cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Wheat streak mosaic virus P1 Binds to dsRNAs without Size and Sequence Specificity and a GW Motif Is Crucial for Suppression of RNA Silencing

Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV; genus Tritimovirus; family Potyviridae) is an economically important virus infecting wheat in the Great Plains region of the USA. Previously, we reported that the P1 protein of WSMV acts as a viral suppressor of RNA silencing. In this study, we delineated the minimal region of WSMV P1 and examined its mechanisms in suppression of RNA silencing. We found that the 25 N-terminal amino acids are dispensable, while deletion of a single amino acid at the C-terminal region completely abolished the RNA silencing suppression activity of P1. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays with in vitro expressed P1 revealed that the P1 protein formed complexes with green fluorescent protein-derived 180-nt dsRNA and 21 and 24-nt ds-siRNAs, and WSMV coat protein-specific 600-nt dsRNA. These data suggest that the P1 protein of WSMV binds to dsRNAs in a size- and sequence-independent manner. Additionally, in vitro dicing assay with human Dicer revealed that the P1 protein efficiently protects dsRNAs from processing by Dicer into siRNAs, by forming complexes with dsRNA. Sequence comparison of P1-like proteins from select potyvirid species revealed that WSMV P1 harbors a glycine-tryptophan (GW) motif at the C-terminal region. Disruption of GW motif in WSMV P1 through W303A mutation resulted in loss of silencing suppression function and pathogenicity enhancement, and abolished WSMV viability. These data suggest that the mechanisms of suppression of RNA silencing of P1 proteins of potyvirid species appear to be broadly conserved in the family Potyviridae.
Fault-Tolerant Control of PMSM With Inter-Turn Short-Circuit Fault

Fault diagnosis and fault tolerant (FT) control of electric drive systems have been extensively studied by many researchers. Naturally, one would like to use fault diagnosis information to improve FT control to achieve good post-fault performance while it is safe to do so. In this paper, a novel FT control method is proposed for permanent magnet synchronous motor with inter-turn short circuit fault. Given fault severity, the proposed FT control can reduce torque ripple while keeping reasonable torque output. The theoretical derivation, simulation, and experimental validation are presented in this paper.
Surface Solar Irradiance in Continental Shallow Cumulus Fields: Observations and Large-Eddy Simulation

AbstractThis study examines shallow cumulus cloud fields and their surface shortwave radiative effects using large-eddy simulation (LES) along with observations across multiple days at the Atmosphe...
Scoring Dimension-Level Job Performance From Narrative Comments: Validity and Generalizability When Using Natural Language Processing:

Performance appraisal narratives are qualitative descriptions of employee job performance. This data source has seen increased research attention due to the ability to efficiently derive insights u...
Abstract B23: A novel model of neurofibroma that deciphers its developmental origin and susceptibility to modification by the Hippo pathway

The neurocutaneous tumor predisposition disorder neurofibromatosis Type I (NF1) results from deregulation of RAS signaling in the MAPK pathway that leads to a wide spectrum of clinical presentations. Dermal or cutaneous neurofibromas (cNF), a Schwann cell tumor in the skin, affect more than 95% of individuals with NF1 and are a major source of emotional, physical, and social distress as NF1 patients can have thousands of these tumors covering most of their skin. Thus, patients with NF1 often identify these tumors as their greatest burden. To date, there is no available medical treatment for cNF and no known way to prevent them from developing. The major barriers that impede progress in this field are the lack of accurate models of these common cNF tumors for drug evaluation and a limited understanding of their pathogenesis as well as the identity of specific cell of origin that directly gives rise to cNF and signaling pathways essential for tumor development. We take advantage of genetic labeling for cell lineage tracing to identify mouse neural crest Cre lines that are expressed in the subpopulation of Schwann cell lineage that give rise to cNF when NF1 is deleted. We discovered that the Homeobox B7 transcription factor serves as the lineage marker to trace the developmental origin of cNF neoplastic cells that completely recapitulates human neurofibromatosis, generating a novel mouse model that spontaneously develops both cutaneous and plexiform neurofibroma. In addition, we discovered that modulation of the Hippo pathway acts as a modifier that enhances the MAPK pathway activation by NF1 loss to promote neurofibromagenesis, suggesting that dampening the Hippo pathway may serve as part of the comprehensive treatment approach for neurofibroma. This novel mouse model has begun to yield vital clues to neurofibroma pathogenesis and now opens the doors for deciphering the evolution of cNF to identify effective therapies, where none exist today. Citation Format: Zhiguo Chen, Juan Mo, Jean-Philippe Brosseau, Tracey Shipman, Yong Wang, Chung-Ping Liao, Jonathan M. Cooper, Robert J. Allaway, Sara J.C. Gosline, Justin Guinney, Thomas J. Carroll, Lu Q. Le. A novel model of neurofibroma that deciphers its developmental origin and susceptibility to modification by the Hippo pathway [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on the Hippo Pathway: Signaling, Cancer, and Beyond; 2019 May 8-11; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2020;18(8_Suppl):Abstract nr B23.
Optical absorption by indirect excitons in a transition metal dichalcogenide/hexagonal boron nitride heterostructure.

