cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Why Medicare should pay for advance care planning

AbstractMedicare does not pay for beneficiaries to undergo advance care planning (ACP). In this paper, I argue why this failure is economically unsound and unethical. I begin with an analysis of the data regarding current Medicare end-of-life expenditures. Research on these data demonstrates a failure of high-intensity spending to improve end-of-life outcomes. These data further show that ACP can effectively control end-of-life care costs since most persons who undergo ACP opt for palliative-based treatment at the end of life, as opposed to high-intensity medical treatment. I then discuss how current regional variations in Medicare spending on end-of-life care and the failure of Medicare to offer an ACP benefit to its beneficiaries is both economically unjust and appears to violate several tenets of medical ethics. Reliance on the Patient Self-Determination Act of 1990 is also refuted as an ethical solution to the raised concerns about Medicare's failure to fund an ACP benefit. I conclude by noting that t...
Enzymatic properties of bovine plasmin preparations; evidence for similarity to but non-identity with trypsin.

The enzymatic properties of both choloroform-only activated and trypsin–chloroform activated bovine fibrinolysin (plasmin) have been studied and compared with trypsin. These studies accentuate the ...
Synthesis of polyesters containing an aromatic Triad mesogen

Thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers containing bis(p-oxybenzoyl terephthalate) (Triad) mesogen units linked by flexible polymethylene units were prepared by melt and solution polymerization reactions. Analogous Triad polymers based on a central isophthalate group were also prepared, but these polymers, which contained non-linear rigid segments, did not exhibit liquid crystalline behaviour. Copolymers composed of a mixture of linear and non-linear Triad units were also evaluated. In addition, a series of random Triad copolymers that contained butylene terephthalate (BT) units were also synthesized in solution. The liquid crystalline behaviour of these copolymers depended on the relative number of BT moieties present.
Mineral/solution reaction rates in a mixed flow reactor: Wollastonite hydrolysis

A newly developed mixed flow reactor was used to measure the rate of hydrolysis of wollastonite over the pH range of 3 to 8. This design avoids abrasion of the solid sample by confining it within a nylon mesh while the reacting solution is circulated over it by a stirrer. The rate of reaction was determined from the difference of the compositions of the input and output solutions following the methods used by chemical engineers for the analysis of mixed flow reactors, also called continuously stirred tank reactors (CSTR). This apparatus, constructed from easily obtainable parts, avoids many of the problems inherent in studying mineral/solution reaction kinetics in batch reactors. The hydrolysis of wollastonite CaSiO3 + 2H+ + H2O = Ca2+ + H4SiO4 can be fit to a rate law of the form: dnH+/dt = kadKH+mH+/(1.0 + KH+mH+) where kad = 9.80 × 10−8molm−2sec−1 and KH+ = 2.08 × 105. Over the pH range of 4 to 7, the data also may fit a simple linear form: dnH+/dt = −Ak+(aH+)0.40 where k+ = 3.80 × 10−6 sec−1 at 25°C. The presence of calcium ion in the solution at concentrations up to 1.0 mol kg−1 produces only a minor reduction of the reaction rate. The activation energy for this reaction is 79.2 kJ mol−1. Examination of the surfaces of the reacted grains showed no evidence of incongruent reaction leading to a product layer but did show the extensive development of etch pits leading to a rapid increase in the specific surface area. At large extents of reaction at low pH, diffusion of ions into or from these deep etch pits may limit the reaction rate.
Implications of prolonged expression of Fos-related antigens

The AP-1 transcription factors are composed of the Fos and Fos-related antigens as well as Jun and related proteins. These factors have been extensively studied in many diverse paradigms using acute stimuli. Recent attention has focussed on long-term elevation of Fos-related antigens in the CNS, and this is discussed by Keith Pennypacker, Jau-S. Hong and Michael McMillian. Repeated or chronic treatment elevates Fos-related antigen levels for days in many different brain regions. Both direct and indirect stimulation are responsible for the protracted increase in Fos-related antigen-immunoreactive proteins, which may modulate late onset genes involved in neuroplasticity. Understanding the role of these factors in long-lasting or permanent disease states may provide insight into potential therapeutic strategies to treat chronic CNS disorders.
Simultaneous single-fiber active vibration sensing and impact detection for large space structures

The increasing complexity of large space structures further emphasizes the need for multi-use single element spacecraft components and sensors. Sensing of the vibrations of components and/or sections of a large space structure is necessary for ultra-high precision pointing and tracking as well as general platform stability. At the same time, the quest for a method of detecting spacecraft impacts with micrometeorites or debris continues. In this paper a method for using a single optical fiber for simultaneous impact detection and vibration sensing is described. Laboratory studies of these techniques using composite material panels are presented.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Maximal activation of skeletal muscle thin filaments requires both rigor myosin S1 and calcium.

