cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Troponin T Deletion 96 Related to Restrictive Cardiomyopathy Ablates the Effects of Cardiac Troponin I PKA Pseudo-Phosphorylation on Ca2+ Sensitivity of Force Development

The human cardiac TnT deletion 96 (HcTnT3-ΔE96) has been linked to Restrictive Cardiomyopathy and causes a dramatic increase in Ca2+ sensitivity of force development (J Biol Chem 283(4):2156-66). Here, we present further biochemical and functional studies to assess whether there are additional factors contributing to the severity of the phenotype. To determine whether the RCM mutation interferes with the cTnI-PKA phosphorylation signal, that decreases Ca2+ sensitivity of the myofilament upon β-adrenergic stimulation, we utilized a cTnI phosphorylation mimetic. The Ca2+ sensitivity of force development was evaluated in porcine cardiac skinned fibers using cTnT displacement (HcTnT3-WT or HcTnT3-ΔE96) followed by reconstitution with the binary complex containing pseudo-phosphorylated cTnI (where serines 23, 24 were replaced with aspartic acid - cTnISS/DD.cTnC) or the non-phosphorylatable control cTnI (where serines 23, 24 were mutated to alanine - cTnISS/AA.cTnC). Fibers displaced with HcTnT3-WT and reconstituted with cTnISS/DD.cTnC showed a decrease in the Ca2+ sensitivity compared to the control reconstituted with cTnISS/AA.cTnC. In contrast, fibers displaced with HcTnT3-ΔE96 and reconstituted with cTnISS/DD.cTnC or cTnISS/AA.cTnC showed similar Ca2+ sensitivities. These results indicate that the mutation may ablate the effects of cTnI PKA phosphorylation. Additionally, Circular dichroism (CD) studies using 0.5M NaF showed a decreased α-helical content of HCTnT3-ΔE96 compared to HCTnT3-WT. CD thermal denaturation measuring the α-helical content at 222 nm revealed that the mutant unfolded earlier and at a drastically reduced Tm compared to WT. Furthermore, Troponin complexes containing cTnC-IAANS labeled at both Cys 35 and 84 with HcTnT3-D96 did not show alterations in the apparent Ca2+ affinity of the cTnC low affinity site II compared to troponin complex containing HcTnT3-WT. Work supported by NIH HL-042325 (J.D.P.) and Postdoctoral Fellowship AHA 0825368E (J.R.P.).
Integration of transplanted hepatocytes into host liver plates demonstrated with dipeptidyl peptidase IV-deficient rats

Abstract To analyze mechanisms of liver repopulation, we transplanted normal hepatocytes into syngeneic rats deficient in dipeptidyl peptidase IV activity. When isolated hepatocytes were injected into splenic pulp, cells promptly migrated into hepatic sinusoids. To examine whether transplanted hepatocytes entered liver plates and integrated with host hepatocytes, we analyzed sharing of hepatocyte-specific gap junctions and bile canaliculi. Colocalization studies showed gap junctions uniting adjacent transplanted and host hepatocytes in liver plates. Visualization of bile canalicular domains in transplanted and host hepatocytes with dipeptidyl peptidase IV and ATPase activities, respectively, demonstrated hybrid bile canaliculi, which excreted a fluorescent conjugated bile acid analogue. These results indicate that transplanted hepatocytes swiftly overcome mechanical barriers in hepatic sinusoids to enter liver plates and join host cells. Integration into liver parenchyma should physiologically regulate the function or disposition of transplanted hepatocytes and benefit applications such as gene therapy.
STUDIES ON THE BIOLOGIC CHARACTERIZATION OF HUMAN GONADOTROPINS. V. COMPARISON WITH SHEEP LUTEINIZING HORMONE

ABSTRACT Seven assays were carried out for sheep luteinizing hormone (LH) by the method of simultaneous response of the ovary and uterus in the intact immature rat. The parameters of these assays were then compared with similar constants derived from assays for human pituitary gonadotropin (HPG) of urine. The shapes of the dose-response curves for LH were greatly different from those for HPG. The response to LH is biphasic, consisting of a small increment in growth of both ovary and uterus, followed by a plateau, after which another increment in ovarian and uterine growth occurs. The response to HPG of both ovary and uterus is a linear function of the log of the dose. LH also is loss effective than HPG in inducing estrogenic secretion in this assay system. It was concluded that HPG, although it possesses the biologic properties of LH in addition to its follicle-stimulating properties, is totally dissimilar to purified LH in this assay system.
Role of Subtemporal Decompression in Severe Closed Head Injury

