cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Wirkung von Halogenid-Zusätzen bei der Präparation von ZnS-Luminophoren

Die konventionelle Praparationsmethode von blau lumineszierenden, sogenann-tem selbstaktivierten ZnS beruht darauf, das reinstes, fremdmetallfreies ZnS stochiometrischer Zusammensetzung mit einigen Prozenten Alkali- oder Erd-alkalihalogenid (z.B. ca. 3 Gew% NaCl = 5–10-2 Mol NaCl pro Mol ZnS) in bedeckten Quarztiegeln bei 900–1100 °C gegluht wird. Dabei dieser Gluhsinterung die Einwirkung der Ofenatmosphare keine Berucksichtigung findet, wurden von uns samtliche Gluhungen in abgeschmolzenen Quarzrohren1) durchgefuhrt, und zwar unter Abschmelzen im Vakuum oder mit Reinstickstoff- oder Luftfullung. Als Schmelzmittel wurden NaCl, BaCl2 und ZnCl2 gleicher molarer Konzentration in Anwendung gebracht. Gluhtemperatur war in allen Fallen 1100 °C.
Blogfolios for Student-Centered Reflection and Communication

This paper presents: (1) the main issues and trends of portfolio development; (2) conceptual frameworks of using the weblog-based portfolio (blogfolio) as a means for enhancing performance-based teaching and learning; and (3) a case study which integrates the blogfolio into an online course for the purposes of building a sense of community and promoting student-centered collaboration, assessment, and reflection.
Camp Pain: Talking with Chronic Pain Patients

Camp Pain: Talking with Chronic Pain Patients. Jean E. Jackson. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2000. 281 pp.
In Vivo Polarization of IFN-γ at Kupfer and Non-Kupfer Immunological Synapses during the Clearance of Virally Infected Brain Cells

Kupfer-type immunological synapses are thought to mediate intercellular communication between antiviral T cells and virally infected target Ag-presenting brain cells in vivo during an antiviral brain immune response. This hypothesis predicts that formation of Kupfer-type immunological synapses is necessary for polarized distribution of effector molecules, and their directed secretion toward the target cells. However, no studies have been published testing the hypothesis that cytokines can only form polarized clusters at Kupfer-type immunological synapses. Here, we show that IFN-gamma and granzyme-B cluster in a polarized fashion at contacts between T cells and infected astrocytes in vivo. In some cases these clusters were found in Kupfer-type immunological synapses between T cells and infected astrocytes, but we also detected polarized IFN-gamma at synaptic immunological contacts which did not form Kupfer-type immunological synaptic junctions, i.e., in the absence of polarization of TCR or LFA-1. This indicates that TCR signaling, which leads to the production, polarization, and eventual directed secretion of effector molecules such as IFN-gamma, occurs following the formation of both Kupfer-type and non-Kupfer type immunological synaptic junctions between T cells and virally infected target astrocytes in vivo.
Single-molecule spectroscopic study of dynamic nanoscale DNA bending behavior of HIV-1 nucleocapsid protein.

We have studied the conformational dynamics associated with the nanoscale DNA bending induced by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) nucleocapsid (NC) protein using single-molecule Forster Resonance Energy Transfer (SM-FRET). To gain molecular-level insights into how HIV-1 NC locally distorts the structures of duplexed DNA segments, the dynamics, reversibility, and sequence specificity of NC’s DNA bending behavior have been systematically studied. We have performed SM-FRET measurements on a series of duplexed DNA segments with varying sequences, lengths, and local structures in the presence of the wide-type HIV-1 NC and NC mutants lacking either the basic N-terminal domain or the zinc fingers. Based on the SM-FRET results, we have proposed a possible mechanism for the NC-induced DNA bending in which both NC’s zinc fingers and N-terminal domain are found to play crucial roles. The SM-FRET results reported here add new mechanistic insights to the biological behaviors and functions of HIV-1 NC as a retroviral DNA-architectural protein which may play critical roles in the compaction, nuclear import, and integration of the proviral DNA during the retroviral life-cycle.
Stem cells from trabecular meshwork home to TM tissue in vivo.

PURPOSE. To investigate the potential of human trabecular meshwork stem cells (TMSCs) for homing to mouse TM tissue and survival in vivo. METHODS. Human TMSCs and fibroblasts were labeled with fluorescent membrane dye DiO and injected into normal mouse anterior chamber. Stem cell and TM cell markers were identified by immunofluorescent staining of cryosections or tissue whole mounts. Apoptosis was determined by TUNEL assay. Replicating and inflammatory cells were detected by bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation and anti-CD45 staining, respectively. Quantitative RT-PCR detected gene expression of injected cells after isolation by fluorescence activated cell sorting. Intraocular pressure was measured using a TonoLab rebound tonometer. RESULTS. Expanded cultures of DiO-labeled TMSCs expressed stem cell markers preferentially in DiO positive cells, demonstrating a slow-cycling, label-retaining stem cell phenotype. DiO-labeled TMSCs injected into the anterior chamber of normal mice localized primarily in TM, remaining in the tissue at least 4 months. Within 1 week, TM-associated TMSCs began expressing TM marker protein CHI3L1. Fibroblasts injected in mouse anterior chamber showed distributed localization in corneal endothelium, lens epithelium, and TM and did not express CHI3L1. Little apoptosis was detected in injected TM tissue and intraocular pressure was not elevated during the experiment. Dividing cells or CD45-staining cells were not detected after TMSC-injection. CONCLUSIONS. Stem cells isolated from human TM and expanded in vitro exhibit the ability to home to the TM and differentiate into TM cells in vivo. Such cells present a potential for development of a novel cell-based therapy for glaucoma. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2013;54:1450–1459) DOI:
Interaction Between Notch and Hif-α in Development and Survival of Drosophila Blood Cells

