cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Role of the N-Terminal Activation Domain of the Coiled-Coil Coactivator in Mediating Transcriptional Activation by β-Catenin

The coiled-coil coactivator (CoCoA) is involved in transcriptional activation of target genes by nuclear receptors and the xenobiotic aryl hydrocarbon receptor, as well as target genes of the Wnt signaling pathway, which is mediated by the lymphocyte enhancer factor (LEF)/T cell factor transcription factors and the coactivator β-catenin. The recruitment of CoCoA by nuclear receptors is accomplished by the interaction of the central coiled-coiled domain of CoCoA with p160 coactivators; the C-terminal activation domain (AD) of CoCoA is used for downstream signaling, whereas the function of the N-terminal region is undefined. Here we report that the N terminus of CoCoA contains another AD, which is necessary and sufficient for synergistic activation of LEF1-mediated transcription by CoCoA and β-catenin. The N-terminal AD contains a p300 binding motif, which is important for synergistic cooperation of CoCoA and p300 as coactivators for LEF1 and β-catenin. p300 contributes to the function of the CoCoA N-termin...
Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein 2A exacerbates experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and enhances antigen presentation function

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory, autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. The cause of MS is still unknown but epidemiological and immunological studies have implicated Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which infects B cells, as a possible etiological agent involved in disease. Of particular interest is EBV latent membrane protein 2A (LMP2A) because previous studies have demonstrated that LMP2A enhances the expansion and differentiation of B cells upon antigen stimulation, revealing a potential contribution of this protein in autoimmunity. Since B cells are thought to contribute to MS, we examined the role of LMP2A in the animal model experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). In this model, transgenic mice in which B cells express LMP2A show increased severity and incidence of disease. This difference was not due to lymphocyte recruitment into the CNS or differences in T cell activation, rather, we show that LMP2A enhances antigen presentation function.
Conduction disturbances related to the site and severity of mitral anular calcification: A 2-dimensional echocardiographic and electrocardiographs correlative study

Abstract To investigate an apparent association of mitral anular calcium (MAC) and electrocardiographic abnormalities, the relation between location of 2-dimensional (2-D) echo-quantified MAC and conduction disturbances was studied in 140 patients with MAC (MAC group) and in 135 age- and sex-matched patients without MAC (control group). The MAC group was subclassified regarding site and severity of calcium in the mitral anulus. The site of MAC was defined as Type I, near the primary conduction system—MAC located in the medial segment and/or extending to the anterior mitral leaflet; and Type II—MAC located at the central and/or lateral segments away from the primary conduction system. The severity of MAC was graded on 2-D echocardiography as mild (localized within 1 segment) and moderate to severe (> 1 segment). Seven patients with MAC, and only 1 control subject, had pacemakers in place. Conduction disturbances were present in 44 (31%) of 140 patients with MAC, and in 37 (27%) of 135 control patients (difference not significant). But there were more conduction disturbances in patients with Type I MAC (53%) than in those with Type II MAC (26%) (p
Polyglutamylation: The GLU that Makes Microtubules Sticky

The beating of cilia and flagella depends on microtubule sliding generated by dynein motors, but the interaction of these motors with their tracks is still under investigation. New evidence suggests that some dynein motors will not function properly unless their track has been modified by a specific post-translational modification.
DEPENDENCE OF THE ANGULAR DISTRIBUTION OF THE (d,p) REACTION ON THE TOTAL ANGULAR-MOMENTUM TRANSFER

Experimental evidence is presented that the angular distribution of the ($d, p$) reaction depends not only on the orbital angular momentum $l$ but also on the total angular-momentum transfer $J=l\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}\frac{1}{2}$. For $l=1$, marked differences appear between $J=\frac{1}{2} \mathrm{and} \frac{3}{2}$ at angles greater than 90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} in medium-weight nuclei. Lesser differences also appear for $l=2$ and $l=3$ transitions at back angles. A marked dependence on $J$ is also observed for $l=2$ transitions at forward angles. The experimental evidence for such effects is presented.
Synthesis and opioid activity of conformationally constrained dynorphin A analogues

Abstract Cyclic analogues of dynorphin A-(1–13) amide (Dyn A-(1–13)NH2) were synthesized and their opioid receptor affinity and opioid activity determined. Cyclic peptides constrained in both the “message” and “address” regions of Dyn A-(1–13)NH2 (1) were prepared in order to investigate possible biological conformations of different regions of the peptides. The design of the constraint was based upon Schwyzer's proposal that Dyn A-(1–13) adopts an α-helix when it binds to κ opioid receptors in the lipid membrane (2). Molecular modeling with AMBER suggested that a four atom bridge between the α carbons of residues i (D-configuration) and i + 3 (L-configuration) may be compatible with a helical structure. Therefore we synthesized a series of cyclo[D-Asp i , Dap i+3 ] Dyn A-(1–13)NH2 analogues (Dap = α,β-diaminopropionic acid) with the lactam bridge between noncritical residues 2 and 5, 3 and 6, 5 and 8, or 6 and 9. Of these cyclic peptides, the [2,5] cyclic analogue exhibited the highest opioid receptor affinity and opioid activity.
The spreading and interface resistances of electric contacts

