cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Response of cultured mammalian cells to diphtheria toxin. V. Concurrent resistance to ribonucleic acid viruses in diphtheria toxin-resistant KB cell strains.

Abstract It was determined that KB-R cell strains, isolated from the KB cell line and resistant to diphtheria toxin, also resist infection by poliovirus, Mengo virus, vesicular stomatitis virus, and Newcastle disease virus. This resistance manifests itself by reduction in yields of progeny virus (a reduction of more than 2 logs in some cases), reduced production of viral-specific ribonucleic acid (RNA), and delayed cytopathic effect. In three KB-R strains tested, resistance was related to a step which falls between adsorption of virus and uncoating or release of viral messenger RNA. In two of these three strains, a second resistance mechanism was also active, causing a reduced production of viral-specific RNA. A relationship between the resistance to diphtheria toxin and the resistance to viral infection of the KB-R strains is considered. It has been postulated that the native diphtheria toxin molecule must be “activated” at the surface of a susceptible cell by a proteolytic process before it can enter the cell and inhibit protein synthesis. It is also known that the eclipse of some viruses occurs at or near the cell membrane and involves proteolytic activity. Resistance to viruses and toxin in the KB-R strains may result from the loss or modification of related labilizing or activating principles associated with the surface receptors for these agents.
Three‐dimensional architecture of the IgH locus facilitates class switch recombination

Immunoglobulin (Ig) class switch recombination (CSR) is responsible for diversification of antibody effector function during an immune response. This region-specific recombination event, between repetitive switch (S) DNA elements, is unique to B lymphocytes and is induced by activationinduced deaminase (AID). CSR is critically dependent on transcription of noncoding RNAs across S regions. However, mechanistic insight regarding this process has remained unclear. New studies indicate that long-range intrachromosomal interactions among IgH transcriptional elements organize the formation of the S/S synaptosome, as a prerequisite for CSR. This three-dimensional chromatin architecture simultaneously brings promoters and enhancers into close proximity to facilitate transcription. Here, we recount how transcription across S DNA promotes accumulation of RNA polymerase II, leading to the introduction of activating chromatin modifications and hyperaccessible chromatin that is amenable to AID activity.
A performance comparison of communication APIs on Solaris and Windows operating systems

Communication application programming interfaces (API) constitute an important component of many network-based applications. They play a central role in the end-to-end performance ultimately delivered by networked applications. Most network architectures exploit the underlying networking API in their designs. In this paper, we conduct an empirical performance evaluation on the PC platform of some of the most popular networking API which include: Winsock/BSD, Java, and RMI. To explore the impact of the underlying operating system and Java virtual machine (JVM) architecture, we conducted performance tests on two operating systems namely, Windows NT 4.0 and Solaris 8. We found that on both operating system platforms, Winsock and BSD sockets yield about 1.8 times better throughput than Java sockets, and Java sockets in turn yield twice the throughput of that obtained using remote method invocation (RMI). We also obtained about 1.3 times higher latency overheads with Java compared to either Winsock or BSD as well as with RMI when compared to Java sockets on both Windows NT and Solaris operating systems. We hope that our results will be useful to application designers and developers in better optimizing end-to-end application performance.
Wdr74 Is Required for Blastocyst Formation in the Mouse

Preimplantation is a dynamic developmental period during which a combination of maternal and zygotic factors program the early embryo resulting in lineage specification and implantation. A reverse genetic RNAi screen in mouse embryos identified the WD Repeat Domain 74 gene (Wdr74) as being required for these critical first steps of mammalian development. Knockdown of Wdr74 results in embryos that develop normally until the morula stage but fail to form blastocysts or properly specify the inner cell mass and trophectoderm. In Wdr74-deficient embryos, we find activated Trp53-dependent apoptosis as well as a global reduction of RNA polymerase I, II and III transcripts. In Wdr74-deficient embryos blocking Trp53 function rescues blastocyst formation and lineage differentiation. These results indicate that Wdr74 is required for RNA transcription, processing and/or stability during preimplantation development and is an essential gene in the mouse.
A threat-based definition of IA and IA-enabled products

This paper proposes a definition of “IA and IA-enabled products” based on threat, as opposed to “security services” (i.e., “confidentiality, authentication, integrity, access control or non-repudiation of data”), as provided by Department of Defense (DoD) Instruction 8500.2, “Information Assurance (IA) Implementation.” The DoDI 8500.2 definition is too broad, making it difficult to distinguish products that need higher protection from those that do not. As a consequence the products that need higher protection do not receive it, increasing risk. The threat-based definition proposed in this paper solves those problems by focusing attention on threats, thereby moving beyond compliance to risk management. (DoDI 8500.2 provides the definitions and controls that form the basis for IA across the DoD.) Familiarity with 8500.2 is assumed.
Complex basis functions revisited: Implementation with applications to carbon tetrafluoride and aromatic N-containing heterocycles within the static-exchange approximation

