cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
X-ray photoemission electron microscopy: Magnetic circular dichroism imaging and other contrast mechanisms

The x-ray photoemission electron microscope (X-PEEM) is a type of spectromicroscope, which can make spatial maps of chemical composition. The contrast in the images can originate from a number of properties of the sample, and by controlling the way the XPEEM is used a number of different types of information about the surface can be revealed. These contrast mechanisms include topography, band-gap, work function, chemical composition, crystalline orientation, adsorbate reactants, and magnetic domains. Some recent results are described.
The assay of medicinal compounds having caffeine as a common ingredient

Quantitative analytical procedures have been developed and described for the physical separation and subsequent determination of each ingredient present in medicinal preparations of which caffeine is in combination with one or more of the following agents: acetylsalicylic acid, phenacetin, codeine, acetanilid, quinine, sodium bicarbonate, sodium bromide, or aminopyrine.
The preparation and thermal dimerization study of a trifluorovinyl‐containing imide. Application to the synthesis of a trifluorovinyl‐containing polyimide precursor

Elaboration of 2-fluoro-α,β,β-trifluorostyrene 7, prepared by the palladium catalyzed coupling reaction of l-fluoro-2-iodobenzene with a trifluorovinylzinc reagent, yielded the trifluorovinyl-containing imide 1. Thermal dimerization of 1 at 140-160°C leads predominately to the corresponding E-cyclobutane 12, whose structure was established by x-ray crystallography. Similar methodology was utilized to prepare 2,2-bis{4-[4-amino-2-(l,2,2-trifluoroethenyl)phenoxy]phenyl)hexafluoropropane 19, a precursor to the trifluorovinyl-containing polyimide 18.
Reductions by aquatitanium(II).

Solutions of titanium(II), prepared by dissolving titanium wire in mixtures of hydrofluoric and triflic acids, reduce quinones, nitrosodisulfonate anion, and complexes of cobalt(III). When the oxidant is taken in excess, these reactions yield Ti(IV), whereas with excess reductant, the principal product is Ti(III). These reactions are compared with those by Ti(III). Despite differences in rate laws, it is clear that rate ratios for the two reductants (kTiII/kTiIII) fall well below 104, the minimum selectivity corresponding to estimated differences in formal potentials, and in some instances, Ti(II), the stronger reductant, reacts more slowly. For both Ti(III) and Ti(II), reductions within the series [Co(NH3)5X]2+ (where X = F, Cl, Br, and I), the fluoro complex reacts much more rapidly than its congeners, and the bromo and iodo complexes are slowest, an order similar to that for Eu2+ reductions, but opposite to that for Cr(II) and Cu(I). The [Co(NH3)5Br]2+ reaction with excess Ti(II) proceeds at rates very nearly independent of [oxidant] during the first 80–90% reaction, implying that initiation occurs via unimolecular conversion of Ti(II) to an activated cationic reducing species, in the same manner as the earlier described reduction of I3− by Ge(II) in aqueous HCl.
The Association of Obesity With Episodic and Chronic Migraine

About 18% of adolescents and 33% of adults are obese in the United States. Recent studies demonstrating an association between migraine and obesity raise fascinating questions about the mechanism for this association and suggest new potential avenues of treatment for migraine.
Teaching Physics Using Appropriate Technology Projects

Appropriate technologies able to be easily and economically constructed from readily available materials by local craftspeople have a central role in the alleviation of poverty in the developing world. However, research and development of these technologies are generally apportioned relatively modest support by the developed world's institutions, in part because the operation of many of these appropriate technologies is dependent on relatively well-understood science accessible even to introductory college physics students. This paper describes a project-based assignment used to capitalize on this opportunity to motivate students to learn physics by offering them a chance to make concrete contributions to the optimization of appropriate technologies for sustainable development.
Guest Editors' Introduction: Promises and Challenges of Novel Interconnect Technologies

This special issue highlights recent investigations of various revolutionary interconnect paradigms as to whether they can deliver on the promise of greater integration, high performance, good scalability, and high energy efficiency in future SoCs and other computing platforms. The selected articles represent a wide range of emerging interconnects, from carbon nanotubes, to optical, RF, and on-chip wireless communications.
Role of Cytochrome b5in NADH-Dependent Microsomal Reduction of Ferric Complexes, Lipid Peroxidation, and Hydrogen Peroxide Generation

