cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Viral Mechanism for Inhibition of p300 and PCAF Acetyltransferase Activity

Abstract Nucleosomal histone modification is believed to be a critical step in the activation of RNA polymerase II–dependent transcription. p300/CBP and PCAF histone acetyltransferases (HATs) are coactivators for several transcription factors, including nuclear hormone receptors, p53, and Stat1 α , and participate in transcription by forming an activation complex and by promoting histone acetylation. The adenoviral E1A oncoprotein represses transcriptional signaling by binding to p300/CBP and displacing PCAF and p/CIP proteins from the complex. Here, we show that E1A directly represses the HAT activity of both p300/CBP and PCAF in vitro and p300-dependent transcription in vivo. Additionally, E1A inhibits nucleosomal histone modifications by the PCAF complex and blocks p53 acetylation. These results demonstrate the modulation of HAT activity as a novel mechanism of transcriptional regulation.
Comparative affinity of the major genetic variants of human group-specific component (vitamin D-binding protein) for 25-(OH) vitamin D3

Binding studies with [3H] 25-(OH) D3 were performed under a variety of conditions using Gc (Vitamin D-binding protein) purified from individuals displaying different phenotypes. No significant differences in affinity of binding were found between Gc1f, Gc1s and Gc2 allelle products in either homozygous or heterozygous individuals, nor between Gc1 anodal and Gc1 cathodal isotypes. Affinity was not significantly affected by different reaction temperatures (4,22 or 37°C), the presence or absence of Ca2+ ions, and binary and ternary interactions with G-actin and G-actin-DNase complexes respectively. However, reduction of pH caused a progressive decrease in binding with virtual abolition at pH ⩽ 5.0. The latter might promote dissociation of D3 metabolites from Gc carrier protein in acidic compartments of cells.
Authority in Cross-Racial Teaching and Learning (Re)considering the Transferability of Warm Demander Approaches:

This article compares a White teacher’s approach to authority with that of an African American warm demander. Ethnographic methods and discourse analysis illuminated how an African American teacher...
Deficiency of Src family kinases p59/61hck and p58c-fgr results in defective adhesion-dependent neutrophil functions.

Cross-linking of the neutrophil-beta 2- or beta 3-related leukocyte response integrins by extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins or monoclonal antibodies (mAb) stimulates cytoskeletal rearrangement leading to cell spreading and respiratory burst. Tyrosin phosphorylation of a variety of proteins and activation of the Src family kinases within polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) have recently been implicated in the intracellular signaling pathways generated by leukocyte integrins (Yan, S.R., L. Fumagalli, and G Berton. 1995. J. Inflammation. 45:217-311.) To directly test whether these functional responses are dependent on the Src family kinases p59/61hck and p58c-fgr, we examined adhesion-dependent respiratory burst in PMNs isolated from hck -/-, fgr -/-, and hck -/- fgr -/- knockout mice. Purified bone marrow PMNS from wild-type mice released significant amounts of O2- when adherent to fibrinogen-, fibronectin-, or collagen-coated surfaces, in the presence of activating agents such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) or formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine, as described for human PMNs. PMNs from hck-/-fgr-/- double-mutant mic, however, failed to respond. This defect was specific for integrin signaling, since respiratory burst was normal in hck-/-fgr-/-PMNs stimulated by immune complexes or PMA. Stimulation of respiratory burst was observed in TNF-primed wild-type PMN plated on surfaces coated with murine intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), while hck-/-fgr-/- PMNs, failed to respond. Direct cross-linking of the subunits of beta 2 and beta 2 integrins by surface-bound mAbs was elicited O2- production by wild-type PMNs, while the double-mutant hck-/-fgr-/- cells failed to respond. Photomicroscopy and cell adhesion assays revealed that the impaired functional responses of hck-/-fgr-/- PMNs were caused by defective spreading and tight adhesion on either ECM protein- or mAb-coated surfaces. In contrast, hck-/-or fgr-/-single mutant cells produced O2- at levels equivalent to wild-type cells on ECM protein, murine ICAM-1, and antiintegrin mAb-coated surfaces. Hence, either p59/61 hck and p 58c-fgr is required for signaling through leukocyte beta 2 and beta 3 integrins leading to PMN spreading and respiratory burst. This is the first direct genetic evidence of the importance of Src family kinases in integrin signaling within leukocytes, and it is also the best example of overlapping function between members of this gene family within a defined signal transduction pathway.
Anatomical variations of the facial nerve in first branchial cleft anomalies.

