cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rheological properties and microstructure of high protein acid gels prepared from reconstituted milk protein concentrate powders of different protein contents

Abstract Milk protein concentrate (MPC) powders were manufactured by pilot-scale ultrafiltration and diafiltration of skim milk to different protein concentration factors, followed by spray-drying. MPC powders were reconstituted at 7.5% (w/w) protein. Suspensions were subsequently standardised to 15% (w/w) total solids with lactose and heated at 90 °C for 10 min at pH 6.9. Acid gels were prepared from the heated suspensions using glucono-delta-lactone. Protein interactions in the heated dispersions and rheological and microstructural properties of the acid gels were studied. Suspensions from the higher protein MPCs showed no dissociation of κ-casein into the serum phase after heating, whereas elastic moduli at pH 4.6 and the gelation pH of the acid gels were higher and water holding capacity and gelation time was lower in acid gels prepared with high-protein MPCs. Confocal microscopy images revealed an increase in the pore size of the acid gels prepared with high-protein MPCs.
Exact analysis of queueing networks with multiple job classes and blocking-after-service

Two models of closed queueing networks with blocking-after-service and multiple job classes are analyzed. The first model is a network withN stations and each station has either type II or type III. The second model is a star-like queueing network, also called a central server model, in which the stations may have either type I or type IV, with the condition that the neighbors of these stations must be of type II or type III such that blocking will be caused only by this set of station types. Exact product form solutions are obtained for the equilibrium state probabilities in both models. Formulae for performance measures such as throughput and the mean number of jobs are also derived.
Determination of major and minor elements in sintered fine ceramics by inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry utilizing a sputtering technique

Abstract A sputtering technique was applied to the decomposition of sintered fine ceramics for contamination-free analysis. Alumina-, zirconia- and lanthanum-doped lead zirconate titanates (PLZT) prepared as sputtering target were converted into thin films on a quartz plate by r.f. sputtering. The sample films were dissolved in hydrochloric or sulphuric acid as easily as the powdered samples. Major, minor and trace elements were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). The analytical results for alumina and zirconia agreed well with the original target composition under wide sputtering conditions, but it was necessary to optimize the r.f. power used in the sputtering process and the sputtering gas pressure for PLZT analysis. The relative standard deviations were approximately 1% for major 1–3% for minor and 3–8% for trace components.
Low hepatic glutathione S-transferase and increased hepatic DNA adduction contribute to increased tumorigenicity of aflatoxin B1 in newborn and partially hepatectomized mice

Abstract Low levels of hepatic glutathione S-transferase and increased formation of aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 )–DNA adducts correlate with hepatocyte proliferation and increased hepatocarcinogenesis in both newborn mice and partially hepatectomized adult mice, as compared to normal, adult C57BL/6J mice. Newborn mice, which are highly susceptible to the hepatocarcinogenic effects of AFB 1 , have active proliferation of hepatocytes until 3 weeks of age, when hepatocyte proliferation abruptly ceases. At about this time, the mice become highly resistant to AFB 1 . In adult mice, AFB 1 carcinogenicity is increased after stimulation of liver proliferation by partial hepatectomy. To become carcinogenic, AFB 1 is activated in the liver by the P450 enzyme system to electrophilic intermediates, some of which form DNA adducts believed to be responsible for mutations leading to cancer. The most carcinogenic intermediate, AFB 1 -8,9-epoxide, is detoxified by glutathione S-transferase-mediated conjugation to glutathione. Glutathione levels, glutathione S-transferase levels, and AFB 1 –DNA adduct formation were measured at 4, 10, 30, 120, 245 and 365 days of age in C57BL/6J mice. There was a 5-fold increase in hepatic glutathione S-transferase levels and 13-fold decrease in hepatic AFB 1 –DNA adduct formation over these ages. Induction of hepatocyte proliferation following partial hepatectomy of 120-day-old mice lowered hepatic glutathione S-transferase levels and increased the extent of hepatic AFB 1 –DNA formation to levels similar to those measured in 4-day-old mice. These results indicate that increased susceptibility to AFB 1 hepatocarcinogenesis in newborn mice, and in adult mice following partial hepatectomy, is due to decreased GST and increased adduct formation in proliferating liver.
Parallel variation at an enzyme locus in sibling species of field crickets

ELECTROPHORETIC surveys of levels of heterozygosity in animal species have established that populations often contain large amounts of genetic variation at loci coding for soluble proteins1–3. This has led to an extended debate about the causes of such variation. In particular, two opposing views have emerged, one emphasising the importance of balancing selection in maintaining the protein variation (selectionist) and the other emphasising the importance of stochastic processes (neutralist)4–6. Here I examine spatial patterns of variation at a single enzyme locus in two closely related insect species. I argue that since these sympatric species not only have similar mean frequencies of particular electrophoretic variants, but also exhibit a common pattern of geographic variation, parallel selection provides the only satisfactory explanation.
Procedures for the automated analyses of proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans

Abstract Methods for the automated analysis of hexose, uronic acid, and protein using the Technicon AutoAnalyzer II have been developed by modifying previously published procedures. A method of separating glucosamine and galactosamine, which is eminently suited to quantitating one in the presence of a large amount of the other, is reported. Procedures that can be recommended for determining the amino acid content and individual neutral sugars of proteoglycans or glycosaminoglycans are also described.
On Matters of the Spirit

W hat can “the spiritual” mean today to our supposedly post-metaphysical, increasingly globalized world? What usefulness could the concept have to an era in which spiritual belief has been utterly co-opted by radical rightwing cultural politics, and just as utterly commodified by the wellness and experience tourism industries? Of what might a uniquely contemporary spirituality consist, a spirituality appropriate to our times? At a moment when these questions—and many related ones concerning secularism and post-secularism, broadly put—have radically divided opinion across the worlds of contemporary political, academic, and artistic debate, Lincoln Center unveiled its first annual White Light Festival, devoted to the topic of “the spiritual dimension of music.” While the festival didn’t actively seek definitive answers to these questions, it nevertheless invited reflection on them. Moreover, it provided ample opportunities for audiences to begin thinking about these problems in the light of three weeks’ worth of performance events, ranging from concerts by the Icelandic “post-rock” band Sigur Ros in concert with the Latvian National Choir and the UK’s Hilliard Ensemble, to The Manganiyar Seduction, an evening of Hindustani classical music and traditional Sufi performed by a group of thirty-eight Rajasthani, Muslim musicians. The festival’s producers could hardly be faulted for a lack of ambition.
Measurements and simulations of scatter imaging as a simultaneous adjunct for screening mammography

X-ray coherent scatter is dependent upon the molecular structure of the scattering material and hence allows differentiation between tissue types with potentially much higher contrast than conventional absorption-based radiography. Coherent-scatter computed tomography has been used to produce images based on the x-ray scattering properties of the tissue. However, the geometry for CT imaging requires a thin fan beam and multiple projections and is incommensurate with screening mammography. In this work we demonstrate progress in a developing a system using a wide slot beam and simple anti-scatter grid which is adequate to differentiate between scatter peaks to remove the fat background from the coherent scatter image. Adequate intensity in the coherent scatter image can be achieved at the dose commonly used for screening mammography to detect carcinoma surrogates as small as 2 mm in diameter. This technique would provide an inexpensive, low dose, simultaneous adjunct to conventional screening mammography to provide a localized map of tissue type that could be overlaid on the conventional transmission mammogram. Comparisons between phantom measurements and Monte Carlo simulations show good agreement, which allowed for detailed examination of the visibility of carcinoma under realistic conditions.
Integrating digital logic design and assembly programming using FPGAs in the classroom

Rising Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) market volumes combined with increasing industrial popularity have driven prices down and improved capability to the point that FPGA hardware and development environments afford academia the unique opportunity to embrace this technology not only in specialized graduate-level courses, but also across many of the courses of a traditional undergraduate computer science curriculum.We have begun adapting several of our undergraduate computer science courses and associated laboratories to make use of FPGAs as a common platform of instruction. In this paper, we illustrate how to make use of FPGAs in courses that cover digital logic design and assembly programming while discussing some of the pro's and con's of their use. We also provide a detailed discussion of a laboratory project that integrates both assembly programming as well as digital logic design in such a way that allows the student to perform a trade-off analysis between using software in the place of a purely hardware-based solution to a common interfacing problem.We conclude with an analysis of preliminary data gathered via student surveys and find that the results support the use of FPGA-based platforms in the undergraduate classroom. By making use of FPGA-based systems, not only are students exposed to a technology that is becoming much more prevalent in industry, they also benefit from the dovetailing of concepts and shorter learning curves between courses that come from making use of a common target platform.
Examining the Role of the M1-M2 Loop in Cys-Loop Receptor Desensitization and Gating

The intracellular M1-M2 loop of Cys-loop receptors connects the pore-lining M2 α-helix with the adjacent M1 α-helix, and it is located near the narrowest constriction of the open pore. In ganglionic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs), oxidation of the −4’ cysteine in this linker greatly affects the kinetics of recovery from desensitization; in glycine receptors (GlyRs), a naturally occurring mutation significantly alters the biophysical properties of these receptors, leading to hyperekplexia in humans. However, despite these findings, the M1-M2 loop's role in gating and desensitization of Cys-loop receptors has yet to receive thorough investigation. To this end, we engineered a series of mutations to the M1-M2 loops of the human α3β4 AChR, adult muscle AChR, and α1 GlyR. Mutations to the −4’ cysteine of α3β4 AChRs had only small effects on deactivation and responses to low-frequency repetitive stimulation in the whole-cell configuration. In the GlyR, alanine and threonine scans of the M1-M2 loop did not consistently change receptor kinetics, as measured in fast-perfused outside-out patches; however, the large patch-to-patch variability in GlyR behavior complicated our comparison across mutants. In the muscle AChR, alanine, glycine, proline, and valine scans were performed on the M1-M2 loop of the α1 subunit, and their effects were measured in fast-perfused outside-out patches. Remarkably, just as mutations to M2 consistently lead to a prolongation of the rate of deactivation, so too mutations to the M1-M2 loop invariably led to an increase of the rate of entry into desensitization; thus, just as residues in M2 very likely change microenvironments during channel gating, so too do residues in the M1-M2 loop during desensitization. This result suggests that the desensitization gate of the AChR is located near the narrowest constriction of the open channel.
The distribution of motoneurones supplying chick hind limb muscles.