There is general agreement that aggressive management and monitoring of the patient with closed head injury with control of intracranial pressure (ICP) will improve patient survival and eventual outcome. Conversely, there is little agreement on the value of surgical craniectomy for increasing intracranial volume and subsequently decreasing ICP in these same patients. This study examines 115 patients with severe closed head injuries (Glasgow Coma Score 8 or less) seen at the North Carolina Baptist Hospital between July 1, 1983, and April 1, 1987. All 115 patients were started on a regimen of head elevation, fluid restriction, chemoparalysis, and hyperventilation at PCO2 25-30 torr. Fifty-seven patients failed to respond to that therapy and were given mannitol. Twenty-seven of these still failed to respond; 24 were placed in a pentobarbital coma therapy group and 3 underwent subtemporal decompression. Of the 24 patients in pentobarbital coma, 17 failed to respond, 7 of whom underwent subtemporal decompression and 10 of whom were not operated on. Of all 10 patients undergoing subtemporal decompression, 7 (70%) responded with an average reduction in ICP of 34% (+/- 19.5% SD). Of the 10, 4 died (40%), in contrast with a mortality of 82.4% among patients in pentobarbital coma without subtemporal decompression. These data strongly suggest that subtemporal decompression can be beneficial in patients with medically intractable elevations of ICP.
Proteinase-activated receptor-2 activation induces uterine contractility in term pregnant rats that is not dependent on mast cell activation and cyclo-oxygenase products.

Abstract Objectives: This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of proteinase-activated receptor-2 (PAR-2) activation on the contractility of uterine tissues from term pregnant rats and the role of mast cells and prostaglandins in such an effect. Study Design: Uterine rings from pregnant (day 20-21) Sprague-Dawley rats were used for isometric tension recording in organ chamber experiments (Krebs solution, 5% carbon dioxide in air, 37°C, pH ~7.4). Responses to the PAR-2 activating peptide SLIGRL (serine-leucine-isoleucine-glycine-arginine-leucine), and to the inactive reverse peptide LRGILS (leucine-arginine-glycine-isoleucine-leucine-serine) were determined after pretreatments with compound 48/80, cromolyn, S[+]-chlorpheniramine maleate, cimetidine, combinations of histamine (H) receptor antagonists with cromolyn or ibuprofen and compared with vehicle. Results SLIGRL significantly augmented contractility of uterine tissues, and this response was not inhibited by compound 48/80, cromolyn, and ibuprofen, as well as by H 1 - and H 2 -receptor antagonists, alone or in combination with cromolyn. Conclusion: PAR-2 activation augments uterine contractility in tissues obtained from term pregnant rats, and this effect is independent of mast cell activation or cyclo-oxygenase pathway products. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2003;188:1498-1503.)
Chaotic motion of Europa and Ganymede and the Ganymede-Callisto dichotomy

Europa and Ganymede may have undergone an episode of chaotic motion before the establishment of the current Laplace resonance involving the three inner Galilean satellites. During this episode, the orbital eccentricities of both satellites may have increased dramatically. As a result, the mechanical stresses due to tidal deformation of the satellites' icy lithospheres may have been large enough to result in extensive fracturing, and tidal heating may have melted water ice in the mantles of both satellites, triggering the geological activity that has modified their surfaces since the heavy cratering period. The tidal effects on Ganymede during this episode provide an explanation of the dichotomy between it and Callisto, which have similar bulk properties but very different geological histories.
Selective detection of uranium by laser-induced fluorescence: a potential remote-sensing technique. 2: Experimental assessment of the remote sensing of uranyl geologic targets

An analysis is presented of a method to detect selectively uranyl ion fluorescence from geologic targets. Limitations to the sensitivity which are imposed by system parameters and noise sources are discussed. A ground-based laser system designed and constructed as part of this study is described, and data obtained with this system are presented. Finally the operating criteria of a conceptual airborne system for regional mapping of uranyl fluorescence anomalies are considered.
An improved approximation ratio for the minimum linear arrangement problem

We observe that combining the techniques of Arora, Rao, and Vazirani, with the rounding algorithm of Rao and Richa yields an O(√logn log logn)-approximation for the minimum-linear arrangement problem. This improves over the O(logn)-approximation of Rao and Richa.
ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR IN NON-ISOLATE-REARED RHESUS MONKEYS

The research reported here documents the existence of self-directed aggression in non-isolate-reared rhesus monkeys. Ss for this series of studies were reared with their mothers for most of the fir...
Influence of CuSO4 spectral filters, daminozide, and exogenous gibberellic acid on growth ofDendranthema Xgrandiflorum (Ramat.) Kitamura ‘bright golden anne’

The response of chrysanthemum plants to gibberellic acid (GA3) and daminozide, grown under 6% CuSO4 and water (control) spectral filters, was evaluated to determine the involvement of gibberellins in regulation of plant height under CuSO4 filters. The CuSO4 filter increased the red (R)/farred (FR), and blue (B)/R ratio (R=600–700 nm; FR =700–800 nm; B=400–500 nm) of transmitted light. PPF under 6% CuSO4 filter was reduced by about 34% compared to PPF under water filter which averaged about 750 μM·m−2·s−1. Control plants were shaded with Saran Wrap to ensure equal PPF as in the CuSO4 chamber. GA3 application increased plant height under both the control and CuSO4 filter, but the height increase under the CuSO4 filter was about 20% greater than that under the control filter. Daminozide treatment reduced plant height under the control and CuSO4 filter, but the height reduction in control plants was slightly greater than under the CuSO4 filter. The height reduction caused by daminozide was prevented by GA3 application in plants grown under the control or CuSO4 filter. The results suggest that GA3 may be partially involved in height reduction under CuSO4 filters.
Influence of metal ion sorption on colloidal surface forces measured by atomic force microscopy.

