cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chemical approaches to intermediates of enzyme catalysis.

Die Untersuchung von Enzymsubstratkomplexen auf katalyse-induzierte Anderungen der chemischen Reaktivitat hat sich als ein aufschlussreicher experimenteller Zugang zum Mechanismus enzymatischer Reaktionen erwiesen. Ternare Systeme bestehend aus Enzym, Substrat und einem geeigneten Reagens (Tetranitromethan=TNM) sind auf katalyse-abhangige Reaktionen gepruft worden, die nur im vollstandigen System, jedoch nicht mit Reagens und Enzym allein oder Reagens und Substrat allein beobachtet werden. Untersuchungen mit Aldolasen und Aspartat-Aminotransferase haben ergeben, dass katalyseinduzierte Reaktivitat sowohl auf dem Substrat-als auch auf dem Enzymteil eines Enzym-Substratkomplexes nachgewiesen werden kann. Im Reaktionsmechanismus von Muskelaldolase (eine Lysinaldolase) und von Hefealdolase (eine Metallaldolase) lasst sich mit TNM ein intermediares Carbanion des Substrats nachweisen. Die TNM-carbanion-Reaktion lasst sich spektralphotometrisch verfolgen und ist benutzt worden, um carboxypeptidase-behandelte Muskelaldolase und den Effekt von Cofaktoren auf die Hefealdolase zu untersuchen. Katalyse-induzierte Reaktivitatsveranderungen einer Enzymseitenkette sind bei der Aspartat-Aminotransferase beobachtet worden. Ein essentieller Tyrosylrest, der in der Abwesenheit von Substrat nicht mit TNM reagiert, wird ungewohnlich reaktiv im Laufe der Katalyse und ermoglicht dabei seine selektive Nitrierung. Die katalyse-synchrone oder synkatalytische Aktivierung dieses Aminosaurerests scheint ein integraler Bestandteil des katalytischen Mechanismus von Aspartat-Aminotransferase zu sein und wird vermutlich durch katalyse-induzierte Konformationsanderungen des Enzym-Coenzym-Substratkomplexes hervorgebracht. Mogliche funktioneile Zusammenhange synkatalytischer Reaktivitatsanderungen funktioneller Gruppen mit der Konformationsflexibilitat des Enzymproteins und dem Vorkommen metastabiler Zwischenprodukte in der Enzymkatalyse werden diskutiert.
Acceptance of groupware: the relationships among use, satisfaction, and outcomes

Many organizations have chosen groupware to support the communication activities of their work groups, yet relatively little is known about users’ reactions to and acceptance of this emerging information technology. Further, there has been limited field experience to justify investments in groupware, and rules of thumb about its implementation are difficult to find. This article describes the first part of a multiple‐stage study of acceptance of groupware, in organizational settings. Our ultimate goal is to explain or predict acceptance of groupware, however, the purpose here is to understand what constitutes acceptance. Based on an electronic survey on individuals’ acceptance of groupware in three Fortune 500 companies, we examine the relationship among the usage of groupware technology, the subjective ratings of users’ satisfaction with using the technology, and the perceived benefits of using the technology. The results agree with the earlier findings of Hiltz and Johnson [1] that a multidimensional co...
Plasma ionization by helicon waves

The dispersion relation for helicon waves in a uniform, bounded plasma is derived with both collisional and Landau damping. It is shown that the latter can explain the very high absorption efficiency of helicon waves in plasma sources and can lead to plasma generators with a controlled primary electron energy. The wave pattern and other features of helicon waves are pointed out.
The business cycle of capitalism

In every business expansion the wage share declines because productivity rises faster than hourly wages. As a result, towards the end of expansion the limited wages and salaries cause an insufficient growth of consumer demand, which makes it difficult to realize profits. At the same time costs - including wage costs, material costs and interest costs - are rising, so it is difficult to produce at a profit. Therefore, at the peak of the cycle rising costs and insufficient demand squeeze profits as in a nutcracker, causing a fall in the expected rate of profit, which leads to a business contraction. In every business contraction the opposite trends tend to produce eventual recovery and a new expansion.
Adhesion Forces Measured by Atomic Force Microscopy in Humid Air

Adhesive forces measured with an atomic force microscope under ambient conditions are generally regarded to be dominated by non-surface-specific capillary force. In this study, the nature of the “pull-off” force on a variety of surfaces was investigated as a function of relative humidity. The results indicate that even under the condition where capillary condensation occurs there is chemical specificity in the measured pull-off force. Issues such as tip−surface contact time and surface roughness were ruled out as possible artifacts. A mathematical model of pull-off force as a function of relative humidity is proposed in which the chemical specificity is explained.
Transfusion practices for acute traumatic brain injury: a survey of physicians at US trauma centers.