In almost every electric circuit there axe one or more places where current passes from one continuous metal body to another across the interface separating the two. The presence of the interface introduces an additional resistance into the circuit, and this additional resistance has for many years been called contact resistance. For over a century the contact resistance was thought to arise entirely from the potential drop through which charge must pass in going across the interface from one body to the other, and this was considered to be the only resistance of a contact. Today, it is known that the deviation from a uniform current field caused by the constriction of the current to a few small conducting areas at the interface also contributes to the contact resistance. A recent paper1 by one of the authors describes some of the more important effects of this latter phenomenon.
From Hereditary Cancer Syndrome to Sporadic Cancer Etiology: Genetic Linkage of DMS-MFH to Chromosome 9p21-22 • 724

Diaphyseal Medullary Stenosis with Malignant Fibrous Histiocytoma (DMS-MFH) is an inherited autosomal dominant bone dysplasia and cancer syndrome of unknown etiology. The syndrome is characterized by cortical growth abnormalities, bone infarctions, pathologic fractures, progressive wasting and bowing of the lower extremities and a 35% risk of developing MFH. Sporadic MFH represents 6% of all bone sarcomas and is one of the few malignancies where previous osseous injury has been implicated in tumorigenesis. Since inherited and sporadic cancers are caused by the same genetic defect, a genetic linkage study was undertaken with three large, multi-generational DMS-MFH kindreds. A genome-wide search was performed using microsatellite markers from the Human Screening Set, V. 4. By two-point linkage analysis, a maximal LOD score of Z = 5.53 at ⊝ = 0.03 was obtained with marker D9S171. Haplotype analysis revealed three recombinant events, defining the DMS-MFH locus to a 3 cM region between markers D9S1778 and D9S171. This genetic position was localized to the cytogenetic region 9p21-22 - a cytogenetic region implicated in a variety of cancers, including bladder carcinoma, acute lymphoblastic leukemia and gliomas, and known to contain a number of cell-cycle and growth regulating genes. Next, MFH tumor DNA from a DMS-MFH patient was analyzed with microsatellite markers across the linked region. Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in the patients normal chromosome was demonstrated through the entire DMS-MFH critical region. Finally, LOH analysis of sporadic MFH tumor and paired constitutive DNA revealed that 4/6 tumors had demonstrable 9p21-22 deletions. One of the samples was homozygously deleted across this region.
Designing a relational social robot toolkit for preschool children to explore computational concepts

Designing toolkits for teaching programming concepts to children using robots has received growing attention in recent years. However, teaching preschool children computational concepts, such as non-determinism and event-based programming, presents particular challenges. We have developed a programming toolkit that is embedded in an interpersonal interaction context with a social robot. The toolkit enables young children to program social robots by "teaching" them to interact. In order to "teach", the children show the robot rules designed with reusable vinyl stickers. In doing so, children can experiment with computational concepts while having a playful interaction with the social robot. We present the purpose, context, and design of the social robot toolkit (SoRo Toolkit), and an evaluation performed with 22 preschool children. We show that children have an engaging experience designing and "teaching" social interaction rules to the robot, orchestrating give-and-take exchanges, and delighting in how the robot engages with them as they explore computational ideas.
Do PTSD symptoms and course predict continued substance use for homeless individuals in contingency management for cocaine dependence

Homeless individuals (n = 187) entering contingency management (CM) for cocaine dependence were assessed for PTSD diagnosis, and a subset of 102 participants reporting traumatic exposure also periodically completed a self-report measure of PTSD symptoms. Patients with PTSD in full remission at 6 months (end of active treatment) and 12 months (end of aftercare) used substances much less frequently during aftercare than those with no PTSD diagnosis. Those whose PTSD diagnosis improved to full remission status during active treatment, and remained in full remission at 12 months, also had superior substance use outcomes. Severity of PTSD symptoms at 6 months, but not baseline or 2 months, was associated with substance use across treatment phases. Substance use during aftercare, however, was better predicted by changes in PTSD symptom severity. Patients whose PTSD symptoms improved more during active treatment fared better during aftercare than those with less improvement. Findings suggest homeless individuals with comorbid PTSD entering CM for cocaine dependence are not necessarily at increased risk for substance use compared to those without the comorbidity. However, course of PTSD does predict substance use, with the potential for CM to be unusually effective for those who respond with substantial, lasting improvements in PTSD.
Persistent memory dysfunction is associated with bilateral hippocampal damage following experimental brain injury

