cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Marked Increase in Membranolytic Selectivity of Novel Cyclic Tachyplesins Constrained with an Antiparallel Two-β Strand Cystine Knot Framework

We have developed a highly constrained 18-residue cyclic peptide template based on the antimicrobial peptide tachyplesin-1 that features an end-to-end peptide backbone and a cystine knot-like motif with three evenly spaced disulfide bonds to cross-brace the antiparallel beta-strands and to approximate an amphiphatic "beta-tile"-like structure. Six beta-tile analogs were prepared to correlate different topological patterns with membranolytic specificity. Their conformations and antimicrobial and hemolytic activities were compared with tachyplesin-1 and the recently discovered Rhesus monkey theta defensin (RTD) which contains similar beta-tile structural elements. The beta-tile peptides and RTD retained broad spectrum antimicrobial activities. In general, they were less active than tachyplesin-1 in 10 tested organisms but their activity increased under high-salt (100 mM NaCl) rather than in low-salt conditions. The beta-tile peptides are highly nontoxic to human erythrocytes with EC(25) ranging from 600 to 4000 microM. Collectively, our results show that the design of a highly rigid peptide template is useful for further analog study to dissociate antimicrobial activity from cytotoxicity which would be helpful in discovering clinical applications for peptide antibiotics.
Evaluation of the Orthopaedic In-Training Examination: Spine Questions

Background The annual Orthopaedic In-Training Examination (OITE) is an objective evaluation administered annually to all residents by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. To our knowledge, there are no guidelines for the type of material included on the examination; therefore, it is difficult for many academic centers to develop education programs directed toward improving resident performance on the OITE. Our goals were to determine the most commonly tested subjects in the spine portion of the OITE and to help direct development of an associated teaching program. Methods We analyzed the number, type, anatomic focus, subject matter, and visual diagnostic modalities of spine questions on the OITEs from 2002 through 2007 and identified the most commonly referenced journals. Results The average annual number of spine questions was 23.1 (8.4% of the examination). The most common types of spine questions related to knowledge (44.5%), evaluation and decision making (29.1%), and diagnosis (26.3%); the most common subject matters were trauma (15.1%) and anatomy (13.7%). The most frequently examined anatomic locations were the cervical (30.9% of questions) and lumbar (17.4%) spines. General spine information (no anatomic focus) accounted for 31.6% of questions. The most commonly referenced journals were Spine and The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, American Volume . Conclusions Developing a study plan focusing on these journals and the most commonly tested topics and question types will better prepare orthopedic residents for the spine questions on the OITE.
Genetics in Asthma and Allergy

Major advances have occurred in the genetics of asthma and allergy, resulting in further understanding of the underlying pathophysiology of this disease. In this issue of the Immunology and Allergy Clinics of North America, the various approaches to these studies are discussed with presentation of current results. The first article, bPhenotype Definition, Age, and Gender in the Genetics of Asthma and AtopyQ by Drs. Bottema, Reijmerink, Koppelman, Kerkhof, and Postma, discusses the critical role of phenotype and phenotype definition. Frequency and expression of these diseases are different in males versus females, which is also discussed in this article in relationship to the role of genetics and how sex differences may affect genetic studies and results. The second article, bFamily Studies and Positional Cloning of Genes for Asthma and Related PhenotypesQ by Drs. Smith and Meyers, presents an overview of family studies and positionally cloned genes for asthma and related phenotypes. This article is followed by two articles that provide more detail on two different positionally cloned genes. The evolving story on the role of ADAM33 in asthma is presented by Drs. Holgate, Davies, Powell, and Holloway in the third article, bADAM33: A Newly Identified Gene in the Pathogenesis of Asthma.Q The fourth article, bHLA-G: An Asthma Gene on Chromosome 6pQ by Dr. Ober, demonstrates the power of family studies in understanding the genetics of asthma and allergy. Family studies are one approach to genetic studies; the other major approach is case–control studies (which may also be family-based), which are discussed in Immunol Allergy Clin N Am
The changing landscape of ischaemic brain injury mechanisms

Thrombolysis has become established as an acute treatment for human stroke. But despite multiple clinical trials, neuroprotective strategies have yet to be proved effective in humans. Here we discuss intrinsic tissue mechanisms of ischaemic brain injury, and present a perspective that broadening of therapeutic targeting beyond excitotoxicity and neuronal calcium overload will be desirable for developing the most effective neuroprotective therapies.
Constitutive activation of pp125fak in newly isolated human breast cancer cell lines