1. The motor nuclei supplying many of the hind limb muscles were localized in late chick embryos (stage 36-37; 10-11 days) by utilizing the technique of retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase. 2. Each nucleus was found to be localized in a characteristic position in both the rostro-caudal and transverse plane of the spinal cord with only slight individual variation. 3. Each motor nucleus consisted of an elongate, coherent cluster of labelled cells, with few cells occurring outside the cluster. Thus, there did not appear to be extensive overlap of nuclei nor extensive intermingling of motoneurones projecting to different muscles. 4. The position of a motor nucleus in the transverse plane was not correlated with whether its muscle was used as an extensor or flexor; nor were adjacent nuclei necessarily co-activated during normal unrestrained walking movements as deduced from e.m.g. recordings. The position of a motor nucleus also was not correlated in a topographical manner with the adult position in the limb of the muscle to which it projected. 5. Further, while no correlation was found between the rostrocaudal position of a motor nucleus and the embryonic muscle mass from which its muscle was derived, such a relationship existed for the medio-lateral position; all muscles arising from the dorsal muscle mass, regardless of their function or adult position, were innervated by laterally situated motoneurones, all muscles arising from the ventral muscle mass by medially situated motoneurones. 6. It is concluded that motoneurone position is most closely correlated with ontogenetic events presumaeriphery. It can also be inferred that the central connexions onto motoneurones, responsible for their proper activation, cannot be achieved by a simple mechanism based largely on the position of the motoneurone soma.
Examining social physique anxiety and disordered eating in college women. The roles of social comparison and body surveillance

Social physique anxiety has been found to be associated with disordered eating. However, what is not yet known is what behaviors college women may engage in that strengthen this relation. In the current study, we examined two possible moderating factors, social comparison and body surveillance. We examined whether these moderators might also generalize to trait anxiety, as well. Participants were 265 women attending a Southeastern university. Social comparison (both general and appearance-related) and body surveillance were tested as moderators of the relation between social physique anxiety and disordered eating. Results indicated that general social comparison, appearance-related social comparison, and body surveillance significantly moderated this relation. Individuals who were high in social physique anxiety and who reported high levels of general or appearance-related social comparison or body surveillance reported much higher levels of disordered eating than those with high social physique anxiety and low levels of these behaviors. Results indicated that only the trait anxiety×body surveillance interaction was significant in identifying elevated disordered eating. Results provide information regarding who may experience high levels of disordered eating in association with social physique anxiety, which has clinical implications including the conceptualization of social comparison and body surveillance as safety behaviors.
Amiloride inhibition of angiogenesis in vitro.

Angiogenesis is important to such processes as normal embryonic development and tissue growth, and is also a central feature of diseases such as diabetic retinopathy and the growth of solid tumors. Understanding the basic events governing angiogenesis has therefore attracted great interest. The ion channel blocking agent, amiloride, has been shown to inhibit angiogenesis in an in vivo model (Lansing et al., '91). This suggested a vital role for Na+ -coupled transport processes in angiogenesis. A large number of structural analogues of amiloride have been synthesized (Kleyman and Cragoe, '88), and many of these are well characterized with respect to biological activity. These analogues present an opportunity to dissect the process of angiogenesis and identify potentially important physiological events. In this report we describe the effects of amiloride on an in vitro model for angiogenesis employing vascularized tissue explants. Amiloride inhibits capillary morphogenesis completely and reversibly at concentrations as low as 134 μM. It appears to act by blocking endothelial cell proliferation, but not migration. Inhibition is heightened by the introduction of hydrophobic groups on the terminal guanidino nitrogen atom, or on the 5-amino position. An analogue substituted at both of these positions is 30-fold more potent than the parent compound. Of amiloride's known biological activities, these results most closely correlate with the inhibition of Ca2+ transport processes, and thereby suggest an important role for Ca2+ transport in capillary morphogenesis. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Discrete Probability Function Method for the Calculation of Turbulent Particle Dispersion

Dispersion of liquid drops in spray combustion systems is a critical parameter for high combustion efficiency. A discret probability function method is applied to particle dispersion calculations in a turbulent two-phase flow and provides accurate simulations with low statistical noise
Stabilization of disease as an indicator of clinical benefit associated with chemotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer patients.