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is employed to directly measure colloidal surface forces between a silica particle and a smooth glass plate in an aqueous solution with or without the presence of copper ions. Without the presence of copper ions, results show that the force between these two surfaces is repulsive and that its magnitude decreases with increasing ionic strength and decreasing pH. The surface forces are calculated based on the Derjaguin−Landau−Verwey−Overbeek (DLVO) theory for constant surface charge and are then compared with AFM force measurements. A good agreement between theory and experimental data is reported except at very small separation distances (<3 nm) between the silica particle and the glass plate. This behavior may be attributed to non-DLVO forces, such as the hydration effect that results from the bounded water molecules on the surface of the silica particle, or to surface roughness. When copper ions are present in acidic aqueous solutions, the magnitude of the force is found to ...
Evidence supporting an altered immune response in ASD

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by deficits in social interactions, communication, and increased stereotypical repetitive behaviors. The immune system plays an important role in neurodevelopment, regulating neuronal proliferation, synapse formation and plasticity, as well as removing apoptotic neurons. Immune dysfunction in ASD has been repeatedly described by many research groups across the globe. Symptoms of immune dysfunction in ASD include neuroinflammation, presence of autoantibodies, increased T cell responses, and enhanced innate NK cell and monocyte immune responses. Moreover these responses are frequently associated with more impairment in core ASD features including impaired social interactions, repetitive behaviors and communication. In mouse models replacing immune components in animals that exhibit autistic relevant features leads to improvement in behavior in these animals. Taken together this research suggests that the immune dysfunction often seen in ASD directly affects aspects of neurodevelopment and neurological processes leading to changes in behavior. Discussion of immune abnormalities in ASD will be the focus of this review.
Effects of an Increase in the Federal Excise Tax on Cigarettes

The economic impact of a cigarette tax increase on the cigarette and tobacco industries depends on market forces and on the U.S. tobacco program. This study uses a log-linear equilibrium displacement model, parameter estimates from prior studies, and recent data to indicate quantitative effects. International trade implies that the effect of the tax increase on the price of domestic tobacco will be small, even in the case of fixed tobacco quotas. However, the effects on tobacco producers' revenue, quota lease rates, and producer economic rents can be significant, depending on the response of U.S. tobacco policy to a tax change.
A joint modeling approach to data with informative cluster size: Robustness to the cluster size model

In many biomedical and epidemiological studies, data are often clustered due to longitudinal follow up or repeated sampling. While in some clustered data the cluster size is pre-determined, in others it may be correlated to the outcome of subunits, resulting in informative cluster size. When the cluster size is informative, standard statistical procedures that ignore cluster size may produce biased estimates. One attractive framework for modeling data with informative cluster size is the joint modeling approach in which a common set of random effects are shared by both the outcome and cluster size models. In addition to making distributional assumptions on the shared random effects, the joint modeling approach needs to specify the cluster size model. Questions arise as to whether the joint modeling approach is robust to misspecification of the cluster size model. In this paper, we studied both asymptotic and finite-sample characteristics of the maximum likelihood estimators in joint models when the cluster size model is misspecified. We found that using an incorrect distribution for the cluster size may induce small to moderate biases, while using a misspecified functional form for the shared random parameter in the cluster size model results in nearly unbiased estimation of outcome model parameters. We also found that there is little efficiency loss under this model misspecification. A developmental toxicity study was used to motivate the research and to demonstrate the findings.
Effectiveness of a multicomponent self-management program in at-risk, school-aged children with asthma

Background Improving asthma knowledge and self-management is a common focus of asthma educational programs, but most programs have had little influence on morbidity outcomes. We developed a novel multiple-component intervention that included the use of an asthma education video game intended to promote adoption of asthma self-management behaviors and appropriate asthma care. Objective To determine the effectiveness of an asthma education video game in reducing morbidity among highrisk, school-aged children with asthma. Methods We enrolled 119 children aged 5 to 12 years from low-income, urban areas in and around San Francisco, CA, and San Jose, CA. Children with moderate-to-severe asthma and parental reports of significant asthma health care utilization were randomized to participate in the disease management intervention or to receive their usual care (control group). Patients were evaluated for clinical and quality-of-life outcomes at weeks 8, 32, and 52 of the study. Results Compared with controls, the intervention group had significant improvements in the physical domain ( P = .04 and P = .01 at 32 and 52 weeks, respectively) and social activity domain ( P = .02 and P = .05 at 32 and 52 weeks, respectively) of asthma quality of life on the Child Health Survey for Asthma and child ( P = .02 at 8 weeks) and parent ( P = .04 and .004 at 32 and 52 weeks, respectively) asthma self-management knowledge. There were no significant differences between groups on clinical outcome variables. Conclusions A multicomponent educational, behavioral, and medical intervention targeted at highrisk, innercity children with asthma can improve asthma knowledge and quality of life.
Examiner Errors on the Wechsler Scales

