cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chitin synthetase ofNeurospora crassa: Inhibition by nikkomycin, polyoxin B, and UDP

The inhibitory effects of nikkomycin, polyoxin B, and UDP were tested on particulate chitin synthetase activity (UDP-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-glucose: chitin-4-B-acetamidodeoxy-D-glucosyltransferase, E.C.2.4.1.16) fromNeurospora crassa. Two approaches were used: (a) inhibitors were tested for their individual effects on chitin synthetase activity; (b) paired combinations of inhibitors were examined to establish whether the compounds affected inhibition by binding at the same enzyme site. The first method showed that the three compounds are linear competitive inhibitors, i.e. each competes directly with the substrate for binding. Ki app values were: UDP, 0.8 mM; polyoxin B, 32 μM; and nikkomycin, 2 μM. The second method showed that the inhibitors compete with each other for binding; thus they bind at the same site. The pyrimidine nucleoside moiety of these inhibitors is an essential component for effective inhibition, but the potency of inhibition is critically dependent on the conformation of the side group attached to carbon 5 of the ribose sugar.
Site-directed alkylation of cysteine to test solvent accessibility of membrane proteins.

This protocol describes a detailed method to study the static and dynamic features of membrane proteins, as well as solvent accessibility, by utilizing the lactose permease of Escherichia coli (LacY) as a model. The method relies on the use of functional single-Cys mutants, an affinity tag and a PhosphoImager. The membrane-permeant, radioactive thiol reagent N-[ethyl-1-14C]ethylmaleimide ([14C]NEM) is used to detect site-directed alkylation of engineered single-Cys mutants in situ. The solvent accessibility of the Cys residues is also determined by blockage of [14C]NEM labeling with membrane-impermeant thiol reagents such as methanethiosulfonate ethylsulfonate (MTSES). The labeled proteins are purified by mini-scale affinity chromatography and analyzed by gel electrophoresis. Gels are dried and exposed to a PhosphoImager screen for 1–5 d, and incorporation of radioactivity is visualized. Initial results can be obtained in 24 h.
The effects of different feedback strategies using computer-administered multiple-choice questions as instruction

This study investigated the effects of using different forms of computer-based feedback on high school students' learning of science material. The basic design consisted of two conditions of instructional support (text and questions vs. questions only), two testings (immediate vs. retention), five levels of similarity between lesson and posttest questions, and five feedback conditions: knowledge of correct response (KCR), delayed KCR, answer until correct (AUC), questions only (no feedback), and no questions. Results showed significant benefits for feedback over no feedback, with AUC becoming more advantageous and delayed feedback less so as lesson-posttest question similarity decreased. Also, with decreased question similarity and the availability of supporting text, overall feedback effects tended to decrease. The results are discussed in terms of the information processing effects of the different feedback forms, a factor that CBI designers often fail to exploit in planning feedback conditions.
Potentials evoked in human and monkey medial temporal lobe during auditory and visual oddball paradigms

Abstract Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded from epileptic patients with electrodes chronically implanted in the medial temporal lobe (MTL) and other intracranial locations, and from monkeys with epidural, transcortical, and MTL electrodes. For both humans and monkeys, the eliciting events consisted of trains of auditory or visual stimuli in which a random 10–20% deviated in pitch or pattern from the remaining stimuli. The distribution of ERPs elicited by the rare (oddball) stimuli in both species was similar, consisting of a P3 recorded from the scalp or cortical surface and a slightly later, but temporally overlapping, focal negativity in the hippocampus and nearby MTL structures. The similarity between the patterns of ERPs in humans and monkeys establishes the feasibility of studying the electrogenesis of P3-like activity with detailed intracranial recordings in an animal model. The data also establish that the MTL ERPs in human patients represent a normal neurophysiological process unrelated to epilepsy.
Effect of UV irradiation on cut cantaloupe : Terpenoids and esters

Recent studies demonstrated that ultraviolet (UV) radiation enhanced terpenoids and decreased esters in thin-sliced cantaloupe. In preliminary studies treating fresh juices with UV, terpenoid compounds that normally were not isolated, or found in minute quantities, were elevated and only low molecular weight alcohols, ketones, and aldehydes decreased. Subsequently terpenoid induction/oxidation in UV-treated cut cantaloupe was reinvestigated. UV exposure increased the concentrations of terpenoids in cantaloupe tissue. However, UV exposure alone was not the sole factor responsible for enhanced terpenoids. UV-enhanced terpenoid production appears to be both cultivar- and maturity-dependent. Concomitant decreases in the ester content of UV-treated samples occurred using a previously published system. Yet, we established that almost identical ester losses occurred in thinly sliced laminar tissue receiving 60 min UV or air exposure in an open system. Tissue samples that were exposed to UV in a closed system often did not suffer correspondingly equal ester loss. Marked tissue warming (4.3 +/- 0.5 degrees C in 60 min) occurred during UV treatments in thin-sliced tissue. Ester loss from cantaloupe tissue was caused by the experimental procedure, but not by UV treatment per se. These findings are supported by the observation that UV is not responsible for chemical transformations to ester bonds, esterase, and lipase decrease in stored cut cantaloupe, and no lipid oxidation volatiles were observed in thin-sliced control tissue, while oxidized terpenoids were recovered. Information gathered indicates that improper cutting, handling, sanitation treatment, and storage can radically alter the desirable volatile aroma profile in cut cantaloupe, and potentially lead to decreased consumer acceptance.
Coupling of Loop Closure and Chemistry in Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases

Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) are a class of enzymes that catalyze the dephosphorylation of tyrosine residues. PTPs share a common fold with an active site geometry consisting of two loops a P-loop that is responsible for phosphate binding and a WPD-loop, named for its consensus WPD sequence, which includes a critical Asp residue that functions as a general acid/base during catalysis. Comparison of uncomplexed crystal structures with those bound to oxyanion ligands shows that the WPD-loop is flexible, alternating between “open” and “closed” conformations. In the closed form, the catalytic Asp residue is within hydrogen bonding distance of the oxyanion; loop closure is essential for catalysis.Two PTPs studied here are YopH a critical virulence factor from Yersinia and human PTP1B. Each enzyme possesses homologous WPD loops and the chemical step is fully rate limiting yet surprisingly their kcat values differ by an order of magnitude, with YopH being 10-fold faster. Using NMR spectroscopy (at pH=6.5, 293K) we have addressed the role of loop motion in the catalytic activity of these two PTPs. The first of these, PTP1B is a less powerful catalyst than YopH with kcat ∼ 17s−1. NMR CPMG relaxation dispersion studies remarkably show that the WPD loop in apo PTP1B closes with kclose = 17 ± 8 s−1. YopH catalyzes phosphate hydrolysis with a kcat ∼100 - 200 s−1. Estimates of the WPD loop exchange rate constant, were made from from Hahn echo experiments and 1HN-R1ρ dispersion profiles that suggest kclose = 400 ± 200 s–1.Thus, differences in loop closing rates closely correlates with the respective kcat values in these two enzymes and further suggests a role for the frequency of WPD-loop motion in the catalytic function of protein tyrosine phosphatases.
Paleoenvironment of the Folsom archaeological site, New Mexico, USA, approximately 10,500 14C yr B.P. as inferred from the stable isotope composition of fossil land snail shells

Abstract Well-preserved aragonitic land snail shells (Vallonia) from late Pleistocene Eolian sediment in the Folsom archaeological site in New Mexico exhibit an overall decrease of δ18OPDB from maximum values of +2.7‰ (more positive than modern) to younger samples with lower average values of about −3.6‰ (within the modern range). The age of the samples (approximately 10,500 14C yr B.P.) suggests that the decrease in δ18O may manifest climatic changes associated with the Younger Dryas. Some combination of increased relative humidity and cooler temperatures with decreased δ18O of precipitation during the times of snail activity can explain the decrease in shell δ18O. A well-known Paleoindian bison kill occurred at the Folsom site during this inferred environmental transition. Average δ13C values of the aragonite shells of the fossil Vallonia range from −7.3 to −6.0‰ among different archaeological levels and are not as negative as modern values. This suggests that the proportion of C4 vegetation at the Folsom site approximately 10,500 14C yr B.P. was greater than at present; a result which is consistent with other evidence for higher proportions of C4 plants in the region at that time.
The epidemiology of chronic respiratory disease.

Chronic respiratory disease (CRD) is usually understood to include chronic bronchitis, emphysema, asthma, and a number of other chronic bronchopulmonary diseases. This paper will concentrate on the first two. The epidemiology of asthma differs in many ways from that of chronic bronchitis and emphysema, for example, in its age and sex incidence, relationships to social class, allergy, and time trends. But many of the clinical features are common to all three diseases with the result that diagnosis may be difficult. Furthermore the extent to which asthma contributes to emphysema is as yet uncertain. While it would be desirable to consider the epidemiology of the components of CRD separately this is unfortunately not yet possible. A number of conferences and organizations (2,17,104) have suggested definitions and classifications of these diseases. The following definitions, essentially those of the American Thoracic Society, would probably be generally accepted. Chronic bronchitis is a clinical condition characterized by excessive mucous secretion in the bronchi. It is manifested by chronic or recurrent productive cough not attributable to other lung or heart disease. Emphysema refers to an anatomical alteration of the lung characterized by an abnormal enlargement of the air spaces distal to the terminal, nonrespiratory bronchiole, usually accompanied by destructive changes in the alveolar walls. Asthma is a condition characterized by increased responsiveness of the trachea and bronchi to various stimuli. It is manifested by widespread narrowing of the airways which changes in severity either spontaneously or as a result of treatment. During the past 20 years epidemiologists have developed standardized methods for studying CRD (3,35,36,65). Precisely worded questions about respiratory symptoms and chest illnesses have been formulated, simple tests of ventilatory lung function, notably the forced expiratory volume (FEV) and forced vital capacity (FVC), have been widely applied, various objective methods, such as measurement of the volume and quality of the morning sputum during the first hour or half hour after rising, have been recommended (93). Bronchial reactivity has occasionally been measured. More sophisticated testing of lung function and chest radiography have been included in some surveys. The result is a considerable body of knowledge on chronic bronchitis but rather less on emphysema and asthma.
Effects of soil-incorporated insecticides and foliar-applied chemicals on corn gas-exchange parameters