Abstract The NADH-dependent microsomal electron transfer system consists of NADH-cytochrome b 5 reductase and cytochrome b 5 , which donates reducing equivalents to fatty acyl desaturase, cytochrome P450, and other reactions. A study was carried out to investigate the interaction of NADH with several ferric complexes and to evaluate the role of cytochrome b 5 in these interactions. NADH-dependent microsomal lipid peroxidation was stimulated by ferric–ATP, ferric–histidine, and ferric–ammonium sulfate, but not by ferric–EDTA. Anti-cytochrome b 5 IgG produced a concentration-dependent inhibition of lipid peroxidation catalyzed by all three ferric complexes. Addition of purified cytochrome b 5 to the microsomes increased the rate of lipid peroxidation with all three ferric complexes. Lipid peroxidation in control and the cytochrome b 5 -fortified microsomes was not sensitive to superoxide dismutase, catalase, or DMSO and was completely inhibited by trolox and propylgallate. Ferric–EDTA stimulated NADH-dependent microsomal production of H 2 O 2 and NADH consumption. Anti-cytochrome b 5 IgG had only a small inhibitory effect on this stimulation by ferric–EDTA. NADH supported microsomal reduction of ferric complexes in the order ferric–ATP > ferric–histidine ≈ ferric–ammonium sulfate > ferric–EDTA. Anti-cytochrome b 5 IgG inhibited, whereas added cytochrome b 5 stimulated, the reduction of ferric–ATP, ferric–histidine, and ferric–ammonium sulfate, whereas reduction of ferric–EDTA was not affected by these additions. Ferric–ATP, at high concentrations, was more effective than ferric–histidine or ferric–ammonium sulfate in stimulating lipid peroxidation and in becoming reduced by NADH-dependent microsomal electron transport; anti-cytochrome b 5 IgG was less inhibitory and added b 5 was less stimulatory at 50 μ M ferric–ATP compared to 5 μ M ferric–ATP or 50 μ M ferric–histidine or 50 μ M ferric–ammonium sulfate. It is concluded that cytochrome b 5 is required for reduction of low and high concentrations of ferric–histidine and ferric–ammonium sulfate and low concentrations of ferric–ATP and for the lipid peroxidation catalyzed by these ferric complexes. The reductase, not cytochrome b 5 , is involved in interaction with ferric–EDTA. Higher concentrations of ferric–ATP can also interact with the reductase, as well as with cytochrome b 5 .
Establishment of an ABAQUS Model to Predict Final Size and Shape of a Molded Glass Lens

We present the development of a model used to predict final geometry of molded lenses using glass viscosity data, friction data determined from ring compression tests, and structural relaxation data from differential scanning calorimetry tests.
Pharmacologic Management of High-Risk Neuroblastoma in Children

Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumor of childhood. It accounts for 15% of pediatric cancer deaths. Children with high-risk disease have a 3-year event-free survival rate of only 20%. Chemotherapy is the mainstay of treatment in children with advanced neuroblastoma. The aim of this article was to review and critically evaluate the pharmacotherapy of neuroblastoma, using peer reviewed and review literature from 2000–11. All peer reviewed, published human subject studies of therapy for neuroblastoma in children were included. Animal model and in vitro studies were included only if they added to the understanding of the mechanism of a proposed or existing human neuroblastoma therapy. Current therapeutic options for neuroblastoma involve insufficient differentiation of normal from neoplastic tissue. Critically needed new approaches will increasingly exploit targeting of therapy for unique characteristics of the neuroblastoma cell. Pharmacotherapy for neuroblastoma still suffers from an inadequate therapeutic window. Enhancement of toxicity for tumor and safety for normal tissues will entail innovation in targeting neuroblastoma cells and rescuing or protecting normal tissue elements.
Evidence for antigen recognition by nonspecific cytotoxic cells: initiation of 3H-thymidine uptake following stimulation by a protozoan parasite and homologous cognate synthetic peptide

Catfish nonspecific cytotoxic cells bind to and lyse certain protozoan parasites and tumor cells. Target cell binding is facilitated by recognition of (minimally) one antigenic determinant. Binding to this determinant initiates multiple signalling pathways in NCC including protooncogene kinase phosphorylation, regulation of phosphatase activity and increased membrane receptor expression. In the present study, highly purified NCC were activated in vitro with the protozoan parasite Tetrahymena pyriformis, with a multiple antigenic peptide (MAP) composed of the cognate antigenic determinant of this parasite (i.e. natural killer target antigen/NKTag) and NCC were activated with a monoclonal antibody specific for the NCC receptor which binds NKTag. NCC were purified by Percoll density gradients and negative selection by panning (2x) over anti-sIg specific mab 9E1. In 5 day proliferation experiments, treatment of NCC with immobilized Tetrahymena initiated a significant increase in uptake of tritiated thymidine. This appeared to be a primary response in that NCC from in vivo parasite primed catfish did not have secondary-like proliferation responses. Stimulation of NCC with immobilized synthetic peptides composed of the cognate antigenic determinant of this parasite (i.e. MAP) also caused significant increased uptake of tritiated thymidine. An indication that NCC recognize a specific antigenic determinant was that sMAP (i.e. peptides composed of the same amino acids as MAP but in a scrambled sequence) failed to increase incorporation. Similar to the MAP results, mab 5C6 binding to NCC also caused increased thymidine uptake. To determine if an IL-2 cosignal was required to achieve optimum activation responses by NCC, different concentrations of human recombinant IL-2 (rHuIL-2) were tested individually or as costimulants. Co-treatment of NCC with rHuIL-2 and any of the three stimuli (parasite, MAP, mab 5C6) did not produce increased proliferation of NCC. These studies demonstrated that NCC specifically recognize an antigenic determinant on protozoan parasites and binding to this antigen produces an activation signal that may have important consequences for elicitation of innate immunity.
Thermal management of batteries employing active temperature control and reciprocating cooling flow