Objective To review our experience with branchial cleft anomalies, with special attention to their subtypes and anatomical relationship to the facial nerve. Study Design Case series. Setting Tertiary care center. Patients Ten patients who underwent resection for anomalies of the first branchial cleft, with at least 1 year of follow-up, were included in the study. The data from all cases were collected in a prospective fashion, including immediate postoperative diagrams. Intervention Complete resection of the branchial cleft anomaly was performed in all cases. Wide exposure of the facial nerve was achieved using a modified Blair incision and superficial parotidectomy. Facial nerve monitoring was used in every case. Main Outcome Measures The primary outcome measurements were facial nerve function and incidence of recurrence after resection of the branchial cleft anomaly. Results Ten patients, 6 females and 4 males,with a mean age of 9 years at presentation, were treated by the senior author (P.J.K.) between 1989 and 2001. The lesions were characterized as sinus tracts (n = 5), fistulous tracts (n = 3), and cysts (n = 2). Seven lesions were medial to the facial nerve, 2 were lateral to the facial nerve, and 1 was between branches of the facial nerve. There were no complications related to facial nerve paresis or paralysis, and none of the patients has had a recurrence. Conclusions The successful treatment of branchial cleft anomalies requires a complete resection. A safe complete resection requires a full exposure of the facial nerve, as the lesions can be variably associated with the nerve.
An improved mercury porosimetry apparatus — some magnetic tape applications

Abstract An improved mercury porosimetry apparatus is described. A commercially available Carlo Erba porosimeter Type 200 was made 10 times more sensitive and connected with a Philips PM 4410 minicomputer for ease of data handling and calculation. The correction for compressibility of the dilatometer was examined. The compressibility coefficient of mercury and its dependence on pressure was taken from literature data. The compressibilities of the glass dilatometer were calculated from porosimetry data. The compressibilities of a number of polymers were measured. The dependence of the compressibility of these polymers on pressure was also determined. Some pigment powders and magnetic tape samples were analyzed by mercury porosimetry with correction for compressibility.
EXCITATION ENERGY MIGRATION IN PHYCOBILISOMES: COMPARISON OF EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS AND THEORETICAL PREDICTIONS

— Quantum yield and fluorescence polarization determinations on phycobilisomes and their constituent phycobiliproteins show that phycobilisomes are energetically effective macromolecular structures. Energy migration within the phycobilisome to allophycocyanin, the longest wavelength absorbing and emitting phycobiliprotein, was indicated by the predominant allophycocyanin fluorescence emission which was independent of the phycobiliprotein being excited. The high efficiency of the energy migration inside the phycobilisome was reflected by the low polarized fluorescence. Excitation of phycobilisomes in the region of major absorption (500–650 nm) resulted in degrees of fluorescence polarization between +0.02 and –0.02, whereas in isolated phycobiliproteins the values were 2 to 12 times greater. Furthermore, 94–98° of the excitation energy of phycoerythrin was transferred to phycocyanin and allophycocyanin as determined from comparisons of fluorescence spectra of intact and dissociated phycobilisomes. The fluorescence quantum yields of phycobilisomes were about 0.60–0.68, very similar to that of pure allophycocyanin in solution (0.68). Phycobilisomes isolated from Fremyella diplosiphon and Nostoc sp. (blue-gree algae) have respective quantum yields of 0.68 and 0. 65, and those isolated from Porphyridium cruentum (red alga), about 0.60. In Fremyella diplosiphon and Nostoc sp., which showed a striking adaptation to different wavelengths, the phycobilisome quantum yields only varied from 0.68 to 0.67 and from 0.65 to 0. 60, respectively. The mean transfer time, calculated on the basis of experimental results, was about 280 ± 40 ps for transfer of excitation from the phycoerythrin to the phycocyanin layer in phycobilisomes. This time corresponds to the mean number of jumps, about 28, of the excitation in the phycoerythrin layer before it is captured by phycocyanin. These values are in reasonable agreement with the values of 250 ± 30 ps and 25 jumps, calculated on the basis of a phycobilisome model (of Porphyridium cruentum) and Pearlstein's theory of energy migration devised for a three-dimensional photosynthetic unit. It was also shown that Paillotin's theory of energy migration predicts similar values for mean transfer time and mean number of jumps, if one assumes that phycocyanin is a perfect sink for phycoerythrin excitation.
Arbitrary-frequency optical millimeter-wave generation for radio over fiber systems

The arbitrary-frequency optical microwave or millimeter (mm)-wave signals, ranging from 25 to 325 -GHz with 25-GHz spacing, can be simultaneously generated based on the generation technology of multi-wavelength laser source followed by a wavelength selected switch (WSS). These multi-wavelength signals are realized by cascading a phase modulator (PM) and a Mach-Zehnder intensity modulator. This technology is capable of generating 11 multi-wavelengths from single CW lightwave with less than 2-dB maximum power difference. One reconfigurable WSS with one input and four output ports is employed to select multiple optical mm-wave signals with a minimal frequency spacing of 25 GHz.
A pantothenate auxotroph of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is highly attenuated and protects mice against tuberculosis