A blood cell type termed crystal cell in Drosophila functions in clotting and wound healing and requires Notch for specification and maintenance. We report that crystal cells express elevated levels of Sima protein orthologous to mammalian hypoxia-inducible factor–α (Hif-α) even under conditions of normal oxygen availability. In these platelet-like crystal cells, Sima activates full-length Notch receptor signaling via a noncanonical, ligand-independent mechanism that promotes hemocyte survival during both normal hematopoietic development and hypoxic stress. This interaction initiates in early endosomes, is independent of Hif-β (Τangο in Drosophila ), and does not activate hypoxia response targets. Studies in vertebrate myeloid cells have shown a similar up-regulation of Hif-α protein in well-oxygenated environments. This study provides a mechanistic paradigm for Hif-α/Notch interaction that may be conserved in mammals.
Thermal dissipation and variability in electrical breakdown of carbon nanotube devices

We study high-field electrical breakdown and heat dissipation from carbon nanotube (CNT) devices on ${\text{SiO}}_{2}$ substrates. The thermal ``footprint'' of a CNT caused by van der Waals interactions with the substrate is revealed through molecular dynamics simulations. Experiments and modeling find the CNT-substrate thermal coupling scales proportionally with CNT diameter and inversely with ${\text{SiO}}_{2}$ surface roughness $(\ensuremath{\sim}d/\ensuremath{\Delta})$. Comparison of diffuse mismatch modeling and data reveals the upper limit of thermal coupling $\ensuremath{\sim}0.4\text{ }\text{W}\text{ }{\text{K}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}\text{ }{\text{m}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ per unit CNT length at room temperature, ($130\text{ }\text{MW}\text{ }{\text{K}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}\text{ }{\text{m}}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$ per unit area), and $\ensuremath{\sim}0.7\text{ }\text{W}\text{ }{\text{K}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}\text{ }{\text{m}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ at $600\text{ }\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}\text{C}$ for the largest diameter ($\ensuremath{\sim}$3.2 nm) CNTs. We also find semiconducting CNTs can break down prematurely and display more variability due to dynamic shifts in threshold voltage, which metallic CNTs are immune to; this poses a fundamental challenge for selective electrical breakdowns in CNT electronics.
Raphe unit activity in freely moving cats: Correlation with level of behavioral arousal

Dorsal raphe unit activity in freely moving cats showed a slow, rhythmic discharge rate during quiet waking (X=2.82 +/- 0.17 spikes/sec), and displayed a strong positive correlation with level of behavioral arousal. Presentation of an auditory stimulus during quiet waking resulted in significant increases in unit activity of 112% and 39% during the first sec and first 10 sec after the stimulus, respectively. This effect rapidly habituated with repeated stimulus presentations. During active waking, unit activity was significantly increased by 22% as compared to quiet waking, but there was no correlation between unit activity and gross body movements. Raphe unit activity showed a significant decrease of 17% during drowsiness (first appearance of EEG synchronization) as compared to quiet waking, and then progressive decreases during the early (--34%), middle (--52%) and late (--68%) phases of slow wave sleep. During all phases of slow wave sleep, the occurrence of sleep spindles was frequently associated with a transitory decrease in unit activity. The discharge rate would typically decrease during the few seconds immediately preceding the spindle, remains at this low level during the occurrence of the spindle, and then increase immediately after the spindle. Raphe unit activity showed decreases of 81% during pre-REM (the 60 sec immediately before REM onset) and 98% during REM, as compared to quiet waking. Unit activity reappeared 3.2 sec before the end of REM, with significant increases in unit activity of 83% and 17% during the first sec and first 10 sec of unit activity, respectively, as compared to quiet waking. The results of these studies are discussed in relation to the hypothesis that serotonin may play a modulatory, rather than mediative, role in behavioral and physiological processes.
Characteristics, Performance, and Quantitative Analytical Capability of an Energy-Dispersive Spectrometer on an Electron Microprobe Using Low Operating Voltages

