cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Identification of Active Site Residues in Glucosylceramide Synthase: A NUCLEOTIDE-BINDING/CATALYTIC MOTIF CONSERVED WITH PROCESSIVE β-GLYCOSYLTRANSFERASES

Glucosylceramide synthase (GCS) transfers glucose from UDP-Glc to ceramide, catalyzing the first glycosylation step in the formation of higher order glycosphingolipids. The amino acid sequence of GCS was reported to be dissimilar from other proteins, with no identifiable functional domains. We previously identified His-193 of rat GCS as an important residue in UDP-Glc and GCS inhibitor binding; however, little else is known about the GCS active site. Here, we identify key residues of the GCS active site by performing biochemical and site-directed mutagenesis studies of rat GCS expressed in bacteria. First, we found that Cys-207 was the primary residue involved in GCS N-ethylmaleimide sensitivity. Next, we showed by multiple alignment that the region of GCS flanking His-193 and Cys-207 (amino acids 89–278) contains a D1,D2,D3,(Q/R)XXRW motif found in the putative active site of processive β-glycosyltransferases (e.g.cellulose, chitin, and hyaluronan synthases). Site-directed mutagenesis studies demonstrated that most of the highly conserved residues were essential for GCS activity. We also note that GCS and processive β-glycosyltransferases are topologically similar, possessing cytosolic active sites, with putative transmembrane domains immediately N-terminal to the conserved domain. These results provide the first extensive information on the GCS active site and show that GCS and processive β-glycosyltransferases possess a conserved substrate-binding/catalytic domain.
Tolerance and immunity following in utero transplantation of allogeneic fetal liver cells: the cytokine shift.

Although in utero transplantation (IUT) has resulted in donor-specific tolerance to postnatal solid organ transplantation, the mechanisms of this tolerance remain poorly understood. Our recent find...
Valuation methods in group rings and in skew fields, I

Abstract In this first in a series of two papers we construct a family of discrete valuations in group rings of residually torsion-free nilpotent groups and extend these valuations to the Malcev–Neumann power series skew fields of these group rings. We apply these valuations to the study of these skew fields. In the second paper we will use our results and methods to study free fields and the universal fields of fractions K (( X )) of the Magnus power series ring.
Fast checkpointing by Write Aggregation with Dynamic Buffer and Interleaving on multicore architecture

Large scale compute clusters continue to grow to ever-increasing proportions. However, as clusters and applications continue to grow, the Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) has reduced from days to hours. As a result, fault tolerance within the cluster has become imperative. MPI, the de-facto standard for parallel programming, is widely used on such large clusters. Many MPI implementations use Checkpoint/Restart schemes using the Berkeley Lab Checkpoint Restart (BLCR) Library to achieve some level of fault tolerance. However, the performance of the Checkpoint/Restart mechanism does not scale well with increasing job size. As a result, the deployment of Checkpoint/Restart mechanisms for large scale parallel applications is compromised. In our previous work, we proposed a technique to aggregate certain categories of checkpoint writes to reduce the checkpointing overhead. However, an application still experiences slow checkpoint writing because it is blocked waiting for its checkpoint file writes to complete. In this paper, we propose the Write Aggregation with Dynamic Buffer and Interleaving scheme to reduce the overhead related to checkpoint creation. By aggregating all checkpoint writes into a dynamic buffer pool and overlapping the application progress with the file writes, our algorithm is able to significantly reduce checkpoint creation overhead. In the experiments using 64 processor cores, our design demonstrates a speedup of 2.62 times in terms of checkpoint creation time when compared to the original BLCR design. Our scheme also reduces the impact of checkpointing on the application execution time from 20% to 6% when 3 checkpoints are taken during an application run.
Broadband CARS microscopic: principles and applications

We report on the advances in development of inexpensive, reliable, easy-to-use system for broadband coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering microscopy. The system allows detection the whole Raman spectrum with no moving parts involved. Analytical applications to detect bacterial spores in solution are presented and discussed in a perspective of combining broadband CARS microscopy with optical tweezers.
Alterations in the turnover of brain norepinephrine and dopamine in alcohol-dependent rats.

— The turnover of brain norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA) was studied in five groups of male Sprague-Dawley rats under different conditions of alcohol treatment: no treatment, acute treatment while intoxicated, acute treatment subsequent to elimination of alcohol from the blood, alcohol-dependence while still intoxicated and alcohol-dependence during a withdrawal syndrome. Turnover was determined from the rate of depletion of brain catecholamine levels after inhibition of tyrosine hydroxylase. In rats given a single dose of alcohol, NE turnover was increased, while DA turnover was unaffected during the few first hours after treatment. After that time the turnover of both NE and DA was reduced. In alcohol-dependent rats, whether intoxicated or undergoing a withdrawal syndrome, the turnover of NE was increased, while that of DA was decreased. These data suggest that catecholamines may mediate some of the symptoms of the alcohol withdrawal syndrome in the rat.
Acid phosphatases of rabbit spermatozoa. I. Electrophoretic characterization of the multiple forms of acid phosphatase in rabbit spermatozoa and other semen constituents.

