cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Respiratory Chain of Plant Mitochondria. III. Oxidation Rates of the Cytochromes c and b in Mung Bean Mitochondria Reduced With Succinate.

Oxidation rates of the 2 cytochromes c and the 3 cytochromes b in mitochondria from the hypocotyls of etiolated mung beans (Phaseolus aureus) have been measured with a rapid mixing flow apparatus coupled to a dual wavelength spectrophotometer. The mitochondria were depleted with uncoupler and ADP prior to starting the experiments to minimize the complications caused by energy-linked processes on electron transport. The half-time for oxidation and absorbance change at a given wavelength for the rapidly oxidized cytochromes was plotted as a function of wavelength, with 570 mmu as reference, to yield a spectrum in which absorbance maxima and half-times were correlated. The 2 cytochrome c components have oxidation half-times of 2 milliseconds for c(549) and 3 milliseconds for c(547). (The subscripts refer to the difference absorbance maxima observed for these cytochromes in reduced-minus-oxidized difference spectra obtained at -196 degrees . The maxima observed at room temperature are 550 mmu for c(547) and 552 mmu for c(549).) Cytochrome b(557) (room temperature maximum 560 mmu) was oxidized with a half-time of 8 milliseconds, while b(553) (room temperature maximum 556 mmu) was oxidized relatively slowly with a half-time of 0.5 sec. Cytochrome b(562) (room temperature maximum 565 mmu) was oxidized with half-times in the range 15 to 35 milliseconds, depending on mitochondrial preparation. It was shown that b(562) is only partially reduced by succinate in anaerobic mitochondria previously depleted with uncoupler and ADP; this cytochrome can be fully reduced by succinate in coupled mitochondria under conditions where endogenous pyridine nucleotide is also reduced. Both b(553) and b(557) in depleted mitochondria are reduced in anaerobiosis by succinate. With ascorbate plus N,N'-tetramethylphenylenediamine as substrate, b(553) is only partially reduced in anaerobiosis, while b(557) is completely reduced in depleted mitochondria. This observed difference in ease of reducibility provides another method for differentiating the 3 cytochromes b of mitochondria isolated from plant tissues.
Controlled-potential controlled-current electrolysis: in vitro and in vivo electrolysis of urea

Abstract A controlled-potential, controlled-current (c.p.c.c.) method for electrolysis has been developed. Electrolysis is performed under controlled oxidative and controlled reductive currents within preset upper and lower bound potentials. The c.p.c.c. approach accomplishes both electrolysis and electrode regeneration concurrently. Compared with the existing galvanostatic and/or controlled potential electrolysis, the present approach demonstrates a greater selectivity for the electroactive species. The approach has been applied to direct electrolysis of urea in physiologic solutions and in recirculated canine hemodialysate. No undesirable, harmful, or toxic products have been found. The Pt-black electrodes, rejuvenated during the electrolysis, were found to perform as well in a standard test as they had prior to electrolysis of the hemodialysate. In view of its selective and regenerative nature, c.p.c.c. electrolysis is thought to be suitable for urea removal in a closed-loop, regenerative hemodialysis system. It is also most likely adapatable to other electrolyses of clinical substances.
Race, culture and interpersonal conflict

Abstract The argument is presented that the traditional management course does little to help the business student or practitioner deal with race-based interpersonal conflicts in the workplace. Specifically, current management textbooks tend to avoid the topic of race and its organizational implications. The case is made that it is imperative for managers and organizations to begin the difficult task of understanding the impact of race on interpersonal conflict. To assist in this task a process model is introduced. Antecedent conditions that can contribute to race-related interpersonal conflict are identified as well as specific behaviors of social actors. Finally, elements of the model are discussed in terms of their ability to help organizations deal with race-based problems.
Composition-controlled synthesis of bimetallic gold-silver nanoparticles

This paper reports findings of an investigation of the synthesis of monolayer-capped binary gold−silver (AuAg) bimetallic nanoparticles that is aimed at understanding the control factors governing the formation of the bimetallic compositions. The synthesis of alkanethiolate-capped AuAg nanoparticles was carried out using two related synthetic protocols using aqueous sodium borohydride as a reducing agent. One involves a two-phase reduction of AuCl4-, which is dissolved in organic solution, and Ag+, which is dissolved in aqueous solution. The other protocol involves a two-phase reduction of AuCl4- and AgBr2-, both of which are dissolved in the same organic solution. AuAg nanoparticles of 2−3 nm core sizes with different compositions in the range of 0−100% Au have been synthesized. The two synthetic routes were compared in terms of bimetallic composition and size properties. Our new findings have allowed us to establish the correlation between synthetic feeding of metals and metal compositions in the bimeta...
NRH:quinone oxidoreductase 2 (NQO2) catalyzes metabolic activation of quinones and anti-tumor drugs