An investigation was made of the analytical capability of a Si(Li) x-ray detector for energy-dispersive techniques in the 1- to 10-keV photon energy range with multiple single channel analyzers using the electron microprobe beam as the excitation source at operating voltages of 10 to 20 kV. This system can provide rapid, accurate, simultaneous, quantitative elemental microanalysis of major constituents in complex solids for all elements heavier than Si where spectral interferences are absent and reference standards are used. Calculated theoretical detection limits are about 0.2 wt%. A relative precision of about 1 to 5% is routine for a 10- or 20-sec counting period for elements in concentrations above about 5 wt%. Data for K, L, and M x-ray spectra of representative elements ranging in energy from 1.25 to 8.64 keV are presented for operating voltages of 10, 15, and 20 kV and beam currents of 1 to 10 nA.
Lutocline Behavior in High-Concentration Estuary

The behavior of the lutocline as a measure of fine sediment mixing in high-concentration estuaries is briefly examined with reference to the Jiaojiang estuary in China. A lutocline mixing index is introduced and shown to correlate empirically with the rate of turbulent kinetic energy production in such a way that with increasing energy production lutocline mixing increases. Suspended sediment concentration and energy production together govern the turbulent mixing length, hence lutocline mixing, which appears to be measurably modulated by sediment settling, interparticle interaction, and cohesion. Further understanding of lutocline response to tidal forcing will require direct and long-term measurements of turbulent fluxes, especially within the zone of lutocline occurrence and in the high-concentration suspension underneath.
Implementing an Authentic Character Education Curriculum

(2011). Implementing an Authentic Character Education Curriculum. Childhood Education: Vol. 87, No. 4, pp. 227-231.
Applications of Floquet–Magnus expansion, average Hamiltonian theory and Fer expansion to study interactions in solid state NMR when irradiated with the magic-echo sequence

Abstract This work presents the possibility of applying the Floquet–Magnus expansion and the Fer expansion approaches to the most useful interactions known in solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance using the magic-echo scheme. The results of the effective Hamiltonians of these theories and average Hamiltonian theory are presented.
Neural evidence supports a novel framework for spatial navigation

The spatial knowledge used for human navigation has traditionally been separated into three categories: landmark, route, and survey knowledge. While behavioral research has retained this framework, it has become increasingly clear from recent neuroimaging studies that such a classification system is not adequate for understanding the brain. This review proposes a new framework, with a taxonomy based on the cognitive processes and subprocesses involved in spatial navigation. The neural correlates of spatial memory can inform our understanding of the cognitive processes involved in human navigation, and conversely, the specific task demands of an experiment can inform the interpretation of neuroimaging results. This review examines the neural correlates of each cognitive process separately, to provide a closer inspection of each component of spatial navigation. While landmark, route, and survey knowledge are still important components of human navigation, the neural correlates are not neatly ascribed to these three categories. The present findings provide motivation for a more detailed examination of the cognitive processes engaged during wayfinding.
Symmetric positive solutions of nonlinear boundary value problems

Abstract We study the nonlinear boundary value problem u ( 2 m ) = f ( t , u , u ′ , … , u ( 2 m − 2 ) ) , t ∈ ( 0 , 1 ) , u ( 2 i ) ( 0 ) = u ( 2 i ) ( 1 ) = 0 , i = 0 , … , m − 1 . The existence of symmetric positive solutions of the above problem is discussed. Sufficient conditions are obtained for the problem to have one, any finite number, and a countably infinite number of such solutions. Our results extend some recent work in the literature on boundary value problems of ordinary differential equations. We illustrate our results by two examples, none of which can be handled using the existing results.
Localized pleural thickening: smoking and exposure to Libby vermiculite.

There is limited research on the combined effects of smoking and asbestos exposure on risk of localized pleural thickening (LPT). This analysis uses data from the Marysville cohort of workers occupationally exposed to Libby amphibole asbestos (LAA). Workers were interviewed to obtain work and health history, including ever/never smoking and chest X-rays. Cumulative exposure estimates were developed on the basis of fiber measurements from the plant and work history. Benchmark concentration (BMC) methodology was used to evaluate the exposure–response relationship for exposure to LAA and a 10% increased risk of LPT, considering potential confounders and statistical model forms. There were 12 LPT cases among 118 workers in the selected study population. The mean exposure was 0.42 (SD=0.77) fibers/cc-year, and the prevalence of smoking history was 75.0% among cases and 51.9% among non-cases. When controlling for LAA exposure, smoking history was of borderline statistical significance (P-value=0.099), and its inclusion improved model fit, as measured by Akaike's Information Criterion. A comparison of BMC estimates was made to gauge the potential effect of smoking status. The BMC was 0.36 fibers/cc-year, overall. The BMC for non-smokers was approximately three times as high (1.02 fibers/cc-year) as that for the full cohort, whereas the BMC for smokers was about 1/2 that of the full cohort (0.17 fibers/cc-year).
Antipsychotic clozapine inhibits the function of α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptors

Abstract The effects of the antipsychotic clozapine on the function of the cloned α 7 subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine (nACh) receptor expressed in Xenopus oocytes was investigated by using the two-electrode voltage-clamp technique. Clozapine reversibly inhibited nicotine (10 μM)-induced currents in a concentration-dependent manner (300 nM to 90 μM), with an IC 50 value of 3.2 ± 0.4 μM. The effect of clozapine was not dependent on the membrane potential. Clozapine did not affect the activity of endogenous Ca 2+ -dependent Cl − channels since the inhibition by clozapine was unaltered by the intracellularly injected Ca 2+ chelator BAPTA and perfusion with Ca 2+ -free bathing solution containing 2 mM Ba 2+ . Clozapine decreased the maximal nicotine-induced responses without significantly affecting its potency, indicating that it acts as a noncompetitive antagonist on α 7 -nACh receptors. In hippocampal slices, the whole-cell recordings from CA1 pyramidal neurons indicated that the increases in the frequency and amplitudes of the GABA-mediated spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents induced by bath application of 2 mM choline, a specific agonist for α 7 -nACh receptors, were abolished after 10 min application of 5 μM clozapine. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that clozapine inhibits the function of α 7 -nACh receptors expressed in Xenopus oocytes and in hippocampal neurons.
A radio production course

An effective radio production course in the communications curriculum must be an intelligent mixture of theory and practice. While emphasizing the acquisition of specific technical competencies, the instructor must provide a framework of assignments designed to increase the students’ creative and critical abilities relative to the medium of radio. The article suggests such assignments and explores the general objectives and structure of a radio production course at the university level.
Innate immune function of the human decidual cell at the maternal-fetal interface.

Abstract The aim of the study was to investigate the innate immune function of decidual cells from term unlabored pregnancies by determining Toll-like receptor presence and function. Using immunohistochemistry, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and NF-κB-luciferase plasmid transfection, Toll-like receptor presence and function was determined. Decidual cells express Toll-like receptors 1, 2, 4 and 6 which respond to lipopolysaccharide and peptidoglycan stimulation producing Interleukin-8. Decidual cells from women at term have innate immune function and are capable of producing Interleukin responses to bacterial ligands.
Popcorn-polymer formation during hydrogel synthesis

Abstract Popcorn polymers were found within the matrices of two different hydrogels: (I) a hydrogel formed in water by copolymerizing acrylamide with the cationic monomer [(methacrylamido)propyl]trimethyl-ammonium chloride (MAPTAC) and the divinyl monomer N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide (BIS); and (II) a hydrogel formed in a 60 40 (v/v) mixture of ethylene glycol/water by copolymerizing 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) with the basic monomer 2-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMA) and the divinyl monomer ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA). For I, popcorn-polymer formation within the gel matrix could be suppressed during synthesis by raising the initiator concentration, adding a chain-transfer agent, or by changing the mode whereby radicals are generated in the reaction mixture. For II, popcorn-polymer formation could be suppressed by raising the initiator concentration, or by switching to an alternative diluent-initiator system. A proposed mechanism for popcorn-polymer formation in hydrogels is consistent with experimental observations. The results obtained here may be useful to others who want to avoid popcorn-polymer formation.
Surgical decompression for notalgia paresthetica: a case report.

Notalgia paresthetica is a rare nerve compression. From the Greek word noton, meaning “back,” and algia, meaning “pain,” “notalgia paresthetica” implies that symptoms of burning pain, itching, and/or numbness in the localized region between the spinous processes of T2 through T6 and the medial border of the scapula constitute a nerve compression syndrome. The compressed nerve is the dorsal branch of the spinal nerve. It is compressed by the paraspinous muscles and fascia against the transverse process of these spinal segments. This is the first report of symptomatic relief by decompression of this nerve. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Microsurgery, 2010.
Comparison of transform coding techniques for two-dimensional arbitrarily shaped images

Envisioned advanced multimedia video services include arbitrarily shaped (AS) image segments as well as regular rectangular images. Image segments of the TV weather report produced by the chromo-key technique [1] and image segments produced by video analysis and image segmentation [2–4] are typical examples of AS image segments. This paper explores efficient intraframe transform coding techniques for general two-dimensional (2D) AS image segments, treating the traditional rectangular images as a special case. In particular, we focus on the transform coding of the partially defined image blocks along the boundary of the AS image segments. We recognize two different approaches — thebrute force transform coding approach and theshape-adaptive transform coding approach. The former fills the uncovered area with the optimal redundant data such that the resulting transform spectrum is compact. A simple but efficient mirror image extension technique is proposed. Once augmented into full image blocks, these boundary blocks can be processed by traditional block-based transform techniques like the popular discrete cosine transform (DCT). In the second approach, we change either the transform basis or the coefficient calculation process adaptively based on the shape of the AS image segment. We propose an efficientshape-projected problem formulation to reduce the dimension of the problem. Existing coding algorithms, such as the orthogonal transform by Gilge [5] and the iterative coding by Kaup and Aach [6], can be interpreted intuitively. We also propose a new adaptive transform based on the same principle as that used in deriving the DCT from the optimal Karhunen-Loeve transform (KLT). We analyze the tradeoff relationship between compression performance, computational complexity, and codec complexity for different coding schemes. Simulation results show that complicated algorithms (e.g., iterative, adaptive) can improve the quality by 5–10 dB at some computational or hardware cost. Alternatively, the simple mirror image extension technique improves the quality by 3–4 dB without any overheads. The contributions of this paper lie in efficient problem formulations, new transform coding techniques, and numerical tradeoff analyses.
Involving purchasing in product development

Abstract This article underscores the pivotal role purchasing personnel can play in the industrial new product development process. Purchasing professionals can and must become more actively involved in the total program of generating new ideas and assisting in the implementation of successful development efforts. Industrial marketers should systematically and creatively include purchasing in all product development pursuits.
A hybrid electron and photon IMRT planning technique that lowers normal tissue integral patient dose using standard hardware.

