cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Frataxin Directly Stimulates Mitochondrial Cysteine Desulfurase by Exposing Substrate-binding Sites, and a Mutant Fe-S Cluster Scaffold Protein with Frataxin-bypassing Ability Acts Similarly

For iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster synthesis in mitochondria, the sulfur is derived from the amino acid cysteine by the cysteine desulfurase activity of Nfs1. The enzyme binds the substrate cysteine in the pyridoxal phosphate-containing site, and a persulfide is formed on the active site cysteine in a manner depending on the accessory protein Isd11. The persulfide is then transferred to the scaffold Isu, where it combines with iron to form the Fe-S cluster intermediate. Frataxin is implicated in the process, although it is unclear where and how, and deficiency causes Friedreich ataxia. Using purified proteins and isolated mitochondria, we show here that the yeast frataxin homolog (Yfh1) directly and specifically stimulates cysteine binding to Nfs1 by exposing substrate-binding sites. This novel function of frataxin does not require iron, Isu1, or Isd11. Once bound to Nfs1, the substrate cysteine is the source of the Nfs1 persulfide, but this step is independent of frataxin and strictly dependent on Isd11. Recently, a point mutation in Isu1 was found to bypass many frataxin functions. The data presented here show that the Isu1 suppressor mimics the frataxin effects on Nfs1, explaining the bypassing activity. We propose a regulatory mechanism for the Nfs1 persulfide-forming activity. Specifically, at least two separate conformational changes must occur in the enzyme for optimum activity as follows: one is mediated by frataxin interaction that exposes the "buried" substrate-binding sites, and the other is mediated by Isd11 interaction that brings the bound substrate cysteine and the active site cysteine in proximity for persulfide formation.
Troping Mood: Pfau, Wordsworth, and Hegel

Drawing on discussions of mood in Kant, Novalis, Hegel, and Heidegger, Thomas Pfau, in his recent major work, Romantic Moods, provides an innovative and philosophically nuanced approach to the study of affect. In doing so, he challenges key aspects of new historicism, arguing that history is to be found not in actual events but in the prediscursive, collective, quasi-cognitive mood that partly registers and partly resists them. Such a mood, he argues, can never be captured directly, but is best evoked in the virtual mode of literature; as a result, rather than falsifying a material history, literature remains faithful to a bewildered historicity betrayed by the fixity of actual events. Yet Pfau's analysis of three subperiods of romantic paranoia, trauma, and melancholy tends to separate them too strictly from each other; in Wordsworth's Salisbury Plain poems, Blake's Book of Urizen, and Godwin's Caleb Williams, the literature of paranoia, by carrying out a critique of its own premises, transforms into the literature of trauma, thereby shifting from the articulation of one mood into that of another. These instances of self-critique participate in a literary version of the dialectic, whereby feeling reflects formally on itself. Moreover, Pfau's interweaving of romantic lyric and modern philosophical reflection suggests that for him, romanticism is an exemplary instance of modernity; what he leaves out of view is the possibility that modernity itself is a trope, a strong interpretation, to which we might best respond with a nonmodern critique.
DIALOG: a conversational programming system with a graphical orientation

Abstract : DIALOG is an algebraic language for on-line use with a graphical input-output console device. It is a computational aid for the casual user, which provides basic facilities for graphical and numeric input and display, on and off-line program preparation and storage, and hard copy presentation of results. Use of the system requires a minimum of experience or instruction, since the growth of an overlaying system control language has been prevented, and there are no processor-oriented statements, like variable type or dimension declarations. Moreover, in the on-line situation, the processor interacts with the graphical keyboard on a character by character basis so as to restrict the programmer's choice of input symbols to those which are syntactically correct. DIALOG has been in daily operation at the IIT Research Institute since February, 1966. (Author)
Parental influences on the gendered division of housework

Despite a recent emphasis on contextual explanations for the gendered division of housework, early socialization may also be important. Data from a 31-year panel study of white mothers and children are used to examine parental predictors of the division of household labor among the adult children. Parental influences are assessed when the children were ages 1 and 15; characteristics of the adult children are measured at ages 23 and 31. The effects of the parents' division of housework and parents' education on children's division of housework are considered, as well as the effects of the mother's gender-role attitudes and employment. The parental division of labor measured when the sons were very young has a positive effect on the sons' later participation in routine housework, while the mother's employment during their daughters' early years is a more important predictor of the allocation of housework among the daughters. Parental influences are transmitted partially through the children's gender-role attitudes, but there is also evidence of enduring direct effects of parental characteristics on children's housework allocation, especially for men
High-dose propranolol therapy in the management of supraventricular tachycardia