Abstract This work investigated the thermal management of Li-ion battery module consisting of multiple cells employing active temperature control and reciprocating cooling flows. The contributions of this work are three fold. First, a reduced-order model (ROM) was developed and validated using experimental data to simulate the thermal behavior of Li-ion battery modules. Second, based on the ROM, an observer-based control strategy was demonstrated to control the core temperature of cells employing reciprocating cooling flows. Third, simulation results suggest that the control strategy, when combined with reciprocating cooling flows, can reduce both temperature non-uniformity among cells and also the needed cooling flow amount substantially. Compared with results with passive control or unidirectional cooling flow, temperature non-uniformity was reduced from 4.2 to 1.0 °C among cells and the amount of cooling flow consumed was reduced by 38%.
Chromatographic studies of changes in binding of sulfonylurea drugs to human serum albumin due to glycation and fatty acids

This report examines the use of high-performance affinity chromatography as a screening tool for studying the change in binding by sulfonylurea drugs to the protein human serum albumin (HSA) during diabetes. The effects of both the non-enzymatic glycation of HSA and the presence of fatty acids on these interactions were considered using a zonal elution format. It was found that there was a significant increase (i.e., 2.7- to 3.6-fold) in the relative retention of several sulfonylurea drugs (i.e., acetohexamide, tolbutamide, glybenclamide and gliclazide) on columns containing normal versus glycated HSA. The addition of various long chain fatty acids to the mobile phase gave the same trend in retention for the tested drugs on both the HSA and glycated HSA columns, generally leading to lower binding. Most of the fatty acids examined produced similar or moderately different relative shifts in retention; however, palmitic acid was found to produce a much larger change in retention on columns containing glycated HSA versus normal HSA under the conditions used in this study.
A novel method for the quantitative evaluation of lumbar spinal stenosis.

Study design A retrospective study of computed tomography (CT) myelographic images in patients with degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS).
Eleven-channel second-order silicon microring-resonator filterbank with tunable channel spacing

A wide-band eleven-channel second-order filterbank fabricated on an SOI platform is demonstrated with tunable channel spacing and 20 GHz single-channel bandwidths. The tuning efficiency is ∼28 µW/GHz/ring.
A model of earthquake triggering probabilities and application to dynamic deformations constrained by ground motion observations

[1] We have used observations from Felzer and Brodsky (2006) of the variation of linear aftershock densities (i.e., aftershocks per unit length) with the magnitude of and distance from the main shock fault to derive constraints on how the probability of a main shock triggering a single aftershock at a point, P(r,D), varies as a function of distance, r, and main shock rupture dimension, D. We find that P(r,D) becomes independent of D as the triggering fault is approached. When r ≫ D P(r,D) scales as Dm where m∼2 and decays with distance approximately as r−n with n = 2, with a possible change to r−(n−1) at r > h, where h is the closest distance between the fault and the boundaries of the seismogenic zone. These constraints may be used to test hypotheses about the types of deformations and mechanisms that trigger aftershocks. We illustrate this using dynamic deformations (i.e., radiated seismic waves) and a posited proportionality with P(r,D). Deformation characteristics examined include peak displacements, peak accelerations and velocities (proportional to strain rates and strains, respectively), and two measures that account for cumulative deformations. Our model indicates that either peak strains alone or strain rates averaged over the duration of rupture may be responsible for aftershock triggering.
Interpretation of image sets containing convoluted tubular structures via transluminal sections and steerable intraluminal perspective views

A system is being developed to support examination of inflated colons with helical computed tomography (CT). These CT scans are typically reconstructed with sampling intervals smaller than 1 cubic mm. Significant colon polyps (those larger than 5 mm in diameter) are readily recognized. However, direct interpretation of the cross sectional images is prohibitively difficult because a scan of the colon consists of several hundred axial tomograms. Without advanced image manipulation tools, interpretation of the colon's complex three dimension shape from these cross sections alone is nearly impossible. New analysis software is addressing this difficulty.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Copper/Zinc-Superoxide Dismutase Is Required for Oxytetracycline Resistance of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Saccharomyces cerevisiae, along with other eukaryotes, is resistant to tetracyclines. We found that deletion of SOD1 (encoding Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase) rendered S. cerevisiae hypersensitive to oxytetracycline (OTC): a sod1Δ mutant exhibited a >95% reduction in colony-forming ability at an OTC concentration of 20 μg ml−1, whereas concentrations of up to 1,000 μg ml−1 had no effect on the growth of the wild type. OTC resistance was restored in the sod1Δ mutant by complementation with wild-type SOD1. The effect of OTC appeared to be cytotoxic and was not evident in a ctt1Δ (cytosolic catalase) mutant or in the presence of tetracycline. SOD1 transcription was not induced by OTC, suggesting that constitutive SOD1 expression is sufficient for wild-type OTC resistance. OTC uptake levels in wild-type and sod1Δ strains were similar. However, lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation were both enhanced during exposure of the sod1Δ mutant, but not the wild type, to OTC. We propose that Sod1p protects S. cerevisiae against a mode of OTC action that is dependent on oxidative damage.
Measurement of the absolute total cross section for the reaction 19F(p, n)19Ne