Memory dysfunction following head injury is a prominent feature in humans, yet the biological basis of this abnormality remains unknown. Following parasagittal fluid-percussion (FP) brain injury in the rat, we have previously observed profound spatial memory dysfunction relatively soon following injury (i.e. at 42 h). In the present study, we show that this memory dysfunction persists for at least 2 weeks following FP brain injury, and that it is associated with a selective bilateral loss of neurons in the dentate hilar region of the hippocampus. Given the important role of the hippocampus in memory, these observations may provide a potential anatomic substrate to explain, in part, the development posttraumatic memory deficits.
Sodium hypochlorite alterations of dentin and dentin collagen

Abstract NaOCl aq is used as a cleansing and non-specific deproteinizing agent in endodontic treatment, as a component of new chemomechanical caries treatment, and is under study for its alterations of dentin bonding characteristics. We sought to determine the microstructural and nanomechanical changes with such treatments and to test if NaOCl aq removed dentin collagen without microstructural or nanomechanical alteration of underlying mineralized dentin. Polished human dentin disks were prepared with a double reference technique that allowed changes to be determined following 10% citric acid etching for 15 s and subsequent treatment of the etched and unetched portions of the sample with 6.5% NaOCl aq , using atomic force microscopy (AFM) (Nanoscope III, Digital Instruments, Santa Barbara, CA). Images and measurements were made at intervals up to 1800 s. A Triboscope (Hysitron, Minneapolis, MN) on the AFM was used to measure nanohardness and the reduced elastic modulus. The double reference method allowed measurements immediately following etching and at intervals during deproteinization. Etching caused deep peritubular dentin removal and a small depth change of hydrated intertubular dentin as mineral was removed and left a remnant collagen matrix. NaOCl aq removed collagen over time, during which individual fibrils could be resolved; the underlying mineralized dentin was left with a unique porous surface containing numerous channels that are not normally observed in etched or fractured dentin. This could provide an attractive bonding substrate because of the increased surface area and high mineral content, if toughness is not reduced too much. Nanomechanical measurements showed that the reduced elastic modulus and hardness were 75% of original values after removal of the exposed collagen. Current dentin bonding systems rely on hybrid layer formation in which hydrophilic primers/polymers penetrate the opened collagen matrix exposed by etching. However some research suggests that preventing hybrid layer formation by deproteinization, in some cases, can give good bonding, and as shown here, alters the substrate microstructure. There are significant changes as indicated by ANOVA in the reduced elastic modulus that require further study to determine if these changes might affect clinical efficacy.
Understanding and Improving Clinical Trial Outcome Measures in Acute Respiratory Failure

The critical care community conducts significant research, with over 850 trials in the National Institutes of Health registry (1). To facilitate the synthesis and interpretation of findings across these studies, and effectively and efficiently advance clinical research toward improved patient outcomes, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) must be performed using valid and comparable outcome measures.
Creating a library of generalized Fourier sampling patterns for irregular 2D regions of support.

Multiple-region MRI (mrMRI) represents a generalization of the Shannon sampling theorem to permit sparse k-space sampling whenever the scanned object or its high-contrast edges are confined to multiple known regions. Use of an optimal mrMRI sampling pattern produces an image with root-mean-squared (RMS) noise over the supporting regions equal to the RMS noise in a conventional Fourier image with the same total area of support. Analytical solutions for such sampling patterns have been described previously for all arrangements of two or three (noncollinear) supporting regions. This work describes a robust numerical method for creating a library of optimal and near-optimal mrMRI sampling patterns for more complicated geometries. The average noise amplification over all sampling patterns in the demonstration library was only 4%, with 30% of the sampling patterns resulting in no noise amplification whatsoever.
Pulmonary embolism: comparison of MR images with radionuclide and angiographic studies.

PURPOSE: To assess the accuracy and potential of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in evaluation of patients in whom pulmonary embolism is suspected. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Blinded, prospective interpretations of multiphasic, cardiac-gated spin-echo MR images were compared with retrospective chart review in 86 patients in whom pulmonary embolism was suspected. In 64 patients, the presence or absence of pulmonary emboli was established with x-ray angiography (n = 34) or ventilation-perfusion (V-P) scans and concurrent clinical impression (n = 30). RESULTS: In the subgroup with angiographic proof, MR imaging had a sensitivity of 90%, specificity of 77%, positive predictive value of 86%, and negative predictive value of 83%. In 21 patients with intermediate probability of pulmonary embolism on V-P scans and angiograms, MR images enabled diagnosis of pulmonary embolism in 12 of 12 patients (sensitivity, 100%) and absence of pulmonary embolism in seven of nine patients (specificity, 78%). CONCLUSION: MR imaging ...
Integrating cooling awareness with thermal aware workload placement for HPC data centers