Abstract The regulation by calcium and rigor-bound myosin-S1 of the rate of acceleration of 2′-deoxy-3′-O-(N-methylanthraniloyl)ADP (mdADP) release from myosin-mdADP-Pi by skeletal muscle thin filaments (reconstituted from actin-tropomyosin-troponin) was measured using double mixing stopped-flow fluorescence with the nucleotide substrate 2′-deoxy-3′-O-(N-methylanthraniloyl). The predominant mechanism of regulation is the acceleration of product dissociation by a factor of ∼200 by thin filaments in the fully activated conformation (bound calcium and rigor S1) relative to the inhibited conformation (no bound calcium or rigor S1). In contrast, only 2–3-fold regulation is due to a change in actin affinity such as would be expected by “steric blocking” of the myosin binding site of the thin filament by tropomyosin. The binding of one ligand (either calcium or rigor-S1) produces partial activation of the rate of product dissociation, but the binding of both is required to maximally accelerate product dissociation to a rate similar to that obtained with F-actin in the absence of regulatory proteins. The data support an allosteric regulation model in which the binding of either calcium or rigor S1 alone to the thin filament shifts the equilibrium in favor of the active conformation, but full activation requires binding of both ligands.
Chloroform dechlorination by a wastewater methanogenic consortium and cell extracts of Methanosarcina barkeri

Abstract Whole-cell and cell-extract assays of a wastewater methanogenic consortium and cell extracts of Methanosarcina barkeri strain MS were shown to dechlorinate chloroform (CF), predominantly to dichloromethane (DCM). The wastewater cell dechlorination reaction was supported by electron donors like methanol, acetate, butyrate, but dechlorination rates in the presence of glucose were 5-fold less. Methanogenesis in wastewater samples was almost completely inhibited (reversibly) by as little as 71 n m (8.5 ppb) aqueous CF, but DCM was only slightly inhibitory at 107 μ m (9.1 ppm) levels. The eubacterial antibiotics, ampicillin and streptomycin, inhibited approximately 40% of the dechlorination activity in the wastewater sample and the methanogenesis inhibitor bromoethanesulfonic acid (BES) inhibited 90% of the dechlorination. CF dechlorination rates were similar in cell extracts of M. barkeri (222 nmol CF/min/mg protein) and a wastewater enrichment culture (177 nmol CF/min/mg protein). BES inhibited 41% of the CF dechlorination in cell extracts of M. barkeri and 34% of the activity in the wastewater culture extracts. Coenzyme M significantly reversed the BES inhibition of both methanogenesis and CF dechlorination by whole cells of the wastewater culture, but had no effect on cell-free extract dechlorination. Boiled cell-free extracts had dechlorination rates that were 15 and 22% higher compared to unboiled rates in extracts from the wastewater culture and M. barkeri , respectively. On the basis of these studies, it is proposed that CF dechlorination in this wastewater sample is mediated by the same catalysts found in M. barkeri and that these heat-stable catalysts are functional in both the free and protein-bound forms.
Management of acute ischemic stroke

Prior to 1995 no proven therapy existed for acute ischemic stroke. In 1996 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the use of intravenous rt-PA in acute stroke based largely on the results of a two-part trial sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NIH/NINDS). Five years following approval, however, thrombolytic treatment remains underutilized, occurring in only 1 to 2% of all stroke patients. The medical community is now being called upon to organize systems capable of delivering acute stroke care in a time-urgent manner not previously contemplated. Critical care specialists may be called upon to treat stroke occurring in hospitalized patients or to continue care initiated in the emergency department. This article briefly reviews the pathogenesis of cellular injury in stroke and its initial evaluation and care and then focuses on the data involving thrombolytic reperfusion. Special attention is given to postthrombolytic critical care issues as these represent an important determinant in patient outcome. Secondary stroke prevention strategies and complication management are discussed along with general intensive care issues for the stroke patient.
Effect of CF3H and CF3Br on laminar diffusion flames in normal and microgravity

Chemical inhibition of diffusion flames through addition of halogenated inhibitors is a problem of significant practical and scientific interest. Extensive studies on diffusion flames in microgravity have shown that these flames have significantly different characteristics than those under normal gravity. However, the mechanisms through which inhibitors reach the reaction zone to suppress combustion in diffusion flames and the effectiveness of these compounds under reduced gravity have yet to be investigated. This study reports preliminary results of investigations on the behavior of laminar jet diffusion flames upon the addition of bromotrifluoromethane (CF3Br) and trifluoromethane (CF3H) to the surroundings under normal and microgravity conditions. The results show that the flame structure in microgravity is significantly different from that under normal gravity conditions, and more importantly, that conditions for flame stability are less stringent under microgravity. Experiments show that flames that cannot be stabilized under normal gravity are quite stable under microgravity conditions. In addition, normal gravity experiments at reduced pressure (low buoyancy) did not reproduce the structure or stability limits of inhibited flames in microgravity.
Crystalline Transfer RNA: The Three-Dimensional Patterson Function at 12-Angstrom Resolution

An orthorhombic form of crystalline formylmethionine transter RNA has been obtained which contains one molecule as the asymmetric unit of the unit cell. Three-dimensional x-ray diffraction data have been collected up to a resolution of 12 angstroms, and from this a Patterson function has been calculated. The function contains an elongated ridge of interatomic vectors parallel to the c-axis of the crystal. Analysis of the function suggests that the molecules are elogated and dimerized in an overlapping antiparrael fashion along the c-axis. The dimer has a length near 109 angstroms and a width of 35 angstroms in one direction. The individual molecular length is approximately 80 angstroms with an irregular cross section measuring 25 by 35 angstrms.
Effects of local anesthetics on opioid inhibition of calcium current in rat dorsal root ganglion neurons.