Abstract The absolute total cross section for neutron emission in the reaction 19F(p, n)19Ne has been measured to better than 10% precision as a function of proton energy, from threshold at 4.234 to 6.01 MeV, in 10 keV intervals. An activation technique involving the measurement of the residual radioactivity of the 17.36±0.06 sec half-life of 19Ne was used. Beam current fluctuations were handled by an adaptation of a leaky integrator technique which allowed continuous accumulation of data. This technique is easily adaptable to radioactive decays with half-lives down to ≈ 0.1 sec.
Quantitative differences in interleukin-2 and interleukin-4 production by antigen-stimulated splenocytes from individually- and group-housed mice.

Abstract The effects of differential housing on T-helper (TH) cell activation were investigated. BALB/c and C57B1/6 male mice housed 1 or 4 per cage were administered three i.p. injections of keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) over several weeks. Effects of differential housing on in vitro antigen-specific interleukin (IL)-2 (a TH1 cell derived cytokine) and IL-4 (a TH2 cell derived cytokine) production were observed. BALB/c mice housed alone produced significantly more IL-4 than BALB/c mice housed in groups. C57B1/6 mice housed alone produced significantly more IL-2 than C57B1/6 mice housed in groups. Differential housing did not influence either IL-2 production among BALB/c mice or IL-4 production among C57B1/6 mice. These data demonstrate that environmental conditions can influence cytokine production by both TH-1 dominant (C57B1/6) and TH-2 dominant (BALB/c) mice.
Putting the E (evidence) in a new Era for myeloma

The evaluation of new treatments and their impact on the natural history of a given malignancy can be a challenging endeavor. Often, phase III clinical trial experiences do not adequately represent a ‘real world’ experience for the typical patient with cancer, yet they are required for the establishment of level 1 evidence and regulatory approval. True ‘natural history changing’ treatments in oncology include the use of imatinib or rituximab, which have significantly improved overall and progression-free survival for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and lymphoma, respectively. However, the benefit of both rituximab and imatinib can be measured not only in clinical trials, but also in population-based assessments where their use has been shown to alter the natural history of these diseases. The use of new drugs in myeloma such as lenalidomide, bortezomib, and thalidomide has revolutionized the care of patients with myeloma. Each of these agents has had a major impact on the overall response rate, progression-free survival, and overall survival for patients in the induction, relapse, and refractory phases of disease as reported by
Genomics perspective on disulfide bond formation.

Disulfide bond formation, reduction, and isomerization in substrate proteins are catalyzed by designated pathways composed of thiol-dependent enzymes. Disulfides are generated in oxidizing environments, such as bacterial periplasm and eukaryotic endoplasmic reticulum (ER), but could also be formed in the cytosol. Major contributors to the formation of intramolecular disulfides in proteins are thiol/disulfide oxidoreductases containing a conserved CxxC motif (two cysteines separated by two other residues), which in turn transfer reducing equivalents to adapter or membrane-bound oxidoreductases. Disulfide bond formation is accompanied by disulfide bond reduction and isomerization processes, allowing disulfide repair and quality control. Higher eukaryotes evolved a complex network of thiol/disulfide oxidoreductases that are involved in disulfide bond formation and isomerization and thiol-dependent protein retention. Emerging evidence suggests that these ER functions might be assisted by mammalian selenocyste...
Analyst Sentiment around Takeover Announcements

This paper studies the sentiment among financial analysts around announcements of mergers and acquisitions (M&As). Analyst sentiment is measured using revisions of consensus earnings forecasts. We find that bidders are more likely to offer stock rather than cash in their takeovers when analyst sentiment is more favorable prior to their takeover announcements. However, the favorable sentiment on stock bidders experiences a downward swing subsequent to takeover announcements. The industry peers of stock bidders also face more favorable pre-announcement analyst sentiment than the industry peers of cash bidders. Unlike the firm-specific sentiment on stock bidders, the industry-wide sentiment persists even after bidders announce their takeovers. Finally, we find that stock bidders and their industries face more favorable analyst sentiment compared to targets and their industries prior to takeover announcements. Our evidence on analyst sentiment in M&As is consistent with inefficient market theories such as the investor sentiment explanation in Shleifer and Vishny (2003). But our evidence cannot be fully explained by efficient market theories such as the asymmetric information explanation in Hansen (1987) and Fishman (1989) and the explanations based on earnings management or affiliated analysts' biased forecasts.
Adsorption of Polyvinylpyrrolidone and its Impact on Maintenance of Aqueous Supersaturation of Indomethacin via Crystal Growth Inhibition

