cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Induction of a heat shock response (HSP 72) in rat embryos exposed to selected chemical teratogens

A monoclonal antibody to the 72 kD heat shock protein (HSP 72), Western blot analysis and 2-D gel electrophoresis/autoradiography were used to determine whether selected chemical teratogens induced the synthesis and accumulation of HSP 72 in postimplantation rat embryos exposed in vitro. The chemical teratogens studied include N-Acetoxy-2-acetylaminofluorene (N-Ac-AAF), cadmium chloride (CAD), cyclophosphamide (CP), sodium arsenite (AS), and sodium salicylate (SAL). Exposures to test chemicals were selected that produced obvious embryotoxicity characterized by abnormal development and growth retardation. Of the five chemical teratogens studied, AS and SAL induced the synthesis and accumulation of HSP 72 in day 10 rat embryos. The kinetics of HSP 72 accumulation, however, differed between AS- and SAL-treated embryos. Maximal levels of HSP 72 were observed 24 hours after AS exposure and 10 hours after SAL exposure. N-Ac-AAF, CD, and CP induced obvious embryotoxicity; however, none of these chemical teratogens induced HSP 72 at any of the timepoints assayed. Although only a small sample of chemical teratogens was studied, our results suggest that the heat shock response, characterized by the synthesis and accumulation of HSP 72, is not a general biomarker for chemical teratogens. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
My Treatment Approach to Hairy Cell Leukemia

Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) is a rare chronic lymphoproliferative disorder characterized by circulating B cells with cytoplasmic projections, pancytopenia, splenomegaly, and a typical flow cytometry pattern. Recently, the BRAF V600E mutation was uniformly identified in one HCL series, which may provide insights into the pathogenic mechanisms. The disease course is usually indolent but inexorably progressive. Patients require treatment when they have significant cytopenia or occasionally recurrent infections from immunocompromise. In the mid-1980s, interferon replaced splenectomy as the initial treatment. A few years later, 2 purine nucleoside analogs, cladribine and pentostatin, showed promising activity in HCL. Complete response rates approached 95% with cladribine given as a single 7-day intravenous infusion. Newer methods of cladribine administration and modified dosing schedules have since been studied. Pentostatin response rates are comparable. We generally prefer cladribine because of its ease of administration, single infusion schema, and favorable toxicity profile. Since the introduction of these drugs, which have never been randomly compared, long-term follow-up studies have confirmed impressive and durable response durations. However, roughly 40% of patients with HCL eventually relapse. In this setting, patients can be re-treated with purine analogs. Rituximab also has a reasonable response rate in relapsed HCL; it can be given as a single agent sequentially after purine nucleosides or concurrently. Immunotoxins have robust responses but remain in development. Targeting the BRAF pathway will be an exciting future area of research. Many patients have minimal residual disease after initial treatment, but the clinical significance of this remains unknown.
Exploring the Capability of Multifrequency Charge Pumping in Resolving Location and Energy Levels of Traps Within Dielectric

Multifrequency charge-pumping (MFCP) experiments have been used by many groups to profile the locations and the energy levels of bulk traps within high-kappa gate dielectric stack of MOS transistors. Since the measurements involve easy generalization of the classical CP technique, the interpretation of the data has sometimes been based on uncritical generalization of classical CP theory or a simplified numerical model that does not capture the complexity and nuances of the dynamics of occupation of dielectric traps. In this paper, we develop a rigorous numerical model of MFCP technique and encapsulate/interpret the results using an intuitively simple analytical formula. Consistent with some earlier reports, we observe that MFCP experiment scans a limited region of traps within the dielectric stack. Although the degree of trap response in MFCP is a (nonintuitive) function of parameters like rise/fall time, frequency, temperature, and pulse levels, we show that only a certain combination of parameters is sufficiently orthogonal to allow unambiguous back-extraction of the trap profile.
Synthesis, structure, magnetism, and high temperature thermoelectric properties of Ge doped Yb14MnSb11

The Zintl phase Yb14MnSb11 was successfully doped with Ge utilizing a tin flux technique. The stoichiometry was determined by microprobe analysis to be Yb13.99(14)Mn1.05(5)Sb10.89(16)Ge0.06(3). This was the maximum amount of Ge that could be incorporated into the structure via flux synthesis regardless of the amount included in the reaction. Single crystal X-ray diffraction could not unambiguously determine the site occupancy for Ge. Bond lengths varied by about 1% or less, compared with the undoped structure, suggesting that the small amount of Ge dopant does not significantly perturb the structure. Differential scanning calorimetry/thermogravimetry (DSC/TG) show that the doped compound's melting point is greater than 1200 K. The electrical resistivity and magnetism are virtually unchanged from the parent material, suggesting that Yb is present as Yb2+ and that the Ge dopant has little effect on the magnetic structure. At 900 K the resistivity and Seebeck coefficient decrease resulting in a zT of 0.45 at 1100 K, significantly lower than the undoped compound.
Measurement of Lifetimes of Excited States of Na, Tl, In, Ga, Cu, Ag, Pb, and Bi by the Phase-Shift Method

