cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
MULT1E/mIL-12: a novel bifunctional protein for natural killer cell activation.

Natural killer (NK) cells have the potential to be effective killers of tumor cells. They are governed by inhibitory and activating receptors like NKG2D, whose ligands are normally upregulated in cells that are stressed, like cancer cells. Advanced cancer cells, however, have ways to reduce these ligands’ expression, leaving them less detectable by NK cells. Along with these receptors, NK cells also require activating cytokines, like interleukin 12 (IL-12). The goal of this study is to develop a novel bi-functional fusion protein for enhanced NK cell activation. The proposed protein combines the extracellular domain of the NKG2D ligand Mouse UL-16-binding protein-like transcript 1 (MULT1E) and mouse IL-12 (mIL-12). It is hypothesized that when expressed by tumor cells, the protein will activate NK and other killer cells using the NKG2D receptor, and deliver mIL-12 to the NK cells where it can interact with the IL-12R and enhance cytotoxicity. The fusion protein, when expressed by engineered tumor cells, indeed activated NK cells in vitro as assayed by increased production of interferon-γ and cytotoxicity and significantly reduced tumor growth in vivo. Although the study is preliminary, the data suggest that the MULT1E/mIL-12 bi-functional fusion protein is an effective activator of NK cells for cancer treatment.
Solidification in the system Al-Ge-Si: The phase diagram, coring patterns, eutectic growth, and modification

In the ternary system Al-Ge-Si, the binary eutectic reactions, L (liquid) ⇔ (Al) + (Si) and L ⇔ (Al) + (Ge) are connected by a monovariant valley, L ⇔ (Al) + (SiGe), falling from 578 °C at 12.7 wt pct Si to 424 °C at 53 wt pct Ge. The binary, solid eutectic surface extends from the Al corner of the ternary phase diagram (1.65 wt pct Si to 5.2 wt pct Ge) across to the continuous (SiGe) solid solution which contains very little Al: several tie triangles, L-(A1)-(SiGe), have been determined using thermal analysis and electron microprobe analysis (EMPA). Optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) examination reveals that coring in the normal (SiGe) phase is discontinuous, showing composition banding, which indicates that stationary 111 facets of the solid solution were exposed to the liquid for extended periods up to 500 seconds; details of this interrupted coring were quantified by EMPA. Similar, smaller, and more gradual variations could also be detected in the (Al) matrix, and these compositional fluctuations are considered to reflect discontinuities in the local eutectic growth rates. Modification and twin-ning, induced by Na, are observed in both Al-Si and Al-Ge but decrease progressively with Ge content; coring in the modified ternary alloys is more continuous.
Low-Fluence CO2 Laser Irradiation: Selective Epidermal Damage to Human Skin

The interaction of normal human skin with low-fluence CO 2 laser irradiation was studied using a three-phase approach. In phase one, freshly excised skin was observed immediately after impact. In phase two, skin irradiated 2 h prior to excision was studied. In phase three, human volunteers were irradiated and biopsied at time zero, 24 h and 48 h. Seventy-five sites were exposed and 60 biopsies were performed. The earliest histologic changes were observed in the 6–10 J/cm 2 fluence (radiant exposure) range and these changes included spindle and vacuolar changes in the basal layer of the epidermis. Papillary dermal coagulation was present to a maximum of 0.03 mm. At fluences of 10–25 J/cm 2 , superficial dermal necrosis (0.06–0.08 mm) was observed. At fluences above 25 J/cm 2 , transepidermal necrosis was present with increasing papillary dermal necrosis that was in proportion to the energy density delivered. At 2 h, basal vacuolar changes were accompanied by diffuse keratinocytic cell death where contact was maintained between the epidermis and dermis, while where separation occurred limited keratinocytic death was observed. The earliest changes occurred at lower threshold fluences (4–6 J/cm 2 ). After 24 h, these doses resulted in extensive epidermal necrosis with focal acute inflammatory infiltrates. At 48 h, the degree of epidermal "slough" was proportional to the energy density delivered and was maximal with a fluence of 5.7 J/cm 2 delivered whereas with a fluence of 3.8 J/cm 2 thin slough (0.02 mm) was observed. These findings suggest that low-dose CO 2 laser irradiation may provide a new approach to selectively damage the epidermis with minimal dermal damage.
Diameter Effect and Failure Diameter of a TATB‐Based Explosive

Etude de la vitesse de detonation a 75, 24 et -55°C d'un explosif PBX-9502 constitue de 95% de TATB et de 5% de Kel-F800
INHIBITION OF NF-κB p-50 NUCLEAR TRANSLOCATION REGULATES APOPTOSIS AND EXPRESSION OF BCL-2 IN MACROPHAGES. ♦ 62

INHIBITION OF NF-κB p-50 NUCLEAR TRANSLOCATION REGULATES APOPTOSIS AND EXPRESSION OF BCL-2 IN MACROPHAGES. ♦ 62
Robotic Surveillance and Markov Chains With Minimal Weighted Kemeny Constant

