cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Similarities and contrasts in the structure and function of the calcium transporter ATP2A1 and the copper transporter ATP7B

Ca2+ and Cu2+ ATPases are enzyme proteins that utilize ATP for active transport of Ca2+ or Cu2+ across intracellular or cellular membranes.1-4 These enzymes are referred to as P-type ATPases since they utilize ATP through formation of a phosphorylated intermediate (E-P) whose phosphorylation potential affects orientation and affinity of bound cations by means of extended conformational changes. Thereby specific cations are transported across membranes, forming transmembrane gradients in the case of Ca2+, or accepting Cu2+ from delivering proteins on one side of the membrane and releasing it to carrier proteins on the other side. Binding of Ca2+ or Cu2+ is required for enzyme activation and utilization of ATP by transfer of ATP terminal phosphate to a conserved aspartate residue. The ATPase protein is composed of a transmembrane region composed of helical segments and including the cation binding site (TMBS), and a cytosolic headpiece with three domains (A, N and P) containing the catalytic and phosphorylation site. The number of helical segments and the cytosolic headpieces present significant differences in the two enzymes. In addition, details of transmembrane cation extrusion are different. The Ca2+ and Cu2+ ATPase sustain vital physiological functions, such as muscle contraction and relaxation, activation of several cellular enzymes, and elimination of excess cation concentrations. A historic review of studies on chemical and physiological mechanisms of the Ca2+ and Cu2+ ATPase is presented.
An experimental group for researching and developing software

This paper proposes the creation of a Software Engineering Group tasked with the leadership and supervision of important duties that have a propensity to be unnoticed or else inadequately communicated to students. It discusses the current issues facing faculty and students involved in software engineering projects and outlines plans for establishing the group, defines its responsibilities, and proposes ways to assess its effectiveness. It is thought that this group will provide vast knowledge and expertise in designing and developing code for small, medium, large, and complex software systems, and enhance technological, scientific, and managerial facets of the software engineering process.
SN Ia Explosions from Hybrid Carbon–Oxygen–Neon White Dwarf Progenitors that Have Mixed during Cooling

Author(s): Augustine, CN; Willcox, DE; Brooks, J; Townsley, DM; Calder, AC | Abstract: The creation of "hybrid" white dwarfs, made of a C-O core within an O-Ne shell has been proposed, and studies indicate that ignition in the C-rich central region makes these viable progenitors for thermonuclear (type Ia) supernovae. Recent work found that the C-O core is mixed with the surrounding O-Ne as the white dwarf cools prior to accretion, which results in lower central C fractions in the massive progenitor than previously assumed. To further investigate the efficacy of hybrid white dwarfs as progenitors of thermonuclear supernovae, we performed simulations of thermonuclear supernovae from a new series of hybrid progenitors that include the effects of mixing during cooling. The progenitor white dwarf model was constructed with the one-dimensional stellar evolution code Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA) and represented a star evolved through the phase of unstable interior mixing followed by accretion until it reached conditions for the ignition of carbon burning. This MESA model was then mapped to a two-dimensional initial condition for explosions simulated with FLASH. For comparison, similar simulations were performed for a traditional C-O progenitor white dwarf. By comparing the yields of the explosions, we find that, as with earlier studies, the lower C abundance in the hybrid progenitor compared to the traditional C-O progenitor leads to a lower average yield of 56Ni. Although the unmixed hybrid white dwarf showed a similar decrement also in total iron-group yield, the mixed case does not and produces a smaller fraction of iron-group elements in the form of 56Ni. We attribute this to the higher central density required for ignition and the location, center or off-center, of deflagration ignition.
Hard Constrained LPV Virtual Control with Application to Flutter Suppression of a Smart Airfoil

Hard constrained control problems are popular in practical applications due to physical and power limitations. For instance, the displacement of a linear actuator is finite. A lot of studies have been conducted in this area to deal with certain hard constrained control problems and some are computationally expensive. This paper introduces a novel LPV (linear parameter-varying) virtual control scheme to deal with a class of hard constrained control problems with an application to flutter suppression of a smart airfoil, leading to a state-feedback LPV gain scheduling controller with the guaranteed $${{\cal H}_\infty}$$ performance. The basic idea of LPV virtual control is to add virtual components (such as variable stiffness springs and dampers) near to the hard constraints to prevent actuators from reaching their limits. The LPV virtual controller will be designed based on the model with virtual components and in the implementation stage, these virtual dynamics becomes part of the gain-scheduling controller. The concept is validated by a smart airfoil example. In the smart airfoil example, the virtual varying springs and dampers are placed at both ends of groove to constrain the mass movement. Comparisons studies with conventional LPV hard constrained control, nonlinear control, and regular LPV control without considering hard constraints are conducted to assess the performance of the proposed method and showed advantage over the existing methods. For instance, the control mass $${{\cal L}_2}$$ norm is reduced by 77.5% over the nonlinear control and 35% over the conventional LPV control.
Planar polycrystals with extremal bulk and shear moduli