Lifetimes of 13 upper states of optical-resonance transitions in selected metal atoms have been measured using the phase-shift method. Data were taken over a range of at least 12 of fluorescence intensity, to take into account the effects of radiation entrapment and exciting light scattering. The following results were obtained: Na 3p2P0 16.2 nsec, Tl 7s ²S12 7.65 nsec, Tl 6d²D32 6.9 nsec, In 6s ²S12 7.5 nsec, In 5d ²D32 7.9 nsec, In 5d ²D52 7.9 nsec, Ga 5s ²S12 7.6 nsec, Ga 4d2D 7.7 nsec, Cu 4p2P0 7.2 nsec, Ag 5p ²P120 6.7 nsec, Ag 5p ²P120 7.5 nsec, Pb 7s3P10 6.05 nsec, and Bi 7s ⁴P12 5.9 nsec. Estimated absolute accuracies vary between 3 and 7%.
The energetics of molecular clouds. I. Methods of analysis and application to the S255 molecular cloud.

Observations of the S255 molecular cloud in the radio lines of CO, (C-13)O, and H2O as well as in the IR region from 12 to 20 microns are presented. These results show that an extended molecular cloud is associated with the optically visible H II regions S255 - S257, both the kinetic temperature and molecular density are enhanced in an area centered on a compact near-IR source, this source is also coincident with an OH and an H2O maser (within the errors), and the IR source exhibits the silicon absorption feature. First-order techniques which allow physical properties of molecular clouds to be estimated and the energetics of the gas and dust in the clouds to be analyzed are developed and applied to S255. It is concluded that: (1) the gas cooling rate is much less than the dust cooling rate; (2) the primary energy flow is in the IR through dust emission over a range of temperatures; (3) the near-IR source is apparently responsible for the local peak in gas kinetic temperature; and (4) the exciting stars of nearby H II regions appear to be the primary heat sources for the overall molecular cloud.
DNA methylation and autoimmune disease

DNA methylation plays an essential role in maintaining T-cell function. A growing body of literature indicates that failure to maintain DNA methylation levels and patterns in mature T cells can result in T-cell autoreactivity in vitro and autoimmunity in vivo. Defective maintenance of DNA methylation may be caused by drugs such as procainamide or hydralazine, or failure to activate the genes encoding maintenance DNA methyltransferases during mitosis, resulting in the development of a lupus-like disease or perhaps other autoimmune disorders. This paper reviews the evidence supporting a role for abnormal T-cell DNA methylation in causing autoimmunity in an animal model of drug-induced lupus, and discusses some of the mechanisms involved. T cells from patients with active lupus have evidence for most if not all of the same methylation abnormalities, suggesting that abnormal DNA methylation plays a role in idiopathic human lupus as well.
A retroviral-derived peptide phosphorylates protein kinase D/protein kinase Cμ involving phospholipase C and protein kinase C

CKS-17, a synthetic peptide representing a unique amino acid motif which is highly conserved in retroviral transmembrane proteins and other immunoregulatory proteins, induces selective immunomodulatory functions, both in vitro and in vivo, and activates intracellular signaling molecules such as cAMP and extracellular signal-regulated kinases. In the present study, using Jurkat T-cells, we report that CKS-17 phosphorylates protein kinase D (PKD)/protein kinase C (PKC) μ. Total cell extracts from CKS-17-stimulated Jurkat cells were immunoblotted with an anti-phospho-PKCμ antibody. The results show that CKS-17 significantly phosphorylates PKD/PKCμ in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Treatment of cells with the PKC inhibitors GF 109203X and Ro 31-8220, which do not act directly on PKD/PKCμ, attenuates CKS-17-induced phosphorylation of PKD/PKCμ. In contrast, the selective protein kinase A inhibitor H-89 does not reverse the action of CKS-17. Furthermore, a phospholipase C (PLC) selective inhibitor, U-73122, completely blocks the phosphorylation of PKD/PKCμ by CKS-17 while a negative control U-73343 does not. In addition, substitution of lysine for arginine residues in the CKS-17 sequence completely abrogates the ability of CKS-17 to phosphorylate PKD/PKCμ. These results clearly indicate that CKS-17 phosphorylates PKD/PKCμ through a PLC- and PKC-dependent mechanism and that arginine residues play an essential role in this activity of CKS-17, presenting a novel modality of the retroviral peptide CKS-17 and molecular interaction of this compound with target cells.
Ventilatory responses to low levels of CO2 inhalation in the cat

Abstract The steady-state ventilatory and end-tidal P CO 2 ( Pet CO 2 ) responses to low-level CO 2 inhalation have been studied in four awake cats. Four cats anesthetized with Dial-urethane were also studied before and after vagal section or blockade. Awake cats breathed gas mixtures with F i CO 2 equal to 0.0015 (control), 0.01 and 0.03 in oxygen or 0.0015, 0.01 and 0.02 in air, while anesthetized cats inhaled F i CO 2 of 0.0000 (control), 0.005 and 0.01 in oxygen. In order to obtain accurate, unbiased determinations of the respiratory system responses to small increases of F i CO 2 above control values, we used a protocol in which control conditions preceded and followed each CO 2 test. The pairwise response for each variable was calculated from the mean of the two ‘bracketing’ control values. We found that low-level CO 2 inhalation in the cat resulted in consistent and significant increases in Pet CO 2 (82 of 86 trials) and V t (76 of 86 trials) but inconsistent changes in T Tot . We conclude that low-level CO 2 inhalation in the cat results in hypercapnia detectable by a replicated, unbiased experimental design.
The development of a multirater instrument for assessing employee problem‐solving skill