Our laboratory has developed twelve human breast cancer cell lines from primary and metastatic sites. In this report we demonstrate that eight of eight breast cancer cell lines examined exhibit constitutively tyrosine phosphorylated and enzymatically active endogenous pp125fak when grown in monolayer. The activation status of pp125fak in breast cancer cells in monolayer is significantly elevated over that exhibited by normal mammary epithelial cells cultured under the same conditions. Constitutive activation of pp125fak is the only characteristic so far studied that all of these breast cancer cell lines have in common. In contrast to HBC cells, tyrosine phosphorylation of pp125fak in HME cells was low or absent in monolayer culture but was induced to high levels by culturing the cells in Matrigel. Thus tyrosine phosphorylation and activation of pp125fak is a regulated process in normal mammary epithelial cells, but is constitutive in breast cancer cells. Finally, analysis of the ability of normal human mammary epithelial cells and breast cancer cell lines to grow under anchorage-independent conditions indicated that normal human mammary epithelial cells rapidly and uniformly lost viability when not substrate-attached, whereas all of the breast cancer cell lines survived for a 3-week culture period. Furthermore, a subset of the breast cancer cell lines grew to form large colonies under anchorage-independent conditions. Interestingly, pp125fak activation decreased dramatically in HBC cells cultured for two weeks in suspension, suggesting that activation of this kinase is not necessary for long-term growth under anchorage-independent conditions. These results suggest that constitutive activation of pp125fak results in preferential survival of human breast cancer cells under anchorage-independent conditions but that activation of pp125fak is not the sole mediator of anchorage-independent colony formation.
Photodecomposition of Chlorinated Dibenzo-p-Dioxins

The toxic herbicide impurity 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin and its homologs decomposed rapidly in alcohol solution under artificial light and natural sunlight, the rate of decomposition depending upon the degree of chlorination. However, photodecomposition was negligible in aqueous suspensions and on wet or dry soil.
Glass fracture analysis. A review

Abstract A discussion is presented of the forensic interpretation of annealed glass fracture. The processes of glass fracture are given, the nature and formation of glass as a brittle isotropic solid is discussed, and the mechanical strength of glass is considered in terms of its atomic bond strengths and external flaws. Major modern theories of glass fracture propagation are reviewed, and the relationships of stress conditions to fracture surface properties are developed.
Shift- and rotation-invariant interpattern heteroassociation model

A shift and rotation invariant neural network using interpattern hetero association (IHA) model is illustrated. To preserve the shift and rotation invariant properties, a set of binarized-encoded circular harmonic expansion (CHE) function at the Fourier domain is used as the training set. The interconnection weight matrix is constructed using an IHA model. By using the shift and symmetric properties of the modulus Fourier spectral, the problem of centering the CHE functions can be avoided. Computer simulations and experimental demonstrations are provided in which we have shown that the shift and rotation invariant properties of the proposed IHA neural net are indeed preserved.
A Review of Critical Differences among Loop, Thiazide, and Thiazide-Like Diuretics:

Diuretics are a drug class with heterogeneous assortments. This article reviews general pharmacologic mechanisms and clinical implications of loop, thiazide, and thiazide-like diuretics.Loop diuretics act in the loop of Henle by blocking the sodium–potassium–chloride (Na+-K+-2Cl−) symport. They are effective in relieving congestive symptoms and edematous signs of heart failure. Activation of the neurohormonal system and subsequent pathologic myocardial remodeling limit the use of loop diuretics unless fluid balance is not met to relieve patients’ symptoms with life-saving pharmacologic modalities. Adverse effects on electrolyte balance may cause life-threatening consequences. The combination of K+-sparing diuretics or angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors with loop diuretics may not only prevent life-threatening complications caused by electrolyte imbalance, but also may delay progression of the disease with proven mortality benefit. Recent findings of worsening renal function and higher mortality rate...
A New Approach to Strategy Formulation: Opening the Black Box

Abstract The strategic planning process is arguably one of the most important topics taught in a management class. Moreover, the subtopic of strategy formulation is both the most pivotal and the most difficult to teach. As many theorists argue, strategy formulation is the “black box” of strategic planning. One approach for both clarifying and teaching strategy formulation uses the thinking process tools of the theory of constraints. In this article, we briefly describe these thinking process tools and apply them to a popular introductory strategy case to illustrate how they can be used to teach strategy formulation. Implications of the thinking process for other strategic management issues are also discussed.
Adverse effects of environmental noise on acoustic voice quality measurements.

Summary An accurate analysis of voice quality is imperative when using acoustic measurements to diagnose vocal pathologies. It is known that noise has a significant effect on the reliability and validity of acoustic voice measurements, but the precise relationship has not been established. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of noise on the accuracy, reliability, and validity of acoustic voice quality measurements while balancing for gender, age, intersubject and intrasubject variability, microphones, computer hardware, analysis software, and type of noise. Level of noise was precisely controlled. The specific focus of interest was to determine the critical levels of noise that can invalidate voice quality measurements and to generate practical recommendations. Results suggest that the recommended, acceptable, and unacceptable levels of noise in the acoustic environment are above 42 dB, above 30 dB, and below 30 dB signal-to-noise ratio, respectively.
EGFR mutations and EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibition in non-small cell lung cancer.