In Phase II oncology studies, response rate has traditionally been used to assess activity. However stabilization of disease (SD) may also provide patient benefit. To assess the value of SD (stabilization of measurable disease for at least 8 weeks) as a predictor of survival following chemotherapy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), we have analyzed data from 198 NSCLC patients receiving topotecan i.v. or orally as first-line therapy either as single agent or in combination. Proportional hazards (Cox) regression models showed that responders [complete response (CR) + partial response (PR), 1.5% and 11.6% respectively] had an estimated risk of death that was 9.8% (95% CI: 4.2% to 22.7%) of that for progressive disease (PD) (60.1% of the patient population). Similarly, patients with SD (26.8% of the patient population) showed a potential benefit with a risk of death that was 27.7% of the one of patients with PD (95% CI: 17.8% to 43.1%). In conclusion SD may be a useful indicator of patient benefit from chemotherapy for NSCLC.
New forms of the INAA advance prediction computer program

The development and experimental testing of a new instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) Advance Prediction Computer Program (APCP) is described for activation by high-intensity, short-duration reactor pulses. Also presented are the results of extensive experimental testing of the APCP for epithermal INAA. Brief mention is made of other forms of the APCP not yet completed, but in various stages of development.
Development and Characterization of Microsatellite Markers for the Grain Amaranths

The grain amaranths (Amaranthus hypochondriacus L., A. cruentus L., and A. caudatus L.) are important pseudo-cereals native to the Americas. The objective of this project was to produce and characterize a set of highly informative, reproducible microsatellite markers for the grain amaranths. A total of 1457 clones were sequenced from three microsatellite-enriched libraries. Of these, 353 contained unique microsatellites. An additional 29 microsatellite loci were identified from 728 bacterial artificial chromosome-end sequences. A total of 179 micro-satellites were polymorphic across accessions from the three grain amaranths. Among these polymorphic microsatellite loci, a total of 731 alleles were identified with an average of four alleles per locus. Heterozygosity values ranged from 0.14 to 0.83, with a mean value of 0.62. Thirty-seven (21%) of the markers were polymorphic between the parents of a segregating population. Phylogenetic analysis using the marker data placed A. hybridus L. accessions into two of the three grain amaranth clades, suggesting the polyphyletic evolution of the three cultivated species from different A. hybridus ancestors. The transferability of these markers to A. hybridus, A. powellii S. Wats., and A. retroflexus L. is reported and suggests that these markers may be useful in studying other species within the genus Amaranthus, including several economically important weeds and ornamentals.
Sex-reversed phenotype in association with two novel mutations c.2494delA and c.T3004C in the ligand-binding domain of the androgen receptor gene.

Objective To establish the diagnosis of complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (CAIS) in two patients with characteristic clinical and hormonal findings, relative family history in one of them, and unusual Mullerian remnants in the other. Design Case report. Setting Research laboratory in the Department of Medical Genetics at a university children's hospital. Patient(s) Two patients with 46,XY sex reversal and two maternal aunts of the first patient with the same clinical condition were tested. Intervention(s) Bilateral gonadectomy was performed on both patients. Main Outcome Measure(s) Genetic counseling, cancer prophylaxis, hormone substitution therapy. Result(s) Molecular analysis revealed two novel mutations, a frameshift familial (c.2494delA) in patient 1 and a missense sporadic (c.T3004C) in patient 2. The c.2494delA mutation was also detected in two of the three affected maternal aunts of patient 1. Patient 2 presents an unusual persistence of Mullerian structures. Conclusion(s) Genetic counseling of potential women carriers of androgen receptor (AR) mutations is crucial for the early diagnosis of the affected offspring. The presence of Mullerian remnants, although rare, should not exclude the diagnosis of CAIS. Both identified mutations are novel and provide further evidence for the correlation between specific AR mutations and phenotype.
Decision support system design and development issues: the HRSOS experience

To better quarter personnel, the Department of Defense (DOD) has entered into experimental joint ventures with private developers to construct attractive housing projects on military installation property. A decision support system, called the Housing Revitalization Support Office System (HRSOS), has been developed to support the financial analysis of the joint ventures. By improving the analysis, this system is expected to save the DOD about $600,000 above design, development, and maintenance costs during the demonstration phase of the privatization program. To obtain the benefits, the HRSO experience suggests that DSS design, development, and implementation should be a team effort through an adaptive design strategy. It also indicates that an integrated suite of software development and implementation tools, offering rapid prototyping, computer assisted software engineering, and object-oriented analysis, can promote this strategy.
Synchrotron X-ray fluorescence analysis of zoned carbonate gangue in Mississippi Valley-type deposits (U.S.A.)