ABSTRACT: This study explored the adsorption and crystal growth inhibitory effects of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) on indomethacin crystals in an aqueous medium. A solution depletion method was used to construct adsorption isotherms of PVPs with different molecular weights and N-vinylpyrrolidone onto indomethacin crystals. The affinity for and extent of maximum adsorption of PVP on indomethacin crystals were significantly higher than that of N-vinylpyrrolidone, which was attributed to cooperative interactions between PVP and the surface of indomethacin. The extent of PVP adsorption onto indomethacin crystals in terms of mg/m 2 was greater for higher molecular weight PVP but less on a molar basis indicating an increased percentage of loops and tails for the higher molecular weight PVP. PVP significantly inhibited the crystal growth of indomethacin at a high degree of supersaturation as compared with N-vinylpyrrolidone, which was attributed to a change in indomethacin crystal growth mechanism leading to a change in the rate limiting step from bulk diffusion to surface integration. Higher molecular weight PVPs are better inhibitors of the crystal growth of indomethacin than lower molecular weight PVPs, which was attributed in part to a greater barrier for surface diffusion of indomethacin provided by a thicker adsorption layer of PVP.
Biventricular dynamics during quantitated anteroseptal infarction in the porcine heart.

Abstract The porcine heart has been shown to have close anatomic similarity to the human heart and was used as the experimental model in this study to gain further understanding of the early responses of both ventricles during acute anteroseptal myocardial infarction. High fidelity pressure and flow data were measured and multiple preejection and ejection variables were calculated for both ventricles. Infarct weight and distribution in both ventricles were quantitated. The standard infarction resulted from single stage ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery just beyond its midpoint and second left ventricular branch. It comprised an average of 15.8 percent of total ventricular myocardium with an infarct/perfused ratio of 0.62 and a periinfarction transition zone of 7.5 mm, and involved significant portions of both ventricles and the interventricular septum. Performance characteristics of both ventricles were altered significantly by anteroseptal infarction and involved all phases of contraction—end-diastole, isovolumic systole and ventricular ejection. Although contractile alterations in the right ventricle were significant, they were somewhat delayed, yielding relatively low correlation coefficients with analogous left ventricular contractile indexes. These correlations became quite distinct during specific ventricular stresses. Comparison of anterolateral and anteroseptal infarction, matched in terms of infarct size, indicated that the right ventricular changes in the latter were related to direct involvement of the right ventricular free wall and septum rather than secondary to left ventricular alterations.
Gender-related differences of shrubs in stands of Atriplex canescens with different histories of grazing by cattle.

Atriplex canescens is a relatively common dioecious shrub in western North America. It is considered a valuable forage resource for both wild and domestic herbivores. Sex ratios and shrub dimensions were recorded in stands of tetraploid A. canescens that had been either protected from cattle grazing or summer- or winter-grazed by cattle for at least 20 years. Stem diameter and crown shape were used as surrogates for shrub age which could not be estimated by counting growth rings. Shrub sex ratios in exclosures were significantly more female biased than the empirically derived ratio for tetraploid A. canescens (55 female : 35 male : 10 monecious). Conversely, shrub sex ratios in grazed pastures were not significantly different from the empirical ratio. Proportion of female shrubs in exclosures was significantly higher than in grazed pastures. Proportion of male shrubs, on the other hand, was similar in exclosures and grazed pastures. Winter-grazed shrub stands were apparently younger than both summer-grazed and protected shrubs. Protected shrubs appeared to be the oldest. Grazed female shrubs were apparently younger than grazed males, however, shrub ages of protected male and female shrubs were apparently not different. Cattle-grazing may have affected female shrubs more negatively at this site, causing gender-based differential mortality, and/or sex-shifting. Such processes could account for the differences in sex ratios, and for the apparent gender-related differences in shrub age that were observed.
Sarcoglycans in muscular dystrophy.

Muscular dystrophy is a heterogeneous genetic disease that affects skeletal and cardiac muscle. The genetic defects associated with muscular dystrophy include mutations in dystrophin and its associated glycoproteins, the sarcoglycans. Furthermore, defects in dystrophin have been shown to cause a disruption of the normal expression and localization of the sarcoglycan complex. Thus, abnormalities of sarcoglycan are a common molecular feature in a number of dystrophies. By combining biochemistry, molecular cell biology, and human and mouse genetics, a growing understanding of the sarcoglycan complex is emerging. Sarcoglycan appears to be an important, independent mediator of dystrophic pathology in both skeletal muscle and heart. The absence of sarcoglycan leads to alterations of membrane permeability and apoptosis, two shared features of a number of dystrophies. beta-sarcoglycan and delta-sarcoglycan may form the core of the sarcoglycan subcomplex with alpha- and gamma-sarcoglycan less tightly associated to this core. The relationship of epsilon-sarcoglycan to the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex remains unclear. Animals lacking alpha-, gamma- and delta-sarcoglycan have been described and provide excellent opportunities for further investigation of the function of sarcoglycan. Dystrophin with dystroglycan and laminin may be a mechanical link between the actin cytoskeleton and the extracellular matrix. By positioning itself in close proximity to dystrophin and dystroglycan, sarcoglycan may function to couple mechanical and chemical signals in striated muscle. Sarcoglycan may be an independent signaling or regulatory module whose position in the membrane is determined by dystrophin but whose function is carried out independent of the dystrophin-dystroglycan-laminin axis.
A qualitative description of the spectra 17O and 41Ca