We study optical transitions in spatially indirect excitons in transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) heterostructures separated by an integer number of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) monolayers. By solving the Schrodinger equation with the Keldysh potential for a spatially indirect exciton, we obtain eigenfunctions and eigenenergies for the ground and excited states and study their dependence on the interlayer separation, controlled by varying the number of h-BN monolayers. The oscillator strength, optical absorption coefficient, and optical absorption factor, the fraction of incoming photons absorbed in the TMDC/h-BN/TMDC heterostructure, are evaluated and studied as a function of the interlayer separation. Using input parameters from the existing literature which give the largest and the smallest spatially indirect exciton binding energy, we provide upper and lower bounds on all quantities presented.
Quasiparticle band structure and optical properties of rutile GeO2, an ultra-wide-band-gap semiconductor

Rutile GeO2 is a visible and near-ultraviolet-transparent oxide that has not been explored for semiconducting applications in electronic and optoelectronic devices. We investigate the electronic and optical properties of rutile GeO2 with first-principles calculations based on density functional theory and many-body perturbation theory. Our band-structure calculations indicate a dipole-forbidden direct bandgap at Γ with an energy of 4.44 eV and effective masses equal to m ∗ e ⊥ = 0.43 m 0, m ∗ e ∥ = 0.23 m 0, m ∗ h ⊥ = 1.28 m 0, and m ∗ h ∥ = 1.74 m 0. In contrast to the self-trapped hole polarons by lattice distortions in other wide-bandgap oxides that reduce the hole mobility, holes in rutile GeO2 are delocalized due to their small effective mass. The first allowed optical transitions at Γ occur at 5.04 eV ( E → ⊥ c →) and 6.65 eV ( E → ∥ c →). We also evaluate the optical absorption coefficient and refractive index along both crystallographic directions. Our estimates for the exciton binding energies using the Bohr model are close to the reported experimental value. The ultrawide-bandgap and light carrier effective masses of rutile GeO2, coupled with its optical transparency in the visible and near UV, are promising for applications in UV-transparent conductors and solar-blind photodetectors.
Mesenchymal Lesions Often Presenting as Polyps of the Gastrointestinal Tract

Throughout the gastrointestinal tract, mucosal- and submucosal-based mesenchymal lesions often present as polyps and cause diagnostic challenge. In this chapter, the most commonly encountered mesenchymal polyps are discussed including their clinical and endoscopic features, histologic characteristics, molecular pathogenesis, syndromic association, and the most relevant differential diagnosis. The information is of critical importance to help recognize these lesions and make accurate diagnosis.
Hypersensitivity pneumonitis: Airway-centered pulmonary fibrosis on chest CT

Abstract Background To evaluate the chest CT appearance of patients with a clinicopathologic diagnosis of hypersensitivity pneumonia. Methods IRB approval was obtained for a retrospective review of patients with a preoperative CT scan, a surgical pathology report from a transbronchial biopsy or wedge resection consistent with hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and a pulmonary consultation, which also supported the diagnosis. The pathology report was evaluated for granulomas, airway-centered fibrosis, microscopic honeycombing, and fibroblast foci. The medical records were reviewed for any known antigen exposure. Patients were separated into two groups; those with and without a known antigen exposure. The CT scans were assessed for distribution of fibrosis: upper lobe or lower lobe predominance, airway-centered versus peripheral distribution, three-density pattern, and honeycombing. Results 264 pathology reports included the term chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (CHP). Thirty-eight of the patients had a pulmonologist who gave the patient a working diagnosis of CHP. The average age of these patients was 64 years, and 21/38 were women. Seventeen of the 38 patients had at least one antigen exposure described in the medical records. All the patients had fibrosis along the airways on chest CT. Both known antigen exposure and no known antigen patients had upper and lower lung-predominant fibrosis. There were more patients with hiatal hernias in the unknown antigen group. Honeycombing was an uncommon finding. Conclusion Airway-centered fibrosis was present on chest CT in all 38 patients with CHP (100%), with or without known antigen exposure.
Photographic Analysis Technique for Assessing External Tank Foam Loss Events

A video camera and recorder were placed inside the solid rocket booster forward skirt in order to view foam loss events over an area on the external tank (ET) intertank surface. In this Technical Memorandum, a method of processing video images to allow rapid detection of permanent changes indicative of foam loss events on the ET surface was defined and applied to accurately count, categorize, and locate such events.
Health Literacy: An Educationally Sensitive Patient Outcome

We have previously proposed that by identifying a set of Educationally Sensitive Patient Outcomes (ESPOs), medical education outcomes research becomes more feasible and likely to provide meaningful guidance for medical education policy and practice. ESPOs are proximal outcomes that are sensitive to provider education, measurable, and linked to more distal health outcomes. Our previous model included Patient Activation and Clinical Microsystem Activation as ESPOs. In this paper, we discuss how Health Literacy, defined as “the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions,” is another important ESPO. Between one-third and one-half of all US adults have limited health literacy skills. Providers can be trained to adopt a “universal precautions approach” to addressing patient health literacy, through the acquisition of specific skills (e.g., teachback, “chunking” information, use of plain language written materials) and by learning how to take action to improve the “health literacy environment.” While there are several ways to measure health literacy, identifying which measurement tools are most sensitive to provider education is important, but challenging and complex. Further research is needed to test this model and identify additional ESPOs.
Convection And Waves

