cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mechanism of cell-cycle control: ligating the ligase

The F-box protein SKP2 promotes the G1–S transition by targeting key regulators for proteasomal degradation via its capacity to function as the specificity factor for the SKP1 Cullin F-box SCF SKP2 ubiquitin ligase. SKP2 is a labile protein, the levels of which oscillate in a cell cycle-dependent manner. SKP2 accumulation is often deregulated in cancer, which indicates that temporal control of SKP2 is essential for normal cell proliferation. Two new studies now suggest that SKP2 accumulation is determined by a second ubiquitin ligase, the anaphase-promoting complex or cyclosome, APC/C CDH1 . These studies highlight a novel mechanism wherein mitotic machinery communicates with proteins that regulate G1 phase progression.
Toxicity of Certain Chemicals to Juvenile Pompano

(1971). Toxicity of Certain Chemicals to Juvenile Pompano. The Progressive Fish-Culturist: Vol. 33, No. 2, pp. 76-80.
Stable isotopes of calcium as tracers: methodology

While radioisotopic tracers have been used extensively, stable isotopes may, in principle, give the same information and offer several advantages for some investigations. Since there is no radiation involved, experiments using such high risk groups as children and pregnant women become possible. In addition, some studies may require using several different tracers. In the case of calcium, there are five stable isotopes ( 42Ca, 43Ca, 44Ca, &Ca and 48Ca) which may be used as tracers. If stable isotopic tracers are used, experiments may be done independent of isotope production schedules and the samples may be stored indefinitely. In spite of these advantages, stable isotopes have rarely been used as tracers because there has not been a satisfactory method of detection. Although isotopic abundances of calcium have been determined by both neutron activation analysis [1,2] and thermal ionization mass spectrometry [3,4], neither method has been used extensively for clinical investigation. This is presumably due to requirements for extensive sample preparation, and the necessary instrumentation. It has recently been shown [5] that fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry can be used to measure tracer levels of stable isotopes of calcium in plasma and urine. This technique offers good precision, high sensitivity, rapid analysis, and requires little or no sample preparation. This paper describes the first application of fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry and the double isotope technique to measure the fractional true absorption of calcium.
ConcBugAssist: constraint solving for diagnosis and repair of concurrency bugs

Programmers often have to spend a significant amount of time in- specting the software code and execution traces to identify the cause of a bug. For a multithreaded program, debugging is even more challenging due to the subtle interactions between threads and the often astronomical number of interleavings. In this work, we pro- pose a logical constraint based symbolic analysis method to aid in the diagnosis of concurrency bugs and to recommend repairs. Both diagnosis and repair are formulated as constraint solving prob- lems. Our method, by leveraging the power of satisfiability (SAT) solvers and a bounded model checker, performs a semantic analy- sis of the sequential computation as well as thread interactions. The constraint based analysis is designed for handling critical software with small to medium code size, but complex concurrency control, such as device drivers, implementations of synchronization proto- cols, and concurrent data structures. We have implemented our new method in a software tool and demonstrated its effectiveness in di- agnosing bugs in multithreaded C programs.
Developmental changes in hepatic basolateral membrane lipid composition and fluidity

Abstract Membrane fluidity and lipid composition influence the activity of a variety of membrane proteins. Decreased rates of hepatic ion clearance are associated with the neonatal period. We postulated that hepatic basolateral membranes derived from suckling animals might be less fluid than those from adult animals. Basolateral membrane vesicles were prepared from the livers of 1-week-old (SBLMV) and adult (ABLMV) rats by a Percoll gradient method. Na + /K + -ATPase activities were similar in the two groups. Double bond index, cholesterol and cholesterol/phosphorus ratios were significantly higher in SBLMV compared with ABLMV, while lipid phosphorus and relative percentages of phospholipid subclasses did not differ. Fluorescence anisotropy measured using diphenylhexatriene as well as 2-(9-anthroyloxy)stearate was significantly greater in SBLMV compared with ABLMV, while measurements made with 12-(9-anthroyloxy)stearate were similar in both age groups. Mean excited state lifetimes, lifetime distributions, and rotational correlation times were similar in both groups. These data suggest that hepatic basolateral membranes derived from suckling rats are less fluid than those from adult animals and further suggest that this difference may be due to increased cholesterol in hepatic basolateral membranes derived from suckling animals.
A Sequential Rationality Test of USDA Preliminary Price Estimates for Selected Program Crops: Rice, Soybeans, and Wheat

Despite recurrent evaluations on USDA price forecasts, the performance of USDA price estimates has not previously been examined in publication. To fill the void in research to this important public information, a sequential forecast evaluation procedure is applied to selected USDA price estimates: Rice, soybeans, and wheat. The evaluation procedure reveals that the USDA price estimates are short-run unbiased; however, they are not long-run rational. In addition, short-run optimality and efficiency tests suggest that USDA price estimates need to be properly scaled and fully reflect information embodied in past prices and their estimates — a possible venue to improve the predictability of USDA price estimates for the crops.
Generating microstructures with specified correlation functions