Abstract The spectra of 17 O and 41 Ca are described by a weak coupling model for the low lying multiparticle, multihole states (up to five-particle, four-hole states are required). The energies of these states are obtained from the mass tables and the schematic particlehole interaction of Bansal and French (configuration mixing is neglected). Overall approximate agreement is obtained with the number and energies of states for each j Π and for the number and positions of the strong transitions observed in one and two-nucleon transfer reaction experiments. The results of shell model calculations can be qualitatively understood on the basis of this model. The limitations of the model and the need for more data to make detailed comparisons with theoretical models is discussed.
The Role of epistasis in controlling seed yield and other agronomic traits in an Andean × Mesoamerican cross of common bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Epistasis is a pervasive phenomenon in biology. Nevertheless, attempts at identifying epistatic interactions with quantitative trait loci (QTL) analyses have yielded inconsistent results. In this study, we attempt to determine the genetic control of outbreeding depression and the possible role of epistasis following a wide cross in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). A recombinant inbred population, derived from a cross between Andean and Mesoamerican common bean cultivars, was evaluated in two markedly contrasting environments. A low-density linkage map based on AFLPs was used to locate QTLs for the number of days to maturity, average daily biomass and seed yield accumulation, and harvest index. Both independently acting and digenic epistatic QTLs of similar magnitude were identified. A majority of the loci involved in these epistatic interactions did not have an independent effect. Although we did find evidence for strong epistatic control of the traits investigated, we also found, in contrast to other recent studies, that there was no evidence for a bias toward coadapted gene complexes at the level of digenic epistasis. We discuss these results in relation to the role of epistasis in the evolutionary history of the species and methodological difficulties in detecting epistasis.
The Sociologist's Quest for Respectability*

ACADEMIC sociologists and those trained in sociology have a long university tradition, and even though we are sociologists and professors, we often fail fully to appreciate this tradition in our daily existence of teaching, research, and other roles. As professors we sometimes forget that we have a long and eminent tradition. We have positions of high status, a status reflected in an often-quoted Swedish statement that "the professor walks second only to the king, who walks next to God." Universities extend as far back as the ninth century, but they were largely specialized institutions dealing with medicine, law, and theology. As groups of schools, faculties, and colleges, universities date primarily from the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, following the accumulation of knowledge largely derived through the rediscovery of Aristotle, Arabian commentaries, and the study of the broader liberal arts. Many universities from which we trace our traditions have existed for as long as nine hundred years: Bologna (1088), the universities of Paris, Oxford, and Cambridge from the twelfth century; Prague (1348); Vienna (1365); Uppsala (1477); Mexico and San Marcos de Lima (1551); and Harvard (1636). Universities today, as compared with the past, have developed well-established innovations, such as the preparation of theses in place of disputations, seminars, electives, laboratories, and separate graduate schools. In this long academic tradition, sociologists are fairly late arrivals on the university faculties; the first independent department of sociology in the world is generally considered to be at the University of Chicago in 1893. The first professional journal was established in 1895. It was not until the 1940's that the University of California and Princeton University recognized sociology as a separate academic discipline. Today nearly all universities in this country have departments of sociology, and they are rapidly being established abroad. Thus it is understandable that sociologists often
Grounded capital: venture financing and the geography of the Internet industry, 1994–2000

Despite the rhetoric in the popular and business press trumpeting the removal of ‘the limitations of geography’, a number of researchers have demonstrated that rather than simply dispersing, the Internet in fact exhibits an uneven spatial pattern throughout the United States and world. Using a combination of interview and regression methodologies, this article argues that the regional distribution of venture capital investing played a central role in determining the location of new Internet startups. This was largely due to the premium that entrepreneurs placed on one of the hallmarks of venture capital, i.e. speed, and the reliance of venture capitalists upon local networks and knowledge for their investments.The ability to provide these types of value-added inputs in a timely manner is greatly assisted by geographic proximity. Rather than being an easily moved and fungible commodity, venture capital investing depends upon non-monetary inputs such as knowledge about possible investments and prefers to be close to companies in order to monitor and assist them.Thus, despite telecommunications technologies and global financial markets that have vastly expanded the geographic range of economic interaction, regions remain central to economic development in the current economy.
Importin-α Mediates the Regulated Nuclear Targeting of Serum- and Glucocorticoid-inducible Protein Kinase (Sgk) by Recognition of a Nuclear Localization Signal in the Kinase Central Domain