Five patients age 3 weeks to 11 years, presented with supraventricular tachycardia that remained uncontrolled following adequate digitalization. Four of these patients underwent invasive electrophysiologic studies to determine the mechanism of the arrhythmias. Of these four patients, three had concealed Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, and one patient had evidence of dual A-V nodal pathways. Propranolol was added to the medical treatment and was administered orally in doses ranging from 7 to 14 mg/kg/day (average 9 mg/kg/day). All five children remain free of their tachycardia except for one patient who occasionally has supraventricular tachycardia with febrile illnesses. No adverse reactions to these high doses of propranolol were encountered.
A Reexamination of Length Requirements for Electroexplosive Opening Switches

The dependence of electroexplosive-opening-switch resistance on the length of exploding wires has been reexamined. Numerical modeling of exploding wire fuse resistance based upon experimentally fit equations shows that, assuming that restrike is prevented, shorter lengths of the conducting medium result in higher final switch resistance. The complex relationships between the circuit current, switch resistance, and energy dissipated in the switch are detailed to analyze the length dependence of the switch resistance. A discussion on the limits of minimization of the switch length is discussed in terms of switch restrike. Errors in assumptions used to formulate the previous standard method of switch length design are examined, and the principles involved in maximizing the switch resistance are applied to propose a new method for switch length design.
Damned Lies and Statistics: Untangling Numbers From The Media, Politicians, and Activists

(2002). Damned Lies and Statistics: Untangling Numbers From The Media, Politicians, and Activists. The American Statistician: Vol. 56, No. 2, pp. 156-156.
A revision of Casimirella, including Humirianthera (Icacinaceae)

Casimirella Hassler (1913) is accepted and Humirianthera Huber (1914) considered a synonym. Casimirella diversifolia and C. lanata from Brazil are described as new species. Casimirella ampla (Miers) based on Leretia ampla Miers, C. crispula (Howard) based on Humirianthera crispula Howard, and C. rupestris (Ducke) based on Humirianthera rupestris Ducke are new combinations.
Guanidination of the Bowman-Birk soybean inhibitor: Evidence for the tryptic hydrolysis of peptide bonds involving homoarginine☆

Abstract Exposure of the Bowman-Birk soybean inhibitor (BBI) or its guanidinated, but fully active derivative to trypsin at pH 3.8 and subsequent treatment with carboxypeptidase B resulted in the release of approximately 1 residue of lysine from BBI and 0.4 residue of homoarginine from guanidinated BBI. C-terminal homoarginine residues were also produced when the guanidinated derivatives of fully reduced BBI or α-lactalbumin were digested with trypsin at pH 3.8 or 8.2. High voltage paper electrophoresis of the tryptic digest of these two proteins showed the presence of a greater number of Sakaguchi positive spots then could be accounted for solely on the basis of the cleavage of arginine bonds.
An eighth-order KdV-type equation in (1+1) and (2+1) dimensions: multiple soliton solutions

In this work we study an eighth-order KdV-type equations in (1+1) and (2+1) dimensions. The new equations are derived from the KdV6 hierarchy. We show that these equations give multiple soliton solutions the same as the multiple soliton solutions of the KdV6 hierarchy except for the dispersion relations.
High doses of vasopressin delay the onset of extinction and strengthen acquisition of LiCl-induced conditioned taste avoidance.

Abstract When low doses of vasopressin are given 50 min after pairing sucrose consumption with a high dose of LiCl, extinction of the LiCl-induced conditioned taste avoidance is accelerated. These low doses of vasopressin do not themselves induce conditioned taste avoidance when paired with sucrose consumption. Predicated on previous studies administering two avoidance-inducing agents after sucrose consumption, studies were designed to determine whether high doses of vasopressin capable of inducing conditioned taste avoidance would (1) delay rather than accelerate extinction of a conditioned taste avoidance induced by a high dose of LiCl and (2) strengthen acquisition of a conditioned taste avoidance induced by a low dose of LiCl. The results of three studies showed that doses of 9 and 18 μg/kg of vasopressin induced a conditioned taste avoidance when injected 50 min after sucrose consumption, delayed the onset of extinction when injected 50 min after pairing sucrose consumption with a high dose of LiCl, and strengthened acquisition of a conditioned taste avoidance when injected 50 min after pairing sucrose consumption with a low dose of LiCl. Taken together, these data suggest that the delay in onset of extinction is due to a strengthening of acquisition. It has been suggested that vasopressin is a mnemonic neuropeptide that delays extinction of learned tasks. However, for conditioned taste avoidance, the evidence for the effects of low doses of vasopressin on extinction do not support this hypothesis and the evidence for high doses of vasopressin can be accounted for by the avoidance-inducing properties of vasopressin.
A cell-based approach to study changes in the pancreas following nicotine exposure in an animal model of injury

Background Cigarette smoking is a recognized risk factor for the induction of pancreatic diseases and is suspected to play a major role in the development of pancreatic cancer in smokers.
5-HT1A, 5-HT1B and 5-HT2 receptor agonists induce differential behavioral responses in neonatal rat pups.