Abstract Here we consider the possible bulk and shear moduli of planar polycrystals built from a single crystal in various orientations. Previous work gave a complete characterization for crystals with orthotropic symmetry. Specifically, bounds were derived separately on the effective bulk and shear moduli, thus confining the effective moduli to lie within a rectangle in the (bulk, shear) plane. It was established that every point in this rectangle could be realized by an appropriate hierarchical laminate microgeometry, with the crystal taking different orientations in the layers, and the layers themselves being in different orientations. The bounds are easily extended to crystals with no special symmetry, but the path to constructing microgeometries that achieve every point in the rectangle defined by the bounds is considerably more difficult. We show that the two corners of the box having minimum bulk modulus are always attained by hierarchical laminates. For the other two corners we present algorithms for generating hierarchical laminates that attain them. Numerical evidence strongly suggests that the corner having maximum bulk and maximum shear modulus is always attained. For the remaining corner, with maximum bulk modulus and minimum shear modulus, it is not yet clear whether the algorithm always succeeds, and hence whether all points in the rectangle are always attained. The microstructures we use are hierarchical laminate geometries that at their core have a self-similar microstructure, in the sense that the microstructure on one length scale is a rotation and rescaling of that on a smaller length scale.
The endosymbiont Wolbachia rebounds following antibiotic treatment

Antibiotic treatment has emerged as a promising strategy to sterilize and kill filarial nematodes due to their dependence on their endosymbiotic bacteria, Wolbachia. Several studies have shown that novel and FDA-approved antibiotics are efficacious at depleting the filarial nematodes of their endosymbiont, thus reducing female fecundity. However, it remains unclear if antibiotics can permanently deplete Wolbachia and cause sterility for the lifespan of the adult worms. Concerns about resistance arising from mass drug administration necessitate a careful exploration of potential Wolbachia recrudescence. In the present study, we investigated the long-term effects of the FDA-approved antibiotic, rifampicin, in the Brugia pahangi jird model of infection. Initially, rifampicin treatment depleted Wolbachia in adult worms and simultaneously impaired female worm fecundity. However, during an 8-month washout period, Wolbachia titers rebounded and embryogenesis returned to normal. Genome sequence analyses of Wolbachia revealed that despite the population bottleneck and recovery, no genetic changes occurred that could account for the rebound. Clusters of densely packed Wolbachia within the worm's ovarian tissues were observed by confocal microscopy and remained in worms treated with rifampicin, suggesting that they may serve as privileged sites that allow Wolbachia to persist in worms while treated with antibiotic. To our knowledge, these clusters have not been previously described and may be the source of the Wolbachia rebound.
Reduced-Order Computational-Fluid-Dynamics-Based Analysis of Aviation Heat Exchangers

The goal envisioned for the Reduced-Order Computational Fluid Dynamics and Heat Transfer (ROM-CFDHT) procedure is obtaining fast turnaround in simulation time so that computational fluid dynamics c...
Insufficient evidence for benefits/harms of cognitive impairment screening in asymptomatic older adults.

SOURCE CITATION US Preventive Services Task Force, Owens DK, Davidson KW, et al. Screening for cognitive impairment in older adults: US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. JAMA. 2020;323:757-63. 32096858.
State-Court Injunctions and the Federal Common Law of Labor Contracts: Beyond Norris-LaGuardia

HE question presented is whether federal law restricts state power to enjoin a strike as in violation of a collective bargaining agreement. The relevant sources of federal law are the Norris-LaGuardia Act I and section 3o i(a) of the Labor-Management Relations (Taft-Hartley) Act.2 (i) It seems clear that the Norris-LaGuardia Act does not itself apply to actions in state courts. It is doubtless true that many of the animating principles underlying the I932 statute are implicated whenever a strike is sought to be subjected to the control of equity, in state or federal court.3 Moreover, the Supreme Court has dramatically sustained the attribution of substantive import to Norris-LaGuardia, despite the act's jurisdictional language, as a legislative response to judicial interpretation of earlier statutory regulation.4 Finally, it is at least part of the story to note that the statute was cast as it was because of doubts, soon thereafter dispelled, whether Congress had power to make substantive law to govern labor disputes.5 The fact remains that the decision was made to write a statute addressed to the federal courts, that the problem there may have been thought at
Validating a Set of Retribution Narratives for Use in Media Psychology Research

Witnessing characters enact and receive punishment for transgressions – that is, narrative retribution – is central to affective disposition theory. Despite its centrality, a standardized set of re...
Perceived stress, resilience, well-being, and COVID 19 response in Isha yoga practitioners compared to matched controls: A research protocol