This article provides analysis and optimization results for the mean first passage time, also known as the Kemeny constant, of a Markov chain. First, we generalize the notion of the Kemeny constant to environments with heterogeneous travel and service times, denote this generalization as the weighted Kemeny constant, and we characterize its properties. Second, for reversible Markov chains, we show that the minimization of the Kemeny constant and its weighted counterpart can be formulated as convex optimization problems and, moreover, as semidefinite programs. Third, we apply these results to the design of stochastic surveillance strategies for quickest detection of anomalies in network environments. We numerically illustrate the proposed design: compared with other well-known Markov chains, the performance of our Kemeny-based strategies are always better and in many cases substantially so.
Non-catalytic partial oxidation of bio-oil to synthesis gas for distributed hydrogen production

Abstract A system has been developed for the volatilization and conversion of a bio-oil mixed with methanol to synthesis gas via non-catalytic partial oxidation (NPOX) using an ultrasonic nozzle to feed the mixture. Such a process would be ideal for distributed H2 production. The feedstock used was derived from poplar wood. The effects of both temperature (from 625 to 850 °C) and added oxygen (effective O:C ratio from 0.7 to 1.6) on the yields of CO and H2 have been explored. High yields of CO (between 50% and 70% of the maximum possible from the bio-oil) have been observed. Hydrogen yields are much lower (∼25% of the maximum possible). However, the water formed during NPOX can be used to generate additional H2. The bio-oil carbon to gas conversion is typically between 85% and 95% for optimal conditions. Due to this significant conversion, lower catalyst loadings are expected to be required for the downstream processing.
Effects of glutamate, quisqualate, and N-methyl-d-aspartate in neonatal brain

The intracerebral injection of the excitotoxins, glutamate (GLU), or its analogues, quisqualic acid (QA) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), produces neuropathologic changes which resemble those induced by hypoxic-ischemic injury. We employed proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy to investigate the acute biochemical changes which follow injection of these excitotoxins in the neonatal rat brain. Aspartate and GLU increased in animals injected with GLU or NMDA. Alanine, glycine, and taurine increased with all three excitotoxins. There was no decrease in phosphocreatine (PCr) or glucose and only a modest increase in lactate after excitotoxin injection, but there was substantial change in these metabolites after hypoxia. GABA rose only after hypoxic-ischemic injury. Although NMDA and QA produced morphological changes which resembled those following hypoxic-ischemic injury, the effect of these excitotoxins on levels of PCr, glucose, and excitatory and inhibitory amino acids was considerably different.
Book Review: What The Best Law Teachers Do. By Michael Hunter Schwartz, Gerald F. Hess & Sophie M. Sparrow

What The Best Law Teachers Do. By Michael Hunter Schwartz, Gerald F. Hess & Sophie M. Sparrow. Cambridge, Massachusetts and London, England, Harvard University Press, 2013, 368 pp. ISBN: 9780674049147Published by the Harvard University Press in August 2013, the book ‘What the Best Law Teachers Do’ is a qualitative and ‘systematic, rigorous study of excellent law teachers’ written by Professors Michael Hunter Schwartz, Gerald F. Hess and Sophie Sparrow. After visiting the law schools of the profiled teachers, the authors observed their classes, read their scholarships, solicited input from the students and alumni and interviewed the subjects themselves, before analyzing the teaching techniques, attitudes and personal qualities of 26 U.S. law professors who were nominated by their students or colleagues. Despite the differences amongst the teachers in their areas of expertise, the location of their home institutions or the size of the classes they teach, the authors share a number of similarities. Most impo...
The varieties of resistance in group psychotherapy considered from the viewpoint of adaptation.

Resistance in group therapy in particular was considered from the point of view that the unchanging behavior reveals the patient's generalized mode of adaptation utilized to maintain stability and avoid anxiety while achieving his goals. “Constitutional” resistance (I.) refers to the imprecise response of the nervous and vegetative systems to changing circumstances, divisible into (A) genetic lag and (B) cognitive styles, with clinical manifestations of chronic posicatastrophic stress reaction, certain psychosomatic phenomena, and perceptual distortions such as defective reception, attribution, and projection. “Dynamic Maintenance of Stability” (II.) is subdivided into (A) The self-signaling system: feeling of weakness; blaming others; and (B) overt-social-manipulative efforts: (1) Learned role as a patient: passivity; and (2) Unwillingness to yield infantile gratification: weak motivation; pseudoparticipation; defective transmission; nonverbal behavior; character armoring; disturbing activities; and, transference. The topic is approached as an extension of the biological theory of adaptation.
Protease inhibitors in plasma of the softshell clam Mya arenaria: identification and effects of disseminated sarcoma

