cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Linear Quadratic Frequency-Shaped Implicit Force Control of Flexible Link Manipulators

An implicit force control scheme for flexible link manipulators is considered in this article. The control output is composed of feedforward and a feedback term. The feedforward torque component compensates the underlying rigid arm dynamics along the desired trajectory. The feedback component regulates the joint coordinate error perturbations. The minimization of a linear quadratic frequency-shaped cost functional yields the time-varying feedback controller gains. The frequency shaping dependence is included to eliminate undesirable effects associated with control and observation spillover. The proposed control scheme is employed in simulation studies on a two link rigid-flexible manipulator. Sufficient conditions for spatial tracking bounds and temporal gain switching bounds for the linearized rigid body error dynamics are provided. The effects of the linearized unmodelled error dynamics related to the flexible states on these bounds are also examined.
Profile evaluations of germicides

Results are presented of a comparative study to demonstrate germicide performance with respect to activity in the absence of bacteriostasis, speed of action, penetrability, tissue toxicity, amount of inactivation by organic matter, etc. It is recommended that any disinfectant being evaluated, especially one intended for clinical use, be subjected to a battery of selected tests in an effort to obtain a “profile” of its general character and efficiency under a variety of conditions.
Synthesis and characterization of new heterometallic iron sulfur nitrosyl clusters

Abstract The reactivity of the (PPN) 2 [Fe 8 S 6 (NO) 8 ] and (PPN) 2 [Fe 6 S 6 (NO) 6 ] clusters is explored and new derivative clusters have been synthesized and structurally characterized. The unique (PPN) 2 Fe 4 S 4 (NO) 6 “open-cubane” cluster with a chair like Fe 4 S 4 core is obtained along with the mixed metal pentandite-like clusters (PPN) 2 [Mo 2 Fe 6 S 6 (NO) 6 (CO) 6 ], (PPr 3 ) 2 Cu 2 Fe 6 S 6 (NO) 6 , (PPr 3 ) 4 Cu 4 Fe 4 S 6 (NO) 4 , (PPr 3 ) 2 Ni 2 Fe 6 S 6 (NO) 6 , (PPr 3 ) 3 Ni 3 Fe 4 S 6 (NO) 4 . The rich electrochemistry of the mixed metal clusters is presented as well.
GEOMAGNETIC EFFECTS ON HEAVY PRIMARY COSMIC RADIATION AT 42 N

The zenith and azimuthal angular distribution of primary cosmic rays with charges $Z\ensuremath{\ge}5$ has been measured at Texas using horizontal emulsions with known orientation relative to the earth. The magnitude of the azimuthal asymmetry is consistent with St\"ormer theory down to a zenith angle of about 65\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} while for larger zenith angles the effect of the solid earth (shadow cone) is observed. The direction of the asymmetry seems to be consistent with the centered dipole approximation of the earth's magnetic field (north pole at 79\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}N and 70\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}W). The flux at the top of the atmosphere is 1.6\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.3 particles/${\mathrm{m}}^{2}$ sec sterad for nuclei with $Z\ensuremath{\ge}10$ and 4.8\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.0 particles/${\mathrm{m}}^{2}$ sec sterad for CNOF nuclei.
Antisense oligonucleotides to class III β-tubulin sensitize drug-resistant cells to Taxol

A major impediment to the successful use of Taxol in the treatment of cancer is the development of drug resistance. The major cellular target of Taxol is the microtubule that is comprised of alpha- and beta-tubulin heterodimers. Binding sites for Taxol have been delineated on the beta-tubulin subunit that has six isotypes. We have recently described increased expression of the brain-specific human class III beta-tubulin isotype, encoded by the Hbeta4 gene, in both Taxol-resistant ovarian tumours and non-small-cell lung cancer cell lines. To evaluate directly the role of the class III beta-tubulin isotype in mediating Taxol resistance, antisense phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) targeted against various regions of the Hbeta4 gene have been designed and examined for their efficacy in reducing Hbeta4 gene and protein expression. Taxol-resistant lung cancer cells, A549-T24, which are 17-fold resistant to Taxol and display a fourfold increase in Hbeta4 expression compared to the parental A549 cells, were treated with 1 microM antisense ODNs. Two ODNs, AS1 and AS3, were found to reduce mRNA expression by 40-50%, as determined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. A concentration-dependent reduction in Hbeta4 mRNA expression was demonstrated with AS1 ODN. Immunofluorescence staining of cells treated with AS1 ODN revealed a decrease in class III protein expression which corresponded to a 39% increase in sensitivity to Taxol (P < 0.005). These findings support an important role for Hbeta4 (class III) beta-tubulin expression in Taxol resistance and have potential implications for the treatment of Taxol-resistant tumours.
THE BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE EXPERIENCE WITH GOLD SEED IMPLANTATION