High Performance Computing (HPC) data centers are becoming increasingly dense; the associated power-density and energy consumption of their operation is increasing. Up to half of the total energy is attributed to cooling the data center; greening the data center operations to reduce both computing and cooling energy is imperative. To this e ect, this paper integrates awareness of the dynamic behavior of the cooling unit with thermal awareness to develop new spatial workload placement algorithms for HPC data centers. The paper first proposes a coordinated cooling-aware job placement and cooling management algorithm, Highest Thermostat Setting (HTS). HTS is aware of dynamic behavior of the Computer Room Air Conditioner (CRAC) units and places the jobs to reduce the cooling demands from the CRACs. HTS also dynamically updates the CRAC thermostat set point to optimize cooling energy consumption. Further, the Energy Ine ciency Ratio of SPatial job scheduling (a.k.a. job placement) algorithms, also referred as SP-EIR, is analyzed by comparing the total (computing + cooling) energy consumption incurred by the algorithms with the minimum possible energy consumption, while assuming that the job start times are already decided to meet the Service Level Agreements (SLAs). This analysis is performed for two cooling models, constant and dynamic, to show how the common constant cooling model assumption in previous research misses out on opportunities to save energy. Simulation results based on power measurements and job traces from the ASU HPC data center show that: i) HTS has 15% lower SP-EIR compared to LRH, a thermal-aware spatial scheduling algorithm; and ii) in conjunction with FCFS-Backfill, HTS increases the throughput per unit energy by 6.89% and 5.56%, respectively, over LRH and MTDP (an energy-e cient spatial scheduling algorithm with server consolidation).
Finite data lattice algorithms for instrumental variable recursions

The last few years have seen a rapid development of the so-called lattice algorithms for the fast solution of finite data least-squares problems. While a fast algorithm has been given for finite data instrumental variable recursions, as yet no finite data lattice schemes have been given. In this work, a lattice algorithm is derived for a finite data instrumental variable recursion, and its use in both ARMA and ARX time series models is indicated.
Biological consequences of winter-feeding of mule deer in developed landscapes in Northern Utah

Winter-feeding of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in developed landscapes is often advocated by stakeholders to compensate for lost or fragmented winter range. However the reported benefits of winter-feeding mule deer to increase survival and productivity in altered landscapes are mixed. Few studies have examined the long-term effects of winter-feeding on mule deer productivity. We studied the effects of a winter-feeding program conducted in a developed landscape in northern Utah, USA from 2001 to 2006 on the productivity, survival, and mortality of 92 adult female deer (does) that were captured and radiocollared on 4 feed and 4 nonfeed sites. We also evaluated the potential for feeding programs to impact winter-range habitat quality through increased browse utilization. Fawn production (P = 0.36), and survival (P = 0.12) did not differ for fed and nonfed does. Deer–vehicle collisions were the primary cause of mortality for radiocollared deer in both populations (P = 0.97). Utilization of desired browse species was higher on sites where deer were fed (P ≤ 0.001), although deer numbers were similar at feed and nonfeed sites. When developing big game winter-feeding policies for developed landscapes, managers must consider the full range of long-term potential population and habitat impacts to include increased anthropogenic-related mortality and increased potential for habitat degradation prior to policy implementation. © 2011 The Wildlife Society.
Direct-bandgap germanium active layers pumped above transparency based on tensilely strained nanomembranes

We show that mechanically stressed nanomembranes can be used to introduce sufficient tensile strain in Ge to transform it into a direct-bandgap, efficient light-emitting material that can support population inversion and thus provide optical gain.
Task Complexity and Subjective Arousal

Responses on the Activation–Deactivation Adjective Check List were recorded for forty–eight subjects who were performing a visual perceptual information processing task at one of three levels of task difficulty. In general, significant task performance differences in the expected direction were recorded. Two of the activation measures were found to differentiate between low and high task difficulty groups, while the scores for the medium group fell between these two-but did not significantly differ from either. Gender differences for both performance and activation measures were largely not significant.
Role of α3 domain of class I MHC molecules in the activation of high- and low-avidity CD8^+ CTLs

CD8 can serve as a co-receptor or accessory molecule on the surface of CTL. As a co-receptor, CD8 can bind to the a3 domain of the same MHC class I molecules as the TCR to facilitate TCR signaling. To evaluate the role of the MHC class I molecule a3 domain in the activation of CD8 1 CTL, we have produced a soluble 227 mutant of H-2D d , with a point mutation in the a3 domain (Glu227/Lys). 227 mutant class I–peptide complexes were not able to effectively activate H-2D d -restricted CD8 T cells in vitro, as measured by IFN-g production by an epitope-specific CD8 1 CTL line. However, the 227 mutant class I–peptide complexes in the presence of another MHC class I molecule (H-2K b ) (that cannot present the peptide) with a normal a3 domain can induce the activation of CD8 1 CTL. Therefore, in order to activate CD8 1 CTL, the a3 domain of MHC class I does not have to be located on the same molecule with the a1 and a2 domains of MHC class I. A low-avidity CD8 1 CTL line was significantly less sensitive to stimulation by the 227 mutant class I–peptide complexes in the presence of the H-2K b molecule. Thus, low-avidity CTL may not be able to take advantage of the interaction between CD8 and the a3 domain of non-presenting class I MHC molecules, perhaps because of a shorter dwell time for the TCR–MHC interaction.
Deprenyl's effect at slowing progression of parkinsonian disability: the DATATOP study

