cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Centripetal Discharges in Dorsal and Ventral Roots Following Stimulation of Muscle by Ventral Root Volleys

ConclusionThe latency of the discharges under consideration, their parallelism with muscle action in the normal and curarized preparations, and the fact that they occur in fibers other than those carrying the centrifugal motor volley, point to the synchronously active muscle as the causal agent. The suggestion may be advanced that the action potential of the excited muscle is capable of stimulating intramuscular motor and sensory nerve endings.
Mediterranean Diet and Breast Cancer

Breast cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women. Whereas some epidemiological studies generally support the role of diet in breast cancer prevention, conflicting evidence exists, making it challenging to provide a definitive answer on these risks that can be effectively translated to clinical practice and public health recommendations.
Partial discharge monitoring system based on ultra-high frequency method and pulse current method

A PD(Partial Discharge) monitoring system is developed based on the fundamental principles and characteristics of ultra-high frequency method and pulse current method,which transforms the ultra-high frequency signal into square signal by a simplified waveform conversion device and uses it as the triggering signal of pulse current transducer to avoid the high-speed data acquisition and mass storage needed by the ultra-high frequency method.Compared with the traditional pulse current method,it effectively removes the impulse interference from the PD signals.Experimental results show that the system recognizes PD accurately,finds out the interference sources and removes the interference signal effectively.
Eastern Pearl Capital: Battening Down the Hatches

Facing the downturn in late 2008, the partners in the West-Coast-based corporate venturing arm of a Taiwanese electronics manufacturer are trying to decide how to manage their portfolio companies and whether to make new investments. Not only must they consider the particulars of each company individually, but they must also think about how to manage the entire firm's portfolio.
Fashion: A Path to Symbolic Communication (The Textile Experience)

Fashion is both a social as well as an economic phenomenon of significant consequence. It is a social event because fashions and fashion changes usually reflect social values. Fashion can be viewed as a social barometer manifesting what is acceptable, and frequently what is tolerable within the current stream of culture. Quite frequently, fashion stretches the limits of cultural tolerance. The economic aspect of the fashion activity relates to the stimulus interjected by such activity within the economic system. For instance, fashion provides the driving force in the stimulation of sales in the apparel industry. Also, annual style changes (style obsolescence) in automobiles forces many people to sell their “old” cars and buy new ones, thus stimulating growth.
A Text Information Retrieval Method by Integrating Global and Local Textual Information

In the era of big data, volume of online text documents has exploded through social media, search engines, and many other channels. Rapid growth of data demands more efficient processing and information retrieval approaches, among those Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) and Word2Vec are commonly used. LDA explains a global relationship by investigating latent topics from a collection of documents and assigning each document with a probability distribution over all topics. In contrary, Word2Vec projects words to vectors with semantic meanings by local contexts. However, LDA concentrates on handling high probability words and neglects low probability but meaningful ones. While Word2Vec explores only surroundings of the target words within sentences, which makes global improvement of word representations very difficult. Therefore, we propose an improved text information retrieval method that integrates both global and local text information. Experimental results show that our proposed document representation method significantly enhance accuracy of classification analysis.
Coronary Artery PET/MR Imaging: Feasibility, Limitations, and Solutions

Abstract Objectives The aims of this study were to describe the authors’ initial experience with combined coronary artery positron emission tomographic (PET) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging using 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose ( 18 F-FDG) and 18 F-sodium fluoride ( 18 F-NaF) radiotracers, describe common problems and their solutions, and demonstrate the feasibility of coronary PET/MR imaging in appropriate patients. Background Recently, PET imaging has been applied to the aortic valve and regions of atherosclerosis. 18 F-FDG PET imaging has become established for imaging inflammation in atherosclerosis in the aorta and carotid arteries. Moreover, 18 F-NaF has emerged as a novel tracer of active microcalcification in the aortic valve and coronary arteries. Coronary PET imaging remains challenging because of the small caliber of the vessels and their complex motion. Currently, most coronary imaging uses combined PET and computed tomographic imaging, but there is increasing enthusiasm for PET/MR imaging because of its reduced radiation, potential to correct for motion, and the complementary information available from cardiac MR in a single scan. Methods Twenty-three patients with diagnosed or documented risk factors for coronary artery disease underwent either 18 F-FDG or 18 F-NaF PET/MR imaging. Standard breath-held MR-based attenuation correction was compared with a novel free-breathing approach. The impact on PET image artifacts and the interpretation of vascular uptake were evaluated semiquantitatively by expert readers. Moreover, PET reconstructions with more algorithm iterations were compared visually and by target-to-background ratio. Results Image quality was significantly improved by novel free-breathing attenuation correction. Moreover, conspicuity of coronary uptake was improved by increasing the number of algorithm iterations from 3 to 6. Elevated radiotracer uptake could be localized to individual coronary lesions using both 18 F-FDG (n = 1, maximal target-to-background ratio = 1.61) and 18 F-NaF (n = 7, maximal target-to-background ratio = 1.55 ± 0.37), including in 1 culprit plaque post–myocardial infarction confirmed by myocardial late gadolinium enhancement. Conclusions The authors provide the first demonstration of successful, low-radiation (7.2 mSv) PET/MR imaging of inflammation and microcalcification activity in the coronary arteries. However, this requires specialized approaches tailored to coronary imaging for both attenuation correction and PET reconstruction.
Relational Communication Messages and Leadership Styles in Supervisor/Employee Relationships:

The relational communication messages of intimacy and dominance were used to predict a task and relationship leadership style in supervisors. In the study, 307 participants working in various industries completed measures of relational communication and leadership styles about their direct supervisor. As predicted, intimacy messages were positively related to a relationship-oriented leadership style and dominance messages were positively related to a task-oriented leadership style. Intimacy messages were also linked to a task-oriented style and dominance messages were linked to relationship-oriented style. Regression analysis determined that receptivity/trust was the best predictor of a relationship-oriented style and influence was the best predictor of a task-oriented style. Overall, results demonstrate the need for both intimacy and dominance messages across leadership styles.
Capacity and Coverage in Clustered LOS mmWave Ad Hoc Networks

Recent advancements in manufacturing and favorable regulatory positions make millimeter wave (mmWave) a target for next-generation wireless networks. For a variety of use-cases, it is reasonable to assume users will be clustered around a central point (e.g. WiFi hotspot) rather than uniformly located. In this paper, we develop analytic expressions for the capacity of clustered mmWave ad hoc networks under two channel access assumptions: uncoordinated channel access (UCA) and TDMA. We show that with directional antenna arrays UCA can outperform TDMA in terms of per cluster capacity if the cluster density is not too large. We define and develop a method for characterizing the balance between the intra-cluster coverage with the inter-cluster coverage. For small cluster sizes, the required inter-cluster distance severely impacts the inter-cluster communication rate.
Sudden gains in exposure therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Prior research in the treatment of depression and anxiety has demonstrated that a sudden reduction in symptoms between two consecutive sessions (sudden gain) is related to lower post-treatment symptom severity (e.g. Hofmann, Schulz, Meuret, Moscovitch, & Suvak, 2006; Tang & DeRubeis, 1999). However, only one study has examined sudden gains in the treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). In that study, one-third of the patients with OCD experienced a sudden gain (Aderka et al., 2012). Further, patients who had a sudden gain had lower clinician-rated OCD symptom severity post-treatment (Aderka et al., 2012). In replication, the current study examined the frequency, characteristics, and clinical impact of sudden gains in 27 OCD patients during exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy. Fifty two percent of patients experienced a sudden gain. The mean magnitude of a sudden gain represented, on average, 61.4% of total symptom reduction. Following treatment, individuals who had experienced a sudden gain were rated as less severe on the clinical global impression scale, but they did not experience a greater reduction in OCD symptoms (pre-to post-treatment) than those without a sudden gain. None of the pre-treatment characteristics tested were found to significantly predict whether a patient would have a sudden gain. Additional research examining predictors of, and patterns of, change in OCD symptoms is warranted.
Intracameral injection of antigen potentiates the production of antigen-specific T cell proteins in serum after the induction of delayed-type hypersensitivity

Purpose. To determine whether the introduction of antigen into the anterior chamber induces the production of extracellular antigen-specific T cell proteins (T cell antigen-binding molecules [TABM]) specific for the antigen. Methods. Balb/c mice received an intracameral or subconjunctival injection of trinitrophenylated spleen cells (TNP spleen cells) before skin sensitization and challenge with picrychloride. The production of TNP-specific TABM in serum was quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-based antigen binding and immunoblotting using a rabbit antiserum raised against a monoclonal antigen-specific T cell protein that induces suppressor T cells. Results. Intracameral, but not subconjunctival, injection of TNP spleen cells before contact sensitization increased the level of TNP-specific TABM in serum. At 2 days, TABM levels began to rise and peaked at 5 days after contact sensitization. Anterior chamber injection of TNP spleen cells alone into nonimmunized mice did not induce a detectable increase of TNP-specific TABM in serum. Mice that did not receive an intracameral TNP spleen cell injection but were made contact sensitive to TNP showed a diminished TNP-specific TABM response. Specificity of the TABM induced by intracameral-injection and sensitization for the TNP hapten was documented by showing that the induced TABM binds TNP-bovine serum antigen (BSA) but does not bind either BSA alone or azobenzenearsonate-ovalbumin and that immune sera raised against ovalbumin did not contain an increase in TNP-specific TABM. TNP-specific TABM in the sera of mice receiving an intracameral injection of TNP spleen cells, followed by contact sensitization with picrylchloride (PCl), were purified by affinity for TNP and were resolved by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting as Mr 110,000 polypeptides. Conclusions. Serum levels of TNP-specific TABM induced by contact sensitization alone are enhanced fourfold to fivefold when sensitization is preceded by the intracameral, but not the subconjunctival, injection of TNP spleen cells. The authors propose that besides suppression of systemic delayed type hypersensitivity, the intracameral injection of antigen into nonimmune mice may prime an increased production of TABM, which may indicate systemic activation of the immunoregulatory T cell circuit. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1995 ;36 :1470-1476.
Abstract 1149: Targeting Rad6B suppresses melanomagenesis