This study was an exploratory investigation of the development of a multirater instrument to measure employee problem-solving skill. The instrument consisted of two parallel forms: an employee self-assessment and a supervisory assessment. For the self-assessment, twenty employees rated the degree to which they engage in activities commonly associated with seven stages of effective problem solving: (1) problem identification, (2) goal selection, (3) generation of alternative solutions, (4) consideration of consequences associated with alternative solutions, (5) approach to decision making, (6) implementation of solutions, and (7) evaluation of solutions. For the supervisory assessment, each employee's supervisor rated the employee on the same activities. Analysis of the data found that supervisors rated their employees significantly lower than the employees rated themselves on three of the seven problem-solving stages (problem identification, goal selection, and consideration of consequences). In addition, an examination of the paired scores for each employee and his or her supervisor found significant differences for eleven of the twenty employee-supervisor pairs on one or more of the seven problem-solving stages. Analysis of the data also found that the ratings of supervisors were more stable than the self-ratings of employees. Possible explanations for these findings and their implications for HRD theory, practice, and research are discussed.
The Relationship of Closure Speed and Training on Target Identification for Unmanned Vehicle Operators

This investigation explored differences in armored vehicle recognition training by supplying 2D images of 3D models at different views. Additionally, the relationship between the spatial construct of closure speed and target identification was examined. Participants were administered three tests of closure speed, and then trained on armored vehicle recognition with 2D images of 3D models at more angles than typically given with line drawings supplied to soldiers. Results did not show a significant difference between the training conditions on a tank recognition task. Examining the relationship between performance on closure speed tests and tank recognition performance scores showed mixed results. Implications of this research may include considerations for selection and training of future unmanned vehicle operators.
Incompressibility and No-Slip Boundaries in the Chebyshev-Tau Approximation

I present a minor, but important correction to Kleiser and Schumann's influence-matrix solution for numerical simulation of 3D time-dependent incompressible flow between no-slip plane boundaries (L. Kleiser, and U. Schumann, in Proc. 3rd GAMM Conf. Numerical Methods in Fluid Mechanics, edited by E. H. Hirschel, Vieweg, Braunschweig, 1980, p. 165). The solution technique I present is, for the most part, identical to Kleiser and Schumann's, the only noteworthy difference being my treatment of the truncation (or "tau") errors. Though this improvement appears to be but a slight modification to their original algorithm, the error encountered when attempting to satisfy the incompressibility constraint is reduced dramatically (by a factor of 1011), producing velocity fields which are divergence-free to within machine precision.
The jet shape of concentric mixers

In this paper, we present an analytical and experimental study of the mixing region and jet shape in concentric mixers. Based on a simple but effective analytical model, we are able to predict the growth of the mixing region with respect to downstream distance. An experimental study is conducted on the concentric mixing of paper fibre stock and water. By comparing with experimental results, we confirm that the shape of the mixing region is a practical indicator of mixing efficiency with the consideration of jet velocity and geometry including the nozzle wall thickness. Nous presentons dans cet article une etude analytique et experimentale de la region du melange et de la forme du jet dans des melangeurs concen-triques. En nous appuyant sur un modele analytique simple mais efficace, nous sommes en mesure de predire la croissance de la region de melange comparativement a la distance en aval. Une etude experimentale a ete menee sur le melange concentrique d'une charge de fibre de papier et d'eau. En comparant avec les resultats experimentaux, nous confirmons que la forme de la region de melange est une indication pratique de l'efficacite du melange, qui est fonction de la vitesse et de la geometrie du jet, incluant l'epaisseur de la paroi de l'orifice
Shifting perspective on the Shifting Paradigm in Marketing Research: A new paradigm in marketing research

Professor Perreault is to be applauded for bringing to our attention, in such a forceful manner, some of the changes taking place and those that are to come in marketing research. He has more than achieved his objective of fostering debate and dialogue concerning these changes. We have attempted to interpret the issues raised by Perreault (1992) in a more balanced way in the context of a new paradigm for marketing research and make some predictions of our own as to where marketing research is headed. We hope that readers find our ideas thought-provoking.
Protein Quaternary Structure and Expression Levels Contribute to Peroxisomal Targeting Sequence 1-Mediated Peroxisomal Import of Human Soluble Epoxide Hydrolase