Abstract Despite the ecologic and economic significance of the softshell clam ( Mya arenaria ), little is known about the humoral factors involved in its host defense mechanisms. Protease inhibitors, a group of proteins believed to play a role in host defense mechanisms against infections and proliferative diseases, have recently been identified in bivalve molluscs. In the present study we provide evidence for the presence of protease inhibitors in softshell clam plasma. Levels of protease inhibitory activities against the enzymes tested varied greatly, e.g. 1 μg of plasma protein inhibited 35.3±9.69 ng pepsin (aspartic protease), 4.9±1.45 ng papain (cysteine protease) and 3.1±0.88 ng trypsin (serine protease). On the contrary, the level of anti-metalloprotease (thermolysin) activities was much lower. The sensitivity to methylamine and the ability to protect trypsin from active site trypsin inhibitors provided evidence for the presence of an α 2 -macroglobulin-like molecule in softshell clam plasma. In the Chesapeake Bay widespread epizootics of disseminated sarcoma have been described in M. arenaria populations. The impact of this lethal proliferative disorder on clam defense responses has received little attention. In this study the effects of sarcoma progression on plasma protease inhibitory activities were, therefore, assessed. Clams with early stages of sarcoma showed a non-significant decrease in protease inhibitor levels. Clams with advanced stages of sarcoma showed a significant decrease in the ability to inhibit trypsin and papain, while the protease inhibitory activity levels against aspartic and metalloprotease were completely exhausted.
Position effects in the quantitative determination of heartwood phenols of Pinus sylvestris

Abstract Total heartwood phenol content of Pinus sylvestris L. was influenced by vertical and horizontal position in the stem. Variation in phenol content between trees was found.
The influence of solvent on the teratogenic effect of folic acid antagonist in the rat

Abstract Pyrimethamine isethionate administered in 6% DMAA to rats on Days 10, 10 and 11, and 10, 11, and 12 of pregnancy at levels of 52.5 and 75 mg per kilogram rat caused fetal resorptions and malformations. A single dose on Day 10 was most destructive of pregnancy, while two injections on Days 10 and 11 seemed the least destructive treatment. This tendency was even more evident in the data for fetal size, where the quadratic response was highly significant for both CRL and weight. The incidence and severity of the abnormalities reflect the same effects of timing of the dose. By contrast, a single experiment with 45 mg per kilogram rat of pyrimethamine isethionate in 6% DMAA, 6% DMSO, or 95% ethanol showed that the effect of the antagonist was cumulative when administered in either DMSO or ethanol, but after administration in DMAA, the response-dose relation followed a parabolic curve. Statistical analysis of the size data reveals a significant dose-solvent interaction, and it appears that the effect of the teratogenic agent is confounded with solvent effects. Two attempts to reverse the effects of pyrimethamine isethionate by injections of folic acid 1 hour prior to the injections of the antagonist were without apparent effect.
The preparation of glass substrates of controllable thicknesses for electron microscopy

Abstract A simple R.F. sputtering system has been employed to produce thin glass films of known thickness. The films can be used to examine directly the behavior of deposited layers on glass, or to study the intrinsic structures of glass.
Effect of dopamine infusion on hemodynamics after hepatic denervation.

Background. The effects of dopamine (DA) on systemic hemodynamics are better understood than its effects on hepatic hemodynamics, especially after liver denervation occurring during liver transplantation. Therefore, a porcine model was used to study DA's effects on hemodynamics after hepatic denervation. Materials and methods. Fifteen pigs underwent laparotomy for catheter and flow probe placement. The experimental group (n = 7) also underwent hepatic denervation. After 1 week, all pigs underwent DA infusion at increasing doses (3–30 mcg/kg/min) while measuring hepatic parameters [portal vein flow (PVF), hepatic artery flow (HAF), total hepatic blood flow (THBF = HAF + PVF), portal and hepatic vein pressures] and systemic parameters [heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP)]. Results. There was a significant increase in HAF from baseline to the 30 mcg/kg/min DA infusion rate (within-subjects P < 0.01), but the differences between the two groups were not significant. PVF and THBF showed large effects (increases) with denervation, but the increase in flow with DA infusion was not present after denervation. Perihepatic pressures were unchanged by denervation or DA. Heart rate differed significantly between the control and denervated animals at baseline, 3, 6, 12 (all P < 0.05), and 30 mcg/kg/min DA (P = 0.10). Control vs denervation MAP at baseline was 100 ± 4 vs 98 ± 4 Torr and at 30 mcg/kg/min it was 110 ± 3 vs 101 ± 5 mm Hg. Conclusions. Hepatic flows tended to be higher after denervation. HAF showed similar increases with DA in both control and denervation groups. Increases in PVF and THBF with DA infusion were not present after denervation. HR was significantly decreased and MAP tended to be lower after denervation. The HR and MAP response to DA was similar in both groups. Therefore, both denervation and DA infusion have an effect on systemic and hepatic hemodynamics.
Project Chicago: green research