Active β-catenin signaling in melanoma is associated with aggressive disease. We have previously shown that Rad6B, an ubiquitin conjugating enzyme, is a positive regulator of β-catenin stability and transcriptional activity, and is itself a transcriptional target of β-catenin. This stabilization is mediated by Rad6B-induced K63-linked polyubiquitination of β-catenin that renders it insensitive to 26S proteasomal degradation. Immunohistochemical analysis of human cutaneous melanoma samples showed the first detectable expression of Rad6B in melanocyte hyperplasia and continued Rad6B and β-catenin overexpression in primary and metastatic melanomas. These data implicate a critical role for Rad6B in melanocyte transformation and a continuing role in melanoma progression. To analyze the role of Rad6B in melanomagenesis, we targeted Rad6B expression/activity in human M14 metastatic melanoma cells by using a Rad6-selective small molecule inhibitor SMI#9 and the CrispR/Cas9 gene editing system. Immunoblot analysis showed that compared to controls, M14 cells treated with SMI#9 showed decreased levels of β-catenin, and β-catenin driven transcriptional targets Rad6, vimentin, Mitf-M, and Melan A. Although Snail levels were not altered, SMI#9 treated cells showed increase in phosphorylated Snail. Immunocytochemical staining verified the western blot data and showed cytoplasmic relocalization of PCNA and Snail in SMI#9 treated cells which is consistent with increase in phosphorylated Snail. Concordant with the decrease in vimentin and unphosphorylated Snail levels, Rad6B-inhibited cells display poor capacity to migrate as compared to controls. Whereas Rad6B knockout cells were severely growth impaired, Rad6B edited clones showing partial expression (potentially from only one allele) similarly showed decreased levels of β-catenin, vimentin, and Mitf-M. Similar to Rad6B-inhibited cells, Rad6B edited cells were migration- and invasion-impaired. Whereas control cells produced robust tumors and overt lung metastases, the Rad6B gene edited cells were poorly tumorigenic. Rad6B gene edited clones showed complete loss of Melan A. Since Mitf-M is a transcriptional regulator of Melan A and a key player in melanocyte lineage specification, our data suggest that targeting Rad6B could potentially inhibit melanomagenesis by reprogramming melanoma cells. Supported by NIH CA178117 and 3Balls Racing. Citation Format: Ashapurna Sarma, Sarah Petit, Fangchao Liu, Pratima Nangia-Makker, Guangzhao Mao, Malathy Shekhar. Targeting Rad6B suppresses melanomagenesis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1149. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-1149
Changing Identities: Chinese Muslims’ Marriage Strategies in Late Ming Quanzhou

Recent scholarship on early Ming sinification policies has revealed that the founding emperor of the Ming, Zhu Yuanzhang, carried out a series of reforms to revive Chinese features in his people wh...
Fragile X Syndrome

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most commonly inherited form of mental retardation and developmental disabilities, affecting 1 in 4000 individuals. The phenotype of FXS involves mental retardation or learning disabilities, social deficit, anxiety, attention deficit, impulsivity, hyperarousal, mood instability, inflexibility, prominent ears, long face, and hyperextensible finger joints. Although most babies with FXS have hypotonia and mild motor delays, the diagnosis of FXS may not be made until more significant language delays are present at 2.5–3 years of age. Clinicians and parents should be aware of the features of FXS so that early diagnosis can be made to facilitate early intervention and genetic counseling.
Cryptographic decoding of movement.

A method inspired by cryptography maps neural activity to limb movement without requiring the simultaneous collection of neural activity in the motor cortex and of the corresponding physical actions.
Spatiotemporal Co-occurrence Rules

Spatiotemporal co-occurrence rules (STCORs) discovery is an important problem in many application domains such as weather monitoring and solar physics, which is our application focus. In this paper, we present a general framework to identify STCORs for continuously evolving spatiotemporal events that have extended spatial representations. We also analyse a set of anti-monotone (monotonically non-increasing) and non anti-monotone measures to identify STCORs. We then validate and evaluate our framework on a real-life data set and report results of the comparison of the number candidates needed to discover actual patterns, memory usage, and the number of STCORs discovered using the anti-monotonic and non anti-monotonic measures.
Rabies Virus as a Research Tool and Viral Vaccine Vector