Purpose: To present a mixed electron and photon IMRT planning technique using electron beams with an energy range of 6-22 MeV and standard hardware that minimizes integral dose to patients for targets as deep as 7.5 cm. Methods: Ten brain cases, two lung, a thyroid, an abdominal, and a parotid case were planned using two planning techniques: a photon-only IMRT (IMRT) versus a mixed modality treatment (E + IMRT) that includes an enface electron beam and a photon IMRT portion that ensures a uniform target coverage. The electron beam is delivered using a regular cutout placed in an electron cone. The electron energy was chosen to provide a good trade-off between minimizing integral dose and generating a uniform, deliverable plan. The authors choose electron energies that cover the deepest part of PTV with the 65%-70% isodose line. The normal tissue integral dose, the dose for ring structures around the PTV, and the volumes of the 75%, 50%, and 25% isosurfaces were used to compare the dose distributions generated by the two planning techniques. Results: The normal tissue integral dose was lowered by about 20% by the E + IMRT plans compared to the photon-only IMRT ones for most studied cases.more » With the exception of lungs, the dose reduction associated to the E + IMRT plans was more pronounced further away from the target. The average dose ratio delivered to the 0-2 cm and the 2-4 cm ring structures for brain patients for the two planning techniques were 89.6% and 70.8%, respectively. The enhanced dose sparing away from the target for the brain patients can also be observed in the ratio of the 75%, 50%, and 25% isodose line volumes for the two techniques, which decreases from 85.5% to 72.6% and further to 65.1%, respectively. For lungs, the lateral electron beams used in the E + IMRT plans were perpendicular to the mostly anterior/posterior photon beams, generating much more conformal plans. Conclusions: The authors proved that even using the existing electron delivery hardware, a mixed electron/photon planning technique (E + IMRT) can decrease the normal tissue integral dose compared to a photon-only IMRT plan. Different planning approaches can be enabled by the use of an electron beam directed toward organs at risk distal to the target, which are still spared due the rapid dose fall-off of the electron beam. Examples of such cases are the lateral electron beams in the thoracic region that do not irradiate the heart and contralateral lung, electron beams pointed toward kidneys in the abdominal region, or beams treating brain lesions pointed toward the brainstem or optical apparatus. For brain, electron vertex beams can also be used without irradiating the whole body. Since radiation retreatments become more and more common, minimizing the normal tissue integral dose and the dose delivered to tissues surrounding the target, as enabled by E + IMRT type techniques, should receive more attention.« less
Ten-year Follow-Up Study of PTSD Diagnosis, Symptom Severity and Psychosocial Indices in Aging Holocaust Survivors

Objective: We performed a longitudinal study of holocaust survivors with and without post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by assessing symptoms and other measures at two intervals, approximately 10 years apart. Method: The original cohort consisted of 63 community-dwelling subjects, of whom 40 were available for follow-up. Results: There was a general diminution in PTSD symptom severity over time. However, in 10% of the subjects (n = 4), new instances of delayed onset PTSD developed between time 1 and time 2. Self-report ratings at both assessments revealed a worsening of trauma-related symptoms over time in persons without PTSD at time 1, but an improvement in those with PTSD at time 1. Conclusion: The findings suggest that a nuanced characterization of PTSD trajectory over time is more reflective of PTSD symptomatology than simple diagnostic status at one time. The possibility of delayed onset trajectory complicates any simplistic overall trajectory summarizing the longitudinal course of PTSD.
Design of a 720 MeV proton FFAG accelerator

Abstract An FFAG accelerator has advantages for use as a “meson factory”, for the production of intense pion beams. The greatest advantage is the flexibility in duty factor arising from beam stacking. Beams can be brought onto targets with duty factors varying from 10 −6 to unity, for use with different detectors. A conceptual design of an FFAG accelerator has been carried out. It is estimated that this design will accelerate more than 10 15 protons per second to an energy of 720 MeV.
Methodology integration: evolution of information engineering

Abstract The paper addresses the need to apply computer-aided software engineering (CASE) technology to problem domains that are outside that of information-system development, and, in particular, to those domains for which systems would be constructed using different mixes of technology, such as information systems, knowledge-based systems, control systems, and real-time systems. Exploitation of these technologies has been shown to be critical to the development of enterprise-wide systems, which represent an increasingly important strategy beyond systems that support only the operational management of the enterprise. In turn, this requires new techniques to be added in a cohesive and integrated way to the current techniques of information engineering, such as object-oriented techniques and event-driven techniques.
Influence of Downstream DNA/RNA Structure on Intersubunit Rotation of the Ribosome