The "Project Chicago: Green Research" video showcases a technology concept for a sustainability analysis dashboard. This dashboard could be used with building information modeling (BIM) software to provide architects, engineers and designers with real-time graphical feedback about the impact of their design decisions on the LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating of a project. Our goal was to showcase a highly graphic, interactive technology concept to evaluate water and energy reduction, indoor environmental quality, and carbon footprint impacts and give designers an immediate sense of the results of different building designs. Using real scenarios from BNIM: Berkebile Nelson Immenschuh McDowell Architects' Lewis and Clark State Office Building in Missouri, we portrayed a design team developing alternative concepts and improving their designs as measured by the US Green Building Council's LEED® rating system for green buildings. The proposed sustainability dashboard concept is demonstrated on a 6'x3' touch screen to explore its potential use as a collaborative tool. The dashboard was presented by Autodesk® as a technology concept and it is not a commercially available product.
Elephantiasis-Like Appearance of Upper and Lower Extremities in Graves’ Dermopathy

ABSTRACT Graves’ dermopathy, affecting upper as well as lower extremities, is reported In a 50-year-old male patient addicted to multiple narcotic drugs. The narcotic drug administration routes include subcutaneous and intravenous injection in all limbs over a period of 29 years. The combination of drug injection trauma and Graves’ dermopathy produced elephantiasis-like appearance of upper and lower limbs with impairment of their function; the left hand required amputation. Other features of Graves’ disease, ie, hyperthyroidism and ophthalmopathy were severe and required multiple modes of therapy. Although the pathogenesis of Graves’ dermopathy is unclear, it is surmised that trauma to skin might exacerbate it and preventive measures for trauma might be helpful in the management of dermopathy.
Meiotic Maturation: Receptor Trafficking Is the Key

Meiotic maturation and ovulation rates in Caenorhabditis elegans are regulated by a sperm-released gradient of major sperm protein (MSP). Recent work has provided insights into the modulation of the MSP signal by the trafficking of its receptor in oocytes.
Universal and Early Screening for Educational Difficulties: Current and Future Approaches.

Abstract Sound academic screening can be done efficiently and effectively in the early elementary years. There are existing screening tools available and new ones being validated that collectively can address the need for universal and systematic narrow-band and broad-based assessment of students' academic enabling behaviors and academic skills in key content areas. After establishing a conceptual framework of academic target behaviors and skills, we examine two assessment traditions—teacher rating scales and CBM—and supporting literature for current screening approaches. A description and review of technical evidence for two illustrative screening approaches, the DIBELS and BACESS, are provided. The article concludes with a discussion of future directions for screening research and practices that include downward extensions of existing screening methods to include preschoolers.
Clouds Associated with the Madden–Julian Oscillation: A New Perspective from CloudSat

AbstractThe evolution of total cloud cover and cloud types is composited across the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) using CloudSat data for June 2006–May 2010. Two approaches are used to define MJO phases: 1) the local phase is determined at each longitude and time from filtered outgoing longwave radiation, and 2) the global phase is defined using a popular real-time multivariate MJO (RMM) index, which assigns the tropics to an MJO phase each day.In terms of local phase, CloudSat results show a familiar evolution of cloud type predominance: in the growing stages shallow clouds coexist with deep, intense, but narrow convective systems. Widespread cloud coverage and rainfall appear during the active phases, becoming more anvil dominated with time, and finally suppressed conditions return. Results are compared to the convectively coupled Kelvin wave, which has a similar life cycle to the MJO. Convection in the MJO tends to be modulated more by moisture variations compared to the Kelvin wave.In terms of globa...
Towards two-dimensional electrophoresis mapping of the cerebrospinal fluid proteome from a single individual

We test the ability of state-of-the-art two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) technology to enable the proteome mapping of ante mortem cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from a single individual. Using the sensitive technologies of a fluorescent protein stain and fluorescence laser scanning of 2-DE gels, combined with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight/time of flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS) for protein identification, a highly detailed 2-DE map of the CSF proteome was created. The 2-DE map contains 600 identified spots representing 82 different proteins. Of the 82 proteins identified, 25 have not appeared in any previously published 2-DE map of CSF, and 11 have not been previously reported to exist in CSF. Most of the identifications originate from an ante mortem CSF sample collected from a single hydrocephalus patient. A supplemental map created from neurologically normal patients is also presented. A webpage with protein identification and scoring information from both maps is available at http://www.leelab.org/csfmap.
Performance of wireless networks with hidden nodes: a queuing-theoretic analysis

Hidden nodes are a fundamental problem that can potentially affect any wireless network where nodes cannot hear each other. Although the hidden node problem is well known, so far only few papers have quantified its effects in a comprehensive manner. This paper represents a first step towards getting a quantitative insight into the impact of hidden nodes on the performance of wireless networks. We first carry out an exact queuing-theoretic analysis for a 4-node segment and derive analytical expressions for the probability of packet collision, the mean packet delay, and the maximum throughput, based on a model that closely follows the IEEE 802.11 standard. We then extend the analysis and provide an approximation for a general linear topology that is asymptotically exact at low load. Finally, we perform detailed simulations to validate our analytical results and show their applicability to predict the performance of IEEE 802.11 networks with hidden nodes. The simulation and analysis closely match. Moreover, they reveal that the impact of hidden nodes propagates through the network causing some nodes to saturate at load as low as 15% of the capacity.
Absolute spectral intensities of some unstable chemical species