To determine whether physician specialty influences transfusion threshold in patients with acute severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). We surveyed transfusion preferences of chiefs of trauma surgery, chairs of neurosurgery, and surgical and neurosurgical ICU directors at all 187 US Level I trauma centers using a scenario-based, multiple-choice instrument administered by mail. We evaluated the hemoglobin value used as a transfusion threshold for patients with severe acute TBI in several scenarios as well as opinions regarding the rationale for transfusion. The response rate was 58% (312/534). Mean time in practice was 17 ± 8 years and 65% were board certified in critical care. Neurosurgeons (NS) used a greater mean hemoglobin threshold for transfusion of TBI patients than trauma surgeons (TS) and non-surgeon intensivists (CC) whether the intracranial pressure was normal (8.3 ± 1.2, 7.5 ± 1.0, and 7.5 ± 0.8 g/dL; NS, TS, and CC, respectively, P < 0.001) or elevated (8.9 ± 1.1, 8.0 ± 1.1, and 8.4 ± 1.1 g/dL; NS, TS, and CC, respectively, P < 0.001). All three groups commonly believed that secondary ischemic injury is an important problem following TBI (74, 66, and 63%, P = 0.32), but fewer NS believed that transfusions have important immunodulatory effects (25, 91, and 83%, P < 0.001). Neurosurgeons prefer more liberal transfusion of TBI patients than TS and CC, suggesting that actual practice may depend largely on which specialist is primarily managing care. The observed clinical equipoise would justify a randomized trial of liberal versus restrictive transfusion strategies in patients with TBI.
Changes During Acid Hydrolysis of Lactose

Abstract A study was made on sulfuric acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of lactose with the intent to neutralize with lime and thereby reduce the amount of soluble salts in the resulting syrup. Acid concentrations ranged from 1 to 3N while lactose concentrated varied from 5 to 40% (wt/wt). Hydrolysis by sulfuric acid was noticeably slower than by hydrochloric acid. The off-color that developed depended on the time of hydrolysis, lactose concentration, type of acid, and acid concentrations. In contrast to enzymic hydrolysis, no oligosaccharides could be detected during acid hydrolysis.
The effects of measuring emotion: physiological reactions to emotional situations depend on whether someone is asking.

Measurement effects exist throughout the sciences–the act of measuring often changes the properties of the observed. We suggest emotion research is no exception. The awareness and conscious assessment required by self-report of emotion may significantly alter emotional processes. In this study, participants engaged in a difficult math task designed to induce anger or shame while their cardiovascular responses were measured. Half of the participants were asked to report on their emotional states and appraise their feelings throughout the experiment, whereas the other half completed a control questionnaire. Among those in the anger condition, participants assigned to report on their emotions exhibited qualitatively different physiological responses from those who did not report. For participants in the shame condition, there were no significant differences in physiology based on the self-report manipulation. The study demonstrates that the simple act of reporting on an emotional state may have a substantial impact on the body’s reaction to an emotional situation.
Molecular Mechanisms of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Receptor Gene Regulation:

GnRH plays a critical role in regulating mammalian reproductive development and function. At the level of the anterior pituitary, GnRH binds to the GnRH receptor (GnRHR) on the cell surface of pituitary gonadotropes. Here, it activates intracellular signal transduction pathways to effect both the synthesis and intermittent release of the gonadotropins LH and FSH. These hormones then enter the systemic circulation to regulate gonadal function, including steroid hormone synthesis and gametogenesis. The response of pituitary gonadotropes to GnRH correlates directly with the concentration of GnRHR on the cell surface, which is mediated, at least in part, at the level of gene expression. A number of endocrine, paracrine, and autocrine factors are known to regulate GnRHR gene expression. This article reviews in detail the role of the GnRHR in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and the factors mediating expression of this gene. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms that regulate transcription of the GnRHR gene will further our knowledge about the role of this receptor in mammalian reproductive physiology in health and disease.
Adult thoracolumbar and lumbar scoliosis treated with long vertebral fusion to the sacropelvis: a comparison between new hybrid selective spinal fusion versus anterior-posterior spinal instrumentation

Abstract Background context Combined anteroposterior spinal fusion with instrumentation has been used for many years to treat adult thoracolumbar/lumbar scoliosis. This surgery remains a technical challenge to spine surgeons, and current literature reports high complication rates. Purpose The purpose of this study is to validate a new hybrid technique (a combination of single-rod anterior instrumentation and a shorter posterior instrumentation to the sacrum) to treat adult thoracolumbar/lumbar scoliosis. Study design This study is a retrospective consecutive case series of surgically treated patients with adult lumbar or thoracolumbar scoliosis. Patient sample This is a retrospective study of 33 matched pairs of patients with adult scoliosis who underwent two different surgical procedures: a new hybrid technique versus a third-generation anteroposterior spinal fusion. Outcome measures Preoperative and postoperative outcome measures include self-report measures, physiological measures, and functional measures. Methods In a retrospective case-control study, 33 patients treated with the hybrid technique were matched with 33 patients treated with traditional anteroposterior fusion based on preoperative radiographic parameters. Mean follow-up in the hybrid group was 5.3 years (range, 2–11 years), compared with 4.6 years (range, 2–10 years) in the control group. Operating room (OR) time, estimated blood loss, and levels fused were collected as surrogates for surgical morbidity. Radiographic parameters were collected preoperatively, postoperatively, and at final follow-up. The Scoliosis Research Society Patient Questionnaire (SRS-22r) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores were collected for clinical outcomes. Results Operating room time, EBL, and levels fused were significantly less in the hybrid group compared with the control group (p Conclusion The new hybrid technique demonstrates good long-term results, with less morbidity and fewer complications than traditional anteroposterior surgery select patients with thoracolumbar/lumbar scoliosis. This study received no funding. No potential conflict of interest-associated bias existed.
Influence of Head Group Mismatch on the Miscibility of Phospholipids in the Physiologically-Relevant Fluid Phase: A Nearest-Neighbor Recognition Analysis

