cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A combination of lactacystin and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate enhances the release of arachidonic acid from cells in cultures: release is reduced in confluent and serum deprived cells.

Abstract Lactacystin, a selective inhibitor of some proteasome activities, in the presence of 12-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate stimulates the release of arachidonic acid from the phospholipids of bovine pulmonary artery endothelial, bovine embryonic thoracic aorta smooth muscle, rat liver and rat glial cells. The enhanced release from rat liver cells is inhibited by dexamethasone, aspirin, Na salicylate and the immunosuppressive fungal metabolite, gliotoxin. The effects of aspirin plus dexamethasone are not additive, but those of gliotoxin plus dexamethasone are additive. The stimulated and unstimulated release from all four cells are decreased when these cells are grown to confluence or when they are growth arrested by serum deprivation. The unstimulated as well as the stimulated release is partially inhibited by the cytosolic phospholipase A 2 inhibitor, methylarachidonyl fluorophosphonate. The enhanced release is reduced in the presence of the translation and transcription inhibitors, actinomycin and cycloheximide.
Directional Tortuosity as a Predictor of Modulus Damage for Vertebral Cancellous Bone

There are many methods used to estimate the undamaged effective (apparent) moduli of cancellous bone as a function of bone volume fraction (BV/TV), mean intercept length (MIL), and other image based average microstructural measures. The MIL and BV/TV are both only functions of the cancellous microstructure and, therefore, cannot directly account for damage induced changes in the intrinsic trabecular hard tissue mechanical properties. Using a nonlinear finite element (FE) approximation for the degradation of effective modulus as a function of applied effective compressive strain, we demonstrate that a measurement of the directional tortuosity of undamaged trabecular hard tissue strongly predicts directional effective modulus (r2 > 0.90) and directional effective modulus degradation (r2 > 0.65). This novel measure of cancellous bone directional tortuosity has the potential for development into an anisotropic approach for calculating effective mechanical properties as a function of trabecular level material damage applicable to understanding how tissue microstructure and intrinsic hard tissue moduli interact to determine cancellous bone quality.
The Burnside algebra of a finite group

Abstract Let G be a finite group. The isomorphism classes of G -sets generate a commutative ring ℬ[ G ] which we call the Burnside ring of G . We prove that ℬ[ G ]⊗ Q is a semisimple algebra over Q and that formulas for certain primitive idempotents of this algebra yield the theorem of Artin on rational characters in a explicit form due to Brauer. The proof uses an isomorphism between ℬ[ G ]⊗ Q and an algebra defined by the Mobius function of the partially ordered set of conjugacy classes of subgroups of G .
New combinations and one new variety among the genera Indigofera, Robinia, and Tephrosia (Leguminosae)

This report includes: a new variety,Indigofera miniata var.florida, and five new combinations.I. mucronata var.keyensis, Robinia hispida var.kelseyi, Tephrosia angustissima var.corallicola, T. angustissima var.curtissii, andT. × floridana.
Large-scale Molecular Simulations of Hypervelocity Impact of Materials

We describe the application of the ReaxFF reactive force field with short-range distance-dependent exponential inner wall corrections and the non-adiabatic electron Force Field (eFF) for studying the hypervelocity impact (HVI) effects on material properties. In particular, to understanding nonequilibrium energy/mass transfer, high strain/heat rate material decomposition, defects formation, plastic flow, phase transitions, and electronic excitation effects that arise from HVI impact of soft and hard materials on different material surfaces. Novel results are presented on the single shock Hugoniot and shock chemistry of Nylon6-6, on the hypervelocity shock sensitivity of energetic materials with planar interfacial defects and on HVI chemistry of silicon carbide surfaces with diamondoid nanoparticles. Both methods provide a means to elucidate the chemical, atomic and molecular processes that occur within the bulk and at the surfaces of materials subjected to HVI conditions and constitute a critical tool to enabling technologies required for the next generation of energy, spatial, transportation, medical, and military systems and devices, among many others. This has proven to be extremely challenging, if not impossible, for experimental observations, mainly because the material states that occur are hard to isolate and their time scales for changes are too rapid (<1 ps). First principles quantum mechanics (QM) simulation methods have also been bounded by the prohibitive scaling cost of propagating the total Schrodinger equation for more than 100 atoms at finite temperatures and pressures.
CATEGORIES OF IMPLICIT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

The purpose of the present study was to develop a set of eight nonverbal displays consistent with the eight interpersonal roles specified by Leary in 1957. The development of these displays was als...
The Combined Effect of Stress State and Grain Size on Hydrogen Embrittlement of Titanium.