Numerous studies have indicated that graduate students and professionals alike make errors on Wechsler intelligence test protocols, which decreases the reliability and, thus, the validity of obtained test scores. This paper analyzed literature on Wechsler protocol scoring errors and proposed several hypotheses for consistent findings of examiner errors. Poor instructional preparation of students and ambiguity of scoring criteria in test manuals were cited as two probable explanations. Carelessness on the examiner's part as evidenced by incorrect mathematical calculations and incorrect scores on more objective subtests (such as Coding and Digit Span) was mentioned as another probable hypothesis. The examiner-examinee relationship and job-related factors (such as stress and excessive caseloads) also may be contributing factors. Empirical research is needed to determine more clearly the degree to which these hypotheses explain examiner difficulties in Wechsler test scoring.
Confirmation and denial as plausible modes of fuzzy inference

Abstract The two plausible modes of inference, confirmation and denial, which are invalid in classical logic become legitimate in fuzzy logic where rules may be partially true. These modes can provide valid and useful information in the context of expert reasoning. It is shown that for the class of strong implication functions, confirmation and denial functions may be generated which always provide a lower bound on the truth of an assertion.
Political Consultants, Campaign Professionalization, and Media Attention

Political consulting is not a wholly new enterprise. Advisers have provided services informally to politicians for centuries. In recent years, however, political consulting has become increasingly formalized. Sabato (1981) offers an operational definition of contemporary political consultants: a campaign professional who is engaged primarily in the provision of advice and services (such as polling, media creation and production, direct mail fundraising) to candidates, their campaigns, and other political committees. Fueled primarily by developments in the United States, the political consulting industry experienced tremendous growth in the 20th century since the establishment of the first modern political consulting firm in 1934 (Friedenberg 1997; Baumgartner 2000; Thurber and Nelson 2000; Lathrop 2003; Plasser and Plasser 2002). Presidential candidates have sought the expertise of political marketing professionals consistently since Alfred Landon's 1936 campaign (Baumgartner 2000). Since 1969, when Joseph Napolitan (who had worked on Hubert Humphrey's campaign in 1968) founded the American Association of Political Consultants with 25 members, the organization has grown substantially, currently boasting over 4,000 members. (Baumgartner [2000] estimates the number of political consultants across the United States to exceed 35,000.) This proliferation of political consultants instigated the formation of an industry that has become increasingly specialized and professionalized (Thurber 1998; Baumgartner 2000).
Intraoral self injection: II. The simulation of self-stimulation phenomena with a conventional reward

The behavior of animals self-injecting themselves with a highly appetitive solution was strikingly similar to behavior of animals responding for ESB. Fast extinction, priming, and extinction without responding were demonstrated. ESB data was best simulated by intraoral self-injection animals on an ad lib food schedule whose behavior was maintained by the incentive quality of the food reward.
e-Browsing: Serendipity and questions of access and discovery

Browsing is an essential component to discovery. Understanding the foundations of browsing patterns and preferences is crucial in developing effective e-browsing environments. It’s important to understand how researchers in diverse disciplines have described their discoveries in terms of browsing, searching, and serendipitous encounters. Examining the works of scientists, social scientists, and humanists through the lens of discovery will reveal essential components to be aware of in developing e-browsing environments. In turning to a wide range of sources, often outside traditional library literature, we deepen our understanding of what it means to browse in an electronic environment. As librarians, we have an obligation to create physical and virtual spaces that cultivate wonder and curiosity and acknowledge varied paths to discovery. Electronic browsing options must become more robust if libraries are to be vital to scholarly communication. In this presentation we focus on the language and experience of browsing, with particular attention to serendipitous discovery, in order to encourage librarians, particularly those in public service, to more effectively articulate concerns and opportunities to developers.
A survey of current tasks and future trends in Access Services

This article presents the results of a web-based survey that examined current tasks performed within Access Services departments in academic libraries and explored future trends in the area. Thirty-four core tasks that rated more than sixty percent on the survey were identified as being common to most Access Services departments. Future trends were examined in terms of staffing within Access Services, use statistics, automation, and services offered.
Anticipating the needs of the U.S. aged in the 21st century: dilemmas in epidemiology, gerontology, and public policy.

Reductions in the prevalence of chronic disease, functional dependence, and associated social problems among aged Americans have been predicted on the basis of improving environmental and social conditions, more effective public health measures, and advances in medical care. Public policy makers have found such predictions attractive since improved health status in old age could significantly offset the increase in health care resources which would otherwise be required to meet the needs of the country's growing number of elderly. This paper reviews the epidemiologic model underlying such predictions. Key assumptions of the model are evaluated by examining the health and social well-being of elderly residing in a socioeconomically advantaged community with an age structure similar to that projected for the United States in the 21st century. Despite their long-standing advantages in education, employment, income, housing, health care, and community services, these elderly experienced age adjusted rates of health and social problems comparable to those found in nationwide samples of elderly. No evidence of a compression of health problems into the final years of life could be found. Considerable diversity in problem constellations suggested a need for sophisticated packages of health and support services. These findings suggest that any significant improvements in the health status of the aged due to general improvements in living conditions or health behavior are unlikely to emerge before the proportion of aged Americans doubles in the first quarter of the 21st century. If this is so, public policy in the U.S. must be directed to expanding and improving health and social services for the elderly in the foreseeable future. Attempts to hold expenditures on the aged constant, or to reduce such expenditures, would seriously compromise the health of the nation's elderly.
Vacancy diffusion and stress relaxation in 4He freezing in porous Vycor