The mixing behavior of phosphoethanolamine (PE)-like and phosphoglycerol (PG)-like lipids have been examined in the fluid bilayer state by use of nearest-neighbor recognition methods [Vigmond, S. J.; Dewa, T.; Regen, S. L. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1995, 117, 7838]. Disulfide-based phospholipid dimers derived from 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DMPE) have been synthesized, containing PE- and PG-like head groups. Subsequent exchange and equilibration of the monomer units, via thiolate−disulfide interchange, produced a nonstatistical distribution of dimers in the fluid bilayer phase (60 °C); i.e., a heterodimer/homodimer ratio of 1.76 ± 0.05 was formed. Analogous membranes that were rich in cholesterol (i.e., 29 mol %) produced a statistical mixture of dimers. Equilibration experiments that were carried out using PE-like and PG-like lipids derived from 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DPPE) and DMPE, respectively, gave similar results, except that a greater level of nearest-neigh...
Structural measurement by inverse scattering in the Rytov approximation

Data from a previous scattering experiment are used to calculate the scattering potential along the radius of a weakly scattering cylinder in the Rytov approximation. The results of this calculation are compared with those of an earlier calculation from the same data, which employed the first Born approximation.
Exact Multiplicity of Positive Solutions for a Class of Semilinear Problem, II

We consider the positive solutions to the semilinear problem: { Δ u + λ f ( u ) = 0 , in B n , u = 0 , on ∂ B n . . where Bn is the unit ball in Rn, n ⩾ 1, and λ is a positive parameter. It is well known that if ƒ is a smooth function, then any positive solution to the equation is radially symmetric, and all solutions can be parameterized by their maximum values. We develop a unified approach to obtain the exact multiplicity of the positive solutions for a wide class of nonlinear functions ƒ(u), and the precise shape of the global bifurcation diagrams are rigorously proved. Our technique combines the bifurcation analysis, stability analysis, and topological methods. We show that the shape of the bifurcation curve depends on the shape of the graph of function ƒ(u)/u as well as the growth rale of ƒ.
Precipitation of pH solubilized phenytoin

Abstract Precipitation of phenytoin often occurs as it is diluted by blood after intravenous injection. The presence and the amount of precipitate depend upon the initial pH and buffer capacity of the formulation vehicle. The prediction of phenytoin precipitation can be carried out in vitro using isotonic Sorensen's phosphate buffer (SPB) to simulate blood. An equation is developed to calculate the change in solubility resulting from the change in pH due to dilution. This equation is very difficult to solve analytically because it involves a high order polynomial. However, it can be solved numerically using a spreadsheet program. The relationship between pH or solubility and dilution can then be presented graphically. Therefore, the precipitation of any pH solubilized drug due to dilution under various conditions can be easily predicted. This is illustrated for several aqueous phenytoin solutions.
Economic Weights for Direct and Fetal Genetic Effects in Choosing Sires

Abstract A procedure is developed to determine the relative economic values of effects of sire of cow and sire of fetus. The economic weights for selection will depend on the time and discount rate. For example, for 10 yr and a 10% discount rate, the relative economic weights are 1.240 and 1.284 for the sire's direct genetic and fetal genetic effects when the fetal effect of the sire affects only the subsequent lactation of the mate of the sire. If the fetal effect is carried over to each future lactation of the mate, the relative economic weights are 1.240 for the direct and 3.184 for the fetal sire effects.
Acclimatization of women to heat after training.

During March and April three Caucasian women (ages 38, 22, 20) participated in a 3-week training program at 26 °C DB and 17 °C WB followed by 7 days of walking on a treadmill (3.5 mph, 2.2 to 4.0 per cent grade) for 1 h each day in an environmental chamber (42.2 °C DB, 26.4 °C WB). 17 days later the subjects were tested again under the same hot conditions. For comparison, on the day after the 7-day acclimatization period and again after the terminal test, the subjects worked at equivalent work loads outside the chamber (26 °C DB, 17 °C WB). They wore shoes, socks, and cotton bathing suits. No subjects were able to complete the task on the first day, experiencing various degrees of discomfort, hypotension, and marked elevations of heart rate, rectal temperature, and skin temperature. Some degree of acclimatization was evident by the second day. After the seventh exposure they felt better, were able to work longer and had increased evaporative loss, with smaller elevations in heart rate and skin and rectal temperatures compared to the third day in the heat. The subjects exhibited an almost complete loss of heat acclimatization at the end of the subsequent 17-day period of no thermal stress.
Electric field induced transitions from TGBA* and TGBC* to smectic A and C states