The peroxisomal targeting sequence 1 (PTS1) is a consensus tripeptide 1 (S/C/A)(K/R/H)(L/M) that is found at the C-terminus of most peroxisomal proteins. However, the only known mammalian protein containing a terminal methionine PTS1 (SKM), human soluble epoxide hydrolase (hsEH), shows both peroxisomal and cytosolic localizations in vivo. Mechanisms regulating the subcellular localization of hsEH thus remain unclear. Here we utilized green fluorescent protein-hsEH fusion constructs to study the peroxisomal targeting of hsEH in transiently and stably transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells. Our results suggest that the peroxisomal import of hsEH is regulated by three factors. First, we show that SKM is required, but not sufficient, for peroxisomal import. Second, by manipulating protein expression levels, we show that SKM mediates peroxisomal import of wild-type hsEH only when expression levels are high. Third, we show that amino acid modifications that decrease subunit oligomerization and presumably enhance accessibility of the SKM motif confer peroxisomal targeting even at low protein expression levels. We conclude that, in hsEH, SKM is a necessary but inefficient and context-dependent PTS1. Peroxisomal import occurs when expression levels are high or when the SKM motif is accessible. These results provide a mechanistic basis for understanding the cell-specific and tissue-specific localization of hsEH in vivo.
An 805-Mc 1-1/4-Mw Amplifier for Acceierator Service

An 805-Mc 1-1/4-Mw amplifier has been constructed for test and evaluation as a power source for accelerator service. The amplifier has been designed for 6% duty factor and a maximum pulse length of 2 milliseconds. The amplifier is described and preliminary test results are presented.
25 years of software maintenance

2009 marks the 25th edition of the IEEE International Conference on Software Maintenance (ICSM). This special panel session celebrates ICSMs silver anniversary and the people who helped create and shape its history. From the pioneering efforts of the first workshop to todays weeklong series of federated events, many things have changed over the years. But at least one thing remains constant: the original goal of creating a supportive environment for fostering the exchange of ideas and information related to the disciplined maintenance and evolution of large-scale software-intensive systems.
Normal and abnormal epithelial differentiation in the female reproductive tract

In mammals, the female reproductive tract (FRT) develops from a pair of paramesonephric or Mullerian ducts (MDs), which arise from coelomic epithelial cells of mesodermal origin. During development, the MDs undergo a dynamic morphogenetic transformation from simple tubes consisting of homogeneous epithelium and surrounding mesenchyme into several distinct organs namely the oviduct, uterus, cervix and vagina. Following the formation of anatomically distinctive organs, the uniform MD epithelium (MDE) differentiates into diverse epithelial cell types with unique morphology and functions in each organ. Classic tissue recombination studies, in which the epithelium and mesenchyme isolated from the newborn mouse FRT were recombined, have established that the organ specific epithelial cell fate of MDE is dictated by the underlying mesenchyme. The tissue recombination studies have also demonstrated that there is a narrow developmental window for the epithelial cell fate determination in MD-derived organs. Accordingly, the developmental plasticity of epithelial cells is mostly lost in mature FRT. If the signaling that controls epithelial differentiation is disrupted at the critical developmental stage, the cell fate of MD-derived epithelial tissues will be permanently altered and can result in epithelial lesions in adult life. A disruption of signaling that maintains epithelial cell fate can also cause epithelial lesions in the FRT. In this review, the pathogenesis of cervical/vaginal adenoses and uterine squamous metaplasia is discussed as examples of such incidences.
Functions of human DNA polymerases η, κ and ι suggested by their properties, including fidelity with undamaged DNA templates

Abstract Human DNA polymerases η, κ and ι are template-dependent, Y-family DNA polymerases that have been implicated in translesion DNA synthesis (TLS) in human cells. Here, we briefly review evidence that these exonuclease-deficient polymerases copy undamaged DNA with very low fidelity and unusual error specificity. Based on the base substitution specificity and other biochemical properties of DNA polymerases η and ι, we consider the possibility that they participate in specialized DNA transactions that repair damaged DNA and/or generate mutations in the variable regions of immunoglobulin genes.
539 SURVIVAL AND SHORT-TERM OUTCOME OF INBORN “MICRO-PREMIES”

The mortality and major morbidity of 104 consecutive micropremie” live born deliveries (1982-1984) in an inborn perinatal center was examined by retrospective chart review. “Micropremies” are defined as AGA infants with BW 500-1000gm and ≤28 weeks gestation. There was no difference between survivors (S) and non-survivors (NS) in PROM, C-section, or Apgar scores. There was a significant difference between S and NS for pneumothorax (9% vs 28%) and for mean maximum FIO2 (.53 vs 1.00). Survival rates by sex and race: white females 51%; white males 38%; black females 90%; black males 70%. Morbidity rates among survivors: Sepsis 20%; NEC 17%; IVH 42% (Grade 3 or 4, 11%); PDA 50%; ROP 64% (Grade 3 23%, Grade 4 1%); BPD 65%; severe BPD requiring O2. >3 mos. 18%; apnea 69%; seizures 11%. Mean days on ventilator was 37 (range 0-103), and average length of stay was 93 days (range 61-200), excluding 3 infants who were hospitalized for 6-18 months in chronic care facilities. One infant is blind from ROP; 2 had shunts forhydrocephalus; 1 required tracheostomy for subglottic stenosis. Conclusions: The acceptable prognosis for “micropremies” supports aggressive perinatal management as low as 25 weeks gestation. Race and sex are important determinants of outcome in these infants.
Series formulas for the spectrum of atomic sodium (Na i)