Advances in imaging technology and implant technique have led to the resurgent interest and practice of brachytherapy for the treatment of prostate cancer. Brachytherapy is a form of radiation treatment in which radioactive sources are placed directly into the tumor; it offers the advantage of maximizing the radiation dose delivered to the tumor while sparing the adjacent normal tissue. Permanent implants have become an important component of radiation delivery. Interstitial gold radioisotope (Au-198) implants for prostate cancer were introduced at Baylor College of Medicine in 1965. The rationale for using Au-198, instead of the two most commonly used radioisotopes, Palladium-103 (Pd-103) and Iodine-125 (I-125), is discussed, and the Baylor implant technique is compared to that used in other centers. Retrospective review divides the patient population into pre-ultrasound versus post-ultrasound eras. Dosimetric calculation and disease control with the Au-198 seed implant for prostatic cancer are reviewed for the two different eras; toxicity is evaluated in the post-ultrasound era only. In the pre-ultrasound era, 510 patients were treated with pelvic lymph node sampling and gold seed insertion of the prostate followed by external beam radiation. In the post-ultrasound era, 54 patients were treated definitively with ultrasound-guided transperineal Au-198 implant followed by external beam irradiation. A small group of 30 patients in the post-ultrasound era were evaluated for the efficacy of Au-198 re-implantation for locally recurrent disease. Semin. Surg. Oncol. 13:406-418, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Organizational knowledge, collective practice and Penrose rents

Abstract Recent developments in the resource-based theory of the firm have suggested that organizational knowledge is the key to competitive advantage. We argue for several different types of knowledge, developing a two-by-two matrix using the explicit-implicit and individual-social distinctions. Resource-based theory characteristically overlooks the collective knowledge and skills required to coordinate the resources into a viable bundle. It overlooks, therefore, the synergistic aspects of the organization as a system of practice. We argue that these are emergent, a result of fundamental collective learning and remembering capabilities, and the key to the firm's sustainable competitive advantage. We conclude by raising the paradox embedded in Penrose's theory of the firm, that if the collective resources built up by learning by doing give rise to Penrose rents, they are also appropriable.
Relativistic transformation law of quantum fields: A slight generalization consistent with the equivalence of all Lorentz frames.

The well-known relativistic transformation law of quantum fields satisfies the relativity principle, which asserts the complete equivalence of all Lorentz (inertial) frames as far as physical measurements go. We point out a slight generalization which is allowed by the relativity principle, but violates a further, tacit assumption usually made in connection with it but which is actually logically independent of it and subject to a feasible experimental test. The interest of the generalization is that it permits the incorporation of an ultraviolet cutoff in a simple, direct way which avoids the usual difficulties.
Evaluation of Arterial and Freeway Interaction for Determining the Feasibility of Traffic Diversion

Traffic congestion is a common phenomenon in our daily lives that greatly costs society. A better understanding of the interaction between freeways and arterial streets may help traffic engineers and researchers improve the operation of existing facilities and deploy feasible traffic diversion plans to improve the usage of existing road capacity within a traffic network. This paper proposes a novel two-step approach to evaluate the interaction between freeways and arterial streets by comparing their performances. The first step is to identify freeway and arterial travel time pattern similarities via template matching techniques commonly used in computer vision. The interaction is quantified in the second step by using conditional probability theory. The result of the two-step process allows analysts to determine whether traffic diversion is possible or likely between freeways and parallel arterials. The city of Bellevue, Washington was selected as a case study site because of the availability of traffic s...
Computer simulations of dense-branching patterns.

We present a novel Monte Carlo simulation of electrochemical deposition that shows a smooth transition between diffusion limited aggregation and dense-branching morphology. The essential element of the simulation is to divide the growth field into two areas, a «space charge» region surrounding the aggregate in which particle motion is biased to branch tips, and a second region surrounding the first in which particle motion follows unbiased random walks. The interface between these areas is stable to perturbations of wavelength smaller than the size of the space charge region
Enzymic analysis of rabbit skeletal muscle carbohydrate.

Abstract 1. 1. The enzymic techniques employed for the analysis of animal liver carbohydrate were applied to rabbit skeletal muscle, and quantitative and statistical data are presented. 2. 2. Glycogen determination based on direct analysis of neutralized KOH muscle digest is evaluated. 3. 3. A simple technique for oligoglucoside assay by analysis of deproteinized tissue homogenate is outlined. 4. 4. Glucose, oligoglucoside, and glycogen contents of rabbit muscle specimens obtained under a variety of experimental conditions are presented, and the implications of the observed changes in carbohydrate distribution are discussed briefly. 5. 5. Practical aspects of enzymic glycogen assay and its adaptability to microdetermination are discussed.
The Effect of Heat Treatment Atmospheres on the Electrocatalytic Activity of Cobalt Tetraazaannulenes: Preliminary Results

Abstract Ambient heat treatment atmospheres have been found to have significant effect on the oxygen reduction catalytic activity of Co tetraazaannulene and its dibromo derivative. Two macrocyclic chelates were absorbed on acetylene black carbon from DMF (dimethyl formamide) solutions, then heat treated in each of the following environments: N 2 , Ar, vacuum and nitrogen passed over heated copper turnings. Electrodes were prepared by pasting the catalyst mixed with a Teflon slurry onto a carbon cloth. The catalytic activity was evaluated from steady state current vs voltage measurements for the electrochemical reduction of oxygen in 4 N H 2 SO 4 . The results indicate that the activity of the two chelates is influenced by the ambient atmospheres of heat treatment. ESCA examination of the adsorbed Co tetraazaannulene dibromide on the acetylene black carbon heat treated in N 2 and vacuum indicated evidence of bonding with the carbon surface for the former and possible polymerization of the catalyst on the surface for the latter.
Balance of Calcineurin Aα and CDK5 Activities Sets Release Probability at Nerve Terminals

