cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Unified View of Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) Gating: Combining the Allosterism of a Ligand-gated Channel with the Enzymatic Activity of an ATP-binding Cassette (ABC) Transporter

The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is a unique ion channel in that its gating is coupled to an intrinsic enzymatic activity (ATP hydrolysis). This enzymatic activity derives from the evolutionary origin of CFTR as an ATP-binding cassette transporter. CFTR gating is distinct from that of a typical ligand-gated channel because its ligand (ATP) is usually consumed during the gating cycle. However, recent findings indicate that CFTR gating exhibits allosteric properties that are common to conventional ligand-gated channels (e.g. unliganded openings and constitutive mutations). Here, we provide a unified view of CFTR gating that combines the allosterism of a ligand-gated channel with its unique enzymatic activity.
Medical prosthetic applications of growth simulations in four-dimensional facial morphology

Growth data on the developing human face has been collected by scientists in a number ofdifferent disciplines for nearly one hundred years. Most of the work in this area has been the result of attempts to understand and quantify the growth process or in attempting to establish population norms or baseline standards for use in syndromology. Anthropologists geneticists ophthalmologists orthodontists otorhinolaryngologists pediatric syndromologists plastic surgeons radiologists have all contributed to the literature on facial development1. While this literature for facial assessment is very complete but its use and value in prediction has not been exploited to-date. The preliminary work presented in this paper uses the available literature to predict growth and development ofthe nose. These predictions were used in fabricating a series ofnasal prostheses that will be used to establish facial cosmesis during the growth years. This case involves a six year old male who had undergone a total rhinectomy and septectomy required a nose prosthesis to cover a severe facial defect and to effect cosmesis. Based on laser scan data from casts ofthe patient''s pre-surgical nose a selected series ofanthropometric landmarks were identified and scaled. Growth algorithms provided new positions for control points that simulated growth of the nose over time. The resulting series of geometric models were initially fabricated using stereolithography and later modeled in a medical grade silastic. Growth predictions used to simulate the morphological remodelling of facia© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Trail mix: the nuts (and bolts) of student employee management

What challenges are you facing? Are you new to student management? Is shift scheduling a nightmare? How about those pay rates? Do you have a formal orientation program? What perks does a student get while working for you? Do you have any way to recognize and reward exceptional student employees? How do you measure skill sets? And what part of the process is your favorite - interviewing, hiring, ongoing training? Hard to pick just one, isn't it?This paper will highlight some of those routine, however troublesome, tasks associated with student management. We hope that our collective experience can spare you some of the associated sleepless nights!
Diffusion of Large Surface Clusters: Direct Observations on Ir(111)

To probe if cluster diffusion is possible without evaporation and condensation of atoms, observations with atomic resolution have been made on clusters on Ir(111) containing from 18 to 39Ir atoms. For clusters which cannot assume a hexagonal structure, diffusion at T{ge}550 K takes place by atoms moving along the edges, changing the cluster shape. For Ir{sub 19}, with a compact hexagonal arrangement of atoms, no shape changes are observed. Nevertheless, diffusion occurs without loss of atoms, with the cluster frequently moving over distances larger than a nearest-neighbor spacing. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}
Mechanisms of homomeric α1 glycine receptor endocytosis

Little is known regarding the mechanism(s) by which glycine receptors are endocytosed. Here we examined the endocytosis of homomeric α1 glycine receptors expressed in HEK 293 cells using immunofluorescence/confocal microscopy and whole-cell patch-clamp recordings. Our studies demonstrate that constitutive endocytosis of glycine receptors is blocked by the dominant negative dynamin construct K44A and that intracellular dialysis with peptide P4, a dynamin/amphiphysin-disrupting peptide, increased whole-cell glycine-gated chloride currents. To examine whether receptor endocytosis could be regulated by PKC, experiments with the PKC activator PMA (phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate) were performed. PMA, but not its inactive analogue PMM (phorbol 12-monomyristate), stimulated receptor endocytosis and inhibited glycine-gated chloride currents. Similar to constitutive endocytosis, PKC-stimulated endocytosis was blocked by dynamin K44A. Mutation of a putative AP2 adaptin dileucine motif (L314A, L315A) present in the ...
The Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet and Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (SBUV/TOMS) for NIMBUS G

The SBUV/TOMS measures the atmospheric ozone vertical profile and the solar ultraviolet spectrum, and provides a total ozone map by means of a mechanical scan across the Nimbus track. While the SBUV/TOMS instrument has noteworthy design features such as a state-of-the-art double monochromator and fixed optical components on a nonmetallic structure, its most significant characteristic is an optimum system design based on technology proven on the BUV instrument.
India Challenge [President's Message]