NRH:quinone oxidoreductase 2 (NQO2) is a cytosolic flavoprotein that utilizes NRH as electron donor. The present studies investigate the role of NQO2 in metabolic detoxification/activation of quinones and quinone based anti-tumor drugs. Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells stably overexpressing cDNA derived mouse NQO2 and mouse keratinocytes from DMBA-induced skin tumors in wild-type and NQO2-null mice were generated. The CHO cells overexpressing NQO2 and mouse keratinocytes expressing or deficient in NQO2 were treated with varying concentrations of mitomycin C (MMC), CB1954, MMC analog BMY25067, EO9, menadione and BP-3,6-quinone, in the absence and presence of NRH. The cytotoxicity of the drugs was evaluated by colony formation. The CHO cells overexpressing higher levels of mouse NQO2 showed significantly increased cytotoxicity to menadione, BP-3,6-quinone and to the anti-tumor drugs MMC and CB1954 when compared to CHO cells expressing endogenous NQO2. The cytotoxicity increased in presence of NRH. Similar results were also observed with BMY25067 and EO9 treatments, but to a lesser extent. The results on keratinocytes deficient in NQO2 supported the data from CHO cells. The inclusion of NRH had no effect on cytotoxicity of quinones and drugs in keratinocytes deficient in NQO2. Mouse NQO2 protein was expressed in bacteria, purified and used to study the role of NQO2 in MMC-induced DNA cross-linking. Bacterially expressed and purified NQO2 efficiently catalyzed MMC activation that led to DNA cross-linking. These results concluded that NQO2 plays a significant role in the metabolic activation of both quinones and anti-tumor drugs leading to cytotoxicity and cell death.
An examination of current collaborative supply chain practices

This paper presents the findings from a survey conducted among 667 members of the National Association of Purchasing Managers-Western Washington (NAPM-WW), the local chapter of the Institute of Supply Management (ISM), to provide insights into current collaborative supply chain practices. In this study, Critical Success Factors (CSFs) for effective collaborative planning are discovered, the impact of collaborative planning on supply chain performance is assessed and the importance of the use of Information Technologies (ITs) is examined. Our search enabled us to uncover 27 CSFs for effective collaborative planning. In addition to success factors, many factors acting as barriers against effective collaborative planning are explored. The findings also confirmed that collaborative planning significantly impacts supply chain performance positively. It is hoped that the research findings will be helpful and encourage companies to develop better relationships with their strategic partners.
Large scale bridging in brittle matrix composites

The influence of the bridging zone length on the resistance curve behavior of three brittle-matrix composites is examined. The experimental measurements are correlated with models of crack bridging (taking into account the finite specimen dimensions) and compared with the resistance curves expected when small-scale bridging conditions prevail. The results demonstrate that the resistance curves of composite materials strongly depend on both the absolute length of the bridging zone and the length of the bridging zone relative to the total crack length and the specimen width. The latter effects are due to large-scale bridging. The results suggest that the resistance curves of toughness measurements obtained from small test specimens may overestimate the true behavior and thus, caution must be exercised in interpreting some of the recently published data. The implications for future resistance curve measurements are discussed.
The Role of Communication Technology in Adolescent Relationships and Identity Development.

Background The popularity of communication technologies such as text messaging, e-mail, instant messaging, and social networking sites has grown exponentially, especially among adolescents. At the scale of growth along with the pressures and normative use of communication technology, psychological effects of these technologies need to be further assessed.
Interleukin-1β and Reactive Oxygen Species Mediate Activation of c-Jun NH2-Terminal Kinases, in Human Epithelial Cells, by Two Independent Pathways

The c-Jun N terminal kinases (JNKs) are members of the mitogen activated protein kinases family, which have been shown to be preferentially activated either by cytokines or stress stimuli. In this study we identify a selective and potent antisense oligonucleotide to RhoA (ISIS 17131) and investigate its effect on JNK activation induced by IL-1β and H2O2in A549 cells. The RhoA antisense oligonucleotide was able to inhibit JNK activation when A549 cells were stimulated by H2O2, but did not have any effect on IL-1β induced JNK activation. Consistent with the idea that the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) activates the small G protein exchange factors, H2O2activated the PI 3-kinase. Additionally, Wortmannin, a potent inhibitor of the PI 3-kinase and phospholipase A2(PLA2), and AACOCF3, also a PLA2inhibitor, were able to inhibit JNK activation induced by H2O2, but they had no effect on JNK activation when stimulated by IL-1β. These results suggest that, in A549, IL-1β and H2O2induce JNK activation by two independent pathways.
F0 declination in English and Mandarin Broadcast News Speech

Abstract This study investigates F 0 declination in broadcast news speech in English and Mandarin Chinese. The results demonstrate a strong relationship between utterance length and declination slope. Shorter utterances have steeper declination, even after excluding the initial rising and final lowering effects. Initial F 0 tends to be higher when the utterance is longer, whereas the low bound of final F 0 is independent of the utterance length. Both top line and baseline show declination. The top line and baseline have different patterns in Mandarin Chinese, whereas in English their patterns are similar. Mandarin Chinese has more and steeper declination than English, as well as wider pitch range and more F 0 fluctuations. Our results suggest that F 0 declination is linguistically controlled, not just a by-product of the physics and physiology of talking.
Heparin inhibits skeletal muscle growth in vitro

