cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
STUDIES OF VACCINIA HEMAGGLUTININ OBTAINED FROM VARIOUS VACCINIA INFECTED TISSUES. DENSITY GRADIENT CENTRIFUGATION AND ELECTRON MICROSCOPY.

SummarySerologically specific vaccinial hemagglutinin (VHA) was obtained from vaccinia infected HeLa cells, chorioallantoic membranes of embryonated eggs and mouse fibroblast cell cultures. When concentrated and partially purified preparations were examined by density gradient centrifugation, the preparations varied in density according to the tissue of origin. The host-associated differences in peak density were accompanied by a marked degree of poly-dispersion not resolvable by a second density gradient centrifugation or by prolonged centrifugation. Electron micrographs showed that the particle size was in the range of 45–54 mμ. Substructure was detected in some particles which suggested the coiling or folding of a strand.
The pigment ofXanthomonas populi is a nonbrominated aryl-heptaene belonging to xanthomonadin pigment group 11

Based on mass spectrometry and electronic absorption spectroscopy, the main pigment fromXanthomonas populi (synonym:Aplanobacter populi) was identified as a nonbrominated aryl-heptaene. TheX. populi pigment was indistinguishable—on the basis of cochromatography and electronic absorption spectroscopy—from an authentic sample of a xanthomonadin belonging to Pigment Group 11, previously found as minor components in strains belonging to theXanthomonas campestris taxospecies (specifically in theXanthomonas pruni andXanthomonas vesicatoria nomenspecies). Possession of a xanthomonadin pigment confirms the placement ofX. populi in the genusXanthomonas and this particular pigment serves to distinguishX. populi from the five other taxospecies presently assigned to that genus. TheXanthomonas sp. isolated fromSalix, which purportedly “shows affinities to”X. populi, forms a monobrominated aryl-polyene pigment and —on that basis—is unlikeX. populi.
Proteome chips: a future perspective

In the last few years, protein chip technology has followed a trajectory of growth similar to that of DNA microarray technology, emerging as a tool for functional studies of proteins. Since the fir...
Analysis of FKBP51/FKBP52 Chimeras and Mutants for Hsp90 Binding and Association with Progesterone Receptor Complexes

FKBP51, FKBP52, and Cyp40 bind competitively to Hsp90 through their respective tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) domains, and any one of the three immunophilins can be isolated in mature steroid receptor complexes. During cell-free assembly reactions, FKBP51 associates preferentially with progesterone and glucocorticoid receptors, but less preference is observed in FKBP51 association with estrogen receptor. A number of mutant FKBP forms were generated to map sequences responsible for FKBP51's preferred association with progesterone receptor. A double-point mutation in the peptidyl prolyl isomerase domain of FKBP51 that reduces enzymatic activity by greater than 90% had no observed effect on FKBP51 interactions with progesterone receptor or Hsp90. Coprecipitation of FKBP51 and FKBP52 truncation mutants with Hsp90 indicated that sequences both upstream and downstream of the TPR domain are necessary for Hsp90 binding. FKBP chimeric constructs were also generated and tested for Hsp90 binding and receptor association. The TPR domain of FKBP51 required appropriate downstream sequences for Hsp90 binding, but FKBP52's TPR domain did not. The C-terminal region of FKBP51 that functionally interacts with the TPR domain to permit Hsp90 binding also conferred preferential association with PR. In conclusion, despite the overall similarity of FKBP51 and FKBP52, these two immunophilins associate differentially with steroid receptors, and the difference relates to both the Hsp90-binding TPR domain and to poorly conserved C-terminal sequences.
Response of Eucalyptus regnans F. Muell. to thinning and urea fertilization in New Zealand

A 7-year-old Eucalyptus regnans plantation on the North Island of New Zealand was urea fertilized (230 and 460 kg N ha−1) and thinned to 350 and 150 trees ha−1 (TPH) from an initial stand density of 1200 TPH. Tree diameter, height, and crown height were measured periodically for the next 2.5 years. Crop trees (the 100 TPH with the largest diameter at final measurement) responded to both thinning and fertilization with greater diameter growth at the intermediate levels of both treatments. Thinning increased diameter growth slightly more than did fertilization. There was no interaction of thinning and fertilization on diameter growth. Thinning tended to decrease height growth while fertilization had a small positive effect on height growth. Live crown ratio was increased by both thinning and fertilization. Effects on stand basal area and volume increment were similar to those for diameter. Foliar nutrient analyses showed that the highest level of fertilization lowered concentrations of non-fertilizer elements and substantially altered ratios of nitrogen to the other elements. This possibly caused the lack of response at that level of fertilization. Radical thinning to final crop stocking (150 TPH) at an early age did not offer any growth advantage over less extreme thinning (350 TPH). The heaviest rate of fertilization (460 kg N ha−1) at any level of thinning did not increase growth. Therefore, more moderate rates of thinning and fertilization are recommended in young E. regnans plantations.
Excimer laser ablation of thin gold films on a quartz crystal microbalance at various argon background pressures