With the advent of HIV and the widespread emergence of drug-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, newer control strategies in the form of a better vaccine could decrease the global incidence of tuberculosis. A desirable trait in an effective live attenuated vaccine strain is an ability to persist within the host in a limited fashion in order to produce important protective antigens in vivo. Attenuated M. tuberculosis vaccine candidates have been constructed by deleting genes required for growth in mice. These candidate vaccines did not elicit adequate protective immunity in animal models, due to their inability to persist sufficiently long within the host tissues. Here we report that an auxotrophic mutant of M. tuberculosis defective in the de novo biosynthesis of pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) is highly attenuated in immunocompromised SCID mice and in immunocompetent BALB/c mice. SCID mice infected with the pantothenate auxotroph survived significantly longer (250 days) than mice infected with either bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine or virulent M. tuberculosis (77 and 35 days, respectively). Subcutaneous immunization with this auxotroph conferred protection in C57BL/6J mice against an aerosol challenge with virulent M. tuberculosis, which was comparable with that afforded by BCG vaccination. Our findings highlight the importance of de novo pantothenate biosynthesis in limiting the intracellular survival and pathogenesis of M. tuberculosis without reducing its immunogenicity in vaccinated mice.
Preparation and properties of methyl arachidonate from pork liver

A procedure is described whereby the mixed fatty acids of pork liver lipid are fractionated into groups of acids to facilitate their analysis and isolation. The major acids of pork liver lipid were palmitic 22.9%, stearic 16.8%, oleic 38.5%, linoleic 5.0%, and arachidonic 4.4%. A number of other unsaturated fatty acids were detected in minor amounts, such as isomers of arachidonic, linoleic, and palmitoleic acids. A number of fatty acids of odd-numbered chain length also were detected.
Effect of Chain Architecture on Surface Segregation in Functional Polymers: Synthesis and Surface Properties of End- and Center-Functional Poly(D,L-lactide)

Poly(d,l-lactide)s with fluorocarbon functional groups located at either the chain end or center are synthesized by the ring-opening solution polymerization of d,l-lactide using monohydroxy or dihydroxy terminated semifluorinated alcohols as co-initiators respectively. The surface composition−depth profiles of the fluorocarbon functional groups are determined by angle dependent X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ADXPS) measurements. All polymers exhibit surface segregation of the lower surface tension fluorocarbon functional groups. The extent of surface segregation decreases with molecular weight and, for polymers of equivalent molecular weight, is higher for the end-functional polymers than for center-functional polymers, consistent with the mean field lattice model (MFLM) predictions of O'Rourke-Muisener et al. We find that the MFLM with a single set of bulk and surface interaction parameters provides reasonable predictions of experimental ADXPS concentration depth profiles for all molecular weights and...
Dependence on pH of the activity of pig liver esterase

Abstract The dependence on pH of the kinetic parameters for the hydrolysis of phenyl acetate catalyzed by pig liver carboxylesterase was examined for purified high-isoelectric point and low-isoelectric point fractions of enzyme that were separated by isoelectric focusing. The values of kcat are half-maximal at pH 4.3 and 5.1 for the high- and low-isoelectric point forms, respectively, and show a shallow dependence on pH with a value of n = 0.5. The absence of a change in the pH dependence of kcat for the high-isoelectric point enzyme in the presence of high concentrations of methanol, which reacts with the acetyl-enzyme intermediate to give methyl acetate, provides evidence that the pH dependence is not caused by a change in rate-determining step. This means that if an imidazole group is involved in catalysis its pK must be perturbed downward by 2–3 units. The pH dependence of k cat K m is biphasic with apparent pK values for dissociations of the free enzyme near 7 and 4 for both the high- and low-isoelectric point enzymes. Inhibition by a second molecule of substrate and by methanol are strongest for high-pH forms of the enzyme.
Depressed Mothers: They Don't Always Look as Bad as They Feel

ABSTRACT Objective The relationship of maternal depression to self-report and observational data was investigated in a sample of depressed ( n = 30) and nondepressed women ( n = 32) and their 3-year-old children. Depression characteristics – (diagnostic subtype/remission status) were related to maternal self-report and mother—child Interactions. Method Mothers completed standardized questionnaires and the dyad was observed in the laboratory. Observations were rated for maternal behavior and child attachment. Results There were no differences between depressed and nondepressed groups on observational measures; depressed mothers' self-report was consistently more negative. Within the depressed group, women with more severe/chronic depression showed behavioral differences but were no different from less depressed women on self-report measures. Women in remission improved for self-report, but not for observational data. Conclusions The consequences of maternal depression vary depending on type of depression, severity, chronicity, current mood status, and on how the impact of depression is measured. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolssc. Psychiatry , 1996, 35(3):289–298
Positive Jacobi Polynomial Sums, III

In earlier papers, see [3] and its bibliography, some classical inequalities for polynomials and trigonometric polynomials were rewritten as inequalities for Jacobi polynomials, and these inequalities suggested other inequalities, some of which have been proved while others are still just conjectures.
AuraConf: a unified approach to authorization and confidentiality

This paper introduces AuraConf, the first programming language with a unified means to specify access-control and confidentially policies. In concert with a proof-carrying access control mechanism, to known-techniques for describing access-control, AuraConf allows confidentially policies to be specified declaratively using types and enforced via cryptography. Programs written in AuraConf enjoy a formal security guarantee via noninterference. Additionally, the language definition introduces a novel type system where the typechecker may use resources (i.e., private keys) and knowledge of an object's provenance (i.e., how a ciphertext was computed) to guide analysis.
A Modified FFT Algorithm for Efficient Computation of Narrow Band Spectrum