Abstract Synchrotron X-ray fluorescence analysis (SXRFA) was used to analyze the concentrations of Fe and Mn in breccias and gangue carbonate minerals of the Right Fork area in the Central Tennessee zinc district. The technique permits the detection of elements with atomic numbers > 20 at the ppm level. The detection limits for Fe and Mn are 2–3 ppm and the analytical precision is estimated to be within ±10–20% (relative), based on a comparison with standards previously analyzed using an electron microprobe (EMP). Individual zones in gangue dolomite, recognized using cathodoluminescence (CL) microscopy, were found to contain different concentration levels of Fe (ranging from 20 to 36,000 ppm) and Mn (ranging from 30 to 900 ppm) depending on the nature of the host mineral and the spatial distribution of the sample within the Right Fork area. Small differences in trace-element composition may be responsible for visually observable differences in the intensity of the luminescence associated with the zones. Bright-red luminescence of dolomite was not suppressed in zones having Fe/Mn ratios as high as 12, at least when the Fe concentration was The presence of fluid inclusions in the samples did not seem to affect the elemental analyses, but areas which contain solid inclusions should be avoided because they can have a significant influence on trace-element concentrations. Combined with information obtained using CL microscopy, isotope analysis and other techniques, SXRFA offers the possibility of tracing zoned carbonate gangue over long distances and, perhaps, even determining the direction of fluid flow.
Performance of open tubular columns as a function of tube diameter and liquid phase film thickness

Wall-coated, open-tubular (capillary) columns prepared from different diameter tubing, with different liquid phase film thickness, are compared with each other and with packed and support-coated open-tubular columns. The comparison is based on the variation of the phase ratio and the capacity factor, and includes column efficiency (HETP, theoretical plate number), resolution, retention time, and sample capacity. Problems associated with the evaluation of the sample capacity are outlined. The influence of temperature on column performance is discussed in detail. Finally, the possibilities of short, wide-bore open-tubular columns prepared with a thick liquid-phase film are demonstrated.
Convergence bounds for nonlinear programming algorithms

Bounds on convergence are given for a general class of nonlinear programming algorithms. Methods in this class generate at each interation both constraint multipliers and approximate solutions such that, under certain specified assumptions, accumulation points of the multiplier and solution sequences satisfy the Fritz John or the Kuhn—Tucker optimality conditions. Under stronger assumptions, convergence bounds are derived for the sequences of approximate solution, multiplier and objective function values. The theory is applied to an interior—exterior penalty function algorithm modified to allow for inexact subproblem solutions. An entirely new convergence bound in terms of the square root of the penalty controlling parameter is given for this algorithm.
Discrimination of Outer Membrane Proteins using Reformulated Support Vector Machine based on Neutrosophic Set

Neutrosophic logic is introduced in 1995 as a generalization of fuzzy logic. It includes a new component as neutralities. In this paper, we propose a novel neutronsophic set for SVM inputs and combine it with the reformulated SVM which treats samples differently according to the weighting function. The proposed classifier helps reducing the effects of outliers. We test it on discriminating outer membrane proteins (OMPs) from globular proteins and α-helical membrane proteins using amino acid composition and residue pair information. The experiment results show that the proposed method outperforms the traditional SVM in both classification accuracy and MCC.
Some Historical and Future Aspects of Engineering Mechanics

This paper considers some historical aspects of engineering mechanics with emphasis on the long historical development of mechanics from the evolution of mathematics and tool making before the Common Era to modern genomic and nanoengineering research. To focus, the discussion is divided into five periods of development: (1) engineering mechanics before the Common Era B.C., (2) development between the first and sixteenth centuries; (3) acceleration in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries; (4) glory of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries; and (5) window in the twenty-first century. The paper also attempts to project a personal view on the future development in the next 50 years in engineering mechanics. This is given in a section of science fiction and fact at the end of the paper.
A Compromise between Speed and Complexity in a BCD Adder

This paper presents a logic design for a new decimal-digit parallel adder. The output decimal carry delay time is reduced and the addition speed of two BCD numbers is improved. The inter-stage output carries of a binary adder are essentially eliminated. Also the hardware is economized. The corrected decimal sums and output carry are produced simultaneously, in contrast with the conventional method, whose decimal sums are delayed utter the output carry.
An empirical assessment of the residual income valuation model

Abstract This paper provides an empirical assessment of the residual income valuation model proposed in Ohlson (Ohlson, J.A., 1995. Earnings, book values and dividends in security valuation. Contemporary Accounting Research 11, 661–687). We point out that existing empirical research relying on Ohlson's model is similar to past research relying explicitly on the dividend-discounting model. We establish that the key original empirical implications of Ohlson's model stem from the information dynamics that link current information to future residual income. Our empirical results generally support Ohlson's information dynamics. However, we find that our empirical implementation of Ohlson's model provides only minor improvements over existing attempts to implement the dividend-discounting model by capitalizing short-term earnings' forecasts in perpetuity.
Trait Judgments about the Self: Evidence from the Encoding Specificity Paradigm