Abstract 1. 1. The acid phosphatase (orthophosphoric monoester phosphohydrolase, EC 3.1.3.2) of rabbit spermatozoa was resolved by disc gel electrophoresis into five zones of enzyme activity: S1, S2, Szn, S3, and S4. These enzymes are distinguished from one another by the effects of NaF, ZnCl2, l (+)-tartaric acid, creatine phosphate, and 0.1 M sodium citrate buffer (pH 5.0) on their hydrolysis of α-naphthyl phosphate at pH 5.0. The same five acid phosphatases are present in sperm from the epididymis, vas deferens, and semen, and in extracts of testis from mature and 3-week-old rabbits. 2. 2. S1 is not present in the other semen constituents. These constituents do contain the following enzymes: seminal plasma, S2 and Szn; cytoplasmic droplets, S4, S3, S2, Szn; reproductive tract particles, S4, S2 and Szn. Acrosomal extracts prepared from intact epididymal sperm by two methods contained enzymes S4 and Szn. Heads and midpieces from fragmented epididymal sperm contained S4, and S4, S3, and small amounts of S2, Szn, and S1, respectively. 3. 3. A discontinuous sucrose-polyvinyl pyrrolidone gradient is described which allows the isolation of a small percentage of the ejaculated sperm free of particles and cytoplasmic droplets, and which separates a large percentage of the cytoplasmic droplets from sperm and most particles.
Corrosion Potential Behavior in High-Temperature Water of Noble Metal-Doped Alloy Coatings Deposited by Underwater Thermal Spraying

Abstract The electrochemical corrosion potential (ECP) of type 304 (UNS S30400) stainless steel (SS) coated under water by hyper-velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) and plasma-spray (PS) techniques using noble metal-doped powders was measured to evaluate the catalytic behavior in high-temperature water under various water chemistry conditions. Thermal-spray coatings of noble metal-doped powders exhibited catalytic behavior for the recombination of oxygen and hydrogen in high-temperature water, which caused ECP to decrease well below a critical value of −230 mVSHE for intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC) protection in water. This was observed in water containing various amounts of oxygen and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) when stoichiometric excess hydrogen was present.
On the theory of binary asymmetric error correcting codes

This paper is concerned with error correcting codes for asymmetric memories or channels. An asymmetric memory cell is one which has a much higher probability of 1 → 0 (0 → 1) type transition or failure compared with the 0 → 1 (1 → 0) type transition. Starting with a new metric, the asymmetric distance d a ( X, Y ) between two binary n -tuples X and Y and using the minimum asymmetric distance requirement for an error correcting code, we introduce a new class of codes suitable for asymmetric channels, which we refer to as “group-theoretic codes.” The single asymmetric error correcting property of these codes is proved, and their superiority in information rate over previously developed codes for asymmetric channels is established. We present some theory leading towards group-theoretic codes with the highest information rate for a given length n . Some open questions of interest in the area are posed.
Distribution and calcium-sequestering ability of smooth endoplasmic reticulum in olfactory axon terminals of frog brain.

Abstract In the present study, the structural and functional role of smooth endoplasmic reticulum was investigated in bullfrog olfactory axon terminals. Structural evidence obtained from this study indicated that this vesiculotubular organelle becomes a more elaborate network of anastomosing tubules near the nerve terminal, located in the olfactory lobe of frog brain. Further structural evidence suggested that membranes of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum pinch off to give rise to some electron-lucent vesicles of approximately 50 nm diameter (microvesicles). Ultrastructural cytochemistry was employed in the present study to demonstrate that olfactory axon terminal smooth endoplasmic reticulum actively sequesters Ca 2+ . However, a variable amount of electron-dense product (calcium oxalate) was associated with microvesicles located at a distance from the synapse, in contrast to those clustered near the synapse which usually did not contain this reaction product. Results from Ca 2+ -Mg 2+ -adenosine-5′-triphosphatase (ATPase) cytochemistry showed a similar pattern of distribution, with smooth endoplasmic reticulum being densely labeled with ATPase reaction product (lead phosphate), but aggregated microvesicles in the nerve terminal generally lacking this electron-dense product. Therefore, it is concluded that olfactory axonal smooth endoplasmic reticulum plays a role in the regulation of intraneuronal Ca 2+ levels, and that the Ca 2+ -sequestering activity of this membranous organelle is dependent upon enzymatic hydrolysis of ATP. Conversely, the microvesicles, particularly those accumulated near the synapse, lack this Ca 2+ -pumping capacity. Thus, if some of the microvesicles originate from smooth endoplasmic reticulum membranes which are capable of pumping Ca 2+ , but these vesicles themselves lack this capacity, one can postulate that the Ca 2+ pumps are either removed from the newly formed micro vesicle membranes or are somehow incapacitated in situ in the membrane.
Accumulation of atmospheric sulfur in some Costa Rican soils