Abstract Heparin or heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HeSPG), but not chondroitin sulfate or hyaluronic acid, exerts a pronounced inhibitory effect on muscle growth in vitro, as determined by total protein, myosin accumulation or synthesis, and [3H]thymidine incorporation studies. Primary muscle fibroblast culture growth is also inhibited by heparin but to a substantially lesser degree compared to muscle (30% and over 90% inhibition of growth, respectively). Heparin-induced inhibition of skeletal muscle growth is a consequence of its interaction with a growth factor(s) present in the media used to support myogenesis; heparin-Sepharose column absorbed horse serum can support muscle growth only in the presence of added heparin-binding growth factors like fibroblast growth factor (FGF) or chicken muscle growth factor (CMGF). Furthermore, heparin prevents the binding of iodinated FGF to the myoblast surface. We also show that the extent of muscle growth is a function of the relative amounts of heparin and FGF in culture. Finally, we provide evidence indicating that FGF can combine with endogenously occurring heparin-like components: immobilized FGF binds sodium-[35S]sulfate labeled components secreted in muscle culture conditioned medium, an interaction inhibited by anti-HeSPG antibodies or heparin, but not by other sulfated glycosaminoglycans. Since heparin binding growth factors not only stimulate myoblast proliferation but also actively inhibit the onset of muscle differentiation (G. Spitzz, D. Roman, and A. Strauss 1986. J. Biol. Chem.261, 9483–9488), their interaction with naturally occurring heparin-like components may be an important physiological mechanism for modulating muscle growth and differentiation in development and regeneration.
Typical facial clefting and constriction band anomalies: an unusual association in three unrelated patients.

The amniotic band sequence is a rare congenital condition in which it is hypothesized that fibrous band of amniotic tissue result in variable soft tissue derangements. Other terms that have been used to describe this condition are amniotic band syndrome and amnion rupture sequence. Patients may present with craniofacial, thoracic, abdominal, and/or limb involvement. Previous reports have described the association between the amniotic band sequence and unusual patterns of facial clefting, as described by Tessier, that do not follow normal embryonic lines of fusion [Keller et al., 1978; Bagatin et al., 1997]. We describe three successive cases of the amniotic band sequence, which presented with rather typical facial clefts (cleft lip and palate) in unrelated patients.
Glycogen, protein, and lipid content of green, aposymbiotic, and nonsymbiotic hydra during starvation

Glycogen and protein levels during starvation were determined for symbiotic and aposymbiotic Hydra viridis, and for a brown hydra, H. littoralis. Glycogen content in green hydra increased over a 2-week period; this appears to be the first report of an animal which accumulates a food reserve during prolonged starvation. These hydra also retained a greater proportion of tissue protein than either of the other groups. Relative utilization of glycogen was similar in aposymbiotic and brown hydra, although initial glycogen stores of brown hydra were ten times larger. Aposymbionts had a proportionately higher rate of protein loss than brown hydra. Food reserves of starving green hydra are augmented by photosynthetic products of symbiotic algae, while starving brown hydra rely on large stores of all reserves, including lipids.
Sources of Error in Coplanar-Waveguide TRL Calibrations

This paper explores the impact of five sources of systematic error in coplanar-waveguide thru-reflect-line calibrations. We develop expressions that predict systematic measurement error and test them experimentally by deliberately introducing error into real measurement data.
Evidence for opioid receptors on cells involved in host defense and the immune system.

Although the role of opiates and opioids in the physiological and pathological function of the immune system is only beginning to be unraveled, converging lines of evidence indicate that the opioid receptors expressed by immune cells are often the same or similar to the neuronal subtypes, particularly delta and kappa. Recent studies also point to the existence of novel opioid receptors and/or binding sites on immune cells that are selective for morphine. Opioids and their receptors, particularly those with high affinity for delta agonists, appear to function in an autocrine/paracrine manner. Thus, opioid peptides generated from immune-derived proenkephalin A act as cytokines, capable of regulating myriad functions of both granulocytes and mononuclear cells. Further identification and characterization of receptors and signal transduction pathways that account for some of the unique properties of opiate binding and immunomodulation (e.g., dose-dependent effects of morphine that occur at exceptionally low concentrations relative to the Kd's of the neuronal mu receptor or the morphine binding site reported on activated human T-cells) represents one of the major research challenges ahead. Elucidating mechanisms, such as these, may provide unique therapeutic opportunities through the application of opioid immunopharmacology to disorders involving immune responses in peripheral organs and the central nervous system.
Stable isotope-resolved metabolomics and applications for drug development