Until recently, single-stranded negative sense RNA viruses (ssNSVs) were one of only a few important human viral pathogens, which could not be created from cDNA. The inability to manipulate their genomes hindered their detailed genetic analysis. A key paper from Conzelmann's laboratory in 1994 changed this with the publication of a method to recover rabies virus (RABV) from cDNA. This discovery not only dramatically changed the broader field of ssNSV biology but also opened a whole new avenue for studying RABV pathogenicity, developing novel RABV vaccines as well a new generation of RABV-based vaccine vectors, and creating research tools important in neuroscience such as neuronal tracing.
Spatial distribution of collections yielding marine natural products

The societal benefits of coral reef ecosystems include shoreline protection, habitat provision for reef fish, tourism, and recreation. Rarely considered in valuation of reefs is the considerable contribution of marine natural products (MNPs) to both human health and the economy. To better understand the relation of MNP discovery with the characteristics and condition of coral reef ecosystems, we initiated a study to track the collection location and taxonomic identity of organisms that have provided pharmacological products. We reviewed collection information and associated data from 298 pharmacological products originating from marine biota during the past 47 years. The products were developed from 232 different marine species representing 15 phyla, and the 1296 collections of these specimens occurred across 69 countries and seven continents. Our evaluation of the collection data was hampered by sundry observational and reporting issues, including imprecise location descriptions and omission of collectio...
Shortening the Half-Life of Cas9 Maintains Its Gene Editing Ability and Reduces Neuronal Toxicity.

Virus-mediated expression of CRISPR/Cas9 is commonly used for genome editing in animal brains to model or treat neurological diseases, but the potential neurotoxicity of overexpressing bacterial Cas9 in the mammalian brain remains unknown. Through RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis, we find that virus-mediated expression of Cas9 influences the expression of genes involved in neuronal functions. Reducing the half-life of Cas9 by tagging with geminin, whose expression is regulated by the cell cycle, maintains the genome editing capacity of Cas9 but significantly alleviates neurotoxicity. Thus, modification of Cas9 by shortening its half-life can help develop CRISPR/Cas9-based therapeutic approaches for treating neurological disorders.
Childhood disclosure of sexual abuse and mental health outcomes in adulthood: Assessing merits of early disclosure and discussion

Abstract Background Empirical research on the impact of early disclosure of child sexual abuse (CSA) on survivor health is limited and mixed. One recent study found that early disclosure may actually be detrimental for abuse cessation and adult symptomatology (Swingle et al., 2016). The current study re-examined the effects of early disclosure and related variables on long-term mental health for men with histories of CSA. Objective The primary aims of this study were to: a) investigate whether early disclosure and response to early disclosure were related to mental distress in adulthood, and b) examine whether having an in-depth discussion and timing of that discussion were related to mental distress in adulthood. Participants and setting Data were collected from a large, non-clinical sample of male survivors (N = 487), ranging in age from 19 to 84 years, through an online, anonymous survey. Methods Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted by entering groups of variables in four steps: control variables, CSA severity, disclosure, and discussion. Results Overall, models explained between 24–28% of the variance in mental distress. None of the CSA severity variables reached significance. Both early disclosure (β = −0.126, p = 0.003) and response to first disclosure (β = −0.119, p = 0.006) were significant protective factors in Model 3. In the final model, having an in-depth discussion (β = −0.085, p = Conclusions Results support the merits of early disclosure and discussion on long-term mental health. Implications for future research and practice are presented.
Novel plasmon resonances of nonstoichiometric alumina

Abstract Aluminum monoxide (AlO) and a nonstoichiometric alumina (n-alumina) with its chemical composition similar to that of AlO were proposed theoretically for a promising low-loss plasmonic material. However, they were rarely studied due to the high thermodynamic instability. Recently, n-aluminas with their O/Al atomic ratios close to 1 were found to form on Al nanospheres synthesized by electrical explosion. Although a new bulk plasmon resonance was observed below the excitonic transition energy from the n-aluminas, no investigation into surface plasmon resonance – the key component for plasmonics - was conducted yet. Here I report on surface plasmons of the n-aluminas discovered by spatially-resolved electron energy loss spectroscopy. Energy loss spectra collected from local spots of the n-aluminas are analyzed to reveal that there are two types of n-aluminas; one with two surface plasmons (n-alumina A) and the other with one surface plasmon (n-alumina B). Remarkably, the oscillator strengths of the novel surface plasmons are as high as that of surface plasmon of Al. The electronic band structure proposed for the n-alumina A shows a lossless energy zone. Consequently, current study demonstrates that the n-aluminas have the potential as a new low-loss plasmonic material.
Practical and philosophical considerations in choosing the DNP or PhD in nursing

Abstract The two terminal degrees in nursing, the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), are complementary degrees in moving the discipline of nursing forward. The role of nurses with either doctoral degree is discussed related to the overall stewardship of the nursing profession. Core elements and key differences between the two degrees will be delineated. Factors affecting practical decision-making about either degree will be discussed, including the choice of which degree as well as funding doctoral education. Finally, future directions for the two degrees in the nursing profession will be discussed.
Molecular and morphological characterization of the amaryllis lesion nematode, Pratylenchus hippeastri (Inserra et al., 2007), from California.