Abstract A 2-year field study was conducted to examine the effects of pesticide applications on key field corn ( Zea mays L.) plant physiological parameters. The influence of five soil insecticides, applied at planting time, and ten foliar-applied chemicals (eight insecticides, one acaricide, and one plant growth regulator) on corn photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance was evaluated. Of the soil insecticides, trimethacarb had the greatest effect on photosynthetic rate (reduction by as much as 18.9%). This reduction persisted for 54 days after application in 1988. Effects of the other soil insecticides on photosynthesis were transient, i.e. stimulant on photosynthesis at some sample dates and inhibitory at other sample dates. Carbaryl (flowable formulation) and methidathion had the most serious effects of the foliar pesticides on plant physiology, although all the toxicants significantly reduced the corn photosynthetic rate during at least one sampling period. Stomatal conductance was affected in a manner similar to that of photosynthetic rate by the pesticides, but to a lesser degree. The interaction of chemical treatments with environmental conditions, especially soil moisture, was apparently an important factor in the plant responses.
Tyrosine phosphorylation of histone H2A by CK2 regulates transcriptional elongation

Post-translational histone modifications have a critical role in regulating transcription, the cell cycle, DNA replication and DNA damage repair. The identification of new histone modifications critical for transcriptional regulation at initiation, elongation or termination is of particular interest. Here we report a new layer of regulation in transcriptional elongation that is conserved from yeast to mammals. This regulation is based on the phosphorylation of a highly conserved tyrosine residue, Tyr 57, in histone H2A and is mediated by the unsuspected tyrosine kinase activity of casein kinase 2 (CK2). Mutation of Tyr 57 in H2A in yeast or inhibition of CK2 activity impairs transcriptional elongation in yeast as well as in mammalian cells. Genome-wide binding analysis reveals that CK2α, the catalytic subunit of CK2, binds across RNA-polymerase-II-transcribed coding genes and active enhancers. Mutation of Tyr 57 causes a loss of H2B mono-ubiquitination as well as H3K4me3 and H3K79me3, histone marks associated with active transcription. Mechanistically, both CK2 inhibition and the H2A(Y57F) mutation enhance H2B deubiquitination activity of the Spt-Ada-Gcn5 acetyltransferase (SAGA) complex, suggesting a critical role of this phosphorylation in coordinating the activity of the SAGA complex during transcription. Together, these results identify a new component of regulation in transcriptional elongation based on CK2-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation of the globular domain of H2A.
Mechanical Effects of Galvanic Corrosion on Structural Polysilicon

The mechanical properties of miniaturized materials depend strongly on their structure, which can be altered by wet chemistry methods common in microsystems postprocessing. In a comprehensive and systematic study, we examine the dissolution of silicon when immersed in various hydrofluoric acid (HF)-based chemistries. Specifically, the frequency of mechanical resonance fR of microcantilever beams is used as a vehicle to examine the corrosion of polycrystalline silicon (polySi). A decrease in fR that occurs as a function of immersion time in HF was measured for microcantilevers as well as "comb drives" in contact with a noble metal (gold). Time-dependent variation was also observed in the modulus and hardness measured during indentation testing, sometimes with pronounced difference for specimens contacted to gold. Secondary sources of influence, such as in-plane-oriented residual strain (which remained unchanged), through-thickness-oriented residual strain gradient (increased away from the substrate), and electrical resistance (greatly increased) are examined, but were found not to significantly contribute to the decrease in fR of the microcantilevers. Morphological characterization identified attack on the surface along with grain delineation for the polySi, with the formation of a nanoscale porous layer at the near surface. The damage to the microcantilevers can be modeled by approximating the beams as a laminated composite structure. Such analysis suggests that damage, induced as the result of galvanic corrosion, results from the decreased stiffness of the near surface porous silicon (PS) layer as well as a change in the effective thickness of the beams. Last, corrosion damage is compared between eight representative HF-based chemistries. The measurements here suggest that the fabrication and postprocessing of microsystems components are important, because they can greatly influence the material properties, design, performance, lifetime, tribology, manufacture, and required operating environment of microscale and nanoscale devices
Spinal dysraphia as an autosomal dominant defect in four families