Objectives The COVID-19 pandemic has been a significant stressor worldwide and reports of psychological distress, depression, sedentary lifestyles, and overall decreased wellbeing are increasing. Yoga practices have been found to improve mental and physical health. The purpose of this randomized controlled trial is to compare Isha yoga practitioners to controls on perceived stress, resilience, wellbeing, and protection and recovery from COVID-19. Trial Design. In this prospective randomized control trial, the effects of yoga practices are being compared between seasoned yoga practitioners with two controls who are age (±3 years), gender matched, and living in the same neighborhood. Methods Participants will be asked to complete a series of web-based surveys at baseline, six weeks, and 12 weeks. These surveys include validated scales and objective questions on COVID-19 infection and medical history. The validated questionnaires assess stress, mood states, resilience, and overall wellbeing. Questionnaires, weekly activity diaries, and medical history, will be collected using REDCap. Results We hypothesize that routine yoga practice during the COVID-19 pandemic will reduce stress, enhance well-being, and provide protective effects against COVID-19. Conclusion With the growing concern about the physical and mental impacts of COVID-19 and increased interest in alternative practices such as yogic practices, this study will contribute to the growing body of evidence about the safety and efficacy of yoga for emotional, mental, and physical health conditions.
Visuomotor adaptation and its relationship with motor ability in children with and without autism spectrum disorder

The high prevalence rates of motor impairments among individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) lead to increased attention to motor learning. The current study examined the visuomotor adaptability in children with and without ASD using a computerized visuomotor adaptation task in which the real-time visual feedback of hand movement was rotated. The relationships between visuomotor adaptability and clinical symptomology were also investigated. Results revealed that the children with ASD showed a slower rate of improvement and smaller after-effects than their peers on the measures of motor planning. Additionally, autistic characteristics significantly moderated the association between individuals' adaptability and fine motor skills. The findings contribute to the growing evidence of compromised visuomotor adaptability, which suggested the importance of addressing these clinical features of ASD.
CT Techniques: Risk and Challenges—Who Will Control Radiology

Radiologists by obligation and by predilection are avid to be informed about new developments in diagnostic imaging. Yet a recurrent caveat in any promotion of a new technique is ever the present intrusion of unintended consequences which in actuality often become more profound and deleterious than the good they seek to invoke. Well I feel compelled to jump into the warning business. I must alert you to the harbingers of a gathering storm, or more appropriately, gathering storms, each of which will shower us with the insistent pressure of teeming rain or even the destructive power of small hailstones.
Data State Reference Model

Information visualization encounters a wide variety of different data domains The visualization community has developed many different representation methods and interactive techniques. As a community, we have realized that the requirements in each domain are often dramatically different. In order to understand, classify, and easily apply existing graphical representation methods in separate domains, researchers have developed a taxonomy and semiology of graphic representations methods [14, 25, 24, 101]. A major difference between current information visualization work and past work on graphic design is the development of interactivity. The dialog between human and computer enriches the communication of information.
A multi-agent system for programming robots by human demonstration

This paper explores Gesture-Based Programming as a paradigm for programming robotic agents. Gesture-Based Programming is a form of programming by human demonstration that focuses the development of robotic systems on {\it task experts} rather than {\it programming experts}. The technique relies on the existence of previously acquired robotic skills (called ``sensorimotor primitives'') which are intended to be the robotic equivalent of that which humans acquire through everyday physical interactions. The interpretation of the human's demonstration and subsequent matching to robotic primitives is a qualitative problem that we approach with a community of skilled agents. A simple manipulative task is programmed to demonstrate the system.
Dimensionality of the Piers‐Harris children's self‐concept scale for miniority gifted children

The relationship between children's self-concepts and their academic achievement has been well established. More recently, the multidimensionality of the self-concept and the relationship of specific self-concept dimensions to achievement have been investigated. However, the multidimensionality of the self-concept among minority gifted children has not been studied. The present study examined the multidimensional structure of the Piers-Harris Self-Concept Scale among 438 predominantly Black gifted children. Six clearly defined orthogonal factors emerged. However, the structure of these factors differed from those reported by Piers and Harris.
Rule and Relationships: The Varieties of Wrongdoing in Tort Law

This article argues that the meaning of wrongdoing in tort actions varies according to the relationship between the parties and gives rise to different liability standards.
Bovine heart pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase stimulation by monovalent ions