Sprague-Dawley rat pups at 3–4 days prenatally were tested in both the absence and presence of milk following administration of various doses of either the 5-HT1A agonist 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin (8-OHDPAT), the 5-HT1B agonist 1-(3-chlorophenyl)piperazine (mCPP), or the 5-HT2 agonist 1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane (DOI). Administration of 8-OHDPAT decreased mouthing, increased probing and increased behavioral activation. Conversely, the 5-HT2 agonist DOI and the 5-HT1B agonist mCPP increased mouthing and decreased probing. mCPP and DOI differed in their effects on behavioral activation, with mCPP decreasing and DOI increasing this composite behavioral score. mCPP increased grooming, whereas DOI elicited a characteristic unusual positioning of the limbs. Thus it appears that 5-HT1A, 5-HT1B and 5-HT2 receptor subtypes are present in the neonate and elicit differential behavioral responses upon stimulation with selective agonists. Ontogenetic variations in the balance among these receptor subtypes during development may be related to the ontogenetic reversal that has been previously reported in the impact of serotonin manipulations on mouthing and suckling behavior during the neonatal to weanling age period.
Serum immune complexes in membranoproliferative and other glomerulonephritides

Serum immune complexes in membranoproliferative and other glomerulonephritides. Immune complexes were detected in the serum of patients with membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) Types I and II, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis (AGN) by sucrose gradient ultracentrifugation and by measurement of Clq binding activity (Clq-BA). Clq-BA was more sensitive in detecting complexes than was gradient ultracentrifugation. By gradient ultracentrifugation, the sedimentation velocities of the complexes in the three diseases were similar, ranging from 13S to 19S. This range corresponds to that observed by others in experimental chronic serum sickness nephritis. The complexes isolated by gradient ultracentrifugation always contained C3, usually IgG and C4, and, in some patients with SLE and AGN, IgM. In MPGN, IgM and IgA could be present in glomerular deposits when not present in circulating complexes. In this disease also, serum complement levels were poor predictors of the presence of complexes. With increased Clq-BA, the levels of Clq, C4, and C2 could be normal or reduced and there was no correlation with C3 levels. With few exceptions, the clinical status of the patients with MPGN correlated well with Clq-BA. Complexes immuns seriques dans les glomerulonephrites membrano-proliferatives et d'autres types. Des complexes immuns ont ete detectes dans le serum de malades atteints de MPGN des types I et II, de SLE, et d'AGN par ultracentrifugation en gradient de sucrose et par la mesure de l'activite de liaison du Clq (Clq-BA). La mesure de Clq-BA est plus sensible pour la detection des complexes que l'ultracentrifugation en gradient de densite. Avec cette derniere methode les vitesses de sedimentation des complexes sont similaires dans les trois affections, allant de 13S a 19S. Cet eventail de valeurs correspond a ce qui a ete observe par d'autres dans la nephrite de la maladie chronique du serum. Les complexes isoles par ultracentrifugation en gradient contiennent toujours du C3, habituellement de l'IgG et du C4 et, chez quelques malades atteints de SLE et d'AGN, de l'IgM. Dans la MPGN l'IgM et l'IgA peuvent etre deposees dans les glomerules bien qu'elles n'existent pas dans les complexes immuns. Dans cette maladie les concentrations seriques de complement ne permettent pas de prevoir avec securite la presence de complexes. Quand Clq-BA est augmente les concentrations de Clq, C4, et C2 peuvent etre normales ou diminuees et il n'y a pas de correlation avec la concentration de C3. A quelques exceptions pres l'etat clinique des malades atteints de MPGN est bien correle avec Clq-BA.
Optimum prefiltering in randomly sampled data systems

Abstract The problem of simultaneous optimum mean-square linear prefiltering and postfiltering for randomly sampled processes is considered. The optimum prefilter is shown to satisfy a nonlinear integral equation. For a class of input signals, using the Poisson sampling scheme, the optimum prefilter truncates the input spectrum to within a finite interval. The discussion is generalized by the inclusion of jitter, random skips and sampling errors in amplitude.
Synaptotagmin: fusogenic role for calcium sensor?

Two recent studies focusing on synaptotagmin-1's role in synaptic vesicle fusion suggest that it may be key in bringing vesicle and target membranes together and in promoting SNARE assembly. The highly positive electrostatic potential of the synaptotagmin surface could catalyze fusion.
Frequency-dependent magnetotransport in a two-dimensional magnetic modulation system

Abstract We analyze the dynamics of a charged particle moving in the presence of spatially modulated magnetic fields, motivated by recent transport experiments by Ye et al. (Phys. Rev. Lett. 74 (1995) 3013 ). We show from Poincare surfaces of section that the ratio of pinned orbits to chaotic orbits depends strongly on the energy and the structure parameters. We present a complete characterization of the dynamical behavior of such structures, and calculate the magnetoconductivity using a classical Kubo formula. We investigate the contribution to the conductivity from pinned and runaway orbits. Although the DC conductivity of the system depends strongly on the ratio of pinned to runaway trajectories, the high-frequency response reflects the topology of the different orbits.
Effects of a Hurricane Disturbance on Aboveground Forest Structure, Arbuscular Mycorrhizae and Belowground Carbon in a Restored Tropical Forest