The available data on the energy levels of Na i yield Ritz quantum-defect formulas predicting all one-electron (nl) levels with an uncertainty of ± 0.03 cm−1 with respect to the 3s2S1/2 ground level. Such formulas are given here for the ns through ni series as expressions for the quantum defect δ in inverse even powers of n − δ0, with δ0 constant for each nl series. These formulas are usually more convenient for calculations than the formulas in powers of n − δ and core-polarization formulas given previously. Term differences or quantum defects predicted by the ns through nh formulas are compared with a number of more recent experimental determinations in the range n = 13–41.
Low-frequency internal friction studies of nanocrystalline copper

Abstract The low-frequency internal friction behavior of OFHC copper and mechanically milled copper was studied over a temperature range of 100–600 ° K at a frequency of approximately 3 Hz. The nanocrystalline copper was prepared by consolidating mechanically milled powders using hot isostatic pressing to form compacts from which bars were machined for testing. Samples studied included milled copper and commercial grade 101 copper bar which had been recrystallized. Powders were consolidated at 600 °C. The final particle size of the consolidated material was approximately 60 nm and the 101 material had a grain size of 32 μm. The internal friction studies indicated the presence of a large grain boundary peak in both materials at approximately 600 ° K which was superimposed on a high temperature background. The peak was significantly larger for the nanocrystalline material because of the increased grain boundary/interfacial area. The OFHC material exhibited at low temperature dislocation peak at approximately 125 °K which was absent in the nanocrystalline material, which is believed to be due to the lack of dislocation structures in heavily milled nanocrystalline materials.
Unbelling the Cat: Unleashing the E-Commerce Solution

Partnerships between education and commerce could well usher in the beginning of a new kind of economy that provides substantial financial—and social—rewards for schools and for society in general.
Forming Aligned Fiber Composites into Complex Shapes

Summary Differential geometry theory is used to show how an ideal aligned fiber composite (incompressible, inextensible fibers, constant uniform spacing between fibers) must be deformed in order to make a part of complex curvature. Three fundamental results are obtained: the first two relate the required shears to the fiber curvatures (normal and geodesic), and the third, called the Gauss-Bonnet theorem, relates the shears to the Gaussian curvature of the part and the fiber orientation. Finally, it is shown how these results can be used to simplify experimental data.
Silicon nano-mechanical resonators fabricated by using tip-based nanofabrication

We report fabrication of silicon nano-mechanical resonators where the key nanolithography step is performed by using tip-based nanofabrication (TBN). Specifically, a heated atomic force microscope tip deposited polystyrene nanowires that were used together with a lithographically patterned aluminum to serve as an etch mask for silicon resonators their anchors. Using this nanofabrication technique, we demonstrate the fabrication of different types of silicon nano-mechanical resonator devices, including those that are either singly or doubly clamped and having either straight or curvilinear features. Typical dimensions for the width and thickness of these devices is in the range of several hundred nanometers. We characterized the mechanical resonance properties of these devices by using laser Doppler vibrometry and compared the measured response with finite element simulations. Typical resonance frequency values ranged from 1 to 3 MHz and typical quality factor values ranged from 100 to 150. The combination of TBN along with conventional microfabrication processes could help to realize new types of nano-devices.
Metabolism of zearalenone by Fusarium Roseum

Twenty products associated with the metabolism of zearalenone by Fusarium roseum were analyzed with respect to time and culture conditions. By statistical analysis a set of six metabolites possibly related to zearalenone were selected. These products were characterized by gas chromatography--mass spectrometry and other methods. The chemical structures of these six confirmed the statistical relationships, and evidence for the formation of these materials from zearalenone is presented. A suggested scheme of metabolism of zearalenone by F. roseum includes the formation of the two isomers of 8'-hydroxyzearalenone, 6',8'-dihydroxyzearalene, 6-(carboxypentyl)-beta-resorcyclic acid, and phenylacetic acid derivatives.
Condom semiotics: Meaning and condom use in rural Malawi

This article examines the widespread resistance to condom use in sub-Saharan Africa by describing the major semiotic axes that organize how people talk about condoms and condom use. These axes include the “sweetness” of sex, trust and love between sexual partners, and assessments of risk and danger. Using data from rural Malawi, we show that framing the meaning of condoms as a simple choice between risky behavior and rational attempts to protect one's health ignores the complex semiotic space that Malawians navigate. Based on data from more than 600 diaries that record rural Malawians' everyday conversations, our analysis charts the semiotic axes related to condom use. Semiotic constraints operate most powerfully at the level of relationships. Condom use signifies a risky, less serious, and less intimate partner. Even when people believe that condom use is appropriate, wise, or even a matter of life and death, the statement that condom use makes about a relationship usually trumps all other meanings. We c...
Interaction of Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3β with the DF3/MUC1 Carcinoma-Associated Antigen and β-Catenin