The method of complex basis functions for computing positions and widths of molecular resonances is revisited. An open-ended and efficient implementation is described. The basis set requirements of the complex basis are investigated within the computationally inexpensive static-exchange approximation, and the results of this investigation lead to a hierarchy of basis sets for complex basis function calculations on small molecules. These basis sets are then applied in static-exchange calculations on some larger molecules with multiple low energy shape resonances: carbon tetrafluoride, benzene, pyridine, pyrimidine, pyrazine, and s-triazine. The results indicate that more sophisticated methods using complex basis functions are worth pursuing in the search for accurate and computationally feasible methods for computing resonance energies in molecular systems.
Microbial reduction of manganese oxides - Interactions with iron and sulfur

Alteromonas putrefaciens (strain MR-1) is capable of rapid Mn(IV) reduction under conditions of neutral pH and temperatures characteristic of the Oneida Lake, New York, sediments from which it was isolated. MR-1 also reduces Fe(3+) to Fe(2+), and disproportionates thiosulfate to sulfide and sulfite; independently, the Fe(2+) and sulfide act as rapid reductants of Mn. The addition of Fe(3+) or thiosulfate to cultures of MR-1 in the presence of oxidized Mn increases the rate and the extent of Mn reduction relative to that observed in the absence of Fe(3+) or thiosulfate. Furthermore, when Fe(3+) and Mn oxides are present conjointly, Fe(2+) does not appear until the reduction of the oxidized Mn is complete. These results demonstrate that the observed rates of Fe(2+) and sulfide production may underestimate the total rates of Fe and sulfate reduction in those environments containing oxidized Mn. These results also demonstrate the potential impact that a single microbe can exert on sediment geochemistry, and provide the basis for preliminary models of the complexity of microbial and geochemical interactions that occur.
Polymerization of 5′-desoxyribonucleotides with β-imidazolyl-4(5)-propanoic acid

Abstract β-imidazolyl-4(5)-propanoic acid was found to act as a specific catalyst in the polymerization of the unprotected 5′-desoxyribonucleotides. Only the 3′–5′ internucleotide diester bond is formed and the overall yield of the di- and oligonucleotides is about 40 – 50%.
Genetic structure of two Thalassia testudinum populations from the south Texas Gulf coast

Abstract The south Texas Gulf coast is a unique ecosystem that contains a number of different bay systems. We used random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers to assess genetic diversity, differentiation and genetic distance between populations from two different bays that differed significantly in terms of flowering rate and disturbance. We found that while each bay contained a number of unique RAPD profiles, the average genetic diversity in each population was low. Genetic distance between the two populations was also low ( F st = 0.084) and the majority (92%) of the genetic variation was attributed to differences between individuals within populations. The population from the Laguna Madre location, however, was polymorphic for a larger number of markers, had a higher average genetic diversity and a larger number of unique RAPD profiles. The higher level of flowering at this location most likely accounts for the higher diversity.
HRR Field of a Moving Crack, an Experimental Analysis

Abstract An improved moire interferometry was used to record simultaneously both the vertical and horizontal displacements associated with stable crack growth in uniaxially and biaxially loaded 2024-0 and 2024-T3 aluminum, single edge notched specimens. For stable crack growth up to 5 mm, the vertical displacement field showed the dominance of the HRR field but the HRR field was detected in the horizontal displacement only at the initial stage of loading. The far and near field J- integrals were path independent and yielded the correct crack tip displacements only at the initial stage of loading in the horizontal direction and at the terminal stage of loading in the vertical displacement field. The preliminary results indicate that J- characterization of a moving crack, including that of rapid propagation, may not be valid for these ductile materials for this specimen configuration.
Hippocampal destruction in man and other animals.

Abstract Reports of patients in whom a “recent memory” deficit have been observed following bilateral or unilateral temporal lobe removal were reviewed. These reports were compared with the results of investigations using animals in which the hippocampus had been destroyed surgically. The hypothesis was advanced that the disease processes responsible for the conditions leading to temporal lobe surgery in man, especially those of an epileptic nature, may play a part in determining the differences between the human and animal observations. Studies of the behavioral effects produced by the establishment of artificial epileptogenic foci in the brains of otherwise normal animals tend to provide support for this hypothesis.
Spectrophotometric assay for mammalian cytosolic epoxide hydrolase using trans-stilbene oxide as the substrate

Abstract A continuous spectrophotometric assay based on the differences in the ultraviolet spectra of trans-stilbene oxide (TSO) and its reaction product l,2-diphenyl-l,2-ethanediol is described for the measurement of mammalian cytosolic epoxide hydrolase activity. Rates of TSO hydration determined by this method were similar to those obtained by independent analytical methods, and the assay is rapid, reproducible and relatively free from interference.
The Failed Tarsal Tunnel Release

Failed surgical releases of the tarsal tunnel may be due to numerous causes. Many of the failures are due to lack of appreciation of the involved anatomy or inadequate technique. When an insufficient release is done, a revision simply completes the necessary steps. When external scarring is the problem, barrier materials may be used to help protect the nerve after neurolysis. When intrinsic damage is the problem, nerve wrapping, reconstruction, conduits, and nerve stimulators all play a role to restore function or ameliorate pain.
Change of the nuclear charge radius in excitation of 2 + levels in ytterbium isotopes