In many applications, we are interested in computing the energy contained in a narrow band of a bandpass signal given its bandwidth and carrier frequency. The technique implemented in this paper can be used to compute the Fourier transform (FT) in a narrow band without having to calculate the entire frequency spectrum. It uses the decimation in time method for computing the FFT, exploiting some of the symmetry properties of the transform technique.
How Motivation, Opportunity, and Ability Impact Travelers' Social Media Involvement and Revisit Intention

ABSTRACT The study applied the motivation, opportunity, and ability (MOA) theory and the concept of involvement in exploring travelers' behaviors in hotel social media pages. An online survey was conducted using the Facebook and the Twitter pages of a hotel brand as stimuli. The results showed that travelers' motivation and opportunity have positive relationships with their involvement in hotel social media pages, and travelers' social media involvement positively impacts their revisit intention pages. However, travelers' ability was not significantly related to their social media involvement. Interestingly, the relationships among motivation, opportunity, social media involvement, and revisit intention were not different between Facebook and Twitter, suggesting that hotel managers can employ the same marketing strategy in different social media channels.
Pregnancy-related constipation

Constipation is a common complaint in pregnancy. Its symptoms may include infrequent defecation, hard or scybalous stool, or excessive straining. An extensive evaluation is usually unnecessary for women who present with constipation for the first time during pregnancy. Most patients respond to dietary measures or simple laxatives. Few laxatives have been evaluated in clinical trials for use in pregnancy. Evidence supports treatment with fiber supplements and senna. The use of a pharmacologic agent for treatment of constipation during pregnancy must be weighed against possible adverse effects. Most laxatives carry a pregnancy category B or C classification. First-line therapy includes increasing fiber intake through diet or supplements. Osmotic laxatives may be beneficial for some patients. The short-term use of osmotic or stimulant laxatives is generally reserved for patients who fail to respond to dietary changes or bulking agents.
Effect of multiple firing on the bond strength of selected matched porcelain-fused-to-metal combinations

In this study two different opaque porcelain-metal combinations were evaluated for planar shear bond strength. Samples were tested after one, three, five, seven, and nine different firing cycles to evaluate the effect of repeated firing on shear bond strength. For the combination of Will Ceram/W1 and Vita/Olympia materials, no statistical difference was observed either between materials or after repeated firing. For apparently well-matched porcelain-metal combinations, no significant reduction in bond strength occurs during normal firing of the opaque porcelain to the metal.
Towards interval techniques for model validation

Most physical models are approximate. It is therefore important to find out how accurate are the predictions of a given model. This can be done by validating the model, i.e., by comparing its predictions with the experimental data. In some practical situations, it is difficult to directly compare the predictions with the experimental data, since models usually contain (physically meaningful) parameters, and the exact values of these parameters are often not known. One way to overcome this difficulty is to get a statistical distribution of the corresponding parameters. Once we substitute these distributions into a model, we get statistical predictions—and we can compare the resulting probability distribution with the actual distribution of measurement results. In this approach, we combine all the measurement results, and thus, we are ignoring the information that some of these results correspond to the same values of the parameters—e.g., they come from measuring the same specimen under different conditions. In this paper, we propose an interval approach that takes into account this important information. This approach is illustrated on the example of a benchmark thermal problem presented at the Sandia Validation Challenge Workshop (Albuquerque, New Mexico, May 2006).
Notes on Surface: toward a genealogy of flatness

This essay revisits the issue of flatness, typically associated with teleological readings of modernist painting. At its outset, the text highlights a paradox: that some of the most powerful and prestigious accounts of postmodernism, including Frederic Jameson’s, identify flatness –the modernist trope par excellence – as postmodernism’s distinguishing feature. In an effort to untangle this contradiction, a new genealogy of flatness is proposed. Firstly, a powerful link is noted in Greenbergian modernism between optical flatness and psychological depth. Secondly, a preoccupation with the appropriation and reframing of stereotypes is identified in more recent art. Here, the psychological depth tied to optical flatness in modern art is itself deflated, producing a marriage of optical and psychological flatness. These transformations in the meaning surface and superficiality are traced through the art of Jackson Pollock, Jasper Johns, David Hammons and Kara Walker.
Remix Literacy and Fan Compositions

Abstract Although remixing has lately received increased scholarly attention in the rhetoric and composition community, studies commonly focus on examples of remixed objects rather than the compositional strategies used by remix composers themselves. In this study, I recount the voices of individuals who participate in online communities where videos, music, and texts from popular culture are remixed by fans: Lost Video Island, OverClocked ReMix, and Remix Redux. The aims and abilities these composers described to me constitute a developing area of digital literacy that I call remix literacy, a term that draws attention to the skills needed to create remixes that are deemed effective by communities. I find that the skills of a remix literate composer are fundamentally rhetorical, making this area of study important both for literacy scholars interested in understanding the self-sponsored activities of creative composers online and for composition instructors concerned with adapting their pedagogies to the skills I have found are needed for effective communication in fan communities.
INCIDENTAL AND INTENTIONAL LEARNING OF ECONOMIC INFORMATION IN BEGINNING TYPEWRITING