[1] Sulfur is one of the macronutrient elements whose sources to terrestrial ecosystems should shift from dominance by rock-weathering to atmospheric deposition as soils and underlying substrate undergo progressive weathering and leaching. However, the nature and timing of this transition is not well known. We investigated sources of sulfur to tropical rain forests growing on basalt-derived soils in the Osa Peninsula region of Costa Rica. Sulfur sources were examined using stable isotope ratios (δ34S) and compared to chemical indices of soil development. The most weathered soils, and the forests they supported, are dominated by atmospheric sulfur, while a less weathered soil type contains both rock-derived and atmospheric sulfur. Patterns of increasing δ34S with increasing soil sulfur concentration across the landscape suggest atmospheric sulfur is accumulating, and little rock-derived sulfur has been retained. Soil sulfur, minus adsorbed sulfate, is correlated with carbon and nitrogen, implying that sulfur accumulation occurs as plants and microbes incorporate sulfur into organic matter. Only the lower depth increments of the more weathered soils contained significant adsorbed sulfate. The evidence suggests a pattern of soil development in which sulfur-bearing minerals in rock, such as sulfides, weather early relative to other minerals, and the released sulfate is leached away. Sulfur added via atmospheric deposition is retained as organic matter accumulates in the soil profile. Adsorbed sulfate accumulates later, driven by changes in soil chemistry and mineralogy. These aspects of sulfur behavior during pedogenesis in this environment may hasten the transition to dominance by atmospheric sources.
A product index theorem with applications to splittings of M-matrices

Abstract Let A be an M-matrix and B a nonnegative matrix. It is shown that with some additional constraints, the index of zero for BA is at least as large as the index of zero for A. This result is used to develop properties of splittings of an M-matrix. Weak collapsed graph compatible and collapsed graph compatible splittings are introduced here, and graph compatible, weak graph compatible, and block upper triangular splittings are also investigated in the context of Z-splittings. This furthers work done by Schneider, Kavanagh, and Li.
Left ventricular videometry

Abstract To quantitatively describe left-ventricular dynamics, a computer is used to process video angiocardiographic recordings. A special interface for transferring the video information to the computer and a border definition algorithm are used to automatically obtain the border coordinates of the ventricular chamber for each video field ( 1 60 sec ) during systole. For each point in the digitized picture matrix, the probability that the point should be designated as the border is computed. This probability is the product of four separate border definition criteria. The computer determined borders are in good visual agreement when superimposed upon the original video images.
p-Adic liftings of the supersingular j-invariants and j-zeros of certain Eisenstein series

Abstract Let p > 3 be a prime. We consider j-zeros of Eisenstein series E k of weights k = p − 1 + M p a ( p 2 − 1 ) with M , a ⩾ 0 as elements of Q ¯ p . If M = 0 , the j-zeros of E p − 1 belong to Q p ( ζ p 2 − 1 ) by Hensel's lemma. Call these j-zeros p-adic liftings of supersingular j-invariants. We show that for every such lifting u there is a j-zero r of E k such that ord p ( r − u ) > a . Applications of this result are considered. The proof is based on the techniques of formal groups.
Discrimination and emission of temporal intervals by pigeons

Because the frequency distribution of IRTs showed little or no control by a DRL schedule, the schedule was modified so that the pigeon's behavior after each IRT would indicate whether or not it had discriminated the duration of the IRT. After every two pecks on a red key, the key changed to blue for 30 sec. Then it automatically became red again. Pecks on the blue key were reinforced with food on a VI schedule only when the preceding IRT on the red key had been longer than 18 sec. The birds did not selectively emit longer IRTs on the red key: the value of IRTs/op did not increase with IRT duration. However, they did discriminate the duration of the IRT emitted on the red key: the rate of pecking on the blue key was an increasing function of the duration of the preceding IRT on the red key.
Sequence and functional analysis of the gene encoding Vibrio cholerae cAMP receptor protein

We describe here the cloning, nucleotide sequence, and functional expression of the crp gene of Vibrio cholerae (Vc) encoding the cyclic AMP receptor protein (CRP). The Vc crp gene shows 81% identity with the crp gene from Escherichia coli (Ec) and its deduced amino acid sequence shows 95% identity with the Ec protein. When expressed from inducible promoters, the cloned Vc gene produced an approximately 20-kDa protein which complemented the carbohydrate-negative and growth-defective phenotypes of both Ec and Vc crp mutants. In the Vc crp mutant, the cloned crp gene also restored the normal repression of ToxR-regulated virulence genes which occurs under certain environmental conditions.
Late Presentation of Brachial Artery Aneurysm in a Child Affected by Kawasaki Disease—Case Report

Kawasaki disease (KD) is a mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome of unknown cause affecting mainly children younger than 4–5 years. The picture includes a systemic vasculitis with prevalent involvement of coronary arteries, leading to giant aneurysmal dilatation with serious cardiac complications. Peripheral arteries may be affected by aneurysmal degeneration as well. The authors report the case of a 12-year-boy with a history of previous acute KD and late presentation of a left brachial artery aneurysm. The improved results obtained with aspirin and immunoglobulin therapy in the acute phase of Kawasaki disease dramatically reduced mortality and produced longer survivals of these children; late peripheral complications could have higher incidence then previously reported, and lifelong follow-up is advisable.
On the variation of the major nuclear envelope (lamina) polypeptides.