We report results of ultrasonic-attenuation and -velocity measurements during freezing of $^{4}\mathrm{He}$ in porous Vycor glass. When solid helium is present, we observe attenuation peaks whose frequency and temperature dependences are characteristic of a thermally activated relaxation process. We identify the responsible mechanism as being the relaxation of ultrasonic stresses in the solid helium via vacancy diffusion. Since the pores of Vycor are very small (\ensuremath{\sim}${10}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}6}$ cm), the relaxation time \ensuremath{\tau} can be very short. For a sound wave with angular frequency \ensuremath{\omega}, the resulting attenuation is largest at the temperature where \ensuremath{\omega}\ensuremath{\tau}=1. The activation energy for diffusion and the diffusion rates extracted from our measurements are consistent with those determined in other experiments on solid helium. In interpreting other freezing experiments in Vycor, it is important to consider mass transport due to this vacancy-diffusion mechanism, since it can allow pressure equilibrium to be maintained between the helium in the pores and bulk helium outside.
Encapsulation in Nanoparticles Improves Anti-cancer Efficacy of Carboplatin

Poor cellular uptake contributes to high dose requirement and limited therapeutic efficacy of the platinum-based anticancer drug carboplatin. Delivery systems that can improve the cellular accumulation of carboplatin will, therefore, likely improve its therapeutic potential. The objective of this study was to evaluate nanoparticles composed of the biodegradable polymer, poly(d, l-lactide-co-glycolide), for carboplatin delivery to tumor cells. Carboplatin-loaded nanoparticles were formulated by double emulsion-solvent evaporation technique. Nanoparticles demonstrated sustained release of carboplatin over 7 days. Cellular uptake of carboplatin encapsulated in nanoparticles was several fold higher than that with free carboplatin in A549 (lung) and MA148 (ovarian) tumor cells. In vitro cytotoxicity studies showed that encapsulation of carboplatin in nanoparticles resulted in a remarkable reduction in the IC50 of carboplatin in several cell lines (up to 280-fold in some cells). Confocal microscopic analysis revealed the presence of carboplatin nanoparticles in several cellular compartments including lysosomes, cytoplasm, and the nucleus. These results demonstrate an enhanced cellular uptake of carboplatin through encapsulation in PLGA nanoparticles and suggest that improved therapeutic efficacy and reduced toxicity may be achieved with this approach.
Common English/Spanish Terminology Use in Radiology

Abstract The Latino population, already the nation's largest minority group, will triple in size and will account for most of the nation's population growth from 2005 through 2050. Language barriers can impede access to health care, lower the quality of care, and result in dissatisfaction with care. Language fluency varies among Hispanic subgroups, cultural beliefs, limited English proficiency (LEP), and limited health literacy may lead to miscommunication. Being able to communicate with patients and family members not only expedites radiologic procedures but also reduces anxiety about the test and the risk of a problem occurring pre-, intra-, or postprocedure. Recommendations on how to communicate with Spanish-speaking patients are discussed. A medical interpreter is an essential component of effective communication between the limited English proficient patient and the health care provider. Language and culture are vital factors in how health care services are delivered and received, it is important that health care organizations and their staff understand and respond with sensitivity to the needs and preferences that culturally and linguistically diverse patients bring to the health encounter. Given the growing proportion of United States' residents with LEP, health care settings need to better prepare to address potential language barriers.
Biosensor technology: recent advances in threat agent detection and medicine

Biosensors are of great significance because of their capability to resolve a potentially large number of analytical problems and challenges in very diverse areas such as defense, homeland security, agriculture and food safety, environmental monitoring, medicine, pharmacology, industry, etc. The expanding role of biosensing in society and a real-world environment has led to an exponential growth of the RD significant problems with environmental monitoring; and of course serious challenges in security and military applications and agriculture/food safety. A review paper in the biosensor technology area may be structured based on (i) the principles of detection, such as the type of transducer platform, bioanalytical principles (affinity or kinetic), and biorecognition elements origin/properties (i.e. antibodies, enzymes, cells, aptamers, etc.), and (ii) the application area. This review follows the latter strategy and focuses on the applications. This allows discussion on how different sensing strategies are brought to bear on the same problem and highlights advantages/disadvantages of these sensing strategies. Given the broad range of biosensor related applications, several particularly relevant areas of application were selected for review: biological threat agents, chemical threat agents, and medicine.
Dissociation of tubulin assembly-inhibiting and aggregation-promoting activities by a vinblastine derivative

A fluorescent vinblastine analogue, vinblastine-4′-anthranilate (Antvin), that binds to the vinca site on tubulin, inhibits tubulin assembly but does not lead to spiral or other large aggregate formation at concentrations up to 1.6 mM. As judged by turbidity, 90° light scattering and fluorescence anisotropy, little aggregation could be detected. This is in marked contrast to vinblastine and suggests that inhibition of assembly and aggregate formation can be dissociated from each other by suitable substitution in vinblastine.
Nickel-cysteine binding supported by phosphine chelates.