Abstract Unstable chemical species may exist briefly, as transients, in temperature regimes where their radiative properties are of interest (e.g., O 3 at atmospheric pressure and T = 2000° K ). In wavelength regimes where the reaction products (e.g., O 3 and O) are transparent tothe radiation of the unstable molecule, quantitative deduction of the spectral radiancy may be made. The suggested technique involves a series of flame-theoretical calculations coupled with a series of simple measurements of the total spectral power radiated by each of a series of laboratory flames.
Accelerated life testing of large-area electrochromic devices for window applications

Initial accelerated durability testing efforts of approximately 12" (0.3 m) x 12" (0.3 m) electrochromic windows (ECWs) suitable for buildings applications are reported. A brief overview is given about using ECWs for saving energy, the concomitant performance criteria, degradative factors that may limit ECW durability, and accelerated life testing (ACL T) methods. The ACLT methods are required because no widely accepted procedures have been established for the real-time testing ofECWs and because we cannot wait 20 or more years for the real-time evaluation for each window design. These methods include (a) the rapid but realistic I-V cyclic tests emphasizing the electrical properties, (b) the ACL T parameters that are typically used in durability tests by standards organizations, (c) the ACLT parameters we have been using to test large-area ECWs, and (d) how the results must be related to real-time testing. We present the quantitative parameters in (a) - (c) and include a detailed description of the procedures for using an Atlas XR-260 chamber with a 4' x 6' horizontal test plane on which the ECWs are positioned. The uniformity of the xenon-produced simulated solar irradiance and UV in the test plane, the variation in ECW temperatures during coloring and bleaching cycles, the stability of the chamber temperature, the methods of temperature and UV measurement, and our rationale for not using high relative humidity during testing is described. The procedures used for continuous and cyclic coloring and bleaching of the ECW s and the electro-optical measurement or the transmittance before and after cycling at 60 ±5°C in the environmental chamber are described. Typical results reported to the manufacturers of the ECW s are illustrated for the trapezoidal voltage waveform for coloring and bleaching, the corresponding luminous transmittance spectra and their changes with cycling, and the decrease in the luminous transmittance ratio resulting from ECW degradation. Keywords: electrochromic windows, accelerated life testing, large-component environmental chambers, durability criteria, largearea devices, degradation factors, degradation stresses, energy savings.
Simultaneous monitoring of voltammetric and ion-selective electrodes in mammalian brain

A new technique of simultaneously recording from ion-selective and voltammetric microelectrodes in vivo allows one to measure concomitant ionic and monoamine neurotransmitter fluxes in the extracellular fluid space of the brain. Examples are presented of the results obtained with various drug and stimulus applications. The time correlations of the ionic and neurotransmitter fluxes are especially useful in attempting to better understand the possible interactions of these chemical dynamics with neuronal functioning.
HVDC Field and Ion Effects Research at Project UHV: Results of Electric Field and Ion Current Measurements

With the goal of characterizing the electrical environment in the vicinity of high-voltage dc transmission lines, measurements of ground-level electric field and ion current density have been performed in the vicinity of two hvdc test lines at Project UHV. Results of measurements are reported for a single-conductor configuration tested in the range ±150 kV to ±400 kV, and for a multi-conductor bundle configuration in the range ±950 kV to ±1200 kV. The effect of pole spacing and line height is examined. Data for both fair and foul weather are presented.
The simultaneous measurement of the electrophoretic mobility and diffusion coefficient in bovine serum albumin solutions by light scattering

Abstract A new technique for measuring electrophoretic mobilities is described. The method employs a combination of electrophoresis techniques with laser beat frequency spectroscopy to measure the Doppler shift of the Rayleigh scattered light from a solution of charged bovine serum albumin molecules in an electric field. Equations are presented to describe the electric field effects, and the experiments demonstrate the simultaneous measurement of the diffusion coefficient and the electrophoretic mobility. It is suggested that this technique may also be employed for the quantitative analysis of mixtures of charged macromolecules in solution.
DYNAMIC PRICE DISCRIMINATION WITH ASYMMETRIC FIRMS

This paper considers variants of a dynamic duopoly model where one firm has a stronger market position than its competitor. Consumers' past purchases may reveal their different valuations for the two firms' products. Price discrimination based on purchase histories tends to benefit consumers if it does not cause the weaker firm to exit; otherwise it can harm consumers. The effect of price discrimination also depends on firms' cost differences, market competitiveness, and consumers' time horizon. The stronger firm may price below cost in the presence of consumer switching costs, with the purpose and effect of eliminating competition.
Reductive alkylation of 2-aminopyridine and 2-aminopyrimidine

N-Monosubstituted 2-aminopyridines are formed in high yield when the corresponding Schiff bases are refluxed in formic acid-cumene solution. For the preparation of N-monosubstituted 2-aminopyrimidines, refluxing 2-aminopyrimidine and an aldehyde in formic acid seems preferable. The products are readily purified, and yields are increased by vacuum distillation followed by recrystallization. A procedure which is satisfactory for the preparation of 2-aralkylideneaminopyridines gives N,N′-benzilidene-bis-2-aminopyrimidine from benzaldehyde and 2-aminopyrimidine.
Disruption of estrogen receptor β gene impairs spatial learning in female mice