Objectives To discuss selected molecular targets and new clinical variables that can serve as both predictive and prognostic markers for outcome in patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with EGFR-TKIs. Data Sources Research and journal articles. Conclusion In the near future, treatment for NSCLC will rely ever increasingly on molecular targets rather than empirically chosen cytotoxic chemotherapy for some patients. This will improve outcomes for patients with NSCLC. Implications for Nursing Practice An understanding of the molecular targets and clinical variables that are predictive and prognostic of outcome in NSCLC will help nurses better care for these patients.
Predictive versus opportunistic earnings management, executive compensation, and firm performance

Abstract We examine the association between earnings management and an important component of corporate governance, the incentives provided through compensation. We argue that firms with predictive (opportunistic) earnings management, in which discretionary accruals do (do not) relate to future cash flows, provide a more (less) ideal setting for the use of compensation as incentives. Our empirical tests show that CEO compensation levels (measured by salary, bonus, and other forms of compensation) are positively related to predictive earnings management and negatively related to opportunistic earnings management. We also find that predictive earnings management is positively associated with future returns, whereas opportunistic earnings management is negatively associated with future returns. Overall, our results suggest that firms provide more incentives if their earnings are also more informative because of discretionary accruals.
A cost driven disk scheduling algorithm for multimedia object retrieval

This paper describes a novel cost-driven disk scheduling algorithm for environments consisting of multipriority requests. An example application is a video-on-demand (VOD) system that provides high and low quality services, termed priority 2 and 1, respectively. Customers ordering a high quality (priority 2) service pay a higher fee and are assigned a higher priority by the underlying system. Our proposed algorithm minimizes costs by maintaining one-queue and managing requests intelligently in order to meet the deadline of as many priority 1 requests as possible while maximizing the number of priority 2 requests that meet their deadline. Our algorithm is general enough to accommodate an arbitrary number of priority levels. Prior schemes, collectively termed "multiqueue" schemes maintain a separate queue for each priority level in order to optimize the performance of the high priority requests only. When compared with our proposed scheme, in certain cases, our technique provides more than one order of magnitude improvement in total cost.
Changes in molecular genetic variation at AFLP loci associated with naturalization and domestication of the Pacific oyster ( Crassostrea gigas )

The Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas ) is an important commercial species in the US Pacific Northwest with a history of production initially based on wild-caught seed imported directly from the Miyagi region of northern Japan (1920s–1970s) followed by an extended period of seed collection from a small number of naturalized, self-recruiting populations in US estuaries (early 1970s-present) and more recently through large-scale hatchery production of seed oysters (mid 1970s-present). I studied the genetic level consequences of each of these major transformations of the oyster industry by examining the patterns of private alleles (bands unique to one sample), the number of polymorphic loci, expected heterozygosity, genetic distance between populations and genetic divergence between individuals within and among three native Pacific oyster populations in Japan (Hiroshima, Miyagi, Midori River), five naturalized populations in North America (Pipestem Inlet BC, Nootka Inlet BC, Dabob Bay WA, Willapa Bay, WA, and Tillamook Bay, OR), two in New Zealand (Chance Bay and Kaipara Harbor), and seven domesticated and selectively bred cohorts from an ongoing genetic improvement program on the West Coast of the United States using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers. All but one of the naturalized populations in both the USA and New Zealand are genetically more similar to native populations from the Ariake Sea (Midori River) than to the Miyagi region of their origin, but all domesticated stocks more closely resemble the wild Miyagi population. According to local oyster producers, the one exceptional naturalized population (Tillamook) is a very recent colonization derived from farmed oysters. Such consistency is unexpected under random genetic drift, and I speculate that both natural and artificial selection may have altered AFLP allele frequencies in this species in the course of naturalization and domestication.
Probe diffusion in poly (vinyl acetate) / toluene solutions

The technique of forced Rayleigh scattering has been used to examine the tracer diffusion of probe photochromic dyes, azobenzene and methyl red, in poly (vinyl acetate)/ toluene solutions, as a function of polymer concentration (0–96% by weight) and temperature (5–45°C). It is demonstrated that the dye diffusivity can be quantitatively scaled to the solvent diffusivity, thus permitting direct application of predictions for two-component systems. The results have been interpreted using the free volume theories of Fujita and Vrentas and Duda. While both approaches are able to describe the concentration dependence extremely well, the Vrentas-Duda expression has the virtue of being employed without any freely adjustable parameters. However, neither theory is particularly successful in predicting the observed temperature dependence.
A Computer Program to Create a Population with Any Desired Centroid and Covariance Matrix

A computer program written in FORTRAN IV is presented which will create a population of desired size with marginally normal score vectors manifesting any desired centroid and covariance matrix. Uses and documentation are provided.
Associations between self-reported in-home smoking behaviours and surface nicotine concentrations in multiunit subsidised housing