Abstract Three polypeptides which predominate in nuclear envelope and nuclear pore complex-lamina fractions are usually identified by their migration rates in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Unfortunately, their migration relative to proteins frequently used as molecular weight standards can vary significantly under different electrophoresis conditions. However, the three maintain the same order of migration. They have been separated on the basis of both isoelectric point and apparent molecular weight and characterized by their tryptic peptides. Their identity as unique proteins has been established. One appears to be a cleavage product of another while the third has regions of unique sequence. This cleavage model is supported by an in vitro cleavage reaction.
Spontaneous plaque-forming cells against autologous erythrocytes develop in cultures of normal rabbit appendix cells

Abstract Cultured appendix and, to a lesser extent, mesenteric lymph node cells from normal, unimmunized rabbits spontaneously develop PFC against several erythrocyte species, including sheep erythrocytes (SRBC), trypsin-treated, autologous erythrocytes (TRRBC), and, most importantly, untreated, autologous erythocytes (RRBC). Cells from most other lymphoid tissues of the rabbit, including the spleen, fail to develop spontaneous, anti-autologous PFC in culture. This failure seems to be due to a lack of appropriate precursors among the cells comprising their populations, rather than to an inhibition by some suppressor cell population. The development of spontaneous PFC in vitro, and their virtual absence among appendix cells freshly removed from the rabbit implies an effective regulation on their expression in situ. This regulation may involve, in part, antigen itself. The development of the anti-autologous RRBC specificities may be a consequence of the intimate association of the gut-associated lymphoid tissue with the rich antigenic milieu in the intestinal lumen, part of which may present antigens cross-reactive with self antigens.
Appendicovesical fistula in a girl with cystic fibrosis

This report describes a teenage girl with cystic fibrosis in whom appendicitis developed complicated by appendicovesical fistula. This is a rather uncommon complication in the modern era.
An Analysis of Policies Regulating Medication in Ohio Public Schools

The development of medicines, state and federal laws requiring the enrollment and mainstreaming of handicapped students and the use of behavior modifying drugs has resulted in more requests by parents to have medication administered to their children during school hours. The problem in schools without immediate access to nurses is to accommodate students who need medication while at the same time avoid the dangers that are inherent in administering medication to children. The purpose of this investigation was to determine what guidelines are being followed in Ohio schools on the storage and administration of prescribed medication. Policies and regulations on the administration of medication, solicited from a random sample of Ohio school districts, were found to be not in keeping with pertinent legislation, litigation and recommended procedures. The investigation of the sample districts revealed enough inadequacies to suggest that: 1) many Ohio school districts need formal policies and regulations in the administration of medication; and 2) Ohio school districts having policies and regulations in the administration of medication should seriously consider eliminating whatever inadequacies exist for the safety and well-being of students and staff. A sample board policy statement, regulations for administering prescription and nonprescription medication in schools, a request form and a model statute designed to protect the employee from tort liability as a result of ordinary negligence in the administration of medication were developed in keeping with the findings of this study and are recommended for consideration as models by school districts nationwide.
Prediction intervals - a review

This review covers some known results on prediction intervals for univariate distributions. Results for parametric continuous and discrete distributions as well as those based on distribution-free methods are included. Prediction intervals based on Bayesian and sequential methods are not covered. Methods of construction of prediction intervals and other related problems are discussed.
The impact of hormone therapy on health-related quality of life: longitudinal results from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation.

Objective: To determine the impact of hormone therapy (HT) on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) during the menopausal transition and to examine variation based on menopausal symptom status. Design: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation is a multisite, multiethnic study of mid-life women without baseline HT use. Women completed annual questionnaires including HT use, menstrual bleeding, symptoms, and HRQOL (Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36). We compared baseline characteristics of women who initiated HT during follow-up with noninitiators. We examined the effect of HRQOL on the likelihood of initiating HT using survival analysis and the relationship between HT initiation and subsequent HRQOL using longitudinal random effects models. Among HT initiators, we compared change in HRQOL between women with frequent (≥6 d/wk) and infrequent symptoms. Results: Of the 3,102 participants, 813 initiated HT during the 6-year follow-up period. At baseline, women who subsequently initiated HT were more likely to report poor role physical functioning, higher socioeconomic status, and frequent symptoms and to be white. In longitudinal analyses, women reporting poor role emotional and physical functioning at the visit before initiation were less likely to subsequently initiate (hazard ratio [95% CI]: 0.76 [0.62-0.91] and 0.58 [0.47-0.71]; P < 0.01 and < 0.0001, respectively), and initiation was associated with subsequent poorer role physical functioning (odds ratio [95% CI]: 1.26 [1.02-1.56]; P = 0.03). Among HT initiators, frequent symptom reporters showed improvements in vitality (+2.7) compared with other initiators (-2.9) (P < 0.01). Conclusions: Poor HRQOL does not increase the likelihood of initiating HT, nor is HT use associated with HRQOL improvements. The exception is women reporting frequent symptoms who report improved vitality after initiation. Future studies may employ more frequent HRQOL measures to further discern this trend.
A Call for National Ocean Education Policy for 1980s and Beyond