Abstract We have observed that the application of a DC or AC field to a cell containing one of several new LCs materials in the helical smectic A (TGBA) phase (cell surfaces treated for parallel alignment) irreversibly converts the sample to a normal smectic A state in the bookshelf geometry. This observation may be due in part to a large electroclinic effect exhibited by the materials as well as the anchoring properties of the rubbed alignment layer. The threshold voltage for the field induced transition is dependent on temperature. Two different textures are observed: The TGBA shows a bright colorful texture while the induced A state shows a uniform monodomain that can be rotated into extinction between crossed polarizers. The existence of the TGBA phase for one of the new materials is confirmed in freely suspended thin films. Finally, this field induced transition may be exploited to create a novel laser-addressed LC display device.
Growth and survival across a gap-understory gradient: Contrast in performance of sexually vs. clonally produced offspring

Sexually and clonally produced offspring may respond to environmental heterogeneity by growing and surviving at different rates. In forest understories, the availability of light ranges from low in shaded, closed canopy to high in tree-fall gaps. We experi mentally investigated the growth and survival of both types of offspring in three treatments (gap centers, gap edges, and shaded understory) over 16 months. We expected the demographic performance of both types of offspring to be highest in the centers of gaps and lowest in the shaded understory. However, we expected seedlings to be more sensitive to the gradient in light (larger dif ference in growth and survival between light levels) than vegetative offspring because of their small size and lack of connection to maternal resources. Both offspring types grew fastest and obtained their largest sizes in gap centers. Contrary to our expectations, offspring types differed in which light conditions favored highest survival. Seedlings survived best in gap centers, while vegetative offspring had their highest survival in the shaded understory. In agreement with our hypothesis, survival and growth of seedlings were more sensitive to light availability, showing a large difference in growth and survival between light levels, compared to veg etative offspring.
Resveratrol induces Notch2-mediated apoptosis and suppression of neuroendocrine markers in medullary thyroid cancer

Currently, complete surgical resection is the only curative option for medullary thyroid cancer (MTC). Previous work has shown the Notch pathway is a potent tumor suppressor in MTC and that resveratrol activates the Notch pathway in carcinoid cancer, a related neuroedocrine malignancy. In this study, we hypothesized that the effects observed on carcinoid cells could be extended to MTC. MTC cells treated with varying doses of resveratrol were assayed for viability by the MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay. Western blot analysis for achaete-scute complex-like 1 (ASCL1), chromogranin A (CgA), full-length and cleaved caspase 3, and poly-ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) was performed. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to measure relative mRNA expression. Treatment with resveratrol resulted in growth suppression and an increase in the cleavage of caspase-3 and PARP. A dose-dependent inhibition of ASCL1, a neuroedocrine transcription factor, was observed at the protein and mRNA levels. Protein levels of CgA, a marker of hormone secretion, were also reduced after treatment with resveratrol. A dose-dependent induction of Notch2 mRNA was observed by qPCR. Resveratrol suppresses in vitro growth, likely through apoptosis, as demonstrated by cleavage of caspase-3 and PARP. Furthermore, resveratrol decreased neuroedocrine markers ASCL1 and chromogranin A. Induction of Notch2 mRNA suggests that this pathway may be central in the anti-MTC effects observed.
High Expectations Across Multiple Domains, Peer Norms, and Physical Dating Violence Among California Adolescents:

The purpose of this study is, first, to assess whether high expectation messages (from school, home, and community), and peer norms, were associated with physical dating violence victimization (PDV) among a representative sample of California middle and high school students, and second, to assess whether these associations differed by gender and grade level and/or were mediated by self-efficacy. Data from 7th-, 9th-, and 11th-grade respondents of the 2008-2010 California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS) were analyzed (N = 85,198). CHKS is an anonymous, school-based cross-sectional survey. Logistic regression was used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for expectations in each domain (school, community, and home), peers norms, and their cumulative effects on physical dating violence victimization. We examined interactions for expectations and for peer norms by gender and grade level, and tested the mediation effect of self-efficacy. Ten percent of students reported experie...
Factors that influence users to leave, acquire, and retain information items: A case study of college students' Personal Information Management

Personal Information Management (PIM) research has primarily focused on how users manage information items that are in their local collection, under their control. This investigation will broadly study PIM, additionally looking at items that users decide not to acquire, and seeks to identify factors that influence the leaving, acquiring, and retaining behavior. A theoretical framework developed for the study introduces the hoarding literature into the Personal Information Management (PIM) domain. The study uses a multiple-embedded case study design to naturalistically study students' PIM within the context of a college course.
Two-dimensional lattice model with an infinite number of zero-temperature states.