The effect of chelating phosphines was tested on the structure and pH-dependent stability of nickel−cysteine binding. (1,2-Bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane (dppe) and 1,1,1-tris[(diphenylphosphino)methyl]ethane (triphos) were used with three different cysteine derivatives (l-cysteine, Cys; l-cysteine ethyl ester, CysEt; cystamine, CysAm) to prepare complexes of the form (dppe)NiCysRn+ and (triphos)NiCysRn+ (n = 0 for Cys; n = 1 for CysEt and CysAm). Similar 31P {1H} NMR spectra for all (dppe)NiCysRn+ confirmed their square-planar P2NiSN coordination spheres. The structure of [(dppe)NiCysAm]PF6 was also confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods. The (triphos)NiCysAm+ and (triphos)NiCysEt+ complexes were fluxional at room temperature by 31P NMR. Upon cooling to −80 °C, all gave spectra consistent with a P2NiSN coordination sphere with the third phosphorus uncoordinated. Temperature-dependent 31P NMR spectra showed that a trans P−Ni−S π interaction controlled the scrambling of the coordinated triphos...
Optical generation of narrow-line RF by injection locking of modulated DFB lasers

A pair of commercial DFB lasers has been phase locked using electro-optic modulation and injection seeding. By mixing the locked lasers' outputs on a photodetector, we have generated RF from 5 to 50 GHz, with a measured linewidth below 2 Hz.
The reaction kinetics of electrodes on zirconia in H2/H2O gases☆

Abstract An electrochemical study has been carried out at 1000°C in different H2/H2O environments using single contact electrodes. Several electronically conducting materials were tested both anodically and cathodically. The currents observed over a wide range of potential depended on the concentration and ratio of hydrogen and water, the stability of the metal and the oxidation and reduction of its oxides, the evolution of oxygen and injection of electrons into the electrolyte at the most negative potentials. Specific currents (current per unit length of three-phase contact) were measured for each of the materials tested at fixed water partial pressures and −1200 mV vs air. The specific currents decreased in the order Fe > Co > Ni > Mo > La(Al, Mg)CrO3 demonstrating the electrocatalysis of electrode surface.
Antitumor-promoting activity of oligomeric proanthocyanidins in mouse epidermis in-vivo.

The Oavanoid calechin aIMi ~enous samples of oligomeric proanthocyanidins extracted from various sources were compared for their ability to inhibit the biochemical and biological effects of l2-0-tetra- decanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) in mouse epidermis in vivo. Topical applications of catechin fail to alter the hYdroperoxide response to TPA but inhibit the induction of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and, to a lesser degree, die stimulation of RNA. protein. and DNA synthesis caused by this tumor promoter. Under similar conditions. condensed tannins (CTs) from guamuchil. loblolly pine. and southern red oak barks inhibit to various degrees all these biochemical markers of TP A promotion. The most effective antioxidant, k>blolly pW bark. CT, also inhibits TP A-induced ODC activity and rnKromolecuie syndK:Sis to a much greater degree than catechin or die other CTs tested. Pecan nut pith CT, however, has no inhibitory activity in this system. Pretreatments with 4 and 12 mg of loblolly pine bark CT remarkably inhibit the incidence and yield of sun tumors promoted by TPA in initiated mice, whereas similar doses of catechin are ineffective. Loblolly pine bark CT inhibits the 2nd rather than die 1st stage of tumor promotion. In contrast to dleir monomer units. therefore, some naturally occurring polyflavanoids have antioxidant activities and may be valuable against tumor propagation but their efficacy may vary considerably depending on their origin aIMi structure.
High-energy diffraction dissociation of KL0 into exclusive final states.

We have observed diffraction dissociation of K/sub L//sup 0/ mesons with a carbon target into the exclusive final states K/sub S//sup 0/..pi../sup +/..pi../sup -/, K/sub S//sup 0/..omega.., and K/sub S//sup 0/phi. The diffraction production cross section for these states is not strongly dependent on the incident energy, varying at most by 30% between 75 and 150 GeV. The mass distributions do not change appreciably as a function of laboratory energy. The ratio of the diffractive mass-threshold production of K/sup *//sup +- /..pi../sup minus-or-plus/, K/sub S//sup 0/rho, K/sub S//sup 0/..omega.., and K/sub S//sup 0/phi is compared with previously obtained lower-energy data.
Photoperiod and temperature as inducers of gamogenesis in a dicyclic population of Scapholeberis armata Herrick (Crustacea: Cladocera: Daphniidae)