The control of neurotransmitter release at nerve terminals is of profound importance for neurological function and provides a powerful control system in neural networks. We show that the balance of enzymatic activities of the α isoform of the phosphatase calcineurin (CNAα) and the kinase cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) has a dramatic influence over single action potential (AP)-driven exocytosis at nerve terminals. Acute or chronic loss of these enzymatic activities results in a sevenfold impact on single AP-driven exocytosis. We demonstrate that this control is mediated almost entirely through Cav2.2 (N-type) voltage-gated calcium channels as blocking these channels with a peptide toxin eliminates modulation by these enzymes. We found that a fraction of nerve terminals are kept in a presynaptically silent state with no measurable Ca2+ influx driven by single AP stimuli attributable to the balance of CNAα and CDK5 activities because blockade of either CNAα or CDK5 activity changes the proportion of presynaptically silent nerve terminals. Thus, CNAα and CDK5 enzymatic activities are key determinants of release probability.
Cultivating Curiosity: Integrating Hybrid Teaching in Courses in Human Behavior in the Social Environment

This study illustrates an experience of implementing a hybrid model for teaching human behavior in the social environment in an urban university setting. Developing a hybrid model in a BSW program arose out of a desire to reach students in a different way. Designed to promote curiosity and active learning, this particular hybrid model has students engage in weekly online activities between their weekly on-ground classes. This article reviews key pedagogical concerns and presents preliminary findings, including student feedback, instructor observations, and strategies for faculty interested in developing such courses.
Petrogenetic Significance of Geosynclinal Andesitic Volcanism Along the Pacific Margin of North America

The prevalent concept of magmatic evolution in orogenic belts holds that ophiolitic eruptions are characteristic of the geosynclinal phase and that felsic magmas first appear on a large scale during the orogenic phase of emplacement of granitic batholiths. In the Fraser Belt of western North America, however, the geosynclinal Jurassic volcanic rocks are dominantly fragmental augite andesites; subordinate rock types include dacite and rhyolite, as well as basalt. Typical Jurassic andesitic rocks are chemically similar to continental Tertiary andesites of the same region; the more mafic Jurassic rocks are chemically similar to high-alumina basalts. The geosynclinal Permian and Triassic volcanic rocks of the Fraser Belt are also dominantly andesitic and closely resemble the Jurassic rocks. The chemical similarity of the Late Mesozoic batholithic rocks to the geosynclinal andesites suggests that the granitic magmas possibly formed in part by partial fusion of geosynclinal volcanic rocks. The andesitic character of the geosynclinal volcanic rocks indicates that mobilized sial, either as a contaminant of mantle-derived basaltic magma or as primary andesitic magma, contributed substance to the geosynclinal volcanism. The evidence for a subjacent sialic crust during the geosynclinal phase and chemical similarities among the geosynclinal volcanic rocks, the orogenic granitic plutons, and certain postorogenic volcanic rocks suggest that the fundamental character of the crust beneath the Fraser Belt has not changed since mid-Paleozoic time.
Mean Meridional Circulation Driven by Eddy Forcings of Different Timescales.

Abstract In this paper, the mean meridional circulation (MMC) forced by eddy fluxes of heat and momentum is examined using a simple quasigeostrophic, two-level model of the zonal-mean atmosphere. Analytic solutions have been obtained, which show that analyses of the eddy-induced MMC using the Kuo-Eliassen equation are most appropriate for high-frequency fluctuations. For steady-state or low-frequency fluctuations, the eddy fluxes will lead to changes in the zonal-mean zonal wind and temperature. These changes in the zonal-mean state will induce changes in frictional dissipation and diabatic heating, which (together with the eddy fluxes) are constrained to satisfy a generalization of the Eliassen-Palm theorem and will also act as source terms to the Kuo-Eliassen equation. The inclusion of these induced terms usually leads to a significant enhancement in the diagnosed intensity of the MMC. This can explain why previous studies of the MMC found a much weaker eddy-induced Ferrel cell than that observed when t...
Icosahedral symmetry carbon cage molecules

Graphite, when vaporized by laser irradiation, produces a very stable cluster of 60 carbon atoms which, it has been suggested, takes the uniquely elegant form of one of the archimedian semiregular polyhedra—the truncated icosahedron1,2. In considering the possibility of other structures of especial stability, we are led by a sequence of fairly general arguments to consider a relatively restricted family of high-symmetry cage structures, which correspond to novel convex polyhedra of icosahedral symmetry. Considering each of the smaller (computationally accessable) species in the family we predict here that C20 is unstable; C80 and C140 have moderate resonance energies but are open shell; and C60, C180 and C240 are closed shell especially stable forms. The latter two are possible stable carbon cages not yet experimentally characterized.
Temporal changes in the distribution of attention in the visual field in response to precues.