Abstract : The influence of grain size on the hydrogen embrittlement of titanium sheets is shown to depend on stress state. Results are presented which indicate that the deleterious effect of a large grain size on the susceptibility to hydrogen embrittlement is more severe in equibiaxial tension than in uniaxial tension. This effect may be understood in terms of the sensitivity of both void nucleation (due to hydride fracture) and void link-up due to the combined effects of large grain/hydride fracture) and void link-up due to the combined effects of large gain/hydride sizes and the large multidirectional, normal stresses that develop during deformation of plastically anisotropic sheets in equibiaxial tension. (Author)
Glucose Homeostasis in the Neonate: Protection Against Cerebral Injury

Abstract Glucose is the primary substrate for cerebral metabolism and function. When there is a recurrent and prolonged imbalance in glucose homeostasis, the result is cerebral energy failure, which can lead to neurologic injury in the neonate. However, for neonates with transient hypoglycemia, the relationship between low plasma concentrations, cerebral injury, and neurodevelopmental outcomes remains uncertain. This article reviews glucose metabolism in the fetus and neonate, the neuroprotective responses to hypoglycemia, and the continued diagnostic and therapeutic dilemmas that clinicians face in the management of neonatal hypoglycemia.
Mechanistic pathways to explain H/C ratio of soot precursors

Pathways for the growth of high-molecular-mass compounds are presented, showing how reactions between aromatic moieties can explain recent experimental findings. A fundamental molecular analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon growth processes in combustion systems involving five-membered ring compounds is presented using quantum mechanical density functional methods. Higher aromatics are produced through a two-step radical-molecule addition reaction and the iteration of this mechanism followed by rearrangement of the carbon framework ultimately leads to high-molecular-mass compounds. The distinguishing features of the proposed model lie in the chemical specificity of the routes considered. Naphthalene and acenaphthylene are used as examples of the aromatic and cyclopentafused aromatic classes of compounds postulated to be of importance in molecular weight growth. These reaction pathways are analyzed with a view toward explaining recent experimental findings on H/C ratio, NMR, and LMMS of soot precursors.
Concentration of methane in the troposphere deduced from 1951 infrared solar spectra

The 1-2 percent increase in tropospheric methane determined from gas chromatographic measurements since 1977 has important implications for atmospheric photochemistry and climate. To extend the measurement baseline, solar absorption spectra have been analyzed and mean troposphere CH4 mixing ratios for the years 1951 and 1981, and an average rate of CH4 increase of 1.1 + or - 0.2 percent per year is found for this period.
EXPERIMENTAL SIMULATION OF PREMIXED TURBULENT COMBUSTION USING AQUEOUS AUTOCATALYTIC REACTIONS

Aqueous autocatalytic reactions which produce propagating chemical fronts, analogous to premixed flame-fronts, are used to simulate premixed turbulent combustion in “laminar-flamelet” and “distributed-combustion” regimes. The characteristics of these chemical fronts more nearly match those assumed by current theories of turbulent combustion than do gaseous flames. In this work, proper chemical solutions for this simulation are identified and applied using a Taylor-Couette flow. The effect of the velocity disturbance intensity ( u′ ) normalized by the laminar burning velocity ( S L ) on the front propagation velocity ( S T ) are obtained at values of U≡u′/S L at least 200 times higher than those attainable in gas combustion experiments. At modest U, U T ≡S T /S L data collapse onto a single curve, regardless of S L , indicating stretch-free conditions; these data agree with an approximate theoretical model. Effects of the velocity spectrum are described. At higher U, U T deviates away from this curve, indicating stretch effects which are characterized by a turbulent Karlovitz number (Ka). At high Ka, behavior suggesting distributed-combustion is observed; in this regime U T data are fairly consistent with Damkohler's hypothesis. No quenching is observed, even at Ka≈900, suggesting that the commonly-held view that the quenching of flames in intense turbulence results from mass extinction of flamelets may require reconsideration. It is proposed that instead, heat-loss could be an important factor in extinction.
Helical channels in crystals of gramicidin A and of a cesium--gramicidin A complex: an x-ray diffraction study.

Abstract X-ray crystallographic studies of gramicidin A crystallized from methanol ( P 2 1 ) and ethanol ( P 2 1 2 1 2 1 ), and of a Cs + gramicidin A complex crystallized from methanol ( P 222 1 , P 2 1 2 1 2 or P 2 1 2 1 2 1 ) are reported here. The asymmetric unit consists of two molecules of gramicidin A in the native crystals and four molecules in the cesium complex crystal. Patterson analyses show that gramicidin A in these crystals forms a cylindrical helical channel. In the two types of native gramicidin crystals, the diameter of this channel is about 5 a and its length is about 32 a. Cesium ions are bound inside this channel in crystals of the cesium-gramicidin A complex. The channel in this complex is considerably shorter (26 A) and wider (6·8A) than in the native forms. The Patterson maps of these three crystal forms are compatible with either the single-stranded β-helix (Urry, 1971) or the double-stranded parallel or anti-parallel, β-helix (Veatch et al. , 1974).
The BCR/ABL oncogene alters interaction of the adapter proteins CRKL and CRK with cellular proteins