The two-dimensional Ising model with nearest-neighbor coupling and two second-nearest-neighbor couplings introduced by de Fontaine, Willie, and Moss [Phys. Rev. B 36, 5709 (1987)] is found to have an infinite number of zero-temperature states for any value of concentration between successive vertex points ${\mathit{c}}_{0}$=1.0, 0.75, 0.50, 0.25, and 0.0. A resolution of the ground states of order by low-temperature expansion is not possible because of the nonconvergence of the series. By analogy to a similar situation in the two-dimensional axial next-nearest-neighbor Ising model, it is conjectured that in the present model the paramagnetic phase persists down to T=0 with the possibility of floating phases.
Early Understanding of Subject and Object Wh-Questions

In this study, we used the splitscreen preferential looking paradigm to test 13-, 15-, and 20-month-olds' developing understanding of simple matrix what-questions of the forms "What hit the X?" (subject-question) and "What did the X hit?" (object-question). Infants responded appropriately to subject-questions by 15 months of age, and to both subject- and object-questions by 20 months. At no age did infants look longer toward the object overtly mentioned in the question, as might be expected based on a surface account of early language acquisition. This suggests that infants may have some understanding of these complex structures long before they are produced.
Leveraging Computerized Sign-Out to Increase Error Reporting and Addressing Patient Safety in Graduate Medical Education

Setting Electronic reporting systems are important components of the patient-safety movement but have been problematic particularly in capturing information from physicians.
Cholesterol uptake by Propionibacterium freudenreichii

Strains ofPropionibacterium freudenreichii were tested for growth and cholesterol uptake in brain-heart infusion (BHI) medium supplemented with pleuropneumonia-like organism (PPLO) serum fraction as the cholesterol source. Stirred cultures ofP. freudenreichii reduced the medium's cholesterol content by 50% or more after 10–14 days of incubation at 32°C. Cholesterol uptake by the propionibacteria did not require strictly anaerobic conditions or the presence of bile acids. Up to 70% of the cholesterol removed from the medium could be recovered by solvent extraction from washed cells ofP. freudenreichii.
Type 2 Diabetes in the Young: The Evolving Epidemic

1. The aims of the consensus meeting were to review the epidemiology, pathophysiology, management, and implications of the rising prevalence of type 2 diabetes in young people and to suggest means by which the continuing rise in incidence and prevalence might be prevented. 2. The overall global prevalence of type 2 diabetes is rising steadily. Previously, type 2 diabetes was predominantly a disease of middle-aged and older people. In recent decades, the age of onset has decreased and type 2 diabetes has been reported in adolescents and children worldwide, particularly in high-prevalence populations. Japan has seen an approximate fourfold rise in the incidence of type 2 diabetes in 6- to 15-year-olds, and between 8 and 45% of newly presenting children and adolescents in the U.S. have type 2 diabetes. The problem is particularly noticeable in indigenous peoples. Population-based data, however, are sparse and indeed absent in most countries. 3. Additional cardiovascular risk factors are often associated with type 2 diabetes in the young, and microangiopathy is as common or commoner in those developing type 2 diabetes at a young age as in those with type 1 diabetes. This has profound societal implications. 4. Diagnostic separation of type 2 from other types of diabetes in young people can be difficult, and sophisticated testing may be necessary. 5. Data on the pathophysiology in the young are sparse, but there is no evidence to suggest differences from adults. The incidence of type 2 in the young is rising in parallel with the incidence of overweight and obesity, suggesting a possible causal relationship, particularly when the obesity is central and in relation to decreased physical activity. Other factors include family history, gestational diabetes in the mother, and low birth weight. All of these are associated with insulin resistance, although decreased insulin secretion is also required. 6. Mass screening for type …
Light Enhanced Electron Transduction and Amplified Sensing at a Nanostructure Modified Semiconductor Interface

Visible and UV light are demonstrated to significantly enhance the sensing properties of an n-type porous silicon (PS) extrinsic semiconductor interface to which TiO2 and titanium oxynitride (TiO2-xNx) photocatalytic nanostructures are fractionally deposited. The acid/base chemistry of NH3, a moderately strong base, and NO2, a moderately strong acid, couples to the majority charge carriers of the doped semiconductor as the strong acid (TiO2) enhances the extraction of electrons from NH3, and the more basic TiO2-xNx decreases the efficiency of electron extraction relative to the untreated interface. In contrast, NO2 and a TiO2 or TiO2-xNx nanostructure-decorated PS interface compete for the available electrons leading to a distinct time dependent electron transduction dynamics as a function of TiO2 and TiO2-xNx concentration. Only small concentrations of TiO2 and its oxynitride and no self-assembly are required to enhance the response of the decorated interface. With light intensities of less than a few lumens/cm2-sterad-nm, responses are enhanced by up to 150% through interaction with visible (and UV) radiation. These light intensities should be compared to the sun's radiation level, ≈500 lumens/cm2-sterad-nm suggesting the possibility of solar pumped sensors. The observed behavior in these systems is largely explained by the recently developed Inverse Hard/Soft Acid/Base (IHSAB) concept.
All-textile flexible supercapacitors using electrospun poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) nanofibers