The transcriptionally regulated serum and glucocorticoid inducible protein kinase (Sgk) is localized to the nucleus in a serum-dependent manner, and a yeast two-hybrid genetic screen uncovered a specific interaction between Sgk and the importin-alpha nuclear import receptor. In vitro GST pull down assays demonstrated a strong and direct association of importin-alpha with endogenous Sgk and exogenously expressed HA-tagged Sgk, whereas both components coimmunoprecipitate and colocalize to the nucleus after serum stimulation. Consistent with an active mechanism of nuclear localization, the nuclear import of HA-Sgk in permeabilized cells required ATP, cytoplasm, and a functional nuclear pore complex. Ectopic addition of a 107 amino acid carboxy-terminal fragment of importin-alpha, which contains the Sgk binding region, competitively inhibited the ability of endogenous importin-alpha to import Sgk into nuclei in vitro. Mutagenesis of lysines by alanine substitution defined a KKAILKKKEEK sequence within the central domain of Sgk between amino acids 131-141 that functions as a nuclear localization signal (NLS) required for the in vitro interaction with importin-alpha and for nuclear import of full-length Sgk in cultured cells. The serum-induced nuclear import of Sgk requires the NLS-dependent recognition of Sgk by importin-alpha as well as the PI3-kinase-dependent phosphorylation of Sgk. Our results define a new role importin-alpha in the stimulus-dependent control of signal transduction by nuclear localized protein kinases.
Addendum to: An energy model for the optimal design of linear continuum structures

The original paper of the above title presents an analytical model for problems in the optimal design of linearly elastic continuum structures, where the material modulus tensor has the role of design variable. Both in- ternal (strain) energy and the expression of generalized cost are represented conveniently there, in a form where the modulus tensor is transformed into vector coordi- nates. The general design of linear continuum structures is stated as a max-min problem. Optimality conditions for the transformed design problem have particularly simple form. Both local properties, represented by the relative values of components of the modulus tensor, and the global distribution of structural resource (material) are variable in the design.With some modification to the ori- ginal formulation, these separate aspects of design can be represented explicitly in the model. This modified form, which directly facilitates study of the role of local properties in the prediction of optimal design, and which ultimately serves as the basis for schemes to perform com- putational solution, is described and substantiated here.
The outcome of renal transplantation among systemic lupus erythematosus patients

BACKGROUND Clinical outcome of renal transplantation among systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients remains a topic of controversy. Most of the previous reports were based upon small single-centre studies that were not always well-designed. METHODS We conducted the retrospective analysis using data from USRDS and UNOS databases. Patients were divided into five groups based on the cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD): diabetes mellitus (DM), SLE, glomerulonephritis, hypertension and other causes. Between 1990 and 1999, 2886 renal transplantation recipients with ESRD due to SLE were identified from a total of 92 844 patients. RESULTS The mean follow-up period of this study was 4.7 +/- 2.4 years. While unadjusted analysis using Kaplan-Meier curves demonstrated an association between SLE and improved allograft survival compared with DM, in multivariate analysis the SLE group had worse allograft [hazard ratio (HR) 1.09, P < 0.05] and recipient (HR 1.19, P < 0.05) survival compared with the DM group. Subgroup analysis based on the type of donor showed that SLE patients who received deceased donor allograft had worse allograft and recipient survival (HR 1.14, P = 0.002 and HR 1.30, P = 0.001, respectively) compared with non-SLE deceased donor allograft recipients. Among living allograft recipients, there were no significant differences in either allograft or recipient survival compared with non-SLE recipients. CONCLUSIONS SLE as a cause of ESRD in renal transplant recipients is associated with worse allograft and recipient survival compared with DM; this association is true for the entire population and for the recipients of deceased donor (but not living donor) transplant. Deceased donor allograft recipients have worse outcomes compared with living allograft recipients.
Parahydroxypropiophenone effects on rat thyroid, adrenal, and pituitary.

THE suggestion, based on clinical observation, that parahydroxypropiophenone1 is an effective inhibitor of thyrotropic hormone (1, 2) has not to date received any experimental support (3, 4). The chief evidence against such an action is the fact that the goitrogenic effect of propylthiouracil, known to be mediated through the anterior pituitary, is not cancelled by this agent. Our own studies herein presented are in agreement on this point but differ from those cited, in that the administration of parahydroxypropiophenone alone was associated with distinct changes in the thyroid, the adrenal, and the pituitary. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Growing female rats of the Wistar strain, approximately 42 days old, were maintained on ground pellets with and without the addition of parahydroxypropiophenone or propylthiouracil, alone or in combination, as noted in Table 1. At the termination of each experiment serum was obtained for protein-bound iodine analyses (5, 6) and weights of the thyroid, adrenal, and pituitary g...
Space batteries for mobile battlefield power applications

A review of space power systems was undertaken to identify advanced space batteries for mobile applications. State-of-the-art systems are described. The technology issues that need to be addressed in order to bring these systems along and meet the needs of the user are discussed. Future research directions are examined. >
Multiplexing High‐Content Flow (HCF) and Quantitative High‐Throughput Screening (qHTS) to Identify Compounds Capable of Decreasing Cell Viability, Activating Caspase 3/7, Expressing Annexin V, and Changing Mitochondrial Membrane Integrity