Advances in analytical methodologies, principally nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS), during the last decade have made large-scale analysis of the human metabolome a reality. This is leading to the reawakening of the importance of metabolism in human diseases, particularly cancer. The metabolome is the functional readout of the genome, functional genome, and proteome; it is also an integral partner in molecular regulations for homeostasis. The interrogation of the metabolome, or metabolomics, is now being applied to numerous diseases, largely by metabolite profiling for biomarker discovery, but also in pharmacology and therapeutics. Recent advances in stable isotope tracer-based metabolomic approaches enable unambiguous tracking of individual atoms through compartmentalized metabolic networks directly in human subjects, which promises to decipher the complexity of the human metabolome at an unprecedented pace. This knowledge will revolutionize our understanding of complex human diseases, clinical diagnostics, as well as individualized therapeutics and drug response. In this review, we focus on the use of stable isotope tracers with metabolomics technologies for understanding metabolic network dynamics in both model systems and in clinical applications. Atom-resolved isotope tracing via the two major analytical platforms, NMR and MS, has the power to determine novel metabolic reprogramming in diseases, discover new drug targets, and facilitates ADME studies. We also illustrate new metabolic tracer-based imaging technologies, which enable direct visualization of metabolic processes in vivo. We further outline current practices and future requirements for biochemoinformatics development, which is an integral part of translating stable isotope-resolved metabolomics into clinical reality.
Corn Motion in the Wind during Senescence: 11- Effect of Dynamic Plant Characteristics

Lodging in corn (Zea mays L.) is often the result of wind-induced motion, which creates a strain on the stalk and root system. In elastic theory, motion is defined by static characteristics (stiffness) and dynamic characteristics (damping coefficient [ζ] and natural frequency [f n ]). A study wxas conducted to determine the relationship of plant ζ, f n , and stiffness (K) to total plant motion in the wind. The ζ,f n , and k were calcualted from stalk motion measured on 23 plants in the field during October, 1988, at West Lafayette, IN (...)
Effects of Warping and Pretwist on Torsional Vibration of Rotating Beams

The effect of pretwist and warping on the torsional vibration of short-aspect-ratio rotating beams is examined for application to the modeling of turbofan, turboprop, and compressor blades. The equations of motion and the associated boundary conditions by using both Wagner's hypothesis and Washizu's theory are derived and a few minor limitations of the Wagner's hypothesis, as applied to thick blades, are pointed out and discussed. The equations for several special cases are solved in a closed form. Results are presented indicating the effect of warping, pretwist, and rotation on torsional vibration of beams as aspect ratio is varied. The results show that the structural warping and pretwist terms have a significant effect on torsional frequency and mode shapes of short-aspect-ratio blades whereas the inertial warping terms have negligible effect. Since the torsional frequencies and mode shapes are very important in aeroelastic analyses by using modal methods, the structural warping terms should be included in modeling turbofan, turboprop, compressor, and turbine blades.
Effects of the planar PCB 3,3′,4,4′-tetrachlorobiphenyl (TCB) on ovarian development, plasma levels of sex steroid hormones and vitellogenin, and progeny survival in the white perch (Morone americana)

Abstract Adult white perch were given three intraperitoneal injections of 3,3′,4,4′-tetrachlorobiphenyl (TCB) at one of three different doses (0.2–5.0 mg TCB/kg body weight). The TCB injections were initiated approx. 3 months prior to the spawning season and given at 3-week intervals. Fewer females matured in the group receiving the highest dose of TCB. Those fish that did mature had a gonadal somatic index approximately half that of control females. Circulating levels of the sex steroid hormones, estradiol-17β and testosterone, and of the egg yolk precursor, vitellogenin, were not significantly altered by TCB exposure. By 7 days post-hatch survival of larvac produced from females exposed to 1.0 and 5.0 mg/kg TCB was reduced as compared to controls (0, 1 and 54%, respectively). These results show that: (1) TCB impairs both maturation of adult females and survival of their offspring, and (2) decreased larval survival may occur at TCB doses less than those required to decrease ovarian growth, oocyte maturation, or circulating sex steroid hormone and vitellogenin concentrations in the adult fish.
Orotic Acid in Yoghurt

Abstract During the preparation of commercial yoghurt from milk, the mean concentration of orotic acid decreased from 8.2 to 4.6 mg/100ml. This decrease was attributed to the metabolic activity of the Lactobacillus species used in preparation of the yoghurt.
True single-phase energy-recovering logic for low-power, high-speed VLSI