The DF3/MUC1 mucin-like glycoprotein is highly overexpressed in human carcinomas. Recent studies have demonstrated that the cytoplasmic domain of MUC1 interacts with beta-catenin. Here we show that MUC1 associates with glycogen synthase kinase 3beta (GSK3beta). GSK3beta binds directly to an STDRSPYE site in MUC1 and phosphorylates the serine adjacent to proline. Phosphorylation of MUC1 by GSK3beta decreases binding of MUC1 to beta-catenin in vitro and in vivo. GSK3beta-mediated phosphorylation of MUC1 had no apparent effect on beta-catenin levels or the transcriptional coactivation function of beta-catenin. The results, however, demonstrate that MUC1 expression decreases binding of beta-catenin to the E-cadherin cell adhesion molecule. Negative regulation of the beta-catenin-MUC1 interaction by GSK3beta is associated with restoration of the complex between beta-catenin and E-cadherin. These findings indicate that GSK3beta decreases the interaction of MUC1 with beta-catenin and that overexpression of MUC1 in the absence of GSK3beta activity inhibits formation of the E-cadherin-beta-catenin complex.
Performance analysis of the effect of pulse-noise interference on WLAN signals transmitted over a Nakagami fading channel

The paper examines the performance of wireless local area network (WLAN) systems, specifically, IEEE 802.11a systems. The signal is subject to pulsed-noise jamming, when the desired signal and the jamming signal are subject to Nakagami fading. We assume that the average jamming power is much greater than the AWGN power. As expected, the implementation of forward error correction (FEC) coding with soft decision decoding (SDD) and maximum-likelihood detection improves performance as compared to uncoded signals. For uncoded signals, a jamming signal that experiences fading actually improves performance when the fading parameter of the information signal, m/sub s/, is less than or equal to one. Surprisingly, for larger values of m/sub s/, a jamming signal that experiences fading works in favor of the information signal only for small signal-to-interference ratio (SIR). When SIR is large, performance when the jamming signal experiences fading is worse relative to performance when the jamming signal does not experience fading. For error correction coding with SDD, we investigate only continuous jamming since it is by far the worst case. Moreover, while we consider a range of fading conditions for the jamming signal, we examine only Rayleigh fading of the information signal. The coded signal, when the jamming signal experiences severe fading, performs better relative to the case when the jamming signal does not experience fading.
Variation in the Group-Specific Carbohydrate of Group A Streptococci. I. Immunochemical Studies on the Carbohydrates of Variant Strains.

The phenomenon of apparent loss of group-specific carbohydrate in the course of mouse passage of group A streptococci has been subjected to further study, and several additional variants showing this property have been described. The loss of group reactivity is shown to be due to an alteration in the chemical structure and serological specificity of the cell wall carbohydrate. This alteration appears to be essentially the same in each of the variants available for study. The carbohydrate of the variant strains (V) contains the same two monosaccharide components as the group A carbohydrate (A), but they are present in different proportions. Precipitating sera reactive with V carbohydrate have been prepared, and the A and V carbohydrates have been compared by qualitative and quantitative precipitin analysis. A second type of variation has been encountered during mouse passage. This variation is characterized by the occurrence of a cell wall carbohydrate (I) intermediate in chemical and serological properties between the A and V carbohydrates. The I carbohydrate reacts with both A and V antisera and does not appear to be a simple mixture of A and V carbohydrate. Similarly, antisera against the intermediate strain contain antibodies reactive with both A and V carbohydrates, and evidence is presented indicating that in part this represents antibody with double specificity.
A reliable measurement for identifying a lumbosacral transitional vertebra with a solid bony bridge on a single-slice midsagittal MRI or plain lateral radiograph

The purpose of this study was to devise a simple but reliable radiological method of identifying a lumbosacral transitional vertebra (LSTV) with a solid bony bridge on sagittal MRI, which could then be applied to a lateral radiograph.The vertical mid-vertebral angle (VMVA) and the vertical anterior vertebral angle (VAVA) of the three most caudal segments of the lumbar spine were measured on MRI and/or on a lateral radiograph in 92 patients with a LSTV and 94 controls, and the differences per segment (Diff-VMVA and Diff-VAVA) were calculated. The Diff-VMVA of the two most caudal vertebrae was significantly higher in the control group (25° (sd 8) than in patients with a LSTV (type 2a+b: 16° (sd 9), type 3a+b: -9° (sd 10), type 4: -5° (sd 7); p < 0.001). A Diff-VMVA of ≤ +10° identified a LSTV with a solid bony bridge (type 3+4) with a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 89% on MRI and a sensitivity of 94% and a specificity of 74% on a lateral radiograph. A sensitivity of 100% could be achieved with a c...
Evidence for biological activity in mineralization of secondary sulphate deposits in a basaltic environment: implications for the search for life in the Martian subsurface

Evidence of microbial activity associated with mineralization of secondary Na-sulphate minerals (thenardite, mirabilite) in the basaltic subsurface of Craters of the Moon National Monument (COM), Idaho were examined by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, laser desorption Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (LD-FTICR-MS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Peaks suggestive of bio/organic compounds were observed in the secondary Na-sulphate deposits by LD-FTICR-MS. FTIR provided additional evidence for the presence of bio/organic compounds. Sulphur fractionation was explored to assist in determining if microbes may play a role in oxidizing sulphur. The presence of bio/organic compounds associated with Na-sulphate deposits, along with the necessity of oxidizing reduced sulphur to sulphate, suggests that biological activity may be involved in the formation of these secondary minerals. The secondary Na-sulphate minerals probably form from the overlying basalt through leached sodium ions and sulphate ions produced by bio-oxidation of Fe-sulphide minerals. Since the COM basalts are one of the most comparable terrestrial analogues for their Martian counterparts, the occurrence of biological activity in the formation of sulphate minerals at COM has direct implications for the search for life on Mars. In addition, the presence of caves on Mars suggests the importance of these environments as possible locations for growth and preservation of microbial activity. Therefore, understanding the physiochemical pathways of abiotic and biotic mineralization in the COM subsurface and similar basaltic settings has direct implications for the search for extinct or extant life on Mars.
Patient-nurse synergy: optimizing patients' outcomes

