency range up to at least 45 GHz) with very low phase noise.
Single Cell Analysis Reveals Regulated Hierarchical T Cell Antigen Receptor Signaling Thresholds and Intraclonal Heterogeneity for Individual Cytokine Responses of CD4 + T Cells

T cell receptor (TCR) recognition of peptide–major histocompatibility complex antigens can elicit a diverse array of effector activities. Here we simultaneously analyze TCR engagement and the production of multiple cytokines by individual cells in a clonal Th1 CD4+ cell population. Low concentrations of TCR ligand elicit only interferon-γ (IFN-γ) production. Increasing ligand recruits more cells into the IFN-γ+ pool, increases IFN-γ produced per cell, and also elicits IL-2, but only from cells already making IFN-γ. Most cells producing only IFN-γ show less TCR downmodulation than cells producing both cytokines, consistent with a requirement for more TCR signaling to elicit IL-2 than to evoke IFN-γ synthesis. These studies emphasize the hierarchical organization of TCR signaling thresholds for induction of distinct cytokine responses, and demonstrate that this threshold phenomenon applies to individual cells. The existence of such thresholds suggests that antigen dose may dictate not only the extent, but also the quality of an immune response, by altering the ratios of the cytokines produced by activated T cells. The quantitative relationships in this response hierarchy change in response to costimulation through CD28 or LFA-1, as well as the differentiation state of the lymphocyte, explaining how variations in these parameters in the face of a fixed antigen load can qualitatively influence immune outcomes. Finally, although the IFN-γ/IL-2 hierarchy is seen with most cells, among cells with the greatest TCR downmodulation, some produce only IFN-γ and not IL-2, and the amount of IFN-γ exceeds that in double producers. Thus, these single cell analyses also provide clear evidence of nonquantitative intraclonal heterogeneity in cytokine production by long-term Th1 cells, indicating additional complexity of T cell function during immune responses.
Monitoring codling moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) with passive interception traps in sex pheromone-treated apple orchards.

Abstract Male and female codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.), weremonitored with passive interception traps (PI-traps) in apple orchardstreated with sex pheromone dispensers. The proportion of mated femalesrecaptured by PI-traps was significantly higher than the proportionreleased after the release of both sexes into a codling moth-infestedorchard. However, no significant difference occurred between theproportion of mated females recaptured and released when only femaleswere released into uninfested orchards. Replicated nine-tree appleplots situated either on the edge or in the center of pheromone-treatedapple orchards were monitored with PI-traps during first moth flight in1995 and during both flights in 1996. Moths caught on PI-traps werepredominately males. The first male moths were captured 7–10 d beforefemales during the first flight in both years. Initial capture ofvirgin and mated females on PI-traps coincided in 1995. Mated femaleswere captured 14 d after the first virgin females in 1996. Themean p...
Simulations of annual degree day impacts of urban vegetative augmentation

Abstract One approach for reducing summertime energy consumption in cities is through implementation of urban vegetation planting programs. While the direct effect of such programs is to cool individual buildings and air conditioning condenser units, there is also an indirect regional cooling associated with increasing vegetative cover. This paper models the regional cooling impacts of urban vegetation augmentation through a series of meteorological simulations. Numerical experiments were conducted for a hypothetical city located at various latitudes (25–45°N) and subjected to several background climate conditions. Simulations were conducted for one day from each month of the year to determine seasonal variability of the impacts of vegetation on urban climates. To provide a simple and useful index of the climatic impact of urban vegetation, cooling and heating degree days were calculated for each simulation. Comparison of baseline degree days for six modeled cities at various latitudes across the United States with the corresponding historical climate data indicate that the modeling approach was successful in reproducing the general temperature profile characteristics of each city. Simulation results indicate that the regional climate can be significantly cooled through the planting of urban vegetation. For regions of low-to-moderate ambient humidity, increasing the vegetative fraction of the core of a hypothetical city by less than 0.065 resulted in an estimated 3–5% decrease in summertime cooling loads. It is believed that this effect could be doubled by application of a more ambitious program. This energy saving is due to the indirect regional cooling effects of vegetation, and does not include the direct energy savings associated with shading of individual buildings. The wintertime energy costs associated with vegetative augmentation were found to be smaller than the summertime savings, and may be negligible in the case of deciduous vegetation.
N-linked Glycosylation Is Required for Optimal Function of Kaposi's Sarcoma Herpesvirus-encoded, but Not Cellular, Interleukin 6