In dynamic logic families that rely on energy recovery to achieve low energy dissipation, the flow of data through cascaded gates is controlled using multi-phase clocks. Consequently, these families require multiple clock generators and can exhibit increased energy consumption on their clock distribution networks. Moreover, they are not attractive for high-speed design due to clock skew management problems. In this paper, we present TSEL, the first energy-recovering logic family that operates with a single-phase clocking scheme. TSEL outperforms previous energy-recovering logic families in terms of energy efficiency and operating speed. In HSPICE simulations with a standard 0.5 /spl mu/m technology from MOSIS, pipelined carry-lookahead adders in TSEL function correctly for operating frequencies exceeding 280 MHz. For operating frequencies above 80 MHz, they dissipate considerably less energy per operation than alternative implementations of the same adder architecture in other energy-recovering logic families. In comparison with their CMOS counterparts, the TSEL adders dissipate about half as much energy at 280 MHz. Our results indicate that TSEL is an excellent candidate for high-speed and low power VLSI system design.
Targeting AKT with the proapoptotic peptide, TAT-CTMP: a novel strategy for the treatment of human pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma carries an ominous prognosis and has little effective treatment. Several studies have demonstrated that the potently antiapoptotic phosphatidyl inositol 3′-kinase (PI3K)—protein kinase B/AKT pathway is active in pancreas cancer. A recent study identified an endogenous AKT antagonist, carboxyl terminal modulator protein (CTMP). CTMP inhibits the phosphorylation of AKT, preventing full activation of the kinase. We screened several cell permeable peptides from the N-terminal domain of CTMP (termed TAT-CTMP1–4) in vitro and found one that caused significant apoptosis in pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell lines. An inactive variant of this peptide was synthesized and used as a negative control. In all cell lines tested, TAT-CTMP4 induced a dose-dependent increase in apoptosis as detected by %-TUNEL positive cells and %-active caspase-3 (% active caspase-3 ranged from 31.2 to 61.9 at the highest dose tested (10 μM). A screening of various cell and tissue types revealed that the proapoptotic activity was highest in pancreatic adenocarcinoma. TAT-CTMP induced similar levels of active caspase-3 as several other known inducers of apoptosis: gemcitabine, radiation therapy, wortmannin and recombinant tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. No apoptosis was observed in donor human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC, p < 0.01). We further showed that TAT-CTMP4 could augment either gemcitabine chemotherapy or radiation therapy, standard therapies for pancreas cancer. Pancreatic adenocarcinoma xenografts treated with a single dose of TAT-CTMP4 demonstrated a marked increase in caspase-3 positive tumor cells when compared with untreated controls. Additionally, pancreatic adenocarcinoma allografts treated with intratumoral TAT-CTMP and systemic gemcitabine displayed a significantly smaller tumor burden while undergoing treatment than mice in control groups (p < 0.001). These data indicate that inhibiting AKT with CTMP may be of therapeutic benefit in the treatment of pancreatic adenocarcinoma and, when combined with established therapies, may result in an increase in tumor cell death. © 2009 UICC
Power and sample size requirements for tests of differences between two Poisson rates

SUMMARY The statistic (y-x)/(y + X)1/2 is often used as an approximate test for comparing two Poisson observations. When x and y come from different sized sampling frames, a uniformly most powerful unbiased (UMPU) test is obtained using the binomial distribution of the conditional distribution of y given x + y. Shiue and Bain showed that a test based on the normal approximation of the binomial distribution is nearly as powerful as the UMPU test and presented power and sample size formulae. Here we present an alternative test and show that, when the Poisson rate is greater for the larger sampling frame, it has higher power than the Shiue and Bain test. Power and sample size formulae are given.
Emerging concepts in the pathophysiology of traumatic brain injury.

A complex set of molecular and functional reactions is set into motion by traumatic brain injury (TBI). New research that extends beyond pathological effects on neurons suggests a key role for the blood-brain barrier, neurovascular unit, arginine vasopressin, and neuroinflammation in the pathophysiology of TBI. The prevalence of molecular derangements in TBI holds promise for the identification and use of biomarkers to assess severity of injury, determine prognosis, and perhaps direct therapy. Hopefully, improved knowledge of these elements of pathophysiology will provide the mechanistic clues that lead to improved treatment of TBI. Language: en
Electron diffraction investigation of diffuse reflections in AuFe alloys

Abstract A transmission electron microscopy study was conducted to clarify the positions of the diffuse reflections and streaks in the reciprocal lattice of AuFe alloys. These features are described and discussed as a function of iron content, aging time and other factors. It is found that the diffuse streaks along 110 are produced by a strain effect and often smear out ( 1 1 2 0 ) reflections and 210 streaks. Various considerations, based on habit plane calculations and information from real and reciprocal lattices, preclude the possibility that the ( 1 1 2 0 ) reflections are produced by the intersectionof 210 streaks due to a shape effect from iron-rich platelets or Guinier-Preston (G-P) zones lying along {420} planes.
Smooth transition in aggregate consumption

The STAR model is used to characterize the time series of aggregate consumption. It makes smooth transition from one optimal level to another, as heterogeneous individuals reach their optimal revision points over time. These results suggest that consumption adjustment costs and heterogeneity among investors are responsible for the empirical failure of the consumption-based CAPM.
Democritus, Chrysippus, and the cone problem

To the problem posed by Democritus, whether two sides of a cut through a cone are equal or not, Chrysippus provided an answer that they are neither equal not unequal. The paper discusses various interpretations of the answer and proposes its own based on the assumption that although the Stoics allowed for infinite divisibility of matter, Chrysippus proposed his solution in the original atomistic setting where all atom shapes are permitted and spaces between atoms are required.
Conformational and Configurational Characteristics of 3,4'-Dihydroxybenzophenone Terephthalate