Neuraxial analgesia is often provided using a mixture of local anesthetics and opioids. This combination of agents provides better pain relief and is generally associated with fewer side effects than when either drug is given alone. Local anesthetics have been shown to alter signaling of other G protein-coupled receptors, but little is known about their effect on opioid receptor signaling. Because opioids produce analgesia at least in part by inhibiting presynaptic Ca channels, we have evaluated the effects of tetracaine and bupivacaine on opioid-mediated inhibition of Ca channels in dorsal root ganglion neurons. The μ-opioid specific agonist DAMGO (1 μM) inhibited Ca channels in both the absence and presence of tetracaine (50 or 100 μM). However, the extent of DAMGO inhibition in the presence of both concentrations of tetracaine was less than that observed in the absence of tetracaine. DAMGO inhibition decreased from 39.2 ± 24.4% in control to 34.2 ± 24.4% with 50 μM tetracaine (n = 16; p < 0.05), and from 40.5 ± 19.6% in control to 34.6 ± 20.5% with 100 μM tetracaine (n = 10; p < 0.05). Similar results were seen with bupivacaine. Tetracaine also decreased the voltage-dependent facilitation of Ca channel currents when G proteins were activated by either DAMGO or the non-hydrolyzable GTP analogue (GTPγS), suggesting that tetracaine weakens the interaction between G protein βγ subunits and the Ca channel. Overall, these results suggest that local anesthetics decrease opioid inhibition of Ca channel activity by interfering with the GTP-mediated signal transduction between opioid receptors and Ca channels.
The Effect of Sales Promotions on the Size and Composition of the Shopping Basket: Regulatory Compatibility from Framing and Temporal Restrictions:

Abstract Most literature on sales promotions focuses on responses to the promoted brand. Across two experimental studies and one field study, the authors examine how sales promotions may affect the size and composition of the overall shopping basket. The authors show that the framing of the savings message on sales promotions (e.g., “Save $x” versus “Get $x Off”), the expiration date restriction cue (immediate versus future expiration), and the familiarity of brands (well-known versus less familiar) are independent primes of regulatory focus. Furthermore, such cues, when compatible with one another or with a prior regulatory focus, lead to more unrelated purchases in the store. The authors discuss the findings in the context of theory on regulatory relevance and mind-sets, and they posit managerial implications for the design of sales promotions and store positioning.
Clinical Significance of Microbial Infection and Adaptation in Cystic Fibrosis

SUMMARY A select group of microorganisms inhabit the airways of individuals with cystic fibrosis. Once established within the pulmonary environment in these patients, many of these microbes adapt by altering aspects of their structure and physiology. Some of these microbes and adaptations are associated with more rapid deterioration in lung function and overall clinical status, whereas others appear to have little effect. Here we review current evidence supporting or refuting a role for the different microbes and their adaptations in contributing to poor clinical outcomes in cystic fibrosis.
‘Our Friend of Brilliant Ideas’: G. F. Fitzgerald and the Maxwellian Circle

From the late 1870s until his death in 1901, the Irish physicist G. F. Fitzgerald was one of the most active and influential proponents of Maxwell's theory of the electromagnetic field. Along with Oliver Lodge, Oliver Heaviside, Heinrich Hertz, and other ‘Maxwellians’, Fitzgerald took the lead in extending Maxwell's theory, clarifying its expression, and subjecting it to experimental test. The surviving correspondence of this Maxwellian circle provides a window into the workings of late Victorian physics and into the private side of scientific communication.
Regulation of hydroxyproline excretion in hyperparathyroidism.

Five patients with hyperparathyroidism with normal serum alkaline phosphatase and without roentgenological evidence of bone disease were studied before and after surgical correction of the parathyroid hyperfunction. Preoperative base-line urinary hydroxyproline was above normal in 2 patients. The infusion of calcium failed to produce normal decreases in urinary phosphorus, whereas it decreased urinary hydroxyproline by a mean of 27 % in 4 of the 5 patients. The infusion of EDTA increased urinary hydroxyproline in each patient, with a mean increase for the group of 43 %. Following the removal of parathyroid adenomas from 4 patients, base-line urinary hydroxyproline decreased markedly. Postoperatively, the responses of urinary hydroxyproline to calcium and EDTA infusions were relatively small. These results suggest that the preoperative responses to the infusions did not result entirely from modifications in the activity of nonadenomatous parathyroid tissue. Furthermore, the mean urinary hydroxyproline in n...
The β-secretase enzyme BACE1 as a therapeutic target for Alzheimer's disease