The IEEE is the world's largest professional technical association with about 50% U.S. and 50% non-U.S. membership. From a demographic point of view, membership in the IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society (MTT-S) is equally divided, split between the United States and the rest of the world. We are a very diverse community on a global scale with members from more than 46 different countries, representing many different cultures and ethnic backgrounds. We organize and/or support many meetings and symposia with several large events, the International Microwave Symposium held in the United States, the European MW Conference held in Region 8, and the Asia Pacific Conference in Region 10. Our Society represents microwave engineers and scientists in all regions and helps organize and support a variety of local and regional activities. It's appropriate for us to reach out to engineers and scientists involved with microwave theory and techniques regardless of their location and encourage them to participate as members of the international microwave community. It's important to make sure all members and nonmembers appreciate what being a member of MTT-S and the IEEE is all about and how being a member is important professionally and personally.
Response of birds to aerial application of nucleopolyhedrosis virus of the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar

Resident populations of wild birds and caged quail, Colinus virginianus L., were evaluated to detect short-term effects from aerial applications of the nucleopolyhedrosis virus (NPV) of the gypsy moth. NPV in 2 formulations was sprayed on woodland plots in central Pennsylvania. Comparisons of prespray and postspray censuses of the common birds on the control and NPV-treated plots revealed no changes in populations of the wild birds that could be attributed to the NPV treatments. Data from 23 caged quail and 53 free-living birds showed no significant differences, or differences in trends, for any species between NPV-treated and control birds in organ weights or necropsy and histopathological rankings of the condition of organs and tissues. It was concluded that the aerial application of NPV had no short-term adverse effect on birds that contacted NPV during its application or that subsequently fed on NPV-infected gypsy moths or other NPV-contaminated food sources.
Northeasterly Cold Surges and Near-Equatorial Disturbances over the Winter MONEX Area During December 1974. Part II: Planetary-Scale Aspects

Abstract In Part I of this pre-winter MONEX study a synoptic analysis on the interaction between cold air surges off the East Asian continent and the synoptic-scale disturbances, especially their associated convection, in the equatorial South China Sea during December 1974 was carried out. In this paper we investigate some kinematic characteristics of the planetary-scale circulation changes during the same period in the midlatitudes and tropics in relation to the cold surge and the synoptic-scale disturbances. The main findings suggest a picture of coherent variations of several planetary-scale circulation features which may he described by the following sequence of events: 1) The East Asia local Hadley circulation strengthens as the cooling due to cold air advection over northern China increases prior to a cold surge on the South China coast. This is accompanied by an intensified jet stream maximum centered over Japan, which is apparently a result of the upstream acceleration by the upper level poleward ...
Invisible wounds, invisible abuse: the exclusion of emotional abuse in newspaper articles

Newspapers continue to be a readily available and important source of information for much of the U.S. public. However, the meaning of domestic violence used in newspaper articles often excludes forms of violence that are not blatantly physical. Through an analysis of newspaper articles about domestic violence appearing in 5 cities during 3 months in 2008, I discuss the exclusion of emotional abuse in articles about domestic violence. Through recounting my narrative of an emotionally abusive relationship, I highlight the painful emotionally violent behaviors that are slighted in contemporary news stories about domestic violence. I also discuss reasons the media does not focus on emotional forms of abuse, and the implications of this exclusion for victims of emotional abuse.
Effects of ammonia on the anaplerotic pathway and amino acid metabolism in the brain: an ex vivo 13C NMR spectroscopic study of rats after administering [2-13C]] glucose with or without ammonium acetate.

The 13C-label incorporation into glutamate, glutamine, aspartate and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) from [2-13C] glucose was measured by 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to directly examine the effects of ammonia on the activity of pyruvate carboxylase (i.e., the anaplerotic pathway) and the amino acid metabolism in the rat brain in vivo. Rats were sacrificed by exposure to microwaves at 7.5, 15, 30, and 60 min after an i.v. injection of [2-13C] glucose with or without ammonium acetate. After the injection of ammonium acetate, the brain contents of glutamate, aspartate and GABA had decreased, however, the percentage of 13C enrichment of C3 of glutamine, glutamate and GABA, and C2 and C3 of aspartate had increased. The 13C entered the TCA cycle via pyruvate carboxylase from [2-13C] glucose, labeling the C2 or C3 positions of aspartate, the C2 or C3 positions of glutamate and glutamine, and the C3 or C4 positions of GABA first and second turns of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. The C4/C3 labeling ratio in GABA was lower than the analogous ratio in glutamate (C2/C3) and higher than that of glutamine (C2/C3). The order of these ratios (glutamate > GABA > glutamine) was not altered by the injection of ammonium acetate. These findings directly indicate that ammonia increases the anaplerotic pathway and that the 13C-skeletons entered glial glutamine through the anaplerotic pathway flow from glia to neuron. A fraction of the glutamine is used in the direct synthesis of GABA via glutamate, whereas the remaining fraction of glutamine passed through the neuronal TCA cycle before synthesizing GABA.
Ring scission of diastereomeric 4-butylspiropentylcarbinyl radicals as a chemical model for identifying enzyme-catalyzed FAD adducts resulting from spiropentylacetyl-CoA.