Root-lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus spp.) are among the most important nematode pests on grapevine along with root-knot, dagger, and ring nematodes. In 2019, two samples of both soil and roots were collected from a vineyard in Delano, Kern County, California and submitted to the United States Department of Agriculture, ARS, Mycology and Nematology Genetic Diversity and Biology Laboratory, Beltsville, MD, for identification purposes. Females and juveniles of Pratylenchus sp. were recovered from the root and soil samples using the sugar centrifugal flotation and Baermann funnel extraction methods. Both morphological observations and molecular analysis of internal transcribed spacer (ITS), 28S large subunit ribosomal DNA, and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase (COI) sequences indicated that the specimens recovered from the soil and roots were Pratylenchus hippeastri. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of P. hippeastri from California including the first record of this species on grapevine and the second state record in North America. Damages caused by nematodes cannot be over-emphasized, although economic importance of P. hippeastri has never been established. Hence, there is an urgent need to investigate the economic impact of this nematode in vineyards in California State in order to develop sustainable management strategies. Root-lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus spp.) are among the most important nematode pests on grapevine along with root-knot, dagger, and ring nematodes. In 2019, two samples of both soil and roots were collected from a vineyard in Delano, Kern County, California and submitted to the United States Department of Agriculture, ARS, Mycology and Nematology Genetic Diversity and Biology Laboratory, Beltsville, MD, for identification purposes. Females and juveniles of Pratylenchus sp. were recovered from the root and soil samples using the sugar centrifugal flotation and Baermann funnel extraction methods. Both morphological observations and molecular analysis of internal transcribed spacer (ITS), 28S large subunit ribosomal DNA, and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase (COI) sequences indicated that the specimens recovered from the soil and roots were Pratylenchus hippeastri. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report of P. hippeastri from California including the first record of this species on grapevine and the second state record in North America. Damages caused by nematodes cannot be over-emphasized, although economic importance of P. hippeastri has never been established. Hence, there is an urgent need to investigate the economic impact of this nematode in vineyards in California State in order to develop sustainable management strategies.
Tropopause and lower stratosphere winds and eddy fluxes on Saturn as seen by Cassini imaging

Abstract An automated cloud feature tracking algorithm is applied to 2004 Cassini Imaging Science Subsystem images of Saturn's southern hemisphere and equatorial region (5°N-70°S) in continuum, methane band, and ultraviolet filters to derive zonal wind profiles and eddy momentum fluxes from the middle troposphere cloud tops to the lower stratosphere. Zonal winds in the eastward and westward jets decrease in strength from the cloud tops (≳ 1 bar) to the upper troposphere (~60–600 mb), but do not measurably change in strength from the upper troposphere to the tropopause (~60 mb) to the lower stratosphere (≲ 60 mb). A narrow (~3°N-3°S) equatorial jet is detected at the cloud tops, but a previously reported strengthening of this jet from the cloud top level to the upper troposphere/tropopause region cannot be verified due to an absence of easily trackable features at the equator and conflicting results for the few features available. Eddy momentum fluxes on either side of the jet cores outside the tropics (poleward of ~20°S) converge into the eastward jets and diverge from the westward jets. Whether the flux convergence into the eastward jets weakens from the visible cloud level to the upper troposphere cannot be determined for this limited time period, but the eddy convergence appears to increase from the troposphere to the lower stratosphere. The divergence of the eddy flux from the westward jets seems to more clearly increase from the middle to the upper troposphere to the stratosphere, but this does not explain the slight weakening of the westward jets with height.
Validation and Living Learning Communities: An Evaluation Case Study:

In this program evaluation study, we analyzed the impact of interpersonal validation and participation in living-learning communities (LLC) on retention and GPA via regression and propensity score ...
Person vs. locative agreement: Evidence from late learners and language emergence

Abstract Sign languages are frequently described as having three verb classes. One, ‘agreeing’ verbs, indicates the person/number of its subject and object by modification of the beginning and ending locations of the verb. The second, ‘spatial’ verbs, makes a similar appearing modification of verb movement to represent the source and goal locations of the theme of a verb of motion. The third class, ‘plain’ verbs, is characterized as having neither of these types of modulations. A number of researchers have proposed accounts that collapse all of these types, or the person-agreeing and spatial verbs. Here we present evidence from late learners of American Sign Language and from the emergence of new sign languages that person agreement and locative agreement have a different status in these conditions, and we claim their analysis should be kept distinct, at least in certain ways.
Directional Bonding in Decaniobate Inorganic Frameworks