Amyloid plaques are defining histopathologic lesions in the brains of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients and are composed of the amyloid-beta peptide, which is widely considered to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of AD. The β-secretase, or β-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1; also called Asp2, memapsin 2), is the enzyme that initiates the generation of amyloid beta. Consequently, BACE1 is an attractive drug target for lowering cerebral levels of amyloid beta for the treatment or prevention of AD. Much has been learned about BACE1 since its discovery over 10 years ago. In the present article, we review BACE1 properties and characteristics, cell biology, in vivo validation, substrates, therapeutic potential, and inhibitor drug development. Studies relating to the physiological functions of BACE1 and the promise of BACE1 inhibition for AD will also be discussed. We conclude that therapeutic inhibition of BACE1 should be efficacious for AD, although careful titration of the drug dose may be necessary to limit mechanism-based side effects.
Ischemia‐reperfusion and cardioprotection: A delicate balance between reactive oxygen species generation and redox homeostasis

Ischemia-reperfusion injury of the myocardium has long been a subject of intense research. Cardiac preconditioning, an associated phenomenon, has also been critically investigated over the past two decades. Although the biochemistry of ischemia-reperfusion and its association with oxidative metabolism has long been established, recent studies have further revealed a more intricate role of a number of reactive oxygen-nitrogen species in those processes. Emerging evidence suggests that an elaborate network of enzymes (and other biomolecules) dedicated to the generation, utilization, and diminution of reactive oxygen-nitrogen species maintains the redox homeostasis in the myocardium, and any perturbation of its status has distinctive effects. It thus appears that while excessive generation of reactive species leads to cellular injury, their regulated generation may cause transient and reversible modifications of cellular proteins leading the transmission of intracellular signals with specific effects. Taken together, generation of reactive oxygen-nitrogen species in the myocardium plays a nodal role in mediating both ischemic injury and cardioprotection.
Ruthless Rulers: Coalition Size and the Severity of Civil Conflict

What explains the level of violence during civil wars? In this paper, we argue that the size of the ruling coalition is a critical determinant of the severity of conflict. To maintain control over patronage, elites will fight to ward off challengers. The degree to which they use coercion hinges upon the level of private benefits they receive, which is in turn determined by coalition size. Further, we expect democracies to be more constrained in their use of force due to larger government coalitions and constraints on power. To proxy for coalition size, we use new data on the ethnic affiliation of heads of state. An empirical analysis of over 200 armed civil conflicts reveals that conflicts involving smaller ruling coalitions yield a greater number of deaths.
Simple Mechanistic Models of Middepth Meridional Overturning

Abstract Two idealized, three-dimensional, analytical models of middepth meridional overturning in a basin with a Southern Hemisphere circumpolar connection are described. In the first, the overturning circulation can be understood as a “pump and valve” system, in which the wind forcing at the latitudes of the circumpolar connection is the pump and surface thermodynamic exchange at high northern latitudes is the valve. When the valve is on, the overturning circulation extends to the extreme northern latitudes of the basin, and the middepth thermocline is cold. When the valve is off, the overturning circulation is short-circuited and confined near the circumpolar connection, and the middepth thermocline is warm. The meridional overturning cell in this first model is not driven by turbulent mixing, and the subsurface circulation is adiabatic. In contrast, the pump that primarily drives the overturning cell in the second model is turbulent mixing, at low and midlatitudes, in the ocean interior. In both model...
Pre-treatment serum vascular endothelial growth factor is associated with clinical response and overall survival in advanced melanoma patients treated with ipilimumab

Ipilimumab, an antibody that blocks cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4), had shown improved overall survival (OS) for patients with metastatic melanoma. However predictive biomarkers for clinical benefit have not been well defined. We aimed to evaluate serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its association with clinical benefit and OS for ipilimumab treated advanced melanoma patients. Sera were collected from 176 patients treated with ipilimumab at 3 (n=98) or 10 mg/kg (n=68) from 2005 to 2013. We analyzed serum VEGF at baseline and at the end of induction (week 12) by Meso Scale Discovery kit. The association VEGF with clinical benefit and OS was analyzed using Fisher's exact test and Kaplan-Meier log-rank test. Pre-treatment VEGF value correlated with clinical benefit for 157 melanoma patients with the availability of clinical response at wk24 (p=0.0111) using 43 pg/ml as the cutoff of baseline VEGF value defined by maximally selected log-rank statistics. High level of soluble pre-therapy VEGF (≥ 43 pg/ml) in blood was associated with decreased OS, as compared to low level baseline VEGF ( < 43 pg/ml) (Median OS 6.6 vs 12.9 months , p=0.006 for all 176 patients; median OS 7.4 vs 14.3 months, p=0.037 for 3 mg/kg group; median OS 6.2 vs 10.9 months, p=0.048 for 10 mg/kg group, respectively). High level of soluble VEGF at wk12 was correlated with OS in all patients as well (p=0.023). There was no correlation between the change of VEGF and clinical outcome. Serum VEGF may be a predictive biomarker to ipilimumab treatment, and prospective investigation warranted. Figure 1 Kaplan Meier curve of overall survival by using 43 pg/ml as the cutoff for baseline VEGF
Glucose regulates the cortical actin network through modulation of Cdc42 cycling to stimulate insulin secretion.