Introduction Smoke-free policies are being increasingly promoted and adopted in subsidised multiunit housing to address disparities in residential secondhand smoke exposure. In order to inform the planning and evaluation of these policies, this study examined associations between self-reported in-home smoking and surface nicotine concentrations. Methods A face-to-face, cross-sectional survey was conducted from August to October 2011 with leaseholders in a probability sample of private subsidised housing units in Columbus, Ohio, without an existing smoke-free housing policy (n=301, 64% response rate). After the survey, a wipe sample was collected from a wood surface in the living room to measure surface nicotine concentrations (n=279). Results In-home smoking was reported by 56.6% of respondents. Geometric mean surface nicotine concentrations differed between non-smoking and smoking homes (11.4 vs 90.9 μg/m 2 ; p 2 ; p Conclusions Surface nicotine concentrations were significantly associated with a range of self-reported in-home smoking behaviours. This measure should be considered for evaluating changes in in-home smoking behaviours after implementation of smoke-free policies by subsidised housing providers. More research is needed about how surface nicotine concentrations differ over space, time and various indoor surfaces.
Mechanical properties of Haynes Alloy 188 after exposure to LiF-22CaF2, air, and vacuum at 1093 K for periods up to 10,000 hours

As part of a program to provide reassurance that the cobalt-base superalloy Haynes Alloy 188 can adequately contain a LiF-CaF2 eutectic thermal energy storage salt, 4900- and 10,000-hr exposures of Haynes Alloy 188 to LiF-22CaF2, its vapor, vacuum, and air at 1093 K have been undertaken. Following such exposures, the microstructure has been characterized and the 77 to 1200 K tensile properties measured. In addition, 1050 K vacuum creep-rupture testing of as-received and molten salt- and vacuum-exposed samples has been undertaken. Although slight degradation of the mechanical properties of Haynes Alloy 188 due to prior exposure was observed, basically none of the losses could be ascribed to a particular environment. Hence, observed decreases in properties are due to thermal aging effects, not corrosive attack. In view of these findings, Haynes Alloy 188 is still deemed to be suitable for containment of the eutectic LiF-CaF2 thermal energy storage media.
AntigluLcocorticoids: In Vivo Assay and Evaluation of Cortexolone, Progesterone, and 6-β-Bromoprogesterone*

In vitro antiglucocorticoids (cortexolone and progesterone) were evaluated as in vivo antagonists of dexamethasone-induced increases in liver tyrosine amino transferase (TAT; EC 2.6.1.5), tryptophan oxygenase (TPO; EC 1.13.1.12), and glycogen deposition. Cortexolone antagonized the TPO and glycogen responses to dexamethasone in the liver of adrenalectomized rats but did not significantly influence the induced TAT activity. Progesterone, although toxic at levels approaching those used for cortexolone, was capable of antagonizing the glycogen increase. A new antagonist, 6β-bromoprogesterone, was found to be nontoxic and was more potent than cortexolone in blocking the TPO and glycogen responses. These results demonstrate that in vivo antiglucocorticoid activity can be evaluated and suggested significant differences between the sensitivity of TAT induction and that of glycogen or TPO.
Valuing “Raise Your Rate” certificates of deposit

Purpose – The “raise your rate” (RYR) certificate of deposit (CD) allows investors to raise the rate on their CD to the current market rate over the life of the CD. The purpose of this paper is to present a binomial option pricing model to value this option to raise the rate. The model also demonstrates conditions under which the investor should choose to exercise their option and raise their rate prior to maturity. Understanding the value of this option is useful to both banks setting rates, and investors comparing alternative investment opportunities. The results of this model suggest that, for CDs with short maturities and low yields, the value of the option is relatively small, roughly one to four basis points, however, for CDs with longer maturities and higher yields the value of the option can be as much as 50-80 basis points. Design/methodology/approach – This paper demonstrates how to value raise your rate CDs by applying a binomial option pricing model and provides the value of this option over a...
2‐Bromo‐3‐trimethylsilyl‐1‐propene

[81790-10-5] C6H13BrSi (MW 193.16) InChI = 1S/C6H13BrSi/c1-6(7)5-8(2,3)4/h1,5H2,2-4H3 InChIKey = LUPQCAARZVEFMT-UHFFFAOYSA-N (synthon for CH2C−CH2TMS1-3 and CH2CBrC−H2;2 for synthesis of 1-trimethylsilylmethyl-substituted 1,3-butadienes4) Alternate Name: 2-bromoallyltrimethylsilane. Physical Data: bp 46–50 °C/20 mmHg,3 64–65 °C/38–39 mmHg.1 Solubility: sol alcohol, acetone, ether, THF, pentane; insol water. Preparatige Methods: (1) reaction of 2,3-Dibromopropene with lithium (trimethylsilyl)cuprate in HMPA at 0 °C (63–90%);3, 5 (2) reaction of 2,3-dibromopropene with Trichlorosilane in the presence of Trichlorosilane and Copper(I) Chloride, followed by treatment with Methylmagnesium Bromide (63–71%).1, 3, 6 Handling, Storage, and Precautions: no special requirements, except refrigeration in a brown bottle is recommended for long-term storage.
Online estimation of power system actual frequency response characteristic