Abstract The effects of monovalent ions on endogenous pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) kinase activity in purified bovine heart pyruvate dehydrogenase complex were investigated. Activity of PDH kinase was stimulated 1.9-, 1.95-, 1.65-, and 1.4-fold by 10 mM K+, Rb+, NH+4, and Cs+, respectively, whereas Na+ and Li+ had no effect on PDH kinase activity. The crystal radii of stimulatory ions were in the range of 1.33 to 1.69 A while the crystal radii of nonstimulatory ions were in the range of 0.6 to 0.94 A. Stimulation of PDH kinase by monovalent ions was not pH dependent. Protein dilution studies showed that monovalent ion stimulation was measurable within 10 s after protein addition to PDH kinase assays. Furthermore, stimulation occurred at all protein concentrations tested. At ATP concentrations from 12.5 to 25 microM, K+ and NH+4 stimulation was constant from 0 to 110 and 0 to 30 mM, respectively. At higher ATP concentrations, from 50 to 500 microM, K+ and NH+4 stimulation peaked at approximately 30 and 3 mM, respectively, and thereafter declined as the ion concentration increased. Maximal PDH kinase stimulation by K+ or NH+4 also declined as Na+ was increased from 0 to 120 mM, but at a fixed salt concentration of 120 mM, both K+ and NH+4 stimulated PDH kinase activity. Phosphopeptide analysis demonstrated that K+ and NH+4 stimulated phosphorylation at sites 1 and 2, but that site 3 phosphorylation was relatively constant under all conditions. Thiamin pyrophosphate and 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoate) blocked monovalent ion stimulation half-maximally at 4 and 6 microM, respectively. However, neither thiamin pyrophosphate nor 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoate) significantly inhibited PDH kinase activity in the absence of monovalent ions. The results indicate that heart PDH kinase stimulation by monovalent ions does not occur by changing the binding equilibrium between PDH and dihydrolipoyl transacetylase core. Instead, monovalent ions bind and exert their regulatory effects at or near the active site of PDH kinase.
Constant-Round non-malleable commitments from sub-exponential one-way functions

We present a constant-round non-malleable commitment scheme based on the existence of sub-exponential one-way functions and using a black-box proof of security. As far as we know, this is the first construction of a constant-round non-malleable protocol based on only one-wayness, or to admit a black-box proof of security under any standard-type assumption.
Primer registro de Coccidae (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) sobre Duchesnea indica (Rosaceae) "frutilla silvestre" en Tucumán, Argentina

Fil: Gonzalez, Patricia. Universidad Nacional de Tucuman. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto Superior de Entomologia; Argentina
Electromagnetic Scattering by Nonspherical Particles

The knowledge of absorption and scattering characteristics of small particles is required for a reliable evaluation of the climate forcing caused by clouds and aerosols as well as for studying the physical and chemical properties of atmospheric particulates using remote sensing techniques. Since many particles suspended in the atmosphere are nonspherical, their optical properties may not be adequately described by the classical Lorenz-Mie theory and must be determined using advanced theoretical and experimental techniques. In this chapter, we describe how electromagnetic scattering by small nonspherical particles can be computed and measured; analyze the main effects of nonsphericity on electromagnetic scattering; and discuss various implications of these effects in computations of the earth’s radiation balance and atmospheric remote sensing.
An evolutionarily conserved RNase‐based mechanism for repression of transcriptional positive autoregulation

It is known that environmental context influences the degree of regulation at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. However, the principles governing the differential usage and interplay of regulation at these two levels are not clear. Here, we show that the integration of transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms in a characteristic network motif drives efficient environment-dependent state transitions. Through phenotypic screening, systems analysis, and rigorous experimental validation, we discovered an RNase (VNG2099C) in Halobacterium salinarum that is transcriptionally co-regulated with genes of the aerobic physiologic state but acts on transcripts of the anaerobic state. Through modelling and experimentation we show that this arrangement generates an efficient state-transition switch, within which RNase-repression of a transcriptional positive autoregulation (RPAR) loop is critical for shutting down ATP-consuming active potassium uptake to conserve energy required for salinity adaptation under aerobic, high potassium, or dark conditions. Subsequently, we discovered that many Escherichia coli operons with energy-associated functions are also putatively controlled by RPAR indicating that this network motif may have evolved independently in phylogenetically distant organisms. Thus, our data suggest that interplay of transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation in the RPAR motif is a generalized principle for efficient environment-dependent state transitions across prokaryotes.
Effect of selective bowel decontamination with norfloxacin on spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, translocation, and survival in an animal model of cirrhosis

Selective bowel decontamination with the orally administered quinolone antibiotic, norfloxacin, has been shown to suppress gut gram-negative bacteria and help prevent gram-negative infections in cirrhotic patients who are at high risk of bacterial infection. Because this drug does not eradicate gram-positive organisms, it is conceivable that gram-positives could replace the suppressed gram-negatives in the gut and lead to subsequent infection. Also the effect of norfloxacin on translocation (as defined by culture positivity of mesenteric lymph nodes) has received little attention. In this study, the effect of oral norfloxacin on translocation, bacterial peritonitis, and survival was investigated in an animal model of carbon tetrachloride-induced cirrhosis and ascites. Treated rats received daily doses of orally administered norfloxacin from the onset of cirrhosis until they died or were killed. Controls received no antibiotic. Norfloxacin led to a reduction in bacterial peritonitis from 70% in untreated cirrhotic controls to 28% in treated cirrhotic rats; these data were statistically significant (P = .012). There was no effect on overall translocation rate (28% with norfloxacin vs. 50% without norfloxacin) (P > .1). Gram-positives were isolated in 100% of the bacterial peritonitis episodes and in 71.4% of culture-positive mesenteric lymph nodes in treated animals compared with only 25% of peritonitis episodes and 10% of culture-positive mesenteric lymph nodes of untreated cirrhotic controls (P .1).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Multiple scales of statistical physics of the neocortex: Application to electroencephalography