Glucose-stimulated insulin granule exocytosis in pancreatic β-cells involves cortical actin remodeling that results in the transient disruption of the interaction between polymerized actin with the...
Cognitive Processes in Dissociation: Comment on Giesbrecht et al. (2008)

In “Cognitive Processes in Dissociation: An Analysis of Core Theoretical Assumptions,” published in Psychological Bulletin, Giesbrecht, Lynn, Lilienfeld, and Merckelbach (2008) have challenged the widely accepted trauma theory of dissociation, which holds that dissociative symptoms are caused by traumatic stress. In doing so the authors outline a series of links between various constructs, such as fantasy proneness, cognitive failures, absorption, suggestibility, altered information-processing, dissociation, and amnesia, claiming that these linkages lead to the false conclusion that trauma causes dissociation. A review of the literature, however, shows that these are not necessarily related constructs. Careful examination of their arguments reveals no basis for the conclusion that there is no association between trauma and dissociation. The current comment offers a critical review and rebuttal of the argument of Giesbrecht et al. that there is no relationship between trauma and dissociation.
PEARLS: An Integrated Environment for Task Scheduling

The scheduling problem answers the question whether a given set of input tasks is feasible. It has been studied since the 1970s and many important results have been revealed to the scientific community. This paper presents an implementation tool, PEARLS, i.e., Pliable EArliest Deadline First, Rate Monotonic, Least Laxity Schedulers, based on some of the most significant existing schedulability analytical feasibility conditions and schedulability algorithms. If the input tasks set is feasible, our tool can simulate the popular scheduling methods: rate monotonic (RM), earliest deadline first (EDF) and least laxity (LL). Moreover, the tool is designed to handle both preemptive as well as non preemptive tasks. Both periodic and sporadic tasks together with or without precedence constraints may also be considered in the input. Experimental results have been conducted for our tool implemented in the recent Java Development Kit (JDK) version 1.6 on a Pentium GHz system having 1 MB memory. We tested our tool on several real-time systems specifications, and the obtained experimental results have confirmed that our tool is efficient and useful.
Non-rigid motion estimation using the robust tensor method

This work presents a new technique that couples tensor based image flow with robust statistical estimation models to produce dense accurate velocity fields. The 3D orientation structure tensor of the spatiotemporal varying light intensity field is used to estimate local non-rigid image motions. Previous work has shown that in highly uniform regions that lack salient corner and edge information or with noisy measurements the structure tensor approach can lead to spurious velocity estimates. The proposed algorithm improves estimates of the deformable image flow in these regions by minimizing a robust tensor functional that includes regularization and penalty terms. The robust tensor functional explicitly incorporates a temporal photometric consistency term. The combined robust tensor method is formulated as a global constrained optimization over the 3D spatiotemporal light intensity volume and recovers scientifically accurate velocity fields. An attractive aspect of the robust tensor method is simultaneous segmentation and velocity estimation. Experimental results using image sequences of biological motion captured using a calibrated video microscope reveals new biophysical insights at subcellular micron scale resolutions.
Blind detection in MIMO systems via sequential Monte Carlo

We provide a novel sequential estimation and detection approach for multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) systems. The basic idea is to design a probabilistic approximation method for the computation of the maximum a posterior distribution (MAP) via the sequential Monte Carlo methods (SMC). The SMC method has two advantages over the other methods in that it is a blind method and can be computed in parallel. Furthermore, the SMC has characteristics of soft-input and soft-output in nature and, thus, it can be employed as the first stage demodulator in a turbo receiver for a coded MIMO system. Such a turbo receiver successively improves the receiver performance by iteratively exchanging the so-called extrinsic information with the MAP outer channel decoder. Finally, the performance of the proposed sequential Monte Carlo receiver is demonstrated through computer simulations for MIMO systems over single-path and multipath fading channels.
Structure of the C-terminal RING Finger from a RING-IBR-RING/TRIAD Motif Reveals a Novel Zinc-binding Domain Distinct from a RING

The really interesting new gene (RING) family of proteins contains over 400 members with diverse physiological functions. A subset of these domains is found in the context of the RING-IBR-RING/TRIAD motifs which function as E3 ubiquitin ligases. Our sequence analysis of the C-terminal RING (RING2) from this motif show that several metal ligating and hydrophobic residues critical for the formation of a classical RING cross-brace structure are not present. Thus, we determined the structure of the RING2 from the RING-IBR-RING motif of HHARI and showed that RING2 has a completely distinct topology from classical RINGs. Notably, RING2 binds only one zinc atom per monomer rather than two and uses a different hydrophobic network to that of classical RINGs. Additionally, this RING2 topology is novel, bearing slight resemblance to zinc-ribbon motifs around the zinc site and is different from the topologies of the zinc binding sites found in RING and PHDs. We demonstrate that RING2 acts as an E3 ligase in vitro and using mutational analysis deduce the structural features required for this activity. Further, mutations in the RING-IBR-RING of Parkin cause a rare form of Parkinsonism and these studies provide an explanation for those mutations that occur in its RING2. From a comparison of the RING2 structure with those reported for RINGs, we infer sequence determinants that allow discrimination between RING2 and RING domains at the sequence analysis level.
Movement, Homing, and Fates of Fluvial-Specialist Shoal Bass Following Translocation into an Impoundment