The Philadelphia chromosome translocation generates a chimeric oncogene, BCR/ABL, which causes chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). In primary leukemic neutrophils from patients with CML, the major tyrosine phosphorylated protein is CRKL, an SH2-SH3-SH3 adapter protein which has an overall homology of 60% to CRK, the human homologue of the v-crk oncogene. In cell lines transformed by BCR/ABL, CRKL was tyrosine phosphorylated, while CRK was not. We looked for changes in CRK- and CRKL-binding proteins in Ba/F3 hematopoietic cell lines which were transformed by BCR/ABL. Anti-CRK II or anti-CRKL immunoprecipitates were probed by far Western blotting with CRK II- or CRKL-GST fusion proteins to display CRK- and CRKL-coprecipitating proteins. There was a striking qualitative difference in the proteins coprecipitating with CRKL and CRK II. In untransformed cells, three major proteins coprecipitated with CRKL, identified as C3G, SOS and c-ABL. Each of these proteins was found to interact with the CRKL-SH3 domains, but not the SH2 domain. After BCR/ABL transformation, the CRKL SH3-domain binding proteins did not change, with the exception that BCR/ABL now coprecipitated with CRKL. Compared to CRKL, very few proteins coprecipitated with CRK II in untransformed, quiescent cells. After BCR/ABL transformation, both the CRKL- and CRK-SH2 domains bound to a new complex of proteins of approximate molecular weight 105-120 kDa. The major protein in this complex was identified as p120CBL. Thus, in these hematopoietic cell lines, CRKL is involved to a greater extent than CRK II in normal signaling pathways that involve c-ABL, C3G and SOS. In BCR/ABL-transformed cells, CRKL but not CRK II, appears to form complexes which potentially link BCR/ABL, c-ABL, C3G, and SOS to the protooncoprotein, p120CBL.
Mouse model of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma validates FIG–ROS as a potent fusion oncogene and therapeutic target

Cholangiocarcinoma is the second most common primary liver cancer and responds poorly to existing therapies. Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) likely originates from the biliary tree and develops within the hepatic parenchyma. We have generated a flexible orthotopic allograft mouse model of ICC that incorporates common genetic alterations identified in human ICC and histologically resembles the human disease. We examined the utility of this model to validate driver alterations in ICC and tested their suitability as therapeutic targets. Specifically, we showed that the fused-in-glioblastoma-c-ros-oncogene1 (FIG–ROS1(S); FIG–ROS) fusion gene dramatically accelerates ICC development and that its inactivation in established tumors has a potent antitumor effect. Our studies establish a versatile model of ICC that will be a useful preclinical tool and validate ROS1 fusions as potent oncoproteins and therapeutic targets in ICC and potentially other tumor types.
Requirement for HC-Pro Processing during Genome Amplification of Tobacco Etch Potyvirus

Abstract The helper component-proteinase (HC-Pro) of tobacco etch potyvirus (TEV) is a multifunctional protein with several known activities. The N-terminal region is required for aphid transmission and efficient genome amplification, the central region is required for long-distance movement in plants, and the C-terminal domain is a cysteine-type proteinase that autocatalytically cleaves between itself and the P3 protein. To investigate the requirement for HC-Pro-mediated proteolysis during viral replication, a variety of mutations resulting in amino acid substitutions and insertions in the proteolytic domain and cleavage site motif were introduced into the viral genome. Mutations affecting the active site residues, His722 and Cys649, or the cleavage site P1′ residue, Gly764, inhibited proteolytic activity of HC-Pro. Mutant genomes containing these modifications were amplification-defective in protoplasts and plants. Mutants with substitutions affecting several conserved, but non-active site, residues (Ser610, Cys694, and Asp715) within the proteinase domain encoded active HC-Pro proteinases and were similar to parental virus in protoplasts and plants. To determine if the replication defect of the proteinasedebilitated mutants was due to inactivation of HC-Pro proteolytic activity or simply to the inability of HC-Pro and P3 protein to separate, a sequence coding for a heterologous cleavage site recognized by the TEV NIa proteinase was inserted between the HC-Pro and P3 coding regions of an active site mutant. This cleavage site was functional in vitro using purified NIa proteinase. However, this modification was insufficient to restore amplification activity to the mutant. In addition, the active site mutant was not complemented by wild-type HC-Pro supplied in trans by transgenic plants. These results suggest that an active HC-Pro proteinase is required in cis for TEV genome amplification.
Prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase : structure and catalysis

In this review, we describe the properties of PGH synthase, the enzyme which catalyzes the committed step in the synthesis of prostaglandins and thromboxane. We begin by presenting an overview of protanoid biosynthesis and the mechanism of action of these local hormones. We then describe the novel characteristics of the two distinct reactions catalyzed by PGH synthase ― the cyclooxygenase and peroxidase reactions ― and the interdependence of these two transformations. Finally, we summarize the chemical and physical characteristics of the enzyme protein, and we propose a model for the active site of PGH synthase
Reactions of 1,1-Diiodo-3,4-benzocyclopentatellurane with Sulfur and Selenium Ligands: X-Ray Structure of a Dicationic Telluraheterocycle, [C8H8Te{S=C(NMe2)2}2][BF4]2