The human neocortex is a complex physical and biological system that processes information at multiple spatial and temporal scales. This paper describes a statistical physics methodology to bridge several of these scales which are of current experimental interest. We propose specific algorithms to calculate neuronal processes underlying electroencephalographic and evoked potential data.
Characterization of a novel iodinated ligand, IPMPP, for human dopamine D4 receptors expressed in CHO cells.

Abstract A novel radioiodinated ligand with a high specific activity (2,200 Ci mmol ), 3-[4-(4-iodophenyl)piperazin-1-yl]methyl-1H-pyrrolo(2,3-b)pyridine([125I]IPMPP), was successfully prepared. Binding characteristics of [125I]IPMPP were evaluated using human dopamine D4 (D4.2 variant) receptors expressed in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Saturation analysis revealed high-affinity binding sites for [125I]IPMPP (Kd = 0.39 ± 0.18 nM). The number of D4 receptors labeled with [125I]IPMPP at room temperature was four times higher than that labeled with [125I]S(−)5-OH-PIPAT, a radioiodinated agonist ligand (572 fmol mg protein vs. 125 fmol mg protein). A significant decrease in the number of binding sites was observed with [125I]S(−)5-OH-PIPAT when assays were carried out at a higher temperature (37 °C vs. 25 °C). In contrast to [125I]S(−)5-OH-PIPAT, [125I]IPMPP labeled more D4 sites at 37 °C. Neither magnesium ion nor guanyl-imidodiphosphate (Gpp(NH)p) affected [125I]IPMPP binding. These data support the conclusion that [125I]IPMPP is an antagonist ligand. The potency of various compounds, including clozapine, to inhibit [125I]IPMPP binding is consistent with the rank order measured with other radioligands for D4 receptors. In addition, measuring D4 receptor stimulation of [35S]GTPγS binding further demonstrated the antagonist property of IPMPP.
Controlled SQL query evolution for decision support benchmarks

The synthesis of increased global competitiveness and the acceptance of commercially available multi purpose database management systems (DBMS) for decision support applications requires an ever more critical system evaluation and selection to be completed in a progressively short period of time. Designers of standard benchmarks, individual customer benchmarks and system stress tests alike are struggling to mastermind queries that are both representative to the real world and execute in a reasonable time. Additionally, the enriched functionality of every new DBMS release amplifies the complexity of today's decision support systems calling for a novel approach in query generation for benchmarks. This paper proposes a framework of so called query evolution rules that can be applied to typical decision support queries, written in SQL92. Deployed in combination with QGEN2, the query generator developed by the TPC for TPC-DS ?[13], these rules quickly turn a small set of queries into a large set of semantically similar queries for ad-hoc benchmarking purposes or they can be used to generate thousands of queries quickly to stress test optimizers or query execution engines without much user intervention.
The teachers/practitioners corner forecasting in business schools: A survey

The study of forecasting techniques has received increased attention in recent years. How to incorporate this topic into the business school curriculum is a frequent subject of discussion. The purpose of this study was to determine whether forecasting is being taught in business schools and how it is incorporated into the curriculum. The survey instrument was sent to 622 member institutions of the American Assembly of Collegiate schools of Business. The importance of teaching forecasting techniques at both the undergraduate and graduate level was investigated.
CHARACTERIZATION OF POINT MUTATIONS IN PATIENTS WITH PYRUVATE DEHYDROGENASE DEFICIENCY : ROLE OF METHIONINE-181, PROLINE-188, AND ARGININE-349 IN THE ALPHA SUBUNIT