A stochastic optimization technique has recently been developed that can reconstruct or construct random heterogeneous materials with specified statistical correlation functions. We demonstrate how this technique can be used to reconstruct a digitized image of an interpenetrating, isotropic ceramic-metal composite. In this case, the two-point probability function displays no short-range order and the image is reconstructed by optimizing in two orthogonal directions only. However, this technique results in artificial anisotropy in the unoptimized directions when one (re)constructs an image in which the isotropic two-point probability function exhibits appreciable short-range order. We show that by optimizing in more than two directions, one can effectively eliminate the artificial anisotropic effects for a system possessing significant short-range order. This is done by optimizing in three directions on a hexagonal grid and by optimizing in four directions on a square grid. Finally, an aspect of the nonuniqueness of the resulting structures is quantitatively examined.
Notch pathway activation targets AML-initiating cell homeostasis and differentiation

Notch signaling pathway activation is known to contribute to the pathogenesis of a spectrum of human malignancies, including T cell leukemia. However, recent studies have implicated the Notch pathway as a tumor suppressor in myeloproliferative neoplasms and several solid tumors. Here we report a novel tumor suppressor role for Notch signaling in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and demonstrate that Notch pathway activation could represent a therapeutic strategy in this disease. We show that Notch signaling is silenced in human AML samples, as well as in AML-initiating cells in an animal model of the disease. In vivo activation of Notch signaling using genetic Notch gain of function models or in vitro using synthetic Notch ligand induces rapid cell cycle arrest, differentiation, and apoptosis of AML-initiating cells. Moreover, we demonstrate that Notch inactivation cooperates in vivo with loss of the myeloid tumor suppressor Tet2 to induce AML-like disease. These data demonstrate a novel tumor suppressor role for Notch signaling in AML and elucidate the potential therapeutic use of Notch receptor agonists in the treatment of this devastating leukemia.
Quantifying Uncertainty in Projections of Regional Climate Change: A Bayesian Approach to the Analysis of Multimodel Ensembles

Abstract A Bayesian statistical model is proposed that combines information from a multimodel ensemble of atmosphere–ocean general circulation models (AOGCMs) and observations to determine probability distributions of future temperature change on a regional scale. The posterior distributions derived from the statistical assumptions incorporate the criteria of bias and convergence in the relative weights implicitly assigned to the ensemble members. This approach can be considered an extension and elaboration of the reliability ensemble averaging method. For illustration, the authors consider the output of mean surface temperature from nine AOGCMs, run under the A2 emission scenario from the Synthesis Report on Emission Scenarios (SRES), for boreal winter and summer, aggregated over 22 land regions and into two 30-yr averages representative of current and future climate conditions. The shapes of the final probability density functions of temperature change vary widely, from unimodal curves for regions where...
Educational efforts in preventing preterm delivery among inner city adolescents

The present study described the effectiveness of using an educational program for self-detection of premature labor in a group of forty-one indigent pregnant adolescents. Twenty-one of these teens self-detected premature labor and received appropriate medical intervention; only four had low birthweight infants and three delivered before 37 weeks. The overall results showed a significant use of the program and a high success to failure rate for those who received medical intervention. The cost-effectiveness and usefulness of this protocol in improving medical outcome for indigent teens are discussed.
Broadband optical interferometric tomography with computational adaptive optics using 'guide stars'

We combine interferometric synthetic aperture microscopy to correct defocus with subsequent windowing and Fourier transforming of a ‘guide star’ signal to determine the effective pupil function for space-variant deconvolution of aberration artifacts.
Candidate genes and voter turnout: Further evidence on the role of 5-HTTLPR

Recently in this journal, Charney and English (2012) presented an extensive critique of candidate gene association studies using the widely noted Fowler and Dawes (2008) article on the relationship between self-reported voter turnout and both 5-HTT (serotonin transporter) and MAOA (monoamine oxidase A) as the driving example of their evaluation. Reanalysis of the Fowler and Dawes data by Charney and English, based on four critiques of candidate gene studies, led to the conclusion that neither polymorphism is related to variations in turnout. We add to this empirical debate by conducting an independent test using an original dataset containing 5-HTT data and two separate participation variables: self-reported participation and actual voting records. Our results confirm the original conclusions by Fowler and Dawes on 5-HTT, but also support several of the critiques suggested by Charney and English. We conclude by offering suggestions for the way candidate gene association studies should be interpreted by the discipline and processed by journal editors.
Cannibalism enhances biofilm development in Bacillus subtilis