Four families were selected randomly on the basis of the occurrence of spina bifida cystica and/or spina bifida occulta in one or more family members. Sixty-three relatives were studied clinically and roentgenologically; their roentgenograms were evaluated blindly. Twenty-eight were clinically and roentgenologically normal; 35 were diagnosed as having spina bifida occulta (SBO), spina bifida cystica (SBC), vertebral anomalies, and/or external defects usually interpreted as evidence for SBO. Excluding one proband we found the frequency of SBO to be 19/51 (37%) and the frequency of all types of spinal/vertebral defects (excluding five probands) to be 30/58 (52%). The distribution of these defects in the four families was analyzed using likelihood methods corrected for random ascertainment. The log likelihood values for sporadic, recessive, and dominant models were −26.69, −20.95, and −18.90, respectively, indicating a higher likelihood of autosomal dominant inheritance than sporadic occurrence or recessive inheritance. The penetrance probability in this dominant model, estimated by maximum likelihood, is 0.749 ± 0.100. Further examination of these data suggests that SBO and SBC represent different expressions of the same dominant gene in these kindreds.
Physical and numerical experiments on the wave mechanics of classically chaotic systems

We study chaotic quantum billiards using both microwave cavities and numerical simulations. For the same geometry, viz., a Sinai billiard, agreement to remarkable precision is found for both the eigenvalue magnitudes and the spatial detail of the eigenfunctions. The association of the eigenfunctions with classical periodic orbits is demonstrated, and scarred states are identified. Desymmetrizing the Sinai billiard by slightly moving the central disk is shown to lead to strong localization of the eigenfunction
Predicting response to bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) in patients with carcinoma in situ of the bladder.

Purpose Currently, there is no reliable tool to predict response to intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG). Based on the fact that BCG is a Th1-polarizing immunotherapy, we attempt to correlate the pretreatment immunologic tumor microenvironment (Th1 or Th2) with response to therapy.
Hormones of the pituitary-adrenal axis in rats bearing the Walker 256 carcinoma.

Abstract Male Sprague-Dawley rats (125–150 g) were implanted intramuscularly with the Walker 256 carcinoma. After 3, 5 or 7 days, tumor-bearing rats, along with controls, were killed and plasma levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), β-endorphin and corticosterone were assessed. Plasma levels of all 3 hormones declined with time following tumor implantation. Plasma levels of ACTH and corticosterone were statistically significantly less than plasma levels of these same hormones in control rats by 7 days post-implantation. Levels of these hormones were reduced by 42% and 33%, respectively, relative to control levels by 7 days. β-Endorphin levels declined much more rapidly following tumor implantation than did either of the other 2 hormones. β-Endorphin was significantly decreased by 3 days post-implantation and by 7 days the plasma levels of this factor were 83% lower than in coltrol rats.
Nucleotide sequence of the promoter--operator region of the tryptophan operon of Salmonella typhimurium.

The promoter-operator region of the tryptophan operon of Salmonella typhimurium was identified by the presence of an HpaI restriction site which is protected from HpaI endonuclease cleavage by Escherichia coli RNA polymerase or tryptophan repressor. The DNA sequence on either side of this HpaI site was determined by DNA sequencing. Of the 105 nucleotide pairs reported here, 81 are conserved in the corresponding region of the trp operon of E. coli. The highly symmetrical operator region around the HpaI site exhibits almost complete homology with that in E. coli. The relation of conserved and non-conserved regions of the DNA sequence to the structure of the RNA polymerase initiation complex is discussed.
On a class of reliable networks

A communication network N in which links are subject to failures is typically modeled by a probabilistic graph G in which each edge exists independently with a fixed probability p, 0 >
PELP1: A novel therapeutic target for hormonal cancers.

Recent studies implicate the estrogen receptor (ER) coregulator proline-, glutamic acid-, and leucine-rich protein (PELP) 1 as playing critical roles in ER-genomic, ER-nongenomic and ER-signaling cross talk with growth factor signaling pathways. PELP1 expression is deregulated in hormonal cancers and recent studies further elucidated the molecular mechanisms by which PELP1 regulates hormone therapy response. Although PELP1 is important for normal functions of the ER, the possibility to target ER-PELP1 axis appears to be an effective strategy for preventing hormonal carcinogenesis and therapy resistance. Thus, PELP1 may be useful as prognostic marker for hormonal cancers and PELP1 signaling may be useful to generate targeted therapeutics to overcome hormonal therapy resistance.
Shallow flows in the atmosphere and oceans: Geophysical and engineering applications

Abstract There are many naturally occurring flows in the atmosphere and oceans with large horizontal scales compared to the vertical scale (i.e. shallow water flows), some examples being large scale synoptic and meso-scale flows, regions of stratified turbulence (e.g. thermocline and stable atmospheric boundary layers) and flows over sloping surfaces. Engineered flows in stably stratified regions of the atmosphere and oceans also fall into the category of shallow flows, which include wakes of underwater vehicles and structures, jets and plumes from waste outfalls and releases, and plume-stack releases in the atmosphere. This paper first outlines some cases of stratification induced natural shallow flows, paying particular attention to stratified turbulence, boundary layer flows over sloping terrains and their modeling implications. Engineered flows in the environment are discussed next, with reference to wakes of self-propelled bodies in oceanic diurnal and permanent thermocline.
Consumer-Assistant Education to Reduce the Occurrence of Urinary Tract Infections Among Persons with Spinal Cord Injury