We believe that computer simulatation are a powerful tool for developing a qualitative understanding of solar physics. To this end, we have written a three-dimensional, compressible, magneto-hydrodynamic code, with a sophisticated equation of state and including radiative energy transport, to produce such simulations. In this talk we discuss how we use simulations of solar convection to study the interaction between the ‘five minute’ global solar oscillations and convection. In a second talk (Nordlund and Stein, 1989) we discuss using computer simulations of magneto-convection to investigate how pores and sunspot develop. Of course, with our simulation we can do much more. We have already started looking at what controls the scale of structures in the solar convection zone. For the future, we plan to investigate the generation and propagation of waves, and the role of convection and magnetic fields in heating the solar chromosphere and corona.
Sputtered Ni‐Base Superalloys for Microscale Devices

Metallic thin films, micro-devices and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) suffer from a lack of thermal stability and poor mechanical properties at high temperatures. By contrast, cast and forged Ni-base superalloys have excellent high temperature properties, but shaping and processing routes for superalloy micro devices have not been developed. Here free-standing nanocrystalline foils of the Ni-based superalloy, Haynes 718, were produced by magnetron sputtering and mechanical removal from Si substrates. Precipitation studies revealed unique transformation paths compared to the bulk alloy. Heat treated foils possess yield stresses of 400MPa at 700°C. These results suggest that sputtered superalloys could extend the operating ranges of micro-devices. Furthermore, nanocrystalline alloys obtained through vapor phase processing provide thermal processing paths unattainable from the melt.
Liver glycogen metabolism in endotoxin shock: I. Endotoxin administration decreases glycogen synthase activities in dog livers

Abstract The effects of E. coli endotoxin administration on hepatic glycogen content and glycogen synthase activities in dogs were studied. Liver glycogen content was decreased by 80% 2 hr after endotoxin injection. When enzyme preparations were preincubated at 25°C for 3 hr prior to their assays, 75% of total glycogen synthase was in I form in control dogs. Under such conditions, endotoxin administration (i) decreased the percentage I activity from 75 to 37%; (ii) decreased the Vmax and Km for UDP-glucose for total glycogen synthase by 62.2 and 35.3%, respectively; (iii) decreased the Vmax and Km for UDP-glucose for glycogen synthase I by 75.6 and 15.6%, respectively; (iv) increased the A0.5 for glucose-6-P for the activation of glycogen synthase D by 126% at high (10 m m ) and by 18-fold at low (1 m m ) UDP-glucose concentration; (v) increased the percentage D activity from 24 to 72%; (vi) decreased the I50 for ATP for the inhibition of total glycogen synthase by 49.7%; (vii) decreased the I50 for ATP for the inhibition of glycogen synthase I by 26.4%; and (viii) decreased the percentage I activity from 78 to 33% at ATP concentrations below 6 m m . When enzyme preparations were not preincubated prior to their assays, 90% of total glycogen synthase was in D form in control dogs. Under such conditions, endotoxin administration (i) decreased the Vmax and Km for UDP-glucose for total glycogen synthase by 47.1 and 33.3%, respectively, and (ii) increased the A0.5 for glucose-6-P for the activation of glycogen synthase D by 24.2% at high (10 m m ) and by 106% at low (1 m m ) UDP-glucose concentration. From these results, it is clear that endotoxin administration greatly impaired hepatic glycogenesis by decreasing the activity of glycogen synthase; this impairment is at least in part responsible for the depletion of liver glycogen content in endotoxin shock. Kinetic analyses revealed that the decrease in the activity of glycogen synthase in endotoxic shock is a result of a decrease in the interconversion of this enzyme from inactive to active form and an increase in the interconversion from active to inactive form.
Race and Ethnic Differences in Punishment and Death Sentence Outcomes

Abstract A review of the capital punishment literature shows evidence of differential treatment of defendants at two separate levels: commutations and executions. However, since most prior studies have followed a dichotomous approach, little is known about other death sentence outcomes, that is, sentence declared unconstitutional, sentence overturned, and conviction overturned and Latino/a defendants have either been excluded or treated as a monolithic group. Hence, little is known about death sentence outcomes for Latinos/as, whose experiences differ from those of African Americans and Caucasians. The main objective of this study, then, is to expand on the existing data by analyzing death sentence outcomes data for California, Florida, and Texas between 1975 and 1995. Logistic regression, controlling for time under the sentence of death, prior felony convictions, age at the time of the offense, marital status, and education, shows that disparities in death sentence outcomes is not a phenomenon of the pas...
The recovery and purification of biochemicals.

Publisher Summary It is known that the recovery and purification of fermentation products are difficult and costly. The desired product is often found to be present at low concentrations in an aqueous mixture that contains both suspended and dissolved materials. The product may be sensitive to temperature, extremes of pH, and certain chemicals. In addition, because the mixture favors the microorganism's growth, the product must be protected from degradation by making use of the foreign microorganisms. The product may be intimately connected to the cell, as in the cases of intracellular enzymes and of nucleic acids. Product recovery then requires rupture of the cell and sometimes partial degradation of cellular components. Related information on typical reactants (nutrients) and fermentation products are described in the chapter. The nutrients in fermentation are those with low molecular weight such as sugars and salts, in addition to complex mixtures such as soybean meal and corn steep liquor solids that contribute suspended solids and higher molecular weight compounds to the fermentation broth.
Muscle growth in young horses: Effects of age, cytokines, and growth factors

