cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pseudo bond graphs of circulating fluids with application to solar heating design

Abstract Two different bond-graph schemes for the modeling of circulating fluids are discussed and compared. The first uses a heuristic approach wherein the flow path is broken into segments. Each segment has separate hydraulic and thermal submodels which are linked with active bonds. The model is general enough to handle natural convective flows, heat storage, conduction, forced convective heat transfer and heat energy sources. The second method, applicable to pumped flows, uses a modal analysis approach to derive state equations for the modal temperatures, the time varying coefficients of the spatially varying mode shapes in a separation of variables solution for the temperature partial differential equation. Two examples are worked to illustrate the models. Numerical simulation results are presented using the first method and a simple analytic solution given to illustrate the second.
Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Labeling of Bone Marrow Stromal (Mesenchymal) Cells Does Not Affect Their “Stemness”

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION) are increasingly used to label human bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs, also called “mesenchymal stem cells”) to monitor their fate by in vivo MRI, and by histology after Prussian blue (PB) staining. SPION-labeling appears to be safe as assessed by in vitro differentiation of BMSCs, however, we chose to resolve the question of the effect of labeling on maintaining the “stemness” of cells within the BMSC population in vivo. Assays performed include colony forming efficiency, CD146 expression, gene expression profiling, and the “gold standard” of evaluating bone and myelosupportive stroma formation in vivo in immuncompromised recipients. SPION-labeling did not alter these assays. Comparable abundant bone with adjoining host hematopoietic cells were seen in cohorts of mice that were implanted with SPION-labeled or unlabeled BMSCs. PB+ adipocytes were noted, demonstrating their donor origin, as well as PB+ pericytes, indicative of self-renewal of the stem cell in the BMSC population. This study confirms that SPION labeling does not alter the differentiation potential of the subset of stem cells within BMSCs.
Trading and valuing depreciable assets

Abstract Optimal policies for selling a risky depreciable asset with proportional taxes and transaction costs are derived for a representative investor who maximizes the market value of his investment. Also calculated are the market value of his investment and the competitive price of the depreciable asset. Depending upon the values of various parameters, the investor realizes either capital gains and no losses, capital losses and no gains, or neither gains nor losses. Additional properties of the solution are derived numerically.
Determination of compositional ordering at grain boundaries in boron-doped Ni3Al

The effects of crystal thickness and defocus on the superlattice contrast from HRTEM images have been demonstrated. The results indicate that fine, FCC fringe spacings in the vicinity of these grain boundaries can be produced if the boundary is slightly inclined to the electron beam, creating the false impression that the region is compositionally disordered. For properly chosen defocus conditions and boundary orientation, contrast typical of the ordered structure extends up to the estimated position of the boundary plane. The lack of a distinct disordered region suggests that microplasticity near grain boundaries is not significantly affected by the presence of B, and that its influence must be highly localized to the boundaries.
Crepuscular Activity of Gypsy Moth Adults

Crepuscular activity of adult male and female gypsy moth ( Lymantria dispar L.) occurred regularly between 1900 and 2000 h, and between 0330 and 0445 h, respectively. Evening crepuscular flight accounted for 29.6% first flights for 3555 laboratory-reared males and 19.8% first flights for 2884 feral males. Crepuscular wing fanning and walking accounted for 92% of female motor activity and during the first 24 h after eclosion, females moved an average of 1.6 m Birds, voles, and mice were observed preying on moths. Crepuscular redistribution appears to be a mechanism for reducing predation and for helping males locate females.
Torsion analysis of fresh and aged cheeses

Six cheese varieties encompassing a wide compositional and age range were analyzed fresh and after aging to determine correlations between casein proteolysis products, fat content, moisture content, and torsion results. Shear stress, a measure of the strength of the casein matrix, was dependent on the amount of intact αsl-casein. Shear strain, a measure of the cohesiveness of a structure, exhibited a negative correlation with fat content and a positive correlation with moisture content. Shear strain was also correlated with the ratio of moisture to protein, an indication of the interaction between casein particles. Torsion tests provide information on the level of degradation of the casein network in cheese, which can be used by manufacturers to alter storage conditions to optimize the quality of their aged cheese., April 10, 2003
Role of Maspin in Tumor Metastasis and Angiogenesis

Cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality in developed countries such as the USA. In 1998, there were more than 280,000 and 250,000 cancer related deaths in males and females, respectively. In males, lung and prostate cancers accounted for almost half of these deaths, whereas in females, lung and breast cancers were the leading causes of cancer mortalities. Therefore, the study of cancer has been of the utmost importance to patients, doctors, and researchers alike. A variety of cellular processes occur in the precancerous cells that contribute to the development and progression to cancer. Not surprisingly, all of these cellular processes have been targeted for anticancer therapy. A novel serpin, maspin, has demonstrated a robust effect on a variety of these cancer progression steps. A number of studies have shown that maspin inhibits angiogenesis and tumor cell growth and invasion both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, maspin promotes cell adhesion to the basement membrane and extracellular matrix components. Efforts underway to understand the molecular mechanisms involved in the diverse functions influenced by maspin have yielded promising results and shed light on the cancer pathways.
Resonant-structure Micromotors: Historical Perspective and Analysis