Both diastereomeric 4-butylspiropentylcarbinyl bromides (14a and 14b) were synthesized in seven steps starting from 1-heptyne, and the stereochemical assignments based upon NOE experiments were confirmed by converting their immediate alcohol precursors (13a and 13b) to 1,4-dibutylspiropentanes (17a and 17b) with C1 and C2 symmetry. Each bromide was used to generate its corresponding spiropentylcarbinyl radical (18a and 18b) via its AIBN-initiated tri-n-butyltin hydride reduction. The radical-trapped products are identified, the preferred ring scission mode is identified (C1−C2 bond cleavage), and the estimated rates for the ring opening of 4-butylspiropentylcarbinyl radical (18, k25 °C ≥ ∼5 × 109 s-1) and 2-butyl-1-vinylcyclopropylcarbinyl radical (33, k25 °C ∼ 5 × 108 s-1) are reported. High-level ab initio calculations addressing the ring-opening isomerizations of cyclopropylcarbinyl and spiropentylcarbinyl radicals also are presented. These results in conjunction with a previous study enable us to prop...
REFINEMENT OF THE BRILLOUIN-WIGNER PERTURBATION METHOD

New variational parameters are introduced into the wave function employed in the Brillouin-Wigner perturbation method, and determined to minimize the total energy. The original and modified procedures are illustrated by a numerical example.
Intraprocedural and postprocedural perigraft arterial sac embolization (PASE) for endoleak treatment

Intervention may be necessary in up to one-third of patients with endoleaks after endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR). Perigraft arterial sac embolization (PASE) to induce aneurysm thrombosis was performed by intrasac injection of thrombin and gelfoam slurry. Thirteen patients were treated with PASE since 2006. Eight patients underwent immediate PASE, and five patients were treated during surveillance following EVAR. The median follow-up is 23.9 months (range, 2.6-66.1 months) for the entire cohort; 24.4 and 23.1 months for the immediate and delayed group, respectively. No patients had further aneurysm growth. One (8%) patient maintained stable aneurysm size with a persistent type II endoleak, and 11 (85%) patients had aneurysm shrinkage. PASE to induce sac thrombosis after EVAR is an alternative for the treatment of endoleaks. Further study is required to define optimal patient selection, safety, long-term efficacy and potential cost-savings of this technique.
Chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticide inhibition of cockroach and honey bee ATPases

Abstract The specific activities and insecticide inhibitions have been studied on Na + K + ATPase and Mg + ATPase differentiated and isolated from nerve cord and muscle tissue of the American cockroach and brain from worker honey bees. Specific activity in the bee brain is believed to be the highest recorded value for such a preparation. Inhibitory effects of p,p′-DDT,p,p′-TDE were highest on Mg ++ ATPase and higher in muscle than in nerve cord. The metabolite, p,p′-DDE had about half the inhibitory effect of p,p′-DDT; p,p′-DDA gave no measurable effect on Mg ++ ATPase but did inhibit Na + K + ATPase. The greatest inhibition at concentrations used, was by dicofol (Kelthane), an acaricide, which gave nearly complete inhibition of Na + K + ATPase, but was not as effective on Mg ++ ATPase. Chlordane inhibited Na + K + ATPase of nerve cord to a greater extent than muscle, whereas the greatest effect of lindane was on Na + K + ATPase of the roach nerve cord and in bee brain. There were considerable differences in magnitude of inhibition and in the type of ATPase inhibition by the different insecticides acting on the different tissues.
On splitting recursive sets

It is shown that for every infinite, coinfinite recursive set A there exists a set B which can be accepted in real time and log space such that B splits A (i.e., each of A ⋒ B, A ⋒ A, ⋒ B, A ⋒ B is infinite). This fact is generalized to other Blum measures. It is also shown that context-free languages can be split by regular sets. The analogy between the recursive versus the recursively enumerable sets and the deterministic versus the nondeterministic resource bounded sets is shown to fail when the respective inclusion lattices are considered.
PARAMETRICALLY COUPLED SINE MAP NETWORKS

Due to an inversion symmetry and a bimodal nature, the sine map, defined in R, exhibits bistability which is subject to an attractor-merging crisis. Such dynamical characteristics of the sine map suggest that it would be a promising candidate as a building block of an artificial neural network that can produce a binary associative memory. To test this idea, we designed and studied two types of Parametrically Coupled Sine Map Network. In the PCSMN-1, the amplitude of the sine function is used to control the bistability, whereas, in the PCSMN-2, an offset parameter that is added to the sine function is used to control the bistability. In both networks, the weight matrix is determined by the Hebbian rule, and coupling between the maps is accomplished via their control or bifurcation parameters; the control parameter of each sine map is continuously updated by the weighted sum of the state variables of all maps connecting to it. In the numerical study of their associative dynamics, the networks exhibited unique, desirable dynamical features that are missing in fixed-point based networks such as the Hopfield network. In addition to the potential advantage of such dynamical features in computational applications, they bring to mind some recent experimental findings concerning the neuronal activities in the brain.
Effect of cesium pressure on thermionic stability