Sooner or later marine industries-at-large will be undergoing metamorphis in terms of technical skills and knowledge oriented needs in view of advances in high tech., laser and optical fiber tech., biotech., robotics, hazzardous waste processing to name a few. If so, then what is the prepardness, notably by the partners: academia, government and industry to meet the challenge? Do we have a coordinated plan on a national level for marine education for 1980S and beyond? The present study has two-folded objectives: one, to make the marine community aware of the existing dearth of a pragmatic marine training program through this communication, and two, to proposed a comprehensive and a viable marine sciences program which will evolve into a national ocean education policy. According to the proposal, in formulation of a workable marine program due consideration will have to be given to computer design instruction (CAD), computer aided instruction (CAI), computer aided manufacturing (CAM), industrial-laser-processing, biotechnology, hazzardous waste technologies and other allied frontiers of today. Specifically, the proposed program emphasizes "expanded multidisciplinary", or more appropriately "multitechnologies" approach. Currently, two bills, one in the House of Representatives (H.R. 2853), and second, in the Senate (S. 1238) are awaiting. If these bills are passed, they would facilitate creation of a new National Ocean Policy Commission, reminiscent of Stratton Commission of the 1960S. Hopefully, the new Commission, if and when becomes functional will consider the issue of formulating a National Ocean Education for 1980S and beyond as suggested.
Crigler‐Najjar Type 1 Syndrome: Absence of Hepatic Bilirubin UDP‐Glucuronyl Transferase Activity and Therapeutic Response to Light

: Crigler-Najjartype 1 syndrome: absence of hepatic bilirubin UDP-glucuronyl transferase activity and therapeutic response to light. G. C. Farrell, J. L. Gollan, S. M. B. Stevens and J. M. Grierson, Aust. HZ. J. Med., 1982, 12, pp. 280–285. A 16-year-old boy with severe congenital unconjugated hyperbilirubinaemia is described in whom mental retardation occurred as an isolated neurological deficit. The diagnosis of Crigler-Najjar type 1 syndrome was supported by an extreme and persistent elevation of serum unconjugated bilirubin (650 nmol/), failure of administered phenobarbitone to lower serum bilirubin concentration and family history of a similarly affected sibling. Hepatic bilirubin UDP-glucuronyl transferase activity determined in vitro by a sensitive new enzyme assay was found to be absent using bilirubin or bilirubin monoglucuronide as substrate. Phototherapy for 12 hours each night produced a partial but highly significant reduction in serum bilirubin concentration, which was not influenced further by the administration of cholestyramine.
The critical point and scaling theory

Abstract The origin and physical meaning of the scaling and homogeneity hypotheses in the theory of equilibrium critical phenomena are discussed. The purely thermodynamic critical-point exponent relations, and those that also involve the coherence length, are first derived from separate and apparently unrelated hypotheses. It is then shown how Kadanoff's scaling picture provides a unified point of view from which both sets of relations may be obtained. The connection between this scaling picture and the recent renormalization-group theory is mentioned briefly.
A protein factor, ASF, controls cell-specific alternative splicing of SV40 early pre-mRNA in vitro

SV40 early pre-mRNA is alternatively spliced by utilization of two different 5' splice sites and a shared 3' splice site to produce large T and small t mRNAs. The ratio of small t to large T mRNAs produced in human embryonic kidney 293 cells is 10- to 20-fold greater than in other mammalian cells, suggesting the existence of a 293 cell-specific factor that modulates alternative splicing. Here we show that nuclear extracts from 293 cells give rise to significantly more small t splicing than do extracts from HeLa cells. Using an in vitro complementation assay, we have characterized and extensively purified a factor from 293 extracts that brings about striking increases in small t splicing with concomitant decreases in large T splicing. The factor is heat sensitive and micrococcal nuclease resistant, suggesting that it is a protein lacking an accessible RNA component. Purification of the alternative splicing factor indicates that the activity is contained in one of several possibly related polypeptides of 30-35 kd.
Abstract 1454: MiR-517a mediates cisplatin sensitivity in bladder cell carcinoma

Cisplatin-containing neoadjuvant chemotherapy is the standard of care treatment for patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer. We sought out to assess if miR-517a modulates sensitivity to cisplatin in bladder cancer cell lines. We used four transitional cell carcinoma cell lines T24, J82, UM-UC3 and TCCSUP. Cells were transfected with miR-517a mimic or inhibitor using lipofectaime according to manufacturer9s instruction. Mtt assay was performed to assess viability after 96 hrs and clonogenic survival assays were performed to assess colony forming ability of cell lines. We found that miR-517a reduced proliferation and increased cisplatin sensitivity. Overexpression of miR-517a resulted in reduction of proliferation by 53%, 45%, 62% and 67% respectively (t-test p Note: This abstract was not presented at the meeting. Citation Format: Ahmed Ibrahim, Arnab Chakravarti, Tim Lautenschlaeger. MiR-517a mediates cisplatin sensitivity in bladder cell carcinoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 1454. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-1454
Full Optical Scatter Analysis for Novel Photonic and Infrared Metamaterials