Abstract Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) nanofibers were obtained by the combination of electrospinning and vapor-phase polymerization. The fibers had diameters around 350 nm, and were soldered at most intersections, providing a strong dimensional stability to the mats. The nanofiber mats demonstrated very high conductivity (60 ± 10 S cm−1, the highest value reported so far for polymer nanofibers) as well as improved electrochemical properties, due to the ultraporous nature of the electrospun mats. The mats were incorporated into all-textile flexible supercapacitors, using carbon cloths as the current collectors and electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibrous membranes as the separator. The textile layers were stacked and embedded in a solid electrolyte containing an ionic liquid and PVDF-co-HFP as the host polymer. The resulting supercapacitors were totally flexible and demonstrated interesting and stable performances in ambient conditions.
Lathyrogen Effects on the Collagen Heat Stability and Tenderness of Spent Fowl Muscle

Abstract Spent laying hens were fed a diet containing .18% (75 mg per kg of BW per day) of β-aminopropionitrile (BAPN) for 0, 42, or 64 days to inhibit crosslinking in newly formed collagen molecules without hindering collagen degradation. This was done in an attempt to reduce the proportion of heat-stable collagen molecules in the muscle tissue in order to improve the tenderness of the cooked meat from spent fowl. Sixty-four days of dietary exposure to BAPN significantly increased the proportion of total collagen that was heat-labile, but also increased the total collagen concentration of the Biceps femoris muscle. The 42-day treatment did not alter the proportion for heat-stable collagen and labile collagen but did result in an increase in the total concentration of collagen. Despite the changes in the proportion of heat-stable collagen, no improvement in the shear value for cooked meat was observed, presumably due to a slower degradation rate than expected or to an increase in total collagen.
Sensorimotor actions in the control of multi-movement speech gestures

Abstract The generation of speech is perhaps the most characteristic human motor act. Historically, owing to the complexity of speech motor behavior, most analyses have provided only general information on the underlying neural control mechanisms. However, recent work offers some intriguing neurophysiological insights. These studies indicate that: (1) sensorimotor actions are active in minimizing speech movement errors; (2) both intra- and intermovement sensorimotor mechanisms are involved; (3) speech motor-afferent-dependent actions are not stereotypic but have control characteristics that vary, moment-to-moment, in relation to motor execution and task variables; and (4) co-ordination among multiple speech movements is not wholly prespecified, but is subject to dynamic refinement via intermovement sensorimotor adjustments. These observations appear to offer some useful hypotheses for the neural control of other complex motor behaviors.
Binding of modified fragments of the Shigella dysenteriae type 1 O-specific polysaccharide to monoclonal IgM 3707 E9 and docking of the immunodeterminant to its modeled Fv

Abstract The O-specific polysaccharide (O-SP) of Shigella dysenteriae type 1 has been shown by others to have the structure →3)- α - l -Rha p -(13)- α - l -Rha p -(12)- α - d -Gal p -(13)- α - d -Glc p NAc-(1. 2 We have shown in the past that IgM 3707 E9, an anti S. dysenteriae type 1 O-SP monoclonal antibody, binds specifically to the - α - l -Rha p -(12)- α - d -Gal p - determinant of the polysaccharide. In this report we show that determinant to have hydrogen bonds, necessary for binding to the antibody, involving positions 3, 4 and 6 of the galactopyranosyl residue. The hydroxyl groups of the rhamnopyranosyl moiety of the immunodeterminant appear not to partake in hydrogen-bond interactions with the antibody. A model is presented of the Fv of IgM 3707 E9 based on our previously established cDNA-sequence and two known, highly homologous immunoglobulin crystal structures. The methyl glycoside of the immunodeterminant α - l -rhamnopyranosyl-(12)- α - d -galactopyranose is docked to the combining area of the Fv.
6-C-kine (SLC), a Lymphocyte Adhesion-triggering Chemokine Expressed by High Endothelium, Is an Agonist for the MIP-3β Receptor CCR7

The β chemokine known as 6-C-kine, secondary lymphoid-tissue chemokine (SLC), TCA4, or Exodus-2 (herein referred to as 6CK/SLC) can trigger rapid integrin-dependent arrest of lymphocytes rolling under physiological shear and is highly expressed by high endothelial venules, specialized vessels involved in lymphocyte homing from the blood into lymph nodes and Peyer's patches. We show that 6CK/SLC is an agonist for the lymphocyte chemoattractant receptor, CCR7 (EBI-1, BLR-2), previously described as a receptor for the related β chemokine MIP-3β (ELC or Exodus-3). Moreover, 6CK/SLC and MIP-3β attract the same major populations of circulating lymphocytes, including naive and memory T cells > B cells (but not natural killer cells); desensitization to MIP-3β inhibits lymphocyte chemotaxis to 6CK/SLC but not to the α chemokine SDF-1 (stromal cell–derived factor); and 6CK/SLC competes for MIP-3β binding to resting mouse lymphocytes. The findings suggest that the majority of circulating lymphocytes respond to 6CK/SLC and MIP-3β in large part through their common receptor CCR7 and that these molecules may be important mediators of physiological lymphocyte recirculation in vivo.
Nitrogen Content and Acidity of Rain on the Georgia Coast

