cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Influence of formulation parameters on gadolinium entrapment and tumor cell uptake using folate-coated nanoparticles.

Abstract Emulsifying wax and polyoxyl 2 stearyl ether (Brij 72) nanoparticles (2 mg/ml) containing high concentrations of gadolinium hexanedione (GdH) (0–3 mg) have been engineered from oil-in-water microemulsion templates. Solid nanoparticles were cured by cooling warm microemulsion templates (prepared at 55 °C) to room temperature in one vessel. Nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). To obtain folate-coated nanoparticles, a folate ligand was added to either the microemulsion templates or nanoparticle suspensions at 25 °C. Since the concentration of Gd in the tumor is critical to the success of Gd-neutron capture therapy (NCT), the effects of various formulation factors on GdH entrapment in nanoparticles as well as tumor-targeting were studied. GdH entrapment in nanoparticles was affected mostly by the method of GdH incorporation and surfactant concentration used in preparing the microemulsion templates. Cell uptake studies were carried out in KB cells (human nasopharyngeal epidermal carcinoma cell line). The method of adding folate ligand to the formulations did not significantly affect nanoparticle cell uptake ( P >0.11; t -test). However, the concentration of folate ligand added to nanoparticles had the greatest influence on nanoparticle uptake ( P t -test). The results showed that GdH entrapment and cell uptake were optimized and suggested that engineered folate-coated nanoparticles may serve as effective carrier systems for Gd-NCT of tumors.
Generation and characterization of Sca2 (ataxin-2) knockout mice

Abstract Ataxin-2, the gene product of the Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 2 (SCA2) gene, is a protein of unknown function with abundant expression in embryonic and adult tissues. Its interaction with A2BP1/Fox-1, a protein with an RNA recognition motif, suggests involvement of ataxin-2 in mRNA translation or transport. To study the effects of in vivo ataxin-2 function, we generated an ataxin-2 deficient mouse strain. Ataxin-2 deficient mice were viable. Genotypic analysis of litters from mating of heterozygous mice showed segregation distortion with a significant reduction in the birth of Sca−/− females. Detailed macroscopic and microscopic analysis of surviving nullizygous Sca2 knockout mice showed no major histological abnormalities. On a fat-enriched diet, ataxin-2 deficient animals had increased weight gain. Our results demonstrate that ataxin-2, although widely expressed, is not essential in development or during adult survival in the mouse, but leads to adult-onset obesity.
Graph theoretic approach to segmentation of MR images

A novel graph theoretic approach to image segmentation is presented, and its application to tissue segmentation in MR images of the human brain is demonstrated. An undirected adjacency graph G is used to represent the image with each vertex of G corresponding to a homogeneous component of the image. Each component may be a single pixel or a connected region which, under a suitable criterion, is homogeneous. All pairs of nodes corresponding to spatially connected pixels or regions in the image are linked by arcs in G. A flow capacity, assigned to each arc, is chosen to reflect the probability that the pair of linked vertices belong to the same region or tissue type. The segmentation is achieved through clustering vertices in G by removing arcs of G to form mutually exclusive subgraphs. The subgraphs formed by the clustering algorithm are optimal in the sense that the largest inter-subgraph maximum flow is minimized. Each of the resulting subgraphs then represents a homogeneous region of the image. Using a suitable choice of the arc capacity function, this approach can be used to segment the image either by searching for statistically homogeneous regions (texture segmentation) or by searching for closed region boundaries (edge detection). A direct implementation of the new segmentation algorithm requires the construction of a flow equivalent spanning tree for G. As the size of the graph G increases, constructing an equivalent tree becomes very inefficient. In order to overcome this problem, an algorithm for hierarchically constructing and partitioning a partially equivalent tree of much reduced size has been developed. This hierarchical algorithm results in an optimal solution equivalent to that obtained by partitioning the complete equivalent tree of G.
Effects of a prison facility on the regional economy

Abstract Changes in economic and social well-being in three Alabama countries, immediately subsequent to the opening of large state prison facilities in those countries, are examined. Case study comparisons of prison and control (no prison) counties, using variables of population growth, total employment, per capita income, retail sales, property value, farm acreage and value, school enrollment, and crime rates and juvenile court cases, find some mixed indicators of a prison's effect on the local economy, but the majority of variables showed no negative effects, and positive improvement was found in some cases.
Epigenetics in systemic lupus erythematosus: leading the way for specific therapeutic agents