The induction of gamogenesis in a dicyclic population of Scapholeberis armata from a small pond at 40° N in Pennsylvania, USA, was studied. Animals were collected at the time of gamogenesis in mid-October (fall) 1988 and early June (spring) 1989). 10 clones were established from isolated females for each season and maintained at low density under standard conditions of 20 °C and 13.5L/10.5D, with Chlamydomonas reinhardtii diluted with pond water to 3 ∙105 cells ml −1 as a food source. For each clone, mothers of pairs of test animals were acclimated to 4 sets of conditions: 20 °C/15.5L (spring), 15 °C/11.5L (fall), 20 °C/11.5L (control), and 15 °C/15.5L. Test animals were observed bidaily or daily for up to 37 days. Occurrence of molts and of parthenogenetic broods or ephippia was recorded. At short photoperiod, ephippial females developed, usually after one or more parthenogenetic broods, among both spring and fall animals. The response was stronger (higher % sexual females) among fall clones, and was enhanced in both groups by 15 °C water. No animals responded to long photoperiod in warm or cool water. It is likely that additional factors, such as prior photoinduction, rapid depletion of food supply, and increased inter-animal contact due to high population density are required for the induction of spring gamogenesis. Differences in the responsiveness of spring and fall clones to inducing conditions suggest some differences in genotypes of spring and fall subpopulations in this pond. It is proposed that variable responses among genotypes to factors inducing gamogenesis may be the basis for the differences and clines in the timing of gamogenesis found among ecologically and latitudinally separated populations.
The Problem of Metaphor: Tropic Logic in Cattle-Killing Prophecies and their Afterlives

‘Cattle are the race, they being dead the race dies’: this is how the Bomvana chief Moni warned the Xhosa king Sarhili against killing his cattle amidst prophecies promising that killing cattle wou...
Intrinsic Regression Models for Medial Representation of Subcortical Structures

The aim of this article is to develop a semiparametric model to describe the variability of the medial representation of subcortical structures, which belongs to a Riemannian manifold, and establish its association with covariates of interest, such as diagnostic status, age, and gender. We develop a two-stage estimation procedure to calculate the parameter estimates. The first stage is to calculate an intrinsic least squares estimator of the parameter vector using the annealing evolutionary stochastic approximation Monte Carlo algorithm, and then the second stage is to construct a set of estimating equations to obtain a more efficient estimate with the intrinsic least squares estimate as the starting point. We use Wald statistics to test linear hypotheses of unknown parameters and establish their limiting distributions. Simulation studies are used to evaluate the accuracy of our parameter estimates and the finite sample performance of the Wald statistics. We apply our methods to the detection of the diffe...
Energetics of interplanar binding in graphite

Results of an ab initio density-functional study of interlayer binding in graphite are presented. We obtain good agreement with experimental results for the equilibrium c-axis lattice parameter, exfoliation energy, and uniaxial compressibility for this highly anisotropic material. We also present the calculated band structure of graphite
REDUCTION OF UNCERTAINTY

ABSTRACT The principle of uncertainty reduction is examined in stages across and within areas. In particular, it is applied to a consideration of the selection of well-fitting ideas and the preservation of ill-fitting ideas. An orderly process for evaluating ideas is perceived as compatible with emotional, empirical, and logical stages. It functions as an approach strategy and selects well-fitting ideas. A comparatively disorderly process for evaluating ideas is perceived as a breakdown in the flow from stage to stage. This appears as a relatively exclusive reliance on either emotional or logical criteria. It functions as an avoidance strategy and preserves ill-fitting ideas.
The Emotional Impact of Ambivalent Sexism: Forecasts Versus Real Experiences

Research on affective forecasting indicates that people regularly mispredict the emotional impact of negative events. We extended this work by demonstrating several forecasting errors regarding women’s affective reactions to ambivalent sexism. In response to a survey about sexism against women, students at a university in the Central U.S. (N = 188) overestimated the negative impact of hostile sexism, and underestimated the negative impact of benevolent sexism, relative to women’s reports of their actual experiences. Moreover, people mispredicted both the intensity of women’s initial affective reactions to, and the duration of women’s recovery following, ambivalent sexism. The data supported a model in which inaccurate estimates of initial intensity fully accounted for people’s inaccurate estimates of recovery duration following ambivalent sexism.
Overview of novel integrated optical ring resonator bio/chemical sensors

In parallel to a stand-alone microsphere resonator and a planar ring resonator on a wafer, the liquid core optical ring resonator (LCORR) is regarded as the third type of ring resonator that integrates microfluidics with state-of-the-art photonics. The LCORR employs a micro-sized glass capillary with a wall thickness of a few microns. The circular cross section of the capillary forms a ring resonator that supports the whispering gallery modes (WGMs), which has the evanescent field in the core, allowing for repetitive interaction with the analytes carried inside the capillary. Despite the small physical size of the LCORR and sub-nanoliter sensing volume, the effective interaction length can exceed 10 cm due to high Q-factor (106), significantly improving the LCORR detection limit. The LCORR is a versatile system that exhibits excellent fluid handling capability inherent to capillaries and permits non-invasive and quantitative measurement at any location along the capillary. Furthermore, the LCORR uses the refractive index change as a transduction signal, which enables label-free detection. Therefore, the LCORR is a promising technology platform for future sensitive, miniaturized, lab-on-a-chip type sensors. In this paper, we will introduce the concept of the LCORR and present the theoretical analysis and the experimental results related to the LCORR sensor development.
Modular behaviors in heterogeneous groups of mobile robots