: Since nitrogen is a nutrient frequently in short supply in coastal ecosystems, an estimate of the nitrogen input via rain was made for the Georgia coast. Water samples collected in 34 separate storms during a 12 month period were analysed for concentrations of ammonia, nitrate plus nitrite, and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON). The range and average concentration in micromoles of nitrogen per liter was 0.0 to 137 (6.3) for ammonia, 1.0 to 21 (7.9) for nitrate plus nitrite, and 0.0 to 13.6 (4.0) for DON. DON, not usually measured in rain, comprised up to 62% of the total nitrogen content. The annual amount of nitrogen contributed by rain to the coast was about 0.3 g N/m2. This value is a small fraction of the calculated nitrogen requirements of coastal plants. More than half the rain samples had pH values less than the CO2 equilibrium pH of 5.6. Values as low as 4.2 were in the range of pH values reported for acid rain in Europe and the northeastern U.S. Total titratable acidity was measured for 12 summer rainwater samples. The results fox 7 individual storms showed a highly linear relation between hydrogen ion concentration and total acidity. However, the elope of the regression line indicated that increases in acidity were not a result of addition of strong acid alone.
Fabrication and characteristics of polymeric thin-film capacitor

Abstract Polymer materials are attracting more and more attentions for applications to microelectronic devices due to their flexibility, lightweight, and low cost. In this paper, fabrication and characteristics of an all-polymer capacitor, using polypyrrole and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) poly(styrenesulfonate) as a semiconductor and a gate layer, are reported. Dielectric polymer, polyvinylphenol, was applied as the insulator to the device. The all-polymer capacitor analogous to metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) device was fabricated by the conventional UV lithography techniques. The fabricated device was measured and characterized electrically. The results are compared with the electrical behavior of analogous silicon-based MOS devices. It demonstrates that the device operates in a very similar fashion to its conventional counterparts.
SIRT1 and p53, effect on cancer, senescence and beyond

NAD+-dependent Class III histone deacetylase SIRT1 is a multiple function protein critically involved in stress responses, cellular metabolism and aging through deacetylating a variety of substrates including p53, forkhead-box transcription factors, PGC-1α, NF-κB, Ku70 and histones. The first discovered non-histone target of SIRT1, p53, is suggested to play a central role in SIRT1-mediated functions in tumorigenesis and senescence. SIRT1 was originally considered to be a potential tumor promoter since it negatively regulates the tumor suppressor p53 and other tumor suppressors. There is new evidence that SIRT1 acts as a tumor suppressor based on its role in negatively regulating β-catenin and survivin. This review provides an overview of current knowledge of SIRT1-p53 signaling and controversies regarding the functions of SIRT1 in tumorigenesis.
Design and Validation of a Reduced Test Matrix for the Autoignition of Gas Turbine Fuel Blends

Changes in fuel composition for both aero-engine as well as power generation applications is a topic of concern since fuel variability can have a great impact on the reliability and performance of the burner design. Autoignition experiments for a wide range of likely fuel blends containing CH4 mixed with combinations of C2 H6 , C3 H8 , C4 H10 , C5 H12 , and H2 are planned in the authors’ shock-tube laboratory. However, testing every possible fuel blend and interaction is not feasible within a reasonable time and cost. To predict the surface response over the complete mixture domain, a special experimental design has been developed reducing the amount of ‘trials’ needed significantly from 243 to only 41 using the Box-Behnkin factorial design methodology. Kinetics modeling was used to obtain numerical results for this matrix of fuel blends when applied to autoignition at a temperature of 800 K and pressure of 17 atm. A further attempt was made to reduce the 41-test matrix to a 21-test matrix. This was done using special mixture experimental techniques, and the kinetics model was used to compare the smaller matrix to the expected results of the larger one. The new 21-Test matrix produced a numerical correlation that agreed well with the results from the 41-test matrix, indicating that the smaller matrix will provide the same autoignition information as the larger one with acceptable precision.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
The effect of variations in convection coefficients on thermal energy storage in buildings Part II — Exterior massive walls and simulations

Abstract A theoretical study has been performed to determine the effect of variations in convection coefficients on the storage of thermal energy in structural materials in the exterior envelope of buildings. Detailed analytical and numerical analyses have been performed to study the fundamental aspects of the problem for simple geometries. Based on the detailed analyses, a thermal energy storage effectiveness parameter has been defined in terms of the changes in heating and cooling energy requirements of a single-zone building in response to the introduction of mass in its exterior walls. Calculations of the exterior wall effectiveness have been made to investigate the effect of variations in convection coefficients at the interior surface of external envelope materials, as well as the influence of dditional building parameters, such as internal loads, interior air temperature control strategy, and internal mass. To extent the results of the detailed analysis and to study the effects of variable convection coefficients on heating and cooling energy requirements in real buildings, simulations of two prototype residential buildings (in Mexico and the United States) have been performed using the building energy analysis computer program BLAST † . Results indicate that the energy consumption of a typical uninsulated Mexican residence is quite sensitive to the variations in convection coefficients commonly occurring in buildings (a difference up to a factor of three over the range 0.5 ⩽ h ⩽ 10.0 W/m 2 K). Buildings energy consumption of a typical well-insulated U.S. residence is less sensitive to variations in convection coefficients, although for some climates the effects are still significant (up to a 40% increase over the range 0.5 ⩽ h ⩽ 10.0 W/m 2 K). Since the convection coefficients at interior building surfaces vary quite widely within this range, this work suggests that for some climates and building constructions, improved characterization of convection coefficients is needed to permit reliable calculation of the energy requirements of buildings incorporating large amounts of thermal mass.
Pentobarbital: presynaptic effect in the squid giant synapse.