This experiment measured the changes in the distribution of attentional processing in the visual field in response to precues. The hypothesis of an analogue movement of the attentional “spotlight” across the visual field was also tested. Choice reaction time to stimuli was determined in a response competition paradigm. Subjects viewed a central fixation point and the stimuli (the letters A and U) were presented at retinal eccentricities of 1°, 2°, and 3° along the horizontal meridian to the left and right of fixation. Two letters were simultaneously presented in all experimental conditions. For compatible noise, the second letter was identical to the target, and for incompatible noise, the second letter was the other letter of the target set. The target letter in a trial was designated by an underline that either occurred simultaneously with the onset of the two-letter display or preceded the display by 25, 50, 75, 100, or 175 msec. The target letter occurred equally often in each of the six display positions and the noise letter equally often in each of the remaining positions. The response competition effect of an incompatible noise letter was found to be a joint function of target and noise-letter location, an effect that changed over time from onset of the underline precue to the onset of the display. With simultaneous onset, interference was largely independent of target and noise location, but with increasing asynchrony of onset, noise interference became increasingly confined to locations adjacent to the target. No evidence was found for an analogue movement of an attentional “spotlight” across the visual field.
Design, Structure, and Optical Properties of Organic−Inorganic Perovskites Containing an Oligothiophene Chromophore

A quaterthiophene derivative, 5,5‘ ‘‘-bis(aminoethyl)-2,2‘:5‘,2‘ ‘:5‘ ‘,2‘ ‘‘-quaterthiophene (AEQT), has been selected for incorporation within the layered organic−inorganic perovskite structure. In addition to having an appropriate molecular shape and two tethering aminoethyl groups to bond to the inorganic framework, AEQT is also a dye and can influence the optical properties of lead(II) halide-based perovskites. Crystals of C20H22S4N2PbBr4 were grown from a slowly cooled aqueous solution containing lead(II) bromide and quaterthiophene derivative (AEQT·2HBr) salts. The new layered perovskite adopts a monoclinic (C2/c) subcell with the lattice parameters a = 39.741(2) A, b = 5.8420(3) A, c = 11.5734(6) A, β = 92.360(1)°, and Z = 4. Broad superstructure peaks are observed in the X-ray diffraction data, indicative of a poorly ordered, doubled supercell along both the a and b axes. The quaterthiophene segment of AEQT2+ is nearly planar, with a syn−anti−syn relationship between adjacent thiophene rings. Eac...
Mechanisms underlying the expression and propagation of low dose/low fluence ionising radiation effects

Health risks to human and non-human biota exposed to low dose ionising radiation remain ambiguous. The need to establish risk assessment standards based on the mechanisms underlying low level radiation exposure has been recognised by regulatory agencies as critical to adequately protect people and to make the most effective use of national resources. Both gap-junction intercellular communication and oxidative metabolism have been shown to mediate 'adaptive' and 'bystander' effects in mammalian cells exposed in vitro to low dose/low fluence ionising radiation. While adaptive responses are thought to mitigate the harmful effects of radiation, bystander effects have been suggested to amplify its consequences. The exact molecular steps by which adaptive and bystander effects are elicited have not been defined. Here we discuss a few of the molecular and biochemical events underlying these effects. Our data indicate that dose, dose-rate, and the linear energy transfer of the radiation are critical in inducing the changes that determine whether protective or harmful effects are expressed at low dose/low fluence ionising radiation.
Efficient second-order approximations for reciprocals and square roots

This paper presents a high-speed method for approximating reciprocals and square roots. This method is based on piecewise second-order Taylor expansion, yet it requires one third as many coefficients and has less delay. It can be implemented using a table lookup, a multiplication and a merged operation, which has approximately the same area and delay as a multiplication. The table lookup and merged operation are independent and can be performed in parallel. To reduce the overall hardware requirements, this method can share hardware with an existing multiplier.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Effects of Soluble Surfactants on the Deformation and Breakup of Stretching Liquid Bridges

Surfactants are routinely used to control the breakup of drops and jets in many applications such as inkjet printing, crop spraying, and DNA or protein microarraying. The breakup of surfactant-free drops and jets has been extensively studied. By contrast, little is known about the closely related problem of interface rupture when surfactants are present. Solutions of a nonionic surfactant, pentaethylene glycol monododecyl ether, or C12E5, in water and in 90 wt % glycerol/water are used to show the effects of surfactant and viscosity on the deformation and breakup dynamics of stretching liquid bridges. Equilibrium surface tensions for both solutions can be fitted with the Langmuir−Szyskowski equation. All experiments have been done at 24 °C. The critical micelle concentrations for C12E5 are 0.04 and 0.4 mM in water and the glycerol/water solution, respectively. With high-speed imaging, the dynamic shapes of bridges held captive between two rods of 3.15 mm diameter are captured and analyzed with a time reso...
Chaos of a parametrically excited undamped pendulum