How do people decide whether a trait is self-descriptive? According to the computational view, judging a trait for self-descriptiveness is accomplished by retrieving trait-relevant autobiographical episodes from memory and computing the similarity of the trait to the information retrieved. By contrast, the trait summary view argues that trait judgments are made by referring directly to abstract, summary knowledge of one's traits in memory. In previous work using a priming paradigm, the authors obtained support for the trait summary view. This article discusses a potential limitation of that paradigm and reports results from a new paradigm that is not subject to the same concerns. The findings converge with those of previous studies on the conclusion that trait self-descriptiveness judgments do not require the retrieval of trait-relevant autobiographical memories.
A human Mad protein acting as a BMP-regulated transcriptional activator

THE TGF-β/activin/BMP cytokine family signals through serine/threonine kinase receptors, but how the receptors transduce the signal is unknown. The Mad (Mothers against decapentaplegic) gene from Drosophila1 and the related Sma genes from Caenorhabditis elegans2 have been genetically implicated in signalling by members of the bone-morphogenetic-protein (BMP) subfamily. We have cloned Smad1, a human homologue of Mad and Sma. Microinjection of Smad1 messenger RNA into Xenopus embryo animal caps mimics the mesoderm-ventralizing effects of BMP4. Smad1 moves into the nucleus in response to BMP4. Smad1 has transcriptional activity when fused to a heterologous DNA-binding domain, and this activity is increased by BMP4 acting through BMP-receptor types I and II. The transactivating activity resides in the conserved carboxy-terminal domain of Smad1 and is disrupted by a nonsense mutation that corresponds to null mutations found in Mad and in the related gene DPC4, a candidate tumour-suppressor gene in human pancreatic cancer3. Additionally, we show that DPC4 contains a transcriptional activation domain. The results suggests that the Smad proteins are a new class of transcription factors that mediate responses to the TGF-β family.
Attitudes toward Interview Mode and Comparability of Reporting Sexual Behavior by Personal Interview and Audio Computer-assisted Self-interviewing Analyses of the 1995 National Survey of Family Growth

Respondents' attitudes toward audio computer-assisted self-interviewing (audio-CASI) relative to personal interviewing and comparability of reporting of the number of sex partners in the past year were assessed using the 1995 National Survey of Family Growth. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used. Few women indicated that the personal interview, relative to audio-CASI, provided more honest answers or greater comfort. However minority group members, especially Hispanics, were more likely to prefer personal interviews. Most women (83.4 percent) provided consistent reports of number of sex partners on the two modes, 12.6 percent reported more sex partners with audio-CASI, and 4. 0 percent reported nore partners in the personal interview. Hispanic women and women of other racelethnicity were significantly more likely to have decreased reporting of sex partners with audio-CASI. Further methodologic research is needed on mode effects among minority populations. Reporting errors associated with the data collection technology could obscure important findings
Asymmetric Unwrapping of Nucleosome Revealed by Single Molecule Fluorescence-Force Spectroscopy

The nucleosome is the fundamental unit of eukaryotic chromatin structure which compacts DNA in the nucleus. It is a stable yet dynamic complex which is significant to transcriptional regulation. In cells, DNA is likely to be under tension to varying extents. For example enzymes such as RNA polymerase and chromatin remodelers can generate force on nucleosomes. Thus it is important to understand the dynamics of nucleosomes under mechanical constraints. We are utilizing a cutting-edge single-molecule optomechanical technology which combines fluorescence with optical tweezers (aka ‘fleezers') to probe the conformational transitions of nucleosomes under force. Our hybrid fleezers instrument provides fluorescence readouts with nm resolution under pN levels of force applied in order to locally monitor conformational dynamics of nucleosome at various coordinates. Here, we report the first observation of force-dependent gradual unwrapping and rewrapping of the nucleosome using fluorescence reporters. Moreover, we observed force-induced two-state hopping corresponding to the opening and closing of the outer DNA wrap as well as more complex transitions for the inner wrap. Interestingly, our fluorescence probes at various locations report significant asymmetric unwrapping behavior. In our pulling experiments, it takes less than 6 pN to unwrap the outer DNA at the 3' end of the 601 positioning sequence but takes up to ∼15-17 pN to unwrap the DNA from the 5' end. Asymmetric unwrapping may have implications for how enzymes such as chromatin remodelers interact with nucleosome substrates.
Clinical implications in the treatment of mania: Reducing risk behavior in manic patients

Bipolar individuals engage in risky behavior during manic phases that contributes to their vulnerability to regret during their depressive phases. A cognitive model of risk assessment is proposed in which manic risk assessment is based on exaggeration of current and future resources, high utility for gains, low demands for information to assess risk, discounting of losses and regret, and overestimation of the ability to replicate behavior. Drawing on this manic model of decision-making, specific cognitive interventions are described that assist the manic individual in moderating risky behavior.
Dosage determination of ultrasmall particles of iron oxide for the delineation of microvasculature in the Wistar rat brain.