To better understand how management and restoration practices influence the response of terrestrial ecosystems to large-scale disturbances, it is critical to study above- and belowground effects. In this study, we examined the immediate effect of a major hurricane on aboveground forest structure, arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM) and belowground carbon pools in experimentally thinned plots in a tropical forest. The hurricane occurred five years after a thinning treatment, when thinned plots had similar aboveground carbon stocks but different forest structure compared to control plots. Thinned plots had more large diameter (>10 cm) trees compared to the control plots, which were characterized by a higher density of small diameter (<10 cm) trees. Despite pre-hurricane differences in forest structure, there were no significant differences between treatments in changes of canopy openness or number of affected trees following the hurricane. Thinned plots had larger belowground carbon pools than the controls plots before the hurricane, and these differences remained after the hurricane despite rapid decomposition of organic matter rich in nitrogen. There were no pre-hurricane differences in AM fungal spores or total AM root colonization. The hurricane reduced AM sporulation by nearly 50% in both treatments, yet we observed a significant increase in AM root colonization after the hurricane with greater AM colonization in the thinned plots. Hurricanes have well-known visible aboveground effects, but here we showed that less visible belowground effects are influenced by forest management and may play an important role in forest recovery.
Mountain Bike Wheel Endurance Testing and Modeling

Mountain bike wheels may be evaluated for durability and mode of failure using bump drum test machines that subject wheels to simulated rider loads and uneven terrain. These machines may operate at high speeds in order to accelerate failures, particularly during the design and prototype phase of wheel development. This paper describes a mathematical model of the dynamics of a wheel test drum assembly, and the validation of the model using data recorded during a wheel test. This model will subsequently be applied to better understand the key test operating parameters that must be controlled in order to produce repeatable durability data during accelerated testing.
Fire protection and the interface with the HVAC system

Automatic activation of smoke control systems is accomplished by the building fire alarm system. The fire alarm system along with the automation system, are integrated to monitor and control the smoke control system. The principal components and operation of the two systems are described. In addition HVAC operating modes, are described as they relate to smoke control.
The Effect of Biological Substrates on the Ultrafast Excited‐state Dynamics of Zinc Phthalocyanine Tetrasulfonate in Solution

Zinc phthalocyanine tetrasulfonate (ZnPcS4), a potential photosensitizer for photodynamic therapy (PDT), has been studied using femtosecond laser spectroscopy. The excited-state dynamics in water have been found to be fast ( 1 ns) indicates that the micellar surface favors monomer formation. By increasing the excited-state lifetime, the surface substantially increases the photosensitizing potential of ZnPcS4.
Construction of the half-line potential from the Jost function

For the one-dimensional Schrodinger equation, an analysis is provided to recover the portion of the potential lying to the right (left) of any chosen point. The scattering data used consists of the left (right) Jost solution or its spatial derivative evaluated at that point, or the amplitudes of such functions. Various uniqueness and nonuniqueness results are established, and the recovery is illustrated with some explicit examples.
A visual exploration of mobile phone users, land cover, time, and space

A series of maps were produced that together form a type of atlas of the Nokia Mobile Data Challenge (MDC). Like in a traditional geographic atlas, a limited number of base map configurations is generated, onto which various thematic elements are then overlaid. Two of those base maps are themselves derived from MDC data; the third is referenced in geographic space. Thematic overlays serve several purposes, including elaborating different elements from which the base map geometry had been derived, as well as linking other data to it. The core of the study presented here is an intersection of high-dimensional concepts, dimensionality reduction, geographic analysis, and visualization, intended as a point of departure towards an integrated, attribute-centered understanding of people's movement patterns. Among the advances put forth is a new time-weighted kernel density model approach derived from journey vertices captured via GPS and WLAN.
Uncoupling of hepatic, epidermal growth factor-mediated mitogen-activated protein kinase activation in the fetal rat.