Metal-oxo clusters offer an opportunity to assemble inorganic and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) by a controlled building-block approach, which led to the revolutionary discoveries of zeolites and MOFs. Polyoxometalate clusters are soluble in water, but more challenging to link into frameworks; the inert oxo-caps that provide solubility are resistant to replacement or further connectivity. We demonstrate how the unique directional bonding and varying basicity of the decaniobate ([Nb10 ]) oxo-caps can be exploited to build 1D, 2D, and 3D inorganic frameworks. In nine structures, A+ (A=Li, Na, K, Rb and Cs), AE2+ (AE=Ca, Sr, Ba) and Mn2+ demonstrate that the dimensionality of the obtained material is controlled by cation charge and size. Increased cation charge decreases selectivity for oxo-site bonding, leading to higher dimensional linking. Larger cation radii also decreases bonding selectivity, yielding higher dimensional materials. Ion-exchange studies of the A+ -Nb10 family shows exclusive selectivity for Cs+ over other alkalis, which is important for radioactive Cs removal and sequestration.
Human Platelets Contain SNARE Proteins and a Sec1p Homologue That Interacts With Syntaxin 4 and Is Phosphorylated After Thrombin Activation: Implications for Platelet Secretion: Presented in part at the American Heart Association Meeting, November 1996.

Abstract In response to thrombin and other extracellular activators, platelets secrete molecules from large intracellular vesicles (granules) to initiate thrombosis. Little is known about the molecular machinery responsible for vesicle docking and secretion in platelets and the linkage of that machinery to cell activation. We found that platelet membranes contain a full complement of interacting proteins—VAMP, SNAP-25, and syntaxin 4—that are necessary for vesicle docking and fusion with the plasma membrane. Platelets also contain an uncharacterized homologue of the Sec1p family that appears to regulate vesicle docking through its binding with a cognate syntaxin. This platelet Sec1 protein (PSP) bound to syntaxin 4 and thereby excluded the binding of SNAP-25 with syntaxin 4, an interaction critical to vesicle docking. As predicted by its sequence, PSP was detected predominantly in the platelet cytosol and was phosphorylated in vitro by protein kinase C (PKC), a secretion-linked kinase, incorporating 0.87 ± 0.11 mol of PO4 per mole of protein. PSP was also specifically phosphorylated in permeabilized platelets after cellular stimulation by phorbol esters or thrombin and this phosphorylation was blocked by the PKC inhibitor Ro-31-8220. Phosphorylation by PKC in vitro inhibited PSP from binding to syntaxin 4. Taken together, these studies indicate that platelets, like neurons and other cells capable of regulated secretion, contain a unique complement of interacting vesicle docking proteins and PSP, a putative regulator of vesicle docking. The PKC-dependent phosphorylation of PSP in activated platelets and its inhibitory effects on syntaxin 4 binding provide a novel functional link that may be important in coupling the processes of cell activation, intracellular signaling, and secretion.
Expression of a high-activity diacylglycerol acetyltransferase results in enhanced synthesis of acetyl-TAG in camelina seed oil.

Acetyl-triacylglycerols (acetyl-TAG) contain an acetate group in the sn-3 position instead of the long-chain fatty acid present in regular triacylglycerol (TAG). The acetate group confers unique physical properties such as reduced viscosity and a lower freezing point to acetyl-TAG, providing advantages for use as emulsifiers, lubricants, and 'drop-in' biofuels. Previously, the synthesis of acetyl-TAG in the seeds of the oilseed crop camelina (Camelina sativa) was achieved through the heterologous expression of the diacylglycerol acetyltransferase gene EaDAcT, isolated from Euonymus alatus seeds that naturally accumulate high levels of acetyl-TAG. Subsequent work identified a similar acetyltransferase, EfDAcT, in the seeds of Euonymus fortunei, that possesses higher in vitro activity compared to EaDAcT. In this study, the seed-specific expression of EfDAcT in camelina led to a 20 mol% increase in acetyl-TAG levels over that of EaDAcT. Coupling EfDAcT expression with suppression of the endogenous competing enzyme DGAT1 further enhanced acetyl-TAG accumulation, up to 90 mol% in the best transgenic lines. Accumulation of high levels of acetyl-TAG was stable over multiple generations, with minimal effect on seed size, weight, and fatty acid content. Slight delays in germination were noted in transgenic seeds compared to the wild type. EfDAcT transcript and protein levels were correlated during seed development with a limited window of EfDAcT protein accumulation. In high acetyl-TAG producing lines, EfDAcT protein expression in developing seeds did not reflect the eventual acetyl-TAG levels in mature seeds, suggesting that other factors limit acetyl-TAG accumulation.
Examination of social determinants of health among patients with limited English proficiency.