Studying a cohort of 800 mildly-affected parkinsonians, the North American DATATOP* project has concluded that progression in disability can be attenuated by the use of deprenyl, 10 mg/day. Interim results of this controlled clinical trial were reported after participants received treatment for an average of 12 months. The study found that deprenyl treatment almost halved the risk of reaching a stage of Parkinsonism at which the start of levodopa treatment becomes imperative for lessening disability. In addition to this study end-point, other ratings supported an improved clinical outcome from the chronic deprenyl (DP) regimen. The 34 investigators conducted clinical evaluations both while subjects received medication and after a 4-week wash-out. Though some subjects experienced mild symptomatic improvements of Parkinsonism from DP, these effects were insufficient to account for the DP-treated group's delay at reaching the study end-point. In addition to DP, this placebo-controlled double-blind study also assessed the possibility of protective effects from another antioxidative strategy, a 2,000 I.U./day regimen of alpha-tocopherol. To date, results of the latter trial have not been reported. Monoamine oxidase type-B (MAO-B) metabolism of dopamine generates hydrogen peroxide and, thereby, an oxidative stress on the nigrostriatal dopaminergic neuron. The inhibition of MAO-B by DP may have been the means by which progression of Parkinsonism was attenuated, although other mechanisms are also tenable. DATATOP has pointed to the potential for arresting the progression of Parkinson's disease, and has provided an unparalleled opportunity to study the clinical course and neurochemical indices of untreated Parkinsonism.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The role of gamma-tubulin in mitotic spindle formation and cell cycle progression in Aspergillus nidulans

gamma-Tubulin has been hypothesized to be essential for the nucleation of the assembly of mitotic spindle microtubules, but some recent results suggest that this may not be the case. To clarify the role of gamma-tubulin in microtubule assembly and cell-cycle progression, we have developed a novel variation of the gene disruption/heterokaryon rescue technique of Aspergillus nidulans. We have used temperature-sensitive cell-cycle mutations to synchronize germlings carrying a gamma-tubulin disruption and observe the phenotypes caused by the disruption in the first cell cycle after germination. Our results indicate that gamma-tubulin is absolutely required for the assembly of mitotic spindle microtubules, a finding that supports the hypothesis that gamma-tubulin is involved in spindle microtubule nucleation. In the absence of functional gamma-tubulin, nuclei are blocked with condensed chromosomes for about the length of one cell cycle before chromatin decondenses without nuclear division. Our results indicate that gamma-tubulin is not essential for progression from G1 to G2, for entry into mitosis nor for spindle pole body replication. It is also not required for reactivity of spindle pole bodies with the MPM-2 antibody which recognizes a phosphoepitope important to mitotic spindle formation. Finally, it does not appear to be absolutely required for cytoplasmic microtubule assembly but may play a role in the formation of normal cytoplasmic microtubule arrays.
Low-frequency noise measurements on semiconductor devices using a probe station

We report a measurement technique that would allow the mapping of the low-frequency noise characteristics of devices across a wafer. We show that we can reliably measure the noise by using a probe station. We also show that the sensitivity of the setup is not limited by the probes. >
Direct visualization of single-molecule translocations through synthetic nanopores comparable in size to a molecule.

A nanopore is the ultimate analytical tool. It can be used to detect DNA, RNA, oligonucleotides, and proteins with submolecular sensitivity. This extreme sensitivity is derived from the electric signal associated with the occlusion that develops during the translocation of the analyte across a membrane through a pore immersed in electrolyte. A larger occluded volume results in an improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio, and so the pore geometry should be made comparable to the size of the target molecule. However, the pore geometry also affects the electric field, the charge density, the electro-osmotic flow, the capture volume, and the response time. Seeking an optimal pore geometry, we tracked the molecular motion in three dimensions with high resolution, visualizing with confocal microscopy the fluorescence associated with DNA translocating through nanopores with diameters comparable to the double helix, while simultaneously measuring the pore current. Measurements reveal single molecules translocatin...
Glass Transition Temperature in Confined Polymers

Glass transition temperature of polyetherimide (PEI) thin films and nanoporous PEI samples was investigated using differential scanning calorimetry. In both of these systems, the glass transition temperature decreased with respect to the bulk value. In the nanoporous system, scanning electron microscope images were used to characterize pore size distribution, and Monte Carlo simulations were performed to calculate the nearest neighbor pore-to-pore distances. Pore-to-pore distances and thin film thickness values were used to establish a quantitative analogy between thin films and nanoporous system.
The effect of set on accuracy of auditory perception.