Abstract Stimulation of cell proliferation by mitogens involves tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins at the cell membrane by receptor tyrosine kinases. This promotes formation of multi-protein complexes that can activate the small G-protein, Ras. Activation of Ras, in turn, leads to sequential activation of the following three serine-threonine kinases: Raf, extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase (MEK), and members of the family of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases. Prior studies have shown that intraperitoneal injection of epidermal growth factor (EGF) leads to rapid activation of hepatic MAP kinases in adult rats but not in late gestation (E19) fetal rats (Boylan, J. M., and Gruppuso, P. A. (1996) Cell Growth & Differ. 7, 1261–1269). The present studies were undertaken to determine the mechanism for this “uncoupling” of the MAP kinase pathway. E19 fetal rats and adult male rats were injected with EGF (0.5 μg/g body weight, intraperitoneally) or with saline. After 15 min, livers were removed and prepared for kinase analyses. EGF injection led to a rapid and marked activation of hepatic Raf and MEK in both fetal and adult rats, whereas MAP kinase activation was minimal in fetal as opposed to adult rats. Examination of the ontogeny of this dissociation of MAP kinase activation from MEK activation showed gradual acquisition of intact signaling as an adult hepatocyte phenotype was attained during the first 4 postnatal weeks. Over this period, MAP kinase content as determined by Western immunoblotting was constant. Recombination experiments using partially purified fetal and adult rat liver MEK and MAP kinase showed intact MAP kinase activation in vitro, indicating that neither enzyme was irreversibly altered in the fetus. In studies using primary cultures of E19 fetal rat hepatocytes, uncoupling of MAP kinase activation from MEK activation could be induced by incubation of fetal hepatocytes for 24 h with a potent fetal hepatocyte mitogen, transforming growth factor-α. These findings indicate that a novel negative feedback mechanism for MAP kinase regulation may be active in developing rat hepatocytes.
Maternal antibodies: clinical significance, mechanism of interference with immune responses, and possible vaccination strategies.

Neonates have an immature immune system which cannot adequately protect against infectious diseases. Early in life, immune protection is accomplished by maternal antibodies transferred from mother to offspring. However, decaying maternal antibodies inhibit vaccination as is examplified by the inhibition of seroconversion after measles vaccination. This phenomenon has been described in both human and veterinary medicine and is independent of the type of vaccine being used. This review will discuss the use of animal models for vaccine research. I will review clinical solutions for inhibition of vaccination by maternal antibodies, and the testing and development of potentially effective vaccines. These are based on new mechanistic insight about the inhibitory mechanism of maternal antibodies. Maternal antibodies inhibit the generation of antibodies whereas the T cell response is usually unaffected. B cell inhibition is mediated through a cross-link between B-cell receptor (BCR) with the Fcg receptor IIB (FcgRIIB) by a vaccine-antibody complex. In animal experiments, this inhibition can be partially overcome by injection of a vaccine-specific monoclonal IgM antibody. IgM stimulates the B-cell directly through cross-linking the BCR via complement protein C3d and antigen to the complement receptor 2 (CR2) signaling complex. In addition, it was shown that interferon alpha binds to the CD21 chain of CR2 as well as the interferon receptor and that this dual receptor usage drives B cell responses in the presence of maternal antibodies. In lieu of immunizing the infant the concept of maternal immunization as a strategy to protect neonates has been proposed. This approach would still not solve the question of how to immunize in the presence of maternal antibodies but would defer the time of infection to an age where infection might not have such a detrimental outcome as in neonates. I will review successful examples and potential challenges of implementing this concept.
Contractile-ring assembly in fission yeast cytokinesis: Recent advances and new perspectives.

The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe is an excellent model organism to study cytokinesis. Here, we review recent advances on contractile-ring assembly in fission yeast. First, we summarize the assembly of cytokinesis nodes, the precursors of a normal contractile ring. IQGAP Rng2 and myosin essential light chain Cdc4 are recruited by the anillin-like protein Mid1, followed by the addition of other cytokinesis node proteins. Mid1 localization on the plasma membrane is stabilized by interphase node proteins. Second, we discuss proteins and processes that contribute to the search, capture, pull, and release mechanism of contractile-ring assembly. Actin filaments nucleated by formin Cdc12, the motor activity of myosin-II, the stiffness of the actin network, and severing of actin filaments by cofilin all play essential roles in contractile-ring assembly. Finally, we discuss the Mid1-independent pathway for ring assembly, and the possible mechanisms underlying the ring maturation and constriction. Collectively, we provide an overview of the current understanding of contractile-ring assembly and uncover future directions in studying cytokinesis in fission yeast. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc
Off-diagonal long-range order in the BCS theory

Abstract The two-particle reduced density matrix ϱ2 is analyzed for a system of electrons described by the BCS ground state. The existence of off-diagonal long-range order in ϱ2 is demonstrated by explicit calculation of its matrix elements. It is shown that ϱ2 has one eigenvalue proportional to N where N is the number of electrons in the system. This eigenvalue is, in fact, equal to the number of dynamically correlated electrons. The large eigenvalue is produced by those pair states in momentum space for which the occupation probability is neither zero nor one. The correlation function for electrons with opposite spin is shown to be just the absolute square of the eigenfunction associated with the large eigenvalue of ϱ2.
Public Speaking Apprehension, Decision-Making Errors in the Selection of Speech Introduction Strategies and Adherence to Strategy.