Summary Cannibalism is a mechanism to delay sporulation in Bacillus subtilis. Cannibal cells express the skf and sdp toxin systems to lyse a fraction of their sensitive siblings. The lysed cells release nutrients that serve to feed the community, effectively delaying spore formation. Here we provide evidence that the subpopulation of cells that differentiates into cannibals is the same subpopulation that produces the extracellular matrix that holds cells together in biofilms. Cannibalism and matrix formation are both triggered in response to the signalling molecule surfactin. Nutrients released by the cannibalized cells are preferentially used by matrix-producing cells, as they are the only cells expressing resistance to the Skf and Sdp toxins. As a result this subpopulation increases in number and matrix production is enhanced when cannibalism toxins are produced. The cannibal/matrix-producing subpopulation is also generated in response to antimicrobials produced by other microorganisms and may thus constitute a defense mechanism to protect B. subtilis from the action of antibiotics in natural settings.
Automobile Reliance Among the Elderly: Race and Spatial Context Effects

Mobility is a necessary condition for the social and emotional well-being of older people. To meet their mobility needs, the elderly assign pivotal importance to the automobile despite the potential challenge of driving cessation and searching for alternatives to automobile transportation. Older persons’ generally strong reliance on the automobile varies, however, by land use patterns (density) as well as by demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. This paper analyzes the effects of spatial context and personal attributes on automobile reliance among the elderly. Using the 1995 Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey (NPTS) trip data, two models of automobile reliance among elderly (65+) trip makers are estimated. The results show that spatial context effects of automobile reliance vary by demographic characteristics; in particular, they are more pronounced for black than for white elderly. Moreover, race variation in automobile reliance is strongest in urban locations rather than less dense spatial contexts. Finally, the differentiation between being a passenger rather than a driver is salient in order to understand locational and racial variations in automobile reliance among the elderly.
Invasive Group A Streptococcus Infections

The late 1980s have witnessed the emergence of severe group A streptococcus (GAS) infection; shock, bacteremia, and acute respiratory distress syndrome are common features, and death has been associated with this infection in 30% of patients. Such infections have now been described in all parts of the United States, Europe, and Australia and have occurred predominantly in otherwise healthy adolescents and adults. The characteristic clinical and laboratory features of the streptococcal toxic shock syndrome include deep-seated infection associated with shock and multiorgan failure. Strains of GAS isolated from patients with invasive disease have been predominantly M types 1 and 3, which produce pyrogenic exotoxin A or B or both. In this report, the clinical and demographic features of streptococcal bacteremia, myositis, and necrotizing fasciitis will be presented and compared with those of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome. Current concepts of the pathogenesis of invasive streptococcal infection will also be presented in terms of the interaction between virulence factors of GAS and host defense mechanisms. Finally, new concepts for future treatment of serious streptococcal infections will be proposed.
Isolation and partial characterization of fucose- and N-acetylglucosamine-containing neutral glycosphingolipids from human senile cataracts

Five neutral glycosphingolipids were isolated from human cataracts using silicic acid column chromatography and preparative thin-layer chromatography. Three of these glycolipids were partially identified by gas-liquid chromatography as glucosylceramide, lactosylceramide, and trihexosyl-ceramide. Two glucosamine-containing glycosphingolipids (one of which contained fucose) were also detected. One of these two lipids contained galactose, glucose, N-acetylglucosamine in the molar ratio of 2:1:1, while the other contained fucose, galactose, glucose, and N-acetylglucosamine with the molar ratio of 1:2:1:1. Dihydrosphingosine (sphinganine) was the major long-chain base detected in all these fractions. The fatty acids of these neutral glycosphingolipids were variable in chain length, although the majority of them were greater than 20 carbons. This represents the first time whereby a family of neutral glycosphingolipids has been detected in human cataracts. This is also the first demonstration of the existence of...
Growth responses of rice seedlings to triacontanol in light and dark.

Triacontanol, a 30-carbon primary alcohol, applied in nutrient culture solutions to rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings at 2.3×10-8 M (10 μg/l), caused an increase in dry weight and leaf area of the whole plants. The response could be observed as early as 3 h of treatment. It was observed at relatively high and low light intensities as well as in the dark where control plants lost but triacontanol-treated plants gained in dry weight. The dry weight gain in the dark was, however, eliminated by removing CO2 from the atmosphere. Triacontanol-treated plants also increased their content of Kjeldahl-N and contained 30% more total N per plant than controls after 6 h in the dark.
New postcranial fossils of Australopithecus afarensis from Hadar, Ethiopia (1990-2007).