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disorder of an unclearly determined etiology. Past studies, both epidemiological and biological, have implicated epigenetic influences in disease etiology and pathogenesis. Epigenetics describes changes in gene expression not linked to alterations in the underlying genomic sequence, and is most often typified by three modifications: methylation of DNA, addition of various side chains to histone groups and transcriptional regulation via short ncRNA sequences. The purpose of this article is to review the most important advances that link epigenetic changes to lupus. The contribution of DNA methylation changes to lupus pathogenesis is discussed. These include the role of apoptotic DNA, ultraviolet radiation, endogenous retroviruses, dietary contributions and aging. Hypomethylation of specific genes overexpressed in lupus T cells such as ITGAL (CD11a), CD40LG (CD40L), TNFSF7 (CD70), KIR2DL4 and PRF1 (perforin), and CD5 in lupus B cells seem to play an important role. Moreover, histone modifications such as increased global H4 acetylation in monocytes are highly associated with SLE. NcRNAs, especially miR-21, miR-148a and miR-126, control other elements of epigenetic regulation; particularly, transcription of the maintenance DNA methylation enzyme DNMT1. Epigenetic contributions to SLE etiology have been well established, but much is still unknown. Epigenome-wide studies coupled with functional analysis of the epigenomic changes discovered will uncover novel pathways important in disease pathogenesis. Epigenetic therapies for SLE may be feasible in the future, particularly if they are designed to target specific regions within the genome.
New species and records of Tachiona Sharp (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae) with a revised key to known species

Four new species of Tachiona are described: T. costaricensis (type locality 8 km S Orosi, Cartago Prov., Costa Rica), T. elegans (type locality 15.4 km NW Filo de Caballo, Guerrero, Mexico) T. mexicanus Ashe (type locality 23.1 km E Vicente Guerrero [Santa Maria del Monte, V.G.], Puebla, Mexico), T. oaxacaensis Ashe (type locality 27.2 km S Miahuatlan, Oaxaca, Mexico). Illustrations of distinctive structural features are provided. New records of Tachiona monteverdensis Ashe from the states of Chiapas and Veracruz in Mexico, and Tachiona deplanata Sharp from near Jalapa, State of Veracruz, in Mexico, are listed. A key is provided for identification of the eight known species of Tachiona.
The run length distribution of combined Shewhart-cumulative score quality control procedures

This paper is concerned with the determination of the moments and percentage points of the run length distribution of the combined Shewhart-cumulative score quality control procedures proposed by Ncube and Woodall (1984). An explicit expression is derived for the probability distribution of the number of samples taken before an out-of-control condition is signalled given an arbitrary starting position depending on the rule that is being implemented.
Mountain gazelle agonistic behaviour

Abstract The behaviour of mountain gazelle ( Gazella gazella ) in Israel was investigated from 1970 to 1972. Most agonistic encounters occur between members of the same age, sex and social class. Females and immature males did not exhibit the full repertory of display patterns. The intensity of fighting gradually increases as the males mature. However, fights between territorial males are ritualized and not as violent as fights between adult bachelor males. Some encounters, especially among the immature males, take place without recognizable function and situational motivation, while others are linked with the co-ordination of group activity, enforcement of individual distance and territory establishment and maintenance. Horn contact occurs more frequently in the encounters of immature bachelor males than in those of adults or territorial males.
Separation of the Hypocalcemic and Hypophosphatemic Actions of Calcitonin with Disodium Ethane-l-hydroxy-l,l-diphosphonate1

The present studies were designed t o determine the effects of ethane-1,1-diphos-phonic acid (EHDPTM), an analog of pyrophos-phate, on the hypocalcemic and hypophosphatemic actions of salmon calcitonin (SCT). Rats were pretreated for 3 or 4 days with daily subcutaneous (sc) injections of EHDP (40 mg/kg body wt). 45Ca was administered (intraperitoneally) 10 days prior to EHDP treatment and 32P (intravenously) the day following the last injection of the drug. SCT (0.4 MRC mU/g body wt) was injected sc 1 hr after 32-P administration. Preliminary tests with thfS drug had confirmed that the dosage used at least partially inhibited the 45Ca removal from bone stimulated by low-calcium diet or parathyroid hormone administration; and at least partially reduced the uptake of both 45Ca and 32P by bone, during the first 5 hr after intravenous administration of isotopes. Following SCT injection plasma calcium concentrations fell only 5% in EHDP-treated rats compared to 25% in rats not treated with EHDP. Plasma phospha...
Conceptual issues in the choice of a structured psychiatric interview.

Abstract All structured psychiatric interviews are alike in that they assess individual symptom status. However, they can be differentially suitable, depending on particular research or clinical objectives. Two structured interviews, the Present State Examination (PSE) and the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (SADS) are compared in order to illustrate the types of issues the clinician/researcher should consider in making an informed selection. These include the interviewer's cognitive task, the interviewer's conceptualization of psychopathology, and the specific clinical or research objectives.
Response to Comment by Volkov et al. on ``Computational Improvements Reveal Great Bacterial Diversity and High Metal Toxicity in Soil''

Volkov et al . claim that significant conclusions about the total number of species ( S ) cannot be made because different abundance models cannot be distinguished and the sensitivity of the chi-square measure to changes in estimates of S is low. We point out that currently available data do not support these claims.
States in 163Ho and 167Tm populated through the (p, t) reaction on 165Ho and 169Tm

Abstract The (p, t) reaction at 30 MeV on the deformed nuclei, 165 Ho and 169 Tm, strongly populates collective states in the residual nuclei. Indirect multiple-step processes evidently play an important role, and the reaction is a powerful tool for populating higher-lying rotational band members.
Modern alienation and the good old days.