Abstract Micropterus cataractae (Shoal Bass), an enigmatic fluvial specialist, has experienced range-wide declines because of habitat fragmentation and other negative effects of impounded rivers. In addition to these concerns, anglers often translocate Shoal Bass from riverine habitats to impoundments following tournament weigh-ins. To investigate the potential effects of this practice, we translocated adult Shoal Bass from riverine habitats to a downstream impoundment and assessed their movements, homing abilities, and eventual fates. All fish rapidly evacuated the impoundment in favor of lotic habitats, and the majority of translocated fish returned upstream within about 3 weeks. Half of our translocated fish also displayed homing to within 1 river km of their original capture site. Our results demonstrate that fluvial-specialist Shoal Bass can survive translocation into impoundments, but the differential effects of translocation associated with fishing tournaments should also be considered in the manag...
Birth of the Sierra Nevada magmatic arc: Early Mesozoic plutonism and volcanism in the east-central Sierra Nevada of California

Granitic and volcanic rocks in the east-central Sierra Nevada, western United States, record the earliest stages of magmatism in the eastern Sierra Nevada magmatic arc, allowing us to examine magma sources and connections between plutonic and volcanic processes in the initial stages of arc construction. The Scheelite Intrusive Suite is one of the largest in the Sierra Nevada region, and is composed of the Wheeler Crest Granodiorite, granite of Lee Vining Canyon, and Pine Creek Granite. The Pb/U zircon ages from each unit of the suite suggest assembly between 226 and 218 Ma. The Scheelite Intrusive Suite is a high-K calcic or calc-alkalic suite, compositionally broadly similar to the nearby Late Cretaceous Tuolumne and John Muir Intrusive Suites, though plutons of the Scheelite Intrusive Suite are consistently Ca and Fe rich and lower in Na. Although Triassic granodiorites are isotopically quite similar to nearby Late Cretaceous intrusive suites, the trend toward more isotopically primitive granites is in contrast to the constant or more whole-rock radiogenic Sr trends observed in younger intrusive suites. Along the western margin of the Scheelite Intrusive Suite, the basal Mesozoic volcanic section in the Saddlebag Lake pendant includes silicic volcanic rocks that are in part coeval and potentially comagmatic with Triassic plutonic rocks. Widespread quartz-phyric ash-flow tuffs of Black Mountain, Saddlebag Lake, and Greenstone Lake yield Pb/U zircon ages of 232, 224, and 219 Ma, indicating that felsic ignimbrite volcanism commenced earlier and continued during emplacement of the 226–218 Ma Scheelite Intrusive Suite. Ash-flow tuffs are hydrothermally altered but have high field strength element abundances and Nd isotopic compositions, suggesting affinity to the relatively felsic parts of the Wheeler Crest Granodiorite and the granite of Lee Vining Canyon.
Root and shoot growth of soybean (Glycine max) as influenced by naturally available phosphorus nutrition with manure.

Effect of rock phosphate (RP) combined with cattle manure (CM) on plant growth of soybean was studied. As basal fertilizer application, RP at different levels (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 kg/ha) along with 10 tons/ha CM (T2-T6) were applied and also recommended chemical fertilizer (T1 as a control). The results revealed that seed-pod ratio ranged from 0.68 to 0.74 at the maturity stage (12 weeks) and the highest ratio (0.74) was reported in RP (50 kg/ha) with CM (T4) and lowest value (0.68) was observed when CM solely applied. Further, the plants grown in inorganic fertilizer had a high root-shoot ratio (1:17) while comparatively lower ratios (1:12 to 1:15) were noted in plants grown with RP (0-100 kg/ha) and CM. Application of CM alone or in combination with RP at the optimal level could improve root and shoot growth for better yield of the soybean with less environmental pollution.
Greening NAFTA: The Experience and Potential of the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation

The North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation (the NACEC or CEC) is an innovative international environmental institution in three important ways. It is the first international organization created to address the environmental aspects of economic integration. It is a regional environmental institution with powerful tools and almost unlimited jurisdiction. And it provides unprecedented opportunities for participation by civil society at the international level. In each of these respects, the Commission addresses critical international concerns. The effort to reconcile environmental protection and economic integration has become one of the flashpoints of international discourse; although rarely raised before 1990, since then environmental objections to trade and investment agreements have nearly prevented ratification of the North American Free Trade Agreement, contributed to the abandonment of talks aimed at a Multilateral Agreement on Investment, and helped lead to the 1999 Seattle riots that accompanied the failed effort to begin a new round of World Trade Organization negotiations. At the same time, the international community has become more aware of the interdependence of ecological systems and the need for international institutions to protect the environment. Despite the proliferation of environment policies effectively and the handful of regional environmental organizations are relatively powerless. With respect to economic integration and environmental protection, as well as many other areas of international cooperation, nations are struggling to respond to the demands of their citizens to participate in the development and implementation of international policies that affect them. The Commission is important because it provides creative answers to each of these issues. Its answers may or may not prove satisfactory but, either way, the lessons to be drawn from its experience should be of great value to all those trying to reconcile environmental protection and economic integration, to promote stronger regional and global environmental organizations, and to find ways for civil society to participate in international policy. The agreement creating the CEC has already been used as a model for bilateral agreements between Canada and Chile and between the United States and Jordan. Surprisingly, however, the Commission has received relatively little scholarly attention. Although political scientists and lawyers have described its relationship to NAFTA and have analyzed its submissions procedure, there are few comprehensive analyses of how it is fulfilling, or failing to fulfill, its mandates. This book is intended to fill that gap.
Amyloid ( Tace, Bace ) and Presenilin Proteases Associated with Alzheimer’s Disease

This overview emphasizes recent findings on proteolysis of amyloid precursor protein (APP) and presenilins (PS1/PS2). Interest in these components stems from their association with AD/FAD resulting in the overproduction of fibril forming amyloid peptides (Aβ). These accumulate in AD neuritic plaques and are thought to be etiological factors in neurodegeneration. Aβ is formed on shedding of an APP ectodomain followed by cleavage of cell-associated fragments by 'secretases', a term denoting enzymes for secretion of soluble metabolites. Until recently secretases were not available in purified form and data were descriptive and inferential. Recent isolation of Asp-proteases and metalloendoproteases provide new insights in mechanisms involved in APP turnover and a basis for synthesis of inhibitors or probes with therapeutic potential. Mutated presenilins differentially increase the secretion of C-terminally extended forms of Aβ (Aβx) indicating a shift in processing to account for altered composition of neuritic plaques in familial AD (FAD-PS) and in transgenic brains co-expressing FADPS/APPs. Cultured cells expressing FAD genes provide in vitro assays to monitor this genetic autosomal dominant gain-of-function. Converging on these themes are questions on the functional significance of PS itself since this component was discovered and then named only in the context of presenile pathologies. Clues for function arise from morphological similarities between phenotypes for Notch or PS knockouts, and from complementation assays using mutant flies or worms deficient in PS-homologs. These provide evidence for PS playing roles in Notch-signaling pathways including eye/wing maturation in Dps mutant Drosophila, or egg laying in sel-1/hop-1 deficient nematodes1-10, and form a basis to examine effects of PS in turnover of other proteins containing a single TM domain. An example considered here is Notch-receptor (Notch-r), a Type-1 protein having its C-terminus in the cytosol, that is processed following binding to ligands. Other examples include protein components of the unfolding protein response (UPR) signaling
Midgut Lactase of the Honeybee

SummaryLactase (β-galactosidase) was found in the midguts of normal adult worker honeybees and in those fed with lactose. Sephadex G-200 chromatograms of midguts of both groups showed two enzyme activity peaks, molecular weights of lactase being determined as 238 000 and 40 000, respectively. The midgut lactase activity was increased significantly by feeding the bees with lactose.
Detection of IgM Monoclonal Proteins in Serum Enhanced by Removal of IgG

A method is described for the removal of the majority of IgG from serum in order to permit the characterization of low levels of IgM monoclonal proteins. The method involves ion exchange chromatography using a commercially available kit developed for the analysis of IgM antibody titers. The procedure is rapid, easy to perform, and economical.
Pubcast and Genecast: Browsing and Exploring Publications and Associated Curated Content in Biology Through Mobile Devices

Services such as Facebook, Amazon, and eBay were once solely accessed from stationary computers. These web services are now being used increasingly on mobile devices. We acknowledge this new reality by providing users a way to access publications and a curated cancer mutation database on their mobile device with daily automated updates. Availability: http://hive.biochemistry.gwu.edu/tools/HivePubcast .
Impact of pore size on the sorption of uranyl under seawater conditions

The extraction of uranium from seawater has received significant interest recently, because of the possibility of a near-limitless supply of uranium to fuel the nuclear power industry. While sorbent development has focused primarily on polymeric sorbents, nanomaterials represent a new area that has the potential to surpass the current polymeric sorbents, because of the high surface areas that are possible. Mesoporous carbon materials are a stable, high-surface-area material capable of extracting various chemical species from a variety of environments. Herein, we report the use of a dual templating process to understand the effect of pore size on the adsorption of uranyl ions from a uranyl brine consisting of seawater-relevant sodium, chloride, and bicarbonate ions. It was found that pore size played a more significant role in the effective use of the grafted polymer, leading to higher uranium capacities than the surface area. Therefore, the pore size must be tailored to meet the demands of the extraction ...
Influence of pH on the Quantum-Size-Controlled Photoelectrochemical Etching of Epitaxial InGaN Quantum Dots