Abstract The shooting method is applied to prove that a pendulum with oscillatory forcing makes chaotic motions for certain parameters. The method is more intuitive than using the Poincare’ map and provides more information about when the chaos occurs. It proves that more chaotic solutions exit.
Localization of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) receptors in the septal nucleus of the rat brain

[3H](3MeHis2)TRH binding was examined in the septal nucleus of rats given brain lesions which destroyed specific neuronal elements within the septum. Kainic acid injected directly into the septum caused a 35% decrease in receptor binding. All other lesions did not significantly alter receptor binding. These data suggest that the septal TRH receptors are located on kainic acid-sensitive cell bodies.
Negative affect intensity influences drinking to cope through facets of emotion dysregulation

Abstract Of all the motives for drinking, drinking to cope is the strongest predictor of problematic alcohol use, particularly for adolescent and college-age drinkers, with limited work assessing predictors of drinking to cope for community adult samples. At least for young adults, drinking to cope is associated with heightened negative affect and may serve as a substitute for more adaptive emotion regulation strategies. The current study tested an indirect relationship between negative affect intensity, or the propensity to experience strong negative affect, and drinking to cope via difficulties in emotion regulation, using a multiple mediator model. The model was tested using bootstrapping estimates of indirect effects in a combined sample of 566 college students ( M age = 19.75%, 40.8% women) and 104 non-college student adults ( M age = 35.40%, 36.5% women). Results revealed that negative affect intensity indirectly predicted drinking to cope through lack of emotional clarity and limited emotional strategies, with no moderation by sample. Results indicate that problems in clearly identifying specific emotional experiences appear to be important in predicting drinking to cope for people who experience intense negative emotions, suggesting that treatment and prevention efforts focused on teaching emotional clarity and/or learning multiple regulation strategies may be important in reducing coping-motivated drinking.
Super-b4 coefficients☆

Abstract For a class of supersymmetric theories coupled to background Yang-Mills superfields and on a curved superspace background, the superfield analogue of the heat kernel is defined and the corresponding b 4 superfields are computed. In specific cases, these super- b 4 coefficients are shown to determine the one loop trace supermultiplet and the logarithmically divergent part of the effective action.
Interplay between two-phase and solid solution reactions in high voltage spinel cathode material for lithium ion batteries

Abstract Lithium ion batteries (LIBs) are attracting intensive interests worldwide because of their potential applications in transportation electrification and utility grid. The intercalation compounds used in LIBs electrochemically react with Li + ions via single or multiple phase transitions depending on the nature of the material structure as well as the synthesis and operating conditions. For LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 high voltage spinel, a promising candidate positive electrode material for LIBs, there are three spinel-structured phases sequentially appeared through two successive two-phase reactions during the delithiation/lithiation processes. Here we demonstrate, experimentally and theoretically, that through elemental substitution, the solid solution ranges for both the first and second phases are significantly extended during the electrochemical charge–discharge process. This type of structural changes with more solid solution regions facilitate fast Li + diffusion by reducing the number of phase boundaries that Li + ions have to overcome and resulted in less shrinkage of the unit cells at the end of charge process. This work unravels the fundamental interactions between structural and electrochemical properties by using spinel as the platform, which may be widely adopted to explain or tailor the properties of materials for energy storage and conversion.
Identification of IGPR-1 as a novel adhesion molecule involved in angiogenesis

Angiogenesis—the growth of new blood vessels from preexisting vessels—is an important physiological process and is considered to play a key role in tumor growth and metastasis. We identified the immunoglobulin-containing and proline-rich receptor-1 (IGPR-1, also called TMIGD2) gene as a novel cell adhesion receptor that is expressed in various human organs and tissues, mainly in cells with epithelium and endothelium origins. IGPR-1 regulates cellular morphology, homophilic cell aggregation, and cell–cell interaction. IGPR-1 activity also modulates actin stress fiber formation and focal adhesion and reduces cell migration. Silencing of expression of IGPR-1 by small interfering RNA (siRNA) and by ectopic overexpression in endothelial cells showed that IGPR-1 regulates capillary tube formation in vitro, and B16F melanoma cells engineered to express IGPR-1 displayed extensive angiogenesis in the mouse Matrigel angiogenesis model. Moreover, IGPR-1, through its proline-rich cytoplasmic domain, associates with multiple Src homology 3 (SH3)–containing signaling proteins, including SH3 protein interacting with Nck (SPIN90/WISH), bullous pemphigoid antigen-1, and calcium channel β2. Silencing of expression of SPIN90/WISH by siRNA in endothelial cells showed that SPIN90/WISH is required for capillary tube formation. These features of IGPR-1 suggest that IGPR-1 is a novel receptor that plays an important role in cell–cell interaction, cell migration, and angiogenesis.
Relationship between psychological type and sensitivity to anxiety.