Discusses whether alienation is more prevalent in postindustrial societies than in preindustrial ones. 2 distinct forms of alienation are identified: noncommitment and overconformity. The former involves a sense of estrangement from others and the prevailing values of scoiety; the latter stems from self-estrangement and lack of awareness of one's own needs. A review of available cross-cultural evidence failed to support the Marx-FROMM hypothesis that automation conformity increases directly with industrialization and greater use of mechanical automata. It is concluded that each type of alienation arises under different societal conditions.
Consumer Relations: A New Curriculum for Collegiate Schools of Business.

(1977). Consumer Relations: A New Curriculum for Collegiate Schools of Business. The Journal of Business Education: Vol. 52, No. 8, pp. 350-352.
Oxygen isotope effects associated with the solid-state α-FeOOH to α-Fe2O3 phase transformation

Abstract Samples of synthetic and natural goethites were subjected to isothermal dehydration under both closed- and open-systein conditions at various teinperatures ranging from 160 to 300°C. The oxygen isotope ratios of the dehydration product (hematite) were systematically different for open- and closedsystein dehydration. In every instance, open-systein dehydration resulted in 18O enrichments of the product hematite relative to the starting goethite. For all but a few cases, closed-system dehydration produced an 18O depletion in the residual mineral relative to the starting goethite. These oxygen isotope effects indicate that significant mineral-vapor isotope exchange occurred during the solid-state, closed-system transformation of goethite to∗∗ hematite. Calculated values of the apparent closed-system oxygen isotope fractionation factor between hematite and the corresponding liquid water suggest that equilibrium isotope exchange may have been approached in those samples for which the extent of closed-system dehydration was at least 95%. The rapidity of the mineral-vapor isotope exchange associated with the solid-state goethite to hematite transformation is indicated by the fact that the dehydration times (for those samples apparently approaching equilibrium) ranged from only 24 to 68 hours. These results suggest that the oxygen isotope ratios of many hematites in low temperature geological systems reflect the environmental conditions associated with their formation from some hydrous precursor. Information about the 18 O 16 O ratio in the hydrous precursor itself is not likely to be directly preserved in the hematite
Identification of differentially expressed Leishmania donovani genes using arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reactions.

Abstract Arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reactions (AP-PCR) were used to amplify polymorphic DNA fragments from the genomes of a variety of geographic isolates of Leishmania donovani (Ld) . From the latter, five polymorphic DNA fragments were cloned and sequence analysis identified 15 unique clones. Northern blot analysis showed that 13 of the 15 clones hybridized to transcribed RNAs isolated from Ld . Eight of these 13 AP-PCR clones specifically hybridized to Ld RNAs that were differentially expressed in promastigote and ‘amastigote’ cells. Comparative Northern analysis of four differentially expressed AP-PCR clones indicated that two clones, LdS-14-14 and LdI-9-7, were expressed in Ld and several other Leishmania species. However, RNAs corresponding to two other AP-PCR clones, LdE-6-1 and LdI-9-5, were detected only in members of the Ld complex, and not in L. major (Lm) or L. tropica (Lt) . Comparative Southern blot analysis of the LdS-14-14 locus revealed numerous restriction-fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) distinguishing Lm and Lt from the Ld isolates and L. infantum . However, the LdS-14-14 loci were mapped to similar-sized chromosomes observed among all Old World Leishmania species tested, indicating that localized nucleotide divergence, not chromosomal rearrangement, was responsible for altered Southern blot patterns. These results demonstrate that AP-PCR is a very useful method for identifying expressed gene sequences in organisms of relatively low-complexity genomes. Interestingly, the majority of these sequences identified in this study correspond to differentially expressed genes. The value of this method lies in its ability to rapidly and randomly sample diverse portions of an organism's genome, in order to identify interesting and unique sequences.
Cytodifferentiation in the accessory glands of Tenebrio molitor. XI. Transitional cell types during establishment of pattern

The bean-shaped accessory glands of male Tenebrio consist of a single-layered epithelium which is surrounded by a muscular coat. The epithelial layer, which produces precursors of the wall of the spermatophore, contains eight secretory cell types. Each secretory cell type is in one or more homogenous patches, and discharges granules which form one layer of the eight-layered secretory plug. Maturation begins in cell types 4, 7, and 6 on the last pupal day. A newly identified cell (type 8) in the posterolateral epithelium matures last. Cells of individual types mature in synchrony, and their secretory granules "ripen" in a sequence that is characteristic for each type. As the secretory cells of each patch mature, unusual short-lived cells appear at interfaces between patches. In some cases the secretory granules in these boundary cells have ultrastructural features which are mixtures of the definitive characteristics of granules in adjacent cell types. The transitional cell types disappear at 3-4 days after eclosion. Intermediate cell types are absent in the mature gland and boundaries between the patches are distinct. The transitional cells may form granules of intermediate structural characteristics as a dual response to cellular interaction with adjacent and previously differentiated secretory cells.
Modification of transfer ribonucleic acid by an alkylating fragment from S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine.