Excimer laser ablation of gold films deposited on a quartz crystal microbalance is investigated. The ablation rate is directly obtained from the frequency shift of the mi- crobalance. The measured single-shot ablation rate is found to be at least two orders of magnitude higher than the numeri- cal predictions based on a surface vaporization model. Surface morphology studies indicate that hydrodynamic ablation plays a leading role in excimer laser ablation of thin gold films. In situ reflectivity and scattering measurements of the gold-film surface during the transient heating and melting upon excimer laser irradiation show that the melting duration is of microsec- ond order, which is much longer than the nanosecond melting duration in the case of a bulk target. This longer duration of melting may promote liquid motion, which leads to hydrody- namic ablation at a much higher rate compared with that of atomic vaporization from the surface. Experiments show that the ablation rate is also a strong function of the background gas pressure, which may be the result of the interactions be- tween the gold vapor evaporated from the surface and the hydrodynamic motion in the molten gold.
T cell determinant structure: cores and determinant envelopes in three mouse major histocompatibility complex haplotypes.

T lymphocytes recognize discrete regions on an antigen. The specificity of the T cell responses in three mouse strains of differing major histocompatibility complex (MHC) haplotype to a protein antigen, lysozyme, was analyzed using a series of peptides that walk the antigen in single amino acid steps. These peptide series were synthesized using the pin synthesis system, which was modified to allow the peptides to be cleaved from the pins into a physiological buffer free of toxic compounds. This methodology overcomes many of the problems associated with the production of peptides for screening proteins for antigenic determinants. The T cell determinants for the three strains were markedly different. This result points out the limitations of algorithms predicting determinants without reference to the MHC, and the importance of the empirical methodology. This analysis of the T cell response to lysozyme constitutes the most complete study of reactivity to a foreign protein to date and illustrates many important features of antigen recognition by T cells, e.g., presence of major and minor determinant regions. The outer boundaries of each immunogenic region, the determinant envelope, are difficult to define from recently immunized lymph nodes because of the heterogeneity in T cell recognition. However, core sequences common to all the immunogenic peptides in a continuous sequence can be easily defined.
A measure of observability for multiconverter shipboard power systems

Perturbations in shipboard power systems can make controllers useless if improper control strategies are used. Incorporating the nonlinear dynamics of the shipboard power system in the control methodology is the solution to this problem. Before this solution is designed, the concept of nonlinear observability should be first investigated. A measure of observability of such systems will allow one to quantify their operational performance. This paper attempts to account for an observability measure of these multiconverter systems through the inclusion of other dynamics such as electromechnical behavior of generators and loads, providing a more comprehensive view of system performance. In the example section the observability condition number will lead to an indicator of how far the system is from being unobservable based on the system load profile.
Effects of cytochalasin B on the ultrastructure of Rana pretiosa tadpole epidermis.

Immersion of Rana pretiosa tadpole tail integument in 1 μg/ml of cytochalasin B (CCB) for 45 minutes disrupted various cell structures of the two-squamous cell-layered epidermis including macromolecular components within microvilli and subjacent to the apical plasmalemma, the unit membrane which bounds mucinogenic vesicles and various other supranuclear structures. Surface cells exhibited the greatest degree of organelle disorganization when pieces of excised tail fin (“discs”) were treated with the antibiotic. This may indicate a differential response to the drug by various regions of the cytoplasm or that the concentration of CCB and/or exposure period was only adequate to penetrate the most superficial layers of this epithelium. The effect(s) of the penetrate the most superficial layers of this epithelium. The effect(s) of the antibiotic on filaments and filament related kinetic processes is discussed and the possibility of dissimilarities in CCB-sensitivity between immature and differentiated plasmalemma and among unit membrane of various organelles is considered.
Membranous glomerulopathy associated with rheumatoid arthritis may respond to rituximab.

Renal complications of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) include membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN), secondary amyloidosis, focal mesangial proliferative GN, rheumatoid vasculitis, and analgesic nephropat...
Fluorescence properties of terbium-alkaline phosphatase.

Abstract The addition of Tb 3+ to apoalkaline phosphatase at pH 8.0 results in the formation of a metalloprotein with an enhanced Tb 3+ fluorescence at 492, 545, and 580 nm. The Tb 3+ excitation spectrum is most consistent with a process in which energy is transferred from one or more tyrosyl chromophores to the bound lanthanide. An analysis of the fluorescence data under equilibrium conditions yields one Tb 3+ binding site per enzyme dimer with a K n = 0.16 ± 0.02 μm . The Tb 3+ -alkaline phosphatase complex is not catalytically active nor does it incorporate covalently bound phosphate, but the specific activity of Zn 2+ -alkaline phosphatase is significantly enhanced in the presence of Tb 3+ indicating that this lanthanide mimics Mg 2+ in stabilizing the structure of alkaline phosphatase. The fluorescence of the Tb 3+ -enzyme is found to be quite sensitive to conformational changes which occur upon addition of Zn 2+ or substrates.
Reproductive effort and floral photosynthesis in Spiranthes cernua (Orchidaceae).