Abstract Recoilless γ-ray spectroscopy was employed to study isomer shifts of 2 + ↔ 0 + rotational transitions in the ytterbium isotopes 170, 172, 174, 176 Yb. For 170 Yb conventional source experiments were performed, while for the other nuclei the method of recoil implantation through vacuum following Coulomb excitation was used to produce single line Mossbauer sources. For 170 Yb isomer shifts were measured for a series of divalent, trivalent, and metallic single line absorbers with mostly cubic symmetry. In addition the eflect of interference between resonant nuclear absorption followed by internal conversion and photoelectric absorption was observed. For the dispersion term a weighted mean of 2 ξ = −0.030±0.004 was derived. In the implantation experiments isomer shifts were measured between highly enriched absorbers of YbF 2 and Yb 2 S 3 . From the measured differences in isomer shifts the following ratios were derived: Δ〈r 2 〉 172 Δ〈r 2 〉 170 = 0.34±0.08 , Δ〈r 2 〉 174 Δ〈r 2 〉 170 = −0.37±0.07 , lΔ〈r 2 〉 176 Δ〈r 2 〉 170 = −0.14±0.04 . For an electron density difference of Δ | ψ | 2 = 4.0±1.2×10 26 cm −3 between Yb 3+ and Yb 2+ , as derived from optical isotope shift data for Yb and Sm ions, the following absolute values of Δ 〈 r 2 〉 were obtained: Δ 〈 r 2 〉 170 = 1.20±0.40×10 −3 fm 2 , Δ 〈 r 2 〉 172 = 0.41±0.20 x 10 −3 fm 2 , Δ 〈 r 2 〉 174 = −0.44±0.19 x 10 −3 fm 2 , Δ 〈 r 2 〉 176 = −0.17±0.10× 10 − fm 2 . This marked dependence of Δ 〈 r 2 〉 on the neutron number is especially striking in view of the constancy of nuclear deformation in this series of ytterbium isotopes, but it is in good agreement with the predictions of a recent microscopic theory of Meyer and Speth.
The efficient analytic computation of fractional reentering debris from an idealized isotropic explosion in general elliptic orbit

Abstract The efficient computation of the fraction of debris from an isotropic explosion in general elliptic orbit, that would fly in orbits whose perigees are below a certain given altitude is presented. Given an explosion velocity, a spacecraft idealized as a sphere breaks up into a myriad of small fragments, which either stay in earth orbit or reenter the atmosphere. Two angles φ and θ s uniquely define the orientation of the explosion velocity with respect to the pre-explosion velocity in a suitable rotating orbital reference frame. The locus of all points on the surface of the idealized sphere that separate the fragments that reenter the atmosphere from the fragments that stay in orbit has been obtained previously as an expression relating φ in terms of θ s . The debris fragment counts on either side of the locus curve on the idealized sphere being proportional to the respective areas enclosed by the curve, it is shown that the area calculations are made possible if θ s is instead cast in terms of φ because otherwise the angle φ can be multivalued in θ s complicating the area evaluations. By contrast, an analytic expression in the form of a quartic in the cosine of θ s is obtained and solved analytically for those values of φ called by the quadrature routine. Two real solution branches for cos θ s are thus generated with one branch valid for a certain range in φ , while the other branch provides the required solution for the complement of that range. The percentages of the debris fragments emanating from either side of the separating curve on the idealized sphere are thus evaluated rapidly through a few calls to the quartic solver routine. This analytic method provides identical accuracy percentages counts as a purely numerical method and it can readily be extended to analyze non-isotropic explosions as well.
The Akt-SRPK-SR Axis Constitutes a Major Pathway in Transducing EGF Signaling to Regulate Alternative Splicing in the Nucleus

Pre-mRNA splicing is regulated by developmental and environmental cues, but little is known about how specific signals are transduced in mammalian cells to regulate this critical gene expression step. Here, we report massive reprogramming of alternative splicing in response to EGF signaling. By blocking individual branches in EGF signaling, we found that Akt activation plays a major role, while other branches, such as the JAK/STAT and ERK pathways, make minor contributions to EGF-induced splicing. Activated Akt next branches to SR protein-specific kinases, rather than mTOR, by inducing SRPK autophosphorylation that switches the splicing kinases from Hsp70- to Hsp90-containing complexes. This leads to enhanced SRPK nuclear translocation and SR protein phosphorylation. These findings reveal a major signal transduction pathway for regulated splicing and place SRPKs in a central position in the pathway, consistent with their reputed roles in a large number of human cancers.
Gyroscopically induced vibrations of circular plates

An analytical study is presented for the vibrational response of simply supported and clamped circular plates subjected to gyroscopically induced, inertia loads. The plates are considered to be spinning at a constant rate while simultaneously undergoing a constant precession at a fixed angle of nutation. The equations of motion are formulated for members mounted either parallel or perpendicular to the spin axis and it is found that these equations contain distributed harmonic inertia forces whose amplitudes and frequencies are dependent on spin and precession. The solutions of these equations, obtained by Fourier-Bessel series expansions, show that the natural frequencies are reduced by the effects of spin and precession and that this effect may become appreciable for appropriate combinations of material properties and geometry. It is also shown that only certain modes of vibration respond to the gyroscopically induced inertia loading and that for members mounted parallel to the spin axis the motion is governed by a set of Mathieu equations along with the associated stability characteristics.
The case for an upper dose limit of 1000 mg/kg in rodent carcinogenicity tests