The problem in this study was to determine whether students enrolled in beginning typewriting who typed between fifteen and fifty-five words a minute would learn economic facts incidentally and intentionally through the typing of timed writings on the topic of economics.
Spin-On Catalyst: Straightforward and Flexible Route to Substrate-Grown Single Wall Carbon Nanotubes

The synthesis and characterization of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) from simple catalytic precursors at 900 °C from methane and hydrogen is demonstrated. The catalyst precursor is comprised of iron nitrate and a commercially available siloxane polymer solution and is applied to various substrates via spin coating or dipping. The siloxane matrix simultaneously provides for the controlled formation of catalytic nanoparticles via phase separation and, upon heating, a smooth, continuous film of SiOx, which prevents catalyst coarsening and agglomeration at growth conditions. Furthermore, the processibility of the polymer enables the formation of complex, 3D structures from which nanotubes can grow. This combination of processing ease, flexibility, and inherent multifunctionality provides facile, controllable growth of single-wall carbon nanotubes on a multitude of substrates and facilitates additional routes toward SWNT-based device fabrication.
The State of Hospice Ethics Committees and the Social Work Role

This study found that in six states, most hospices (73 percent) had access to some type of ethics committee; however, less than 1/3 maintain a hospice-specific ethics committee. Social workers, alt...
Responses of mammalian histidine catabolic enzymes to dietary and hormonal treatments

Abstract 1. 1. The effects of glucagon administration on hepatic histidase, urocanase, and histidine-pyruvate aminotransferase activities in vivo and interrelationships among a high protein intake, cortisol and glucagon in influencing the activities of these enzymes were studied. Histidine-pyruvate aminotransferase increased 30-fold in rats fed a 12% casein diet and injected subcutaneously with glucagon for 10 days, whereas histidase and urocanase increased only 3-fold and 2-fold, respectively. After withdrawal of glucagon, the aminotransferase decreased with an apparent half-life of 3.5 days. Kinetic analysis indicated that an increased rate of enzyme synthesis was responsible for the increases in enzymic activities. 2. 2. Histidine-pyruvate aminotransferase is also more responsive than histidase and urocanase in rats injected with cortisol and responded synergistically when glucagon and cortisol were administered together. The aminotransferase shows little response in rats fed a high protein diet. In contrast, histidase and urocanase are more responsive than the aminotransferase to induction by high protein feeding but respond only moderately in rats treated with cortisol or glucagon. Glucagon treatment seems to enhance the induction of histidase or urocanase by high protein feeding but the effect is less than additive.
Design of Interactive Terminal for Interaction between Electric Vehicles and Grid

Electric vehicle (EV) has become one of the important development direction of the automobile industry generally recognized by the international community, as it has a good environmental effect and the flexible use form of energy. For the realization of the interaction between EV and grid, this paper studies and designs the interactive terminal to balance load and improve utilization of the grid. The terminal adopts high-end ARM platform and embedded Android operating system to realize both-way interaction of information and energy between EV and grid with means of communication such as CAN, 3G and Internet. Based on giving the design ideas of the intelligent terminal overall structure, this paper describes the hardware/software architecture technology, design methods and functions. The interactive terminal can deploy unified charging and discharging of EV according to the control mode of interaction, and give full play to the economic and social benefits of large-scale EV
A general-purpose, high performance algorithm for distributed systems reliability evaluation

Abstract A general purpose, high performance algorithm for reliability evaluation of distributed systems is developed in this research. The algorithm is general in the sense that it is used to evaluate different network reliability measures such as terminal, K -terminal, all-terminal, and degraded system reliability. Furthermore, it is used to evaluate the above measures in networks that are directed or undirected as well as in networks with perfect or imperfect nodes. The options for numeric or symbolic and exact or approximate reliability computation are also available. The algorithm efficiently calculates reliability of distributed systems with sizes of practical interest, and has comparable or much better speed than other reported algorithms. Another significant contribution of this paper is the method for efficient handling of systems with imperfect nodes, an issue which is particularly important for practical distributed systems with unreliable processing nodes.
Regular expansions of completely simple semigroups

Corresponding to each completely simple semigroup S a semigroup P(S) is constructed. The semigroup P(S) is a perfect rectangular band of inverse monoids (that is, P(S) a disjoint union of inverse monoids Si, λ (i ϵ I, λ ϵ Λ) with SiλSjμ = Siμ for all i, j ϵ I and λ, μ ϵ Λ). The functor S → P(S), Φ → P(Φ) is an expansion in the sense of Birget and Rhodes (“Almost finite expansions of arbitrary semigroups”, J. Pure Appl. Algebra 32 (1984) 239–287). A representation for P(S) as a Rees matrix semigroup M(T; I, Λ; P) over an inverse monoid T with entries from P in the group of units of T is provided. The expansion provides a construction of the free inverse semigroup and the free rectangular band of inverse semigroups when applied to the free group and the free completely simple semigroup respectively.
Compositional Effects on the Liquid‐Phase Sintering of Praseodymium Oxide‐Based Zinc Oxide Varistors