Given the current demands of the healthcare environment, a clear sense of the unique contributions of nursing to patients' outcomes is critical. This paper articulates a model that describes nursing practice on the basis of the needs and characteristics of patients. The model was developed by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses Certification Corporation to link certified practice to patients' outcomes. The fundamental premise of this model, known as the Synergy Model, is that patients' characteristics drive nurses' competencies. When patients' characteristics and nurses' competencies match and synergize, outcomes for the patient are optimal. This paper presents the major tenets of the Synergy Model: patients' characteristics of concern to nurses, nurses' competencies important to patients, and patients' outcomes that result when patients' characteristics and nurses' competencies are mutually enhancing. By creating safe passage for patients, nurses make a significant contribution to the quality of patients' care, containment of costs, and patients' outcomes. Although the Synergy Model will be used as a blueprint for the certification of acute and critical care nurses, it is conceptually relevant to the entire profession. Dissemination of this model may help situate nursing within the current healthcare environment and facilitate intradisciplinary dialogue.
Using knowledge for control in fragmented policy arenas

Analysts and researchers typically value knowledge for its contributions to the wisdom of policy action. Policymakers, however, typically value knowledge for its contributions to the exercise of political control. Our research on flows of knowledge among federal, state, and local education agencies documents how knowledge may increase the effectiveness of various control strategies. In these cases, knowledge is not intended to enhance rationality; it may or may not. It is intended to enhance control, and it does. Knowledge for control is particularly useful to policymakers who seek to intervene in policy arenas characterized by fragmented authority and widely dispersed resources.
Reconstruction of clonal trees and tumor composition from multi-sample sequencing data

Motivation: DNA sequencing of multiple samples from the same tumor provides data to analyze the process of clonal evolution in the population of cells that give rise to a tumor. Results: We formalize the problem of reconstructing the clonal evolution of a tumor using single-nucleotide mutations as the variant allele frequency (VAF) factorization problem. We derive a combinatorial characterization of the solutions to this problem and show that the problem is NP-complete. We derive an integer linear programming solution to the VAF factorization problem in the case of error-free data and extend this solution to real data with a probabilistic model for errors. The resulting AncesTree algorithm is better able to identify ancestral relationships between individual mutations than existing approaches, particularly in ultra-deep sequencing data when high read counts for mutations yield high confidence VAFs. Availability and implementation: An implementation of AncesTree is available at: http://compbio.cs.brown.edu/software. Contact: ude.nworb@leahparb Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
4-Bromo­thio­phene-2-carbox­aldehyde

The title compound, C4H3BrOS, (I), was recrystallized from ethanol at 273 K. The crystal structure of (I) has been determined at 100 K.
Safe graph rearrangements for distributed connectivity of robotic networks

This paper studies distributed algorithms for performing graph rearrangements that preserve the connectivity of a robotic network. Given a connected graph describing the topology of the network, preserving a fixed set of edges while performing a coordination task guarantees that connectivity is maintained. However, the preservation of a fixed set of edges often results in suboptimal and over-constrained robot operation. This paper presents a distributed algorithm to perform graph rearrangements that allow the robotic network to transform its interconnection topology between any two trees. We present a method for composing this algorithm with other control algorithms, and make preference guarantees about the choices of links to be preserved under the resulting composition. We use these ideas to propose a distributed formation morphing algorithm, and characterize its time complexity.
Attitudes without objects: Evidence for a dispositional attitude, its measurement, and its consequences

We hypothesized that individuals may differ in the dispositional tendency to have positive vs. negative attitudes, a trait termed the dispositional attitude. Across 4 studies, we developed a 16-item Dispositional Attitude Measure (DAM) and investigated its internal consistency, test-retest reliability, factor structure, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and predictive validity. DAM scores were (a) positively correlated with positive affect traits, curiosity-related traits, and individual preexisting attitudes; (b) negatively correlated with negative affect traits; and (c) uncorrelated with theoretically unrelated traits. Dispositional attitudes also significantly predicted the valence of novel attitudes while controlling for theoretically relevant traits (such as the Big 5 and optimism). The dispositional attitude construct represents a new perspective in which attitudes are not simply a function of the properties of the stimuli under consideration, but are also a function of the properties of the evaluator. We discuss the intriguing implications of dispositional attitudes for many areas of research, including attitude formation, persuasion, and behavior prediction.
The effects of low level laser radiation on bacterial growth