We examined two rodent carcinogenicity data bases comprising 301 chemicals from the US National Toxicology Program (NTP) and 241 pharmaceuticals from the US Physicians' Desk Reference (PDR) to determine the nature of the tumors produced at dose levels >1000 mg/kg (or equivalent dietary concentrations). Ten chemicals increased tumors only at dose levels greater than 1000 mg/kg. For six of these, the lowest dose tested was >1000 mg/kg, so they may be active at dose levels below 1000 mg/kg. One chemical was active in rats and mice, 2 in rats only and 7 in mice only. Four of the chemicals were mutagenic to Salmonella. The tumor types produced by the other six putatively non-genotoxic chemicals suggests that a high dose limit of 1000 mg/kg is appropriate for rodent bioassays. Overtly genotoxic chemicals are no longer routinely subjected to bioassays.
Detection and partial characterization of a midlamina lucida−hemidesmosome-associated antigen (19-DEJ-1) present within human skin

A murine anti-human monoclonal antibody (19-DEJ-1) has been produced that binds to basement membranes (BMs) of the dermoepidermal junction and arrector pili muscles but not to either dermal glandular or vascular BMs. 19-DEJ-1 also recognizes BMs underneath epithelia of buccal mucosa, tongue, esophagus, cervix, and cornea, and BMs surrounding smooth muscle in medium-sized vessels, placenta, uterus, and esophagus. when 16 human fetal skins (aged 54–142 gestational days) were examined, the antigen was first detected at 81 days. Using immunoperoxidase and immunogold staining techniques, indirect immunoelectron microscopy demonstrated localization of 19-DEJ-1 to the level of the midlamina lucida, directly underneath hemidesmosomes; absent staining was noted beneath melanocytes. 19-DEJ-1 antigen was detectable in unfixed A431 cells grown on coverslips. After radioincorporation of 35S-methionine into A431 cells, 19-DEJ-1 monoclonal antibody specifically precipitated 2.75% of the total radiolabeled proteoglycans produced in culture supernatant and isolated by anion exchange chromatography. On the basis of our present findings, we conclude that 19-DEJ-1 monoclonal antibody defines a unique primate-specific proteoglycan that is present within BMs along the epithelial-connective tissue interface and around smooth muscle in skin and other selected organs. Its unique ultra-structural localization suggests the possibility that 19-DEJ-1 may recognize an antigenic epitope of either anchoring filaments or alternatively, the subbasal dense plate.
Multiple modality treatment of carcinoma cells with Pt(Rh-123)2 plus x-ray plus light.

— A complex of platinum tetrachloride with two molecules of rhodamine-123 (Rh-123), Pt(Rh-123)2, has been reported to act as hypoxic cell radiosensitizer of carcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo. In the present paper we report that Pt(Rh-123)2 photosensitizes human mammary carcinoma (MCF-7) cells and cis-platinum resistant human mammary carcinoma (MCF-7/CP) cells to 400–800 nm light in vitro. The efficiency of photosensitization by Pt(Rh-123)2 was 10 times greater than for Rh-123. Combination therapy using Pt(Rh-123)2 plus x-ray plus light was also much more effective compared to the combination therapy using Rh-123 plus x-ray plus light. After 15 μM of Rh-123 plus x-ray (0–8 Gy) plus light (5 J/cm2) treatment, cell survival curve was parallel to the x-ray cell survival curve with an initial decrease in the surviving fraction corresponding to the drug plus light mediated killing. Cell killing caused by Rh-123 (15 μM) plus x-ray (0–8 Gy) plus light (5 J/cm2) was additive as determined by the product of the surviving fraction after Rh-123 plus light and x-ray. In contrast, for 15 μM of Pt(Rh-123)2 plus x-ray (8 Gy) plus light (5 J/cm2) treatment, whereas additive killing predicts a survival fraction of approximately 0.024, in reality, the combination therapy caused the survival fraction to decrease to 0.0012, implying that the cell killing was enhanced by a factor of 20. Using Pt(Rh-123)2 plus x-ray plus light, supraadditive cell killing was also observed under hypoxic conditions, although compared to normally oxygenated conditions the degree of cytotoxicity was significantly reduced. These results indicate that the platinum-Rh-123 complex acts both as a photo-and radiosensitizer and should be a highly effective drug for use with combined photo and x-irradiation.
Towards a null theory of the passive