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study is to examine the prevalence of social needs by English proficiency using data from Northwell Health's social determinants of health screening program. The screening program evaluates 12 domains of social needs: material need, employment, medical-legal assistance, health insurance, public benefits, health literacy, transportation, medical care, utilities, housing quality, food security, and housing insecurity. We have identified patients to have limited English proficiency if they have selected a language other than English as their primary language. RESULTS The study population includes 92,958 individuals; of these, 83,445 (89.8%) patients are English proficient, and 9513 (10.2%) patients have limited English proficiency. A higher percentage of patients with limited English proficiency has social needs, including material need, employment, medical-legal assistance, health insurance, public benefit, health literacy, medical care, utility bill, poor housing quality, and food insecurity (all p-values < 0.05). In multivariable logistic regression models adjusting for sociodemographic information, LEP status (odds ratio = 1.36 [1.25-1.49]) has been associated with having social needs. These findings suggest that system-wide SDH screening and referral programs should identify ways to ensure capturing social needs among patients with limited English proficiency.
Potential Relationships of Changes in Cell Transport and Metabolism in Shock

Circulatory failure or shock is known to produce metabolic changes, including anaerobiosis with increased lactate production, a reduction in ATP stores, and an increase in inorganic phosphate. These changes indicate only a lack of availability of oxygen with depression of the Kreb’s cycle and electron transport system which should be reversible if blood flow or oxygen supply is restored. Ultimately, however, there must be not only a depression of cell function with shock but alterations and aberrations which may limit or destroy the cell’s capabilities even if its environment is improved. Early studies of mitochondrial metabolism in shock were reviewed by Levinson et al. in 1961,8 and they concluded that no significant changes in these cell systems had been found. Hift and Strawitz6 found normal P/O ratios in liver mitochondria of dogs subjected to severe hemorrhagic shock, although oxygen uptake was found to be higher than normal. DePalma et al.4 also demonstrated a lack of alteration of the P/O ratio of liver mitochondria with severe hemorrhagic shock using succinate as a substrate.
Interaction Between an Incident Wave and a Dynamically Transforming Inhomogeneity

Transformation-toughening of ceramics has attracted considerable attention [1,2,3] in recent years. The key mechanism in this toughening is the stress-induced phase transformation of the partially stabilized zirconia (PSZ) inhomogeneities, which accompanies volumetric expansion. Due to this expansion, the composite material consisting of PSZ inhomogeneities in a brittle matrix becomes more resistant to fracturing. While this problem has been studied for guasi-static loadings [4,5], the corresponding dynamic case has remained relatively unexplored.
Lasers and electro-optics in the health care of the future

Summary form only given. Medical practice is being rapidly redefined by market forces on one side and new technologies on the other. The shift from inpatient to outpatient surgery is a good example of this. Advances in procedural medicine will be built upon the core technologies of high speed computing, robotics, systems engineering, lasers, optics, imaging and biomedical engineering. These technologies cut across traditional disciplines and have the possibilities of making medical care better, safer and less expensive.
Beyond the big picture: Characterizaton of CO2-laden streams and implications for capture technologies

Comprehensive carbon management will require capture and use or storage of CO2 from a diversity of stack emissions and intermediate chemical process streams. While there has been a lot of attention paid to estimating the total amount of carbon dioxide available for capture, less is known about other constituents in CO2-laden streams that could directly affect the choice and performance of capture technology, and hence cost of capture and separation. The physical characteristics of these CO2-laden streams, such as temperature and pressure, also affect the choice of capture technology. In this paper, detailed compositions of power plant emissions as well as industrial CO2-laden emissions such as from cement plants, iron and steel plants, and refineries, are presented. Industrial emissions may well provide early opportunities for implementation of CO2 capture and separation technologies, due to higher concentrations of CO2 in flue gas and process streams. In addition, industrial emissions may offer lower cost CO2 for storage, uses such as enhanced oil recovery, or as a high-purity chemical feedstock. This paper also discusses some well-known capture technologies available today or under development, and describes their applicability to different CO2-capture opportunities. Limitations of the best available current technologies and implications for research issuesmore » associated with various streams are discussed.« less
Chapter 285. Physicochemical Parameters in Drug Design

Publisher Summary This chapter elaborates the importance of physicochemical parameters in drug design. The studies on drug design show an increase in the use of quantitative structure–activity relationships. Another area of interest in drug design that is growing rapidly is the use of molecular orbital theory in the direct correlation of electronic structure with biological response. When partition coefficients are to be used to correlate molecular structure with biological activity, it is desirable for the properties of the partitioning phases to be as similar to the biological partitioning system as possible. A theoretical analysis of the penetration of drug molecules to their sites of action based upon a model, which treats the membrane or macromolecule as a single phase of lipid character and ignores the nature of its structure, is reported. The bacteriostatic activity of a series of meta- and para-substituted N1-phenylsulfanilamides on E. coli correlated well with modified Hammett substituent constants. There was no significant dependence of activity upon the relative lipophilicity of the compounds studied. The substituent constants for a series of substituted acetophenones based on several different molecular parameters are also calculated.
Pleiotropic Effect of the recA Gene of Escherichia coli: Uncoupling of Cell Division from Deoxyribonucleic Acid Replication