Two complementary experiments are reported which compare the facilitatory effects of (a) sets established in various ways, and (b) different conditions of confirmation, on accurate recognition of words presented aurally, and on systematic distortion of words incongruent with the set. Sets, whether explicitly established by instruction, or implicitly arrived at from cues embedded in the test material, significantly increase the incidence of accurate perception. The presence of incongruent stimuli does not noticeably reduce the facilitatory effect of a set, not even when confirmation is considerably delayed. Wide spacing of confirmatory stimuli is least conducive to the maintenance of a set. While one set is in operation, and facilitates veridical perception, another set is unlikely to develop, even though conditions for its emergence are furnished by the stimulus material. However, if an initially established and subsequently confirmed set ceases to facilitate correct perception, it will be replaced by another appropriate set; more rapidly if only some of the words presented were congruent with it, more gradually if all were confirmatory. Explicit sets elicit the highest incidence of distortion in accordance with expectancy, more particularly if confirmation is delayed or intermittent. In facilitating accurate perception, double sets are less effective than single sets, whether all stimuli are confirmatory or some are incongruent. The differential effect cannot be attributed to the heterogeneous composition of the stimulus material, nor is it manifested in a manner consistent with a model of reciprocal inhibition exerted by the two sets on one another. The results agree with an inhibitory theory of set according to which sets operate by raising the thresholds of perception for all that is incongruent. The relative lowering of thresholds for the congruent would thus be a secondary effect, as distinct from the hypothetical neural model which accounts for this psychological law in terms of short-circuiting of pathways.
Fire and riparian ecosystems in landscapes of the western USA

Despite the numerous values of riparian areas and the recognition of fire as a critical natural disturbance, few studies have investigated the behavior, properties, and influence of natural fire in riparian areas of the western USA. Riparian areas frequently differ from adjacent uplands in vegetative composition and structure, geomorphology, hydrology, microclimate, and fuel characteristics. These features may contribute to different fire environments, fire regimes, and fire properties (frequency, severity, behavior, and extent) in riparian areas relative to uplands. In certain forested riparian areas, fire frequency has generally been lower, and fire severity has been more moderate than in adjacent uplands, but in other areas, fires have appeared to burn riparian areas with comparable frequency. Impacts of land use and management may strongly influence fire properties and regimes in riparian areas. Fire suppression, livestock grazing, logging, damming and flow regulation, agricultural diversions, channel modifications, and introduction of invasive species have led to shifts in plant species composition, structure and distribution of fuel loads, and changes in microclimate and areal extent of riparian areas. Cumulative impacts of human alterations are likely to exert the most pronounced influence on fire behavior during periods of drought and under conditions of extreme fire weather. Riparian plant species possess adaptations to fluvial disturbances that facilitate survival and reestablishment following fires, thus contributing to the rapid recovery of many streamside habitats. Given the critical resource values of riparian zones, additional data are needed to understand interactions between fire and riparian ecosystems, and how riparian zones affect spatial and temporal patterns of fires at the landscape scale. An improved understanding of fire ecology and effects in riparian areas is needed to prescribe ecologically sound rehabilitation projects following fire.
INFLUENCE OF HIGHWAY RUNOFF CHEMISTRY, HYDROLOGY, AND RESIDENCE TIME ON NONEQUILIBRIUM PARTITIONING OF HEAVY METALS: IMPLICATIONS FOR TREATMENT AT THE HIGHWAY SHOULDER

The control and treatment of highway-pavement storm water at the edge of the highway shoulder pose unique challenges due to the unsteady nature of processes, including rainfall runoff, mobilization and partitioning of heavy metals, variations in storm-water chemistry, residence time on the pavement, and delivery of particulate mass. Presented are heavy-metal partitioning results as influenced by pavement-runoff chemistry and hydrologic parameters from a series of eight rainfall-runoff events over a 2-year period. Water-quality characteristics such as low alkalinity, low hardness, and short pavement residence times cause a majority of the heavy-metal mass to remain in solution at the edge of the pavement, with partitioning coefficients approaching equilibrium conditions only toward the end of the event, as heavy metals partition to entrained solids. There are two primary implications when considering the application of typical best management practices (BMPs) for highway runoff within the right-of-way. The first implication is to use a BMP such as a detention basin or roadside swale to detain runoff and produce sufficient residence time so that partitioning to the entrained solids occurs. The second implication is to use a BMP such as an engineered infiltration trench to provide surface complexation for dissolved metals and filtration mechanisms for the particulate-bound metals. Although no simple solutions exist for the removal of a heavy metal or particle once it is released in the highway environment, knowledge of the dynamic processes in highway runoff can provide insights for the proper selection of BMPs, depending on the conditions at the highway site. A design should be based on the concept that BMPs, to be effective, are essentially garbage cans for heavy metals and solids and as such must be emptied and maintained.
PLANT GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT UNDER SALINITY STRESS