Ultrasmall particles of iron oxide (USPIOs) are magnetic resonance (MR) contrast agents, which are cleared by the polymorphonuclear system. Because of their unique clearance characteristics, the plasma half-life of USPIOs is prolonged and has been categorized as a blood-pool MR contrast agent for magnetic resonance angiography (MRA).1–5 In these studies, USPIO produced a strong T1 effect to visualize the vessels at conventional 1.5-Tesla (T) magnetic field strength. In addition, USPIO also has a strong T2* effect, which can be detected by T2*-sensitive sequences, such as gradient recalled echo (GRE).6–8 In the central nervous system, the distinct macrophage-microglia is quiescent in the presence of an intact blood-brain barrier. Under physiological conditions, USPIO only circulates in cerebral blood vessels rather than penetrating the blood-brain barrier.7 This leads to a concentration gradient between cerebral vessels and surrounding brain parenchyma, which provides an opportunity to visualize cerebral microvasculature on steady state T2* GRE sequences. Ultra high field (UHF) MR systems provide significantly higher signal to noise ratio (SNR) and more pronounced susceptibility effect relative to lower field systems. 9–12 These 2 advantages of UHF MRI combined with the use of USPIO intravascular contrast agents make it possible to obtain high-resolution negative-enhanced images of the normal rodent brain microvasculature. The purpose of the present study was to determine the optimal dosage of USPIO in normal Wistar rat brain using an 8-T MRI system. This dosage can then be applied toward the in vivo visualization of microvascularity in rodent brain pathologies such as stroke and glioma. Ultimately, it can serve as a reference for establishing dosages for imaging microvascularity in human pathology.
Hydrogenation of residual oil using an ore derived water soluble ammonium molybdate catalyst

Abstract Hydrogenation of residual oil, though attractive, has been expensive due to hydrogen requirements, high pressure equipment, and high cost of a generally used cobalt-molybdenum supported catalyst. In this study hydrogenation of atmospheric residual oil (260 °C + ) with API gravity of 16 (20 °C) and viscosity of 252 × 10 −3 Pa s (30 °C) is carried out in an internally stirred autoclave in the presence of a dispersed water soluble unsupported ammonium molybdate catalyst prepared from a molybdenum ore. This provides an effective economic alternative to the use of expensive supported commercial catalysts for the hydrogenation of residual oil. The most suitable hydrogenation experimental conditions for the hydrogenation of residual oil were found to be 0.216% molybdenum based on residual oil, 13.8 MPa pressure, 405 °C reactor temperature, and 30 min reaction time. Under these conditions, API gravity of the product oil increased to 23 with a decrease in viscosity to 16.6 × 10 −3 Pa s. An ASTM distillation of the hydrogenated residual product gave 34% liquid boiling below 235 °C.
Interactive tool for visualization of adiabatic adjustment in APH coordinates for computational studies of vibrational motion and chemical reactions

Abstract The adiabatically-adjusting principal-axes hyperspherical (APH) coordinates reviewed in this letter are one of the best coordinate sets developed for computational treatment of spectroscopy and dynamics of triatomic molecules. Unfortunately, it is not so easy to understand and interpret them, compared to other simpler coordinates, like valence coordinates or Jacobi coordinates. To address this issue, we developed a desktop application called APHDemo. This tool visualizes the process of adjustment of the APH coordinates to the shape of a triatomic molecule during molecular vibrations or chemical reaction, and helps to understand their physical meaning without going into complicated math.
Inhibition of Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3β Is Sufficient for Airway Smooth Muscle Hypertrophy

We examined the role of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) inhibition in airway smooth muscle hypertrophy, a structural change found in patients with severe asthma. LiCl, SB216763, and specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) against GSK-3β, each of which inhibit GSK-3β activity or expression, increased human bronchial smooth muscle cell size, protein synthesis, and expression of the contractile proteins α-smooth muscle actin, myosin light chain kinase, smooth muscle myosin heavy chain, and SM22. Similar results were obtained following treatment of cells with cardiotrophin (CT)-1, a member of the interleukin-6 superfamily, and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, a proasthmatic cytokine. GSK-3β inhibition increased mRNA expression of α-actin and transactivation of nuclear factors of activated T cells and serum response factor. siRNA against eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2Be (eIF2Be) attenuated LiCl- and SB216763-induced protein synthesis and expression of α-actin and SM22, indicating that eIF2B is required for GSK-3β-mediated airway smooth muscle hypertrophy. eIF2Be siRNA also blocked CT-1- but not TGF-β-induced protein synthesis. Infection of human bronchial smooth muscle cells with pMSCV GSK-3β-A9, a retroviral vector encoding a constitutively active, nonphosphorylatable GSK-3β, blocked protein synthesis and α-actin expression induced by LiCl, SB216763, and CT-1 but not TGF-β. Finally, lungs from ovalbumin-sensitized and -challenged mice demonstrated increased α-actin and CT-1 mRNA expression, and airway myocytes isolated from ovalbumin-treated mice showed increased cell size and GSK-3β phosphorylation. These data suggest that inhibition of the GSK-3β/eIF2Be translational control pathway contributes to airway smooth muscle hypertrophy in vitro and in vivo. On the other hand, TGF-β-induced hypertrophy does not depend on GSK-3β/eIF2B signaling.
Fabrication of 3D proximity coupled Josephson junction arrays