This study examined the cost of reproduction and photosynthetic characteristics of the reproductive structures of Spiranthes cernua, an agamospermic, terrestrial orchid. Reproduction was frequent: two-thirds of the plants flowered at least 2 yr in a row and one-fourth of the consecutive-year runs were ' 3 yr. Neither a significant decrease in leaf area nor a reduced likelihood of flowering was observed following 1 or 2 yr of inflorescence production. While there was a tendency for plants producing >16 flowers to have decreased size the next year, plants with the greatest number of flowers (31 +) were the most likely to reproduce. Leaf and reproductive gas exchange were measured in the field. Low but positive rates of net photosynthesis were documented at all stages of inflorescence development. The average rates of photosynthesis for each stage were: leaves, 9.2 pLmol C02 m-2-s-'; inflorescence in bud, 3.7 Iumol C02 m-2 s-1; inflorescence in flower, 2.5 ,umol C02m-2-s-' and infructescence, 0.2 ,umol C02 m-2s-'. Based on diurnal gas exchange, the contribution of leaves and reproductive structures to seasonal carbon assimilation was 91.6 and 8.4%, respectively. The role of the inflorescence as a source and sink for carbon assimilation may lower the cost of reproduction and support frequent inflorescence production.
Commentary: Addressing Corporate Influence Through Ethical Guidelines

assertions of widespread unethical conduct among industry-funded consultant epidemiologists and he does not address the ubiquitous nature of sources of temptation for unethical conduct or advancement of personal or institutional agendas. Although unfortunately unethical conduct may occasionally occur, for each example of potentially unethical conduct, there may be tens or hundreds of examples of studies undertaken by industry consultants of exemplary epidemiological practise. We wonder if this ratio is any different among non-industry-funded epidemiologists. Contrary to Pearce’s assertions, at GSK and among epidemiologists across the industry, our interest is in presenting objective findings. The possible short-term gains of doing otherwise are potentially far too costly. Industry does not have a monopoly on errors in the design, conduct, analysis, interpretation or communication of data. However, assuming negative intention by industry or industry-funded epidemiologists in such cases and positive intention by ‘independent’ epidemiologists is an opinion but not an evidence-based finding. Similarly, it is wrong to assume that public health consequences of such mistakes are worse with industry-related research. Finally, we do not fund consultant epidemiologists ‘to attack the research of other epidemiologists and to debunk it as junk science’. We seek out consultants who are strong methodologists with peer-reviewed publication records, who are widely respected in the field, and who can be objective and critical. We strive to seek the truth about the benefits and risks of our drugs. It is imperative to the wellbeing of patients to understand the effects of drugs as early as possible, and to manage any potential risks appropriately. If there are risks that emerge following approval for marketing, they should be identified as soon as possible using appropriate data and methodology and communicated rapidly. Maintaining the highest levels of integrity and transparency in all we do is critical for all epidemiologists. The risks associated with being linked to unethical conduct are great; there is no advantage for the research-based pharmaceutical companies.
A packet dropping-based incentive mechanism for M/M/1 queues with selfish users

We study a novel game theoretic incentive mechanism design problem for network congestion control in the context of selfish users sending data through a single store-and-forward router (a.k.a. “server” in this work). The scenario is modeled as an M/M/1 queueing game with each user (a.k.a. “player”) aiming to optimize a tradeoff between throughput and delay in a selfish distributed manner. We first show that the original game has an inefficient unique Nash Equilibrium (NE). In order to improve the outcome efficiency, we propose an incentivizing packet dropping scheme that can be easily implemented at the server. We then show that if the packet dropping scheme is a function of the sum of arrival rates, we have a modified M/M/1 queueing game that is an ordinal potential game with a unique NE. In particular, for a linear packet dropping scheme, which is similar to the Random Early Detection (RED) algorithm used with TCP, we show that there exists a unique Nash Equilibrium. For this scheme, the social welfare (expressed either as the summation of utilities of all players or log summation of utilities of all players) at the equilibrium point can be arbitrarily close to the social welfare at the global optimal point. Finally, we show that the simple best response dynamic converges to this unique efficient Nash Equilibrium.
Design and characterization of novel paper-based inkjet-printed UHF antennas for RFID and sensing applications

In this paper, inkjet printed antennas on paper based substrates are investigated for the first time as a solution for the mass production of ultra-low cost radio frequency identification (RFID) and sensing applications. A cavity resonator method and a Transmission Line (TL) method were utilized for the RF characteristics extraction of paper substrate: dielectric constant (epsivr) and loss tangent (tandelta). A UHF RFID antenna was designed and developed on paper substrate using inkjet printing technology which could serve as a technology for a much simpler and faster method for fabricating RFID tags and ultra-low cost paper-based RF front-ends and antennas. Simulation and experimental results verify the characteristics of paper substrate and the performance of the RFID tag.
A protocol for timed atomic commitment