Plant growth and development are adversely affected by salinity – a major environmental stress that limits agricultural production. This chapter provides an overview of the physiological mechanisms by which growth and development of crop plants are affected by salinity. The initial phase of growth reduction is due to an osmotic effect, is similar to the initial response to water stress and shows little genotypic differences. The second, slower effect is the result of salt toxicity in leaves. In the second phase a salt sensitive species or genotype differs from a more salt tolerant one by its inability to prevent salt accumulation in leaves to toxic levels. Most crop plants are salt tolerant at germination but salt sensitive during emergence and vegetative development. Root and shoot growth is inhibited by salinity; however, supplemental Ca partly alleviates the growth inhibition. The Ca effect appears related to the maintenance of plasma membrane selectivity for K over Na. Reproductive development is considered less sensitive to salt stress than vegetative growth, although in wheat salt stress can hasten reproductive growth, inhibit spike development and decrease the yield potential, whereas in the more salt sensitive rice, low yield is primarily associated with reduction in tillers, and by sterile spikelets in some cultivars.
Participants or customers in water governance? Community-public partnerships for peri-urban water supply

Abstract We examine the performance of water user associations (WUAs) and the role of actors, power relations, socio-institutional dynamics, and context in supplying water to poor urban and peri-urban neighborhoods of Malawi’s two major cities. Using a preliminary survey, key-informant interviews, focus groups, secondary data, and insights from the community-based natural resources management (CBNRM) literature and common-pool resources (CPR) theory, we argue that while a business-based WUA model can enhance water supply and access, the urban/peri-urban and historical context alters the nature of water and social actors and power relations involved, causing tradeoffs between water-supply and social goals of ownership, participation, and empowerment. The ensuing tradeoffs demonstrate that water supply to the urban/peri-urban landscape through community-based initiatives require flexibility in CBNRM expectations.
Futility and Fairness: A Defense of the Texas Advance Directive Law.

Debates about medical futility first emerged in the scholarly literature during the 1990s after empirical studies showed the widespread use of medical interventions offering no reasonable chance of...
Synthesis and characterization of the trimetaphosphate molybdenum tricarbonyl anion [(P3O9)Mo(CO)3]3- as its tris(bis(triphenylphosphine)iminium) salt

Abstract Treatment of ( CH 3 CN ) 3 Mo ( CO ) 3 with the trimetaphosphate salt [ PPN ] 3 [ P 3 O 9 ] · H 2 O ( [ PPN ] + = [ Ph 3 P N- PPh 3 ] + ) (acetonitrile, 25 ° C ) gave the trimetaphosphate-molybdenum complex [ ( P 3 O 9 ) Mo ( CO ) 3 ] 3 - in 91% isolated yield. [ PPN ] 3 [ ( P 3 O 9 ) Mo ( CO ) 3 ] was also obtained in 77% isolated yield by directly treating Mo ( CO ) 6 with [ PPN ] 3 [ P 3 O 9 ] · H 2 O in refluxing acetonitrile, presumably by generating ( CH 3 CN ) 3 Mo ( CO ) 3 in situ. Reported herein is the full characterization and structural determination of [ PPN ] 3 [ ( P 3 O 9 ) Mo ( CO ) 3 ] and comparison to synthesized and calculated [ ( P 3 O 9 ) M ( CO ) 3 ] n - (M = group 6–9) complexes.
STAT3 and STAT5 guide key transcriptional and epigenetic responses during dendritic cell development

STAT proteins regulate homeostatic development of dendritic cells (DCs), yet information about their role in demand situations and their mechanisms of action remains limited. We found that STATs control cytokine-driven production of plasmacytoid (pDCs) and conventional DC (cDC) subsets in vivo. In DC progenitor cultures, STATs induce expression of the transcriptional regulators E2-2/Tcf4 and Id2, which have essential and distinct activities in pDCs, CD8α+ and CD103+ cDCs. Tcf4 is stimulated by Flt3 ligand- (Flt3L) activated STAT3. Id2 is induced by Flt3L or GM-CSF; both cytokines utilize C/EBPβ while GM-CSF also employs STAT5. These results are consistent with previous reports that Flt3L regulates pDCs, CD8α+ and CD103+ DCs while GM-CSF is required for the development of CD103+ DCs in skin and peripheral lymph nodes. The status of promoter chromatin modifications suggests pDC-restricted access for Tcf4 and an open configuration for Id2. These epigenetic marks are influenced by STATs independent of Tcf4/Id2 mRNA expression. Thus, our results reveal mechanisms by which STAT3 and STAT5 control the transcriptional networks that define pDC and cDC lineages.
SE—Structures and Environment: Effect of Batch Aeration-Treatment on the Solubility of Phosphorus in Pig Manure

Abstract Experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of temperature on phosphorus removal from pig manure during batch aeration and the mechanism(s) involved in its removal. Five temperature regimes, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25°C, were investigated. The resulting effects on pH, volatile fatty acids levels (VFAs), and ortho-phosphate (ortho-P) in the manure were investigated. Results indicated that manure pH was the dominant factor influencing the levels of soluble ortho-P in the manure. Two different mechanisms that effected pH change were identified. Immediately after initiating aeration ( i.e. during the first 1·5 days—phase I), a rapid rise in pH caused a rapid decline in manure-soluble ortho-P (coefficient of determination R 2 of 0·90). The manure pH beyond the first 1·5 days (phase II aeration) seemed to depend more on the VFAs levels. It was concluded that besides any phosphorus immobilization/release by the microbial biomass in phase II, the VFAs levels in the manure significantly explained ( R 2 of 0·83) most of the biologically mediated chemical precipitation/dissolution of ortho-P. Temperature affected soluble ortho-P status only in phase II of aeration. High manure temperatures reduced aeration efficiency but promoted the production of VFAs. The resulting low pH led to the redissolving of ortho-P previously precipitated in the higher pH-regime in phase I; this may potentially reduce the efficiency of removing orthophosphates by subsequent solid–liquid separation treatments.
Latex agglutination by the reaction of human growth hormone with its antiserum.