Abstract Resonant-structure micromotors are a class of mechanism that operates on the principle of mechanical resonance, so that the armature is driven for maximum displacement and power. The application of resonance in motors is placed in historical perspective and scaling issues for such resonant systems are identified and quantified. Along with a conventional, tensile-element resonant structure, a novel, ‘crab-leg’ flexure system is described and flexural spring constant and stress formulae derived.
Fabrication and Testing of Combined Primary and Tertiary Mirrors for the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope

The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope is a three-mirror system with an 8.4-m primary mirror and a 5.1-m tertiary mirror on a single glass substrate. This mirror is being manufactured at the Steward Observatory Mirror Lab.
The Psychology of Sexual Racism and Aids An Ongoing Saga of Distrust and the "Sexual Other"

African (Black) psychology has rightly challenged the paradigms of Eurocentric psychology to the extent that a stance of suspicion toward Euro-American science has become a sign of health (Akbar, 1985; Baldwin, 1986; Nobles, 1980). The continued misuse of history and science to perpetuate racism and blame toward ethnic minorities in this country is cause for alarm (Aptheker, 1971; Gould, 1981; Higham, 1971; Williams, 1972). The current AIDS epidemic adds more drama to the continuing story of how African Americans perceive themselves to be at risk for gross scientific misinterpretation (Dalton, 1989). Research assumptions must be challenged because they can harm efforts toward culturally competent and sensitive research and intervention programs. Besides, history is replete with stories of racism involving physical or psychological attacks on the sexual identity of African Americans (D'Emilio & Freedman, 1988; Finkelman, 1992; Higgenbotham, 1978).
Big-time sports as academic prostitution

Aremarkable feature of the recent literature on college sports is its virtually unanimous agreement that commercialized athletics has been a destructive force in American higher education. Disagreement comes only in the various—and endless—proposals about what is to be done. Yet even here there is substantial agreement, with a majority of critics arguing that the solution is to make athletics in Division IA of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) openly professional—the school operates the franchise, the stadium is sold to shareholders, the players are hired on the same terms as those in the NBA or NFL, and the charade of trying to pass them off as “student athletes” is quietly put to rest. Allen Sack, coauthor of the hardhitting study College Athletes for Hire, has recently said that this is his own favored option.1 Andrew Zimbalist, the Smith College economist whose Unpaid Professionals undertakes a sophisticated economic analysis of big-time college sports, argues that it would put an end to an intolerable hypocrisy: “Kids who have no academic talent and/or interest in attending college are compelled to be there. REVIEW ESSAY
Thermal expansion of solids at high temperatures by the gamma attenuation technique

A new technique is described for the measurement of the thermal expansion of isotropic solid materials at high temperatures. The method utilizes gamma attenuation to measure thermal expansion with a noncontacting probe. The experimental apparatus and analytical method are described, and results are presented for aluminum to 900 K and type 303 stainless steel to 1660 K to illustrate the use and precision of the technique. These results agree with published values measured by other techniques, and in the case of the stainless steel alloy, some new results are presented in the temperature range 1400–1660 K.
Predicting Adsorption Isotherms for Aqueous Organic Micropollutants from Activated Carbon and Pollutant Properties

A method based on the Polanyi-Dubinin-Manes (PDM) model is presented to predict adsorption isotherms of aqueous organic contaminants on activated carbons. It was assumed that trace organic compound adsorption from aqueous solution is primarily controlled by nonspecific dispersive interactions while water adsorption is controlled by specific interactions with oxygen-containing functional groups on the activated carbon surface. Coefficients describing the affinity of water for the activated carbon surface were derived from aqueous-phase methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) and trichloroethene (TCE) adsorption isotherm data that were collected with 12 well-characterized activated carbons. Over the range of oxygen contents covered by the adsorbents (approximately 0.8-10 mmol O/g dry, ash-free activated carbon), a linear relationship between water affinity coefficients and adsorbent oxygen content was obtained. Incorporating water affinity coefficients calculated from the developed relationship into the PDM model, isotherm predictions resulted that agreed well with experimental data for three adsorbents and two adsorbates [tetrachloroethene (PCE), cis-1,2-dichloroethene (DCE)] that were not used to calibrate the model.
Soil water content at R-5. Part 1. Spatial and temporal variability

Abstract This paper, the first part in a two-part series, is concerned with the interpretation of spatial and temporal variations in soil water content across a small rangeland catchment; two data sets are examined. The first data set is comprised of 25 728 soil water content measurements made at 34 sites over an 8 year period. The second data set consists of individual soil water content measurements made at 247 sites over a 6 day period. Geostatistical methods are used to describe variations in soil water content; general characterizations are made. In the companion paper the impact of antecedent soil water conditions is investigated for a suite of R-5 event simulations with a quasi-physically based rainfall-runoff model.
Relationships between prescribed burning and wildfire occurrence and intensity in pine–hardwood forests in north Mississippi, USA