It is shown that under certain conditions of heat input, reservoir temperature, and load voltage or resistance a thermionic converter can equilibrate at two radically different operation points, corresponding to conditions of high and low cesium coverage. Moreover, abrupt transitions between these operating regimes, accompanied by a temperature rise of hundreds of degrees, can occur whenever the critical heat generation rate for a given reservoir temperature is exceeded. To provide an adequate safety margin against such an occurrence, thermionic systems must be operated at relatively high cesium pressures, even though this may cause some performance degradation. This paper consists of two parts. The first explains the above effect with reference to a single converter. The second part illustrates the effect of cesium reservoir temperatures on the dynamic behavior of an open-loop thermionic reactor following a small reactivity perturbation.
Computing transcription factor distribution profiles from green fluorescent protein reporter data

Abstract Signal transduction pathways play a key role in many cellular functions as well as intercellular communication. However, elucidating the exact mechanisms involved in signal transduction pathways is non-trivial due to limited measurement capabilities for observing intracellular signals and stochasticity inherent in signaling pathways. This work will address part of these challenges by quantifying the distribution of important components in signaling pathways, e.g., transcription factors, from data. Specifically, this work presents a technique that computes the time-varying distribution of transcription factor concentrations inside cells from fluorescent images of green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter systems. The presented approach consists of an algorithm for identifying individual fluorescent cells from fluorescent images, and an algorithm to compute the distribution of transcription factor profiles from the fluorescence intensity distribution by solving an inverse problem. The technique is applied to experimental data to derive the NF-κB concentration distribution from fluorescent images of a NF-κB GFP reporter system. The presented image analysis method is able to correctly identify individual fluorescent cells from fluorescent images, which are characterized by low contrast and a significant noise level. The derived heterogeneity in the NF-κB distribution not only matches available qualitative experimental data but can also be used for parameter estimation of mathematical models that describe the stochasticity inherent in TNF-α–NF-κB signaling.
Image restoration in signal-dependent noise using a Markovian covariance model

An image distribution is modeled as a spatially nonstationary process having a Markovian covariance model. Images corrupted by signal-dependent noise are restored using maximization of the a posteriori probability density function as the processing criterion. The parameters of the signal distribution required by the estimators are obtained using local spatial statistics. Results of computer simulations conducted to evaluate the performances of the estimators are presented.
Extracting the number of quantum dots in a microenvironment from ensemble fluorescence intensity fluctuations

We estimate the number of CdSe quantum dots (QDs) in a microenvironment by analyzing the intensity fluctuation of the fluorescence time trace from a collection of QDs in the fluorescence intensity steady-state regime. The steady state is chosen because the aged blinking dynamics of single QDs leads to a higher probability for observing large on and off waiting times relative to the typical time bins chosen to generate fluorescence time traces. In the steady state, the relative standard deviation of the fluorescence intensity from a collection of QDs is bin-size independent, which enables a simple estimation of the absolute number of QDs under observation. This is not possible for most conventional chromophores, whose triplet blinking dynamics are much faster than a typical bin size, or for QDs undergoing blinking dynamics that are fast compared to the bin size, as occurs prior to the steady state. The estimated number of QDs incorporated into a single silica microsphere as determined by our method agrees well with the number obtained using conventional absorption measurements on an ensemble of microspheres.
Impatience versus Incentives

This paper studies the dynamics of long-term contracts in repeated principal–agent relationships with an impatient agent. Despite the absence of exogenous uncertainty, Pareto-optimal dynamic contracts generically oscillate between favoring the principal and favoring the agent.
Internal hernia and volvulus of the small bowel following liver transplantation

Internal herniation with volvulus of the small intestine is an uncommon, but potentially fatal, complication after liver transplantation. We present here four cases in which the herniation occurred around the Roux-en-Y loop used for the biliary reconstruction. One patient died due to intestinal and liver allograft necrosis; another lost almost the entire small intestine and has since undergone successful intestinal transplantation. Two patients survived following surgery that involved reduction of the hernia and closure of the mesenteric defect. Clinical diagnostic implications emphasize early diagnosis and appropriate operative intervention.
Life satisfaction and preterm birth among urban black women: findings from the Baltimore preterm birth study

Abstract Purpose Preterm birth (PTB) is a major problem in the United States, and black women have greater risk of PTB than white women. The etiology of PTB and the racial disparity in preterm outcomes are poorly understood. Diminished life satisfaction is associated with adult health, but there are no studies of life satisfaction and PTB. In the research reported in this article, the relationship between life satisfaction and PTB among black women was studied. Methods Women were enrolled in this prospective study at the time of the first visit to 5 prenatal clinics in Baltimore. Life satisfaction was assessed at the time of the first prenatal visit. Data on PTB were obtained from medical records. Results The final sample consisted of 922 women. Among women who were somewhat or not at all satisfied with their lives, 16% had preterm births, whereas among women who were very satisfied with their lives, 10.7% had preterm births (unadjusted odds ratio = 1.6; 95% CI 1.1–2.4). The adjusted odds ratio was 1.6 (95% CI 1.00–2.5). Conclusions Women who reported being somewhat or not at all satisfied with their lives had a greater risk of PTB than women who reported being very satisfied with their lives.
Multiple mixed-type attractors in a competition model

We show that a discrete-time, two-species competition model with Ricker (exponential) nonlinearities can exhibit multiple mixed-type attractors. By this is meant dynamic scenarios in which there are simultaneously present both coexistence attractors (in which both species are present) and exclusion attractors (in which one species is absent). Recent studies have investigated the inclusion of life-cycle stages in competition models as a casual mechanism for the existence of these kinds of multiple attractors. In this paper we investigate the role of nonlinearities in competition models without life-cycle stages.
Copper alters the conformation and transcriptional activity of the tumor suppressor protein p53 in human Hep G2 cells.