Abstract This paper describes the structure, and properties of a thermotropic fully aromatic polyester that exists in a helical conformation in the solid state and an extended conformation in the nematic phase. The polymer is prepared from 3,4'dihydroxybenzophenone (34'PC0PG) and terephthalic acid (T). The polymer can be highly crystalline and has a K-N transition at 285°C and a sharp N-I transition at 360°C. The unique properties of 34'PC0PG-T result from the asymmetry and flexibility of the 34'PC0PG moiety. Because it is asymmetric, the diol can be incorporated into the polymer chain randomly, head-to-tail or head-to-head. The flexiblity of the unit gives the diol the ability to adopt either a bent or extended conformation. In the solid state two crystal structures having extended conformations are found.
Healthy brain aging: A meeting report from the Sylvan M. Cohen Annual Retreat of the University of Pennsylvania Institute on Aging

Since January of 2006, a baby boomer has turned 60 every seven seconds in the United States, according to Dr. John Trojanowski, director of the Institute on Aging at University of Pennsylvania, who introduced the theme of this public symposium on “Healthy Brian Aging”. And as these baby boomers get older, they are increasingly concerned about healthy aging, particularly healthy brain aging, and seek to avoid aging-related neurodegenerative disorders, like mild cognitive impairment (MCI), Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other aging related neurodegenerative disorders associated with progressive brain degeneration and relentless declines in cognitive function. AD is of particular concern because its prevalence increases exponentially with age after 65 and the world population is experiencing a longevity revolution in which the most rapidly expanding segment of the global population is that over age 65. There are a range of estimates on prevalence of AD in the United States, from 2.4 million1 to 5.22 million, based on differing methodologies and approaches. But this notwithstanding, the number of people with AD is expected to explode in coming years as the population ages, unless ways to prevent or treat the disease are found. Indeed, someone develops AD in the United States approximately every 70 seconds, and AD has recently displaced diabetes as the 6th leading cause of death in the United States. By 2030, by one estimate, as many as 7.7 million people in the United States could have the disease, and by 2050 this number could rise to between 11 million and 16 million people3. It is currently estimated that the cost of AD in the U.S. exceeds $100 billion annually, and AD will likely affect the economies of other countries, including developing nations, as well. For example, the London-based Alzheimer’s Disease International has determined that by 2040 the number of Alzheimer patients will more than triple in India, China and other countries in south Asia and the western Pacific4. With this in mind, the Penn Institute on Aging hosted some of the country’s leading neuroscience researchers to discuss healthy brain aging at its Sylvan Cohen Annual Retreat on May 6, 2008. Facing an audience of some 400 attendees made up predominantly of the general public, Drs. Marcelle Morrison-Bogorad, Marilyn Albert, Carl Cotman, and Hugh Hendrie discussed both the science underlying brain aging as well as specific strategies that might reduce disabilities and enhance functional capacity.
Community and Innovation: From Tönnies to Marx

The idea of community has lurked in various forms in organization studies since the field’s inception, but its recent prominence as a critical precondition for innovation makes urgent the resolution of two theoretical puzzles. Both puzzles can be stated in the terms suggested by Tonnies’ classic contrast of Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft, community and association. First, it is difficult to reconcile the idea that community is critical to innovation with the traditionalistic character of Gemeinschaft. Second, it is difficult to reconcile any idea of community in work organizations with the conflictual character of the capitalist employment relation and the instrumental Gesellschaft character of the economic sphere. I argue that the resolution of the second puzzle via Marxist theory leads us to a resolution of the first. My thesis, in summary, is that community is a critical component of the capitalist labour-process, and that where this labour-process is oriented toward innovation, community is taking an h...
Minor physical anomalies in older patients with late-onset schizophrenia, early-onset schizophrenia, depression, and Alzheimer's disease.

The authors assessed five groups of older subjects (age > 45) for evidence of minor physical anomalies. The groups were patients with early-onset schizophrenia (onset at age 45; n = 8), Alzheimer's disease (AD; n = 11), and unipolar depression (n = 11), and normal comparison (NC) subjects (n = 15). Patients with late- and early-onset schizophrenia, and unipolar depression were found to have significantly more anomalies than NC subjects. Patients with AD did not have significantly more anomalies than NC subjects, although the patients with AD were significantly older than the NC subjects. The authors discuss implications of these findings on the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.
On the relationship between intensity and resolution of pulsed-source backscattering spectrometers

Abstract In a recent paper on the high-resolution pulsed-source backscattering spectrometer LAM-80ET, Ikeda et al. noted that the observed intensity I varies linearly with energy resolution Δ ɛ , on changing order of analyser reflection. This is apparently at variance with reactor folklore, which is based solely on phase-space arguments, in which it is assumed that I ∝Δ ɛ 2 . We discuss this problem in terms of (a) resolution-volume arguments, (b) the energy dependence of source flux, (c) the appropriate Jacobian for transformation from time-of-flight to energy scan, (d) a simple model for resolution of the spectrometer and (e) the wavelength variation of critical angle for the neutron guide. Making suitable simplifying approximations, we arrive at the form I ∝Δ ɛ 4/3 .
Interactions of glutathione S-transferase-π with ethacrynic acid and its glutathione conjugate