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) have been identified as one of the most common secondary conditions among individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). This article describes the outcomes of an educational intervention to reduce UTI incidence. Persons with SCI who attended an in-person educational workshop reported a decrease in the occurrence of UTIs over a 6-month period, compared to persons not attending the workshop (p .02). Future studies should include oversampling for those persons at greatest risk, including minorities and those with poor health status, with few social supports, and with high cervical level injuries who rely more extensively on personal assistant services.
Flow velocity profile of the pulmonary artery measured by the continuous cardiac output monitoring catheter

The KATS catheter (continuous arterial thermodeprivation system catheter) measures the blood flow velocity of the pulmonary artery (PA) by thermodeprivation which enables continuous determination of cardiac output. The accuracy of this system may depend on the degree of uniformity of flow velocity in the PA, because small movements of the catheter within the PA are inevitable with a beating heart. We evaluated the flow velocity profile of the PA in seven anaesthetized open-chest dogs to assess these potential errors. A custom-made stiff catheter, at the tip of which was incorporated the flow velocity sensor of the KATS catheter, was used to penetrate the main PA in the short axis direction (perpendicular to flow direction) or the long axis direction (along flow direction). The stiff catheter was moved in increments of 2.5 mm, and flow velocity was recorded. The wall-to-wall distance of the PA along each direction was divided into five sections (S1 to S5 for the short axis, and L1 to L5 for the long axis). Flow velocity data for each section were averaged and presented as relative values against the control mid-point velocity. Along the short axis, flow velocity was 0.41 ± 0.20 (SD), 1.00 ± 0.10, 1.03 ± 0.10, 1.08 ± 0.13 and 0.49 ± 0.26 from S1 to S5, i.e., lower in S1 and S5 which were close to the vascular walls (P < 0.05) but uniform in other areas. Along the long axis, flow velocity was 0.28 ± 0.28, 0.88 ± 0.09, 0.94 ± 0.08, 1.06 ± 0.25 and 1.28 ± 0.50 from L1 to L5. Thus, flow velocity was lower in L1 which was close to the bifurcation (P < 0.05), slightly higher in L5 close to the pulmonary valve, but uniform in other areas. These results suggest that the profile of blood flow velocity is relatively uniform within the main PA except in areas close to the vessel walls or valve. We conclude that movement of the catheter within the vessel would not substantially influence the accuracy of the KATS catheter system as long as the flow velocity sensor of the catheter stays within the main PA.
RNA interference as an anticancer therapy: a patent perspective

Background: The development of RNA interference (RNAi)-based gene silencing approaches has revolutionized biomedical research. These technologies have been applied for functional genomic studies in a variety of areas, including cancer research, by facilitating a better understanding of the mechanisms that underlie tumorigenicity and the identification of novel factors that either promote or inhibit oncogenic transformation. Objective: These approaches have laid the groundwork for the development of a novel class of genetic therapies. Preclinical results have exposed both the unique therapeutic opportunities and challenges that are encountered in adapting these technologies for clinical applications. These themes are reflected in the patent literature that has mirrored the rise in complexity and sophistication of RNAi-based therapeutic approaches. This review focuses on the identification of potential anticancer therapeutic targets and the development of clinically relevant delivery approaches. Conclusions...
A decision methodology for managing operational efficiency and information disclosure risk in healthcare processes

This paper addresses two critical challenges faced by healthcare organizations: significant personnel shortages and mandates to safeguard patient safety and information security. We develop a two-stage decision making methodology to optimize the healthcare workflow task assignments and mitigate information disclosure risks. While the first stage throughput optimization formulation maximizes operational efficiencies, it can expose organizations to information disclosure risks that can be exploited to violate patient safety and information security. To address the ensuing privacy and fraud concerns we define task-based conflict sets to assess disclosure risks with optimal task assignments. In the second stage of the solution methodology, various security control strategies - task based and employee based - are incorporated into a decision support model to help decision makers to effectively manage and achieve workflow efficiency and meet information security requirements. For practical settings where certain parameters are not obtainable or the problem is computationally intractable, we provide a sequential-decision approach that could yield approximate partial solutions. We conduct an extensive computational analysis of a clinical workflow process to illustrate the practical benefits of the proposed methodology.
Nonpoint Source Pollution, Uniform Control Strategies, and the Neuse River Basin

This research investigates various policy options considered by the state of North Carolina for reducing nonpoint source pollution. Focusing on nitrogen runoff from cropping activities, we estimate and compare the control costs and estuarine nutrient loadings under both the initial proposed rules, which were quite uniform, and the more flexible final proposed rules. We then illustrate the magnitude to which the outcomes from models and policies can diverge depending upon the treatment of the application-specific environmental heterogeneity. Such an analysis illustrates the relative importance of certain types of heterogeneity associated with the environment on policy design and real-world outcomes.
BAYES MODAL ESTIMATION IN ITEM RESPONSE MODELS

This article describes a Bayesian framework for estimation in item response models, with two-stage prior distributions on both item and examinee populations. Strategies for point and interval estimation are discussed, and a general procedure based on the EM algorithm is presented. Details are given for implementation under one-, two-, and three-parameter binary logistic IRT models. Novel features include minimally restrictive assumptions about examinee distributions and the exploitation of dependence among item parameters in a population of interest. Improved estimation in a moderately small sample is demonstrated with simulated data.
Biology of EWS/ETS fusions in Ewing's family tumors