In power systems, the system frequency as well as the real power interchange between balancing authority areas must be maintained at the nominal value and the scheduled values, respectively. To this end, the area control error (ACE), which incorporates information about potential mismatches in the values of these two quantities, is calculated and fed to the automatic generation control (AGC) system, the goal of which is to drive the ACE to zero. The purpose of this paper is to present a systematic method to estimate, in real time, the actual frequency response characteristic (AFRC) and to use it in the ACE calculation. In such a case, the AGC system only reacts to internal disturbances and not to external ones. To do so, we use a simplified model to represent power system dynamics, and a sliding exponentially weighted window blockwise least squares algorithm for the estimation of the AFRC. The proposed methodology is illustrated in the 9-bus 3-machine WECC system model, and in a 140-bus 48-machine system.
Intuitive Biases in Choice vs. Estimation: Implications for the Wisdom of Crowds

Although researchers have documented instances of crowd wisdom, it is important to know whether some kinds of judgments may lead the crowd astray, whether crowds’ judgments improve with feedback over time, and whether crowds’ judgments can be improved by changing the way judgments are elicited. We investigated these questions in a sports gambling context (predictions against point spreads) believed to elicit crowd wisdom. In a season-long experiment, fans wagered over $20,000 on NFL football predictions. Contrary to the wisdom-of-crowds hypothesis, faulty intuitions led the crowd to predict “favorites” more than “underdogs” against point spreads that disadvantaged favorites, even when bettors knew that the spreads disadvantaged favorites. Moreover, the bias increased over time, a result consistent with attributions for success and failure that rewarded intuitive choosing. However, when the crowd predicted game outcomes by estimating point differentials rather than by predicting against point spreads, its predictions were unbiased and wiser.
Wheat antioxidants suppress intestinal tumor activity in Min mice

Whole grains contain antioxidants associated with reduced risk of several forms of cancer. This study compared 5 wheat varieties, with low to high antioxidant potential, on their antitumor properties in Min mice. Diets with equal fiber content were fed as whole wheat or wheat bran for 10 weeks. Intestinal tumors were counted to determine tumor multiplicity and measured to determine tumor load. Mice fed whole wheat diets gained more weight than those fed wheat bran diets. Tumor multiplicity was reduced in the two groups fed wheat diets with the highest antioxidant potential. Tumor load was reduced in 4 of the wheat bran groups and in 2 of the whole wheat groups. Regression analysis revealed inverse relationships between dietary antioxidant potential and tumor multiplicity in whole wheat and wheat bran diet groups and tumor load in wheat bran diet groups. This study showed that antioxidant potentials of wheat in the diets was associated with their antitumor activity.
The Living and the Lost: War and Possession in Vietnam

The war in Vietnam claimed the lives of five million of its citizens, many of whom died in ways thought to have turned them into malevolent spirits who prey on the living. These angry ghosts are held responsible for a host of physical ailments and other misfortunes suffered by survivors of the war and their descendants. Known in the anthropological literature as possession illness, the cross-cultural treatment for such maladies is typically provided by practitioners like mediums and exorcists, who cure victims by interacting with noncorporeal entities. In Vietnam, such spirit healers were banned after the communist takeover of the North in 1945. This has posed a problem for the large numbers of Vietnamese who suffer from ghost-induced sickness. This paper focuses on three victims of angry ghosts, presenting the common origin, context, and resolution of their suffering. In doing so, it provides an overview of Vietnamese beliefs about death and the after-life, the ideal relationship between the living and the dead, and the connection between state politics and spirit practice.
Integrated VOC vapor sensing on FBAR-CMOS array

This paper reports first results of volatile organic compound (VOC) detection on a monolithically integrated film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) array on a silicon integrated circuit substrate. The combined sensor platform uses thin polymer layers as gas absorbers for individual FBAR functionalization, and frequency shifts are measured on-chip in response to changing VOC concentration. Integrating sensors, drive, and readout functionality on a single CMOS die enables a robust, multiplex sensor platform and obviates external measurement equipment.
Urban Water Demand Forecasting with a Dynamic Artificial Neural Network Model

This paper presents the development of a dynamic artificial neural network model (DAN2) for comprehensive urban water demand forecasting. Accurate short-, medium-, and long-term demand forecasting provides water distribution companies with information for capacity planning, maintenance activities, system improvements, pumping operations optimization, and the development of purchasing strategies. We examine the effects of including weather information in the forecasting models and show that such inclusion can improve accuracy. However, we demonstrate that by using time series water demand data, DAN2 models can provide excellent fit and forecasts without reliance upon the explicit inclusion of weather factors. All models are validated using data from an actual water distribution system. The monthly, weekly, and daily models produce forecasting accuracies above 99%, and the hourly models above 97%. The excellent model accuracy demonstrates the effectiveness of DAN2 in forecasting urban water demand across al...
Gleaning Unexpected Fruits from Hard-Won Synthetases: Probing Principles of Permissivity in Non-canonical Amino Acid–tRNA Synthetases