Ethacrynic acid, a diuretic drug known to be an inhibitor of glutathione S-transferases (GSTs), has been shown to enhance the cytotoxicity of the alkylating agent class of chemotherapeutic drugs in cultured cancer cells resistant to alkylating agents. This action of ethacrynic acid is presumably mediated by inhibition of GSTs which are implicated in detoxification of alkylating agents. In addition to being an inhibitor of GSTs, ethacrynic acid also interacts with GSTs as a substrate for conjugation with GSH to yield an ethacrynic acid-GSH conjugate. This conjugate is formed both enzymatically and non-enzymatically and itself is a GST inhibitor. Since ethacrynic acid-GSH conjugate is itself likely to be able to mediate reversal of alkylating agents through GST inhibition, we have synthesized and purified the ethacrynic acid-GSH conjugate, studied the kinetics of inhibition of human lung pi-class GST by ethacrynic acid and the conjugate, and compared the kinetics of the enzymatic and non-enzymatic formation of the conjugate using an HPLC method. Results of our studies showed that the ethacrynic acid-GSH conjugate was a more potent inhibitor of human lung GST-pi than ethacrynic acid (Ki = 1.5 vs. 11.5 microM, respectively) and that their mechanisms for GST inhibition were distinct (competitive and non-competitive, respectively). Comparison of enzymatic and non-enzymatic rates of conjugate formation in vitro indicated that GST-pi catalyzed a rapid conjugation of ethacrynic acid with GSH at a concentration of ethacrynic acid an order of magnitude above that required to nearly completely inhibit GST catalyzed conjugation of 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene. However, because of the rapid non-enzymatic reaction, and the inhibition of GST-pi with the accumulation of the conjugate in the reaction mixture, the overall quantity of the conjugate formed after 150 min was nearly identical in the presence or absence of GST-pi. Results of these studies suggest that inhibition of GSTs by ethacrynic acid-GSH conjugate may be the main mechanism through which ethacrynic acid reverses alkylating agent resistance.
Advances in X-ray crystallography

Abstract X-ray crystallography is the most comprehensive technique available to determine molecular structure at atomic resolution. Advances in detector technology and computational methods have enabled crystallographic studies of both very small crystals and very large molecules. Other advances have led to studies of structural changes in proteins using time-resolved Laue diffraction.
A 300-year history of Pacific Northwest windstorms inferred from tree rings

Abstract Hurricane-force winds are frequently allied with mid-latitude cyclones yet little is known about their historical timing and geographic extent over multiple centuries. This research addresses these issues by extending the historical record of major mid-latitude windstorms along North America's Pacific Northwest (PNW) coast using tree-ring data collected from old-growth (> 350 years), wind-snapped trees sampled at seven coastal sites in Oregon, USA. Our objectives were to: 1) characterize historical windstorm regimes; 2) determine the relationship between high-wind events (HWEs) and phases of the PDO, ENSO and NPI; and 3) test the hypothesis that PNW HWEs have migrated northward. We based our study on the identification of tree-growth anomalies resulting from windstorm-induced canopy changes corresponding to documented (1880–2003) and projected HWEs (1701–1880). Our methods identified all major windstorm events recorded since the late 1800s and confirmed that variations in coastal tree-growth are weakly related to temperature, precipitation, and drought, but are significantly related to peak wind speeds. These results suggest wind-induced changes in canopy conditions control tree growth at all sites. Comparisons between the tree-ring record and the PDO, NPI, and ENSO revealed a significant positive correlation between HWEs and neutral to warm PDO conditions and a slightly weaker correlation with the NPI. ENSO events were not significantly related to the occurrence of HWEs. Latitudinal groupings of our sites revealed a gradual and non-significant northerly shift of HWEs until the late 19th century followed by a significant northward shift during the past 120 years. These results mark the application of dendroanemology as a method for characterizing windstorm regimes for multiple centuries.
Complexity Absorption and Performance: A Structural Analysis of Acute-Care Hospitals

This study assesses the degree to which a complexity absorption response enhances performance in an industry increasingly described as highly complex: acute-care hospitals. Business-level strategy, organizational structure, and analytical comprehensiveness are viewed as mechanisms through which executives can increase internal complexity. A case is made that hospitals are well served to pursue a hybrid (or combination) strategy, employ an organic structure, and engage in a high degree of information acquisition and use. In keeping with a complexity absorption view, results indicate that these elements generally exhibit stronger associations with performance as dynamism increases.
Cleavage of L-cystine by soluble enzyme preparations from Brassica species.