Success as equine athletes requires proper muscle growth in young horses. Muscle hypertrophy occurs through protein synthesis and the contribution of muscle satellite cells, which can be stimulated or inhibited by cytokines and growth factors present during exercise and growth. The hypotheses of this study were that 1) the LM area in young horses would increase over 1 yr, and 2) specific cytokines and growth factors (IL-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α, IGF-I, and fibroblast growth factor [FGF]-2) would alter proliferation and differentiation of satellite cells isolated from young horses. Fourteen horses were divided into 3 age groups: weanlings ( = 5), yearlings to 2 yr olds ( = 4), and 3 to 4 yr olds ( = 5). The area, height, and subcutaneous fat depth of the LM were measured using ultrasonography, and BW and BCS were taken in October (Fall1), April (Spring), and October of the following year (Fall2). Satellite cells obtained from 10-d-old foals ( = 4) were cultured in the presence of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, IGF-I, or FGF-2 before evaluation of proliferation and differentiation. Data were analyzed using PROC MIXED in SAS. Body weight increased from Fall1 to Spring in weanlings ( 0.61). There was a significant increase in LM area in all animals from Spring to Fall2 ( < 0.001) but not from Fall1 to Spring. Interleukin-6 and TNF-α decreased satellite cell proliferation by 14.9 and 11.5%, respectively ( ≤ 0.01). Interleukin-6 increased fusion 6.2%, whereas TNF-α decreased fusion 8.7% compared with control cells ( ≤ 0.001). Interleukin-1β had no effect on proliferation ( = 0.32) but tended to decrease fusion ( = 0.06). Satellite cell proliferation was increased 28.8 and 73.0% by IGF-I and FGF-2, respectively ( < 0.0001). Differentiation was decreased 13.1% in the presence of FGF-2 but increased 3.5% in the presence of IGF-I ( ≤ 0.01). In summary, the LM area increases over the course of a year in young horses with the most growth occurring in summer. By stimulating or inhibiting proliferation and differentiation of satellite cells, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1β, IGF-I, and FGF-2 may alter muscle growth in young horses, thereby impacting athletic potential.
Diets containing soy protein isolate increase Hepatic CYP3A expression and inducibility in weanling male rats exposed during early development

Hepatic CYP3A enzymes were studied in weanling male Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to diets from gestational d 4 in which the sole protein source was either casein (CAS) or soy protein isolate (SPI). At age 25 d, rats were gavaged with corn oil or one of the CYP3A inducers, dexamethasone (DEX) and clotrimazole (CLT), at a dose of 50 mg/kg. Little CYP3A1 (CYP3A23), CYP3A2, or CYP3A9 mRNA was observed in CAS-fed weanling rats but CYP3A18 mRNA was readily detectable in Northern blots. In contrast, consumption of SPI without inducer treatment resulted in the expression of CYP3A1 (CYP3A23), and CYP3A2 mRNAs, expression of CYP3A apoprotein in hepatic microsomes, and a 2-fold greater turnover of the CYP3A substrate midazolam (P < 0.05). DEX induced CYP3A1, CYP3A2, and CYP3A9 (P < 0.05), but not CYP3A18 mRNA expression in rats fed both diets. Hepatic CYP3A apoprotein expression and midazolam 4-hydroxylation in SPI-fed rats was greater than that of CAS-fed rats after DEX treatment (P < 0.05). CLT also induced CYP3A2 mRNA 2-fold in rats fed both diets but CYP3A apoprotein expression in microsomes from SPI-fed CLT rats was double that of CLT-treated rats fed CAS (P < 0.05). The elevation of CYP3A apoprotein due to SPI and the CYP3A apoprotein induction by DEX and CLT treatment yielded no significant diet x inducer interaction. Analysis of heterologous nuclear RNA expression by RT-PCR using intron-specific primers for CYP3A1 revealed a 14-fold increase in RNA transcription in CAS-fed rats after treatment with DEX (P < 0.05) but no increase in rats fed SPI compared with rats fed CAS even though CYP3A1 mRNA and CYP3A apoprotein were significantly elevated. These data demonstrate that exposure to SPI during early development can increase CYP3A expression via post-transcriptional mechanisms and suggest that early soy consumption has potential effects on the metabolism of a wide variety of CYP3A substrates.
Colorimetric method for the determination of vinblastine, an alkaloid from Vinca rosea I

A reproducible colorimetric method is described for the determination of vinblastine, an antileukemic alkaloid from Vinca rosea Linn.
A Density Functional Study of the Addition of Water to SO3 in the Gas Phase and in Aqueous Solution

The addition of water to sulfur trioxide in liquid water has been studied using the ab initio molecular dynamics (MD) method. The hydration reaction observed in the MD simulation is spontaneous and, within a few hundred femtoseconds, yields a contact ion pair consisting of a hydrogen sulfate anion and a hydronium cation. The reaction mechanism is concerted: sulfur−oxygen bond formation and deprotonation of the hydrating water occur simultaneously. The reaction in solution is compared to two gas-phase additions, namely, the bare reaction with only the two reactants present and the reaction catalyzed by an additional water molecule. Both of these reactions lead to neutral products and require substantial amounts of activation energy. The gas-phase results have also been used to evaluate the accuracy of the BLYP (Becke−Lee−Yang−Parr) functional, which has been used in the ab initio MD to determine the density functional electronic structure. Whereas the calculated geometries of the sulfur trioxide−water com...
Processing and Characterization of Multiphase Ceramic Composites Part III. Strong, Hard and Tough, High Temperature-Stable Quadruplex and Quintuplex Composites