Illumination by a narrow-band laser has been shown to enable photoelectrochemical (PEC) etching of InGaN thin films into quantum dots with sizes controlled by the laser wavelength. Here, we investigate and elucidate the influence of solution pH on such quantum-size-controlled PEC etch process. We find that although a pH above 5 is often used for PEC etching of GaN-based materials, oxides (In2O3 and/or Ga2O3) form which interfere with quantum dot formation. At pH below 3, however, oxide-free QDs with self-terminated sizes can be successfully realized.
Analysis on Mumps Epidemic in Three Schools in Wuhou District,Chengdu

Objective To discuss the work about prevention and control of communicable diseases in the schools through the analysis of the mumps epidemic in three primary schools in Wuhou district,Chengdu.Method The mumps epidemic situation and the prevention and control measures in the 3 schools were retrospectively analysed.Result The secondary attack rate about the mumps in school A was higher than that in school B and school C(P0.01).There were secondary attack cases in three schools after taking the prevention and control measures.Conclusion Strengthening the timeliness of the epidemic situation report of communicable diseases and establishing the long-term prevention and control work system in the schools are the effective means for controlling communicable diseases in the schools.
Design of Pipe Distribution Systems for Sprinkler Projects

A project type sprinkler system comprises a central pressure-producing device and high pressure mains radiating to farm delivery locations. The minimum cost distribution system will deliver just enough water to meet peak demands with sprinklers operating almost continuously. An equation is developed to determine cost differential between this minimum capacity system and one using large pipe to allow part-time sprinkling. A method for economic sizing of pipe in a gravity system is developed and its use illustrated. An economic sizing method for pump discharge lines with lateral turnouts is also developed. Use of graduated size pumps is recommended to provide greatest flexibility in operation with a reasonable number of units. Fluctuation of operating pressures at farm delivery caused by changing demand during the irrigation season remains a problem in the use of these systems.
Some thoughts on the history of race and health in the United States of America.

L'auteur, dans cet article, effectue une recherche sur la notion de race et sa construction dans le contexte americain et reprend les resultats recents sur l'histoire de la race et de la sante en Amerique pour ebaucher des orientations futures possibles dans ces domaines de recherche precis.
A comparison of work-related physical activity levels between inpatient and outpatient physical therapists: an observational cohort trial

Physical therapists (PTs) work in a variety of healthcare settings with varied levels of physical activity demands placed on them. The purpose of this study is to compare the physical activity (PA) levels between PTs in inpatient versus outpatient environments for one work week using a cross-sectional design. Sixty-one PTs (30 inpatient, 31 outpatient) wore a tri-axial accelerometer and inclinometer for one work-week. The number steps-per-day, PA intensities, energy expenditures and postural positions adopted during the work day were recorded. Significantly longer amounts of time spent sitting was found for inpatient PTs regardless of the significantly higher number of steps-per-day. Outpatient PTs had a higher number of breaks from sedentary activity with those breaks being longer than the inpatient PTs. The percentage of time spent performing moderate-vigorous PA approached significance implying more time was spent performing these types of activities for outpatient PTs. The energy expenditures between the two groups of PTs were not different. This study compared the differences in physical activity levels between physical therapists who worked at inpatient versus outpatient environment as little is known about their activity levels. Inpatient physical therapists took more steps per day than outpatient physical therapists but the outpatient physical therapists were less sedentary and took more frequent and longer breaks from sedentary activities. The energy expenditures were similar between both types of therapists and this may be reflective of the gender and bodyweight differences between the groups that equalizes the energy expenditures. The findings of this study suggests that there are differences in the physical activity demands between inpatient and outpatient physical therapists. The results of this study may serve dual purposes: (1) employers may be able to more accurately describe the expected physical activity demands to future employees; (2) individuals tasked with preparing PTs to physically manage their work environment can outline training programs that are diverse based on the specific work environment of PTs.
Cluster-based 3D reconstruction of aerial video

Large-scale 3D scene reconstruction using Structure from Motion (SfM) continues to be very computationally challenging despite much active research in the area. We propose an efficient, scalable processing chain designed for cluster computing and suitable for use on aerial video. The sparse bundle adjustment step, which is iterative and difficult to parallelize, is accomplished by partitioning the input image set, generating independent point clouds in parallel, and then fusing the clouds and combining duplicate points. We compare this processing chain to a leading parallel SfM implementation, which exploits fine-grained parallelism in various matrix operations and is not designed to scale beyond a multi-core workstation with GPU. We show our cluster-based approach offers significant improvement in scalability and runtime while producing comparable point cloud density and more accurate point location estimates.
Electronic circuit model for evaluating S-kink distorted current-voltage curves

So-called S-kink current vs. voltage (J-V) curves have been reported for solar cells based on numerous different materials and architectures, including but not limited to devices based on organic materials, chalcogenides including CIGS and CdTe, and passivated c-Si heterojunction devices. Reports frequently attribute the behavior to the presence of non-ideal energy offsets at one or both contacts. We report a method for modeling S-Kink behavior through the use of a modified diode circuit design for which an anti-parallel diode pair, in series with the main p-n heterojunction diode, serves to limit the current flow at voltage bias values near V OC . The model provides a means to extract diode parameters from J-V plots exhibiting S-Kink behavior.