Human pyruvate dehydrogenase (E1), a heterotetramer (alpha2beta2), is the first component of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC). E1 catalyzes the thiamin pyrophosphate (TPP)-dependent decarboxylation of pyruvate and the reductive acetylation of the dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase component. Site-directed mutagenesis was employed to recreate three point mutations in the alpha subunit identified in E1-deficient patients, M181V, R349H, and P188L (P188A mutant E1 was used because of the very low level of expression of P188L), to investigate the functional roles of these three amino acid residues. P188A mutant E1 was much less thermostable than the wild-type E1. The kcats of M181V and P188A mutant E1s determined in the PDC reaction were 38 and 24% of that of the wild-type enzyme, respectively. The apparent Km for TPP for M181V increased significantly (approx 250-fold when determined in the PDC assay), while the apparent Km for pyruvate increased by only about 3-fold. In contrast, P188A had similar Kms for the coenzyme and the substrate as the wild-type. Km values for R349H were not determined due to the extremely low activity of this mutant (1.2% of the wild-type E1-specific activity measured in the PDC assay). Wild-type E1 displayed a lag phase in the progress curve of the PDC reaction measured in the presence of low TPP concentrations (below 1 microM) only. All mutants had a lag phase that was not eliminated even at very high TPP concentrations, suggesting modifications in the conformation of the active site. Kinetic analysis indicated thiamin 2-thiothiazolone pyrophosphate (ThTTPP) to be an intermediate analog for wild-type human E1. M181V required a higher concentration of ThTTPP for inactivation than the wild-type and P188A E1s. The results of circular dichroism spectropolarimetry in the far UV region indicated that there were no major changes in the secondary structure of M181V, P188A, and R349H E1s. These mutant enzymes exhibited negative dichroic spectra at about 330 nm only in the presence of high TPP concentrations. This study suggests that arginine-349 is critical for E1's activity, methionine-181 is involved in the binding of TPP, and proline-188 is necessary for structural integrity of E1.
Business Intelligence in the Music Industry Value Chain: Ensuring Sustainability in a Turbulent Business Environment

The arrival of the internet and the availability of music in digital formats have altered the landscape of the music industry. This paper examines the impact of the Internet on the music industry and argues that the adverse impact of technology disruption can be offset by the proper use of business intelligence technology throughout the value chain. A careful analysis of the value chain of music industry helps determine where and how Business Intelligence can be effectively implemented towards the best outcome. While there have been a number of studies about the implementation of BI in other industries such as finance, healthcare, and education, there has never been an insightful study of BI in the music industry. Scholars of business intelligence and music industry managers should benefit from this study as we explore yet another context for the application of BI technology and opportunities for adding value through Business Intelligence.
Neurosurgical implants: clinical protocol considerations.

As neural implants transition from engineering design and testing into human subjects research, careful consideration must be paid to the ethical elements in developing research protocols. Although these ethical aspects may be framed by the design choices of the engineering, a number of challenging choices arise. In spite of many ethical considerations for neural implant technologies being shared with generic research ethics questions, there are subsets needing special attention. Even in considerations requiring increased attention, substantial overlap can be found with research ethics questions for general medical implants and for psychiatric pharmaceuticals. The special attention to specific ethical questions in neural implants exists because of the value placed on preserving cognition and control as well as our continued memory of significant past research abuses in neurosurgery. This paper focuses on three issues of particular saliency to neural implant testing: inclusion/exclusion of subjects with psychiatric conditions, consent withdrawal of research subjects, and enhancement as a goal.
Psychological Well-Being in Adult Life

in magnitude of research?studies of psychological problems dwarf the literature on positive psychological functioning?and in the meaning of basic terms (e.g., typical usage equates health with the absence of illness). A person is viewed as men tally sound if he or she does not suf fer from anxiety, depression, or other forms of psychological symp tomatology. This prevailing formula tion never gets to the heart of Well ness; to do so, we must define mental health as the presence of the positive. To explicate the positive is, how ever, to grapple with basic values and ideals of the human experience. These values are no less evident in definitions of human suffering, al though consensus in identification of the negative is somehow easier to achieve. Despite these challenges, much has been written, within the field of psychology and outside it, regarding the contours of positive psychological functioning. DEFINING FEATURES OF WELL-BEING
METAL-SURFACE CORRELATION ENERGY FROM THE LIQUID DROP MODEL: A BACK-OF-THE-ENVELOPE ESTIMATE

The liquid drop model applied to the one-electron problem provides an elementary estimate of the correlation contribution to the surface and curvature energies of jellium, in terms of bulk electron density and bulk correlation energy. Within the random phase approximation (RPA), this estimate correctly predicts the size of the surface correlation energy, its strong dependence upon bulk density, and its weak dependence upon surface density profile. The local density approximation (LDA) to RPA predicts surface correlation energies that are far too small, as a consequence of the LDA self-interaction error. Possible implications beyond RPA are discussed. The power and limitations of the liquid drop expansion are illustrated by the example of one-electron jellium spheroids.
Chemical feasibility of lithium as a matrix for structural composites

The chemical compatibility of lithium with tows of carbon and aramid fibers and silicon carbide and boron monofilaments was investigated by encapsulating the fibers in liquid lithium and also by sintering. The lithium did not readily wet the various fibers. In particular, very little lithium infiltration into the carbon and aramid tows was achieved and the strength of the tows was seriously degraded. The strength of the boron and silicon carbide monofilaments, however, was not affected by the liquid lithium. Therefore lithium is not feasible as a matrix for carbon and aramid fibers, but a composite containing boron or silicon carbide fibers in a lithium matrix may be feasible for specialized applications.
Surgical indications in normotensive hydrocephalus. A retrospective analysis of the relations of some diagnostic findings to the results of surgical treatment.