A model and correctness criteria for timed atomic commitment (TAC) are presented which require the processes to be functionally consistent, but allow the outcome to include an exceptional state, indicating that timing constraints have been violated. Correct TAC behavior is defined by presenting an abstract description of the processes involved in the commitment and minimal correctness criteria for their behavior. The correctness criteria capture the intuitive notion that an exception outcome should only occur in the presence of faults, and an aborted outcome should only occur if faults occur or some process votes no. A centralized two-phase commit protocol was modified to meet the correctness criteria by introducing deadlines on the various stages the participants go through (voting and performing), and on the decision phase for the coordinator. The deadlines are derived using several system parameters: maximum message delay, clock drift, and execution time. The protocol is then shown to be correct. >
Lookup table based simulation and statistical modeling of Sigma-Delta ADCs

Sigma-delta (EA) ADCs have been widely adopted in data conversion applications due to the good performance. However, oversampling and complex circuit behavior render the simulation of these designs prohibitively time consuming. In this paper, a lookup table (LUT) based modeling technique is presented for efficient analysis of /spl Sigma//spl Delta/ ADCs. In the proposed approach, various transistor-level circuit non-idealities are systematically characterized at the building-block level and the complete ADC is simulated much more efficiently using these table models. As such, our approach can provide up to four orders of magnitude runtime speedup over SPICE-like simulators, hence significantly shortening the CPU time required for evaluating system performances such as SNDR (signal-noise-distortion-ratio). The proposed LUT modeling technique is further extended to assess performance variations due to parameter fluctuations. The resulting parameterized LUT modeling technique not only facilitates scalable performance variation analysis of complex /spl Sigma//spl Delta/ ADC designs, but also allows us to feasibly extract statistical performance correlation models for low-cost test solutions.
Introduction to Seismology: Inversion of travel time data

In the preceding chapter we examined the problem of tracing rays and calculating travel time curves from a known velocity structure. We derived expressions for ray tracing in a one-dimensional (1-D) velocity model in which velocity varies only with depth; ray tracing in general three-dimensional (3-D) structures is more complex but follows similar principles. We now examine the case where we are given travel times obtained from observations and wish to invert for a velocity structure that can explain the data. As one might imagine, the inversion is much more complicated than the forward problem. The main strategy used by seismologists, both in global and crustal studies, has generally been to divide the problem into two parts: A 1-D “average” velocity model is determined from all the available data. This is generally a non-linear problem but is tractable since we are seeking a single function of depth. Analysis often does not proceed beyond this point. If sufficient 3-D ray coverage is present, the 1-D model is used as a reference model and a travel time residual is computed for each datum by subtracting the predicted time from the observed time. A 3-D model is obtained by inverting the travel time residuals for velocity perturbations relative to the reference model. If the velocity perturbations are fairly small, this problem can be linearized and is computationally feasible even for large data sets. This is the basis for tomographic inversion techniques.
Common Property and Power: Insights from a Spatial Analysis of Historical and Contemporary Pasture Boundaries among Pastoralists in Central Tibet

Spatial analysis can bring out crucial issues in the political ecology of pastoral areas, with important implications for planning future development. This research combines textual analysis, participatory mapping, ethnography, and remote sensing data to study resource use and common property among pastoralists in Central Tibet. Specifically, this paper presents a case study of pasture boundaries over time in the Porong region (Nyelam County, Shigatse Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region, PRC). Translation and analysis of an historical (1884) boundary survey from Porong yielded hundreds of toponyms, boundary markers, livestock corrals, and resource locations, which were catalogued and indexed in a geographical database. Toponyms and landscape features listed in the boundary survey were geo-referenced using a Geographic Positioning Systems (GPS) unit: fieldwork in Tibet resulted in the collection of over five hundred GPS points that marked historical and contemporary pasture boundaries. In addition, participatory maps of pastures were generated with local herders and subsequently digitized using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software. These compiled GIS maps provide a time series of common property boundaries and illustrate how changes in Tibet’s governance (feudalism vs. socialism) and type of economy (e.g., collectivized vs. private household production) did or did not impact the distribution of resources among pastoralists. Analysis of vegetation resources available within historical and contemporary common property units provides compelling evidence that boundaries reflect the balance of power relations, resulting in unequal availability of rangeland resources. The case study adds to the literature on common property by reinserting the state’s central roles in defining boundaries, regulating resource use, and mediating resource conflicts.
She Was a Twin: Black Strategic Mothering, Race-Work, and the Politics of Survival

This article, a part of the “Sorrow as Artifact: Radical Black Mothering in Times of Terror,” session given at the American Anthropological Association Meetings, 2014, grew out of ethnographic interviews conducted with African American upper-middle-class women living in Atlanta, Georgia and navigating decisions regarding career, marriage and family. Conversations that originally bore out Black elite women's turn to the “neo-politics of respectability” as a strategy for mothering in the 21st century were further supported following the media coverage of the deaths of Black, primarily young people, at the hands of White male assailants. In this article, I explore the conundrum many elite African American women experience when trying to raise and protect their children. On one hand, African American women implement a strategy I call race-work to protect their children. African American mothers talk to their children, implement and enforce rules of decorum, and extend their mothering practices to other members of the Black community in an effort to uplift the race. On the other hand, their race-work strategies may be resulting in unintended health consequences to their pregnant bodies that in some cases result in illness or even death of their unborn children.
The solutions to the effects of land usage term in valuation for property taxation reform