1 The typology of passives as a theoretical problem The Principles and Parameters approach aimed to eliminate syntactic rules and constructions in favor of general movement processes and principles, and to account for language-specific syntax by construction-independent parameters. Disappointingly, much systematic syntactic variation, including the cross-linguistic variation in passives that is the topic of this article, turned out not to be reducible to construction-independent parameter settings. Subsequent work dealt with this residue by annotating individual functional heads with lexically specified uninterpreted features to encode their grammatical behavior. Completing the retreat from the parametric program, features of specific lexical items began to be made responsible for language-specific syntax. Differences between passives across languages were attributed to the different features of their passive morphemes or voice heads, in some cases even involving stipulations that de facto apply only in passives. The passive construction and the language-specific passive rules of pre-P&P days returned, albeit within a more ambitious theoretical framework. A wholesale return to construction-specific syntax may be premature, however. Although the parametric program is mainly identified with GB and its successors, it can be pursued in other frameworks as well, and arguably with better results. Here I make this case for constraint-based theories which eliminate NP-movement and rely instead on argument structure representation, specifically on Lexical Decomposition Grammar (LDG, Wunderlich 1997, 2006, MS., Stiebels 2002).1 A base-generated syntax driven by OT constraints can minimize construction-specificity by capitalizing on the parallel syntactic structure of different diatheses. I will be arguing for the null hypothesis that a language’s passive clauses have no passivespecific syntactic properties. Their syntax is predictable from the language’s active sentences and the argument structure of passive predicates, which is derived from the argument structure of the basic predicate by an invariant operation triggered by the passive morpheme. This operation demotes (existentially binds) the most prominent Theta-role that is not already demoted. The affix is morphologically specified for whether it forms verb stems or adjectival/participial stems which combine with a finite auxiliary to form a periphrastic passive. Thus, the grammar of a language need not specify anything about the passive morpheme except its existence and its phonological and morphological properties (sections 3-6). The distribution of the adjunct phrases that express the logical subject of passives is governed by syntactic and semantic properties of the case or preposition that heads them (section 7, shared with non-passive constructions such as nominalizations.
On the chemistry of ultralow wear rate materials

Abstract A variety of experiments were performed in a mild vacuum of 50 mTorr which defined the necessary chemical conditions associated with spontaneous solid surface segregation leading to a situation of ultralow wear rates. In particular, it was found that in a low oxygen environment solute segregation on solid-solid wear surfaces formed surface compounds having nearly zero wear rates. The surface compounds which provided such a response were generally presumed to be oxidized semiconductors. Furthermore, supporting solvent elements became depleted at the surface and apparently did not participate in the improved wear response. The transition to the condition of low wear was parallel to a transition to a low coefficient of friction.
Use of sodium amytal interviews in prepubertal children: indications, procedure, and clinical utility.

The sodium amytal interview has been successfully used to diagnose and treat certain adult psychiatric disorders. However, reports of its use in prepubertal children have been limited. This paper describes a safe and effective method of performing a sodium amytal interview in a child. Indications for its use are discussed and five case vignettes are presented. Subjects were psychiatric inpatients aged 9–12 for whom the interview speeded diagnosis and therby improved treatment. These cases illustrate that in certain clinical situations a properly performed sodium amytal interview is a useful tool in the diagnosis and treatment of prepubertal children.
Four-Photon Transition in Semiconductors

Based on a simple spherical energy-band model for the conduction and valence bands in cubic crystal, the transition probability for four-photon absorption is calculated theoretically by use of the Hartree-Fock and Hartree approximations for wave functions. These results are compared with those by Keldysh's high-frequency-limit time-dependent tunneling theory in a numerical example by applying the calculations to a ZnS crystal.
Applicability of Tetraphenylborate Salts as Free Radical Initiators

The reactivity of a series of triphenylbutylborate and tetraphenylborate photoinitiators with various ammonium chromophores was studied. The relative initiator efficiency of the triphenylbutylborate salts as compared to the corresponding tetraphenylborate salts with a common chromophore was determined. When the reduction potential of the chromophore is near −1.3 V (vs SCE), tetraphenylborate salts become almost as efficient photoinitiators of free radical polymerization as the corresponding triphenylbutylborate salts. A method to measure relative initiator efficiency of salts with a common chromophore based on fluorescent probe technology is proposed.
Case-based design and learning in telecommunications

Design has been one of the most difficult problems that Artificial Intelligence has faced until now. Design knowledge is almost impossible to gather and put into rules or other structured reasoning tool, and studies of human expert designers have shown that often the design process seems ad hoc and based on “intuition”. This paper presents a novel approach to automating design by using case-based reasoning and learning. It discusses how cases of previous designs are stored, how they are retrieved, how they are judged based on their adherence to design specifications, how the designs are created, and how the memory of design cases is expanded by learning. Finally, this paper presents the current state of an automated design tool based on these principles, which will be used in the intelligent design of network topologies.
Micromechanics of PS/PB/PS Triblock-Copolymer Films with Lamellar Morphology

Highly oriented, near single-crystal lamellar triblock copolymer films with alternating rubbery-glassy layer morphology possess an interesting anisotropy in their mechanical behavior, which can prove to be attractive for various applications. Here, the deformation micromechanics of highly oriented styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) lamellar triblock copolymers are investigated. The competing roles of the glassy (PS) and rubbery (PB) phases in the layered configuration are studied with micromechanical finite element based representative volume element (RVE) models subjected to tensile loading at different directions to the lamellar plane. The calculated material response is compared to x-ray and microscopy data from the literature, and proves to be successful in linking the macroscopic material response to the underlying physics of the microstructural evolution. Moreover, the RVE simulations are successful in reproducing the mechanical behavior of highly oriented nano-clay block copolymer nanocomposites. The response of layered-silicate models having 2wt% clay content is compared to the behavior of the respective neat block copolymer (BCP) and to existing experimental data. The ultimate objective is to facilitate these micromechanical models to design hierarchically ordered materials with properties, which will be optimally tailored for different classes of applications.
LMW heparin (anti-Xa) assays for clinical monitoring and pharmacokinetic studies on the automated coagulation laboratory (ACL)