The influence of the formation of eutectic liquid phases during sintering of the ternary varistor system ZnO-Pr6O11-Co3O4 was studied. The temperature at which the samples were observed to be liquid-phase sintered was found to depend on the nominal batch composition. The appearance of the liquid phase had a significant effect on the final microstructure as well as on the electrical properties of the varistors. Small additions of ZrO2, purposely added or resulting from ball-mill contamination, were found to affect moderately the properties of the liquid phases observed in this system.
Optimal parallel 2-D FIR digital filter with separable terms

This article solves the optimal weighted least mean square (WLMS) filter design problem using sums of separable filters as a sequence of separable filter approximations. An efficient computational algorithm based on necessary conditions is presented. The procedure requires neither the solution of the unconstrained WLMS problem nor the singular value analysis of the ideal filter.
Probabilistic verification for “black-box” systems

We explore the concept of a “black-box” stochastic system, and propose an algorithm for verifying probabilistic properties of such systems based on very weak assumptions regarding system dynamics. Properties are expressed as formulae in a probabilistic temporal logic. Our presentation is a generalization of and an improvement over recent work by Sen et al. on probabilistic verification for “black-box” systems.
Non-uniform Entropy Compression for Uniform Energy Distribution in Wireless Sensor Networks

Recently there has been an influx of work on extending a wireless sensor networks lifetime by distributing source compression and deploying non-homogeneous nodes to handle the aggregation. Both of these mechanisms have been shown to increase the network's lifetime, but they each have requirements that might not be plausible. With distributed source compression, message distributions must be known a-priori, and the existing practical schemes tend to require modification of a layer in the network stack. In non-homogeneous node deployment, placement of more powerful nodes is a major factor in balancing network energy, but many scenarios exist where this is not reasonable. We propose non-uniform entropy compression wherein bottleneck nodes trade computation energy for transmission energy and do more aggressive compression, which induces a synthetic nonhomogeneity across a network built from physically identical nodes and extends network lifetime. Our method inserts a compression layer between medium access control (MAC) and the routing layers without modifying existing network layers, thus providing a general platform for message compression. We performed extensive simulations to show how our architecture affects network energy and delay considering message size, queue size, compression ratio and time, and network topology. Our simulations show that a computationally inexpensive and effective compression algorithm (with high compression ratio) that takes less than 0.2 s/ kbytes time (including both compression and decompression time) to execute will help extend network lifetime for most motes; for some motes (such as Mica2 and Rene2) 1 s/kbytes or more will work also. This supports our theory that synthetic-non-homogeneity is a viable and practical method for extending wireless sensor networks(WSNs) lifetime.
Cosorption characteristics of solid adsorbents

Abstract Sorptive single-blow processes which adsorb simultaneously water vapor and carbon dioxide for applications in desiccant air-conditioning systems and indoor air quality control are documented. Cosorption processes are simulated for three different adsorbents, BPL activated carbon, silica gel (grade 40), and 13X molecular sieve. The process air stream is assumed to consist of binary mixture of water vapor and carbon dioxide, and the finite heat and mass transfer rates are assumed between air stream and surface of the adsorbent. The cosorption isotherms (equilibrium equations) of water vapor and carbon dioxide, correlated from available experimental data, are utilized to simulate the sorption processes. The dynamic cosorption performance of the three solid adsorbents exhibit widely different sorption characteristics, including the roll-over effect.
Associations of Obsessive Compulsive Symptoms and Beliefs with Depression: Testing Mediation by Shame and Guilt

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) presents with high rates of comorbid major depressive disorder (MDD). Compared to OCD alone, individuals with both disorders tend to have poorer functioning and treatment outcomes. The present study investigated the link between OCD and depression among 263 undergraduates, 22% of whom endorsed clinical levels of self-reported OCD symptoms. Aim 1 was to determine whether distorted obsessive compulsive (OC) beliefs predicted depression severity while controlling for OC symptom severity. Both OC beliefs and OC symptom severity accounted for unique variance in depressive symptoms. Aim 2 was to examine shame and guilt as simultaneous mediators of these associations. Shame is associated with withdrawal behaviors, whereas guilt is associated with reaching out and making amends. Thus, we hypothesized that shame, but not guilt, would be a mediator. Consistent with hypotheses, shame partially mediated the positive relationship between OC beliefs (but not symptoms) and depression,...
on And/Or Schemes

A computational model, based on and/or subgoaling, is described. It is shown that various models of computation, such as recursive program schemes, decision trees and combinational networks, are naturally embedded in the and/or language. These observations pose some interesting questions for further research. As a first result in the metatheory of and/or schemes, we prove a normal form theorem showing that with the addition of “auxiliary variables”, every and/or scheme is strongly equivalent to one with “and/or depth” equal to 1.
THE JOINT EFFECT OF TASK CHARACTERISTICS AND EXTRAVERSION ON THE PERFORMANCE, WORKLOAD, AND STRESS OF SIGNAL DETECTION