Artificial structures with sub-optical wavelength features are engineered to demonstrate material properties for optical and infrared permeability and permittivity not otherwise found in nature. Such artificial structures are referred to as optical and infrared metamaterials. The application space of electromagnetic metamaterials includes novel sub-wavelength waveguides and antennas, true time delay devices, optical filters, plasmonic electronic-optical interfaces, optical limiters and thermal management systems. In this paper, we present an optical diagnostic technique adapted for measuring and analyzing bidirectional polarimetric scatter from novel optical and infrared metamaterials of interest. This optical diagnostic technique is also broadly applicable to other optical/infrared metamaterial structures as well as other nanostructures such as plasmonic devices or photonic crystals that may be proposed or developed in the future. The specific project goals are a) Demonstrate a novel metamaterial characterization full-polarimetric diffuse ellipsometry technique suitable to measure desired material properties with stated uncertainty limits for novel optical and infrared metamaterials of interest. b) Demonstrate incorporation of predictive computational codes that estimate the electro-magnetic property values for metamaterial designs and concepts of interest.
The early stage of gamma prime precipitation in a nickel-silicon alloy

The gamma prime (..gamma../sup 1/) precipitation from supersaturated Ni-base superalloys has long been an interesting subject owing to their desirable mechanical properties for high temperature applications on one hand, and to their well behaved kinetic development in accordance with the diffusion-controlled coarsening theory on the other. Previous experimental observations in regard to the precipitation kinetics in these alloys have been primarily concentrated on the coarsening behavior at long aging times and relatively high temperatures; very little work has been done concerning the early stage of particle growth. This is so because the particle growth period is often too rapid to be detectable at high temperatures. Precipitation from a supersaturated solid solution usually occurs initially by nucleation, followed by growth, and completed by coarsening. Nucleation is a process by which embryos of the second phase are formed due to the reduction of the volume free energy in competition with the surface energy generated by the interface between the embryo and the matrix. Those embryos with radii larger than certain critical size will then grow while others dissolve. During the coarsening stage, larger particles grow at the expense of the smaller ones due to the higher solubility of the small particles whichmore » have a larger ratio of surface to volume. Although the theoretical treatment of such a precipitation process has been carried out in various degrees of sophistication, it is generally agreed that the most rigorous approach was the one developed by Lifshitz and Slyozov, and independently by Wagner: the commonly known LSW theory of Ostwald ripening.« less
Finite crack on bimaterial and bicrystal interfaces

Abstract A Griffith crack lying along the interface between anisotropic elastic solids is analysed. Explicit solutions for the displacement and stress fields are obtained when the crack-tip fields are non-oscillatory ; i.e. the condition W = 0 is satisfied as derived by Qu and Bassani (J. Mech. Phys. Solids37, 417–433, 1989). In this case, the stress intensity factors are real and the three fracture modes are separable at the crack tip. For interfaces formed by misorienting identical anisotropic solids through a relative tilt, this condition is satisfied if the in-plane and anti-plane deformations decouple in the interface-crack coordinates. Complete crack-tip stress fields are calculated for FCC bicrystals satisfying the decoupling condition. Based on Schmid's law, the small-scale-yielding plastic zones surrounding the crack tip are also estimated.
B-haplotype control of CD4/CD8 subsets and TCR Vβ usage in chicken T lymphocytes

Abstract The major histocompatibility (B) complex of the chicken contains genes similar to Class I (B–F) and Class II (B–Lβ) genes in mammals, as well as a highly-polymorphic gene family (B–G) whose exact function is not known. Specific B-haplotypes are strongly associated with resistance to a number of infectious diseases, and with immune responses to soluble and cellular antigens. In mammals, Class I and Class II molecules control development of the T cell repertoire, including selection of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. One study of chickens reported that low CD4:CD8 ratio was associated with the B4 haplotype, which shares expressed B–F / B–L genes with the B13 haplotype. In studies reported here, chickens of two haplotypes carried in the Auburn R line, B302 and B305 (which is B13-related), were evaluated for percentages of T cells expressing the CD4, CD8, CD3, TCR1, TCR2 and TCR3 antigens in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL), thymus, and spleen. These two haplotypes were chosen for comparison because they differ in resistance to Marek's disease (MD) and are closely-related in B–F and B–L genes by restriction fragment length polymorphism analyses. Homozygous birds of each B haplotype were produced from crosses of (B302 × B305)F1 sires and dams. PBL, thymocytes, and splenocytes from B302 homozygotes had higher CD4:CD8 ratios than B305 homozygotes. However, CD4:CD8 ratio differences could not be attributed to haplotype-controlled differences in Vβ usage within CD4/CD8 subsets, as has been described for certain Vβ families in mice and humans. These results indicate that thymic selection events involving CD4 and CD8 subsets and TCR Vβ usage are controlled by a gene or genes closely-linked to the B-complex, which may or may not be Class I or Class II genes.
Quantitation of preproenkephalin mRNA levels in brain regions from male Fischer rats following chronic cocaine treatment using a recently developed solution hybridization assay.