Using Geographic Information Systems and US Forest Service data, we examined relationships between prescribed burning (from 1979 to 2000) and the incidence, size, and intensity of wildfires (from 1995 to 2000) in a landscape containing formerly fire-suppressed, closed-canopy hardwood and pine–hardwood forests. Results of hazard (failure) analyses did not show an increased likelihood of large, small, or intense wildfires with an increase in the number of years since the last prescribed fire. Wildfires of various sizes and intensities were more likely to occur in years with lower than average precipitation, regardless of when these areas were last burned. Calculations of expected lightning-fire potential based on weather patterns predicted a peak in lightning-started fires in the early to late summer. Lightning fires were rare, however, and wildfire activity was greatest in the spring and fall. We hypothesize that the ineffectiveness of prescribed burning in reducing wildfire hazard and the low incidence of wildfires in the midsummer in north Mississippi are both artifacts of fire suppression in the past, which converted open oak–pine woodlands with persistent pyrogenic surface fuels that accumulated over time to closed-canopy forests that lack such fuels. We suggest that open canopies and grass-based surface fuels must first be restored before prescribed burning will achieve most desirable management goals in this region, including hazard reduction and ecological restoration of natural fire regimes.
Quantitative analysis of the detergent-insoluble brain proteome in frontotemporal lobar degeneration using SILAC internal standards

A hallmark of neurodegeneration is the aggregation of disease related proteins that are resistant to detergent extraction. In the major pathological subtype of frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FT...
Glucose Utilization by Brain

SummaryThe metabolism of the brain, as estimated by the glucose taken from blood in passing through it, is in agreement with that determined by analogous studies of oxygen and carbon dioxide changes. Brain metabolism so estimated is at least 20 times as intense as that of resting muscle. This average does not differentiate the higher respiration of gray matter from white, the large amount of non-neural elements, and similar factors tending to dilute a much higher value for the nerve cells proper. Insulin does not uniquely influence brain sugar utilization.
Structure and Dynamics of the Cr(CO)3 Complexes of Triquinacene and Dimethylenecyclobutene by Hartree−Fock and Density Functional Methods

Combined perturbation MO, ab initio, and experimental investigations are employed in the study of (dimethylenecyclobutene)chromium tricarbonyl and triquinacenechromium tricarbonyl. Reasonable structural trends are obtained from a variety of computational methods; however, hybrid HF/DFT methods using sufficiently large basis sets offer the most accurate results in comparison to experiment. Although substantial barriers to rotation about the metal−arene bond are predicted for both, neither barrier is high enough to restrict the dynamics to the degree where atropisomerism at the laboratory time scale would be possible.
Indoor allergens: Thrill of victory or agony of defeat?

There should be no doubt as to the importance of indoor allergens in the pathogenesis of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis. They cause both acute and chronic symptoms and in some instances may even underlie the development of asthma. These facts lead to the obvious conclusion that allergen avoidance should be central to the care of patients who are sensitized to dust mite, cat, or other indoor allergens. In addition, they suggest that avoidance measures should also be used in a prophylactic fashion in patients thought to be predisposed to the development of atopy. Unfortunately, the approach to allergen avoidance is rarely straightforward. Confusion exists as to the role of many environmental control techniques either because of conflicting study results, a complete absence of study results, or exaggerated claims from manufacturers. A multitude of products is in fact available to the general public, many of which have never been carefully evaluated with regard to their safety or efficacy. Further, these products are most often used without medical supervi
Modeling tracer transport in an osteon under cyclic loading.

A mathematical model is developed to explain the fundamental conundrum as to how during cyclic mechanical loading there can be net solute (e.g., nutrient, tracer) transport in bone via the lacunar-canalicular porosity when there is no net fluid movement in the canaliculi over a loading cycle. Our hypothesis is that the fluid space in an osteocytic lacuna facilitates a nearly instantaneous mixing process of bone fluid that creates a difference in tracer concentration between the inward and outward canalicular flow and thus ensures net tracer transport to the osteocytes during cyclic loading, as has been shown experimentally. The sequential spread of the tracer from the osteonal canal to the lacunae is investigated for an osteon experiencing sinusoidal loading. The fluid pressure in the canaliculi is calculated using poroelasticity theory and the mixing process in the lacunae is then simulated computationally. The tracer concentration in lacunae extending radially from the osteonal canal to the cement line is calculated as a function of the loading frequency, loading magnitude, and number of loading cycles as well as the permeability of the lacunar-canalicular porosity. Our results show that net tracer transport to the lacunae does occur for cyclic loading. Tracer transport is found to increase with higher loading magnitude and higher permeability and to decrease with increasing loading frequency. This work will be helpful in designing experimental studies of tracer movement and bone fluid flow, which will enhance our understanding of bone metabolism as well as bone adaptation. © 2000 Biomedical Engineering Society.
Indicating Instruments at the Servomechanism Frequencies