Abstract Chromogenic anti-Xa activity procedures were developed for monitoring LMW heparins on the Automated Coagulation Laboratory 300 Plus (ACL, Instrumentation Laboratory) system. For daily monitoring, a “Routine” procedure was devised which allows accurate measurements between plasma levels of 0.1 and 1.0 u/ml LMW heparin. For lower levels a “Routine-Low” method was developed which assesses activities between 0.05 and 0.4 u/ml. Due to varlabilities in dODs of individual baseline plasmas, levels below 0.05 u/ml might be inaccurate when pooled normal plasma is used to establish the reference curve. While levels
Structural Formation of Huntingtin Exon 1 Aggregates Probed by Small-Angle Neutron Scattering

In several neurodegenerative disorders, including Huntington's disease, aspects concerning the earliest of protein structures that form along the aggregation pathway have increasingly gained attention because these particular species are likely to be neurotoxic. We used time-resolved small-angle neutron scattering to probe in solution these transient structures formed by peptides having the N-terminal sequence context of mutant huntingtin exon 1. We obtained snapshots of the formed aggregates as the kinetic reaction ensued to yield quantitative information on their size and mass. At the early stage, small precursor species with an initial radius of gyration of 16.1 ± 5.9 A and average mass of a dimer to trimer were monitored. Structural growth was treated as two modes with a transition from three-dimensional early aggregate formation to two-dimensional fibril growth and association. Our small-angle neutron scattering results on the internal structure of the mature fibrils demonstrate loose packing with ∼1 peptide per 4.75 A β-sheet repeat distance, which is shown to be quantitatively consistent with a β-helix model. This research provides what we believe to be new insights into the structures forming along the pathway of huntingtin exon 1 aggregation and should assist in determining the role that precursors play in neuronal toxicity.
Comprehensive expression profiling of tumor cell lines identifies molecular signatures of melanoma progression.

Background Gene expression profiling has revolutionized our ability to molecularly classify primary human tumors and significantly enhanced the development of novel tumor markers and therapies; however, progress in the diagnosis and treatment of melanoma over the past 3 decades has been limited, and there is currently no approved therapy that significantly extends lifespan in patients with advanced disease. Profiling studies of melanoma to date have been inconsistent due to the heterogeneous nature of this malignancy and the limited availability of informative tissue specimens from early stages of disease. Methodology/Principle Findings In order to gain an improved understanding of the molecular basis of melanoma progression, we have compared gene expression profiles from a series of melanoma cell lines representing discrete stages of malignant progression that recapitulate critical characteristics of the primary lesions from which they were derived. Here we describe the unsupervised hierarchical clustering of profiling data from melanoma cell lines and melanocytes. This clustering identifies two distinctive molecular subclasses of melanoma segregating aggressive metastatic tumor cell lines from less-aggressive primary tumor cell lines. Further analysis of expression signatures associated with melanoma progression using functional annotations categorized these transcripts into three classes of genes: 1) Upregulation of activators of cell cycle progression, DNA replication and repair (CDCA2, NCAPH, NCAPG, NCAPG2, PBK, NUSAP1, BIRC5, ESCO2, HELLS, MELK, GINS1, GINS4, RAD54L, TYMS, and DHFR), 2) Loss of genes associated with cellular adhesion and melanocyte differentiation (CDH3, CDH1, c-KIT, PAX3, CITED1/MSG-1, TYR, MELANA, MC1R, and OCA2), 3) Upregulation of genes associated with resistance to apoptosis (BIRC5/survivin). While these broad classes of transcripts have previously been implicated in the progression of melanoma and other malignancies, the specific genes identified within each class of transcripts are novel. In addition, the transcription factor NF-KB was specifically identified as being a potential “master regulator” of melanoma invasion since NF-KB binding sites were identified as consistent consensus sequences within promoters of progression-associated genes. Conclusions/Significance We conclude that tumor cell lines are a valuable resource for the early identification of gene signatures associated with malignant progression in tumors with significant heterogeneity like melanoma. We further conclude that the development of novel data reduction algorithms for analysis of microarray studies is critical to allow for optimized mining of important, clinically-relevant datasets. It is expected that subsequent validation studies in primary human tissues using such an approach will lead to more rapid translation of such studies to the identification of novel tumor biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
Discussion on the Relationship of Break-Point Frequencies to Delamination

Abstract In the following section, M.W. Kendig comments on “Determination of Coating Deterioration with EIS, Part I: Basic Relationships,” by F. Mansfeld and C.H. Tsai (published in this issue, pages 958 through 963). Mansfeld and Tsai respond in the section following Kendig's discussion.
A randomized trial of conjugated group B streptococcal type Ia vaccine in a rabbit model of ascending infection.