Multiphase ceramic composites with improved mechanical properties and high-temperature stabilities resulting from minimized grain sizes due to extended diffusion distances are introduced. Four-phase (quadruplex) composites of 25 vol% Al2O3–25 vol% NiAl2O4–25 vol% TiC–25 vol%“ZrO2”; 30 vol% Al2O3–30 vol% NiAl2O4–10 vol% TiC–30 vol%“ZrO2”; and 50 vol% Al2O3–20 vol% NiAl2O4–10 vol% TiC–20 vol%“ZrO2” as well as a five-phase (quintuplex) composite of 20 vol% Al2O3–20 vol% TiB2–20 vol% TiC–20 vol% ZrB2–20 vol%“ZrO2” were fabricated using hot-pressing procedures. The 25 vol% Al2O3–25 vol% NiAl2O4–25 vol% TiC–25 vol%“ZrO2”‡ composite, hot pressed at 1600°C for 1 h in an Ar atmosphere, had three-point bend strength, hardness, and toughness values of 984 MPa, 1251 kg/mm2, and 4.74 MPa·m1/2, respectively. The chemically compatible, quintuplex composite consisting of 20 vol% Al2O3–20 vol% TiB2–20 vol% TiC–20 vol% ZrB2–20 vol%“ZrO2” was hot pressed at 1800°C in an Ar atmosphere for 5 h and it had hardness, bend strength, and toughness values of 1707 kg/mm2, 714 MPa, and 5.12 MPa·m1/2, respectively. The four- and five-phase composites, heat-treated under an Ar atmosphere at 1600°C for 100 h, each showed high-temperature stabilities without any severe changes in the microstructural and mechanical properties.
Nomads and mobile places: disentangling place, space and mobility

Though there is a danger that ‘place’ may become subsumed or ignored in research as attention now shifts to questions of ‘mobility,’ discussion of place has burgeoned throughout academia. Many texts declare that place is important, or proclaim the power of place. While place has been shown to be a fundamental part of human existence, what does this then mean for those who are characterized as not being interested in places? Examining nomadic Gypsies and Travelers in Britain, who are often constructed as placeless, highlights that this is not simply a representational concern, but has a tangible empirical affect, impinging on their everyday practices as well as influencing policies and laws that actively deny them their right to place. By exploring various definitions of place and how this impacts the understanding of mobilities, I demonstrate that the meaning ascribed to nomads is dependent upon a spatialized definition of place which is underpinned by the space-place binary. It is this aspect of the disc...
Radiation-grafted hydrogels for biomaterial applications as studied by the ESCA technique.

Electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA) was used to study the surface composition of several radiation-grafted polymers in both the dry and hydrated (frozen at 160°K) states. Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (HEMA) and polyacrylamide, both hydrophilic polymers, were readily detected in the hydrated or dehydrated states when grafted to polyethylene substrates. For silicone rubber substrates, both grafts were observed on the hydrated surface but were significantly decreased in surface concentration upon dehydration. For grafts on a polyester-urethane, acrylamide was not a major constituent of either the dry or hydrated surface, while HEMA appeared to increase in abundance upon drying. The amount of the hydrophobic poly(ethyl methacrylate) found on the graft surface depended upon the substrate polymer used, but the surface abundance of poly(ethyl methacrylate) was not affected by drying. These results were considered in terms of polar group orientation, polymer chain mobility, substrate permeability, and the limitations of the ESCA technique. The implications of these results with respect to the use of radiation-grafted hydrophilic polymers for biomedical applications are also discussed.
Transfer of Line radiation by multilevel atoms

Abstract We consider the transfer of line radiation by atoms which have more than two discrete energy levels. The scattering of photons is assumed to be isotropic and completely non-coherent in frequency within each line. The basic problem is described by the simultaneous equations of statistical equilibrium and radiative transfer. Numerical results are obtained by a solution of coupled linear integral equations for the line source functions. Special attention is given to the effect of various coupling mechanisms: collisional transitions between upper levels, subordinate radiative transitions, and transitions between bound levels and the continuum. The role of stimulated emission is also discussed.
Application Design for Wearable Computing

The confluence of decades of computer science and computer engineering research in multimodal interaction (e.g., speech and gesture recognition), machine learning (e.g., classification and feature extraction), software (e.g., web browsers, distributed agents), electronics (e.g., energy-efficient microprocessors, head-mounted displays), design methodology in user-centered design, and rapid prototyping have enabled a new class of computerswearable computers. The lecture takes the viewpoint of a potential designer or researcher in wearable computing. Designing wearable computers requires attention to many different factors because of the computers closeness to the body and its use while performing other tasks. For the purposes of discussion, we have created the UCAMP framework, which consists of the following factors: user, corporal, attention, manipulation, and perception. Each of these factors and their importance is described. A number of example prototypes developed by the authors, as well as by other researchers, are used to illustrate these concepts. Wearable computers have established their first foothold in several application domains, such as vehicle and aircraft maintenance and manufacturing, inspection, language translation, and other areas.
Effects of paclitaxel on the growth of normal, polyposis, and cancerous human colonic epithelial cells