Tests on indicating instruments excited with sinusoidal signals at the servomechanism frequencies show that under certain conditions they are the same useful and time-saving tools as when used at the power frequencies. These conditions are determined by the motional characteristics of the instrument and the desired accuracy. This paper describes the performance of conventional indicating instruments at these low frequencies, discusses what can be done to these instruments to make them more suitable for this service, and gives one example of what can be expected when an indicating instrument is designed expressly for servo system use.
The design of motivational agents and avatars

While the addition of an anthropomorphic interface agent to a learning system generally has little direct impact on learning, it potentially has a huge impact on learner motivation. As such agents become increasingly ubiquitous on the Internet, in virtual worlds, and as interfaces for learning and gaming systems, it is important to design them to optimally impact motivation. The focus of this paper is on the design of agents and avatars (one’s self-representation as a visual agent) for enhancing motivational and affective outcomes, such as improving self-efficacy, engagement and satisfaction, moderating frustration, and/or improving stereotypes. Together with motivational messages and dialogue (which are not discussed here), the agent’s appearance is the most important design feature as it dictates the learner’s perception of the agent as a virtual social model, in the Bandurian sense. The message delivery, through a human-like voice with appropriate and relevant emotional expressions, is also a key motivational design feature. More research is needed to determine the specifics with respect to the ideal agent voice and the role of other nonverbal communication (e.g., deictic gestures) that may contribute to the agent’s role as an embodied motivator, particularly in the long-term.
Note on "the design of a user interface to large Fortran subroutine packages under IBM 360/370 OS"

The article by Tweedale and Chan in the Jan. 75 SIGNUM Newsletter mentions the control program supplied with EISPACK without giving a suitable reference. Unfortunately, they seem not to be aware that its design and operation, and the philosophy behind them, are thoroughly documented in [1]. In particular, [1] discusses programming techniques which simplify the interpretation of the arguments and the selection of subroutines to perform the computation.
Police discretion with apprehended youth: assessing the impact of juvenile specialization

The decision to have dedicated youth officers is not an easy option for many police agencies due to financial and human resource constraints. Yet, very little research examines whether specialization impacts police discretion. Using statistical and interview data, this paper explores differences in police decision‐making with apprehended youth in Canada. The data suggest that specialized agencies are more likely to use referrals to external agencies and pre‐charge diversion, are less likely to charge a youth, are more likely to detain a youth once charged, and consider situational factors pertaining to the youth and that particular offense when using their discretion.
On the Eddy Isopycnal Thickness Diffusivity of the Gent–McWilliams Subgrid Mixing Parameterization

Abstract Output of an eddy-resolving model of the North Atlantic Ocean is used to diagnose the eddy thickness diffusivity coefficient, κ, defined by Gent and McWilliams in their quasi-adiabatic parameterization for transports by mesoscale eddies. The results suggest that κ has large spatial and temporal variations, with negative values about half of the time. The order of magnitude of κ shows a wide range in the western North Atlantic, varying from 10 m2 s−1 to 107 m2 s−1. Also, the value of κ is considerably affected by the timescale used to define the high-frequency and low-frequency components. The results suggest that κ should be a diagnosed variable that reflects the strength of eddy mixing during a model integration.
Utilization of energy substrates during calling activity in tropical frogs

Calling activity in frogs is energetically demanding to males because they usually perform at or near their physiological capacities. Metabolic fuel for muscle contractions during bouts of aerobic calling activity comes from carbohydrates and lipids that are stored in the trunk muscles. I monitored nightly calling performance in males of seven tropical frog species from two families, Hylidae and Leptodactylidae, and compared levels of glycogen and lipid in the trunk muscles from males collected before and after a three-hour period of calling activity. Trunk muscles from late-evening males in five species had up to 63% less glycogen than the trunk muscles from early-evening males; relatively little depletion was observed in two other species. Overall, glycogen reserves and rates of depletion were highest in species with very high calling rates. It was not possible to measure changes in the relatively large stores of lipid in the trunk muscles after only 3 h of calling. Nevertheless, intramuscular lipid stores probably provide a greater percentage of the energy needed for sound production than glycogen stores, and are largest in species with high calling rates.
Analysis of interface evolution and pattern formation during CVD