Tumor-associated chromosomal translocations lead to the formation of chimeric fusions between the EWS gene and one of five different ETS transcription factors in Ewing's family tumors (EFTs). The resultant EWS/ETS proteins promote oncogenesis in a dominant fashion in model systems and are necessary for continued growth of EFT cell lines. EWS belongs to a family of genes that encode proteins that may serve as adapters between the RNA polymerase II complex and RNA splicing factors. EWS/ETS fusions have biochemical characteristics of aberrant transcription factors and appear to promote abnormal cellular growth by transcriptionally modulating a network of target genes. Early evidence suggests that EWS/ETS proteins may also impact gene expression through alteration in RNA processing. Elucidation of EWS/ETS target gene networks in the context of other signaling pathways will hopefully lead to biology based therapeutic strategies for EFT.
Will the Circle Be (More) Unbroken

His position and career, his ambition and his very self-esteem, are based in large part upon this perspective, this one vocabulary, this one set of techniques. … They are among the humanistically impoverished, living with reference to values that exclude any arising for a respect for human reason. —C. Wright Mills (1959:106)1
Non-Darcy natural convection in high porosity metal foams

We present numerical and experimental results for buoyancy-induced flows in high porosity metal foams heated from below. A Brinkman–Forchheimer-extended Darcy flow model and a semi-heuristic two-equation energy model obtained by relaxing the local thermal equilibrium (LTE) assumption are adopted. Experiments conducted under natural convection conditions for the same configuration are used to test the numerical model and the validity of the thermal equilibrium assumption for metal foams. Aluminum foam samples of different pore sizes (5–40 PPI) and porosities (0:89 6 e 6 0:97) are used to illustrate the effects of metal foam geometry on heat transfer. In addition, several metal foam–fluid combinations (aluminum–air, carbon–air, aluminum–water, and nickel–water) are used to study the heat transfer enhancement relative to the base case in which there is no metal foam but only a heated plate. Thermal dispersion effects and the effects of Darcy number on heat transfer are reported. Our results indicate that the thermal non-equilibrium model provides a superior description of heat transfer in metal foams, especially in the presence of fluid–porous interfaces. 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Controversies in the diagnosis and treatment of paraphilias.

Paraphilias are generally defined as psychosexual disorders in which significant distress or an impairment in a domain of functioning results from recurrent intense sexual urges, fantasies or behav...
Characterization of interactions between RTA and the promoter of polyadenylated nuclear RNA in Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus/human herpesvirus 8

RTA (replication and transcription activator; also referred to as ORF50, Lyta, and ART), an immediate-early gene product of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV)/human herpesvirus 8, disrupts latency and drives lytic replication. RTA activates the expression of polyadenylated nuclear (PAN) RNA (also known as T1.1 or nut-1) of KSHV. This novel noncoding PAN RNA is the most abundant lytic transcript of KSHV; therefore, studying PAN RNA expression serves as a model system for understanding how RTA transactivates target genes during lytic replication. The RTA-responsive element of the PAN promoter (pPAN RRE) was previously identified, and our data suggested direct binding of full-length RTA to the pPAN RRE. Here, we present a detailed analysis of specific interactions between RTA and the PAN promoter. We expressed and purified the DNA-binding domain of RTA (Rdbd) to near homogeneity and measured its affinity for the pPAN RRE. In electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs), the dissociation constant (K(d)) of Rdbd on the pPAN RRE was determined to be approximately 8 x 10(-9) M, suggesting a strong interaction between RTA and DNA. The specificity of RTA binding to the PAN promoter was confirmed with supershift assays. The Rdbd binding sequences on the PAN promoter were mapped within a 16-bp region of the pPAN RRE by methylation interference assays. However, the minimal DNA sequence for Rdbd binding requires an additional 7 bp on both sides of the area mapped by interference assays, suggesting that non-sequence-specific as well as sequence-specific interactions between RTA and DNA contribute to high-affinity binding. To better understand the molecular interactions between RTA and the PAN promoter, an extensive mutagenesis study on the pPAN RRE was carried out by using EMSAs and reporter assays. These analyses revealed base pairs critical for both Rdbd binding in vitro and RTA transactivation in vivo of the PAN promoter. The results from methylation interference, deletion analysis, and mutagenesis using EMSAs and reporter assays were closely correlated and support the hypothesis that RTA activates PAN RNA expression through direct binding to DNA.
Integrity and Character: Implications of Principled and Expedient Ethical Ideologies