BACKGROUND The specific paclitaxel dose or time course in the treatment of colon carcinoma without the disruption of normal colonic cell proliferation is currently not known. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of paclitaxel on the growth of human colonic epithelial cells using cultures of normal, polyposis, and cancerous cells. METHODS Normal, polyposis, and cancerous human colonic cells (Caco-2, T-84, and LoVo cell lines) were cultured, then treated with paclitaxel (10−9−10−5 M) for 0–7 days.{AU: Please verify all dosages throughout.} Cell proliferation was assayed using either a Coulter-Counter or MTT-growth assay. Immunofluorescence and Western immunoblotting measured P-glycoprotein. RESULTS Low paclitaxel doses (1 × 10−9−10−8 M) were more effective than higher paclitaxel doses (>1 × 10−8 M) in the growth inhibition of polyposis, Caco-2, and LoVo cancer (but not T-84 ) cell lines. Low paclitaxel doses had little effect on normal colonic cell growth over 7 days. Higher paclitaxel doses (>1 × 10−8−10−5 M) produced a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on the growth of normal human colonic epithelial cells over 7 days but had no effect on the growth of polyposis, Caco-2, and LoVo cells over 3–7 days of treatment. Immunofluorescence and Western immunoblotting of cultures showed that 1 × 10−6 M paclitaxel increased P-glycoprotein expression in Caco-2 and LoVo cells. There was no effect of paclitaxel on P-glycoprotein expression in T-84 cancer cells, which were found to have high endogenous basal levels of P-glycoprotein. P-glycoprotein expression in Caco-2 cells was found on plasma membranes and in perinuclear areas. CONCLUSIONS Lower paclitaxel doses are more effective over time for the growth inhibition of polyposis and cancerous colonic cells, with minimal effects on the growth of normal colonic epithelial cells. Increased P-glycoprotein expression appears to be correlated with paclitaxel resistance in polyposis and cancerous colonic cells. Cancer 1999;85:1454–64. © 1999 American Cancer Society.
Development and initial validation of the Symptoms and Assets Screening Scale.

OBJECTIVE: To develop and test a screening measure of mental health symptoms and well-being in college students, the Symptoms and Assets Screening Scale (SASS). Participants: Participants were 758 college students at 2 universities in the Northwest sampled between October 2009 and April 2011. METHODS: Participants completed the SASS, as well as measures of depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, substance problems, and eating problems in 1 session. A subset of participants ("n" = 259) completed the SASS 1 to 2 weeks later to allow an examination of test-retest stability. RESULTS: The SASS demonstrated good reliability and validity and appears to assess similar constructs as well-established measures in college students. Fifty-nine percent of the sample reported having problems with their thoughts, behaviors, or emotions, whereas only 9.7% reported currently receiving treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The SASS is a brief instrument that has the potential to effectively screen for the most prevalent mental health problems in college students. Language: en
α2-Adrenoceptors inhibit a nociceptive response in neonatal rat spinal cord

Alpha 2-Adrenoceptors mediate analgesia in vivo. The present study explored the actions of the alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonists dexmedetomidine and clonidine on a nociceptive response in isolated neonatal rat spinal cord. Stimulation of a dorsal root generates a slow ventral root potential (slow VRP) at the corresponding ipsilateral ventral root. The slow VRP meets several criteria for a nociceptive response. Dexmedetomidine (10 nM) and clonidine (200 nM) depressed the slow VRP by approximately 80%. Dexmedetomidine's action was approximately linear over the concentration range 0.5-500 nM, whereas clonidine (20 nM-5 microM) exerted biphasic effects. The profile of agonist and antagonist effectiveness characterized the receptor(s) as alpha 2-adrenoceptors; the subtype could not be identified as either alpha 2A or alpha 2B. Naloxone pretreatment partially blocked dexmedetomidine's effect, suggesting a possible endogenous opiate involvement. Dexmedetomidine (0.5-2.0 nM) also depressed the VRP evoked by application of substance P to the cord, implicating postsynaptic as well as possible presynaptic actions. At high concentrations, dexmedetomidine (50-500 nM) depressed the monosynaptic reflex, probably through non-alpha 2-receptor(s). Results from the neonatal spinal cord correlate well with those from in vivo analgesia studies. They suggest an important direct spinal contribution to alpha 2-adrenoceptor-mediated analgesia.
LONGITUDINAL PREDICTORS OF SERIOUS SUBSTANCE USE AND DELINQUENCY

The present study tests the validity of a common-cause model in explaining both serious substance use and serious delinquent behavior among youths. Longitudinal data on 441 male and 441 female adolescents are analyzed. Youths originally tested at Time 1 when they were 12, 15, or 18 years old were retested three years later when they were 15, 18, or 21 years old. The results provide modest support for a common-cause model. While a number of predictor variables drawn from control theory and differential association theory are related to both behaviors, those drawn from the literature on psychological correlates of adolescent deviance tend to be more strongly related to subsequent serious substance use than to serious delinquency. The findings suggest that there is a degree of etiological independence in serious adolescent substance use and serious forms of delinquency. The implications of these results for theory development and policy implementation are discussed.
The DnaK-DnaJ-GrpE Chaperone System Activates Inert Wild Type π Initiator Protein of R6K into a Form Active in Replication Initiation