A defective recA gene, which is involved in recombination, is shown in this article to permit limited cell division, when deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis is blocked. Thymidine starvation or nalidixic acid blocked DNA synthesis, and stopped cell division of a rec(+)thy(-) strain of Escherichia coli. However, with the same treatments, a recAthy(-) strain could continue to divide for at least 5 hr, and cell numbers increased 2.5- to 4-fold. After several hours of thymidine starvation, the culture contained very long cells (snakes) and small (normal-sized) cells. The short cells contained very little, if any, DNA. Cells of all ages divided in the absence of thymidine. Specific differences in membrane proteins were observed between thymidine-starved rec(+) and recA cells, as expected from previous experiments in which these proteins were associated with cell division and DNA synthesis. It is proposed that septum formation is controlled negatively by the recA(+) gene.
Pleading After Tellabs

In Tellabs, Inc. v. Makor Issues & Rights, Ltd., the Supreme Court held that a securities fraud complaint will survive a motion to dismiss only if a reasonable person would deem the inference of [culpable state of mind] cogent and at least as compelling as any opposing inference one could draw from the facts alleged. This paper analyzes how the Tellabs test may be applied, identifies questions left open under the decision, and discusses broader implications of the opinion and the PSLRA. Among other things, the paper suggests that the PSLRA's heightened pleading rules have deformed the motion to dismiss to the point where it now operates in securities fraud cases as a hybrid falling somewhere in between the traditional Rule 12(b)(6) and Rule 56 summary judgment procedures.
Capital Punishment Resources on the Internet

To say that the Internet has impacted pedagogy is probably the understatement of the millennium. The professoriate is now faced with the additional challenges of mastering the Internet and concomitant technology while taking advantage of this vast information domain by incorporating its components in the classroom. My own experience with using the Internet to facilitate learning in a death penalty seminar underscores the problems of enticing students to go beyond classroom discussions and assigned readings while keeping pace with technological changes and their impact on pedagogy.In the following sections, a number of capital punishment Internet sites are listed along with brief discussions of the content and their possible utility in the classroom. This list is by no means exhaustive, but is intended to assist anyone with an interest in capital punishment in minimizing their time spent searching the Web.
Phase-compensated optical beam propagation through atmospheric turbulence.

The modulation transfer function and the irradiance profile of a phase-compensated laser beam propagating through atmospheric turbulence are calculated for various values of the normalized transmitter diameter, D/r0. Both focused Gaussian beam and collimated beam with modal phase corrections of arbitrary orders are considered using Zernike polynomials as basic correcting modes. Examples are given for low-order corrections such as tilt, focus, and astigmatism as well as for higher order corrections. The beam quality criteria, defined in terms of Strehl ratio, spot radius, and energy in a bucket, are used to measure the beam performance with different compensating modes. The effects on the beam propagation of central obscuration of the transmitter are also examined, and numerical results are given.
Constraints on intron evolution in the gene encoding the myosin alkali light chain in Drosophila

Interspecific comparisons of intron sequences reveal conserved blocks of invariant nucleotides and several other departures from the strictly neutral model of molecular evolution. To distinguish the past action of evolutionary forces in introns known to have regulatory information, we examined nucleotide sequence variation at 991 sites in a random sample of 16 Drosophila melanogaster alleles of the gene encoding the myosin alkali light chain (Mlc1). The Mlc1 gene of D. melanogaster encodes two MLC1 isoforms via developmentally regulated alternative pre-mRNA splicing. Analyses of these data reveal that introns 4 and 5, which flank the alternatively spliced exon 5, have reduced levels of both intraspecific polymorphism and interspecific divergence relative to intron 3. No polymorphism was observed in any of the exons examined in D. melanogaster. A genealogical analysis clearly demonstrates the occurrence of intragenic recombination in the ancestral history of Mlc1. Recombination events are estimated to be 13 times more likely than mutation events over the span of the sequenced region. Although there is little evidence for pairwise linkage disequilibrium in the Mlc1 region, higher order disequilibrium does seem to be present in the 5' half of the portion of the gene that was examined. Predictions of the folding free energy of the pre-mRNA reveal that sampled alleles have a significantly higher (less stable) free energy than do randomly permuted sequences. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that introns surrounding an alternatively spliced exon are subjected to additional constraints, perhaps due to specific aspects of secondary structure required for appropriate splicing of the pre-mRNA molecule.