The ribosome, composed of two subunits (30S and 50S), is a molecular machine that translates the genetic code inscribed in the mRNA into a protein sequence through repetitive cycles of aminoacyl-tRNA selection, peptide bond formation and translocation. However, the presence of mRNA secondary or tertiary structures change the rhythm of translation and in many instances may influence reading frame maintenance. We have shown with smFRET and SAXS that mRNA structures when present outside the entry tunnel of the ribosome induce a hyper-rotated state of the 30S subunit and render the L1 stalk primarily in an open configuration. In this study, we seek to investigate the distance dependence between downstream DNA oligos and the mRNA entry tunnel of the ribosome to determine how close structures need to be before they are sensed by the ribosome. A series of DNA-RNA hybrids were created to assemble with fluorescently labeled ribosomes and intersubunit rotation was followed by single molecule FRET.
Exercise-induced QRS prolongation in patients with coronary artery disease: a marker of myocardial ischemia.

Abstract The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of myocardial ischemia on the QRS duration in patients with coronary artery disease since acute myocardial ischemia decreases conduction velocity through the ischemic myocardium and may produce QRS prolongation on the surface electrocardiogram. One hundred fifty patients who underwent cardiac catheterization and exercise radionuclide ventriculography within 1 month of each other were studied. Forty patients had normal coronary arteries and 110 had coronary artery disease. QRS duration decreased with exercise in patients with normal coronary arteries (−3.0 msec, confidence limits −6.2 to 0.2), but increased in patients with coronary artery disease; exercise-induced QRS prolongation was directly related to the number of diseased vessels (4.8 msec in patients with one, 7.8 msec in patients with two, and 13.3 msec in patients with three-vessel disease, p p p
Eag Domains Regulate LQT Mutant hERG Channels in Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes.

Human Ether a go-go Related Gene potassium channels form the rapid component of the delayed-rectifier (IKr) current in the heart. The N-terminal ‘eag’ domain, which is composed of a Per-Arnt-Sim (PAS) domain and a short PAS-cap region, is a critical regulator of hERG channel function. In previous studies, we showed that isolated eag (i-eag) domains rescued the dysfunction of long QT type-2 associated mutant hERG R56Q channels, by substituting for defective eag domains, when the channels were expressed in Xenopus oocytes or HEK 293 cells.Here, our goal was to determine whether the rescue of hERG R56Q channels by i-eag domains could be translated into the environment of cardiac myocytes. We expressed hERG R56Q channels in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) and measured electrical properties of the cells with whole-cell patch-clamp recordings. We found that, like in non-myocyte cells, hERG R56Q had defective, fast closing (deactivation) kinetics when expressed in hiPSC-CMs. We report here that i-eag domains slowed the deactivation kinetics of hERG R56Q channels in hiPSC-CMs. hERG R56Q channels prolonged the AP of hiPSCs, and the AP was shortened by co-expression of i-eag domains and hERG R56Q channels. We measured robust Forster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) between i-eag domains tagged with Cyan fluorescent protein (CFP) and hERG R56Q channels tagged with Citrine fluorescent proteins (Citrine), indicating their close proximity at the cell membrane in live iPSC-CMs. Together, functional regulation and FRET spectroscopy measurements indicated that i-eag domains interacted directly with hERG R56Q channels in hiPSC-CMs. These results mean that the regulatory role of i-eag domains is conserved in the cellular environment of human cardiomyocytes, indicating that i-eag domains may be useful as a biological therapeutic.
A new N-imidazolyl-1,8-naphthalimide based fluorescence sensor for fluoride detection

A chemosensor is reported with high sensitivity and selectivity for detection of fluoride anion. The recognition mechanism is attributed to a fluoride-triggered disruption of the hydrogen bond between imidazole and naphthalimide moieties, resulting in a noncoplanar geometry with low fluorescence.
MicroRNA Processing Pathway Regulates Olfactory Neuron Morphogenesis

Summary The microRNA (miRNA) processing pathway produces miRNAs as posttranscriptional regulators of gene expression. The nuclear RNase III Drosha catalyzes the first processing step together with the dsRNA binding protein DGCR8/Pasha generating pre-miRNAs [1, 2]. The next cleavage employs the cytoplasmic RNase III Dicer producing miRNA duplexes [3, 4]. Finally, Argonautes are recruited with miRNAs into an RNA-induced silencing complex for mRNA recognition (Figure 1A). Here, we identify two members of the miRNA pathway, Pasha and Dicer-1, in a forward genetic screen for mutations that disrupt wiring specificity of Drosophila olfactory projection neurons (PNs). The olfactory system is built as discrete map of highly stereotyped neuronal connections [5, 6]. Each PN targets dendrites to a specific glomerulus in the antennal lobe and projects axons stereotypically into higher brain centers [7–9]. In selected PN classes, pasha and Dicer-1 mutants cause specific PN dendrite mistargeting in the antennal lobe and altered axonal terminations in higher brain centers. Furthermore, Pasha and Dicer-1 act cell autonomously in postmitotic neurons to regulate dendrite and axon targeting during development. However, Argonaute-1 and Argonaute-2 are dispensable for PN morphogenesis. Our findings suggest a role for the miRNA processing pathway in establishing wiring specificity in the nervous system.
Gravity and effective temperature distribution on the surface of contact binary systems