1,1-Diiodo-3,4-benzocyclopentatellurane, C8H8TeI2, was reacted with a series of neutral thioureas, selenoureas, and thiones (L) in tetrahydrofuran in the presence of silver tetrafluoroborate to give dicationic complexes of the type [C8H8Te(L)2][BF4]2. These have been characterized by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and a representative single crystal X-ray structure for the complex with L = tetramethylthiourea. The structure and bonding are discussed and compared with related coordinated cyclopentatelluranes.
The Algerian civil war: Washington's new counterinsurgency model

This paper argues that after the failed Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 2006, the United States government has adopted a counterinsurgency model that promotes intra-Muslim civil wars, especially in Iraq, Lebanon, and Palestine. It is obvious that the US is here recycling its experience of fighting wars by proxy in Latin America. In fighting communism, though, the US had the added advantage of dealing with a Western ideology. Islamic political ideology is a product of the global south and is still largely incomprehensible to US political and military leaders. If the US is using Islamist groups to fight other Islamist groups, then we are looking at a type of warfare that is more similar to the Algerian civil war than to Latin American wars. Of course Algeria of the 1990s is not the Middle East of the 21st century. This paper simply argues that the strategy that Algerian generals devised and implemented in the 1990s – namely the creation of Islamist groups to fight Islamist opposition – is now being adopted b...
Morphometric assessment of surface conformation as an estimate of roughness

Summary One of the standard methods for assessing the roughness of a material subjected to wear uses the surface arithmetic means and root-mean-square deviation. However, these parameters often do not provide a qualitative assessment of the difference in materials worn under the same conditions of load and elapsed time. The profile and surface roughness parameters are frequently inconsistent. Such measurements are also required to determine the wear characteristics of various materials under different conditions. A morphometric assessment of wear characteristics, based on the surface area fraction of localized deviations in the surface texture and stress fractures, is provided, and clearly indicates the observed difference.
A device-independent graphics package for CAD applications

GSSP (Graphics Support Subroutine Package) is a device-independent two-dimensional graphics package developed by Engineering Design Systems (EDS) to support several major electronic and mechanical computer-aided design applications within IBM. Graphics systems supported range from interactive, highfunction, distributed-graphics workstations to passive graphic-output devices. GSSP provides many of the functions usually found in other device-independent graphics packages, with additional support for hierarchically structured display files and distributed graphics systems. The major functions provided by GSSP are described, and an overview of the implementation is presented to show how issues such as interactive performance and human factors are addressed.
IFTA-2 is a conserved cilia protein involved in pathways regulating longevity and dauer formation in Caenorhabditis elegans

Defects in cilia are associated with diseases and developmental abnormalities. Proper cilia function is required for sonic hedgehog and PDGFRα signaling in mammals and for insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling in Caenorhabditis elegans . However, the role of cilia in these pathways remains unknown. To begin addressing this issue, we are characterizing putative cilia proteins in C. elegans that are predicted to have regulatory rather than structural functions. In this report, we characterized the novel cilia protein T28F3.6 (IFTA-2, intraflagellar transport associated protein 2), which is homologous to the mammalian Rab-like 5 protein. We found that, unlike the intraflagellar transport (IFT) genes, disruption of ifta-2 does not result in overt cilia assembly abnormalities, nor did it cause chemotaxis or osmotic avoidance defects typical of cilia mutants. Rather, ifta-2 null mutants have an extended lifespan phenotype and are defective in dauer formation. Our analysis indicates that these phenotypes result from defects in the DAF-2 (insulin-IGF-1-like) receptor signaling pathway in ciliated sensory neurons. We conclude that IFTA-2 is not a ciliogenic protein but rather is a regulator of specific cilia signaling activities. Interestingly, a mammalian IFTA-2 homolog is also found in cilia, raising the possibility that its function has been conserved during evolution.
An Ultrastructural Correlate of the Membrane Mutant "Paranoiac" in Paramecium

The highly organized array of intramembranous particles, the ciliary plaque, varies from the wild type in size and organization in two stocks of the Paramecium behavioral mutant, paranoiac. In one of these stocks, the alteration is dramatic.
Green and red luminescence of YSGG : Er under up-conversion and regular excitation at different Er concentrations

Green and red luminescence in Er-doped YSGG, excited in the infrared or blue, is investigated at two different Er concentrations, 1% and 30%. It is found that the green and red up-conversion luminescence under the infrared excitation in 30%Er : YSGG is much stronger than that in 1%Er : YSGG. Under the blue excitation, however, the green luminescence in 30%Er : YSGG is much weaker than that in 1%Er : YSGG. It is also found that the red luminescence in the low Er concentration (1%) doped YSGG is always very weak with either pumping scheme. The infrared to green and red up-conversion luminescence in Er : YSGG is shown to be mainly due to energy transfer up-conversion.
Determination of cefpodoxime levels in chinchilla middle ear fluid and plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography.