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and the Anxiety Sensitivity Index were administered to 143 undergraduate students. Although there was no significant difference between Extraverts and Introverts in Anxiety Sensitivity scores, those classified as Sensing and Thinking types exhibited higher mean scores on Anxiety Sensitivity than those classified as Intuitive and Feeling types. These findings suggest that knowledge of psychological type may be helpful in predicting sensitivity to anxiety
A universal stress protein of Porphyromonas gingivalis is involved in stress responses and biofilm formation

Porphyromonas gingivalis is recognized as one of the major periodontal pathogens in subgingival plaque, which is implicated in the progression of chronic periodontal disease. We analyzed the role of upsA in P. gingivalis 381 and its uspA-deficient mutant CW301 under various stress conditions. In general, the uspA mutant was less tolerant to a variety of environmental stresses relative to the parental strain. In addition, gene expression of uspA is upregulated during biofilm formation. Biofilm formation of the uspA mutant was also less than that of strain 381. In conclusion, the uspA gene affecting the stress responses of P. gingivalis is required for optimal biofilm formation.
Collective dynamics of kinesin

Motor proteins are biological enzymes that convert chemical energy to mechanical work in cells. Kinesin-1 is a motor protein that transports vesicles along microtubules and is widely believed to be responsible for anterograde transport of synaptic vesicles in neurons. Advances in single-molecule techniques have shown that single kinesin motors are capable of processive movement along the microtubule at a maximum velocity of approximately 1 microm/s . The velocity decreases roughly linearly in response to load until reaching stall at a load of approximately 6 pN. Several theoretical models have been proposed that describe the steady-state motion of single kinesin motors. Growing evidence suggests that kinesin functions collectively in cells, whereby several motors work in a coordinated manner to transport a vesicle. A transient description is required to describe collective dynamics, as the interactions among coupled motors induce time-varying forces on each motor. Herein a mechanistic model of kinesin is proposed that is capable of accurately describing transient and steady-state dynamics. Each domain of the protein is modeled via a mechanical potential. The mechanical potentials are related explicitly to the chemical kinetics of each motor domain. The mechanistic model was used to simulate the collective behavior of coupled kinesin motors under varying loads, cargo linker stiffnesses, and numbers of motors. To analyze the simulations of coordinated transport, several metrics were developed that are specifically tailored to characterizing the synchronization of nonlinear nonsmooth oscillators such as kinesin. The model results suggest that, in the cell, the dynamics of coupled motors under low loads are loosely correlated. When the load is increased, such as when the cargo encounters an obstacle such as another vesicle or the cytoskeleton, motors become more correlated in response to increased loads, allowing them to produce greater forces. Increasing the number of motors involved in the transport does not appreciably increase the dimension of the trajectory, implying large numbers of motors are able to function in a highly correlated manner without becoming fully synchronized.
Double monochromator systems for the study of multiple vacancy processes

Abstract In order to study fluorescent X-ray spectra under tunable excitation, we installed two double monochromator systems at the Stanford storage ring. Characteristics of these systems and results obtained during two experimental periods are described.
Possible Error-Control Coding Strategies For An Optical Disk Buffer

In order to develop good error-control coding strategies for a read/write optical disk it is necessary to know the error characteristics of the media. Since the technology is in its genesis, empirical information on the error traits is not available. It is thus necessary to base the design of coding strategies on projected behavior and similar, well-established technologies. We examine the generation of a suitable error control strategy for an optical disk buffer which is to be used for the temporary or archival storage of large quantities of data. The buffer consists of multiple, read/write, magneto-optic surfaces which are independently accessable. Information is stored in a spiral eight-bit wide track; thus an appropriate error-control code must be capable of correcting symbol and burst errors. The properties of Reed-Solomon codes, which are well known for their packet protection capabilites, are considered for such an application. Since there are multiple surfaces, we present the possibility of coding across the surfaces. With this type of coding an entire surface can be lost without destroying the integrity of the data. Intermittent operation of a read/write device such as a laser could be corrected, thus providing a graceful degradation of operation. The interaction of independent access and simultaneous read/write capabilites with the coding scheme is considered.
Combined multichannel intraluminal impedance and pH-metry: an evolving technique to measure type and proximal extent of gastroesophageal reflux.

Abstract The accepted “gold standard” for measuring gastroesophageal reflux (GER), distal esophageal pH recording, has limited ability to measure nonacid GER, a potentially important cause of symptoms, in an era of potent acid-suppressing medications. A combination of multichannel intraluminal impedance (MII) and pH- metry offers an advantage over pH measurement alone. MII can detect GER at multiple levels of the esophagus independent of pH. In addition, use of MII enables refined characterization of intraluminal events, including presence, type (air, liquid, or mixed), and spaciotemporal characterization of a bolus. MII has the potential to become a useful clinical tool to assess ongoing reflux in patients on acid-suppression therapy.
Thermodynamics, stress, and Stefan-Maxwell diffusion in solids: application to small-strain materials used in commercial lithium-ion batteries

The life and performance of lithium-ion batteries are related to the mechanical expansion and contraction of the active materials. We develop a theory and commensurate equations to describe how lithium diffuses within host materials; our focus is clarifying the influence of stress on solid-state diffusion processes. Small-strain mechanics are combined with diffusion processes described by the Stefan-Maxwell equations. For the first time, to our knowledge, we compare host materials in which (a) both the host and lithium guest species diffuse with (b) the conventional approach based on guest (lithium) diffusion only. We describe the merits and weaknesses of our treatment with those that exist today, and we outline improvements to be addressed in subsequent work.
Evaluation of an imaging phototube using microchannel plates with delay line readout