The tumor suppressor protein p53 plays a role in the molecular response to DNA damage by acting as a DNA-binding transcription factor that regulates specific target genes to arrest the cell cycle, ...
Taxonomy of faults in wireless networks

Two critical issues in wireless networks are fault management and robustness. Addressing these issues makes the network fault tolerant and secure, and also provides better reliability and availability of resources. While researchers have focused on network management, fault detection and recovery, a classification of faults unique to wireless networks is needed. In this paper, we attempt to present a specific taxonomy of faults in wireless networks. Although some faults are similar to those encountered in wired networks, others are characteristic of wireless environments due to the nature of the medium and the mobility of the nodes.
In-situ neutron diffraction study of the xLi2MnO3·(1 − x)LiMO2 (x = 0, 0.5; M = Ni, Mn, Co) layered oxide compounds during electrochemical cycling

The layered oxide compounds xLi2MnO3$(1 � x)LiMO2 (M ¼ Ni, Mn, Co) are of great interest as positive electrode materials for high energy density lithium-ion batteries. In-situ neutron diffraction was carried out to compare the structural changes between the classical layered compound Li[Ni1/3Mn1/3Co1/3]O2 (x ¼ 0) and lithium-excess layered compound Li[Li0.2Ni0.18Mn0.53Co0.1]O2 (x ¼ 0.5) during electrochemical cycling. In this work, lab made pouch cells were built for the in-situ study and graphite was used as the anode material. Irreversible structural change of Li[Li0.2Ni0.18Mn0.53Co0.1]O2 during first charge (4.7 V)/ discharge cycle (2.0 V) was indicated by dynamic changes in lattice d-spacing, while the Li[Ni1/3Mn1/ 3Co1/3]O2 showed completely reversible structural evolution between 4.4 V and 2.5 V. Ex-situ neutron powder diffraction was performed on both pristine and chemically delithiated lithium-excess layered compounds to better understand the irreversible structure change. 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V.
Microbial utilization of thiosulfate in the deep sea1

Natural microbial populations in deep and shallow North Atlantic water and previously isolated heterotrophic thiosulfate-oxidizing bacteria have the potential to metabolize thiosulfate when incubated in situ at elevated hydrostatic pressure and low tcmpernture.
Southeast U.S. burns

Human beings were responsible for most of 12,000 forest fires in the southeastern United States that burned for 10 days in late October and early November 1987. 910 km2, mostly hardwood forest, were destroyed in the fires, with arson and carelessness as the primary causes, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service. Measured in monetary terms, the toll was more than $40 million in resource and property damage. While the amount of forest burned did not rival the 3390 km2 lost to fires in the western United States last summer, the human impact was severe in the southeast and all along the East Coast. Favorable winds blew smoke from the southern and central Appalachians as far north as New England and as far east as Delaware, and cool fall air close to the ground prevented the smoke from rising, thickening the air in many northeastern cities on November 8 and 9.
Socioeconomic disadvantage and developmental delay among US children aged 18 months to 5 years

Background Few studies have examined the relationship between sociodemographic factors and a population-based measure of developmental delay in US children. We identify sociodemographic factors associated with unlikely, probable and possible developmental delay in preschool US children using nationally representative data. Methods All children aged 18 months to 5 years in the 2007 National Survey of Children9s Health were categorised into three groups based on the likelihood of developmental delay (unlikely delay, possible delay and probable delay) using a modified survey version of the Parents’ Evaluation of Developmental Status questionnaire. Bivariate and multivariate multinomial logistic regressions were used to assess relations between sociodemographic variables and risk of developmental delay. Results Children had increased odds of probable delay (compared with unlikely delay) if they were older (adjusted OR (aOR)=1.41/additional year above the youngest age group (18 months–2 years), p 10 h/week of care at another family9s home (aOR=1.71, p Conclusions Multiple factors, including demographic characteristics and indicators of social disadvantage, distinguish children with probable developmental delay from those unlikely to have developmental delay. Fewer factors identify children with possible delay.
Increasing Research Relevance in DSS: Looking Forward by Reflecting on 40 Years of Progress