Here we provide the first evidence, to our knowledge, that estradiol (E2) affects learning and memory via the newly discovered estrogen receptor β (ERβ). In this study, ERβ knockout (ERβKO) and wild-type littermates were tested for spatial learning in the Morris water maze after ovariectomy, appropriate control treatment, or one of two physiological doses of E2. Regardless of treatment, all wild-type females displayed significant learning. However, ERβKOs given the low dose of E2 were delayed in learning acquisition, and ERβKOs administered the higher dose of E2 failed to learn the task. These data show that ERβ is required for optimal spatial learning and may have implications for hormone replacement therapy in women.
From Civil Society to Civil Servants: Women's Organizations and Critical Elections in Croatia

This work examines the role of women’s organizations in the 2000 elections in Croatia in an effort to understand when and how they play a significant role in promoting democracy and, in particular, the election of female candidates. Croatia offers a crucial case for the study of gender and democratization because it challenges two significant generalizations from the comparative literature on postcommunist transitions: first, that women’s organizations have been more likely to succeed in postcommunist countries where democracy has proceeded the furthest and, in particular, where ethno-nationalist conflict and ideologies are least salient; and, second, that widespread opposition to gender quotas in postcommunist countries prevented their use as a tool for promoting women’s equality. What conditions were present that facilitated the effectiveness of women’s organizations in Croatia in promoting their goal of electing more women? Four factors are key to explaining their success: the organizational strength and unity of women’s organizations; the extent of involvement by international organizations and donors; the perceived central role of women’s organizations in democratization; and, finally, the character of their alliances with political parties.
The 2'-OH group of the peptidyl-tRNA stabilizes an active conformation of the ribosomal PTC.

The ribosome accelerates the rate of peptidyl transfer by >106-fold relative to the background rate. A widely accepted model for this rate enhancement invokes entropic effects whereby the ribosome and the 2′-OH of the peptidyl-tRNA substrate precisely position the reactive moieties through an extensive network of hydrogen bonds that allows proton movement through them. Some studies, however, have called this model into question because they find the 2′-OH of the peptidyl-tRNA to be dispensable for catalysis. Here, we use an in vitro reconstituted translation system to resolve these discrepancies. We find that catalysis is at least 100-fold slower with the dA76-substituted peptidyl-tRNA substrate and that the peptidyl transferase centre undergoes a slow inactivation when the peptidyl-tRNA lacks the 2′-OH group. Additionally, the 2′-OH group was found to be critical for EFTu binding and peptide release. These findings reconcile the conflict in the literature, and support a model where interactions between active site residues and the 2′-OH of A76 of the peptidyl-tRNA are pivotal in orienting substrates in this active site for optimal catalysis.
A signal processing application in genomic research: protein secondary structure prediction

The digital nature of genomic information makes it suitable for the application of signal processing techniques to better analyze and understand the characteristics of DNA, proteins, and their interaction. Prediction of genes, protein structure, and protein function greatly utilize pattern recognition techniques, in which hidden Markov models, neural networks, and support vector machines play a central role. Signal processing offers a variety of methods from pattern recognition and network analysis for the diagnosis and therapy of genetic diseases. In this paper, we focus on protein secondary structure prediction and discuss the problems in single sequence setting.
MATCHINGS INCLUDING OR EXCLUDING CERTAIN EDGE SETS IN BIPARTITE GRAPHS

Necessary and sufficient conditions are obtained for a bipartite graph to admit a matching which includes a preassigned set of edges and excludes another preassigned set of edges.
The diagnostic value of needle biopsy of the liver.

Summary In a series of 1000 patients studied at the Cincinnati General Hospital, microscopic examination of needle specimens from the liver confirmed the clinical diagnosis in 49.2 per cent, corrected it in 24.7 per cent, were noncontributory to diagnosis in 16.6 per cent, misleading in 3.5 per cent, and inadequate in 6 per cent of the patients.
Foaming mechanisms in surfactant free particle suspensions

Physical mechanisms for foam formation in the presence of colloidal particles are poorly understood. This study is aimed at enhancing the basic understanding of the mechanisms that produce foaming in a three-phase system, containing solid, liquid, and gas, and identifying key parameters that aggravate foaming in the absence of surface-active agents. The foaming ability of a system (“foaminess”) was investigated by aerating a suspension of nanosized hydrophilic silica particles. We observed that the foaminess was directly proportional to particle concentration and inversely proportional to particle size. However, even a small degree of bidispersity in particle size drastically reduced foaminess. To explain these observations, the drainage of a single foam lamella containing nanosized particles was studied using a novel capillary force balance apparatus, which incorporates the microinterferometric technique. The single foam lamella thins in a stepwise manner, as the colloidal particles self-organize into a layered structure between the gas bubbles. This layer provides a barrier against coalescence of bubbles, thereby stabilizing the foam lamella. The number of stepwise film thickness transitions increased with particle concentration and decreased with the increase in the particle size, consistent with the results from foaming experiments. Particle bimodal distribution greatly decreases the foam-lamella stability, consistent with the theoretical prediction.
Sevoflurane administration initiated out of the ED for life-threatening status asthmaticus