The plasmid R6K is an interesting model system for investigating initiation of DNA replication, not only near the primary binding sites of the initiator protein pi but also at a distance, caused by pi -mediated DNA looping. An important milestone in the mechanistic analysis of this replicon was the development of a reconstituted replication system consisting of 22 different highly purified proteins (Abhyankar, M. A., Zzaman, S., and Bastia, D. (2003) J. Biol. Chem. 278, 45476-45484). Although the in vitro reconstituted system promotes ori gamma-specific initiation of replication by a mutant form of the initiator called pi*, the wild type (WT) pi is functionally inert in this system. Here we show that the chaperone DnaK along with its co-chaperone DnaJ and the nucleotide exchange factor GrpE were needed to activate WT pi and caused it to initiate replication in vitro at the correct origin. We show further that the reaction was relatively chaperone-specific and that other chaperones, such as ClpB and ClpX, were incapable of activating WT pi. The molecular mechanism of activation appeared to be a chaperone-catalyzed facilitation of dimeric inert WT pi into iteron-bound monomers. Protein-protein interaction analysis by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay revealed that, in the absence of ATP, DnaJ directly interacted with pi but its binary interactions with DnaK and GrpE and with ClpB and ClpX were at background levels, suggesting that pi is recruited by protein-protein interaction with DnaJ and then fed into the DnaK chaperone machine to promote initiator activation.
Ridge-Till Corn and Urea Hydrolysis Response to NBPT

Ammonia volatilization from surface-applied, urea-based fertilizers can result in reduced fertilizer N availability to the crop, particularly in minimum tillage systems with substantial surface residue. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential for the urease inhibitor N-(n-butyl)thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT) to minimize ammonia loss and preserve fertilizer N availability of urea and urea-ammonium nitrate (UAN) solution applied to ridge-till, irrigated corn (Zea mays L.). The study was conducted at three sites over 3 yr, 1990 to 1992. The soil for all three site-years was a Crete silt loam (fine, montmorillonitic, mesic Pachic Argiustoll). Urea and UAN solution (28% N) were applied following planting via two methods, broadcast (BR) and surface band (SB), at two N rates, 100 and 200 lb/acre, with and without NBPT at the rate of 1.0 lb/acre. A nonvolatile check of UAN knifed into the soil, with and without NBPT, was applied each year. Grain yield, stover yield, ear leaf N and chlorophyll, basal stalk nitrate, grain N, grain moisture, and stover N were evaluated. A lab incubation study was also conducted to evaluate the effect of subsurface band application of UAN with and without NBPT on the rate of urea hydrolysis and fertilizer N availability to the crop. Nitrogen did not limit yield in 1990. Precipitation soon after fertilization in 1990 and 1991 resulted in little or no benefit from the use of NBPT. Limited precipitation and low humidity for an extended period following fertilization in 1992 resulted in a 56.6 bu/acre increase in yield when NBPT was applied with urea (averaged over rates and application methods), but no yield increase when NBPT was applied with UAN. No differences in yield were observed between BR and SB application methods. Parameters which are indicative of N use efficiency, such as grain N, basal stalk nitrate, leaf N and chlorophyll, responded to source, rate, and application method variables even when grain or stover yield did not. The lab incubation found that urea hydrolysis was reduced when NBPT was added to UAN in a subsurface band, but not slowed to the extent that N availability to the crop would be reduced over the growing season. This study found the yield response of corn to urea or UAN solution containing NBPT to be highly variable, dependent mainly on the climatic conditions following fertilization. The use of NBPT can be an effective management tool to minimize the potential for yield loss due to ammonia volatilization from urea fertilizers applied to high residue conditions in years when climatic conditions are conducive to N loss.
Developmental Pathways to Depressive Symptoms in Adolescence: A Multi-Wave Prospective Study of Negative Emotionality, Stressors, and Anxiety

This study examined two potential developmental pathways through which the temperament risk factor of negative emotionality (NE) leads to prospective increases in depressive symptoms through the mediating role of stressors and anxious symptoms in a sample of early to middle adolescents (N = 350, 6th–10th graders). The primary hypothesized model was that baseline NE leads to increased stressors, which results in increases in anxious arousal, which culminates with elevated depressive symptoms. An alternate model hypothesized that baseline NE leads to increased anxious arousal, which results in increases in stressors, and this culminates in elevated depressive symptoms. Youth completed self-report measures of NE, stressors, anxious arousal, and depressive symptoms at four time-points. Path analysis supported the primary model and showed that the mediating influence of stressors and anxious arousal explained 78% of the association between NE and prospective elevations in depressive symptoms. The alternate model was not supported. Neither gender nor age were moderators.
Relationships Among Type Scores and Changes in Yield from First to Second Lactation

Abstract Changes between first and second lactation yields of days open adjusted milk and 3.7% FCM were correlated with classification traits. Yields within first and second lactation were corrected for herd-season, calving month within season, and age at calving. Classification scores during first lactation were available on 1341 cows appraised between 1971 and 1982 by Holstein Association of America classifiers in five North Carolina Department of Agriculture herds and a North Carolina State University research herd. All classification traits except final score were categorical. Final score, general appearance, dairy character, body capacity, mammary system, stature, rear udder, fore udder, and feet and legs were treated as continuous. Classification traits were adjusted for herd-year, age, and months in milk. First lactation milk was added as a covariate in selected analyses. Body capacity, dairy character, mammary system, back, rump, rear udder, and udder support each had significant effects on change in yield. Mammary system and final score showed a significant linear relationship with change in yield for at least one model. Dairy character and fore udder significantly predicted change in 3.7% FCM when first lactation milk was not in the model.
Life Cycle Energy and Cost Assessment Method for Modified Asphalt Pavements