Decision Support Systems (DSS) is a field that has made rapid progress in establishing itself and maturing into seven key sub-fields. However, there are continued concerns about the relevancy and growing disconnect between academic contributions and professional applications of DSS. This paper serves to review the existing literature, and propose a Research Relevance Framework meant to serve as a guideline to ensure future DSS research has a consistent standard upon which relevance can be assessed.
Glucocorticoid‐induced sympathoinhibition in humans

Objective To test whether glucocorticoids inhibit sympathetic nerve activity or norepinephrine release in humans, as has been suggested by results in laboratory animals. Methods This was a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized crossover study performed at the Clinical Center of the National Institutes of Health. Thirteen normal volunteers received 20 mg prednisone or placebo orally each morning for 1 week, followed by a washout period of 1 week and then by treatment with the other drug for 1 week. On the last day of each treatment week, blood samples were drawn for measurements of plasma levels of catecholamines and their metabolites, of cortisol, and of corticotropin at baseline and during reflexive sympathetic stimulation elicited by lower body negative pressure (−15 mm Hg). A 24-hour urine collection was obtained at the end of each week of treatment for measurement of urinary excretion of catechols. In eight subjects, directly recorded peroneal skeletal muscle sympathetic nerve activity was also measured after both treatments. Results Prednisone significantly decreased sympathetic nerve activity by 23% ± 6%, plasma norepinephrine levels by 27% ± 6%, and plasma corticotropin levels by 77%. Blood pressure, heart rate, body weight, and urinary excretion of catechols and electrolytes were unaffected. Prednisone did not alter proportionate increments in sympathetic nerve activity or plasma norepinephrine levels during lower body negative pressure. Relationships between sympathetic nerve activity and plasma norepinephrine levels were unchanged. Conclusions Glucocorticoids decrease sympathoneural outflows in humans without affecting acute sympathoneural responses to decreased cardiac filling and probably without affecting presynaptic modulation of norepinephrine release. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (1995) 58, 90–98; doi: 10.1016/0009-9236(95)90076-4
A Study on Structure Design of Cable-Driven Picking Manipulator

Fruit picking is a seasonal and labor-intensive work. The industry requires automatic fruit picking due to increasing labor costs and variability in picking skill. High accuracy, simple structure and low cost are expected to make the robot be readily accepted and widely used. Cable-driven transmission is more preferable than traditional system for some of its merits benefiting the production of small and light-weight manipulator. In this paper, the design of a differential cable-driven manipulator is presented. Different way of cable-driven transmission are analyzed and compared. The selection of cable material and the way of cable fixation and preload are studied. The mechanical structure of the manipulator’s arm driven by a differential drive capstan is designed.
Lack of Specificity of Commercial Antibodies Leads to Misidentification of Angiotensin Type-1 Receptor Protein

To the Editor: We agree with the report by Herrera et al1 demonstrating that antiangiotensin II type-1 receptor (AT1R) antibodies that are commonly used exhibit nonspecific binding that may lead to erroneous results. Because only 3 AT1R antibodies were used in the study, we would like to share our findings to support their conclusion. Antihemagglutinin antibody detected a major band (≈40 kDa) in human embryonic kidney cells expressing rat AT1AR fused with hemagglutinin tag at either amino terminus or carboxyl terminus but not in the control cells. The molecular weight is …
Performing operations over mismatched domains

A solution is proposed to the problem of providing support for operations over partially matched domains. Mismatched domains occur when information must be obtained from databases that were developed independently. Domain differences are resolved by mapping conflicting attributes to a common domain and the applying a set of extended relational operations to the resulting values. The values that result from attribute mappings can be total or partial. Some of the theoretical issues involved in this approach are discussed, and a set of extended relational operators that formalize operations across partial values is defined. >
Development of an Animal Model for Testing Human Breast Implantation Materials

Although breast implant materials have been tested in laboratory species since the early 1950s, a standardized evaluation system does not currently exist in which human-made polymers are exposed directly to the mammary milieu of female animals. The present study evaluated such a model as the basis for future experiments on long-term tissue effects. Polyesterurethane disks, 6 mm in diameter x 3 mm thick, were inserted bilaterally beneath the axillobrachial and inguinal mammary/fat pads of 50 9-wk-old female B6D2F, mice (4 implants each). Implant sites were examined histologically at time points 24 hr to 47 wk after surgery. An acute inflammatory reaction at the implant edges began within 24 hr, and macrophages were found lining the smooth polyurethane fiber surfaces at the periphery by day 2. Multinucleated foreign body giant cells formed by day 4, and by week 4 giant cells contained polyurethane fragments within the cytoplasm, implying degradation of the material. Implant sites showed declining subacute inflammatory responses and increasing fibrosis by week 5. By 13 wk, the polyurethane disks appeared to be integrated into the growing adipose and mammary tissues. Although not apparent on gross inspection, microscopic examination showed that polyurethane fibers moved progressively into adjacent tissues and were always associated with chronic granulomatous inflammation. Histologic findings in the present study are strikingly similar to the human response to polyurethane-coated breast implants. These results suggest the applicability of this model to appropriately test mammaplasty materials in mammary tissues.
Descriptive epidemiology of postnatal bovine viral diarrhea virus infection in intensively managed dairy heifers