Status asthmaticus is both a common and dangerous cause of acute dyspnea in the emergency department (ED) setting. Although most cases respond favorably to standard treatment, there are rare cases in which therapy beyond traditional treatment is needed. One of these treatment modalities includes inhalational anesthesia. We present a case in which inhaled sevoflurane was initiated out of the ED for a life-threatening asthma exacerbation refractory to conventional treatment. To our knowledge, this is only the second case to report the use of inhaled anesthetics initiated out of the ED for status asthmaticus and is the first report of its kind to thoroughly detail the respiratory response noted while inhalation anesthesia was being implemented. A brief review of other case reports involving the use of sevoflurane for asthma is included. This case, as well as the others reviewed, illustrates the significant beneficial effect inhaled anesthetics can have on asthma, making this a treatment modality that must be recognized and appreciated by all emergency medicine providers.
Bandwidth Improvement Methods In Acoustically-Coupled Thin Film BAW Devices

In this paper, the results of a Stacked Crystal Filter (SCF) are presented. It is shown that the bandwidth of the SCF can be designed by choice of electrode materials, device dimensions and use of external components such as inductors. This paper also discusses the fabrication of SCF along with the device layouts. A single stage and a two-stage SCF are designed and it is shown that the bandwidth of two-stage can only be increased if the inductor is connected between stages.
Speech and action: integration of action and language for mobile robots

We describe the tight integration of incremental natural language understanding, goal management, and action processing in a complex robotic architecture, which is required for natural interactions between robots and humans. Specifically, the natural language components need to process utterances while they are still spoken to be able to initiate feedback actions in a timely fashion, while the action manager might need information at various points during action execution that must be obtained from humans. We argue that a finer- grained integration provides much more natural human-robot interactions and much more reasonable multitasking.
Retrograde Autologous Priming of the Cardiopulmonary Bypass Circuit: Safety and Impact on Postoperative Outcomes

Objectives: Retrograde autologous priming (RAP) is a blood conservation technique used to limit the severity of hemodilution during cardiopulmonary bypass and reduce perioperative transfusions. The aim of this investigation was to examine the safety of RAP and to determine the effect of RAP on adverse outcomes after cardiac surgery. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: University hospital. Participants: Five hundred fifty-nine undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass. Interventions: Data were retrospectively collected on 2 cohorts of adult cardiac surgical patients operated on by a single surgeon. In the RAP group (n = 256), outcome data were analyzed on all subjects over a 2-year period during which RAP was used routinely. This group was compared with a similar cohort of patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass over a 2-year period immediately before the introduction of RAP into the clinical practice (no-RAP group, n = 287). Measurements and Main Results: In-hospital mortality was not significantly different between the RAP group (2.7%) and the no-RAP group (3.8%, p = 0.636). The incidence of postoperative cardiac arrest was significantly less in the RAP group (1 patient) compared to the no-RAP group (9 patients, p = 0.040). There were no differences between the 2 groups in the incidence of several other postoperative complications, including postoperative delirium (1.6% RAP v 3.1% no RAP), heart block (1.6% RAP v 4.2% no RAP), atrial fibrillation (19.1% RAP v 22.7% no RAP), and requiring postoperative ventilation >24 hours (2.7% RAP v 5.2% no RAP). Conclusions: The authors observed no evidence of any increase in adverse events in the RAP group of this retrospective cohort study, but they did observe a decrease in the incidence of postoperative cardiac arrest in the RAP group. These findings suggest that RAP is a safe technique and may have a beneficial effect on postoperative outcomes.
Imposing order on program statements to assist anti-virus scanners

A metamorphic virus applies semantics preserving transformations on itself to create a different variant before propagation. Metamorphic computer viruses thwart current anti-virus technologies that use signatures - a fixed sequence of bytes from a sample of a virus - since two variants of a metamorphic virus may not share the same signature. A method to impose an order on the statements and components of expressions of a program is presented. The method, called a "zeroing transformation," reduces the number of possible variants of a program created by reordering statement, reshaping expression, and renaming variable. On a collection of C program used for evaluation, the zeroing transformation reduced the space of program variants due to statement reordering from 10/sup 183/ to 10/sup 20/. Further reduction can be expected by undoing other transformations. Anti-virus technologies may be improved by extracting signatures from zero form of a virus, and not the original version.
Steroid hormones and paternal care in the plainfin midshipman fish (Porichthys notatus).