Abstract Objective: Maternal vaccination may become a central strategy in the prevention of early-onset group B Streptococcal sepsis. Unlike earlier group B streptococcal polysaccharide vaccines that were poorly immunogenic, newer vaccines conjugated to tetanus toxoid have been developed and have improved immunogenicity. We sought to evaluate a conjugated vaccine using our rabbit model of ascending infection. Study Design: Rabbit does were randomized to receive either conjugated group B streptococcal type Ia (Ia–tetanus toxoid) or conjugated group B streptococcal type III (III–tetanus toxoid) vaccine. Does were vaccinated 7 days before conception and 7 and 21 days after conception. On days 28 to 30 of a 30-day gestation, does were inoculated intracervically with 10 6 colony-forming units of type Ia group B Streptococcus . Labor was induced if does were undelivered after 72 hours. Does were observed up to 7 days after inoculation. Offspring were observed up to 4 days. We obtained maternal cultures from the uterus, peritoneum, and blood and offspring cultures from the mouth, anus, and blood. Antibody levels were also determined. Results: Offspring survival was significantly improved in the group receiving Ia–tetanus toxoid ( P = .047). Outcomes such as maternal sepsis and severe illness, although not reaching statistical significance, showed a trend toward improved outcomes in the Ia–tetanus toxoid group. Conclusions: This is the first study to evaluate the conjugated group B streptococcal vaccine by using any model of ascending infection. The Ia–tetanus toxoid vaccine led to improved survival and was immunogenic but fell short of its expected efficacy in preventing ascending group B streptococcal disease under these experimental conditions. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 1999;181:803-8.)
Oligomeric sequences in the cytoplasmic RNA of sea urchin embryos

Oligomeric stretches of adenylate and uridylate and polymeric segments of adenylate have been shown to exist in sea urchin embryo hnRNA. It is demonstrated here that at least some oligo(U)-enriched sequences are conserved in sea urchin cytoplasmic RNA, whereas apparently few, if any, oligo(A) sequences are so conserved.
Observation of a topological phase by means of a nonplanar Mach-Zehnder interferometer.

We report the direct observation of a topological phase, i.e., an Aharonov-Bohm-type phase, as a fringe shift in an optical interferometer, which consisted of a modified Mach-Zehnder interferometer, in which the light traveled along nonplanar paths in its two arms. These arms were arranged symmetrically so as to have nearly equal path lengths, but opposite senses of handedness. The relationship between the phase acquired by a circularly polarized light beam and the solid angle subtended by the circuit of the spin vector of a photon in this beam was found to be a linear one with a slope of unity. The sign of the fringe shift also agreed with theory.
A colorimetric titration method for quantification of millimolar glucose in a pH 7.4 aqueous phosphate buffer

3-Pyridinylboronic acid is identified as a key sensing element for reversible sugar complexation in an aqueous solution at the physiological pH. The utility of a sensing element has been demonstrated through a simple colorimetric titration of glucose using absorption spectroscopy in the visible region. The mechanism of the high diol/triol binding affinity of pyridine boronic acid in the neutral pH is discussed based on the 1H and 11B NMR spectroscopic studies.
Reliable and secure memories based on algebraic manipulation correction codes

The reliability and security of memories are crucial considerations in the modern digital system design. Traditional codes usually concentrate on detecting and correcting errors of certain types, e.g. errors with small multiplicities or byte errors, and cannot detect or correct unanticipated errors. In this paper we present a reliable and secure memory architecture based on robust Algebraic Manipulation Correction codes. These codes can provide a guaranteed error detection probability and can correct any error regardless of its multiplicity as long as the error stays for several consecutive clock cycles. The construction and the error correction procedure for the code will be described. The probability that an error can be successfully detected and/or corrected and the hardware overhead of the memory architecture based on these codes will be estimated.
Mononucleosis and Antigen-Driven T Cell Responses Have Different Requirements for Interleukin-2 Signaling in Murine Gammaherpesvirus Infection

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) has been implicated as being necessary for the optimal formation of primary CD8(+) T cell responses against various pathogens. Here we have examined the role that IL-2 signaling plays in several aspects of a CD8(+) T cell response against murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV-68). Exposure to MHV-68 causes a persistent infection, along with infectious mononucleosis, providing a model for studying these processes in mice. Our study indicates that CD25 is necessary for optimal expansion of the antigen-specific CD8(+) T cell response but not for the long-term memory response. Contrastingly, IL-2 signaling through CD25 is absolutely required for CD8(+) T cell mononucleosis.
Spatial frequency masking with briefly pulsed patterns

Spatial-frequency masking was studied with briefly pulsed (25 ms) vertical gratings. The mask was a noise grating, and the test pattern was a sinusoidal grating. A low-frequency band of noise masked a low- but not high-spatial-frequency test grating when the patterns were presented simultaneously. A high-frequency band of noise did not mask a low-frequency test grating when the patterns were presented simultaneously or when the mask was presented after the test pattern (backward masking). Masking was, however, observed when the mask or test pattern was of sufficiently high contrast so that the stimuli had nonlinear distortion and thus produced DC shifts of the field luminance.
Taking ‘WA Inc’ Seriously: An Analysis of the Idea and its Application to West Australian Politics