Objective—To evaluate risk of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) infection between birth and 9 months of age for dairy replacement heifers raised under typical dry-lot management conditions. Design—Longitudinal observational study. Animals—446 calves. Procedure—Calves were randomly selected from 2 dairies that used killed and modified-live BVDV vaccines. Repeated serologic and BVDV polymerase chain reaction assays were used to estimate risk of BVDV infection in calves of various ages (1 to 60 days; 61 to 100 days; 101 days to 9 months) and to estimate overall infection rate by 9 months of age. Results—Risk of BVDV infection increased with age (maximum risk, 150 to 260 days). Proportion of calves infected with BVDV by 9 months of age was higher for dairy A (0.665), compared with dairy B (0.357). Percentage infected with BVDV type I did not differ between dairy A (18.2%) and dairy B (15.2%), whereas percentage infected with BVDV type II for dairy A (50%) was twice that for dairy B (21%). Between 210 and 220 days of age, infection with BVDV regardless of type was > 1.3%/d on dairy A and 0.5%/d on dairy B. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Under drylot conditions, a considerable amount of BVDV infection may occur before 9 months of age. Risk of infection increases with age. Although dairies may appear to have similar management practices, there can be considerably different risks of BVDV infection among dairies. (J Am Vet Med Assoc 2001;219:1426–1431)
Vitamin D, Proteinuria, Diabetic Nephropathy, and Progression of CKD

Although the endocrine effects of vitamin D are widely recognized, somewhat less appreciated is that vitamin D may serve paracrine functions through local activation by 1-alpha-hydroxylase and thus maintain immunity, vascular function, cardiomyocyte health, and abrogate inflammation and insulin resistance. In the kidney, vitamin D may be important for maintaining podocyte health, preventing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transformation, and suppressing renin gene expression and inflammation. Replacement with pharmacologic dosages of vitamin D receptor agonists (VDRA) in animal models of kidney disease consistently show reduction in albuminuria, abrogation of glomerulosclerosis, glomerulomegaly, and glomerular inflammation, effects that may be independent of BP and parathyroid hormone, but the effects of VDRA in preventing tubulointerstitial fibrosis and preventing the progression of kidney failure in these animal models are less clear. Emerging evidence in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) show that vitamin D can reduce proteinuria or albuminuria even in the presence of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition. In addition to reducing proteinuria, VDRA may reduce insulin resistance, BP, and inflammation and preserve podocyte loss providing biologic plausibility to the notion that the use of VDRA may be associated with salubrious outcomes in patients with diabetic nephropathy. Patients with CKD have a very high prevalence of deficiency of 25-hydroxyvitamin D. Whether pharmacologic dosages of vitamin D instead of VDRA in patients with CKD can overcome the paracrine and endocrine functions of this vitamin remains unknown. To demonstrate the putative benefits of native vitamin D and VDRA among patients with CKD, randomized, controlled trials are needed.
Labor Market Structures in Japan: An Analysis of Organizational and Occupational Mobility Patterns

In this article, we examine patterns of occupational and organizational mobility among Japanese men. Contrary to conventional wisdom, wefind that Japanese men often change employers as well as occupations during their careers. Using a conceptualization of internal labor markets that distinguishes between firm internal labor markets (FILMs) and occupational internal labor markets (OILMs), we tested various hypotheses about the determinants of four patterns of job shifts formed by cross-classifying firm and occupational mobility. Our results suggest that men in larger organizations (who we assumed are more apt to be in FILMs) are more likely than those in smaller firms to experience within-firm mobility, while men in tiny firms make more across-firm shifts. In addition, men in professional and technical occupations (who we assume are more likely to be in OILMs) experience more within-occupation mobility.
High-Temperature Flow Behavior of Ceramic Suspensions

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of temperature and solids loading on the viscosity of two nonaqueous ceramic suspensions. In this article, the viscosity of Al 2 O 3 suspensions with 5%-50% solids loading and hydroxyapatite suspensions with a solids loading of 5%-40% were measured at temperatures of 25°, 45°, 65°, and 75°C. The high-shear Newtonian viscosity at various temperatures was reduced to a single curve by the reduced viscosity and the temperature-adjusted solids volume fraction of the suspensions. The Krieger-Dougherty model, with the intrinsic viscosity corrected for particle geometry, was fitted to the data and was observed to provide a satisfactory description to the solids-loading-viscosity data for both suspensions.
A self-determination theory approach to psychotherapy: The motivational basis for effective change.