The present study tests an extension of the Maximal Adaptability Model of Stress (Hancock & Warm, 1989) that incorporated individual differences into the model (Szalma, 2008). The purpose was to investigate how the task characteristics of information rate (event rate) and information uncertainty (number of displays to be monitored) interact with participant personality (Neuroticism) to affect the performance, workload, and stress associated with a cognitive vigilance task. Results supported claim by Szalma (2008) that the maximal adaptability model should be modified to include person characteristics.
Regulation of exocytic mode in hippocampal neurons by intra‐bouton calcium concentration

Release of neurotransmitters from synaptic vesicles is a central event in synaptic transmission. Recent evidence suggests that synaptic vesicles fuse with the plasma membrane by multiple routes during exocytosis, but the regulation and physiological implications of this choice are unclear. At hippocampal synapses in culture, two modes of synaptic vesicle exocytosis can be distinguished by virtue of the rate and extent of loss of a fluorescent lipid marker (FM1–43). Here we investigate these two modes of exocytosis using fluorescence imaging of FM1–43, combined with quantitative Ca2+ imaging using Oregon green BAPTA-1 (OGB1), to examine how the balance of exocytic mode changes during a stimulus train. Our findings are twofold: that the full fusion mode becomes progressively favoured through the course of a 5 or 10 Hz stimulus train, and that this occurs in parallel with presynaptic accumulation of calcium. Blockade of calcium accumulation with AM-EGTA also prevents the conversion of exocytic mode. This conversion of exocytic mode may provide insight as to the mechanisms underpinning short term plasticity.
Sustained beta cell apoptosis in patients with long-standing type 1 diabetes: indirect evidence for islet regeneration?

Aims/hypothesis Type 1 diabetes is widely held to result from an irreversible loss of insulin-secreting beta cells. However, insulin secretion is detectable in some people with long-standing type 1 diabetes, indicating either a small population of surviving beta cells or continued renewal of beta cells subject to ongoing autoimmune destruction. The aim of the present study was to evaluate these possibilities.
Retinal prostheses: current clinical results and future needs.

Degenerative diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and retinitis pigmentosa (RP) primarily affect the photoreceptors, ultimately resulting in significant loss of vision. Retinal prostheses aim to elicit neural activity in the remaining retinal cells by detecting and converting light into electrical stimuli that can then be delivered to the retina. The concept of visual prostheses has existed for more than 50 years and recent progress shows promise, yet much remains to be understood about how the visual system will respond to artificial input after years of blindness that necessitate this type of prosthesis. This review focuses on 3 major areas: the histopathologic features of human retina affected by AMD and RP, current results from clinical trials, and challenges to overcome for continued improvement of retinal prostheses. Financial Disclosure(s) Proprietary or commercial disclosures may be found after the references.
Processing Technology for Nickel Aluminides

Ductile ordered intermetallic alloys of nickel aluminum or nickel aluminum chromium have been developed at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) by optimized additions of boron. These alloys show excellent elevated temperature mechanical properties and corrosion properties. However, in order for the alloys to find use in various applications, they should be fabricable by either the well established or innovative processing technologies. The present paper will discuss the details of fabrication technology being pursued at ORNL. The processes being investigated include powder consolidation by extrusion, powder consolidation by capping, isothermal forging of powder compacted material, twin-roller casting to thin sheet followed by cold-rolling, direct casting rod from liquid, extrusion of billets made by argon-induction melting and electroslag remelting processes, injection molding of powders, and hot isostatic pressing of powders. Relative merits of each process will be discussed. Mechanical properties data on products made by various processes will also be presented and compared.
Niemann-Pick C1-Like 1 Is Required for an LXR Agonist to Raise Plasma HDL Cholesterol in Mice

Objectives— Activation of liver x receptor (LXR) raises plasma HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) in mice. Interestingly, the LXR agonist GW3965 fails to raise plasma HDL-C in mice lacking intestinal ABCA1, indicating that intestinal ABCA1 plays a predominant role in GW3965-mediated HDL production. How this is coupled to intestinal function remains elusive. Because cholesterol is essential for HDL assembly and directly regulates intestinal ABCA1 expression via activating LXR, we hypothesized that cholesterol absorption, a major function of intestine, modulates LXR-dependent HDL formation. Methods and Results— Mice lacking Niemann-Pick C1-Like 1 (NPC1L1) (L1-KO mice), a gene that is essential for cholesterol absorption, were treated with LXR agonist T0901317 for 7 days. Intriguingly, this treatment failed to significantly raise plasma HDL-C but caused a much greater fecal cholesterol excretion in L1-KO mice. The intestinal ABCA1 mRNA level was about 4-fold lower in L1-KO versus wild-type mice, and increased 3.9-fold and 8.8-fold after T0901317 treatment in wild-type and L1-KO mice, respectively. Hepatic ABCA1 failed to respond to T0901317 in mice of both genotypes, although hepatic mRNAs for many LXR target genes were higher in the T0901317-treated versus untreated wild-type animals. Conclusions— NPC1L1 is required for an LXR agonist to increase plasma HDL-C in mice.
Single-Suture Craniosynostosis: A Review of Neurobehavioral Research and Theory