Abstract An alkylating fragment derived by enzymatic cleavage of [35S]-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine reacted, apparently covalently, with RNA isolated from E. coli , and from livers of the bovine calf, rat and rabbit. Transfer RNA was much more susceptible to alkylation than ribosomal RNA as revealed by gel filtration technique, and measurement of [35S] substitution into nucleotides. Unfractionated E. coli tRNA modified by such reaction accepted most amino acids to the same extent as control tRNA, although about 40% less acceptance was observed for L-histidine, L-serine and L-tyrosine. Study of ribosomal binding, however, indicated an impairment of codonanticodon interaction between synthetic polynucleotide messengers and amino acyl substituted, alkylated tRNA.
A direct infrared estimation of cyclic oligomers in water extract of nylon 6

Methods described in the literature for the estimation of the cyclic oligomer content (which includes cyclic dimer, trimer, etc.) of nylon 6 are indirect determinations, generally based on weight differences, and require the prior extraction of ϵ-caprolactam (monomer) from the sample. Infrared studies show that all of the cyclic oligomers have a strong NH deformation band at 6.45 μ, whereas the monomer does not exhibit such a band. This difference in the infrared is the basis of a direct determination of the cyclic oligomer content in the presence of monomer. In the method, the residue obtained after evaporation of the water extract of nylon 6 is dissolved in tetrafluoropropanol, and the absorbance at 6.45 μ is determined by the base line method. If the per cent moisture in the original nylon 6, the per cent water extractables, and the per cent oligomers in the water extract are known, one can also estimate the monomer content of the sample.
Patterns in the local assembly of Egyptian rodent faunas: Areography and species combinations

We implicate ecological processes in assembly patterns of Egyptian desert rodents using spatial variation of distribution and composition of local assemblages. We also compare our assemblages to prior analyses of North American and Australian small mammal communities in terms of species richness and representation of trophic groups. We studied patterns of occurrence of 29 rodent species among 335 collecting events in 308 sites using museum specimen records resulting from a country-wide survey. The studied taxa vary greatly in their natural histories and ecology. Fully 69% of studied species (20) were localized in 30 or fewer sites (9% of all sites). Site incidence was closely correlated with the geographic range size of species, while local abundance of a species showed little relationship to its geographic range. The species richness of local assemblages ranged from a lone species at 73 sites to 11 species at 3 sites. A total of 214 different combinations were recorded of which 164 (77%) were unique to a single site. G. gerbillus was both the most abundant and most ubiquitous species. Coexistence with other species was positively correlated with incidence and geographic range size. Body mass distribution was remarkably uniform for the fauna as a whole, and influenced the geographic distributions and abundance of individual species. Our sites have low species richness and substantial variability in species composition, which also characterize desert rodent communities elsewhere. Habitat requirements, exclusive distributions of sibling species, low primary productivity, and Egypt’s location all influenced species assembly. The Egyptian and Australian deserts supported higher proportions of low richness assemblages compared to North America. As in North America, Egyptian sites were dominated by granivorous species.
Madelung Constants of Nanoparticles and Nanosurfaces

Specific ion Madelung Constants (MCs) were calculated for ionic nanostructures and nanosurfaces using Coulomb sums. The magnitude of these values was tracked through a succession of progressively larger structures having the same symmetry. A significantly faster convergence to limiting bulk values than obtained previously was achieved when the structures used in the convergence were constrained to be electrically neutral. Evaluation of specific ion MCs for all surface ions allows the construction of surface Madelung maps. Calculated MCs for MgO nanotubes correlate well with the minimum total energies from DFT methods.
Cmb multipole measurements in the presence of foregrounds

Most analysis of cosmic microwave background spherical harmonic coefficients ${a}_{\ensuremath{\ell}m}$ has focused on estimating the power spectrum ${C}_{\ensuremath{\ell}}=⟨|{a}_{\ensuremath{\ell}m}{|}^{2}⟩$ rather than the coefficients themselves. We present a minimum-variance method for measuring ${a}_{\ensuremath{\ell}m}$ given anisotropic noise, incomplete sky coverage and foreground contamination, and apply it to the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) data. Our method is shown to constitute lossless data compression in the sense that the widely used quadratic estimators of the power spectrum ${C}_{\ensuremath{\ell}}$ can be computed directly from our ${a}_{\ensuremath{\ell}m}$-estimators. As the Galactic cut is increased, the error bars $\ensuremath{\Delta}{a}_{\ensuremath{\ell}m}$ on low multipoles go from being dominated by foregrounds to being dominated by leakage from other multipoles, with the intervening minimum defining the optimal cut. Applying our method to the WMAP quadrupole and octopole as an illustration, we investigate the robustness of the previously reported ``axis of evil'' alignment to Galactic cut and foreground contamination.
How (not) to feel: culture and the politics of emotion in the American parenting advice literature