An imaging phototube using a bialkali photocathode, 40-mm microchannel plates (MCPs), and a crossed delay line readout has been constructed. The photocathode is found to exhibit good sensitivity, although overall detection efficiency is lowered by the MCP ion-film barrier. The MCP gain characteristics are evaluated over the sensitive area, and the reduction of gain at high count rate is measured. Several overall detector characteristics, including dark count, spatial resolution, and geometric linearity, are described. It is shown that the chevron pair of MCPs provide a highly peaked pulse height distribution at a modal gain sufficiently low to allow local count rates of up to approximately 5500 s/sup -1/mm/sup -2/, yet sufficiently high to produce a spatial resolution, of >
Working-Memory Load and Temporal Myopia in Dynamic Decision Making

We examined the role of working memory (WM) in dynamic decision making by having participants perform decision-making tasks under single-task or dual-task conditions. In 2 experiments participants performed dynamic decision-making tasks in which they chose 1 of 2 options on each trial. The decreasing option always gave a larger immediate reward but caused future rewards for both options to decrease. The increasing option always gave a smaller immediate reward but caused future rewards for both options to increase. In each experiment we manipulated the reward structure such that the decreasing option was the optimal choice in 1 condition and the increasing option was the optimal choice in the other condition. Behavioral results indicated that dual-task participants selected the immediately rewarding decreasing option more often, and single-task participants selected the increasing option more often, regardless of which option was optimal. Thus, dual-task participants performed worse on 1 type of task but better on the other type. Modeling results showed that single-task participants' data were most often best fit by a win-stay, lose-shift (WSLS) rule-based model that tracked differences across trials, and dual-task participants' data were most often best fit by a Softmax reinforcement learning model that tracked recency-weighted average rewards for each option. This suggests that manipulating WM load affects the degree to which participants focus on the immediate versus delayed consequences of their actions and whether they employ a rule-based WSLS strategy, but it does not necessarily affect how well people weigh the immediate versus delayed benefits when determining the long-term utility of each option.
Inherited Product Liability: The Compatibility of Successor Corporation Liability with Marketing Views of Channels

In certain situations, a firm that buys some or all of another company can be held liable if the latter’s products harm consumers. This doctrine of successor corporation liability is, in effect, an extension of vertical enterprise liability, a recognized concept in American product liability law. Generally, a corporation that merges with another company takes on the other firm’s legal obligations and liabilities. If the merger is in compliance with all pertinent statutory requirements, the organization which merges post-agreement is liable for all of the predecessors’ obligations, including product liability for defective products.
Diabetes and Elevated Hemoglobin A1c Levels Are Associated with Brain Hypometabolism but Not Amyloid Accumulation

Dysfunctional insulin signaling may affect brain metabolism or amyloid deposition. We investigated the associations of type 2 diabetes with amyloid accumulation measured using 11C-Pittsburgh compound B (11C-PiB) and brain hypometabolism measured using 18F-FDG PET. Methods: We studied a sample of nondemented participants from the population-based Mayo Clinic Study of Aging. All subjects underwent MR imaging, amyloid PET, and 18F-FDG PET. Alzheimer disease (AD) signature and region-of-interest (ROI) measures for 11C-PiB retention ratio and 18F-FDG ratio were measured. Diabetes was assessed from the Rochester Epidemiology Project medical records linkage system. Results: Among 749 participants (median age, 79.0 y; 56.5% men, 81.0% cognitively normal; 20.6% diabetic individuals), 18F-FDG hypometabolism (18F-FDG ratio
A Hierarchical Bayesian Model for Next-Generation Population Genomics

The demography of populations and natural selection shape genetic variation across the genome and understanding the genomic consequences of these evolutionary processes is a fundamental aim of population genetics. We have developed a hierarchical Bayesian model to quantify genome-wide population structure and identify candidate genetic regions affected by selection. This model improves on existing methods by accounting for stochastic sampling of sequences inherent in next-generation sequencing (with pooled or indexed individual samples) and by incorporating genetic distances among haplotypes in measures of genetic differentiation. Using simulations we demonstrate that this model has a low false-positive rate for classifying neutral genetic regions as selected genes (i.e., Φ(ST) outliers), but can detect recent selective sweeps, particularly when genetic regions in multiple populations are affected by selection. Nonetheless, selection affecting just a single population was difficult to detect and resulted in a high false-negative rate under certain conditions. We applied the Bayesian model to two large sets of human population genetic data. We found evidence of widespread positive and balancing selection among worldwide human populations, including many genetic regions previously thought to be under selection. Additionally, we identified novel candidate genes for selection, several of which have been linked to human diseases. This model will facilitate the population genetic analysis of a wide range of organisms on the basis of next-generation sequence data.
Outpatient wound preparation and care: A national survey