High-content flow (HCF) screening systems, such as the iQue Screener and HTFC Screening System from IntelliCyt, have facilitated the implementation of flow cytometry assays for high-throughput screening. HCF screening systems enable the use of smaller sample volumes and multiplexed assays to simultaneously assess different cellular parameters from a single well. This becomes invaluable when working with cells or compounds that are available in limited quantities or when conducting large-scale screens. When assays can be miniaturized to a 384- or 1536-well microplate format, it is possible to implement dose-response-based high-throughput screens, also known as quantitative HTS or qHTS. This article describes how qHTS at the new National Center for Advancing Translational Science (NCATS) has been systematically coupled with the HTFC Screening System and Multimetric Apoptosis Screening Kit from IntelliCyt to biologically validate active compounds from primary cell proliferation screens using a model of diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Curr. Protoc. Chem. Biol. 5:195-212 C � 2013 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
A combinatorial optimization approach for diverse motif finding applications

Background Discovering approximately repeated patterns, or motifs, in biological sequences is an important and widely-studied problem in computational molecular biology. Most frequently, motif finding applications arise when identifying shared regulatory signals within DNA sequences or shared functional and structural elements within protein sequences. Due to the diversity of contexts in which motif finding is applied, several variations of the problem are commonly studied.
Addressing the Vacant and Abandoned Property Problem

Vacant and abandoned property is increasingly recognized as a significant barrier to the revitalization of central cities. This study sheds some light on the nature of the property abandonment problem and on current city efforts to address it. It is based upon the findings of a survey of the 200 most populous central cities in the United States, conducted during the summer and fall of 1997, and on follow-up interviews with a portion of the survey population, conducted during the summer of 1998. The findings of the survey and interviews indicate that vacant and abandoned property is perceived as a significant problem by elected and appointed officials in the nation’s largest central cities. This type of property affects many aspects of community life, including housing and neighborhood vitality, crime prevention efforts, and commercial district vitality. Single- and multi-family housing, retail properties and vacant land are the most problematic types of vacant and abandoned property for most cities. Citie...
Social activity indicators: interface components for CSCW systems

Knowing what social activity is occurring within and through a Computer-Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) system is often very useful. This is especially true for computer-mediated communication systems such as chat and other synchronous applications. People will attend to these systems more closely when they know that there is interesting activity on them. Interface mechanisms for indicating social activity, however, are often ad-hoc, if present at all. This paper argues for the importance of displaying social activity as well as proposes a generalized mechanism for doing so. This social activity indication mechanism is built upon a new CSCW toolkit, the Cafe ConstructionKit, and the Cafe ConstructionKit provides a number of important facilities for making construction of these indicators easy and straight-forward. Accordingly, this paper presents both the Cafe ConstructionKit as a CSCW toolkit as well as a mechanism for creating activity indicators.
Capsule Commentary on Kaplan et al., Reducing Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Diabetes: The Coached Care (R2D2C2) Project

One of the most troubling aspects of US medicine is the level of disparities in health and healthcare outcomes,1–3 While previous work has generally focused on one or two potential contributors, the paper by Kaplan et al. examines a myriad of patient, provider and system characteristics to explore the source of disparities in diabetes control among Mexican-Americans.4 The differences in glycosylated hemoglobin seen between Vietnamese-Americans, non-Hispanic whites and Mexican-Americans were explained by differences in gender, age, duration of diabetes, education and income level and insurance status. While statistically significant, communication markers such as communication quality, trust, language barriers and participatory decision-making style explained no additional variance in outcomes. Targeting disparities reduction will require understanding the source of these differences. Determining how much improvement is amenable to modification by healthcare systems is also useful; it may prove less than we hope. In this study, most of the factors contributing to the difference, such as age, gender, diabetes duration, education attainment and income level are outside the influence of healthcare systems. It is also discouraging that communication had no impact. While improved patient–provider communication is a healthcare goal, lapses in communication quality having been frequently observed, demonstrating that other than trust or satisfaction, better communication improves patient health outcomes, yet has proven elusive.
A sensitivity-based BCU method for fast derivation of stability limits in electric power systems

For a given power system with a given contingency, called the base case, if parameters (such as real power generation) in the power system change (due to some emergency, perhaps), to form what is referred to as the new case, one would like to know how these changes will affect the system stability as quickly as possible. Also, there is a growing need of a fast approach to determine the transient stability loading limits of a system and to decide how to make generation rescheduling and load shedding in order to improve the system's transient stability. In this paper, a sensitivity-based BCU method is proposed to resolve these problems. One feature that distinguishes the proposed method from the existing methods is that it does not rely on the invalid assumption that the mode of the controlling u.e.p. does not change for any new case. A counter-example to this assumption is also provided. The proposed method has been tested on a 50-generator system. A good, fast assessment of the system stability and the stability loading limits has been obtained. >