The application of self-determination theory (SDT) to psychotherapy is particularly relevant because a central task of therapy is to support the client to autonomously explore, identify, initiate, and sustain a process of change. In this article, the authors discuss the experimental work, field studies, and clinical trials representing the application of SDT to the domain of psychotherapy. Evidence supports the importance of client autonomy for the attainment and maintenance of treatment outcomes. In addition, intervention studies suggest that therapist autonomy support enhances the likelihood that treatment gains will be achieved and maintained. The authors discuss some of the processes involved in enhancing autonomy, including the role of awareness, the importance of exploring and challenging introjects and external regulations, attention to need-related goal contents, and therapist attitudes required for a therapy approach that is process- rather than outcome-focused.
PTPROt: An Alternatively Spliced and Developmentally Regulated B-Lymphoid Phosphatase That Promotes G0/G1 Arrest

Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTP) regulate the proliferation, differentiation, and viability of lymphocytes by modulating their signaling pathways. By using the differential display assay, we have cloned a putative receptor-type PTP, which is predominantly expressed in B-lymphoid tissues (lymph nodes and spleen). This PTP, termed PTPROt (truncated), is a tissue-specific alternatively-spliced form of a human epithelial PTP, PTPRO (PTPU2/GLEPP1). Whereas the epithelial PTPRO includes an ≈800-amino acid extracellular domain, the major (3 kb) PTPROt cDNA predicts a unique 5′ untranslated region and truncated (8 amino acids) extracellular domain with a conserved transmembrane region and single catalytic domain. PTPROt cDNAs encode functional ∼47-kD and ∼43-kD PTPs, which are most abundant in normal naive quiescent B cells and decreased or absent in germinal center B cells and germinal center-derived diffuse large B-cell lymphomas. Because PTPROt was predominantly expressed in naive quiescent B cells, the enzyme’s effects on cell-cycle progression were examined. When multiple stable PTPROt sense, antisense, and vector only B-cell transfectants were grown in reduced serum and synchronized with nocodazole, PTPROt sense clones exhibited markedly increased G0/G1 arrest. Taken together, these data implicate PTPROt in the growth control of specific B-cell subpopulations.
Early allograft dysfunction after liver transplantation: an intermediate outcome measure for targeted improvements.

Abstract Background. The term early allograft dysfunction (EAD) identifies liver transplant (LT) allografts with initial poor function and portends poor allograft and patient survival. Aims of this study are to use EAD as an intermediate outcome measure in a large single center cohort and identify donor, recipient and peri-operative risk factors. Material and methods. In 1950 consecutive primary LT, donor, recipient and peri-operative data were collected. EAD was defined by the presence of one or more of the following: total bilirubin ≥ 10 mg/dL (171 μmol/L) or, INR ≥ 1.6 on day 7, and ALT/AST > 2,000 IU/L within the first 7 days. Results. The incidence of EAD was 26.5%. 1-, 3-, and 5-year allograft and patient survival for patients who developed EAD were significantly inferior to those who did not (P Conclusions. This is the largest single center experience demonstrating incidence of EAD and identifying factors associated with development of EAD. EAD is a useful intermediate outcome measure for allograft and patient survival. Balancing recipient pretransplant conditions, donor risk factors and intra-operative conditions are necessary for avoiding EAD.
Microstructure and Mechanical Behavior of Magnetron Sputtered Al-Cu Films

We have investigated the microstructure, electrical resistivity and mechanical behavior of DC magnetron sputtered Al-4wt%Cu films. The substrate temperatures were varied systematically from room temperature to 500 °C. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy of the sputtered films show that the top surface of the films sputtered at low temperatures ( 300 °C) produces films that are characterized at the top surface by a distribution of θ′-Al2Cu precipitates with a platelet morphology. The mechanical behavior of the sputtered films were investigated by performing indentation tests using a depth-sensing technique.
All Necessary Means: The Struggle to Protect Communal Property in Belize

The town of San Pedro Columbia (SPC) is one of thirty-eight Maya villages in the south of Belize. The road from the district capital of Punta Gorda becomes a dirt path about five miles from the town. There is no cell phone reception and men with machetes, on their way to the fields, are more likely to be on foot than traveling by car. Small wooden signs near the village point the way to the Maya ruins of Lubantuun, “the place of fallen rocks,” a heritage site that stands as a shining example of the Mayan civilization that flourished in the region from 700 to 900 A.D., a half millennium before European contact.
Eminent Victorians and History

In an essay called “English Prose between 1918 and 1939” (1944), E. M. Forster takes some trouble to describe Lytton Strachey’s method as an historian. He worked from within, says Forster, thus rendering his characters psychologically alive. By managing to get inside his subjects he was able to bring whole societies to life, and in so doing he revolutionized the art of biography. According to Forster, Strachey was implacable in his pursuit of truth.
Dispositional Need to Belong Moderates the Impact of Negative Social Cues and Rejection on Self-Esteem

Abstract. In two studies, we examined how need to belong as a dispositional variable influences the relational interpretation of social cues and the subsequent effect on self-esteem. Across both studies, the results from a negative (vs. positive) social cue condition showed that individuals high in need to belong were more negatively affected by (i.e., lower self-esteem, social involvement, and relational value) than those low in need to belong. Results from Study 2 also showed that these negative effects can be attenuated when participants have the opportunity to engage in self-affirmation. In all, the findings contribute to the literature by demonstrating that need to belong at the trait level not only has cognitive effects, but also has important downstream relational effects that influence how people differentially interpret the cues in their social environment.