Study objectives: To sample the practice styles of emergency physicians caring for acute traumatic wounds. Design: Written survey. Setting: US emergency departments obtained from the American College of Emergency Physicians mailing list. Subjects: Randomly selected ACEP members. Main results: One hundred fifty-one of 285 (53%) survey mailings were returned. Eighty-six percent of respondents were primarily clinicians, and the majority (61.6%) worked in EDs with annual patient visits between 21,000 and 50,000. The majority of respondents (64.2%) were certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine. Nineteen percent managed wounds based on provider preference despite the existence of written wound management protocols. We identified a variety of practices that are contrary to current literature and textbook recommendations. Fifty-eight (38%) soaked wounds, whereas 21% used either 10% povidone iodine or hydrogen peroxide to cleanse wounds. One hundred one (67%) scrubbed the entire wound surface using, among other methods, cotton gauze (59%) or a coarse, bristle-laden sponge (38%). Forty (27%) irrigated wounds using techniques that have not been proven to deliver the 5 to 8 psi necessary for adequate tissue cleansing. Delayed primary closure, a treatment option for lacerations at increased risk for infection, was infrequently or never practiced by 76% of respondents. All respondents administered IV antimicrobials at least occasionally for simple outpatient lacerations. Conclusion: Methods of preparing, treating, and following outpatient wounds vary among emergency physicians, and these results support the idea that no de facto standard of care exists for this clinical problem. Outpatient wound care techniques routinely practiced lie, soaking, scrubbing, use of full-strength hydrogen peroxide or full-strength povidone iodine) may be harmful based on limited animal and human research, whereas other proven techniques lie, delayed primary closure) are infrequently practiced by many emergency physicians.
Accumulation of a Lipid A Precursor Lacking the 4*-Phosphate following Inactivation of the Escherichia coli lpxK Gene*

The lpxK gene has been proposed to encode the lipid A 4′-kinase in Escherichia coli (Garrett, T. A., Kadrmas, J. L., and Raetz, C. R. H. (1997)J. Biol. Chem. 272, 21855–21864). In cell extracts, the kinase phosphorylates the 4′-position of a tetraacyldisaccharide 1-phosphate precursor (DS-1-P) of lipid A, but the enzyme has not yet been purified because of instability. lpxK is co-transcribed with an essential upstream gene, msbA, with strong homology to mammalian Mdr proteins and ABC transporters.msbA may be involved in the transport of newly made lipid A from the inner surface of the inner membrane to the outer membrane. Insertion of an Ω-chloramphenicol cassette into msbA also halts transcription of lpxK. We have now constructed a strain in which only the lpxK gene is inactivated by inserting a kanamycin cassette into the chromosomal copy oflpxK. This mutation is complemented at 30 °C by a hybrid plasmid with a temperature-sensitive origin of replication carryinglpxK +. When this strain (designated TG1/pTAG1) is grown at 44 °C, the plasmid bearing thelpxK + is lost, and the phenotype of anlpxK knock-out mutation is unmasked. The growth of TG1/pTAG1 was inhibited after several hours at 44 °C, consistent with lpxK being an essential gene. Furthermore, 4′-kinase activity in extracts made from these cells was barely detectable. In accordance with the proposed biosynthetic pathway for lipid A, DS-1-P (the 4′-kinase substrate) accumulated in TG1/pTAG1 cells grown at 44 °C. The DS-1-P from TG1/pTAG1 was isolated, and its structure was verified by 1H NMR spectroscopy. DS-1-P had not been isolated previously from bacterial cells. Its accumulation in TG1/pTAG1 provides additional support for the pathway of lipid A biosynthesis inE. coli. Homologs of lpxK are present in the genomes of other Gram-negative bacteria.
Intergenerational Mobility and Interracial Inequality: The Return to Family Values

This paper investigates two questions. First, what is the relative importance of the components of childhood family environment—parental values versus parental class status—for young adult economic outcomes? Second, are interracial differences in labor market outcomes fully explained by differences in family environment? We find that both family values and family class status affect intergenerational mobility and inter-racial inequality. Consideration of racial differences in parental values and class status alters but does not eliminate the impact of race on the labor market outcomes of young adults.
Regulation of Exit from Quiescence by p27 and Cyclin D1-CDK4

The synthesis of cyclin D1 and its assembly with cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) to form an active complex is a rate-limiting step in progression through the G1 phase of the cell cycle. Using an activated allele of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1 (MEK1), we show that this kinase plays a significant role in positively regulating the expression of cyclin D1. This was found both in quiescent serum-starved cells and in cells expressing dominant-negative Ras. Despite the observation that cyclin D1 is a target of MEK1, in cycling cells, activated MEK1, but not cyclin D1, is capable of overcoming a G1 arrest induced by Ras inactivation. Either wild-type or catalytically inactive CDK4 cooperates with cyclin D1 in reversing the G1 arrest induced by inhibition of Ras activity. In quiescent NIH 3T3 cells expressing either ectopic cyclin D1 or activated MEK1, cyclin D1 is able to efficiently associate with CDK4; however, the complex is inactive. A significant percentage of the cyclin D1-CDK4 complexes are associated with p27 in serum-starved activated MEK1 or cyclin D1 cell lines. Reduction of p27 levels by expression of antisense p27 allows for S-phase entry from quiescence in NIH 3T3 cells expressing ectopic cyclin D1, but not in parental cells.