Property tax reform theory progress makes author think the problem of land usage term.This paper lists the trend of the theory on term in land usage system reform: the usage term for collective-owned land tends to be similar to state-owned land.It is suggests that batch lease system should be changed into annual lease system.Based on compare and analysis classical appraisal method and beeline discount method,this paper suggests that we should use classical appraisal method to solve the problem of land usage term,but land right revise coefficient should be multiplied so that valuation could match the current land system.
Oral ganciclovir for cytomegalovirus retinitis in patients with AIDS: results of two randomized studies.

Objective: To determine the relative effectiveness of an oral formulation compared to a standard intravenous regimen of ganciclovir in preventing the progression of cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis in patients with AIDS. Design: Two randomized, multicenter 20-week studies of standard intravenous ganciclovir maintenance therapy compared with 3000 mg/day of oral ganciclovir. Methods: Patients randomized to receive intravenous ganciclovir (5 mg/kg per day) or oral ganciclovir (500 mg six times a day), or to receive intravenous ganciclovir (5 mg/kg per day) or one of two regimens of oral ganciclovir (500 mg six times a day or 1 000 mg three times/day). Patients: AIDS patients with newly diagnosed CMV retinitis or who had CMV retinitis treated previously with intravenous ganciclovir for more than 4 weeks, but less than 4 months. Main outcome and measure(s): Primary endpoints were times to first progression of retinitis, time to the occurrence of one or more prospectively observed, severe and dose-limiting adverse events, or 20 weeks. Visual assessments every 2 weeks included indirect ophthalmologic examination (funduscopy), photographs (bilateral, full 9- or 12-field photographs), and Snellen visual acuity assessments. Results: Mean times to progression for intravenous ganciclovir by photographic assessment were 62 days and 66 days, and for oral ganciclovir mean times were 57 days and 54 days. The differences in mean time to progression (oral minus intravenous) was -5 days and -12 days. In the funduscopic assessment, both the mean time to progression and the differences in mean time to progression were longer in both treatment groups. Neutropenia was more common in the intravenous than in the oral ganciclovir treatment groups, but no significant differences were found in other laboratory parameters. Conclusions: CMV retinitis progression occurs a mean of 5-12 days sooner with oral ganciclovir than with intravenous ganciclovir maintenance treatment. Oral ganciclovir is an effective alternative to intravenous ganciclovir for maintenance therapy of CMV retinitis in patients with AIDS.
Estradiol-17 beta and progesterone increase ovine uterine suppressor cell activity.

We evaluated the regulation of ovine uterine (UT) suppressor cell activity by progesterone (P4), estradiol-17 beta (E2), and P4 + E2 in ovariectomized (OVX) ewes. Following 14 d of steroid injections, endometrial cells (designated as UT cells) were recovered postmortem, and unfractionated and fractionated cells were assessed for suppression of autologous phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-treated peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). Supernatants from cultured UT cells were also assessed for suppressor activity. In other experiments, UT cells recovered from nontreated OVX ewes were cocultured with PHA-treated PBL and varying concentrations (1 x 10(-11) to 1 x 10(-5) M) of each steroid preparation. Supernatants from separate cultures that contained UT cells and steroids were evaluated for suppressor activity. Uterine cells from control and steroid-treated ewes suppressed proliferative responses of PHA-treated PBL; however, suppressor activity of UT cells was greater (P < .05) for E2-treated than for control and P4-treated ewes. Uterine suppressor cells from steroid-treated ewes sedimented in Percoll within a density range of 1.002 to 1.056 g/mL. Uterine cells from all ewes released suppressor factor(s) into the culture medium; however, the activity of the supernatant from the cultured cells was not increased for the steroid-treated ewes. For cocultures that contained steroids and cultures that contained supernatant, suppressor activity of the UT cells was increased by specific concentrations of each steroid preparation. These findings demonstrate that reproductive steroids augment ovine UT suppressor cell activity.
Recent Advances in High-Pressure Swarms

The paper describes the development and applications of an afterglow technique for measurements of deionization processes in plasmas of atmospheric neutral density.
THE PHYSICS OF EL NINO

The Past two years have witnessed the strongest El Nino this century. Indeed, the event received so much media coverage that the phrase "El Nino" is now part of our everyday vocabulary. The impact of the 1997/8 El Nino was felt in many parts of the world: floods and warm weather led to a failed anchovy season in Peru; torrential downpours and mud slides besieged southern California; droughts caused uncontrollable forest fires in Indonesia; coral in the Pacific Ocean was bleached by hotter than average water; and shipping through the Panama Canal was restricted by belowaverage rainfall.
Neurodegenerative models of schizophrenia.