The present study examined the choice‐making processes of students engaged in the selection of speech introduction strategies. The students were preparing for actual presentations which held considerable potential for impacting their course grades and options. One of three introduction strategies was to be selected and used by students; humor, startling fact or statement and preview of speech topic. Students estimated the probability of attaining high and moderate levels of success as well as probability of failure. In addition, students estimated the anticipated effectiveness of each strategy under each level of success or failure, estimated the likelihood of implementing each strategy and designated one for use on performance day. The strategy actually employed was recorded. Results indicated that (1) the frequency of students making decision‐making errors was a positive function of public speaking apprehension and (2) highly apprehensive speakers were not less adherent than low apprehensives but modera...
Characterizing consumer emotional response to sweeteners using an emotion terminology questionnaire and facial expression analysis

Abstract Concerns associated with sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) have led to an increased consumer demand for sweetener alternatives that are functionally (and taste) equivalent to sucrose without the associated health risks. Measuring consumer emotions has the potential to aid the industry in subsequent ingredient decision-making. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship of consumer acceptability and emotional response of sweeteners in tea using a 9-point hedonic scale, an emotion term questionnaire (explicit), and a facial expression response (implicit). Participants (n = 30) evaluated a water sample (baseline), two (5%) sucrose-tea samples (control), and four equi-sweet alternative sweetener-tea samples (ace-k, sucralose, high fructose corn syrup and honey), divided by category (artificial; natural). Sessions (4 total, spread over 2 days) were divided by category and emotional response tool in a cross-over design. Facial expression responses were recorded in the first session of both days using FaceReader 5.0 and individual participant videos were analyzed per sample for 5-s post-consumption (α = 0.05) in the continuous analysis setting using automated facial expression analysis software. Emotional term responses were collected in the second session of each day and count frequencies of each term per sample were tabulated and analyzed. Hedonic acceptability was rated in all sessions on a 9-point scale. Alternative sweeteners were all rated ‘acceptable’ (score of 5 or higher), except for honey in one session. Only one alternative in each category was statistically different (p
Long-term outcomes following single-portal endoscopic carpal tunnel release.

Background There is limited published information about long-term outcomes and recurrence rates following single-portal endoscopic carpal tunnel release.
10 Gb/s adaptive receive-side near-end and far-end crosstalk cancellation circuitry

As serial I/O data rates scale above 10 Gb/s, crosstalk between neighboring channels degrades system bit-error rate (BER) performance. This paper presents receive-side circuitry which merges the cancellation of both near-end and far-end crosstalk (NEXT/FEXT) and can automatically adapt to different channel environments and variations in process, voltage, and temperature. NEXT cancellation is realized with a novel 3-tap FIR filter which combines two traditional FIR filter taps and a continuous-time band-pass filter IIR tap for efficient crosstalk cancellation, with all filter tap coefficients automatically determined via an on-die sign-sign least-meansquare (SS-LMS) adaptation engine. FEXT cancellation is realized by coupling the aggressor signal through a differentiator circuit whose gain is automatically adjusted with a power-detection-based adaptation loop. A prototype fabricated in a general purpose 65-nm CMOS process includes the adaptive NEXT and FEXT circuitry, along with a continuous-time linear equalizer (CTLE) to compensate for frequency-dependent channel loss. Enabling the crosstalk cancellation circuitry while operating at 10 Gb/s over coupled 4-in FR4 transmission line channels with NEXT and FEXT aggressors opens a previously closed eye and allows for a 0.2 UI timing margin at a BER = 10. Total power including the NEXT/FEXT crosstalk cancellation circuitry, CTLE, and high-speed output buffer is 34.6 mW, and the core circuit area occupies 0.3 mm.
Associations of chemokine system polymorphisms with clinical outcomes and treatment responses of chronic hepatitis C

Abstract Background & Aims: CCR5Δ32, a 32–base pair deletion of the CC chemokine receptor (CCR) 5 gene, is associated with slowed human immunodeficiency virus disease progression in heterozygotes and protection against infection in homozygotes. A recent study found a higher than expected frequency of CCR5Δ32/Δ32 in patients with hepatitis C virus infection. The roles of other disease-associated chemokine system polymorphisms have not been evaluated in hepatitis C virus infection. Methods: Six chemokine system polymorphisms (CCR5Δ32, CCR5 promoter 59029–G/A, CCR2 -64I, RANTES [regulated upon activation, normal T cells expressed and secreted] -403 -G/A, and -28 -C/G and stromal derived factor 1 -3'A) were studied in 417 patients with liver diseases (339 with hepatitis C) and 2380 blood donors. The clinical parameters of hepatitis C virus infection were compared between carriers and noncarriers of each genetic variant. Results: The frequency of CCR5Δ32 homozygosity was 0.8% in whites with hepatitis C virus and 1.1% in controls (P = 0.75). The CCR5Δ32 allele was not associated with any of the clinical parameters of hepatitis C virus infection. Hepatitis C virus–seropositive whites with the RANTES -403-A allele were less likely to have severe hepatic inflammation compared with those without (odds ratio, 0.34; P = 0.03). In multivariate analysis, the CCR5 promoter 59029 -A allele was marginally associated with a sustained response to interferon therapy (odds ratio, 3.07; P = 0.048). Conclusions: In this cohort, the frequency of CCR5Δ32 homozygosity in patients with hepatitis C was similar to controls. The high prevalence of CCR5Δ32 homozygosity in the hepatitis C virus patients of the earlier study likely reflects resistance to human immunodeficiency virus infection in hemophiliacs rather than a susceptibility to hepatitis C virus infection. Expression of CCR5 and RANTES may be important in the modulation of hepatic inflammation and response to interferon therapy in chronic hepatitis C.
Spousal social support and strain: impacts on health in older couples.