The present study investigated the relationship between plasma steroid hormone levels and the expression ofpaternal behavior in the plainfin midshipman fish (Porichthys notatus), where males may simultaneously care for multiple clutches in different stages of development. Blood samples were collected from free-living parental males during that part of the breeding season when males may be found in various stages of parental care. Plasma 11-ketotestosterone levels were significantly higher in males with empty nests and nests containing only eggs than in males with nests containing embryos. All males with nests containing embryos had undetectable testosterone levels, whereas testosterone levels were detectable in many males with empty nests or nests containing only eggs. Estradiol levels were detectable in only a few males from nests with no eggs or nests containing only eggs. Cortisol levels were not correlated with stage of paternal care or with handling time. These results follow the frequently reported vertebrate pattern of declining androgen levels over the course of the breeding season or during the period of parental care. However, many male midshipman guarding nests containing only eggs had androgen levels similar to those of males whose nests contained no offspring. Thus the pattern of androgen levels exhibited by reproductively active parental male midshipman may reflect a compromise between investment in paternal care versus courtship and/or territoriality.
Shorter horizons for model predictive control

We provide a less conservative (compared with our previous results) lower bound on the horizon length for a stabilizing model predictive control algorithm where the terminal cost is not assumed to be a local control Lyapunov function. Our main additional assumption is that the value function is bounded by a linear function of a measure of the state uniformly in the horizon length.
Nichtlineare partielle Differentialgleichungen

Bei nichtlinearen Gleichungen versagt das Superpositionsprinzip. Die Methode der Entwicklung nach Eigenfunktionen und die Transformationsmethoden konnen deshalb keine Anwendung finden. Es treten neue Phanomene auf, wie Stoswellen und Solitone (Solitarwellen). Wir werden uns jetzt mit diesen Dingen beschaftigen. Der Schlusteil von Abschnitt 14.1 erfordert Kenntnis von Abschnitt 12.1, fur 14.2 ist Kenntnis von 13.4 erforderlich, fur 14.3 benotigen Sie Abschnitt 7.1 und fur 14.4 lediglich Kapitel 4.
Characterization of parasite-specific indels and their proposed relevance for selective anthelminthic drug targeting

Insertions and deletions (indels) are important sequence variants that are considered as phylogenetic markers that reflect evolutionary adaptations in different species. In an effort to systematically study indels specific to the phylum Nematoda and their structural impact on the proteins bearing them, we examined over 340,000 polypeptides from 21 nematode species spanning the phylum, compared them to non-nematodes and identified indels unique to nematode proteins in more than 3000 protein families. Examination of the amino acid composition revealed uneven usage of amino acids for insertions and deletions. The amino acid composition and cost, along with the secondary structure constitution of the indels, were analyzed in the context of their biological pathway associations. Species-specific indels could enable indel-based targeting for drug design in pathogens/parasites. Therefore, we screened the spatial locations of the indels in the parasite's protein 3D structures, determined the location of the indel and identified potential unique drug targeting sites. These indels could be confirmed by RNA-Seq data. Examples are presented illustrating the close proximity of some indels to established small-molecule binding pockets that can potentially facilitate selective targeting to the parasites and bypassing their host, thus reducing or eliminating the toxicity of the potential drugs. This study presents an approach for understanding the adaptation of pathogens/parasites at a molecular level, and outlines a strategy to identify such nematode-selective targets that remain essential to the organism. With further experimental characterization and validation, it opens a possible channel for the development of novel treatments with high target specificity, addressing both host toxicity and resistance concerns.
A Micromechanics Approach to Homogenizing Damageable Elastoplastic Heterogeneous Materials

The objective of this paper is to propose a micromechanics approach to homogenizing damageable elastoplastic heterogeneous materials. The derivation of the constitutive relations for a constituent, which exhibits damage anisotropy, damage hardening, plastic anisotropy, and combined isotropic-kinematic hardening, is briefed. The weak form of the problem is derived using an asymptotic method, discretized using finite elements, and solved using the second-order Runge-Kutta method. The capability of the proposed approach is demonstrated by homogenizing a binary composite with a constituent exhibiting various mechanical behaviors. The proposed approach is found to be capable of handling complex material models. More sophisticated material models can be implemented into the proposed approach.
Age Distribution of Cotton Bolls and Damage from the Boll Weevil

Releases simulating 1st and 2nd generation Anthonomus grandis (Boheman) were made on 2 cotton genotypes, and effects on fruiting, fruit damage, and yields were noted. First generation releases caused severe reductions. The release of twice as many weevils in the 2nd generation moderately reduced yields. First generation produced damage by way of square and boll attack; 2nd generation insects primarily were a threat to bolls. Bolls 12 days old or older at the time of the beginning infestation of 2nd generation weevils of the short season genotype DSR 1×6-56 were relatively safe from weevil injury. Subplots of this cotton averaged 300–500 lb acre in bolls that were 13 days or older on the 2nd day of the 2nd generation period.
Compilation is the key to the comprehensive developing university archives information source

Based on the experiences of archive management for decades,the content and tharacteristics of university archives compilation in the new period were discussed It was pointed out that the comprehensive developing university archives information source is the key to realizing archive value.It also indicated that compilation quality and effciency depend on the continuing improvement of the quality of archivist.