Kaposi's sarcoma–associated herpesvirus interleukin-6 (vIL-6) is a structural and functional homologue of the human cytokine IL-6 (hIL-6). hIL-6 and vIL-6 exhibit similar biological functions and both act via the gp130 receptor subunit to activate the Janus tyrosine kinase (JAK)1 and signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)1/3 pathway. Here we show that vIL-6 is N-linked glycosylated at N78 and N89 and demonstrate that N-linked glycosylation at site N89 of vIL-6 markedly enhances binding to gp130, signaling through the JAK1-STAT1/3 pathway and functions in a cytokine-dependent cell proliferation bioassay. Although hIL-6 is also N-glycosylated at N73 and multiply O-glycosylated, neither N-linked nor O-linked glycosylation is necessary for IL-6 receptor α–dependent binding to gp130 or signaling through JAK1-STAT1/3. As distinct from vIL-6, unglycosylated hIL-6 is as potent as glycosylated hIL-6 in stimulating B cell proliferation. These findings highlight distinct functional roles of N-linked glycosylation in viral and cellular IL-6.
Father–Child Relationships and Nonresident Fathers’ Psychological Distress What Helps and What Hurts?

Nonresident fathers have been shown to have much higher psychological distress than married parents with rates similar to or higher than those of single mothers. This study explores how aspects of the father–child relationship influence nonresident fathers’ psychological distress using the 1997 Child Development Supplement of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics. Using a structural equation model, this study finds that, other than being married, only father–child relationship quality has a direct influence on nonresident fathers’ psychological distress. Conflict with the mother, talking to the child, and the salience of the fatherhood role all influence psychological distress indirectly through father–child relationship quality.
Quantum dots coordinated with conjugated organic ligands: new nanomaterials with novel photophysics

CdSe quantum dots functionalized with oligo-(phenylene vinylene) (OPV) ligands (CdSe-OPV nanostructures) represent a new class of composite nanomaterials with significantly modified photophysics relative to bulk blends or isolated components. Single-molecule spectroscopy on these species have revealed novel photophysics such as enhanced energy transfer, spectral stability, and strongly modified excited state lifetimes and blinking statistics. Here, we review the role of ligands in quantum dot applications and summarize some of our recent efforts probing energy and charge transfer in hybrid CdSe-OPV composite nanostructures.
Mannan-specific immunoglobulin G antibodies in normal human serum accelerate binding of C3 to Candida albicans via the alternative complement pathway.

Candida albicans activates the classical and alternative complement pathways, leading to deposition of opsonic complement fragments on the cell surface. Our previous studies found that antimannan immunoglobulin G (IgG) in normal human serum (NHS) allows C. albicans to initiate the classical pathway. The purpose of this study was to determine whether antimannan IgG also plays a role in initiation of the alternative pathway. Pooled NHS was rendered free of classical pathway activity by chelation of serum Ca2+ with EGTA alone or in combination with immunoaffinity removal of antimannan antibodies. Kinetic analysis revealed a 6-min lag in detection of C3 binding to C. albicans incubated in EGTA-chelated NHS, compared to a 12-min lag in NHS that was both EGTA chelated and mannan absorbed. The 12-min lag was shortened to 6 min by addition of affinity-purified antimannan IgG. The accelerating effect of antimannan IgG on alternative pathway initiation was dose dependent and was reproduced in a complement binding reaction consisting of six purified proteins of the alternative pathway. Both Fab and F(ab′)2 fragments of antimannan IgG facilitated alternative pathway initiation in a manner similar to that observed with intact antibody. Immunofluorescence analysis showed that addition of antimannan IgG to EGTA-chelated and mannan-absorbed serum promoted an early deposition of C3 molecules on the yeast cells but had little or no effect on distribution of the cellular sites for C3 activation. Thus, antimannan IgG antibodies play an important regulatory role in interactions between the host complement system and C. albicans.