Renewed fieldwork at Hadar, Ethiopia, from 1990 to 2007, by a team based at the Institute of Human Origins, Arizona State University, resulted in the recovery of 49 new postcranial fossils attributed to Australopithecus afarensis. These fossils include elements from both the upper and lower limbs as well as the axial skeleton, and increase the sample size of previously known elements for A. afarensis. The expanded Hadar sample provides evidence of multiple new individuals that are intermediate in size between the smallest and largest individuals previously documented, and so support the hypothesis that a single dimorphic species is represented. Consideration of the functional anatomy of the new fossils supports the hypothesis that no functional or behavioral differences need to be invoked to explain the morphological variation between large and small A. afarensis individuals. Several specimens provide important new data about this species, including new vertebrae supporting the hypothesis that A. afarensis may have had a more human-like thoracic form than previously appreciated, with an invaginated thoracic vertebral column. A distal pollical phalanx confirms the presence of a human-like flexor pollicis longus muscle in A. afarensis. The new fossils include the first complete fourth metatarsal known for A. afarensis. This specimen exhibits the dorsoplantarly expanded base, axial torsion and domed head typical of humans, revealing the presence of human-like permanent longitudinal and transverse arches and extension of the metatarsophalangeal joints as in human-like heel-off during gait. The new Hadar postcranial fossils provide a more complete picture of postcranial functional anatomy, and individual and temporal variation within this sample. They provide the basis for further in-depth analyses of the behavioral and evolutionary significance of A. afarensis anatomy, and greater insight into the biology and evolution of these early hominins.
Social Stability and Health: Exploring Multidimensional Social Disadvantage

Social stability is an understudied construct in public health that offers a useful framework for understanding social disadvantage across multiple domains. This study investigated prevalence and patterns of cooccurrence among a hypothesized set of social stability characteristics (housing, residential transition, employment, income, incarceration, and partner relationship), evaluated the possibility of underlying subgroups of social stability, and investigated the association between social stability and health outcomes. Data were from comprehensive interviews with primarily African-American low income urban women and their female social network members (n = 635) in Baltimore. Analysis included exploratory statistics, latent class analysis, and latent class regression accounting for clustered data using Stata and Mplus software. Social stability characteristics cooccurred in predictable directions, but with heterogeneity. Respondents had an average of three stability characteristics (S.D.: 1.4). Latent class analysis identified two classes of social stability: low (25%) and high (75%), with the higher class less likely to experience each of the included indicators. In controlled models, higher social stability was significantly correlated with social network characteristics and neighborhood integration. Higher social stability was independently associated with reduced risk of chronic illness (AOR: 0.54, 95% C.I.: 0.31, 0.94), mental illness history (AOR: 0.24, 95% CI: 0.15, 0.39), and current depressive symptoms (AOR: 0.35, 95% C.I.: 0.22, 0.57). The current set of social stability characteristics appears to represent a single construct with identifiable underlying subgroups and associated health disparities. Findings suggest a need for comprehensive policies and programs that address structural determinants of cooccurring social disadvantage and help to mitigate the likely spiral effect of instability experiences.
Colony structure in introduced and native populations of the invasive Argentine ant, Linepithema humile

The Argentine ant, Linepithema humile, severely decreases the abundance and diversity of native ant fauna in areas where it invades, but coexists with a more diverse assemblage of ants in its native range. The greater ecological dominance of L. humile in the introduced range may be associated with differences in colony structure and population density in the introduced range relative to the native range. In this study, I compared aspects of L. humile’s colony structure, including density, the spatial pattern of nests and trails, and patterns of intraspecific aggression in parts of the introduced and native ranges. I also compared the number of ant species coexisting with L. humile. Introduced and native populations did not differ significantly in nest density, ant density, nest size, and nearest-neighbor distances. In three of the four study populations in the native range and all of the study populations in the introduced range, colonies were organized into supercolonies: they consisted of multiple, interconnected nests that were dense and spatially clumped, and aggression among conspecifics was rare. In one population in the native range, colonies were organized differently: they occupied single nest sites, nests were sparse and randomly dispersed, and ants from neighboring nests were aggressive toward each other. Species richness was significantly higher in the native range than in the introduced range, even in areas where L. humile formed dense supercolonies. The results suggest that differences in species coexistence between ranges may due to factors other than L. humile’s colony structure. One likely factor is the superior competitive ability of other ant species in the native range.
Hurthle cell adenoma of the mediastinum: intraoperative cytology and differential diagnosis with correlative gross, histology, and ancillary studies.

A 66-year-old man was found to have a 7.5 cm mediastinal mass detected on routine chest X-rays as part of his preoperative work up for an inguinal hernia repair. An orthotopic (normally located) nongoitrous thyroid gland without evidence of connection to the mediastinal mass was also identified. The clinical differential diagnoses included lymphoma, thymoma, and germ cell tumor. Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy smears and touch imprints of the mediastinal mass showed a loosely cohesive, highly cellular population of relatively uniform cells with abundant granular cytoplasm, low nuclear to cytoplasmic (N/C) ratios, and prominent nucleoli consistent with a Hurthle cell (HC) neoplasm. Subsequently, the diagnosis of HC adenoma was confirmed on the surgically excised mediastinal mass. To the best of our knowledge, the surgical pathology and cytologic features of an HC adenoma of the mediastinum have not been reported in the literature. The gross, histologic, immunohistochemical, and electron microscopic (EM) findings, in addition to the cytologic features, are presented along with a differential diagnosis of this mediastinal neoplasm. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2000;22:16–20. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Identification of Reelin-induced Sites of Tyrosyl Phosphorylation on Disabled 1