Using a nationally representative sample of couples aged 51+ in the United States (N = 1,923 couples), the current study investigated whether both partners’ perceptions of relationship support and strain are associated with an individual’s self-rated health and functional limitations. The sample had an average age of 67.17 years (SD = 9.0; range 50–97). Actor–Partner Interdependence Models adjusting for couple interdependencies were applied using multilevel models. After accounting for age, education, gender, race, and couple differences in length of marriage, results indicate that individual perceptions of support were significantly associated with higher self-rated health and fewer functional limitations. These individual-level benefits increased if the spouse also perceived positive support and low strain. Finally, the negative association of an individual’s perceived support on functional limitations was greater in those with a spouse reporting low levels of perceived strain. Findings are discussed relative to theory on behavioral and psychological pathways between partners’ perceptions of support and health.
Highly Sulfated Nonreducing End-derived Heparan Sulfate Domains Bind Fibroblast Growth Factor-2 with High Affinity and Are Enriched in Biologically Active Fractions

Human fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2) regulates cellular processes including proliferation, adhesion, motility, and angiogenesis. FGF2 exerts its biological function by binding and dimerizing its receptor (FGFR), which activates signal transduction cascades. Effective binding of FGF2 to its receptor requires the presence of heparan sulfate (HS), a linear polysaccharide with N-sulfated domains (NS) localized at the cell surface and extracellular matrix. HS acts as a platform facilitating the formation of a functional FGF-FGFR-HS ternary complex. Crystal structures of the signaling ternary complex revealed two conflicting architectures. In the asymmetrical model, two FGFs and two FGFRs bind a single HS chain. In contrast, the symmetrical model postulates that one FGF and one FGFR bind to the free end of the HS chain and dimerization require these ends to join, bringing the two half-complexes together. In this study, we screened a hexasaccharide HS library for compositions that are able to bind FGF2. The library was composed primarily of NS domains internal to the HS chain with minor presence of non-reducing end (NRE) NS. The binders were categorized into low versus high affinity binders. The low affinity fraction contained primarily hexasaccharides with low degree of sulfation that were internal to the HS chains. In contrast, the high affinity bound fraction was enriched in NRE oligosaccharides that were considerably more sulfated and had the ability to promote FGFR-mediated cell proliferation. The results suggest a role of the NRE of HS in FGF2 signaling and favor the formation of the symmetrical architecture on short NS domains.
Laminar Airflow and Nanoparticle or Vapor Deposition in a Human Nasal Cavity Model

The transport and deposition of nanoparticles, i.e., dp = 1-2 nm, or equivalent vapors, in the human nasal cavities is of interest to engineers, scientists, air-pollution regulators, and healthcare officials alike. Tiny ultrafine particles, i.e., dp < or = 5 nm, are of special interest because they are most rapidly absorbed and hence have an elevated toxic or therapeutic impact when compared to larger particles. Assuming transient laminar 3-D incompressible flow in a representative human nasal cavity, the cyclic airflow pattern as well as local and overall nanoparticle depositions were computationally simulated and analyzed. The focus was on transient effects during inhalation/exhalation as compared to the steady-state assumption typically invoked. Then, an equation for a matching steady-state inhalation flow rate was developed that generates the same deposition results as cyclic inhalation. Of special interest is the olfactory region where the narrow channel surfaces receive only about one-half of a percent of the inhaled nanoparticles because the airflow bypasses these recesses located in the superior-most portions in the geometrically complex nasal cavities.
Early-life disruption of epigenetic marks may contribute to the origins of mental illness.

Epigenetic marks, including DNA methyl ation (DNAm), histone modifications and small inhibitory RNAs, are heritable and provide critical layers of gene regulatory control; however, they also are dynamic and can be influenced by environmental exposures [1–3]. Studies primarily focused on cancer and late-onset diseases have revealed that a growing number of human diseases are linked to epigenetic disruptions. For example, DNAm became a hallmark of human cancer, a link that was first recognized in 1983, when tumor cells were found to be aberrantly methylated compared with their normal cell counterparts due to a loss of methylation from repetitive regions of the genome [4]. Together with the finding that healthy monozygotic twins show indistinguishable childhood DNAm [5], epigenetic mechanisms have long been thought to be highly coordinated throughout early development and more susceptible to drift in adulthood. In this article, we will discuss the impact that recent findings, of dramatic DNAm changes throughout childhood, will have on future epigenetic studies conducted in children and adults.
Driving toward targeted therapy for LCH.