SummaryA method has been described which demonstrated that the reaction between human growth hormone and its antiserum caused agglutination of a suspension of latex.
How to Read a Masculine Canon

As part of my ongoing research on literatures of the contact zone and cultural theory of hybridity, I often teach the problematics of Indigenismo both as it has been articulated in theoretical approaches and as it has been represented in cultural practices such as literature, photography, film, etc.
Design, synthesis, and characterization of heparin-binding peptoids.

A series of N-substituted glycine oligomers (peptoids) of varying length and side chains was synthesized with the aim of producing peptidomimetics that would bind with high affinity to heparin and thereby neutralize its anticoagulant activity. To this end, a library of 29 peptoids was synthesized using solid phase synthesis methodologies. The general design of the peptoids was the repeating trimer sequence N(cationic side chain)-N(alkyl or benzyl side chain)-N(α-chiral side chain), where the monomers are N-substituted glycine residues bearing the indicated side chains. The peptoids were designed to have a helical structure with positively charged ammonium or guanidinium groups on side chains that would interact electrostatically with negatively charged sites on heparin. Binding of the peptoids by heparin was characterized by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and heparin affinity chromatography (HAC). The secondary structure of the peptoids was characterized by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. Th...
Directional Cooling of Adult Stem Cells

The effect of directional cooling on the immediate post thaw membrane integrity of adipose tissue derived adult stem cells (ASCs) was investigated using a directional solidification stage (DSS). ASCs were cooled at either 1, 5, 20 or 40 °C/min to an end temperature of −80°C in the presence and absence of a cryoprotective agent (dimethylsulfoxide, DMSO). After freezing to -80°C, the samples were thawed at 200°C/min and the ability of the frozen/thawed ASCs to exclude fluorescent dyes was assessed. ASCs frozen using the DSS in the presence of 0.85M (or 10% v/v) DMSO were found to have a higher post-thaw cell membrane integrity (confidence level of 99%) when compared with the ASCs frozen in its absence. Intriguingly, a comparison with corresponding data for ASCs that were frozen using a commercially available controlled rate freezer (CRF) suggests that the directionally cooled ASCs (both in the absence and presence of DMSO) exhibit a significantly lower post-thaw cell membrane integrity (confidence level of 95%). This lowering of post-thaw cell membrane integrity for ASCs frozen using the DSS is postulated to be related to the differences in the nature, and the associated damaging effects, of ice crystals formed in the DSS vs. the commercial freezer.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Historical erosion and sedimentation in two small watersheds of the southern Blue Ridge Mountains, North Carolina, USA

Sediment bodies produced during historical periods of human land use, sometimes referred to as legacy sediment, may be found in various locations within drainage basins, and potentially remobilized by hydrogeomorphic processes accompanying land use change. The amounts and locations of stored legacy sediment can be significant factors in modern drainage basin function and should be accounted for when possible. In this study, late nineteenth-century erosion and sediment storage were investigated and used to construct approximate sediment budgets for two small Blue Ridge Mountain drainage basins in North Carolina (USA). Erosion was quantified using a distributed implementation of the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE), and calibrated on the separate bases of soil profile truncation data and recent published rates for long-term erosion in the region. Sediment yield information was reconstructed from pond sediments trapped behind a mill dam. Alluvial sediment storage was quantified using field studies of streambank and floodplain sediment profiles and digital elevation data. Colluvial storage was calculated as a residual in the sediment budget, and further evaluated using soil profile studies of footslope deposits, and soil survey maps. The proportions of erosion accounted for by the different budget terms in the most reliable budget are: 28% sediment yield (i.e., a sediment delivery ratio of 0.28), 69% colluvial storage, and 3% alluvial storage. Blue Ridge basins with low levels of ground disturbance erode like Piedmont basins at high levels of ground disturbance, primarily due to higher slope angles. Sediment delivery ratio is high relative to those given for much larger basins in the adjacent and more frequently studied Piedmont province, and generally in accordance with published sediment delivery curves that reflect higher hydrogeomorphic connectivities within smaller basins. Low values for alluvial storage in Blue Ridge basins may be explained by high sediment transport within steep channels. Colluvial storage values have high uncertainties because of the well known problem of error accumulation in residual budget terms. Field data on colluvial deposits reported here are not sufficient to correct for this problem, and in general, the acquisition of accurate field data on historical colluviation remains an important methodological issue in historical sediment budgeting.