The study of mice with spontaneous and targeted mutations has uncovered a signaling pathway that controls neuronal positioning during mammalian brain development. Mice with disruptions in reelin, dab1, or both vldlr andapoER2 are ataxic, and they exhibit severe lamination defects within several brain structures. Reelin is a secreted extracellular protein that binds to the very low density lipoprotein receptor and the apolipoprotein E receptor 2 on the surface of neurons. Disabled-1 (Dab1), an intracellular adapter protein containing a PTB (phosphotyrosine binding) domain, is tyrosyl-phosphorylated during embryogenesis, but it accumulates in a hypophosphorylated form in mice lacking Reelin or both very low density lipoprotein receptor and apolipoprotein E receptor 2. Dab1 is rapidly phosphorylated when neurons isolated from embryonic brains are stimulated with Reelin, and several tyrosines have been implicated in this response. Mice with phenylalanine substitutions of all five tyrosines (Tyr185, Tyr198, Tyr200, Tyr220, and Tyr232) exhibit a reeler phenotype, implying that tyrosine phosphorylation is critical for Dab1 function. Here we report that, although Src can phosphorylate all five tyrosines in vitro, Tyr198 and Tyr220 represent the major sites of Reelin-induced Dab1 phosphorylation in embryonic neurons.
Site of Reentry in Paroxysmal Supraventricular Tachycardia in Man

His bundle recordings during spontaneous and induced episodes of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) demonstrated that the site of reentry responsible for this arrhythmia was in the A-V node. In five patients studied, A-V conduction time and refractory periods were normal, but atrial premature depolarizations (APD) within a portion of the relative refractory period of the A-V node consistently produced atrial reentry—echoes or sustained SVT. In two patients, APDs falling within the A-V effective refractory period failed to excite the His bundle but still reentered within the A-V node and began SVT. It was noted that the various relationships between atrial and ventricular depolarizations on the surface ECG did not reflect different mechanisms for SVT, but only variations in A-V nodal conduction time.
Structure of classical trajectories in multidimensional bound molecular systems

A computational method is described which enables visualization of the coordinate space envelopes of classical trajectories in multidimensional bound molecular systems. The method is exemplified by application to a realistic three-dimensional model of the vibrating water molecule, and its utility in the application of semiclassical quantization techniques is emphasized. 8 figures.
HL-A PHENOTYPE OF THE FETUS DETECTED ON CULTURED AMNIOTIC FLUID CELLS

Cells cultured from amniotic fluid (AF) specimens obtained at 15-18 weeks of gestation for antenatal detection of chromosomal abnormalities have been typed for HL-A antigens by the fluorochromasia microcytotoxicity test. Fibroblasts growing in four AF cultures were tested for 31 antigens with 100 antisera. In each culture, one maternal and one paternal haplotype was detected on AF fibroblasts, indicating that these are of fetal origin. The HL-A phenotype of the cells dividing in AF culture is stable as shown by concordance of antigenic specificities of the same culture tested at different tissue culture generations. In one of the four cultures, specificities determined by both maternal haplotypes were detected. This finding might indicate contamination of the AF culture with maternal cells, but relatively weak serological reactions and the extra specificity involved suggest that cross reaction is the more likely explanation. HL-A typing can clearly demonstrate the fetal origin of cells dividing in AF culture, a useful observation when there is concern about contamination by maternal cells. Determination of the fetal HL-A phenotype provides a potential method for antenatal detection of an autosomal dominant disorder by syntenic relationships. This method will be realized when loci of genes determining such disorders are found to be closely linked to the HL-A region.
VESTIBULAR FUNCTION AND MOTOR PROFICIENCY OF CHILDREN WITH IMPAIRED HEARING, OR WITH LEARNING DISABILITY AND MOTOR IMPAIRMENTS

Vestibular status and motor proficiency of 30 hearing-impaired and 15 motor-impaired learning-disabled children were documented to determine whether vestibular loss can account for deficits in motor co-ordination. Vestibular loss was differentiated from sensory organization deficits by means of VOR and postural orientation test results, which were compared with those of 54 normal seven-to 12-year-olds. Reduced or absent vestibular function in 20 hearing-impaired children did not affect development of motor proficiency, except in specific balance activities. However, sensory organization deficits in the learning-disabled group and in three of the hearing-impaired children were associated with widespread deficits in motor proficiency.
Advances in Vascular Imaging

Advances in vascular surgery have mirrored advances in diagnostic imaging. Indeed, the endovascular revolution has been made possible largely by advances in computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and vascular ultrasound. As technology allows better noninvasive vascular diagnosis, conventional angiography, once the gold standard for the diagnosis of vascular disease, is now reserved largely for intervention. This article discusses the current state of vascular imaging. Specific emphasis is placed on the comparative clinical utility of different imaging modalities in the detection and management of vascular disease.
Computation of the Temperature Distribution in Cooled Radial Inflow Turbine Guide Vanes