The concept of schizophrenia as a neurodegenerative disorder has a long and somewhat controversial past. The absence of a histopathological phenotype in schizophrenia has been cited as evidence against a neurodegenerative hypothesis. However, studies of schizophrenia increasingly demonstrate subtle yet consistent histopathological deficits in addition to evidence of progressive clinical and neuroimaging findings. It is believed that schizophrenia can be considered as a limited neurodegenerative disorder with neurodevelopmental antecedents. Studies from clinical, neurocognitive, neuroimaging, and neuropathological domains are reviewed in critical analysis of this hypothesis. The conclusion is increasingly supported by neuroimaging studies that find progressive neurostructural changes, especially in gray matter content and ventricle size, and studies that report limited progression of clinical symptoms and neurocognitive function. Future studies utilizing high-resolution neuroimaging and sophisticated neuropsychological testing techniques will undoubtedly provide greater insight on the timing, regionality, and degree of progression in the early stages of schizophrenia.
Forest resistance to sea-level rise prevents landward migration of tidal marsh

Abstract Little is known about how biotic interactions will influence the distributions of vegetation types under climate change, but these interactions could determine the effectiveness of conservation actions aimed at encouraging ecosystem migration. Tidal marshes are threatened by sea-level rise worldwide unless losses are offset by landward migration. We conducted extensive vegetation surveys within tidal marshes and tested for evidence of ecosystem migration across three scales in adjacent coastal forest in southern New England. We found widespread shifts in tidal marsh vegetation over decadal scales toward a greater extent of flood-tolerant species (e.g. a 5.4% annual increase in Spartina alterniflora), but no evidence that coastal forest is changing in a compensatory manner. We found low mortality and high growth rates for trees at the forest edge, suggesting that marsh migration is unlikely in the near term. This apparent mismatch in rates of ecosystem change is likely to result in losses in the extent of high elevation marsh, threatening the persistence of tidal marsh specialists that depend on these areas for reproduction.
Poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide)-b-poly(vinylbenzyltrimethylammonium) Diblock Copolymers for Highly Conductive Anion Exchange Membranes

Diblock copolymer membranes of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide)-b-poly(vinylbenzyltrimethylammonium) (PPO-b-PVBTMA) were prepared as anion exchange membranes. The membranes were produced by growing poly(vinylbenzyl chloride) (PVBC) blocks from a PPO macroinitiator using nitroxide-mediated polymerization to make PPO-b-PVBC copolymers with varying PVBC content, then melt pressing into films, and subsequently reacting with trimethylamine. Phase separation was indicated for the PPO-b-PVBC polymers based on the evidence of two Tgs from differential scanning calorimetry measurements. The melt-processing conditions to form films produced lightly cross-linked materials. The conversion to PPO-b-PVBTMA membranes by reaction with trimethylamine led to materials with varying ion exchange capacities based on the amount of PVBC in the precursor. The water uptake, the dimensional changes with hydration, and the ionic conductivities in the hydroxide and bicarbonate forms were determined. The water uptake was suppre...
An Assessment of Selected Relationships in a Model of the Industrial Marketing Negotiation Process

Given the importance of understanding the determinants of successful buyer/seller negotiations in industrial sales settings, the authors tested specific relationships in a general model proposed by Graham (1987). Sixty industrial managers participated in a simulated sales negotiation exercise, which involved the potential purchase/sale of a high-end industrial product. Insights are provided regarding the effects of demographic and personality variables on the use of coordinative (versus competitive) communication strategies in sales negotiating, as well as the subsequent effects of different strategies on both deadlock and satisfaction outcomes.
Full atomistic reaction mechanism with kinetics for CO reduction on Cu(100) from ab initio molecular dynamics free-energy calculations at 298 K.

A critical step toward the rational design of new catalysts that achieve selective and efficient reduction of CO 2 to specific hydrocarbons and oxygenates is to determine the detailed reaction mechanism including kinetics and product selectivity as a function of pH and applied potential for known systems. To accomplish this, we apply ab initio molecular metadynamics simulations (AIMμD) for the water/Cu(100) system with five layers of the explicit solvent under a potential of −0.59 V [reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE)] at pH 7 and compare with experiment. From these free-energy calculations, we determined the kinetics and pathways for major products (ethylene and methane) and minor products (ethanol, glyoxal, glycolaldehyde, ethylene glycol, acetaldehyde, ethane, and methanol). For an applied potential ( U ) greater than −0.6 V (RHE) ethylene, the major product, is produced via the Eley–Rideal (ER) mechanism using H 2 O + e – . The rate-determining step (RDS) is C–C coupling of two CO, with Δ G ‡ = 0.69 eV. For an applied potential less than −0.60 V (RHE), the rate of ethylene formation decreases, mainly due to the loss of CO surface sites, which are replaced by H*. The reappearance of C 2 H 4 along with CH 4 at U less than −0.85 V arises from *CHO formation produced via an ER process of H* with nonadsorbed CO (a unique result). This *CHO is the common intermediate for the formation of both CH 4 and C 2 H 4 . These results suggest that, to obtain hydrocarbon products selectively and efficiency at pH 7, we need to increase the CO concentration by changing the solvent or alloying the surface.
A More Beneficial Use: Evaluating Active Groundwater Management in Mohave County, Arizona