Abstract Quantitative solution hybridization assays were used to determine the picogram amounts of preproenkephalin mRNA (PPenk mRNA) and the microgram quantities of total rat RNA in extracts of eight brain regions from rats which had received three daily intraperitoneal injections of cocaine (10 or 30 mg/kg/day) or saline for 14 days. The young adult male Fischer rats were sacrificed 30 min after the final injection. The highest density of PPenk mRNA (pg PPenk mRNA/μg total cellular RNA) was found in extracts of striatum (34.08 ± 1.79 pg/μg for 11 saline-treated rats), followed by extracts of nucleus accumbens (10.08 ± 0.81 pg/μg), and extracts of hypothalamus (2.99 ± 0.31 pg/μg). Extracts of frontal cortex (1.78 ± 0.24 pg/μg), pituitary (1.39 ± 0.08 pg/μg), central grey (1.31 ± 0.16 pg/μg), and cerebellum (1.24 ± 0.09 pg/μg) had intermediate values. Extracts of hippocampus (0.53 ± 0.03 pg/μg) had the lowest density. No significant differences were found among the treatment groups in any brain area investigated. Therefore, chronic cocaine treatment as administered in this protocol did not alter expression of the gene encoding proenkephalin.
Dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma in patients with multiple osteochondromatosis: report of a case and review of the literature

Multiple osteochondromatosis (MOS) is a familial disorder of autosomal dominant transmission characterized by the development of multiple exostoses and often derangements of epiphyseal cartilage, sometimes resulting in long bone growth retardation. Patients with the disorder appear to be at increased risk for developing secondary chondrosarcomas. Rarely, dedifferentiated chondrosarcomas may also occur. We report a single case of a 27-year-old man with multiple osteochondromatosis who developed a fatal dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma. Radiographically, the neoplasm arose from the pelvis completely destroying the left pubic ramus. Subsequently, the patient underwent preoperative chemotherapy followed by a left external hemipelvectomy. On pathologic examination, the tumor was characterized by high-grade pleomorphic sarcoma sharply juxtaposed to a low-grade chondrosarcoma. The patient ultimately died of widespread metastatic sarcoma.
Near fields scattered by small- and large-scale rough surfaces and lateral fluctuations in the permittivity and permeability of nanostructures

The scattered electromagnetic near fields due to fluctuations in the surface height and/or lateral variations in the electromagnetic medium parameters are evaluated using a full wave approach. Since the scales of the height and medium fluctuations considered could be significantly smaller or larger than the electromagnetic wavelengths, the familiar perturbation and physical/geometrical optics solutions cannot be used nor is it possible to investigate sub-wavelength features based on far-field measurements. The full wave approach employs complete field expansion that include propagating and evanescent waves as well as lateral waves and surface waves. The lateral waves and surface waves are not accounted for in the perturbation and physical optics solutions. Unlike the physical optics and small perturbation approach, exact boundary conditions for the electric and magnetic fields are imposed at the rough interfaces. For irregular layered media the complete field expansions are associated with propagating and evanescent waves, the lateral wave term and surfaces waves guided by the stratified structure. The interfaces between the irregular stratified structures are not characterized by the approximate impedance boundary conditions. The modal expansions while complete, do not individually satisfy the correct boundary conditions, and they do not uniformly coverage the irregular boundaries, therefore term by term differentiation of the field expansions is avoided.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Studying Transfer Students. Part II: Dimensions of Transfer Students' Adjustment.

The movement of students from community colleges to 4-year colleges or universities has been an area of inquiry that has received attention from researchers and policy makers. A plethora of research has focused on the academic outcomes of transfer students at senior institutions. Specifically, the concept of transfer shock has been used to explain transfer students' academic adjustment as measured by GPA. The intent of this study was to move beyond the transfer shock concept by building on previous works to establish new methods, concepts, and frameworks to better understand and characterize the complex transfer process of community college students. This cross-sectional study examined a cohort of 717 students at a multicultural university in Southern California who transferred from 64 California community colleges during 1994 and 1995. Utilizing the Laanan-Transfer Students' Questionnaire (L–TSQ),© the study employed the concepts of quality of effort, student involvement, and culture shock as guiding the...
Dreams of Control at a Distance: Gender, Surveillance, and Social Control

Modern surveillance systems operate upon masculine logics of disembodied control at a distance. As such, they artificially abstract bodies, identities, and interactions from social contexts in ways...
The Effect of Surface Preparation and Exposure Environment on the Bond Failure Processes in Adhesively Bonded Sheet Molded Composite (SMC)

Abstract The durability of adhesively-bonded composites has been investigated using a wedge-type specimen. Polyester-resin, fiberglass sheet molded composite (SMC) was bonded with a commercial two-part poly-urethane adhesive. The SMC composite received one of four different surface preparations: no treatment, abrasion, priming, or abrasion and priming. The wedge test was used to study the durability of the samples which were exposed to air and to the vapor above water, concentrated ammonium hydroxide, or methanol at 60[ddot]C. The crack length was measured during the experiments. The crack growth rate as a function of surface treatment varied in the manner: untreated ≈ abraded > primed ≈ abraded and primed. The crack growth rate as a function of vapor changed in the manner: methanol > ammonium hydroxide > water ≈ air. The samples were removed at the conclusion of the test and the failure mode was determined visually, by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and by X-ray photoelectron spectros-copy (XPS). In...
An orthogonal active site identification system (OASIS) for proteomic profiling of natural product biosynthesis.