A two-dimensional finite-difference numerical technique is presented to determine the temperature distribution of an internally-cooled blade of radial turbine guide vanes. A simple convection cooling is assumed inside the guide vane. Such an arrangement results in relatively small cooling effectiveness at the leading edge and at the trailing edge. Heat transfer augmentation in these critical areas may be achieved by using impingement jets and film cooling. A computer program is written in Fortran IV for IBM 370/165 computer.
Glycolipid reanchoring of T-lymphocyte surface antigen CD8 using the 3' end sequence of decay-accelerating factor's mRNA.

Abstract Decay-accelerating factor (DAF) is one of a family of cell-associated proteins that undergo posttranslational modifications in which glycolipid anchoring structures are substituted for membrane-spanning sequences. The signals that direct the covalent substitution reaction in these proteins are unknown. Human DAF was expressed in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and murine BW lymphocytes. In both cases, the xenogeneic DAF in transfectants incorporated a glycolipid anchor. A chimeric CD8-DAF cDNA, encompassing the extra-cellular region of the T-lymphocyte surface antigen CD8 and the 3' end of DAF mRNA (encoding the C-terminal region of mature DAF as well as the hydrophobic extension peptide), was expressed in human leukemia lines after transfection with an Epstein-Barr virus-based episomal vector. The chimeric protein in transfectants demonstrated glycolipid anchoring, whereas unaltered CD8 in control experiments did not. The signals directing glycolipid anchoring in eukaryotic cells are thus evolutionarily conserved and contained in the 3' end of the DAF sequence.
Kodiak Island's Prehistoric Fisheries: Human Dietary Response to Climate Change and Resource Availability

ABSTRACT Here I assess the effects of climate change and fluctuating resource abundance on prehistoric fisheries in the Gulf of Alaska using zooarchaeological remains, stable isotope analysis, and salmon abundance data. These lines of evidence are used in the context of foraging theory to test whether people accommodated climate change and resource fluctuation by transitioning from a riverine to a marine environment. Based on comparison of these datasets, there is real change in the fishing strategy through time, but this change cannot be explained by variations in local climate change or salmon abundance.
Expression, purification, and efficacy of the type A botulinum neurotoxin catalytic domain fused to two translocation domain variants

Clostridial neurotoxins are potent inhibitors of synaptic function, with the zinc-dependent proteolytic light chain (LC) portion of the toxin cleaving one of three neural SNARE proteins. In nature, the LC is expressed as a part of a much larger toxin and hemagglutinin complex, protecting it from environmental degradation and preserving its catalytic activity. We developed forms of the LC of type A botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT-A) with parts of the larger toxin gene, for use as reagents in high-throughput assays to screen for potential LC antagonists, to further elucidate the toxin's mechanism of action, and to study immunological responses to the toxin. Three BoNT-A constructs were engineered and expressed: the LC, LC with translocation region (LC+H(n)), and the LC with the belt portion of the translocation region (LC+Belt). Purification was optimized to a two-step process, with relatively high yields of all three constructs obtained. Activity assays showed all three constructs to be active, with the LC being the most active. Immunogenic protection against native BoNT-A toxin challenge was observed for all three constructs, with the best protection observed with the LC+H(n) and LC+Belt proteins.
Analytic model for spread-spectrum clock generator circuit characterization

The spread-spectrum clock generator (SSCG) is one of the most efficient techniques to reduce the radiated emission of electronic devices. Despite its popularity, there exists no analysis that can be used as the design guidance to accurately project SSCG performance. In this paper, we develop a mathematical model to analyze SSCG EMI reduction and the clock period deviation performance. For model validation, Cadence Spectre simulations are conducted. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Accelerated poly(A) loss on α-tubulin mRNAs during protein synthesis inhibition in Chlamydomonas

Detachment of flagella in Chlamydomonas reinhardii stimulates a rapid accumulation of tubulin mRNAs. The induced tubulin mRNAs are normally rapidly degraded following flagellar regeneration, but inhibition of protein synthesis with cycloheximide prevents their degradation. alpha-Tubulin poly(A) tail lengths were measured during normal accumulation and degradation, and in cycloheximide-treated cells. To measure alpha-tubulin mRNA poly(A) chain lengths with high resolution, specific 3' fragments of alpha 1- and alpha 2-tubulin mRNAs, generated by RNase H digestion of mRNA-oligonucleotide hybrids, were sized by Northern analysis. Both alpha-tubulin mRNAs have a newly synthesized poly(A) chain of about 110 adenylate residues. The poly(A) tails shorten with time, and show an average length of 40 to 60 adenylate residues by 90 minutes after deflagellation, at which time induced alpha-tubulin mRNA is being rapidly degraded. Poly(A) loss is significantly accelerated in cycloheximide-treated cells, and this loss is not attributible simply to the longer time the stabilized molecules spend in the cytoplasm. A large fraction of alpha-tubulin mRNA accumulates as mRNA with very short poly(A) tails (less than 10 residues) in the presence of cycloheximide, indicating that deadenylated alpha-tubulin mRNAs can be stable in vivo, at least in the absence of protein synthesis. The rate and extent of poly(A) loss in cycloheximide are greater for alpha 2-tubulin mRNA than for alpha 1-tubulin mRNA. This difference cannot be attributed to differential ribosome loading. This finding is interesting in that the two mRNAs are very similar in sequence with the exception of their 3' untranslated regions.
Cardiac image registration via global and local warping