Abstract The decomposition of l -cystine to pyruvate and the persulfide, thiocysteine, is catalyzed by soluble enzymes obtained from tissues of brassica species. the enzyme, called trivially cystine lyase, requires pyridoxal-5′-PO4 for activity; however, the stimulation of activity by exogenous cofactor is dependent on the species. Partial purification of the enzyme from the root of B. napobrassica (rutabaga) was accomplished. The rutabaga lyase was completely inactive in the absence of added pyridoxal-5′-PO4. The PH optimum was between 8.5 And 8.9. The lyase was specific for the l -configuration of the amino acid and was only slightly inhibited by equimolar concentrations of The D -Form. The km for l -cystine was 1 mm and was 0.5 μm for pyridoxal-5′-PO4. There was a severe competitive inhibition by thiol compounds such as cysteine and reduced glutathione. The ki for both of these compounds was 1.5 × 10−4 m . The enzyme preparation was capable of utilizing s-Methyl- l -cysteine sulfoxide and l -cysteine-s-Sulfate as substrates. It was completely inactive toward l -cystathionine and dl -allocystathionine. The stoichiometry of the reaction was one mole of thiocysteine and one mole of pyruvate produced per mole of cystine.
Control of interference between surface microwave and satellite communication systems

Satellite technology can expand global communication by orders of magnitude, but only by sharing frequencies with surface services now occupying the spectrum. Feasibility of frequency sharing with fixed microwave systems is discussed here. Such systems occupy a useful fraction of the spectrum and employ horizontally-beamed low power. Passive and active, stationary and low orbit satellite point-to-point systems are considered. Interference may be “surface” (earth terminal to or from microwave) or “orbital” (to, from, or via satellites). Surface coordination is eased by the minimum elevation angles of terminal antennas, but still requires beyond-horizon separations or topographically protected sites. Interference from satellites is inconsequential. Main-beam interference to satellites can come only from a tangential belt.
Aromatic Residues in the Substrate Cleft of RPE65 Protein Govern Retinol Isomerization and Modulate Its Progression

Previously, we showed that mutating RPE65 residue Phe-103 preferentially produces 13-cis-retinol instead of 11-cis-retinol, supporting a carbocation/radical cation mechanism of retinol isomerization. We asked whether this modulation of specificity can occur with residues other than Phe-103 and what role it plays in substrate binding and isomerization. We modeled the substrate-binding cleft of RPE65 to identify residues lining its surface. Many are phenylalanines and tyrosines, including three Phe residues (Phe-61, Phe-312, and Phe-526) forming an arch-like arrangement astride the cleft and Tyr-338. Also, Phe-418 sits at the neck of the cleft, lending a bend to the volume enclosed by the cleft. All mutations of Phe-61, Phe-312, and Phe-418 result in severely impaired or inactive enzyme. However, mutation of Phe-526 and Tyr-338, like Phe-103, decreases 11-cis-retinol formation, whereas increasing the 13-cis isomer. Significantly, 2 of these 3 residues, Phe-103 and Tyr-338, are located on putatively mobile interstrand loops. We propose that residual densities located in the binding cleft of the RPE65 structure represents a post-cleavage snapshot consistent not only with a fatty acid product, as originally modeled, but also an 11-cis-retinol product. Substrate docking simulations permit 11-cis- or 13-cis-retinyl ester binding in this relatively closed cleft, with the latter favored in F103L, F526A, and Y338A mutant structures, but prohibit binding of all-trans-retinyl ester, suggesting that isomerization occurs early in the temporal sequence, with O-alkyl ester cleavage occurring later. These findings provide insight into the mechanism of isomerization central to the visual cycle.
The Pigment Dispersion Syndrome

The pigment dispersion syndrome was noted in 10% of white and black subjects with and without glaucoma. This suggested pigment dispersion was not a high risk factor in the development of glaucoma. The HLA-B7 antigen was less prevalent and HLA-B13 and Bw17 antigens were significantly more prevalent in individuals with the pigment dispersion syndrome than in subjects without the syndrome. Either HLA-B13 or Bw17 antigen was found in 23 (77%) of 30 patients with the pigment dispersion syndrome and in only 13 (6%) of the 203 subjects without pigment dispersion. Pigmentary glaucoma was characterized by a significantly higher prevalence of combinations of HLA-B12 and B13 or HLA-B12 and Bw17 antigens as compared to the pigment dispersion syndrome without glaucoma, primary open-angle glaucoma, or the general population. This suggested that pigmentary glaucoma differed genetically from primary open-angle glaucoma and was a separate entity.
Time-Resolved Reflectivity Study of Solid-Phase Epitaxial Regrowth in Relaxed and Strained Si1−xGex Epilayers

The rate of solid-phase epitaxial regrowth was studied using time-resolved reflectivity in three different types of SiGe/Si epilayers amorphized by ion implantation. In two of these cases, the alloy epilayer contained either 12% or 20% Ge, and the amorphization depth was greater than the thickness (2000 {Angstrom}) of the SiGe alloy layer. Time-resolved reflectivity measurements showed that the rate of regrowth was not constant in these two cases, but first decreased after passing the SiGe/Si interface, and then increased. The minimum regrowth rate occurred closer to the SiGe/Si interface in the epilayers with the larger Ge atomic fraction. In the third type of sample, the alloy epilayer thickness was {approximately} 7 {mu}m, so that the initial epilayer (15% Ge) had the lattice constant of the bulk alloy. Furthermore, amorphization and regrowth occurred entirely within the relaxed alloy layer. In this case, the regrowth rate was constant. The composition dependence of the regrowth-rate transient in the strained layers is discussed in the context of a ``critical-thickness`` model of strain relaxation.