This interpretive critique of the US parenting advice literature explores the underlying cultural values and assumptions concerning emotion and power that are revealed in discourses on child behavior management. The analysis reveals a clear emphasis on the pedagogical and therapeutic role of an emotionally knowledgeable parent in relation to a deficient child. Parents are supposed to teach the child how to handle negative emotions through explicit strategies such as labeling, verbalization, and therapeutic listening, many of which are imbued with cultural and class bias. While emotions appear to be valued, the underlying subtext is one of emotional control and disengagement. The discourse can be read as a window on a contemporary politics of emotion in which freedom of expression and regulation of the self exist in uneasy tension, and in which emotions represent a dangerous terrain of social dis/order.
Segmental Dynamics of Dilute Polystyrene Chains in Miscible Blends and Solutions

2H NMR relaxation time measurements have been used to investigate the segmental dynamics of polystyrene chains in six miscible polymer blends in the limit of low polystyrene concentration. These data are combined with previously reported results for the segmental dynamics of dilute polystyrene chains in four solvents. Polystyrene dynamics in these 10 hosts are strongly correlated with the glass transition temperature Tg of the host, but the dilute chain dynamics are not slaved to the host matrix dynamics. The Lodge−McLeish model, using a single value for the self-concentration φself = 0.35, reasonably describes polystyrene segmental dynamics in all 10 hosts and also describes previously reported dynamics of dilute polyisoprene chains in four miscible blends. The dilute polystyrene segmental dynamics can be more accurately described if φself is allowed to depend on blending partner, with the resulting variation of φself from 0.14 to 0.48.
Application of a manufacturing model for the optimization of additive processing of Inconel alloy 690

Abstract Directed light fabrication (DLF) is an additive processing method that fuses metal powders, delivered by inert gas into the focal zone of a high powered laser beam, to form a fully dense metal deposit. Computer aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) was used to simulate and specify the metal deposition process for the formation of a three dimensional part using Inconel alloy 690. This study demonstrates the ability to directly fabricate a complex, near net shaped object using a DLF machine with an alloy that is difficult and costly to fabricate using conventional processing methods. The fabrication of a monolithic hexagonal shape with through holes is described with the associated CAD/CAM additive processing case study, metallographic examination, and part characterization. The deposition of a fully dense nickel base alloy component was performed and achieved a high degree of dimensional accuracy. A comparison between the DLF deposited shape and the original part definition illustrates that near-net-shape tolerance levels are attainable within a 0.1 mm envelope. The single step production of fully dense, near net shaped, three dimensional metal parts directly from a computer based manufacturing model is compared with conventional processing methods currently available. As a result, significant process flexibility — beyond that of conventional processing capabilities is recognized — with potentially lower production costs, higher quality components, and the realization of higher performance designs.
Residual image contrast of dislocation loops

The electron microscope images of large dislocation loops lying perpendicular to the electron beam are calculated by applying the image simulation technique. It is found that the residual double arc contrast arising from the g · b × u term exhibits asymmetry which is depth dependent. The predictions of the theory are verified experimentally for a[001] dislocation loops observed in single crystals of MgO. The depth oscillation of the residual contrast can be used to determine the vacancy or interstitial nature of dislocation loops. Die elektronenmikroskopischen Abbildungen groser Versetzungsringe, die senkrecht zum Elektronenstrahl liegen, werden unter Anwendung der Abbildungssimulations-Technik berechnet. Es wird gefunden, das der vom g · b × u-Term stammende Doppelbogen-Restkontrast eine Asymmetrie aufweist, die tiefenabhangig ist. Die Voraussagen der Theorie werden experimentell bestatigt fur in MgO-Einkristallen beobachtete a[001]-Versetzungsringe. Die Tiefen-Oszillationen des Restkontrastes konnen zur Bestimmung der Leerstellen- oder Zwischengitteratom-Natur der Versetzungsringe benutzt werden.
Guanosine 3′,5′-Cyclic Monophosphate (cGMP)/cGMP-Dependent Protein Kinase Induce Interleukin-6 Transcription in Osteoblasts

Natriuretic peptides and nitric oxide (NO) activate the cGMP/cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) signaling pathway and play an important role in bone development and adult bone homeostasis. The cytokine IL-6 regulates bone turnover and osteoclast and osteoblast differentiation. We found that C-type natriuretic peptide and the NO donor Deta-NONOate induced IL-6 mRNA expression in primary human osteoblasts, an effect mimicked by the membrane-permeable cGMP analog 8-chlorophenylthio-cGMP (8-CPT-cGMP). Similar results were obtained in rat UMR106 osteosarcoma cells, where C-type natriuretic peptide and 8-CPT-cGMP stimulated transcription of the human IL-6 promoter and increased IL-6 secretion into the medium. Cotransfection of type I PKG enhanced the cGMP effect on the IL-6 promoter, whereas small interfering RNA-mediated silencing of PKG I expression prevented the cGMP effect on IL-6 mRNA expression. Step-wise deletion of the IL-6 promoter demonstrated a cAMP response element to be critical for transcriptiona...
A Two-Pathway Analysis of Meiotic Crossing Over and Gene Conversion in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Several apparently paradoxical observations regarding meiotic crossing over and gene conversion are readily resolved in a framework that recognizes the existence of two recombination pathways that differ in mismatch repair, structures of intermediates, crossover interference, and the generation of noncrossovers. One manifestation of these differences is that simultaneous gene conversion on both sides of a recombination-initiating DNA double-strand break (“two-sidedness”) characterizes only one of the two pathways and is promoted by mismatch repair. Data from previous work are analyzed quantitatively within this framework, and a molecular model for meiotic double-strand break repair based on the concept of sliding D-loops is offered as an efficient scheme for visualizing the salient results from studies of crossing over and gene conversion, the molecular structures of recombination intermediates, and the biochemical competencies of the proteins involved.
Electron spin resonance studies on heart muscle succinic dehydrogenase under low partial pressures of oxygen