The site-specific incorporation of non-canonical amino acids (ncAAs) into proteins is an important tool for understanding biological function. Traditionally, each new ncAA targeted for incorporation requires a resource-consuming process of generating new ncAA aminoacyl tRNA synthetase/tRNACUA pairs. However, the discovery that some tRNA synthetases are "permissive", in that they can incorporate multiple ncAAs, means that it is no longer always necessary to develop a new synthetase for each newly desired ncAA. Developing a better understanding of what factors make ncAA synthetases more permissive would increase the utility of this new approach. Here, we characterized two synthetases selected for the same ncAA that have markedly different "permissivity profiles." Remarkably, the more permissive synthetase incorporated an ncAA for which we had not been able to generate a synthetase through de novo selection methods. Crystal structures revealed that the two synthetases recognize their parent ncAA through a conserved core of interactions, with the more permissive synthetase displaying a greater degree of flexibility in its interaction geometries. We also observed that intraprotein interactions not directly involved in ncAA binding can play a crucial role in synthetase permissivity and suggest that optimization of such interactions might provide an avenue to engineering synthetases with enhanced permissivity.
Impact of grafting on cold responsive gene expression in Satsuma mandarin ( Citrus unshiu )

The major limitation preventing the expansion of Satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu) production in the Gulf Coast regions of the US is the risk of freeze damage. Poncirus trifoliata (L.) Raf has been widely used as a cold hardy rootstock for citrus production in freeze-prone environments. In this study, relative quantitative real-time RT–PCR was used to study cold responsive genes in Satsuma mandarin (C. unshiu), C. unshiu grafted on P. trifoliata rootstock and P. trifoliata following exposure to cold shock or cold acclimation treatments. Major changes in gene expression occurred in the different species during cold stress especially with respect to nitrate transporter, auxin responsive GH3, UDP-glycosyltransferase (UGT) and chalcone-flavanone isomerase. Very high levels of nitrate transporter were reached early in Poncirus following 60 h of cold shock treatment at 4°C, and in C. unshiu after 3 weeks of gradual cold acclimation. Also, high levels of auxin responsive GH3 were reached in Poncirus following both cold shock and cold acclimation, while levels in C. unshiu were low or reduced. Poncirus rootstock significantly affected gene expression in C. unshiu scion, resulting in a reduction of nitrate transporter, UGT and trehalose 6-phosphate synthase expression levels, and an increase in auxin responsive GH3 gene during cold acclimation. The impact of rootstock on citrus scion during cold stress might be associated with partitioning of nutrients and hormones.
Medication costs during an 18 month clinical trial of obesity treatment among patients encountered in primary care.

Weight loss often leads to reductions in medication costs, particularly for weight-related conditions. We aimed to evaluate changes in medication costs from an 18 month study of weight loss among patients recruited from primary care. Study participants (n = 79, average age = 56.3; 75.7 % female) with average BMI of 39.5 kg/m2, plus one co-morbid condition of either diabetes/pre-diabetes, hypertension, abnormal cholesterol, or sleep apnea, were recruited from 2 internal medicine practices. All participants received intensive behavioral and dietary treatment during months 0–6, including subsidized access to portion-controlled foods for weight loss. From months 7–18, all participants were offered continued access to subsidized foods, and half of participants were randomly assigned to continue in-person visits (“Intensified Maintenance”), while the other half received materials by mail or e-mail (“Standard Maintenance”). Medication costs were evaluated at months 0, 6, and 18. Participants assigned to Intensified Maintenance maintained nearly all their lost weight, whereas those assigned to Standard Maintenance regained weight. However, no significant differences in medication costs were observed within or between groups during the 18 months of the trial. A reduction of nearly $30 per month (12.9 %) was observed among all participants from month 0 to month 6 (active weight loss phase), but this difference did not reach statistical significance. A behavioral intervention that led to clinically significant weight loss did not lead to statistically significant reductions in medication costs. Substantial variability in medication costs and lack of a systematic approach by the study team to reduce medications may explain the lack of effect. The trial was registered at ( NCT01220089 ) on September 23, 2010.
A Maize Homolog of Mammalian CENPC Is a Constitutive Component of the Inner Kinetochore

Genes for three maize homologs (CenpcA, CenpcB, and CenpcC) of the conserved kinetochore assembly protein known as centromere protein C (CENPC) have been identified. The C-terminal portion of maize CENPC shares similarity with mammalian CENPC and its yeast homolog Mif2p over a 23-amino acid region known as region I. Immunolocalization experiments combined with three-dimensional light microscopy demonstrated that CENPC is a component of the kinetochore throughout interphase, mitosis, and meiosis. It is shown that sister kinetochore separation occurs in two discrete phases during meiosis. A partial separation of sister kinetochores occurs in prometaphase I, and a complete separation occurs in prometaphase II. CENPC is absent on structures known as neocentromeres that, in maize, demonstrate poleward movement but lack other important features of centromeres/kinetochores. CENPC and a previously identified centromeric DNA sequence interact closely but do not strictly colocalize on meiotic chromosomes. These and other data indicate that CENPC occupies an inner domain of the maize kinetochore.
Effects of storage condition and domestic cooking on the quality and nutrient content of African leafy vegetables (Cassia tora and Corchorus tridens)