Principled and expedient ideologies guide people along different ethical paths. A principled ideology, indicative of higher claimed integrity, involves a stronger personal commitment to a moral identity that facilitates positive social activities and helps resist the temptation of illicit activities. Prior research shows that individual differences in integrity are accurately perceived by friends, are reflected in self-beliefs, and affect social judgment. Results of four studies showed that integrity (a) predicts reported antisocial activities (lying, cheating, stealing) even after controlling for other individual difference measures, (b) predicts reported helping and volunteering, especially for nobler reasons and after controlling for empathy, and (c) is associated with a variety of personality and attitudinal qualities that signify greater psychological well-being, buffering from stress, and effective social functioning.
Electrical and optical properties of nanocrystalline yttrium-doped hafnium oxide thin films

Abstract Yttrium-doped hafnium oxide (YDH) films have been produced by sputter-deposition by varying the growth temperature (T s ) from room-temperature (RT) to 400 °C. The electrical and optical properties of YDH films have been investigated. Structural studies indicate that YDH films grown at T s = RT − 200 °C were amorphous and those grown at 300–400 °C are nanocrystalline. The crystalline YDH films exhibit the high temperature cubic phase of HfO 2 . Spectrophotometry analysis indicates that all the YDH films are transparent. The band gap of YDH films was found to be in the range of 6.20–6.28 eV. Frequency variation of frequency dependent resistivity indicates the hopping conduction mechanism operative in YDH films. While the electrical resistivity (ρ ac ) is ~ 1 Ω-m at low frequencies (100 Hz), ρ ac decreases to ~ 10 − 4 Ω-cm at higher frequencies (1 MHz).
(S)-(+)-4,4,4-TRIFLUORO-3-(INDOLE-3-)BUTYRIC ACID, A NOVEL FLUORINATED PLANT GROWTH REGULATOR

Racemic 4,4,4-trifluoro-3-(indole-3-)butyric acid (TFIBA) has been synthesized and shown to inhibitAvena coleoptile elongation. (S)-(+)-TFIBA (fig. 1), which was prepared by an enzymatic method and markedly promotes root growth of Chinese cabbage, lettuce and rice plants, is a novel fluorinated plant growth regulator. Activity of the (S)-(+)-enantiomer of TFIBA was 10-fold greater than that of the (R)-(−)-enantiomer in the first two plant species and 5-fold greater in rice.
Radiant or Panel Heat for Brooding Chicks

Abstract THE principle of radiant or panel heating has been used for many years. It is claimed that the Romans were using this system of heating in the vicinity of Bath, England, shortly before the birth of Christ. History records that hot gases from charcoal fires were circulated through ducts to warm walls and floors. Adlam (1938) reported on the use of radiant heat in Liverpool Cathedral in England as follows: “The height of the Cathedral inside is about 113 ft. and the triforium walking way which is carried along both sides at a height of 97 ft. above the floor makes it possible to make very accurate observations of air conditions at high level. When the temperature of the air taken at 4 ft. above the floor was 60°F., it was found that the air temperature at the triforium level, more than 90 ft. above, was 58½°F.—just 1½°F. lower . . .
Some Observations on the Role of Liturgy in the Early Winged Altarpiece

In positing an essentially liturgical function for the early winged altarpiece, this essay challenges the theory that movable wings were first added to altarpieces to facilitate the housing of reli...
Passing for human: Bamboozled and digital humanism

(2005). Passing for human: Bamboozled and digital humanism. Women & Performance: a journal of feminist theory: Vol. 15, No. 1, pp. 237-250.
Bank Upgrade for SSPX at LLNL

A new 5 kV, 1.5 MJ modular capacitor bank has been designed for the Sustained Spheromak Physics Experiment (SSPX) at LLNL. The new bank consists of thirty 4 mF capacitors that are independently controlled by light-triggered thyristors. By closing all switches simultaneously, the bank will provide a mega-ampere discharge. The new bank will also allow additional capabilities to SSPX, including higher peak gun current, longer current pulses, and multi-pulse plasma buildup. Experiment results for a single stage prototype will be presented.
Construction of control design models from engineering simulation models

This paper addresses the problem of extracting appropriate control design models from engineering simulation models. Engineering simulation models are typically high order and non-linear, and frequently stiff. Linearizing these models produces candidates for control design models which usually have numerical properties which make them unusable for control design. A group of methods are discussed which can reduce the order and improve the conditioning of the linear models. The methods are used to reduce models for water level in a drum boiler and a nuclear steam generator.
Residue Removal and Management Practices Effects on Soil Environment and Carbon Budget