Twenty two of fifty five patients initially suspected of suffering from normotensive hydrocephalus were surgically treated (CSF ventriculoatrial shunt). The results of surgery were related to the findings of the different diagnostic examinations (pneumoencephalography, isotope cisternography, transfer from CSF to blood of isotope labelled serum albumin, constant infusion manometric test, long lasting intraventricular pressure recording). 1. Pneumoencephalography, intraventricular pressure recording, and, above all, isotope cisternography provided the most reliable data for diagnosis and surgical prognosis. 2. The combined use of pneumoencephalography and isotope cisternography was sufficient for a correct diagnosis and surgical prognosis in about 50% of the patients examined. 3. When the diagnostic information given by the combined results of the two above examinations was not sufficient, intraventricular pressure recording proved to be the most useful examination to supplement it. 4. The relation of the results of the study of transfer of isotope labelled serum albumin from CSF to blood and of the constant infusion manometric test to the surgical outcome was uncertain.
Overreporting of voting participation as a function of identity

Abstract This paper proposes an explanation of the overreporting of voting participation based in Stryker's identity theory (1980) , integrating the social pressure approach of Bernstein, Chadha, and Montjoy (2001) . A set of logistic regression models is estimated to predict the propensity to overreport using indicators of extensive and intensive commitments to a political identity. Models are tested using vote verification data from five years of the American National Election Studies (1978, 1980, 1984, 1988, and 1990). Identity commitments are strongly predictive of overreporting and conventional understandings of social desirability fail to predict overreporting. Findings suggest that a conceptualization of self-reported voting as a measure of identity may provide a better explanation for why respondents overreport their voting in terms of extensive and intensive commitments to a political identity.
Design of tubing bomb microreactors to minimize mass transfer effects and catalyst attrition in coal liquefaction and model compound reactions

Abstract The tubing bomb microreactor (TBMR) is widely used for coal liquefaction and related high pressure model compound reactions. In this work mass transfer and mixing characteristics of the TBMR have been investigated for coal liquefaction and model compound reactions under a variety of reaction conditions by using paraffinic, aromatic, and hydrogen donor solvents, as well as N 2 and H 2 atmospheres. Both horizontal and vertical TBMR orientations, as well as the influence of mixing ball agitators, were investigated. A horizontally oriented TBMR which minimizes mass transfer influences and catalyst attrition was developed.
Natural Convection in a Horizontal Porous Medium Subjected to an End-to-End Temperature Difference

Natural convection in a porous medium filling a slender horizontal space with an end-to-end temperature difference is studied analytically. The end-to-end temperature difference gives rise to a horizontal counterflow pattern augmenting the heat transfer rate through the porous medium. Two basic geometries are considered: horizontal layer confined between 2 adiabatic and impermeable parallel plates, and horizontal cylinder surrounded by an adiabatic and impermeable cylindrical surface. Nusselt number relations are derived in terms of the Rayleigh number and the cavity aspect ratio. The end-wall permeability is shown to affect the heat transfer rate through the medium. (12 refs.)
An Empirical Assessment of Measurement Error in Health-Care Survey Research

Abstract This article estimates the average amount of error variance in a typical health-care measure by reanalyzing published multitrait–multimethod (MTMM) matrices via the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) procedure. For the set of studies under consideration, a typical health-care measure contains a relatively high proportion (64%) of error variance (method and random). The magnitude of this error variance estimate seems to be higher than corresponding variance estimates reported in the other social sciences. Using principles from psychometric theory, we note how measurement error can confound validity, and we provide directions to researchers for improving the quality of survey-based health-care measures.
Estimation of atmospheric methane emissions between 1996 and 2001 using a three-dimensional global chemical transport model

[1] Using an atmospheric inversion approach, we estimate methane surface emissions for different methane regional sources between 1996 and 2001. Data from 13 high-frequency and 79 low-frequency CH4 observing sites have been averaged into monthly mean values with associated errors arising from instrumental precision, mismatch error, and sampling frequency. Simulated methane mole fractions are generated using the 3-D global chemical transport model (MATCH), driven by NCEP analyzed observed meteorology (T62 resolution), which accounts for the impact of synoptic and interannually varying transport on methane observations. We adapted the Kalman filter to optimally estimate methane flux magnitudes and uncertainties from seven seasonally varying (monthly varying flux) and two aseasonal sources (constant flux). We further tested the sensitivity of the inversion to different observing sites, filtered versus unfiltered observations, different model sampling strategies, and alternative emitting regions. Over the 1996–2001 period the inversion reduces energy emissions and increases rice and biomass burning emissions relative to the a priori emissions. The global seasonal emission peak is shifted from August to July because of increased rice and wetland emissions from southeast Asia. The inversion also attributes the large 1998 increase in atmospheric CH4 to global wetland emissions. The current CH4 observational network can significantly constrain northern emitting regions but not tropical emitting regions. Better estimates of global OH fluctuations are also necessary to fully describe interannual methane observations. This is evident in the inability of the optimized emissions to fully reproduce the observations at Samoa.
Entrainment Effects on Impingement Heat Transfer: Part I—Measurements of Heated Jet Velocity and Temperature Distributions and Recovery Temperatures on Target Surface