Abstract A high-performance liquid chromatographic method has been developed to determine cefpodoxime levels in chinchilla plasma and middle ear fluid (MEF) to be used in studying otitis media. Cefpodoxime and the internal standard, cefuroxime, were separated on an ODS column (250 × 2.1 mm I.D., 5 μm Hypersil), using a mobile phase of 25 m M acetate buffer (pH 4.3)/15 m M triethylamine—acetonitrile (92.5:7.5, v/v). Following elution of cefpodoxime and the internal standard, at 3.5 and 5.9 min respectively, the acetonitrile concentration was increased to 1:1 (v/v) in a step function to elute endogenous compounds retained on the column. Sample preparation involved protein precipitation with acetonitrile. This fast, efficient protein precipitation procedure together with UV detection allows a quantitation limit of 50 ng/ml with a 50-μl sample size. Recoveries (mean ± S.D., n = 3) at 0.1 μg/ml in MEF were 90.3 ± 2.9% and 88.6 ± 1.2% for cefpodoxime and cefuroxime respectively. Recoveries (mean ± S.D., n = 3) at 0.1 μg/ml in plasma were 72.1 ± 7.3% and 81.1 ± 1.1% for cefpodoxime and cefuroxime respectively. The method was evaluated with biological samples taken from chinchillas with middle ear infections after administering cefpodoxime proxetil.
Infidelity of translation of encephalomyocarditis viral RNA with tRNA from human malignant trophoblastic cells

Abstract We have investigated tRNA from the human malignant trophoblastic cells (BeWo cell) and human chorionic tissue for the translation of specific mRNAs, in a tRNA-dependent protein synthesizing system from Ehrlich ascites cells. BeWo cell tRNA and chorionic tRNA supported oviduct mRNA or encephalo-myocarditis (EMC) viral RNA directed amino acid incorporation into polypeptides equally effectively. Polypeptides synthesized with oviduct mRNA and tRNA from both sources were identical upon sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. But the EMC RNA directed polypeptides synthesized with BeWo cell tRNA were different from those synthesized with chorionic tRNA. A polypeptide (molecular weight 58,000) was apparently not synthesized and the synthesis of a faster moving component (molecular weight, 14,000) was enhanced when BeWo cell tRNA was used. These results imply a functional difference in tRNA from human malignant cells compared to their normal counterpart.
Hydrokinetic Energy Harnessing Using the VIVACE Converter With Passive Turbulence Control

Passive turbulence control (PTC) in the form of selectively applied surface roughness is used on a rigid circular cylinder supported by two end-springs in transverse steady flow. The flow-induced motions are enhanced dramatically reaching the limits of the experimental facility and motion mechanism at amplitude to diameter ratio A/D ≅ 3. In comparison to a smooth cylinder, in the fully turbulent shear layer flow regime at Reynolds number on the order of 100,000, PTC initiates VIV earlier at reduce velocity U* ≅ 4, reduces VIV amplitude depending on damping, and initiates galloping at U* ≅ 10 rather than 20. Thus, back-to-back VIV and galloping are achieved expanding the synchronization range of Flow Induced Motion (FIM) beyond U* ≅ 15 and the capabilities of the experimental set-up. The harnessed horizontal hydrokinetic power increased by a factor of four due to increased velocities in the synchronization range without any adjustment of the motion mechanism particulars.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Responses to false physiological feedback in individuals with panic attacks and elevated anxiety sensitivity.

Participants with elevated anxiety sensitivity and a history of panic attacks were compared to a low anxiety comparison group with respect to physiological and subjective reactivity to false heart-rate feedback and reactivity to a priming procedure. Whereas accurate heart-rate feedback elicited minimal responses, participants across groups showed significant physiological and subjective responses to false feedback. High risk and low risk participants did not differ in heart-rate responses to false feedback, though panic attack frequency did predict physiological and subjective reactions to false feedback in the high risk group. Self-reported nonspecific anxiety was significantly higher in high risk female participants than in low risk female participants, while males did not different in general subjective anxiety. However, high risk participants reported more panic-specific symptoms during the false feedback task than low risk participants, regardless of the sex of the participant. Therefore, although the experimental paradigm appeared to trigger nonspecific anxiety in high risk female participants, panic attack symptoms in reaction to the task were specific to risk group, not sex, and consistent with hypotheses. Surprisingly, the priming procedure did not influence physiological or subjective responses to false feedback in either group. These results raise additional questions regarding the process and impact of interoception in individuals with panic attacks, and suggest that false perception of internal changes may contribute to risk for panic disorder when exposed to believable cues.
Quantitative Analysis of Adsorbed Serum Albumin on Segmented Polyurethane Using FT-IR/ATR Spectroscopy