Agriculture management practices can significantly affect soil C storage through changes in C inputs and losses. This study investigated the short-term effects of tillage (no-tillage [NT] and conventional tillage [CT]), residue removal (0, 50, and 100%), and N rates of 0, 170, and 280 kg N ha⁻¹ on soil C storage. Studies were established in 2008 to 2011 on a Nicollet clay loam (fine-loamy, mixed superactive, mesic Aquic Hapludolls) and Canisteo clay loam (Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, calcareous, mesic Typic Endoaquolls) soil association at Ames, central Iowa site (AC) and a Marshall silty clay loam (Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Hapludolls) soil association at Armstrong, southwest Iowa site (ASW) in continuous corn (Zea Mays L.). Findings from the C budget show that under CT and N rate of 170 kg N ha⁻¹ in continuous corn, there was no significant change in net soil C with no residue removal. Increasing N rate from 170 to 280 kg N ha⁻¹ resulted in greater potential C inputs from above and belowground biomass, although C losses were not significantly different, especially with NT. Thus, a portion of soil surface residue could be removed without causing a net loss of soil C. Converting from CT to NT led to lower soil C losses, but C inputs varied due to soil temperature and water content differences and seasonal variability in a given year. Consequently, averaged across both tillage systems and at 280 kg ha⁻¹ N rate for continuous corn approximately 5.10 and 4.18 Mg ha⁻¹ of the residue should remain on the field to sustain soil C in 2010 and 5.23 and 5.18 Mg ha–¹ in 2011 for AC and ASW sites, respectively. These finding suggest that residue removal needs to be approached on yearly basis with particular consideration to site’s yield potential and weather condition as the residue biomass production can be variable.
Sharpening a Knife Cleverly: Organizational Change, Policy Paradox, and the “Weaponizing” of Administrative Reforms

Prior research has leavened substantially our understanding of how, why, and with what consequences public organizations respond to pressures for administrative reforms. Left underdeveloped theoretically, however, is the hypothesis that agency actors may also assess the ability of administrative reforms both to advance their policy goals and to become “weapons” in battles within agencies for advancing them. To illustrate this possibility, this article analyzes how the Clinton administration’s National Performance Review and related Defense Reform Initiative interacted with its efforts to “green” the U.S. military in the post–Cold War era. Analysis of this clash between defense and environmental values indicates that (1) agency actors did evaluate the potential impacts of administrative reforms on their policy goals before supporting or opposing them; (2) they tried to hijack those reforms as weapons for advancing their policy goals in intraorganizational battles; and (3) the “weaponizing” of these reforms produced policy complications and consequences that proponents neither anticipated nor welcomed. Thus, reform in the administrative domain created unanticipated consequences by spilling over into the policy domain and being hijacked, weaponized, or otherwise miscarried or used opportunistically in intraorganizational policy battles. The study concludes by arguing that these dynamics merit more attention than they have received from either administrative reform proponents or researchers seeking to develop theories of administrative reform.
Solvent vapor effects in planar high-field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry: Solvent trends and temperature effects

Abstract Solvent vapor added to the drift gas in a planar high-field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometer (FAIMS) leads to dramatic shifts to larger CV values while retaining narrow peaks, leading to dramatically increased resolving power (up to ∼140) for a variety of ions including isomeric ions. Here we present studies designed to improve the fundamental understanding of the role of solvent vapor on performance of planar FAIMS, focusing on solvent trends with molecular size and effects of temperature. The studies employ as test compounds the [M − H]− ions of the three positional isomers of phthalic acid and the M− and [M − H]− ions of trinitrotoluene (TNT). The addition of solvent vapor to FAIMS carrier gas has a significant impact on the behavior of the ions inside the FAIMS cell and can impact the overall performance of the cell. We have shown that by comparing a range of solvent vapors (water and C1–C4 alcohols), the magnitude of the effect correlates to the molecular volume of the solvent molecule. This fits well with the model of clustering/declustering of ions with neutral molecules on the time scale of waveform used in FAIMS. We have also shown that with the addition of heat, the effect of the solvent vapor is lessened, as one would expect with the cluster/decluster model.
Concentration dependence of the resistivity maximum of Cu-Mn alloys

Abstract Comparing over a wide range of compositions the experimentally determined temperatures, T m , of the maximum of the Mn solute contribution to the resistivity with the values calculated from Larsen's theory, we found no satisfactory agreement within a physically reasonable range of the pertinent parameters. We arrived at similar results when comparing the experimental and the calculated values of the maximum Mn solute contribution as a function of composition.
Beyond Evidence-Based Practice: Nine Ideal Features of a Mental Health Intervention

Objectives: Recognizing the limitations of conventional frameworks for identifying evidence-based interventions, we sought to develop a comprehensive set of criteria that would have practical and policy relevance. Methods: We identify nine ideal attributes of a mental health practice (well defined, reflecting client goals, consistent with societal goals, effective, minimum side effects, positive long-term outcomes, reasonable costs, easy to implement, and adaptable to diverse communities and client subgroups). Using a case study approach, we applied these criteria to the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model of supported employment. Findings: IPS generally satisfies all nine criteria, though the evidence is more limited in some areas. Conclusions: This framework provides a template that could be used to evaluate other social work interventions.
Accuracy of the spectral and radiometric laboratory calibration of the Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer

The laboratory procedures, algorithms, measurements, and uncertainties associated with generation of the spectral and radiometric calibration of data acquired by AVIRIS are described. AVIRIS is an airborne sensor that obtains high-spatial-resolution image data of the earth in 224 spectral channels in four spectrometers covering the range from 400 to 2450 nm. The spectral calibration of AVIRIS agrees with the in-flight data to within two nanometers, and the absolute radiometric calibration is consistent with the in-flight verification to 10 percent over the spectral range. In-flight radiometric stability as measured by five consecutive passes over the surface calibration site is reported to be between three and five percent.