For thirty-five years, the State of Arizona has praised the Arizona Groundwater Management Act (the “Groundwater Act”) for its progressive goals toward future sustainability through Active-Management Areas (“AMAs”), Irrigation Non-Expansion Areas (“INAs”), safe yield goals, groundwater well regulations, management goals and plans, and the Assured and Adequate Water Supply programs. The Groundwater Act aims to place the State toward ensuring sufficient water supplies for the foreseeable future. Mohave County is currently the largest county in the State not in an AMA, yet it currently lacks the proper water management tools to protect its water resources against growth in population, industry and out of state agriculture. This comment will assess the value of increasing water supply regulation, as well as explore the proposals Mohave County could pursue for the Detrital Valley, Hualapai Valley, and Sacramento Valley (the “Subject Basins”) to protect its groundwater.
Innovative Oil Spill Recovery Technology Developments

ABSTRACT (2017-404) Long-term challenges for the oil spill response industry include spills occurring in the open ocean or ice-infested waters, as well as spills of heavy oil. Historically, only a ...
Abstract 013: The Molecular Program of ReninNull Cells

Mice homozygous for the Ren1c gene disruption ( Ren1c -/- ) display structural and functional defects characterized by a poorly developed renal medulla, urine concentration failure, polydipsia, polyuria, hydronephrosis, renal failure and anemia. Underlying this complex phenotype, mice exhibit unique renal vascular abnormalities, including concentric arteriolar hypertrophy. Using lineage and promoter activity tracking, we showed that renin null cells contribute directly to blood vessel thickening and distribute throughout renal arterial trees. We hypothesize that renin null cells synthesize factors that lead to arterial thickening and maintain an active molecular memory of the renin phenotype. To test this hypothesis, we performed RNA-seq of YFP sorted single cells from kidneys of Ren1c -/- ; Ren1c -YFP (KO) and Ren1c +/+ ; Ren1c -YFP (wildtype, WT) adult mice. We captured individual cells using a microfluidic C1 system and sequenced cDNA from cellular mRNA. We also performed ATAC-seq of KO cells to identify open chromatin regions available for transcription factor binding. KO and WT cell populations were distinct, with the average Euclidean distance between genotypes 1.9x greater than within genotypes. Differential expression analysis revealed that KO cells upregulated 1395 genes and downregulated 364 compared to WT (log fold change > 1, p This study shows that over activation of the renin program due to lack of renin causes expression of a distinct suite of genes that may be responsible for vascular pathologies observed in KO mice. These data also provide insight into how the cell regulates the renin cell program in response to chronic stimuli that jeopardize homeostasis.
Proposal for practical multi-kingdom classification of eukaryotes based on monophyly and comparable divergence time criteria

Summary Much of the ecological, taxonomic and biodiversity research relies on understanding of phylogenetic relationships among organisms. There are multiple available classification systems that all suffer from differences in naming, incompleteness, presence of multiple non-monophyletic entities and poor correspondence of divergence times. These issues render taxonomic comparisons across the main groups of eukaryotes and all life in general difficult at best. By using the monophyly criterion, roughly comparable time of divergence and information from multiple phylogenetic reconstructions, I propose an alternative classification system for the domain Eukarya to improve hierarchical taxonomical comparability for animals, plants, fungi and multiple protist groups. Following this rationale, I propose 32 kingdoms of eukaryotes that are treated in 10 subdomains. These kingdoms are further separated into 43, 115, 140 and 353 taxa at the level of subkingdom, phylum, subphylum and class, respectively (http://dx.doi.org/10.15156/BIO/587483). Most of the names have been used previously or these were deduced from those of the type taxa to be able to unambiguously link genera to higher taxonomic levels. In the era of phylogenomics, understanding about the phylogenetic relationships among organisms is rapidly increasing. Classifications systems must keep pace with this race to serve the research community by consistent improvements in precision in terms of taxonomic resolution and maintaining monophyly of the ingredient taxa.
Estimating the parameter sensitivity of acoustic mode quantities for an idealized shelf-slope front

The acoustic modes of an idealized three-dimensional model for a curved shelf-slope ocean front [Lin and Lynch, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 131, EL1–EL7 (2012)] is examined analytically and numerically. The goal is to quantify the influence of environmental and acoustic parameters on acoustic field metrics. This goal is achieved by using conserved quantities of the model, including the dispersion relation and a conservation of mode number. Analytic expressions for the horizontal wave numbers can be extracted by asymptotic approximations and perturbations, leading to accurate and convenient approximations for their parameter dependence. These equations provide the dependence on model parameter changes of both the real horizontal wavenumbers, leading to modal phase speeds and other metrics, and the imaginary parts, leading to modal attenuation coefficients. Further approximations for small parameter changes of these equations characterize the parameter sensitivities and produce assessments of environmental and acou...
Effects of Prenatal Cocaine on Maternal Care and Ultrasonic Vocalizations of Rat Offspring