Morphological aspects of the evolution of a gas-solid interface during typical CVD processes are presented, as well as a continuum model of CVD growth. A linear stability analysis used determines the effect of reactor conditions on the stability of planar growth. The main focus, however, is numerical solution of governing equations under a wide variety of conditions and with different initial interface shapes as starting point. Simplified solutions under specific deposition conditions and the numerical procedure for solving the complete system of equations are presented. The focuses are on the use of a parameterization that eliminates numerical problems encountered with steep interface gradients and the automatic generation of an adaptive mesh for the domain above the interface. Several examples illustrate the numerical solution procedure. To the authors` knowledge, this is the first attempt to simulate interface evolution during CVD for long deposition times from various initial interface shapes. The simulation revealed several morphological phenomena observed experimentally in previous studies, including the formation of occlusions that contributes to film porosity and was clearly shown by the numerical results. Film uniformity strongly depends on the controlling mechanism of deposition. Severe nonuniformities develop under diffusional limitations, while deposition is very uniform under conditionsmore » of kinetics control. Film uniformity could be improved by choosing conditions for which a Damkoehler number of deposition, Da, would have the lowest value.« less
Ascorbate Transport and Recycling by SH-SY5Y Neuroblastoma Cells: Response to Glutamate Toxicity

Neurons maintain relatively high intracellular concentrations of vitamin C, or ascorbic acid. In this work we studied the mechanisms by which neuronal cells in culture transport and maintain ascorbate, as well as how this system responds to oxidant stress induced by glutamate. Cultured SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells took up ascorbate, achieving steady-state intracellular concentrations of 6 mM and higher at extracellular concentrations of 200 μM and greater. This gradient was generated by relatively high affinity sodium-dependent ascorbate transport (Km of 113 μM). Ascorbate was also recycled from dehydroascorbate, the reduction of which was dependent on GSH, but not on d-glucose. Glutamate in concentrations up to 2 mM caused an acute concentration-dependent efflux of ascorbate from the cells, which was prevented by the anion channel blocker 4,4′-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2′-disulfonic acid. Intracellular ascorbate did not affect radiolabeled glutamate uptake, showing absence of heteroexchange.
Oxidative stress and Alzheimer’s disease: dietary polyphenols as potential therapeutic agents

Oxidative stress has been strongly implicated in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). In recent years, antioxidants - especially those of dietary origin - have been suggested as possible agents useful for the prevention and treatment of AD. This article reviews the role of oxidative stress and the contribution of free radicals in the development of AD, and also discusses the use of antioxidants as a therapeutic strategy in the amelioration of this illness. The antioxidant potential of polyphenolic compounds obtained from dietary sources, such as anthocyanins from berries, catechins and theaflavins from tea, curcumin from turmeric, resveratrol from grapes and peanuts, the dihydrochalcones aspalathin and nothofagin from rooibos and the xanthone mangiferin from honeybush, are discussed in this review. The neuroprotective effects of these phytochemicals in preclinical models of AD are highlighted. Finally, innovative concepts, novel hypotheses, current challenges and future directions in the use of dietary polyphenols for the treatment of AD are discussed.
The wild wild waste: e-waste

E-Waste is a popular, informal name for discarded electronic products such as computers, VCRs, cameras, which have reached the end of their "useful life". Discarded electronic products contain a stew of toxic metals and chemicals such as lead, mercury, cadmium, chromium, and PCBs. Based on the Gartner estimation over 133,000 PCs are discarded by U.S. homes and businesses each day. Less than 10 percent of all electronics are currently recycled. Most European countries and a growing number of countries around the world require electronic companies to finance and manage recycling programs for their products. There is no such federal law in the United States. Being environmentally responsible makes perfect sense for higher education institutions. Unfortunately, e-Waste, a dangerous byproduct of technology's relentless expansion is one of the fastest growing segments of higher education institutions' waste stream. We need to be strong advocates of "producer responsibility" and give companies an incentive to produce environmentally friendly products. In addition we must learn about and educate our campus communities about managing old electronics and associated materials. In this report, we attempt to answer the question "What should be done with old electronic products?" discuss opportunities for waste prevention and reuse, and talk about regulatory issues.
Effect of poly-L-ornithine on isolated tobacco mesophyll protoplasts: Evidence against stimulated pinocytosis.

The effects of poly-l-ornithine on the surface membrane of isolated tobacco protoplasts have been examined in the electron microscope using a colloidal metal oxide and a spherical virus as marker substances. No evidence was found to suggest that isolated protoplasts take up either of these markers by a pinocytotic process. Poly-l-ornithine increased the degree of damage observed in fixed preparations, and specifically caused lesions of the plasmalemma which were favoured sites for the binding of both external marker substances. It is suggested that the function of poly-l-ornithine and other treatments used to obtain virus infection of protoplasts is to stress the cell membrane to allow a non-physiological entry of high molecular weight materials. Pinocytosis appears not to occur nor to be necessary for uptake of these materials under conditions of membrane stress.
Perceptions of Parents of Young Children with and without Disabilities Attending Inclusive Preschool Programs

This study aimed to identify the characteristics of parents of children with and without disabilities whose young children attend an inclusive, early childhood education program that influence their perceptions of inclusion and inclusive preschool programs. Participants included parents of preschool children without disabilities (n=64) and parents of preschool children with disabilities (n=84) attending inclusive preschool programs. Participants completed a 120-question survey examining parental characteristics and the impact they have on parent perceptions regarding inclusion and inclusive preschool programs. In addition, child variables (disability status, type of disability, severity of the disability and disability category) were examined to determine their significance regarding parental perception. Analysis revealed that parents of children with disabilities were less likely to favor an inclusive program that served children with severe disabilities, such as autism and behaviour disorders.
Microfibrillar Proteins MAGP-1 and MAGP-2 Induce Notch1 Extracellular Domain Dissociation and Receptor Activation