BACKGROUND:ThemainobjectiveofthisresearchwastodeterminechangesinnutrientcontentoftwoAfricanleafyvegetables, Cassia tora and Corchorus tridens, on cooking and storage under different temperature conditions, i.e. room storage (20 ◦ C), refrigerated storage (4 ◦ C) and frozen storage (−18 ◦ C). RESULTS: The leafy vegetables were analysed for moisture, colour (Hunter L, a, b), texture, total chlorophyll, ascorbic acid, dehydroascorbic acid and total phenolics. Results indicated that the degradation of ascorbic acid was highest as a result of frozen storage, followed by room temperature storage. The dehydroascorbic acid content was correspondingly high in frozen stored leafy vegetables, whereas it was undetectable in the room temperature and refrigerated stored materials. The total phenolic content of the leaves increased with storage time while the total chlorophyll content decreased under all storage conditions. Domestic cooking resulted in significant additional losses of ascorbic acid following storage under all temperature conditions, with only 1‐10% retention in the leaves and 50‐60% retention in the cooking water. The green colour of the leafy vegetableswasretainedbestunderrefrigeratedandfrozenstorage,whilethepeakforceandtoughnessoftheleavesincreased upon storage under all conditions. The moisture content of the leafy vegetables did not show any significant difference on storage. CONCLUSION: This study is one of few to report nutrient content changes on the same raw material stored under various temperature conditions and cooked domestically. Refrigerated storage resulted in the highest retention of ascorbic acid and green colour in the leafy vegetables. c � 2009 Society of Chemical Industry
A Meta-Analysis of Antecedents and Correlates of Employee Turnover: Update, Moderator Tests, and Research Implications for the Next Millennium

This article reports the results of a comprehensive meta-analysis of turnover antecedents, extending an earlier one by Hom and Griffeth (1995). As such, this updated meta-analysis represents the most wide-ranging quantitative review to date of the predictive strength of numerous turnover antecedents. Importantly, the present investigation identifies various moderators of antecedent-turnover correlations. The implications of these findings for both theory and practice are discussed.
Designing for operations: Towards a sociotechnical systems and cognitive engineering approach to concurrent engineering

Abstract In the practice of concurrent engineering, the factors that are considered early in the product design process include manufacturability, assembly, and cost. A set of issues that are not typically considered revolve around the operational requirements for human workers in the manufacturing system. What tasks will human workers accomplish? How will these tasks be organized and coordinated? What information and resources need to be shared? Will the workers have a coherent set of job responsibilities? How should the manufacturing environment be designed to support effective work practices? How can a manufacturing process be designed that also informs organizational structure and takes into account the quality of working life? The field of sociotechnical systems theory (STS) focuses on exactly these kinds of issues. Rather than subscribing to the usual view of technological determinism — that a complex human-machine system is designed solely with respect to optimization of technical criteria — the goal of STS is to jointly optimize both human and technological considerations in system design and operation. The spirit of STS has much in common with recent work in cognitive systems engineering that advocates the design of joint cognitive systems in which machines serve as flexible, context-sensitive resources for human problem solving. Furthermore, a focus on design teams necessitates the study of the relationship between group work and technology as studied in the field of computer-supported cooperative work (CSCW). This paper briefly reviews current research in sociotechnical systems theory, computer-supported cooperative work, and cognitive systems engineering and proposes a framework for integrating operational concerns into the concurrent engineering process. Relevance to industry To be competitive, organizations need to effectively manage human and technological resources. A key issue is the nature of the information and technological infrastructure that both enables and supports ‘best practice’ across the enterprise. This paper describes such an approach in the context of the ‘operational enterprise’ and provides both a philosophical stance as well as specific examples of software support.
Latch-up in 65nm CMOS technology: a scaling perspective

In this study, through a detailed analysis of the last four CMOS technology nodes, targeting similar applications, the intrinsic latch-up process sensitivity is investigated in an attempt to assess in which measure latch-up will continue to be a major reliability concern for future CMOS technologies.
Mitochondrial oxidative stress in skeletal muscle and cardiac aging