The aim of this work is to study the gravity and the effective temperature distribution on the outer equipotential surface of a contact binary. In particular, the lines of constant g, (the iso-g curves), are computed and plotted on the outer surface Cs of contact configurations. Since the gravity distribution would also specify the effective temperature distribution on the binary's common photosphere through the gravity darkening effect, these lines correspond to isothermals too. Applications have been made to two contact binaries; namely, to AW UMa and OO Aql, two systems with very different mass ratios. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
BAC libraries of Triticum urartu, Aegilops speltoides and Ae. tauschii, the diploid ancestors of polyploid wheat

Triticum urartu, Aegilops speltoides and Ae. tauschii are respectively the immediate diploid sources, or their closest relatives, of the A, B and D genomes of polyploid wheats. Here we report the construction and characterization of arrayed large-insert libraries in a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) vector, one for each of these diploid species. The libraries are equivalent to 3.7, 5.4 and 4.1 of the T. urartu, Ae. speltoides, Ae. tauschii genomes, respectively. The predicted levels of genome coverage were confirmed by library hybridization with single-copy genes. The libraries were used to estimate the proportion of known repeated nucleotide sequences and gene content in each genome by BAC-end sequencing. Repeated sequence families previously detected in Triticeae accounted for 57, 61 and 57% of the T. urartu, Ae. speltoides and Ae. tauschii genomes, and coding regions accounted for 5.8, 4.5 and 4.8%, respectively.
The Optical Counterpart of the X-Ray Source H0253+193: A Distant, High-Luminosity RS Canum Venaticorum System

Optical and near-infrared photometry in the VRIJHK and CO (2.35 microns) bands and optical spectroscopy and polarimetry reveal that the optical counterpart of the X-ray source H0253+193 is most likely a RS CVn binary system. The results show a visual extinction of 11.3 mag to the star, with an IR excess possibly due a cooler binary companion or circumstellar material. It is suggested that the I-band polarization of 8.1 + or - 1.8 may be induced in the starlight by passage through the molecular cloud. The lack of strong H-alpha emission in the optical spectrum argues against the possibility of a classical T Tauri star, and the IR excess argues against a naked T Tauri star. The wide energy spectrum found in the dereddened optical and near-infrared photometry supports the binary star model.
Cuticular control of diffusional water permeability

The diffusional water permeability (Pd) in various gut structures of the fleshfly, Sarcophaga bullata, was measured using tritiated water. Water Pd in the larval hindgut was 3.91 × 10−6 cm/sec, whereas in the adult hindgut it was 4.4 × 10−4 cm/sec. The presence of cuticle in various parts of the gut apparently controls the water permeabilities of these structures. Furthermore, the water permeability of the cuticle may be correlated with the mechanism for the production of a hyperosmotic excretion in the hindgut.
Skeleton metric: a tool for quantitative shape comparison

In many document processing applications it is necessary to efficiently measure how accurately one shape matches another. Often, it is also necessary that the measurement technique be invariant to rotation and scaling. In this paper, a natural metric for the skeleton is proposed and applied to quantitative shape comparison. This new skeleton metric can be computed particularly efficiently when the skeleton is described with polygonal arcs -- as with the continuous skeleton representation. It is also straightforward and efficient to normalize the orientation and scale of the objects being compared when using this representation. However, the most significant property of the skeleton metric is that it is an upper-bound for the Hausdorff distance between the two shapes. Thus the skeleton metric can be used to ensure a bound on the maximum deviation of the shape boundaries from one another. Using this metric, it becomes possible to introduce simplifying approximations in the skeleton while controlling the error of the corresponding regenerated shape. Thus, the skeleton metric provides a bridge between the qualitative, shape-characterizing aspect of the skeleton and the quantitative, comparative aspect of the Hausdorff metric.
Photochemical Study of the Transport Properties of Gases in Polymer Films

We describe a general method of finding the transport properties of molecules in polymer films by photolysis. Poly(methyl methacrylate) samples held at different temperatures are exposed to UV radiation at discrete wavelengths, and the time evolution of the volatile photoproducts are detected with a quadrupole mass spectrometer. A diffusion model is used to fit the experimental data and deduce diffusion coefficients for the main photoproduct methyl formate. The average value at room temperature was equal to 1.9 x 10 (-11) cm (2) s (-1) at all wavelengths investigated. Together with the values derived at other temperatures, an Arrhenius plot was obtained and the activation energy for methyl formate diffusion within the polymeric thin film calculated from the slope of the graph. We envision that this new method will find application to a variety of problems involving the mass transport of molecules through boundary layers of single or multilayer thin film structures.
Phenolic extraction of DNA from mammalian tissues and conversion to deoxyribonucleoside-5'-monophosphates devoid of ribonucleotides.