FT-IR attenuated total reflection (ATR) spectroscopy was applied to quantitatively determine the extent of bovine serum albumin adsorbed onto a biomedical-grade poly(ether)urethane film deposited on a ZnSe internal reflection element (IRE). The method of adsorption density determination was based on the optical principles for a stratified medium consisting of three layers. The spectral peak area due to bulk solution was less than 1% of total peak area. The measured adsorption density of albumin in a flowing system was 3.9 μg/cm2 at a solution concentration of 4.5 g/100 mL.
Yeast Cells Lacking the ARV1 Gene Harbor Defects in Sphingolipid Metabolism COMPLEMENTATION BY HUMAN ARV1

arv1Delta mutant cells have an altered sterol distribution within cell membranes (Tinkelenberg, A.H., Liu, Y., Alcantara, F., Khan, S., Guo, Z., Bard, M., and Sturley, S. L. (2000) J. Biol. Chem. 275, 40667-40670), and thus it has been suggested that Arv1p may be involved in the trafficking of sterol in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and also in humans. Here we present data showing that arv1Delta mutants also harbor defects in sphingolipid metabolism. [(3)H]inositol and [(3)H]dihydrosphingosine radiolabeling studies demonstrated that mutant cells had reduced rates of biosynthesis and lower steady-state levels of complex sphingolipids while accumulating certain hydroxylated ceramide species. Phospholipid radiolabeling studies showed that arv1Delta cells harbored defects in the rates of biosynthesis and steady-state levels of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, and phosphatidylglycerol. Neutral lipid radiolabeling studies indicated that the rate of biosynthesis and steady-state levels of sterol ester were increased in arv1Delta cells. Moreover, these same studies demonstrated that arv1Delta cells had decreased rates of biosynthesis and steady-state levels of total fatty acid and fatty acid alcohols. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analyses examining different fatty acid species showed that arv1Delta cells had decreased levels of C18:1 fatty acid. Additional gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analyses determining the levels of various molecular sterol species in arv1Delta cells showed that mutant cells accumulated early sterol intermediates. Using fluorescence microscopy we found that GFP-Arv1p localizes to the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi. Interestingly, the heterologous expression of the human ARV1 cDNA suppressed the sphingolipid metabolic defects of arv1Delta cells. We hypothesize that in eukaryotic cells, Arv1p functions in the sphingolipid metabolic pathway perhaps as a transporter of ceramides between the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi.
New adaptive IIR lattice filters: input injected lattice

A family of adaptive IIR lattice algorithms based on the input injected lattice structure is proposed. This includes the input injected lattice SHARF and Stearns' algorithms, and the ELS algorithm for the ARMAX model. The corresponding normalized input injected lattice algorithms are also developed. Simulation results show that they converge faster than the direct form algorithms and the tapped lattice algorithms. >
δ13C analyses of oceanic particulate organic matter

Abstract Seventy-nine δ 13 C analyses of oceanic particulate matter (> 0· μ ) from semi-tropical (Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean and Atlantic) and polar (South Indian Ocean) waters showed that the carbon isotope composition of the particulate matter from the cold polar surface waters was lighter ( −24·7 to −26·0‰ ) than that from the surface in the semi-tropical regions ( −19·8 to −22·3 ‰ ), reflecting the temperature effect on the photosynthetic fixation of carbon. δ 13 C for deep samples (> 330 m) were generally more negative than the surface samples, except in some well-mixed polar areas. A difference both in organic carbon isotopic composition and percentage organic carbon in the POM and the tops of sediment cores was also apparent; a loss of approximately 95 % of incoming carbon and an increase in 13 C of several per mille being observed during deposition of particulate matter. This indicates that after settling on the bottom there is extensive diagenesis of the POM by organisms, indicating the non-refractory nature of the organic matter.
Radar imaging of reinforced concrete specimens for nondestructive testing

Detection of steel bars embedded inside concrete for reinforcement has been one of the major goals of nondestructive testing methods for concrete. The use of radar in detecting steel bars is advantageous due to the sensitivity of electromagnetic waves to metallic objects and the versatility in using appropriate electromagnetic wave polarization waves to metallic objects and the versatility in using appropriate electromagnetic wave polarization with respect to the orientation of the bars. However, obtaining imagery of steel bars inside a lossy medium such as concrete requires sophisticated problem solving approaches including understanding of the electromagnetic properties of concrete, identification of proper radar measurement parameters as center frequency and bandwidth, and development of image reconstruction algorithms. This paper presents experimental results of radar measurements of laboratory size concrete specimens with or without steel bars. Sample radar imagery processed from raw measurement data is provided with discussion.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Introduction: objects, gender, and religion

ABSTRACTThe practice of assigning gender to artefacts and natural objects is common but not universal in religions. Treating objects, substances, and places as gendered is a form of anthropomorphism that both expresses and furthers gender ideals and power relationships among people based on gender distinctions. The degree to which sacred objects are gendered varies, reflecting how important gender is in particular religious worldviews.
Ventricular Interdependence in Severe Cystic Fibrosis: A Two-Dimensional Echocardiographic Study