Abstract Electron spin resonance studies on soluble succinic dehydrogenase from beef heart under low partial pressures of oxygen arc reported, and the results of these studies are compared with related studies carried out under aerobic conditions. The electron spin resonance properties of succinic dehydrogenase at 30 ° are found to be substantially different when observed under anerobic conditions or at low partial pressures of oxygen, as compared with aerobic systems. The differences are ascribed to the reversible binding of oxygen to one or more species of enzyme and are reflected in the ways in which succinate and other dicarboxylic acids influence radical concentration. Irreversible reactions between enzyme and oxygen, such as autoxidation, appear to proceed too slowly to be of importance. Under anerobic conditions succinate can convert 50% or more of the enzyme to a radical form. Fumarate represses radical yield more effectively than does oxaloacetate. Malonate and methylfumarate enhance radical yield at low concentrations except when succinate is present in saturating amounts. Under aerobic conditions, both succinate and fumarate are required for a maximum radical yield of about 25%, and oxaloacetate is extremely effective in decreasing radical yield. Malonate represses radical concentration, but its action appears generally to be biphasic.
An automated technique for identifying associations between medications, laboratory results and problems

Background: The patient problem list is an important component of clinical medicine. The problem list enables decision support and quality measurement, and evidence suggests that patients with accurate and complete problem lists may have better outcomes. However, the problem list is often incomplete. Objective: To determine whether association rule mining, a data mining technique, has utility for identifying associations between medications, laboratory results and problems. Such associations may be useful for identifying probable gaps in the problem list. Design: Association rule mining was performed on structured electronic health record data for a sample of 100,000 patients receiving care at the Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. The dataset included 272,749 coded problems, 442,658 medications and 11,801,068 laboratory results. Measurements: Candidate medication-problem and laboratory-problem associations were generated using support, confidence, chi square, interest, and conviction statistics. High-scoring candidate pairs were compared to a gold standard: the Lexi-Comp drug reference database for medications and Mosby's Diagnostic and Laboratory Test Reference for laboratory results. Results: We were able to successfully identify a large number of clinically accurate associations. A high proportion of high-scoring associations were adjudged clinically accurate when evaluated against the gold standard (89.2% for medications with the best-performing statistic, chi square, and 55.6% for laboratory results using interest). Conclusion: Association rule mining appears to be a useful tool for identifying clinically accurate associations between medications, laboratory results and problems and has several important advantages over alternative knowledge-based approaches.
Effects of early handling on avoidance performance of Maudsley MR and MNR strains.

This study investigated the effect of infantile handling on the emotionality and avoidance performance of the Maudsley reactive (MR) and nonreactive (MNR) strains of rats. The expected difference in emotionality was found (MR's had higher defecation scores than MNR's); however, this difference was unaffected by early handling. The avoidance behavior of the 2 strains was different in that MR's had shorter escape latencies; however, they did not differ with respect to CAR's. Handling had a significant effect on avoidance behavior, but this was not greater in one strain than another. The interaction of genetic differences and infantile stimulation on avoidance performance does not appear to be supported in females from these 2 strains.
A stabilized finite element method for calculating balance velocities in ice sheets

Abstract. We present a numerical method for calculating vertically averaged velocity fields using a mass conservation approach, commonly known as balance velocities. This allows for an unstructured grid, is not dependent on a heuristic flow routing algorithm, and is both parallelizable and efficient. We apply the method to calculate depth-averaged velocities of the Greenland Ice Sheet, and find that the method produces grid-independent velocity fields for a sufficient parameterization of horizontal plane stresses on flow directions. We show that balance velocity can be used as the forward model for a constrained optimization problem that can be used to fill gaps and smooth strong gradients in InSAR velocity fields.
Improved delivery through biological membranes. XLI. Brain-enhanced delivery of chlorambucil