Abstract Cocaine abuse during gestation continues to occur at high rates, putting both the mother and her developing fetus at risk. Clinical and preclinical research have identified a number of immediate and lasting effects of cocaine on the mother and her prenatally exposed offspring as well as its impact on the interaction between them, which may increase the risk of developmental problems for infants. Early social interactions are crucial to providing care and nutrition to infants in both humans and rodents. In rodents, ultrasonic vocalizations are an important social cue from the offspring to drive maternal attention, and it is altered by prenatal cocaine exposure. The purpose of this chapter is to review the impact of cocaine exposure on rodent dams, pups, and the dynamic interaction between the two with a special emphasis on the ultrasonic vocalization of the pup as a marker for impaired pup neurophysiological processes and social interaction.
Role of P-Glycoprotein and Organic Anion Transporting Polypeptides in Drug Absorption and Distribution Focus on H1-Receptor Antagonists

Traditionally, drug-induced changes in cytochrome P450 isoenzyme activity, causing changes in drug metabolism and bioavailability, have been the main focus of drug interaction studies. Recent research, however, suggests that the drug transporters P-glycoprotein and organic anion transporting peptide (OATP), which can effect the efflux and influx of many classes of drugs, may contribute to drug interactions by mechanisms independent of oxidative metabolism. Experimental models designed to selectively probe the function of P-glycoprotein or OATP have demonstrated that changes in the activities of these transporters may have a significant effect on the bioavailability of clinically important drugs, leading to the potential for adverse drug interactions. This review focuses on what is known about the P-glycoprotein and OATP drug transporters and their effects on drug bioavailability. Where possible, it uses as examples the second-generation Hi-receptor antagonists, where concomitant administration of other drugs or food constituents has been shown to alter the bioavailability of some agents of this class via mechanisms probably mediated by P-glycoprotein and/or OATP.
Case report: gallium study showing a rare form of multiple myeloma

A case study is presented in which a rare form of multiple myeloma with soft tissue involvememt was diagnosed by a gallium scan using 3 mCi of Ga-67 citrate. Subsequent resting cardiac blood pool images suggested pericardial rather than myocardial involvement. (JMT)
Mechanistic Basis for Exo-Electron Spectroscopy

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the status of intrinsic and extrinsic emissions from metals, which have undergone mechanical treatment in one form or another. It discusses tribostimulated, chemically stimulated, and thermally stimulated emissions. The chapter discusses the interpretation of photostimulated electron emission (PEEE) experiments from the theoretical point of view based on calculations and a series of experimental results. PEEE is a part of electron spectroscopy. The fatigue-enhanced PEEE of oxidized aluminum is enhanced by the absorption of the incident photon by the surface plasmons. Removing the oxide layer further increases the exo-electron emission since the attenuation effect of the oxide layers is absent.
Adapting residency training. Training adaptable residents

Graduate medical education has been criticized for failing to adequately prepare young physicians to enter the workforce upon completion of their training. In addressing this criticism, the author makes arguments both for and against this assertion. Broad qualitative changes (graduate medical education training position allocation, subspecialists' role in health care delivery, educational quality, faculty development, and faculty promotion) that graduate medical education has undergone and is undergoing are discussed. Population health management, clinical resource management, teamwork, continuous quality improvement, ethics, and evidence-based medicine are addressed as important curricular elements for residency training. Innovations in graduate medical education that are being introduced as well as those that should be tried are discussed. Finally, the author asserts that although residency education should not be vocationally driven by the needs of managed care organizations, a powerful opportunity exists for collaborative educational research between academic medicine and managed care organizations. In a health care environment undergoing rapid changes, the primary goals of graduate medical education have not significantly changed: to produce compassionate physicians with a passion for lifelong learning who have leadership skills, are critical thinkers, skilled at self-assessment, and able to adapt to the needs of the health care marketplace.
A Recurrent Neural Network Based Model of Predictive Smooth Pursuit Eye Movement in Primates

A predictive mechanism in the brain enables primates to visually track a target with almost zero lag smooth pursuit eye movements, overcoming the delays in processing retinal inputs. Interestingly, it also allows pursuit of occluded targets with nonlinear motion patterns. We propose a recurrent neural network (RNN) model that rapidly learns the target velocity sequence and generates eye velocity signals to eliminate the initial lag between target and eye velocities, and to track occluded targets with nonlinear velocity. Moreover, the model is able to adapt to unpredictable perturbation and phase shift of target velocity and qualitatively reproduce the initial pursuit acceleration in experimentally observed timescales. We propose that the frontal eye field (FEF) region of the primate brain is homologous to the proposed RNN based on its persistent predictive activities during pursuit and location on the pursuit pathway.