Unlike most receptors, Notch serves as both the receiver and direct transducer of signaling events. Activation can be mediated by one of five membrane-bound ligands of either the Delta-like (-1, -2, -4) or Jagged/Serrate (-1, -2) families. Alternatively, dissociation of the Notch heterodimer with consequent activation can also be mediated experimentally by calcium chelators or by mutations that destabilize the Notch1 heterodimer, such as in the human disease T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Here we show that MAGP-2, a protein present on microfibrils, can also interact with the EGF-like repeats of Notch1. Co-expression of MAGP-2 with Notch1 leads to both cell surface release of the Notch1 extracellular domain and subsequent activation of Notch signaling. Moreover, we demonstrate that the C-terminal domain of MAGP-2 is required for binding and activation of Notch1. Based on the high level of homology, we predicted and further showed that MAGP-1 can also bind to Notch1, cause the release of the extracellular domain, and activate signaling. Notch1 extracellular domain release induced by MAGP-2 is dependent on formation of the Notch1 heterodimer by a furin-like cleavage, but does not require the subsequent ADAM metalloprotease cleavage necessary for production of the Notch signaling fragment. Together these results demonstrate for the first time that the microfibrillar proteins MAGP-1 and MAGP-2 can function outside of their role in elastic fibers to activate a cellular signaling pathway.
MR versus MR arthrography in detection of supraspinatus tendon tears in patients without previous shoulder surgery

We report the prevalence of supraspinatus tendon tears seen on MR arthrography that are not seen on conventional MR exam in the same patient population. A total of 150 consecutive conventional shoulder MR and MR arthrography exams performed on the same patients who went on to arthroscopy were reviewed retrospectively by consensus reading of two musculoskeletal radiologists. Full-thickness supraspinatus tendon tears were assessed. None of the patients had previous shoulder surgery. There were 113 full-thickness supraspinatus tendon tears seen on conventional MR exam while there were 119 full-thickness supraspinatus tendon tears seen on MR arthrography. The six additional full-thickness supraspinatus tendon tears seen on MR arthrography but not seen on conventional MR exam were confirmed at arthroscopy. Some full-thickness supraspinatus tendon tears are not seen on conventional MR exam but are seen on MR arthrography. This is most likely due to fibrosis at the supraspinatus tendon tear site simulating an intact tendon on conventional MR.
COMBINED LOCALLY ENHANCED SAMPLING AND PARTICLE MESH EWALD AS A STRATEGY TO LOCATE THE EXPERIMENTAL STRUCTURE OF A NONHELICAL NUCLEIC ACID

One of the largest challenges facing structural biologists is to predict the structure of complex molecules in aqueous solution. In this article we show for the first time that Locally Enhanced Sam...
Functions of the FAK family kinases in T cells: beyond actin cytoskeletal rearrangement

T cells control the focus and extent of adaptive immunity in infectious and pathological diseases. The activation of T cells occurs when the T cell antigen receptor (TCR) and costimulatory and/or adhesion receptors are engaged by their ligands. This process drives signaling that promotes cytoskeletal rearrangement and transcription factor activation, both of which regulate the quality and magnitude of the T cell response. However, it is not fully understood how different receptor-induced signals combine to alter T cell activation. The related non-receptor tyrosine kinases focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (Pyk2) are phosphorylated downstream of the TCR and several costimulatory and adhesion receptors. FAK family proteins integrate receptor-mediated signals that influence actin cytoskeletal rearrangement and effector T cell responses. In this review, we summarize the receptor-specific roles that FAK and Pyk2 control to influence T cell development and activation.
Defining, developing, and implementing a new design for the technology component of a human resource development undergraduate program

Purpose – To describe an approach to course redesign that may provide others in the field with a “template” to follow or modify when course redesign is necessary.Design/methodology/approach – Action research implies making a change and then observing and responding to the consequences of that change. Making the change in this course involved: defining the knowledge and skills that would best enable program graduates to satisfy the requirements of the marketplace, and identifying and including those elements that would best enable students to learn the material. Data came from interviews with faculty, personnel from companies that hire program graduates, and the students themselves. After the change, data was continuously compiled and utilized to refine the course as it progressed.Findings – The data show that the revised course was perceived as a definite improvement, although adjustment was required over a period of several semesters to make this perception uniform and general.Research limitations/implic...
CHEMISORBED HALOGEN ADLAYERS ON FE(110) : ELECTRONIC BAND STRUCTURE AND SURFACE GEOMETRY