During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the term WA Inc (or WA Incorporated) became a by-word in the West Australian community for the failings, especially in their commercial activities, of the West Australian Labor governments of that period. Despite popular and academic interest in the notion of ‘WA Inc’, it is arguable that the conceptual linkage between ‘business’ and government, once central to popular interpretations of the term, remains under-analysed. This article has two main purposes: to illuminate usage of ‘WA Inc’ by identifying several basic referents of the term and relating these to popular criticisms of the West Australian government in the 1980s and to determine the importance of those criticisms, thereby contributing to the larger debate about capacity of government to emulate private sector business.
A water-immersible two-axis scanning mirror microsystem for ultrasound and photoacoustic microscopic imaging applications

For both ultrasound and photoacoustic microscopic imaging, a fast scanning ability is required, whereas the liquid environment for acoustic propagation limits the usage of traditional MEMS scanning mirrors. In this paper, a new waterimmersible scanning mirror microsystem has been designed, fabricated and tested. To achieve reliable underwater scanning, flexible polymer torsion hinges fabricated by laser micromachining were used to support the reflective silicon mirror plate. Two efficient electromagnetic microactuators consisting of compact RF choke inductors and high-strength neodymium magnet disc were constructed to drive the silicon mirror plate around a fast axis and a slow axis, respectively. The performance of the water-immersible scanning mirror microsystem in both air and water were tested using the laser tracing method. For the fast axis, the resonance frequency reached 224 Hz in air and 164 Hz in water, respectively. The scanning angles in air and water under ±10 V AC driving (at the resonance frequencies) were ±13.6° and ±10°. The scanning angles in both air and water under ±16 V DC driving were ±12°. For the slow axis, the resonance frequency reached 55 Hz in air and 38 Hz in water, respectively. The scanning angles in air and water under ±10 V AC driving (at the resonance frequencies) were ±8.5° and ±6°. The scanning angles in both air and water under ±10 V DC driving were ± 6.5°. The feasibility of using such a water-immersible scanning mirror microsystem for scanning ultrasound microscopic (SAM) imaging has been demonstrated with a 25-MHz ultrasound pulse/echo system and a target consisting of three optical fibers.
Jewish American Circumcision: A Review Article

Taken together, both of these books fill a major gap in the history of neonatal circumcision. While there have been other large-scale studies of circumcision by anthropologists, historians and Jewish Studies scholars, these have generally focused on either the symbolism and traditional meanings of the rite, or the medical and historical debates. None, however, approaches the topic from as many angles as these two books. Both authors do succeed in presenting broad historical overviews of the symbolism of, and debates about, circumcision. In discussions of circumcision, one’s choice of terminology can betray one’s position. Is it a cultural ritual, a religious obligation, an ethno-racial marking, a medical surgery, a brutal mutilation, or some combination of these? While Eric Silverman attends to many of these categories, he focuses his explorations on contradictory meanings of the ritual throughout Jewish history, literature and law. By not only providing a range of texts, but also reading many of the texts ‘against the grain’, he attempts to chart the dialogues and debates about circumcision without taking sides. By contrast, Leonard Glick argues that neonatal circumcision is a medically unnecessary surgery which amounts to a brutal mutilation of an individual who cannot speak for himself. Ultimately, Glick seems interested in texts only for the ways in which they demonstrate woefully primitive misunderstandings or actual negative effects of the procedure. In their presentations of biblical stories and commentaries, both authors explicitly note that they regard the texts as human compositions reflecting the culture of ancient Israel (rather than the social conventions and practices of the patriarchs or the absolute commandments of God). As Glick analyzes the biblical texts, he continues to insist on the human (male, power-hungry) ambitions of its authors. Throughout the book, he suggests that there is a clear distinction between those who ‘believe that they Theology & Sexuality
Union Wage Gap in the U.S. Construction Sector: 1983–2007

Wage gap decomposition shows that declining union power was the principal force behind the shrinking union wage premium in the U.S. construction industry between the 1980s and the 2000s. This decline was largely offset by changes in returns to workforce attributes and workforce compositions. Without these moderating effects, the decline in the wage gap would have been twice as large (in log points). The patterns were similar in the basic and mechanical trades, but magnitudes of change were larger in the latter.
Asymmetric synthesis of 2,4,5-trisubstituted piperidines from sulfinimine-derived δ-amino β-ketoesters. formal synthesis of pseudodistomin B triacetate

N-Sulfinyl δ-amino β-ketoester enaminones, a new sulfinimine-derived chiral building block, undergoes, on hydrolysis in one pot, an intramolecular Michael addition followed by a retro-Michael-type elimination to give enantiopure 2,4,5-trisubstituted piperidines, a structural motif found in numerous biologically active alkaloids. This new chiral building block is readily prepared by treating N-sulfinyl δ-amino β-ketoesters with dimethylformamide dimethyl acetal. This new protocol was illustrated with a concise formal asymmetric synthesis of marine alkaloid pseudodistomin B triacetate.