Mitochondrial dysfunction plays an important role in many chronic diseases, including aging. However the role of oxidative stress in this dysfunction remains controversial. We tested whether mitochondrial oxidative stress underlies not only mitochondrial deficits, but also declines in performance of skeletal and cardiac muscle in aged mice. Direct manipulation of mitochondrial H 2 O 2 (mtH 2 O 2 ) production by lifelong overexpression of mitochondrial targeted catalase reduced mitochondrial deficits in aged skeletal muscle and protected against age-related declines in cardiac function. To test whether manipulating mitochondrial oxidative stress late in life could reverse deficits in aged skeletal muscle and heart we used a novel mitochondrial targeted peptide, SS-31, that interacts with cardiolipin on the inner mitochondrial membrane. SS-31 reduces mtH 2 O 2 production in dysfunctional aged mitochondria and improved glutathione redox status while not affecting young healthy mitochondria. Acute (1 hr) and 8 week treatment with SS-31 had similar effects on mitochondrial function and skeletal muscle performance. Both treatments reversed age-related declines in in vivo maximal mitochondrial ATP production and efficiency of oxidative phosphorylation (P/O) while increasing muscle fatigue resistance. Treatment for 8 weeks also reversed cardiac dysfunction, especially diastolic dysfunction. These improvements in skeletal muscle and cardiac function translated to improved treadmill endurance capacity in the aged mice. These results reveal a dynamic relationship between mitochondrial deficits and the redox environment of the cell that affects function in these tissues. To examine the mechanisms underlying this interaction we are examining the effect of manipulating mitochondrial oxidant production on the thiol redox proteome. Aging is associated with increased S-glutathionylation of the thiol proteome in aged skeletal muscle. Treatment with SS-31 partially reverses many of these age-related changes, including proteins involved in E-C coupling, muscle contraction, and protein quality control. These results demonstrate that mitochondrial oxidant production alters redox dependent post-translational modifications throughout the muscle thereby providing a potential mechanism linking mitochondrial oxidative stress to loss of muscle function with age. Furthermore, we demonstrate that reversing this mitochondrial oxidative stress can rapidly improve function highlighting the interaction between mitochondria and cellular redox environment as an attractive target to improve health in the elderly.
Small transmembrane protein inhibitors of the platelet-derived growth factor β receptor (LB215)

The platelet-derived growth factor β receptor (PDGFβR) tyrosine kinase has been implicated in several cancers and is normally activated by binding of ligand to its extracellular domain. In addition...
Investigation of optically generated electronic defects and protonic transport in hydrogen-bonded molecular solids: isomorphs of potassium dihydrogen phosphate

The study of defects in hydrogen-bonded molecular solids yields information about the physics of these materials and about their suitability for technological applications. One important issue is defect generation by means of intense ultraviolet (UV) optical excitation. Recently,1 we reported the first observation and characterization, to our knowledge, of an electronic defect generated by UV, two-photon optical excitation in potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) and potassium dideu-terium phosphate (DKDP).
Molecular photoionization studies of nucleobases and correlated systems

We proposed molecular photoionization studies in order to probe correlated events in fundamental scattering phenomena. In particular, we suggested that joint theoretical-experimental studies would provide a window into the microscopic aspects that are of central importance in AMO and chemical physics generally, and would generate useful data for wide array of important DOE topics, such as ultrafast dynamics, high harmonic generation, and probes of nonadiabatic processes. The unifying theme is that correlations between electron scattering dynamics and molecular geometry highlight inherently molecular aspects of the photoelectron behavior.
On the consistency of inversion-free parameter estimation for Gaussian random fields

Gaussian random fields are a powerful tool for modeling environmental processes. For high dimensional samples, classical approaches for estimating the covariance parameters require highly challenging and massive computations, such as the evaluation of the Cholesky factorization or solving linear systems. Recently, Anitescu etźal. (2014) proposed a fast and scalable algorithm which does not need such burdensome computations. The main focus of this article is to study the asymptotic behavior of the algorithm of Anitescu et al. (ACS) for regular and irregular grids in the increasing domain setting. Consistency, minimax optimality and asymptotic normality of this algorithm are proved under mild differentiability conditions on the covariance function. Despite the fact that ACS's method entails a non-concave maximization, our results hold for any stationary point of the objective function. A numerical study is presented to evaluate the efficiency of this algorithm for large data sets.
Migration of epithelial cells in the small intestine of mice perorally infected with coxsackievirus B5.

The rate of cell migration in the small intestine during enteric viral infections has not been assessed previously. CD-1 mice (33 days old) were infected perorally with 1.0 X 10(8) plague-forming units of coxsackievirus B5 and 12 hr later were injected intraperitoneally with 2 micron Ci of [3H]thymidine/g of body weight. After 2, 12, 24, 48, 60, and 72 hr, mice were killed, and the small intestine was removed. Specimens obtained at each interval were examined by radioautography; similar specimens were titrated for virus by plaque assay in HeLa cells. In mice perorally infected with coxsackievirus B5, epithelial cells migrated from crypt to villus tip in 60 hr, as compared with 48 hr in uninfected control mice and 24 hr previously reported for mice perorally infected with enteric bacteria (e.g., Salmonella typhimurium). Virus was recovered from intestinal tissue, but no inflammatory response in the limina propria was apparent. These observations are consistent with previous report that substrate absorption rates may be altered during viral and bacterial enteric infection.