Abstract Towards a goal of detecting scaled-up DNA adducts as altered deoxynucleotides by mass spectrometry, we have set up a practical and general method for isolating DNA-derived deoxyribonucleoside-5′-monophosphates devoid of ribonucleotides starting with a 1 g sample of mammalian tissue. The method is practical because costs have been minimized, and it is general because it can be applied to a more difficult sample such as mouse skin or non-fresh calf liver. The procedure, consisting of a series of steps that were largely gleaned and tuned from prior literature, proceeds as follows: (1) homogenize the tissue in sodium dodecyl sulfate; (2) digest with ribonuclease A, ribonuclease T1, α-amylase and proteinase K; (3) partition between water and phenol; (4) precipitate the DNA with ethanol followed by redissolving and dialysis; and (5) digest with nuclease P1 and phosphodiesterase I followed by ultrafiltration and boric acid gel chromatography. The yellow to brown color of DNA from difficult tissues only persisted up to the ultrafiltration step. Apparently this DNA was contaminated with iron-containing proteins. Residual ribonucleotides were not observable (
Status of gravitational wave detectors

The quest for gravitational waves is about to enter an exciting stage, as a new generation of very sensitive detectors are in the process of coming on line around the globe. The interferometric detectors in Europe, the US, and Japan join a network of resonant detectors in offering unprecedented capabilities for observing the gravitational wave sky. Beyond this generation of detectors, plans have been developed for advanced versions that can see signals an order of magnitude lower in amplitude. Interferometers in space are also envisioned. With all of this new observational capability, it is clear that the field of gravitational wave astronomy will soon be launched.
On Chiang's explicit solutions for the Kolmogorov differential equations

Abstract Chiang (1980) gives two explicit solutions for the Kolmogorov differential equations in the finite Markov process for the cases when the intensity matrix V has distinct eigenvalues and when V has multiple eigenvalues. In this paper, we make some generalizations in giving the two solutions in the two cases and then establish the equivalence between the two solutions for both cases.
Multichannel source separation and tracking with RANSAC and directional statistics

We describe multichannel blind source separation and tracking algorithms based on clustering wrapped interchannel phase difference (IPD) features. We pose the clustering problem as one of multimodal circular-linear regression and present its probabilistic formulation. Phase wrapping due to spatial aliasing is explicitly incorporated by modeling the IPD features as circular variables. We present two methods based on Expectation-Maximization (EM) and a sequential variant of RANdom SAmple Consensus (RANSAC). We show that their strengths can be combined by using RANSAC to initialize EM. The IPD clustering algorithm is applied to separate stationary speakers from a multi-channel mixture. We then extend it to the case of moving speakers by tracking their directions-of-arrival with the Factorial Wrapped Kalman Filter (FWKF) using RANSAC as a data preprocessor. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed methods perform well in the presence of reverberant babble noise and spatial aliasing. The FWKF successfully tracks and separates moving speakers with separation quality comparable to that for stationary speakers.
The Technology Principal: To Be or Not to Be?.

This case provides principal licensure candidates a strategic perspective on leading and managing educational technology initiatives. It presents issues related to vision setting, planning, impleme...
Nanotechnology and the US national innovation system: continuity and change

A substantial literature on nanotechnology innovation and commercial development has characterized several elements of these phenomena as constituting new developments in the US national innovation system. Among these elements are the (asserted) “post-academic” nature of US universities’ involvement with nanotechnology R&D, and federal funding of nanotechnology R&D on goals related to economic competitiveness. This paper challenges the “novelty” of these elements, while suggesting that other elements of nanotechnology R&D, including the extensive patenting of the results of nanotechnology-related research and the emphasis within many university-industry collaborations on patent-based channels for “technology transfer,” may indeed be new and raise questions for the long-term efficiency and innovative performance of nanotechnology-related R&D.
Evidence for a procedural-learning-based system in perceptual category learning.

The consistency of the mapping from category to response location was investigated to test the hypothesis that abstract category labels are learned by the hypothesis testing system to solve rule-based tasks, whereas response position is learned by the procedural-learning system to solve informationintegration tasks. Accuracy rates were examined to isolate global performance deficits, and modelbased analyses were performed to identify the types of response strategies used by observers. A-B training (consistent mapping) led to more accurate responding relative to yes-no training (variable mapping) in the information-integration category learning task. Model-based analyses indicated that the yes-no accuracy decline was due to an increase in the use of rule-based strategies to solve the information-integration task. Yes-no training had no effect on the accuracy of responding or distribution of best-fitting models relative to A-B training in the rule-based category learning tasks. These results both provide support for a multiple-systems approach to category learning in which one system is procedural-learning-based and argue against the validity of single-system approaches.