Presentation d'experiences destinees a caracteriser un jet d'air chaud turbulent decharge d'un orifice a bords carres avec un rapport longueur/diametre egal a 1. Mesures des profils de temperature et de vitesse dans le jet et du champ de temperatures sur une plaque plane frappee normalement par le jet. Construction d'un modele de prediction du champ de temperatures sur la plaque
Angled microfiber arrays as low-modulus, low Poisson"s ratio compliant substrates

This paper presents a novel fabrication method for producing high-aspect-ratio, angled polymer microfiber arrays by directional pulling of polyethylene from low-aspect-ratio, microporous polycarbonate templates. These arrays represent a novel substrate for electrostatic sensors and actuators because they are characterized by low stiffness (<24 kPa effective elastic modulus), low Poisson's ratio (effectively zero at low strains), and very low density (<1% of solid polyethylene). Validation of these properties is presented by developing a model based on elastica theory, and by performing experiments using a parallel-plate electrostatic actuator fabricated with a fiber array as the dielectric and return spring.
Questions about pesticides on foods.

■ Pesticides and other agriculturally applied chemicals often are present in food. ■ These chemicals have been shown to also be present in people in small amounts. ■ There are many ways that children are exposed to these chemicals. One way is through the food they eat. They are also exposed by the household and garden use of pesticides, living on or near farms where the chemicals are used, and by chemicals carried home on the clothes and skin of parents who work with and around pesticides. ■ The levels of exposure from food are rarely high enough to cause symptoms but they can affect the developing child, especially if exposed while in the womb or in infancy or early childhood. ■ The risks from the pesticides in foods are small compared to the tremendous health benefits of eating fruits and vegetables. ■ Agricultural chemicals are also found in animal products such as meat and dairy. Most of those chemicals are stored in the fat of the animal, so reducing the amount of animal fat in the diet will reduce your exposure to toxic chemicals and also reduce the other risks associated with excessive cholesterol and fat intake. Q. I’ve heard that foods are contaminated with pesticides. How does this happen?
Multimode ring laser lock-in

The process of self mode locking a multimode ring laser created a 22-kHz modulation of the counterpropagating beams. This modulation biased the cavity against frequency locking and resulted in a more than fourfold reduction in lock-in when compared with the conventional two-mode approach.
A SPECTRUM OF CONSCIOUSNESS FOR CEOS: A BUSINESS APPLICATION OF KEN WILBER'S SPECTRUM OF CONSCIOUSNESS

This analysis examines the influence of varying levels of consciousness on the problem solving effectiveness of chief executive officers (CEOs). Specifically, it applies the original work of Ken Wilber, considered one of the most important theorists in the field of consciousness studies of our time, to executive leadership. The paper proposes that as CEOs move to higher levels of consciousness, their problem solving capabilities become more effective for their situational contexts. The argument set forth is that CEOs at higher levels of consciousness will be more effective problem solvers for their organizations and experience greater levels of self‐fulfillment than CEOs operating at lower levels on the Spectrum of Consciousness.
Significant subtest score differences on the WISC-R

Abstract Psychologists must often make decisions about the significance of scaled score differences between subtests on the WISC-R. Differences which statistically significant at the .05 and .01 level are presented. Generally, minimum differences of 3 to 5 points are necessary at the .05 level and 4 to 6 points at the .01 level. Cautions concerning the interpretation of statistically significant differences are discussed.
Development of a high throughput transformation system for insertional mutagenesis in Magnaporthe oryzae

Towards the goal of disrupting all genes in the genome of Magnaporthe oryzae and identifying their function, a collection of >55,000 random insertion lines of M. oryzae strain 70-15 were generated. All strains were screened to identify genes involved in growth rate, conidiation, pigmentation, auxotrophy, and pathogenicity. Here, we provide a description of the high throughput transformation and analysis pipeline used to create our library. Transformed lines were generated either by CaCl2/PEG treatment of protoplasts with DNA or by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation (ATMT). We describe the optimization of both approaches and compare their efficiency. ATMT was found to be a more reproducible method, resulting in predominantly single copy insertions, and its efficiency was high with up to 0.3% of conidia being transformed. The phenotypic data is accessible via a public database called MGOS and all strains are publicly available. This represents the most comprehensive insertional mutagenesis analysis of a fungal pathogen.
A special case of mahler's conjecture

A special case of Mahler's conjecture on the volume-product of symmetric convex bodies in n-dimensional Euclidean space is treated here. This is the case of poly topes with at most 2n+2 vertices (or facets). Mahler's conjecture is proved in this case for n ≤ 8 and the minimal bodies are characterized.