Abstract A series of overlayer structures, starting with a c(3 × 1) geometry are formed during the dissociative chemisorption of chlorine, bromine, and iodine on Fe(110). These adlayers provide an opportunity to systematically examine the corresponding changes in electronic band structure as a function of coverage and adsorbate. At coverage levels greater than θ = 1 3 low-energy electron diffraction patterns obtained from the halogen-covered Fe(110) surface evolve continuously with coverage. The electronic band structure was examined as a function of coverage and adsorbate species via angle-resolved ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy. It is concluded that the electronic band structure measurements support an incommensurate structural model for halogen overlayer geometry on Fe(110) in which an overlayer lattice, that is in general incommensurate with the substrate, rotates and compresses with increases in coverage. An alternative interpretation of the diffraction results based on antiphase domain boundaries within the overlayer is not consistent with the photoemission data. The incommensurate model emphasizes adatom-adatom interactions over adatom-substrate interactions while the reverse is true for the antiphase boundary model.
Evaluation of urinalyses ordered for diagnosis of urinary tract infections at an inpatient psychiatric hospital.

Objective:A retrospective study was conducted to assess the diagnosis and treatment of urinary tract infections (UTIs) using urinalyses (UA)s at a psychiatric hospital.Method:Patients admitted between July 2010 and June 2011 receiving at least one UA during inpatient psychiatric hospitalization were included. Pregnant patients and those with a UA receiving antibiotic treatment in the emergency department were excluded. The primary objective of the study was to characterize and assess the appropriateness of UAs ordered for the diagnosis of UTIs. Secondary objectives included analyzing frequency of cultures obtained, appropriateness of empiric antibiotics, and de-escalation of therapy if warranted.Results:Thirty-nine percent (n = 891/2292) of patients admitted received a UA at least once during their hospitalization. Of 203 patients further evaluated, 78% were asymptomatic, 11% were older than 65 years of age with altered mental status (AMS) or dementia, and 11% had typical UTI symptoms. Thirty-one patients...
Finite-time stability for time-varying nonlinear dynamical systems

Finite-time stability involves dynamical systems whose trajectories converge to an equilibrium state in finite time. Since finite-time convergence implies non-uniqueness of system solutions in backward time, such systems possess non-Lipschitzian dynamics. In this paper, we address finite-time and uniform finite-time stability of time-varying systems. Specifically, we provide Lyapunov and converse Lyapunov conditions for finite-time stability of a time-varying system. Furthermore, we show that finite-time stability leads to uniqueness of solutions in forward time. In addition, we establish necessary and sufficient conditions for continuity of the settling-time function of a nonlinear time-varying system.
Response to pamela fitch.

Reply by Moyer: Pamela Fitch makes good points in response to my recent editorial on affective massage therapy (AMT), and I recall that when I was writing it, I wavered on whether to nominate AMT only as a subfield for research or as a subfield for research and practice. I also had, in addition to Fitch’s letter, a thought-provoking email exchange on that topic with Dr. Lesley Teitelbaum. Limiting my proposal to research would probably have been less controversial, but then I might have missed out on some interesting correspondence, and so I am happy to court a little controversy. Fitch expresses concern that a new massage therapy subfield could lead to a lessened appreciation for the importance of skills in therapeutic communication, empathy, and nurturance, but I disagree. I actually think the opposite is more likely. If AMT does evolve into a subfield or specialty area within the diverse profession of massage therapy, I expect that it could actually lead to an even greater understanding of and appreciation for those skills and the ways in which they interact with massage itself to bring about desired changes. Otherwise, I think that Fitch and I have much we agree on. For example, we share the belief that identifying massage therapists by the techniques they employ is problematic. In fact, this belief was one of my motivations for proposing AMT. I see the possible adoption of AMT as a shift to identification by desired outcome as opposed to identification by technique. The need for this shift parallels my experience as a psychotherapist; I found that only a few patients were curious to know about my theoretical orientation and associated techniques, but all were interested in what psychotherapy might be able to do for them. I suspect, more often than not, the same is true for massage therapy.
Temperature dependence of the elastic constants of sodium

Abstract The adiabatic elastic constants of single crystal sodium were measured as a function of temperature from 195°K to 78°K by the ultrasonic pulse-echo technique. In order to eliminate transit time errors a buffer technique was employed. The measured elastic constants at 78°K (in units of 10 10 dyn-cm −2 ) are as follows: ( C = 5.78, C ' = 0.688, C n = 13.30, and B s = 7.30 The notation C = C 44 , C' = (C 11 − C 12 ) 2 , C n = (C 11 + C 12 + 2C 44 ) 2 , used. The shear constants C and C ' are interpreted in terms of Fuchs' electrostatic contribution to the shear stiffness of the alkali metals. The results of this work are in agreement with those of Daniels at 300°K and the shear constants are within 3 % of the values computed by Quimby and Siegel. The results are also compared with Bender's value of the elastic constants at 90°K and with Swenson's isothermal compressional data.
Effects of knowledge of results on dynamic stereo acuity in males and females.