Image produced with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), X-ray computed tomography (CT), and positron emission tomography (PET), produce complimentary anatomic and physiologic information. The synthesis of a single image, combining the structural information from MRI, with the corresponding physiologic and metabolic information from PET or CT would provide physicians and researchers with a means to correlate function with structure. We adapted a method originating with Goshtasby and later described by Wolberg which decomposes the anatomic image into regions which are then individually mapped to corresponding regions in the functional image. The mapping function is found by a least squares solution to a set of polynomial basis functions. The selection of the set of basis functions varies the 'order' of the mapping function from affine to the inclusion of shear and higher order deformations. Local deformations in the contour of the heart wall are adjusted by our method. Global high order deformations can also be effected. We tested our approach by developing a software module for use with our laboratory's image visualization and analysis system (VIDATM), and mapping MRI image of the canine heart (with extrinsic markers) to hand-traced contours from pathology slides of the heart from the same animal. We will present illustrations of these image mappings and show that this method successfully accounts and corrects for local deformations in the object boundaries as well as global scale and orientation mismatches, which are not addressed by previously described techniques.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Computational Analysis of a Cross-linked Actin-like Network

Gels formed from G-actin or other filament-forming monomers exhibit a range of morphologies that differ widely in terms of pore size, fiber diameter, degree of isotropy, and frequency of cross-linking or branching. These characteristics are determined, in large part, by the nature and concentration of the proteins that form cross-links between single filaments, yet little is known how filament-forming monomers and cross-linkers assemble to generate a particular network morphology. Some of the important attributes of a cross-linker are the spatial and angular orientation of its two filament binding sites, its size, and stiffness to both rotation and extension. Here, we introduce a Brownian dynamics (BD) simulation model in three dimensions in which actin monomers polymerize and become cross-linked by two types of cross-linking molecules that form either parallel filament bundles or perpendicular cross-links. We analyze the effects of various system parameters on the growth and morphology of the resulting network. Some scaling behaviors emerge that are insensitive to the detailed choice of parameters. Our model thus has the potential as a base BD model that can be further refined for investigating various actin-related phenomena.
Influence of variable inundation regimes on soil collembola

Summary Soil collembola in floodplain habitats are known to react dynamically to inundation, showing direct negative effects of inundation as well as rapid regeneration after flooding. Unknown, however, are how these communities react to variable inundation and the role that spatial and temporal habitat heterogeneity plays. Therefore, the small-scale spatio-temporal dynamics of soil collembolan communities after varying inundation were studied in floodplain habitats in the Upper Rhine Valley in Germany. After frequent flooding, significant differences in density and species richness were found between different floodplain levels of the same location. Due to different species’ responses, major differences occurred in community structure. After infrequent inundation the densities and species richness of the same sites and especially hygrophilous components decreased dramatically. Between neighbouring sites, species exchange occurred and community structures became more similar. The results show that at the same locality soil collembola react dynamically as well as differentially to changes in the hydrological regime. Small-scale landscape heterogeneity allows a mixture of differentially reacting species to occur within the same regional metacommunity. Long-term stability of collembolan communities despite the high spatio-temporal heterogeneity of floodplains is thus maintained by metacommunity dynamics.
Engineering design of a disk storage facility with data modules

The design of the IBM 3340 Direct Access Storage Facility with IBM 3348 Data Modules incorporates new concepts and required the development of several innovative components, including newly designed magnetic read-write heads. The heads start and stop in contact with the disk and usea tri-rail, air-bearing slider havinga low mass. Each data module includes read-write heads, a head carriage, disks, and a disk spindle. The rationale is discussed for the design concepts and for several components, including the data module, head and arm assembly, and the moving-coil linear actuator. A method of improving data integrity, utilizing a "disk-defect skipping" procedure, is described and its performance implications discussed.
Immunological reconstitution after high-dose chemotherapy and autologous blood stem cell transplantation for advanced ovarian cancer