A significant gap exists between genetics-based investigations of polyketide synthase (PKS) and nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) biosynthetic pathways and our understanding of their regulatio...
A possible specific chromosome marker for monocytic leukemia: Three more patients with t(9;11)(p22;q24) and another with t(11;17)(q24;q21), each with acute monoblastic leukemia☆

An apparently balanced 9;11 reciprocal translocation with break points most likely at 9p22 and 11q24 was found in 3 patients with acute monocytic leukemia [M5 in the French-American-British (FAB) classification schema]. This translocation was not observed in 6 other patients with M5 acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) or in chromosome studies on 143 patients with other types of ANLL. This study supports the previously published suggestion that such 9;11 translocations may be associated with some patients with M5 ANLL. In this report, we have also included a patient with M5 ANLL who had an 11;17 translocation with break points apparently at 11q24 and 17q21. Perhaps this is a variant translocation of chromosome No. 11, which may also be associated with monocytic leukemia.
Laboratory research and the practicing vascular surgeon: an oxymoron?

I have been asked to address the question of whether the subject of laboratory research and the practicing vascular surgeon is an oxymoron. Can one, in this day and age, be both a laboratory researcher and a practicing vascular surgeon, or are these activities mutually exclusive? Should we even try to do both, or should we as vascular surgeons abandon laboratory research? The word oxymoron is derived from the Greek oxys meaning sha U) and moros, meaning stupid or foolish and signifies a combination of contradictory or incongruous words. Numerous well-known oxymorons exist, including living dead, military intelligence, and benevolent dictatorship. Some would say that a word meaning both sharp and foolish is a perfect description of a surgeon or of the field of surgery. H o w about surgical research? And how about laboratory research and clinical vascular surgery? Are they contradictory and incongruous activities? Certaiuly the minority of practicing vascular surgeons do laboratory research, but should trying to do both be abandoned? Historically, laboratory research has been essential in the development of surgery as we know it today. Without surgical laboratory research, much of he explosive advances in biomedical research would not have been possible. Laboratory research by surgeons was essential in developing an understanding of shock, fluid resuscitation, and nutrition. The laboratory development by surgeons of techniques of vascular anastomosis, cardiopulrnonary bypass, and organ transplantation have exposed new horizons and opened wtst new areas of knowledge in physiology, biology, and immunology. Laboratory research in vascular surgery has been critical to our understanding of circnlatory physiology, blood coagula-
Ovarian Function in Ewes Treated with Antihistamines

Ewes were treated systemically during the periovulatory period with the antihistamines diphenhydramine (H1-receptor antagonist) and(or) cimetidine (H2-receptor antagonist). None of the treatments prevented ovulation. However, the combination of drugs inhibited subsequent function of the corpus luteum (CL) as assessed by serum measurements of progesterone. Administration of antihistamines did not alter pituitary secretion of LH. Injection of small quantities of diphenhydramine and cimetidine into the antrum of the preovulatory follicle also caused aberrant luteal activity, but no blockade of ovulation. Intrafollicular injection of histamine reversed the inhibitory influence of antihistamines on the CL. Antihistamines suppressed preovulatory thecal edema and antral influx of plasma transudate containing LH. Thus, the effects of antihistamines appear to have been exerted at the follicular level. Function of matured CL was not compromised by peripheral administration of antihistamines. Actions of histamine within the preovulatory ovine follicle do not appear to be a prerequisite for ovulation, but apparently do have an impact on ensuing luteal function. We propose that a hyperemic reaction to histamine in preovulatory follicles enhances vascular filtration of LH. As a consequence, maximal permeation of the avascular granulosal layer of the follicle by LH leads to a normal luteinization response.
Study of the 9Be(3He, αα)4He reaction

Abstract The three α-particle final state from the reaction 9 Be( 3 He, αα) 4 He has been studied at 3 He bombarding energies of 3 and 4 MeV. Two α-particles were detected in coincidence in order to obtain the angular correlations between the first-emitted α-particle and the break-up α-particles from the recoil 8 Be ∗ system. The angular correlation data are compared with a generalized density-of-states calculation. Good fits to the data are obtained when the relative angular momenta of the detected particles are included in the calculation.
Review of Freedom from Poverty: NGOs and Human Rights Praxis

Joe Squillace reviews Freedom from Poverty: NGOs and Human Rights Praxis by Daniel P. L. Chong, who posits a social theory of human rights and argues for an integration of legal and subsistence rights.
Encoding Subsystem Codes with and without Noisy Gauge Qubits

In this paper, we investigate a rather neglected aspect of subsystem codes viz. that of encoding. We show that encoding of subsystem codes can be reduced to encoding of a related stabilizer code making it possible to use the known results on encoding of stabilizer codes. Along the way we also show how Clifford codes can be encoded. These encoding schemes can tolerate initialization errors on the gauge qubits. This tolerance can be traded for reduced encoding complexity.