One static and two speed stereo-acuity thresholds were obtained from 8 males and 8 females in both knowledge of results and no-knowledge conditions. There were progressively larger average displacement errors for both males and females as speed of rotation increased. At all speeds, males showed fewer discrimination errors in the knowledge than in no-knowledge conditions. Females showed no consistent differences between these two conditions.
Time-Resolved Step-Scan Fourier Transform Infrared and Visible Absorption Difference Spectroscopy for the Study of Photosystem I

Step-scan Fourier transform infrared and visible absorption difference spectroscopy, with nanosecond to millisecond time resolution, has been applied to the study of photosystem I particles from photosynthetic oxygen-evolving organisms. In particular, time-resolved infrared (1800-1200 cm-1) and visible (680-850 nm) difference spectra associated with flash induced oxidation of the primary electron donor in photosystem I particles from Synechocystis sp. 6803 and Acarychloris marina are presented. These spectra are compared directly to static, photoaccumulated Fourier transform infrared and visible difference spectra from both species. The detailed bonding interactions of P740, the primary donor in photosystem I particles from Acarychloris marina, are very similar to that found for P700, the primary donor in photosystem I particles from Synechocystis sp. 6803. P740 consists of at least two chlorophyll molecules, both of which are probably chlorophyll-d. Combined time-resolved step-scan Fourier transform infrared and visible absorption difference spectroscopy is shown to be a powerful tool for the study of single molecular bond dynamics in proteins as large as 0.4 mega-Daltons.
Evaluating HER2 amplification status and acquired drug resistance in breast cancer cells using Raman spectroscopy

The overexpression of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is associated with increased breast cancer recurrence and worse prognosis. Effective treatments such as trastuzumab and lapatinib for patients with HER2 overexpression target the blockade of HER2 signaling activities but are often limited by the emergence of acquired drug resistance. This study applied Raman spectroscopy to differentially identify the amplification status of HER2 in cells and to characterize the biochemical composition of lapatinib resistant and sensitive HER2+ breast cancer cells in response to the drug. Raman spectra from BT474 (HER2+ breast cancer cell), MCF-10A (HER2− control), and HER2+ MCF-10A (HER2+ control) were analyzed using lasso and elastic-net regularized generalized linear models (glmnet) for multivariate statistical analysis and were discriminated to groups of different HER2 expression status with an overall 99% sensitivity and specificity. Enhanced lipid content and decreased proteome were observed in HER2+ cells. With lapatinib treatment, lapatinib-resistant breast cancer cells demonstrated sustained lipogenesis compared with the sensitive cells.
Phase Transformation, Coalescence, and Twinning of Monodisperse FePt Nanocrystals

The phase transformation, coalescence, and twin structure of thermally annealed 6 nm FePt nanocrystals under high vacuum on an amorphous carbon surface have been investigated. A1-FePt phase to L10−...
Structural analysis of Bub3 interactions in the mitotic spindle checkpoint.

The Mad3/BubR1, Mad2, Bub1, and Bub3 proteins are gatekeepers for the transition from metaphase to anaphase. Mad3 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae has homology to Bub1 but lacks a corresponding C-terminal kinase domain. Mad3 forms a stable heterodimer with Bub3. Negative-stain electron microscopy shows that Mad3 is an extended molecule (≈200 A long), whereas Bub3 is globular. The Gle2-binding-sequence (GLEBS) motifs found in Mad3 and Bub1 are necessary and sufficient for interaction with Bub3. The calorimetrically determined dissociation constants for GLEBS-motif peptides and Bub3 are ≈5 μM. Crystal structures of these peptides with Bub3 show that the interactions for Mad3 and Bub1 are similar and mutually exclusive. In both structures, the GLEBS peptide snakes along the top surface of the β-propeller, forming an extensive interface. Mutations in either protein that disrupt the interface cause checkpoint deficiency and chromosome instability. We propose that the structure imposed on the GLEBS segment by its association with Bub3 enables recruitment to unattached kinetochores.
Influence of Syrosingopine on the Cardiovascular Response to Acute Hypoxemia and Exercise

Large parenteral doses of a rauwolfia alkaloid, syrosiiigopine, administered to normal volunteers, although inducing a consistent reduction in pulse rate, did not interfere with the increase in cardiac output resulting from acute hypoxemia and exercise. The physiological and pharmacological implications of these observations are discussed.
Dendritic cell function at the maternal-fetal interface.

Understanding the evolutionary adaptation of the immune system to the developing fetus and placenta represents one of the most fascinating problems in reproductive biology. Recent work has focused on how the behavior of dendritic cells (DCs) is altered at the maternal–fetal interface to suit the unique requirements of pregnancy. This work has provided a significant new perspective into the long-standing immunological paradox of fetomaternal tolerance, and has opened up a new and intriguing area of research into the potential trophic role of uterine DCs in the peri-implantation period. Further research on the biology of uterine DCs promises to give insight into the pathogenesis of many clinically important disorders of pregnancy.