In concentrations that produced synaptic blockade in the squid giant synapse, sodium pentobarbital produced a dose-related, reversible decrease of the ‘calcium spike’ of the presynaptic terminal.
Spectrally resolved dynamics of energy transfer in quantum-dot assemblies: towards engineered energy flows in artificial materials.

We report on the dynamics of resonant energy transfer in monodisperse, mixed-size, and energy-gradient (layered) assemblies of CdSe nanocrystal quantum dots. Time-resolved and spectrally resolved photoluminescence directly reveals the energy-dependent transfer rate of excitons from smaller to larger dots via electrostatic coupling. The data show a rapid (0.7--1.9 ns) energy transfer directly across a large tens-of-meV energy gap (i.e., between dots of disparate size), and suggest that interdot energy transfer can approach picosecond time scales in structurally optimized systems.
Information and information fractions for design and sequential monitoring of clinical trials

The use of information in sequential monitoring of clinical trials is described. Technically defined as the inverse of the variance of some estimate, the information in a trial depends on the type of data collected on the patients. We examine three common situations: comparison of two means, comparison of two survival curves, and comparison of two populations slopes from repeated measures data. In each case we discuss how to proceed when the information available at the planned end of the trial, the total information, is unknown. The amount of information at a given interim analysis divided by the total information is the information fraction. Some natural estimates of the information fraction and their relationships to calender time are presented. The concept of total information can also be useful for the design of trials collecting repeated measures data.
Nuclear Data Sheets for A=221*

Abstract The available nuclear structure information for all nuclei with mass number A=221 is presented. Various decay and reaction data are evaluated and compared. Adopted dta; levels; and spin, parity, and configuration assignments are given.
Age-related toxicity of amyloid-beta associated with increased pERK and pCREB in primary hippocampal neurons: reversal by blueberry extract

Further clarification is needed to address the paradox that memory formation, aging and neurodegeneration all involve calcium influx, oxyradical production (ROS) and activation of certain signaling pathways. In aged rats and in APP/PS-1 mice, cognitive and hippocampal Ca(2+) dysregulation was reversed by food supplementation with a high antioxidant blueberry extract. Here, we studied whether neurons were an important target of blueberry extract and whether the mechanism involved altered ROS signaling through MAP kinase and cyclic-AMP response element binding protein (CREB), pathways known to be activated in response to amyloid-beta (Aβ). Primary hippocampal neurons were isolated and cultured from embryonic, middle-age or old-age (24 months) rats. Blueberry extract was found to be equally neuroprotective against Aβ neurotoxicity at all ages. Increases in Aβ toxicity with age were associated with age-related increases in immunoreactivity of neurons to pERK and an age-independent increase in pCREB. Treatment with blueberry extract strongly inhibited these increases in parallel with neuroprotection. Simultaneous labeling for ROS and for glutathione with dichlorofluorescein and monochlorobimane showed a mechanism of action of blueberry extract to involve transient ROS generation with an increase in the redox buffer glutathione. We conclude that the increased age-related susceptibility of old-age neurons to Aβ toxicity may be due to higher levels of activation of pERK and pCREB pathways that can be protected by blueberry extract through inhibition of both these pathways through an ROS stress response. These results suggest that the beneficial effects of blueberry extract may involve transient stress signaling and ROS protection that may translate into improved cognition in aging rats and APP/PS1 mice given blueberry extract.
Responsible Conduct in Conducting and Publishing Research

Before beginning their research, authors must obtain Institutional Review Board permission. Then they should conduct their research with scrupulous attention to detail. Before authors submit their manuscripts for peer review, they should obtain the Manuscript Submission Guidelines for their target journal and read a few articles in that journal to determine whether their study is a good fit for the journal. Authors should describe their research design and methodology in sufficient detail so that other researchers can duplicate their study. Results should be explained clearly and implications should be based on the results. Reviewers are advised to stay informed of their specialty and be ready to acknowledge new directions. Editors should seek to move the profession forward by publishing both empirical research and invited papers written by experts. Each person (author, reviewer, and Editor) must operate in good faith.
CD30 in normal and neoplastic cells.

In 1982 Stein and coworkers identified a new molecule, CD30 (Ki-1), which is expressed by Reed-Sternberg (RS) cells of Hodgkin's Disease (HD) (1). Although CD30 is not a specific RS cell marker, its characterization has assumed an important role not only in the differential diagnosis of HD, but also in the identification of a morphologically and clinically distinct type of large cell lymphoma, now designated as anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) (2). The cloning of human and murine CD30 and the utilization of genetically manipulated animal models have rapidly expanded our knowledge on its physiological role in lymphoid development and differentiation. The goal of this review is to present an overview of this rapidly evolving field and discuss the role of CD30 in normal and neoplastic lymphoid cells.