A variety of mechanisms have been implicated in the development of left ventricular dysfunction in patients with chronic cor pulmonale. A two-dimensional echocardiographic study of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients with severe cor pulmonale was undertaken to evaluate the effects of long-term pulmonary abnormalities on right and left ventricular geometry. Ten patients with severe obstructive pulmonary disease secondary to CF underwent evaluation by a mechanical sector scanner from the long axis, short axis, and four chambered views. All patients manifested right heart failure. Eight had clinical scores less than 40 and died within six months of the initial examination. All patients were receiving diuretics, and six were taking digoxin at the time of the study. The most striking echographic feature was flattening or compression of the left ventricle along its minor dimension by a massively dilated right ventricle. Compression of the left ventricle and additional abnormalities of interventricular septal motion resulted in dyskinetic contraction and relaxation that could contribute to a diminished stroke volume. Massive right ventricular enlargement appears to be a major factor producing left ventricular dysfunction in chronic cor pulmonale.
Butt joint strength: effect of residual stress and stress relaxation

Previously published butt joint strength data suggest that the residual stress generated by cooling has little effect on the joint strength. Stress relaxation test data are reported here for the adhesive used in those joint tests. This adhesive displays highly nonlinear, stress level-dependent viscoelasticity at stress levels approaching the adhesive's yield strength, and significant stress relaxation occurs once the adhesive yields. For example, when loaded to yield, stress levels can decrease by 30% over a period of 30 min even at temperatures of more than 100°C below the adhesive's glass transition temperature. Consequently the influence of residual stress on the butt joint strength could be much smaller than would be predicted by a linear analysis. The peak stresses in an adhesive joint, in the yield zone at the interface corner where failure initiates, can decay significantly when given sufficient time. The temperature dependence of the interface corner fracture toughness Kfc, a material constant tha...
Fundamental solutions of degenerate or singular elliptic equations

Abstract Exitence of fundamental solutions is established for a class of degenerate or singular, second-order, linear elliptic partial differential equations. This class contains, for example, Tricomi's equation in the upper half-plane which arises in the study of aerodynamics; the equation of Weinstein's generalized axially symmetric potential theory which arises in the study of fluid dynamics and elasticity; and Schrodinger's equation with a singular potential which arises in quantum mechanics.
234Th/238U disequilibrium in near-shore sediment: Particle reworking and diagenetic time scales

The distribution of 234Th(t1/2 = 24.1days) in excess of its parent238U in the upper layers of near-shore sediment makes possible the evaluation of short-term sediment reworking and diagenetic rates.234Th has a maximum residence time in Long Island Sound water of 1.4 days. Seasonal measurement of234Th/238U disequilibrium in sediment at a single station in central Long Island Sound demonstrates rapid particle reworking and high234Thxs (>1 dpm/g) in the upper 4 cm of sediment with slower, irregular reworking and low234Thxs to at least 12 cm. The rate of rapid particle reworking varies seasonally and is highest in the fall. The rapidly mixed zone is characterized by steep gradients in sediment chemistry implying fast reactions spanned by234Th decay time scales.238U is depleted in the upper mixed zone and shows addition in reducing sediment at depth.
The Older Book of Esther

On several counts, Esther is the strangest book in the Bible. Few of those who read it realize what a variety of curious problems it presents, and how little has been done toward solving them. As a preliminary to the following study, a few of the most troublesome questions raised by the book may be briefly stated.
Purchasing agents' perceived importance of marketing mix components in different industrial purchase situations

Little is known about how industrial buyers evaluate the importance of various components of a vendor’s marketing mix across different purchase situations. However, the importance of product, price, distribution, and promotion efforts may vary across different products and buy classes. To examine this assumption, a systematic role-playing study of 254 industrial purchasing executives was conducted. Results of the analysis suggest that relations among the marketing mix components vary by product type and buy class.
Physician training in agricultural safety and health: the Emory Agromedicine Training Project

ABSTRACT This paper describes the Emory Agromedicine Training Project, a component of Occupational Medicine residency training at Emory University since 1991. The Project places occupational medicine residents in rural settings, where they perform a range of activities: working on farms, service visits to farms, grand rounds presentations to rural hospitals, public presentations in farm communities, and clinical service in the migrant health program. In addition they complete a directed reading syllabus and a research project. The rotation has been successful in building the residents' knowledge of agricultural safety and health, instilling positive attitudes toward the field, and achieving desired behaviors and skills. In addition, strong statewide networking was accomplished through this initiative. Areas of limited success include the small number of residents trained, some resident dissatisfaction with intense travel requirements and security concerns, and inability to secure long-term funding. We con...
Real-Time Optimization of Video Transmission in a Network of AAVs

Mobile cyberphysical systems have received considerable attention over the last decade, as communication, computing and control come together on a common platform. Understanding the complex interactions that govern the behavior of large complex cyberphysical systems is not an easy task. The goal of this paper is to address this challenge in the particular context of multimedia delivery over an autonomous aerial vehicle (AAV) network. Bandwidth requirements and stringent delay constraints of real-time video streaming, paired with limitations on computational complexity and power consumptions imposed by the underlying implementation platform, make cross-layer and cross-domain co-design approaches a necessity. In this paper, we propose a novel, low-complexity rate-distortion optimized (RDO) protocol specifically targeted at video streaming over mobile embedded networks. We test the performance of our RDO algorithm on simulation models developed for aerial mobility of multiple wirelessly communicating AAVs. Results show that our optimized streaming leads to 47% and 39% less video distortion with very little computational overhead compared to regular ACKed and non-ACKed transmission, respectively.
Anger coping intervention for aggressive children: Conceptual models and outcome effects.