Abstract Brain-enhanced delivery of chlorambucil was achieved using a dihydropyridine pyridinium salt chemical delivery system (CDS). Application of the CDS approach to the carboxylic acid-containing anticancer agent required the development of novel, alcoholic redox carriers. Several N′-(ω-hydroxyalkyl), -(ω-hydroxycycloalkyl) and -(ω-hydroxy branched alkyl)nicotinamide derivatives were therefore synthesized. After in vitro characterization of the dihydropyridine delivery forms of chlorambucil, these compounds were tested in vivo in the rat. The CDS derivative in which an ethyl group separated the 1-methyl-1,4-dihydronicotinamide and chlorambucil fragments generated sustained levels of chlorambucil in the brains of test animals after i.v. administration ( t 1 2 in brain = 2.4 days ) while blood levels rapidly fell ( t 1 2 = 2 h ) producing a favorable brain/blood ratio. This compound (1d) was well tolerated at doses of 60 mg/kg while equimolar chlorambucil (39 mg/kg) caused greater than 80% mortality in test animals within 2 h. Subsequently, a cyclohexyl-containing CDS derivative was tested. This sterically more hindered system produced a lower level of chlorambucil in the periphery but also reduced central nervous system (CNS) concentration of the drug.
Fast chargeability lithium polymer batteries

This paper investigates the fast chargeability of lithium polymer batteries. Attempts to fast charge 100 A-h lithium polymer batteries are presented in this paper. The tests were done at five charging currents: 50 amperes (0.5C), 100 amperes (1C), 200 amperes (2C), 300 amperes (3C), and 320 amperes (3.2C). The tests were done at three ambient temperatures: -20, 0.0, and +20degC. The currents, voltages, and temperatures were recorded during the test. It was found that the battery accepts high current for fast charging with little difficulty. The battery charged well at 0.0, and +20degC, but would not fast charge (above 3C) at -20degC. The experiments were conducted at the Battery Evaluation Lab at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. The results show that the lithium polymer batteries can be fast charged, but the batteries will need cooling at high charging rates (more than 3C). Also, such batteries will need heating if they are to be fast charged in an ambient below 0degC.
State disorders and state-dependent seizures in amygdala-kindled cats

Abstract This study replicated and extended previous work indicating a reciprocal relationship between persistent sleep disorders and seizure susceptibility in amygdala-kindled cats. Eight kindled cats (experimental group) and six nonkindled cats (control group) were assessed for several sleep and waking state parameters. Seizure susceptibility, indexed by thresholds to generalized afterdischarge and tonic-clonic convulsions, was also evaluated in experimental subjects during each of the following states: alert but quiet wakefulness, slow-wave sleep, transitions from slow-wave to REM sleep, and REM sleep. There were two primary findings; (i) slow-wave sleep and transitions from it to REM sleep were disrupted in amygdala-kindled cats whereas REM sleep was normal when an effective transition had been made; and (ii) disturbed states were also more susceptible to generalized seizures than were stable REM sleep and waking episodes, suggesting that abnormal rather than normal sleep created a predisposition for seizures.
Lower bounds on energy dissipation and noise-tolerance for deep submicron VLSI

In this paper, we obtain the lower bounds on total energy dissipation of deep submicron (DSM) VLSI circuits via an information-theoretic framework. This framework enables the derivation of lower bounds under the constraint of reliable operation in presence of DSM noise. We employ noise-tolerance via coding to approach the lower bounds on energy dissipation. It is shown that the lower bounds on energy for an off-chip I/O signaling example are a factor of 24X below present day systems. It is also shown that reduction in energy consumption by a factor of 4X can be obtained by employing Reed-Muller codes to achieve the desired bit-error-rate (BER) in presence of DSM noise.
Radial distribution system short circuit analysis with lateral and load equivalencing: solution algorithms and numerical results

This paper presents two new approaches for short circuit analysis of radial distribution networks. The methods are based on the compensation method using two different lateral and loads equivalent methods. The proposed methods can be applied to balanced and unbalanced distribution networks and can handle different fault types. Comparisons results between the two new methods with the symmetrical components method and the compensation method are presented.
Deliberation as Self-Discovery and Institutions for Political Speech

We present a game-theoretic model of the social dynamics of belief change in which the (relevant) logically non-omniscient audience becomes convinced that the speakers' messages are `true' because its own prior beliefs logically entail them, rather than — as in cheap-talk models — because the speaker is (endogenously) trustworthy. We characterize the equilibria of the game and consider how their aggregate informational properties change with the variation in the institutions determining the ability of the speakers to reach their audience. We find that for plausible restrictions on the distribution of arguments and on the corresponding policy preferences in society, the informationally optimal institutions are first-best implementable, inegalitarian with respect to the resource allocation across speakers, and assign priority to the (more) extreme argument- and policy-holders.
Effects of age and gender on finger coordination in MVC and submaximal force-matching tasks.