Objective To review research and theory regarding the neurobehavioral correlates and outcomes of single-suture, or isolated, craniosynostosis in children. Methods A critical review of 17 studies of the hypothesized association between isolated craniosynostosis and neurodevelopment. Results Isolated craniosynostosis is associated with a three- to fivefold increase in risk for cognitive deficits or learning/language disabilities. The causal basis for this association is unclear. No particular calvarial suture (sagittal, metopic, left or right unilateral coronal) has been associated with higher risk of problems. There is little evidence from quasi-experimental studies that cranioplastic surgery prevents or reduces risk of neurobehavioral impairment. Conclusions Future studies would benefit from larger samples and larger control groups; measures of specific neuropsychological functions (in addition to global cognition); analyses of neuropsychological status in relation to the severity and cortical impact of synostosis; and an examination of interactions between synostosis and social/family risk factors on neurodevelopment. Routine neurodevelopmental screening of young children with isolated craniosynostosis is recommended.
Role and Regulation of Bacillus subtilis Glutamate Dehydrogenase Genes

The complete Bacillus subtilis genome contains two genes with the potential to encode glutamate dehydrogenase (GlutDH) enzymes. Mutations in these genes were constructed and characterized. The rocG gene proved to encode a major GlutDH whose synthesis was induced in media containing arginine or ornithine or, to a lesser degree, proline and was repressed by glucose. A rocG null mutant was impaired in utilization of arginine, ornithine, and proline as nitrogen or carbon sources. The gudB gene was expressed under all growth conditions tested but codes for a GlutDH that seemed to be intrinsically inactive. Spontaneous mutations in gudB that removed a 9-bp direct repeat within the wild-type gudB sequence activated the GudB protein and allowed more-efficient utilization of amino acids of the glutamate family.
T2* Magnetic Resonance: Iron and Gold†

As a clinician, it is important to never underestimate the power of basic science to deliver new answers to old questions. At the outset of the development of magnetic resonance (MR), scientists demonstrated differences in magnetic relaxation between normal and malignant tissues that were of
Elevated intracellular Ca2+ and myofibrillar Ca2+ sensitivity cause iodoacetate-induced muscle contractures

Ischemic stimulation of iodoacetic acid (IAA)-treated rat extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles produced contractures. Similar ischemic stimulation of control EDL muscles did not result in contracture. At the onset of contracture, ATP concentration was not reduced, phosphocreatine concentration was reduced > 75%, ADP concentration was increased 9-fold, Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]) was increased approximately 11-fold, and inorganic phosphate concentration increased less in IAA-treated muscles than in stimulated control muscles. To test whether contracture resulted from elevated [Ca2+] and/or increased Ca2+ sensitivity of the contractile proteins, this laboratory made skinned fiber-activating solutions that simulated four different conditions: unstimulated IAA-treated and control muscles, IAA-treated muscles at contracture, and ischemically simulated control muscles. Skinned EDL fibers had lower single-fiber tensions and reduced Ca2+ sensitivities in activating solutions that mimicked the conditions in stimulated control muscles compared with activating solutions that simulated the conditions in unstimulated muscles. In contrast, the maximum tension was maintained and Ca2+ sensitivity was increased in activating solutions that simulated contracture. Tension at contracture resulted from increased intracellular [Ca2+] and increased myofibrillar Ca2+ sensitivity compared with the Ca2+ sensitivity of stimulated control fibers.
Development in a Wider Context

Evolutionary treatments of development have tended to emphasize topics such as the parent—child relationship or dominance among peers because these topics have clear parallels in the animal literature and because the proximal mechanisms may be similar. Missing has been an evolutionary treatment of influences on the context of development—influences that affect development by their effects on the microenvironments in which the great majority of psychological research is performed. The key to a theoretical integration of these larger influences is to provide an evolutionary analysis of classes of contextual variables that have broad effects on the contexts of development.
Pharmacodynamic modeling of combined chemotherapeutic effects predicts synergistic activity of gemcitabine and trabectedin in pancreatic cancer cells

This study investigates the combined effects of gemcitabine and trabectedin (ecteinascidin 743) in two pancreatic cancer cell lines and proposes a pharmacodynamic (PD) model to quantify their pharmacological interactions. Effects of gemcitabine and trabectedin upon the pancreatic cancer cell lines MiaPaCa-2 and BxPC-3 were investigated using cell proliferation assays. Cells were exposed to a range of concentrations of the two drugs, alone and in combination. Viable cell numbers were obtained daily over 5 days. A model incorporating nonlinear cytotoxicity, transit compartments, and an interaction parameter ψ was used to quantify the effects of the individual drugs and combinations. Simultaneous fitting of temporal cell growth profiles for all drug concentrations provided reasonable cytotoxicity parameter estimates (the cell killing rate constant K max and the sensitivity constant KC 50) for each drug. The interaction parameter ψ was estimated as 0.806 for MiaPaCa-2 and 0.843 for BxPC-3 cells, suggesting that the two drugs exert modestly synergistic effects. The proposed PD model enables quantification of the temporal profiles of drug combinations over a range of concentrations with drug-specific parameters. Based upon these in vitro studies, trabectedin may have augmented benefit in combination with gemcitabine. The PD model may have general relevance for the study of other cytotoxic drug combinations.