Abstract We review social cognitive models of children's aggressive behavior and cognitive-behavioral interventions based on these models. Findings of the distortions and deficiencies that aggressive children have in their social information processing are presented. Several current issues in social cognition research in this area are reviewed, including (a) applicability of the social cognitive models to severe aggression and to adolescents; (b) role of prior expectations influencing social perception; (c) influence of social goals, cognitive operation style, and arousal on information processing; and (d) the more distal influences of parent behavior and parent social cognition on children's social cognition. An anger coping program consistent with the social cognitive model is presented, and the outcome effects for this intervention and similar cognitive-behavioral interventions are reviewed.
A new class of mixture models for differential gene expression in DNA microarray data

One of the fundamental issues in analyzing microarray data is to determine which genes are expressed and which ones are not for a given group of subjects. In datasets where many genes are expressed and many are not expressed (i.e., underexpressed), a bimodal distribution for the gene expression levels often results, where one mode of the distribution represents the expressed genes and the other mode represents the underexpressed genes. To model this bimodality, we propose a new class of mixture models that utilize a random threshold value for accommodating bimodality in the gene expression distribution. Theoretical properties of the proposed model are carefully examined. We use this new model to examine the problem of differential gene expression between two groups of subjects, develop prior distributions, and derive a new criterion for determining which genes are differentially expressed between the two groups. Prior elicitation is carried out using empirical Bayes methodology in order to estimate the threshold value as well as elicit the hyperparameters for the two component mixture model. The new gene selection criterion is demonstrated via several simulations to have excellent false positive rate and false negative rate properties. A gastric cancer dataset is used to motivate and illustrate the proposed methodology.
Transient-Response Equalization through Steady-State Methods

This paper describes a steady-state method for matching the pulse-response characteristics of two or more networks using only a sinusoidal signal generator and a cathode-ray oscilloscope. Photographs of the patterns displayed on the screen of the oscilloscope, and analyses to permit rapid determination of the network adjustments to effect equal pulse-response characteristics, are presented.
Immunoglobulin G binding activity of Brucella abortus

A Brucella abortus protein with a molecular weight of 50 kDa has been shown to bind bovine immunoglobulin G from healthy, brucellosis-free animals. The Brucella immunoglobulin G binding molecule appears to be a protein, since it is susceptible to proteolysis. The protein is presumed to be located on the cell surface, since intact cells precipitate bovine immunoglobulin G. Examination of other species of Brucella shows that all Brucella species and strains tested express the protein. B. abortus cells also bound immunoglobulin G from other animal species. These included cat, chicken, dog, guinea pig, horse, human, mouse, rat, sheep, swine, and turkey but not immunoglobulin G from goat or rabbit.
Effects of nitrogen dioxide on pulmonary function in human subjects: An environmental chamber study

Abstract Twenty human subjects with asthma and chronic bronchitis and 10 normal, healthy adults were exposed to 0.5 ppm of nitrogen dioxide for 2 hr in an environmental chamber. Seven of the 13 subjects with asthma experienced symptoms with exposure, while only one each of the subjects with chronic bronchitis and the healthy, normal group experienced symptoms. Significant pulmonary function changes from control values with exposure to NO2 were observed in decreased quasistatic compliance for the 10 normal subjects and the 20 subjects with asthma and chronic bronchitis. In addition, functional residual capacity increased significantly for the 20 subjects with asthma and chronic bronchitis. The subjects with asthma and the subjects with chronic bronchitis as separate groups, however, did not show any significant changes with exposure. With this study we are reasonably confident that exposure of subjects with asthma and chronic bronchitis to 0.5 ppm NO2 for 2 hr does not produce a significant decrement in their pulmonary function.
Resource limitations and strategies for the treatment of uremia. A dialysis unit in the Himalayan foothills.

India has made great strides in health care since gaining independence in 1947. Much still needs to be done. Scarce health care resources are directed at priorities that include infant and maternal mortality, immunizations, malnutrition, communicable disease prevention, and access to protected water and sanitation. There is, therefore, no government reimbursement for treatment of patients with ESRD (estimated incidence of 100 per million population). Transplantation, the modality of choice in India, benefits only 2-3% of ESRD patients. Hemodialysis is primarily used short-term for pretransplant stabilization. A very small minority of patients is placed on maintenance hemodialysis or CAPD. The annual cost of renal replacement therapies is more than 10 times the per capita gross national product. Financial constraints pose ethical problems for the nephrologist related to adequate prescriptions and compliance. Preventing the progression of kidney disease and reducing the cost of disposables through indigenous manufacture are initiatives that need to be explored.