In this issue of Blood, Brown et al identify somatic mutations of MAP2K1 capable of driving the RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK pathway in Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH). Their findings lend important insight into the pathogenesis of this disease and provide the rationale for exploring targeted approaches in clinical trials.1
Nonenzymatic sequence-specific methyl transfer to single-stranded DNA

Abstract 2'-Deoxyuridine 5'-triphosphate with a methylthioether moiety at the 5 position can be incorporated into a primer-template DNA complex with Klenow enzyme. Activation with CNBr at 25 degrees C, pH 5.5, followed by treatment with piperidine produces sequence-specific cleavage on the template DNA predominantly at a single guanine position. The mechanism involves methyl-group transfer from sulfur on the modified deoxyuridine of the extended primer to N-7 of guanine on the template DNA. This raises the possibility for the design and synthesis of a nonenzymatic class of sequence-specific methyltransferases for DNA.
Rapid tooling: a step change in mold manufacturing

There are two stages in the part manufacturing life cycle, the development stage and the production stage. In the development stage, the developer tests and verifies the design, property and functionality of the part, and usually a small quality of prototypes of the part is needed. In the production stage, engineers determine the method of production and production tools may be required. in either stage, the time and cost to produce prototypes or production tools have significant impact on the success of the product in terms of sales and profits. Conventional methods of fabricating prototypes and production tools are generally expensive and time consuming. Rapid prototyping (RP) can reduce the time can cost to produce prototypes and tools dramatically. One important advancement of RP technologies is rapid tooling (RT). RT technologies produce production tools using the RP approaches. The effect of RT manufacturing industry, in particular the plastic product manufacturers. This paper will give an overview of the background and development of the RT technology and a glance at the state-of-the-art. Processes to be discussed include RTV, KelTool, QuickCast, RapidTool, Metal Coating, Metal Shell, 3D Printing, Shape Deposition Manufacturing and Laser Engineered Net Shaping processes.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Nesting Strategies for Enabling Nimble MapReduce Dataflows for Large RDF Data

Graph and semi-structured data are usually modeled in relational processing frameworks as "thin" relations (node, edge, node) and processing such data involves a lot of join operations. Intermediate results of joins with multi-valued attributes or relationships, contain redundant subtuples due to repetition of single-valued attributes. The amount of redundant content is high for real-world multi-valued relationships in social network (millions of Twitter followers of popular celebrities) or biological (multiple references to related proteins) datasets. In MapReduce-based platforms such as Apache Hive and Pig, redundancy in intermediate results contributes avoidable costs to the overall I/O, sorting, and network transfer overhead of join-intensive workloads due to longer workflows. Consequently, providing techniques for dealing with such redundancy will enable more nimble execution of such workflows. This paper argues for the use of a nested data model for representing intermediate data concisely using nesting-aware dataflow operators that allow for lazy and partial unnesting strategies. This approach reduces the overall I/O and network footprint of a workflow by concisely representing intermediate results during most of a workflow's execution, until complete unnesting is absolutely necessary. The proposed strategies are integrated into Apache Pig and experimental evaluation over real-world and synthetic benchmark datasets confirms their superiority over relational-style MapReduce systems such as Apache Pig and Hive.
Interpreting microarray data to build models of microbial genetic regulation networks

Microarrays and DNA chips are an efficient, high-throughput technology for measuring temporal changes in the expression of message RNA (mRNA) from thousands of genes (often the entire genome of an organism) in a single experiment. A crucial drawback of microarray experiments is that results are inherently qualitative: data are generally neither quantitatively repeatable, nor may microarray spot intensities be calibrated to in vivo mRNA concentrations. Nevertheless, microarrays represent by the far the cheapest and fastest way to obtain information about a cell's global genetic regulatory networks. Besides poor signal characteristics, the massive number of data produced by microarray experiments pose challenges for visualization, interpretation and model building. Towards initial model development, we have developed a Java tool for visualizing the spatial organization of gene expression in bacteria. We are also developing an approach to inferring and testing qualitative fuzzy logic models of gene regulation using microarray data. Because we are developing and testing qualitative hypotheses that do not require quantitative precision, our statistical evaluation of experimental data is limited to checking for validity and consistency. Our goals are to maximize the impact of inexpensive microarray technology, bearing in mind that biological models and hypotheses are typically qualitative.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Identifying factors associated with hypoglycemia-related hospitalization among elderly patients with T2DM in the united states: A novel approach using influential variable analysis

Healthcare providers managing older patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) face a complex milieu of medical conditions and comorbidities, which increase the risk of unintended treatment cons...