Experimentally realizable 3D arrays of Josephson junctions have been a goal of researchers since 2D Josephson junctions (JJ) arrays were first introduced. In the past, it has proven to be technically impossible to manufacture 3D proximity-coupled arrays. Recent advancements in etching technology have now made fabrication more feasible. In this paper, we present details of our fabrication process.
New self-developing film for intraoperative renal stone localization

The use of intraoperative radiography for localization of small renal calculi has been a valuable adjunct to surgery. Unfortunately, because of the considerable time required for mobilization of the kidney, the development of x-ray films and the not infrequent need for repeat exposures, considerable time can be added to the operation. We have found that the use of Polaroid film can give high-quality intraoperative radiographs. The main advantage of Polaroid film over the standard Kodak kidney film is that the film is developed in the operative suite and, in most cases, requires less than one minute.
Insufficient Help for Activity of Daily Living Disabilities and Risk of All-Cause Hospitalization

Objectives: To determine whether insufficient help for activity of daily living (ADL) disability, a potentially modifiable condition, significantly increases disabled older adults� risk of future hospital admissions. Design: Prospective study. Setting: Community-living participants with ADL disabilities in the 1994, 1999, and 2004 National Long-Term Care Survey (NLTCS). Participants: Medicare recipients with one or more ADL disabilities completed 5,884 surveys. Measurements: Times to hospital admission in the year after the NLTCS community survey were obtained from linked Medicare claims. Insufficient ADL help for each ADL limitation was determined from a series of questions common to the three NLTCS community surveys. Results: Insufficient help for one or more ADL limitations was reported in 22% of surveys. Respondents to 3,629 surveys did not experience a hospital admission in the year after the survey. Of the remaining 2,255 surveys, one admission occurred for 382 surveys, two admissions for 525 surveys, three admissions for 193 surveys, and four or more admissions for 155 surveys. Participants reporting insufficient help were 14% (hazard ratio = 1.14, 95% confidence interval = 1.01�1.28) more likely to experience one or more hospitalizations than those who did not report insufficient help after controlling for demographic characteristics, comorbidities, prior hospitalizations, and level of ADL disability. Conclusion: Self-reports of insufficient help provide prognostic information beyond what typical health assessments can capture. Greater recognition and referral for insufficient help for ADL disability may result in lower rates of hospitalization in a population that is at high risk of hospitalization.
A new biomarker to examine the role of hippocampal function in the development of spatial reorientation in children: a review.

Spatial navigation is an adaptive skill that involves determining the route to a particular goal or location, and then travelling that path. A major component of spatial navigation is spatial reorientation, or the ability to reestablish a sense of direction after being disoriented. The hippocampus is known to be critical for navigating, and has more recently been implicated in reorienting in adults, but relatively little is known about the development of the hippocampus in relation to these large-scale spatial abilities in children. It has been established that, compared to school-aged children, preschool children tend to perform poorly on certain spatial reorientation tasks, suggesting that their hippocampi may not be mature enough to process the demands of such a task. Currently, common techniques used to examine underlying brain activity, such as electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), are not suitable for examining hippocampal development in young children. In the present paper, we argue for the use of eyeblink conditioning (EBC), a relatively under-utilized, inexpensive, and safe method that is easy to implement in developing populations. In addition, EBC has a well defined neural circuitry, which includes the hippocampus, making it an ideal tool to indirectly measure hippocampal functioning in young children. In this review, we will evaluate the literature on EBC and its relation to hippocampal development, and discuss the possibility of using EBC as an objective measure of associative learning in relation to large-scale spatial skills. We support the use of EBC as a way to indirectly access hippocampal function in typical and atypical populations in order to characterize the neural substrates associated with the development of spatial reorientation abilities in early childhood. Thus, we advocate for EBC as a simple biomarker for success in various tasks that require the hippocampus, including spatial reorientation.
Sinusoidal commutation of slotless permanent magnet synchronous machines using discrete Hall sensor feedback

An implementation for sinusoidal current control of a slotless permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) with discrete Hall sensor position feedback is presented. To estimate the rotor position of the slotless PMSM, a flux estimation technique is used that takes advantage of the slotless machine's characteristically low inductance to limit flux estimation error. The rotor position is estimated using a reference model and the measured phase currents and voltages. Discrete Hall sensors are used at very low speeds to bound the position estimation error to approximately /spl plusmn/30 electrical degrees and to prevent the flux estimators from drifting due to measurement noise and offset. The proposed control reduces the torque pulsations present when Hall sensor position feedback alone is used The proposed control strategy is applied to a slotless PMSM motor drive system and implemented using a digital signal processor (DSP). Simulations and experiments are carried out for the system and the results demonstrate the effectiveness of the control.