The objective of the study is to examine the effects of age and gender on finger coordination. Twelve young (24 ± 8 yr; 6 men and 6 women) and 12 elderly (75 ± 5 yr; 6 men and 6 women) subjects performed single-finger maximal contraction [maximal voluntary contraction (MVC)], four-finger MVC, and four-finger ramp force production tasks by pressing on individual force transducers. A drop in the force of individual fingers during four-finger MVC tasks compared with single-finger MVC tasks (force deficit) was larger, whereas unintended force production by other fingers during single-finger MVC tasks (enslaving) was smaller, in elderly than in young subjects and in women than in men. Force deficit was smaller and enslaving was larger in subjects with higher peak force. During the ramp task, the difference between the variance of total force and the sum of variances of individual forces showed a logarithmic relation to the level of total force, across all subject groups. These findings suggest that indexes of finger coordination scale with force-generating capabilities across gender and age groups.
Identification of 1-hydroxypyrene as a major metabolite of pyrene in pig urine

1-Hydroxypyrene is a major metabolite of pyrene given orally to pigs. A method for isolating the metabolite from urine is described, utilizing C18-adsorbent cartridges, h.p.l.c. separation, and fluorescence detection. Unconjugated 1-hydroxypyrene can be detected in the urine of pigs following oral administration of as little as 1 mg pyrene. Identity of the 1-hydroxypyrene was confirmed by u.v.-absorption and fluorescence spectrometry, mass spectrometry, and by comparison with the retention time characteristic of synthetic 1-hydroxypyrene.
Measuring the amount of information in textual messages

Information resides not in words or symbols but in their meaning. When someone says that a document has a lot of information it does not mean that the document has a lot of words. It means that the document provides a lot of meaningful information. But how much information? So far, classical information theory was designed to treat messages as sets of symbols such as alphanumeric symbols. Therefore, it can provide only quantitative measures of information that are related to the probability distributions of such symbols in messages. But not related to their actual amounts of new information. In this paper, we develop a novel information theoretic approach that will enable to measure the quantities of meaningful information in messages base upon the distributions of their real world states, where each message describes a specific set of such states. If one could measure the Amount of Information (henceforth denoted by AoI) it will create a myriad of opportunities to develop new AoI based techniques in information integration that will enable to generate highly concentrated summaries from disparate sources. Our survey of the scientific literature reveals that such an AoI measure for messages was not developed yet. In this paper, we establish a novel information theoretic approach, which represents each textual message by a set of informative terms that could have different states in each message. For example, an informative term such as "game score" could have many states such as 0:0, 0:1, 2:0 etc. The message is then converted automatically to a Bayesian Tree graph wherein each node represents an informative term or its state or both. The arcs represent the conditional probabilities for a transition of each informative term to the state represented by the next node. We also develop a theoretical foundation that enables to compute the total AoI of each message from these probabilities even if some informative terms are not statistically independent. Keywords - Amount of Information (AoI), Information theoretic approach, Bayesian trees, textual messages, informative terms.
Development of sexual behavior over several serving capacity tests in male goats

Abstract Results from previous research suggest that male goats, cattle and swine do not require prior sexual experience as juveniles to exhibit their full potential in serving capacity tests as adults. Preliminary data in our laboratory indicate that juvenile goats exhibit profound separation stress from pen mates when acclimating to a novel space, such as during a sexual performance test. Performance in serving capacity tests can be influenced by factors other than sexual motivation and physical coordination, such as separation anxiety. There may be differences in how a goat habituates to a novel space versus how a goat learns to identify sexual partners. In this report we revisit the hypothesis that male goats do not require sexual experience to develop consistent adult sexual performance. Over eight consecutive weeks, we individually exposed six sexually-naive male goats to 15 min serving capacity tests with sexually-receptive females and recorded the frequency of ejaculations and latency to ejaculate. Mean ejaculation frequency was significantly lower during the first week of testing compared to the frequency at weeks 2–8. Ejaculation frequency was also greater at weeks 7 and 8 than at weeks 1, 2 and 3. Mean latency to ejaculate was significantly higher during the first week compared with subsequent weeks. The results of this experiment suggest that male goats require at least one serving capacity test before they attain full sexual performance.
Modulation of a Single Neuron Has State-Dependent Actions on Circuit Dynamics

Abstract When does neuromodulation of a single neuron influence the output of the entire network? We constructed a five-cell circuit in which a neuron is at the center of the circuit and the remaining neurons form two distinct oscillatory subnetworks. All neurons were modeled as modified Morris−Lecar models with a hyperpolarization-activated conductance ( ḡ h ) in addition to calcium ( ḡ Ca ), potassium ( ḡ K ), and leak conductances. We determined the effects of varying ḡ Ca , ḡ K , and ḡ h on the frequency, amplitude, and duty cycle of a single neuron oscillator. The frequency of the single neuron was highest when the ḡ K and ḡ h conductances were high and ḡ Ca was moderate whereas, in the traditional Morris−Lecar model, the highest frequencies occur when both ḡ K and ḡ Ca are high. We randomly sampled parameter space to find 143 hub oscillators with nearly identical frequencies but with disparate maximal conductance, duty cycles, and burst amplitudes, and then embedded each of these hub neurons into networks with different sets of synaptic parameters. For one set of network parameters, circuit behavior was virtually identical regardless of the underlying conductances of the hub neuron. For a different set of network parameters, circuit behavior varied with the maximal conductances of the hub neuron. This demonstrates that neuromodulation of a single target neuron may dramatically alter the performance of an entire network when the network is in one state, but have almost no effect when the circuit is in a different state.