The importance of materials’ selection for effective change in energy requirements of construction and service life cycle of asphalt pavement highways is well known. However, such energy related issues are rarely considered in the design and material selection process today. This is largely due to insufficient data and unclear methodology for translating effects in terms of environmental and economic savings. To address this deficiency a program was designed into which project specific information is inputted and used for comparison of alternative material and modification options in term of performance, cost, effective life span, and the magnitude of change in energy requirements. This paper includes a summary of this program that could be used as a design and materials’ selection aid for asphalt pavements.
Phase transformations and phase relations in the TiPd-TiCr pseudobinary system I. Experimental observations

The Ti[sub 50]Pd[sub (50[minus]x)]Cr[sub x] (5 [<=] x [<=] 37.5 at.%) alloys were arc-melted, homogenized at 1,373 K for 24 h in vacuum and then rapidly cooled. The results of microstructural analysis were as follows: (1) The addition of Cr appears to produce a pseudobinary eutectoid configuration between Ti[sub 50]Pd[sub 50] and Ti[sub 50]Pd[sub 25]Cr[sub 25]. (2) A new phase [beta][sub 4] is observed, centered at Ti[sub 50]Pd[sub 25]Cr[sub 25] with a structure tP4, P4/mm and space group number 123. (3) Two displacive transformations are observed. At low Cr substitutions for Pd, [beta][sub 2] (B2) [r arrow] [gamma][sub 2][prime] (B19), a close-packed phase and at Cr contents higher than about 8 at.%, [beta][sub 2] (B2) [r arrow] [beta][sub 2](IC), a non-close-packed, incommensurately modulated phase.
Notes on the Stratigraphy of the Upper Cretaceous Formations of Texas and Arkansas

The stratigraphic relations of the formations of the Gulf series (Upper Cretaceous) in Texas and Arkansas are briefly described in the text and are graphically represented in a correlation chart. Two new units, the Tokio and Ozan formations, are recognized (in collaboration with C. H. Dane) in the Arkansas section. A new name, Gober, is proposed for a tongue of the Austin chalk, which was previously incorrectly correlated with the Annona chalk. A new formation name, Olmos, is given to the "coal series," in the Rio Grande section in Maverick County, Texas. Several important unconformities are recognized in the Gulf series. The Gulf series is shown to be separated from the Comanche series below, and from the Midway (Eocene) above, by important unconformities. An attempt is made to show the age relations of the formations by means of heavy numbered lines. The divergence of these lines shows the thickening, and their convergence the thinning, of the series. The thinning of the series is attributed in part to actual thinning of the deposits and in part to the presence of unconformities.
Design and synthesis of a novel family of triazine-based inhibitors of sorbitol dehydrogenase with oral activity: 1-{4-[3R,5S-dimethyl-4-(4-methyl-[1,3,5]triazin-2-yl)-piperazin-1-yl]-[1,3,5]triazin-2-yl}-(R) ethanol

Two new templates, (R) 2-hydroxyethyl-pyridine and (R) 2-hydroxyethyl-triazine, were used to design novel sorbitol dehydrogenase inhibitors (SDIs). The design concept included spawning of these templates to function as effective ligands to the catalytic zinc within the enzyme through incorporation of optimally substituted piperazino-triazine side chains so as to accommodate the active site in the enzyme for efficient binding. This strategy resulted in orally active SDIs, which penetrate key tissues, for example, sciatic nerve of chronically diabetic rats. The latter template led to the design of the title inhibitor, 33, which normalized the elevated sciatic nerve fructose by 96% at an oral dose of 10 mg/kg.
SUSTAINED REDUCTION IN URINARY CALCIUM DURING LONG-TERM TREATMENT WITH SLOW RELEASE NEUTRAL POTASSIUM PHOSPHATE IN ABSORPTIVE HYPERCALCIURIA

AbstractPurpose: We tested whether UroPhos§ §Mission Pharmacal, San Antonio, Texas.-K a new slow release neutral form of potassium phosphate (155 mg. phosphate, 8 mEq. potassium per tablet) in a dose of 4 tablets twice daily absorptive hypercalciuria, a major cause of nephrolithiasis characterized by excessive intestinal calcium absorption accompanied in some patients by excessive bone loss.Materials and Methods: A total of 25 patients with absorptive hypercalciuria were studied in a 4-year, prospective, open trial with UroPhos-K at yearly intervals during a 4-day inpatient physiological study with a constant metabolic diet containing 400 mg. calcium, 100 mEq. sodium and 800 mg. phosphate daily.Results: Treatment with UroPhos-K caused a sustained, marked reduction in urinary calcium (264 to 181 mg. daily). Fractional47 calcium absorption decreased modestly (74.0 to 64.6%) commensurate with a reduction in serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (42 to 34 pg./ml.). Intact parathyroid hormone increased within the norm...