We provide an overview of the software components underlying four different tasks performed by a heterogeneous group of mobile robots. These tasks are drawn from three domains 1. Robot Competitions (Robot Soccer and Find Life on Mars), 2. Security and Surveillance (Perimeter Protection) and 3. Building Environmental Models (Multi-Robot Navigation and Mapping). Once decomposed as a set of cooperating behaviors, we show how these (seemingly unrelated) tasks lead to similar solutions as far as their modular breakdown is concerned, thereby yielding high reusability. Although our collection of robot platforms is notably diverse in terms of mechanics, sensory and computational capabilities, cross-platform migration and extension of existing behavior assemblages require minimal programming effort.
Moral Motives and Policy Actions: The Case of Dag Hammarskjöld at the United Nations

What role do religious and ethical values play in governance? Do personal value systems influence leadership agendas and managerial styles? With many leaders publicly professing a religious orientation and drawing on it in decision-making, these questions take on growing relevance.
Distributed Random Projection Algorithm for Convex Optimization

Random projection algorithm is of interest for constrained optimization when the constraint set is not known in advance or the projection operation on the whole constraint set is computationally prohibitive. This paper presents a distributed random projection algorithm for constrained convex optimization problems that can be used by multiple agents connected over a time-varying network, where each agent has its own objective function and its own constrained set. We prove that the iterates of all agents converge to the same point in the optimal set almost surely. Experiments on distributed support vector machines demonstrate good performance of the algorithm.
The analysis of performance in one single and dual channels

Suppliers routinely decide whether to distribute their products through one single channel or dual channels. Conventional wisdom says that dual distribution channels outperform one single channel based on the whole supply chain’s performance in the capacity and the supplier’s profit. However, this paper finds that the channel structure in the distribution plays an important role in these performances. The results show that at least one of the dual channels should be centralised in order to outperform the single centralised channel and two decentralised channels always do better than one single decentralised channel.
Decision Tree Ensemble: Small Heterogeneous Is Better Than Large Homogeneous

Using decision trees that split on randomly selected attributes is one way to increase the diversity within an ensemble of decision trees. Another approach increases diversity by combining multiple tree algorithms. The random forest approach has become popular because it is simple and yields good results with common datasets. We present a technique that combines heterogeneous tree algorithms and contrast it with homogeneous forest algorithms. Our results indicate that random forests do poorly when faced with irrelevant attributes, while our heterogeneous technique handles them robustly. Further, we show that large ensembles of random trees are more susceptible to diminishing returns than our technique. We are able to obtain better results across a large number of common datasets with a significantly smaller ensemble.
Analysis of space-time tradeoffs in photonic switching networks

A photonic switching network may be dilated in either space or time to establish crosstalk-free connections. Space-time tradeoffs are evaluated using an analytical model based on Markov process. The probability that a new connection can be established without crosstalk is calculated by taking into consideration the traffic correlations between stages. The model is applicable to both Banyan and dilated Banyan networks under either switch or stage control. Our results imply that space-time tradeoffs are improved by using Banyans instead of dilated Banyans. If hardware cost is not a concern, a multi-plane Banyan network, which is more effective than a dilated Banyan, may be used.
Lung Dosimetry: Pulmonary Clearance of Inhaled Particles

In lung dosimetry of inhaled particulate compounds one has to consider both deposition and clearance kinetics throughout the respiratory tract. The deposition is governed essentially by particle size, ventilatory parameters, as well as airway characteristics, whereas the clearance of particulate compounds, once deposited, is dependent on physicochemical characteristics of the compound. Predictive models of particle deposition for specific regions in the lung or specific airway generations can be applied to estimate regional and local doses of an inhaled compound. The main clearance mechanism for insoluble particles deposited in the conducting airways is via the mucociliary escalator. Soluble particles are cleared mainly by diffusional and pinocytotic processes from this region, depending on their lipo- or hydrophilicity. The main clearance mechanism for insoluble particles in the alveolar region is based on the function of the alveolar macrophages that effectively phagocytize deposited particles and trans...
Evaluating the Surgeon's Assistant: results of a pilot study

The author reports on an empirical evaluation of decomposition slicing as a maintenance method as implemented in the Surgeon's Assistant. The improvement-oriented software maintenance model presented by H. D. Rombach and B.T. Ulery (1988) is used as the foundation. A reprise of software process modeling, a short introduction to software maintenance process modeling, and the definition of the evaluation model are presented. Decomposition slicing induces changes in the standard maintenance model; the evaluation attempts to measure the effectiveness of the induced model as compared with the standard one. The evaluation is a pilot study. A preliminary comparison is made using certain defined metrics. This yields some insights into the strengths and weaknesses of the tool and its applicability in certain scenarios. >