We evaluated the immunological reconstitution of patients who underwent high-dose chemotherapy and autologous blood stem cell transplantation (ABSCT) for advanced ovarian cancer. Sixty days after transplantation a complete reconstitution of lymphocytes and of the CD3, CD4, CD8, CD19, and CD16/56 subsets was observed in this series. A significant increase in the count of interleukin-2 receptor expressing lymphocyte (CD25) was found on day +60 after transplantation compared to that obtained at diagnosis and before transplantation. A significantly higher lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) precursor activity was seen on day +60 compared to the values obtained at diagnosis and before transplantation while natural killer activity did not show any significant variation. We conclude that ABSCT gives prompt and complete immunohaematopoietic reconstitution after high-dose treatment. Moreover, our data support the feasibility of interleukin-2/LAK therapy as consolidative therapy after ABSCT.
Theoretical study of adducts of dimethyl sulfide with hydroperoxyl and hydroxyl radicals

Abstract Structures and energies of complexes of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) with hydroxyl (OH) and hydroperoxyl (HO2) radicals have been studied using ab initio and density functional theory. Two isomers of the complex between OH and DMS were found, one dipole–dipole complex and one 3e−/2c complex. The binding energies (D0) of these two complexes have been found to be consistent with previous studies. This is the first reported study of the complex between DMS and HO2. One structure was found for this complex, and the binding energy (D0) has been determined to be 9.0 kcal mol−1 using the fully optimized MP2/6-311++G(3df,3pd) level of theory. Vibrational and rotational constants are also presented for all of complexes calculated. Thermodynamic parameters and equilibrium constants for the formation of these complexes from the monomers have been calculated. The results have been related to laboratory experiments studying these reactions, and some implications to oxidation of DMS in the atmosphere have been discussed.
The toxicity of fluoranthene to Hyalella azteca in sediment and water-only exposures under varying light spectra.

Abstract In the US Environmental Protection Agency methods for sediment toxicity testing, the light regimen is specified as a 16:8 light dark cycle with 500– 1000 lx . The potential for photoinduced toxic effects from this requirement is evaluated. Hyalella azteca were exposed to fluoranthene in both water only and sediment to examine the impact of light spectra on the toxicity of fluoranthene. The light sources included gold fluorescent light (λ>500 nm ) , cool white fluorescent light, and UV-enhanced fluorescent light. Toxicity was determined as mortality after 10 days of exposure. The extent of mortality was determined both as LC50 and LR50 (median lethal body residue). In water-only exposures, the toxicity of fluoranthene was greatest under the UV-enhanced spectra, followed by fluorescent light, and least toxic under the gold light. Both the LC50 and LR50 values exhibited the same pattern. The toxicity under gold light gave an LR50 of 0.81 mmol kg −1 (0.82–0.79, 95% CI) similar to values expected for the acute toxicity of nonpolar narcotic (anesthetic) compounds. The LR50 values under the other two light sources were substantially lower, 4 and 58 times lower for the fluorescent and UV-enhanced exposures, respectively. In sediment, toxicity was not significantly affected by the light source. Toxicity occurred only when the body residue concentration approached that of the LR50 under gold light from the water-only exposures. Thus, H. azteca were significantly protected from the light by burrowing into the sediment.
Solid-State Physical Transducers for Biomedical Research

The development of solid-state sensors and actuators during the last decade is reviewed, with emphasis on solid-state physical transducers for the measurement or control of the physical parameters in biomedical instrumentation systems. The principles and performance of electrodes, sensors for temperature, position, motion, pressure, fluid flow, and humidity, as well as actuators, are briefly discussed. Selective references on physical sensors and actuators are listed.
Language of and in the classroom: Constructing the patterns of social life

Abstract Over the past decade, research on classroom discourse has focused on the the match between the language used by students and teachers in the classroom. In this article, a distinction is drawn between language in the classroom and language of the classroom to illustrate the ways in which situated definitions of language, text, and academic practices were established by a seventh-grade English teacher and her students through their oral and written discourse practices. This study combines discourse analysis with ethnographic analysis informed by cognitive and symbolic anthropology. The combined perspectives provided a basis for describing the processes through which the teacher and students shaped the events in the classroom life and for identifying how these events were locally accomplished and intertextually related. Through an analysis of the patterns of interaction within and across the first 9 days of school, the discursive, social, and academic practices constructed in and through the verbal and nonverbal interactions of members of the classroom are described. Central to these analyses is a description of the role of the teacher in helping students construct a situated understanding of what counted as “language and all of its uses,” the theme for the year in the English class studied.
Why Are Married Men Working So Much? Home Production, Household Bargaining and Per-Capita Hours

Empirical patterns of labor supply at the micro level tend to reject the unitary model assumption implicit in most macro theories, where households are the deemed to be rational agents. This paper examines the rise in per-capita labor since 1975 and asks how the inclusion of bargaining between spouses in a standard macro model would alter the analysis of recent trends in aggregate labor supply. The main findings are that the stationarity of married men’s work hours reflects weakening of men’s bargaining position as women’s wages rose, and that the unitary model seriously overstates the response of aggregate labor to trends in relative wages.