Objective: The low level lasers currently in the market vary in wavelength, dosage, and frequency. These devices are used with much different clinical pathology. Most notably, some studies claim that wounds heal faster with low level laser therapy due to the fact that bacteria commonly found in wounds are killed by laser light. Systemic and meta-analysis studies found the difficulty of comparison of numerous research studies because of differences in the intensities and frequencies of low level laser treatment (LLLT). The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of LLLT on controlling bacterial growth. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Variables included LLLT dosage and wavelength on 3 bacteria commonly seen in wounds, strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were used on commercially available 5.0-cm agar plates. Blue, green, and red, ultraviolet (UV) and infrared laser light sources were adjusted to either low or high intensity settings. Five Petri dishes at a time were placed directly beneath laser light sources with the exception of UV which was placed six inches below the suspended light and infrared which was placed directly on top of the Petri dish lid. Each group of five Petri dishes was irradiated for 15 minutes. Results: The results showed no effect of any of 9 different LLLT intensities or colors on bacteria growth compared to sham light. Conclusions: At least for claims of bacterial growth inhibition with LLLT, no support for this claim can be found here.
John Bergius: Irenicism and the Beginning of Official Religious Toleration in Brandenburg-Prussia

Les irenistes du XVII siecle. Le cas exemplaire de Johannes Bergius (1587-1658), ne a Stettin d'un pere devenu calviniste. Etudes a Neuhausen, Heidelberg, Cambridge, Paris, Leiden. Professeur de theologie a l'universite de Francfort sur l'Oder, puis recteur. Il devient le conseiller spirituel et politique de trois Electeurs de Brandbourg: les Hohenzollern Jean-Sigismond, Georges-Guillaume et Frederic-Guillaume, le "Grand Electeur". Bergius s'efforca toujours de rapprocher Lutheriens et Calvinistes, qui malgre la Guerre de Trente ans restaient hostiles: au Colloque de Leipzig de mars 1631, il reussit a obtenir la paix entre les deux confessions, ce qui permit une alliance militaire protestante. Sa constante approche: s'en tenir aux points communs, fondamentaux, des Eglises de la Reforme, et tenir pour adiaphora les autres points.
Investigation of an NEA diamond vacuum microtriode array

The properties and characteristics of vacuum microtriodes based on ΝEΑ diamond surfaces were modelled. Specifically, an ΝEΑ diamond vacuum microtriode array was investigated using electrical measurements, electron optics software, and microwave circuit simulation. Data for emission current versus applied voltage for various anode-to-cathode distances for diamond ΝEΑ surfaces was analyzed and various parameters were extracted. Electron optics software was used to determine Fowler-Nordheim and space-charge-limited DC I-V characteristics for each microtriode. Microwave circuit simulation was done to determine the behavior of arrays of these vacuum microtriodes in an RF amplifier circuit.
Prospecting behavior and the influenceof forest cover on natal dispersal in aresident bird

Dispersal behavior is key to population dynamics, yet little is known about the temporal, spatial, and social factors affecting natal dispersal. We studied natal dispersal behavior by intensively tracking a pair-breeding resident bird, the red-bellied woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus), from fledging until permanent departure from the natal territory. Juveniles used a centrally based foray prospecting strategy. Woodpeckers made repeated forays into the surrounding landscape with subsequent daily returns to the natal area to roost. Prospecting individuals preferentially chose foray paths with greater forest cover. Woodpeckers eventually dispersed after repeated forays, and foray direction predicted dispersal direction. Birds that fledged earlier in the season and individuals from larger broods dispersed at a younger age than birds fledging later in the year and those from smaller broods. Females and smaller individuals dispersed farther than males and larger birds, but we identified no sex bias in dispersal direction. Prospecting and dispersal areas had more forest cover than areas beyond dispersal locations, indicating that fragmented landscapes may serve as barriers to dispersal. We provide evidence that juvenile birds used repeated forays to inform decisions about dispersal prior to permanent departure from the natal area. Intrinsic and social factors affected the distance and the age of dispersal, whereas habitat configuration affected direction of movement.
Heterochromatin Is Required for Normal Distribution of Neurospora crassa CenH3

Centromeres serve as platforms for the assembly of kinetochores and are essential for nuclear division. Here we identified Neurospora crassa centromeric DNA by chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by high-throughput sequencing (ChIP-seq) of DNA associated with tagged versions of the centromere foundation proteins CenH3 (CENP-A) and CEN-C (CENP-C) and the kinetochore protein CEN-T (CENP-T). On each chromosome we found an ∼150- to 300-kbp region of enrichment for all three proteins. These regions correspond to intervals predicted to be centromeric DNA by genetic mapping and DNA sequence analyses. By ChIP-seq we found extensive colocalization of CenH3, CEN-C, CEN-T, and histone H3K9 trimethylation (H3K9me3). In contrast, H3K4me2, which has been found at the cores of plant, fission yeast, Drosophila, and mammalian centromeres, was not enriched in Neurospora centromeric DNA. DNA methylation was most pronounced at the periphery of centromeric DNA. Mutation of dim-5, which encodes an H3K9 methyltransferase responsible for nearly all H3K9me3, resulted in altered distribution of CenH3-green fluorescent protein (GFP). Similarly, CenH3-GFP distribution was altered in the absence of HP1, the chromodomain protein that binds to H3K9me3. We conclude that eukaryotes with regional centromeres make use of different strategies for maintenance of CenH3 at centromeres, and we suggest a model in which centromere proteins nucleate at the core but require DIM-5 and HP1 for spreading.