cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cellular signals activating muscle proteolysis in chronic kidney disease : A two-stage process

Muscle atrophy is a prominent feature of catabolic conditions and in animal models of these conditions there is accelerated muscle proteolysis that is dependent on the ubiquitin-proteasome system. However, ubiquitin system cannot degrade actomyosin or myofibrils even though it rapidly degrades actin or myosin. We identified caspase-3 as the initial and potentially rate-limiting proteolytic step that cleaves actomyosin/myofibrils. In rodent models of catabolic conditions, we find that caspase-3 is activated to cleave muscle proteins and actomyosin to fragments that are rapidly degraded by the ubiquitin system. This initial proteolytic step in muscle can be recognized because it leaves a footprint of a characteristic 14-kDa actin band. Stimulation of caspase-3 activity depends on activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. When we suppressed this enzyme in muscle cells, protein breakdown increased as did the expression of caspase-3. In addition, there was increased expression of E3-ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes that are involved in muscle proteolysis, atrogin-1/MAFbx and MuRF1. Thus, when phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activity is low in muscle cells or rat muscle, both caspase-3 and the ubiquitin-proteasome system are stimulated to degrade protein. Additional investigations will be needed to define the cell signaling processes that activate muscle proteolysis in uremia and catabolic conditions.
Unique features of infective endocarditis in childhood

Infective endocarditis (IE) is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Although it is relatively rare in children, its incidence may be increasing.1 This paper focuses on the features that are particularly relevant to infants and children, including important issues for the primary care physician. The epidemiology of heart disease in children has changed over the past 3 to 4 decades. With the increased survival rate of children with congenital heart disease (CHD) and the overall decrease in rheumatic valvular heart disease in developed countries, CHD now constitutes the predominant underlying condition for IE in children over the age of 2 years in these countries. The complexities of management of neonatal and pediatric intensive care unit patients have increased the risks of catheter-related IE. In addition, postoperative IE is a long-term risk following correction of complex CHD. The proper use of the diagnostic microbiology laboratory is critical in the diagnosis and management of children with IE. Moreover, newer diagnostic guidelines have improved sensitivity for making the diagnosis of clinically definite IE. In addition, advances in noninvasive techniques such as two-dimensional (2D) echocardiography have enhanced our ability to diagnose IE. Newer antibiotics have become available that can be used in children with IE, and home intravenous (IV) therapy has become an acceptable approach for stable patients who are at low risk for embolization. Additionally, approaches to the prevention of endocarditis have been recently modified and are reviewed in this paper. IE occurs less commonly in children than in adults and accounts for approximately 1 in 1280 pediatric admissions per year.2 Although the reported hospitalization rates for IE vary considerably among published series, the frequency of endocarditis among children appears to have increased in recent years.3 This is due in part to improved survival among children who are at risk … Address correspondence to Kathryn A. Taubert, PhD, Vice President, Department of Science and Medicine, American Heart Association, 7272 Greenville Ave, Dallas, TX 75231. E-mail: ktaubert{at}heart.org
Visualizing threads, transactions and tasks

Modern systems, particularly servers, involve multiple threads dealing with multiple incoming transactions using either implicit or explicit internal tasks. Understanding the inherently complex behavior of such systems can be quite difficult. We present a framework that offers a visualization of this behavior in system-specific terms in real time. The framework is unique in that it uses a combination of program analyses to minimize the work the user needs to do to construct the visualization.
The Effects of Static Stretching on Running Economy and Endurance Performance in Female Distance Runners During Treadmill Running.

Stretching can lead to decreased muscle stiffness and has been associated with decreased force and power production. The purpose of this study was to investigate the acute effects of static stretching (SS) on running economy and endurance performance in trained female distance runners. Twelve long distance female (30 ± 9 years) runners were assessed for height (159.4 ± 7.4 cm), weight (54.8 ± 7.2 kg), % body fat (19.7 ± 2.8%), and maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max: 48.4 ± 5.1 ml·kg(-1)·min(-1)). Participants performed 2 sessions of 60-minute treadmill runs following a randomly assigned SS protocol or quiet sitting (QS). During the first 30 minutes (running economy), expired gases, heart rate (HR), and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were recorded while the participant ran at 65% VO2max. During the final 30 minutes (endurance performance), distance covered, speed, HR, and RPE were recorded while the participant attempted to cover as much distance as possible. Repeated measures analyses of variance were performed on the data. Significance was accepted at p < 0.05. The SS measured by sit-and-reach increased flexibility (SS: 29.8 ± 8.3 vs. QS: 33.1 ± 8.1 cm) but had no effect on running economy (VO2: 33.7 ± 3.2 vs. 33.8 ± 2.3 ml·kg(-1)·min(-1)), calorie expenditure (270 ± 41 vs. 270 ± 41 kcal), HR (157 ± 10 vs. 160 ± 12 b·min(-1)), or endurance performance (5.5 ± 0.6 vs. 5.5 ± 0.7 km). These findings indicated that stretching did not have an adverse effect on endurance performance in trained women. This suggests that the performance decrements previously associated with stretching may not occur in trained women.
Dynamics of avian inflammatory response to cross-linked dextran. Changes in avian blood leukocyte populations.

A model inflammatory compound, cross-linked dextran (Sephadex), which preferentially recruits macrophages, was used to examine shifts in chicken leukocyte distribution and monocyte functional status during the inflammatory response. Following intraperitoneal Sephadex administration, total leukocyte counts were transiently elevated because of a fivefold increase in circulating heterophils (granulocytes). While both heterophils and monocytes may become demarginated, primarily monocytes enter the peritoneal cavity in response to Sephadex. Since leukocyte chemotaxis is an important feature of the inflammatory response, this parameter was analyzed during the recruitment period. The optimum conditions for in vitro chicken mononuclear leukocyte chemotaxis toN-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) were defined and compared with those for the chicken macrophagelike cell line, HD11. Mononuclear leukocytes from birds injected 6 or 12 h previously with Sephadex were significantly decreased in chemotactic ability when compared with controls; at 24 h after injection, the response to FMLP had returned to normal. This system offers an opportunity to examine differential effects of inflammatory stimuli upon leukocyte function and distribution.
Copper-catalyzed general CN and CO bond cross-coupling with arylboronic acid

General catalytic Cu(OAc)2/TEMPO in air or Cu(OAc)2/O2 systems for the CN and CO cross-coupling reactions with arylboronic acid have been discovered. N- and O-vinylation have also been demonstrated.
Permeability of crystalline and argillaceous rocks

Abstract Readily available laboratory, in situ, and inferred values of permeability, k, of crystalline and argillaceous rocks have been compared. For crystalline rocks, in situ k ranged from about 1 μd (10−14 cm2) to 100 md; for argillaceous rocks it was about 0.01 to 1 μd. No systematic decrease of k with depth was evident; over some interval at nearly every well, k was 1 to 100 md; these highly conductive intervals were as deep as 2–3 km. In situ permeability has been inferred from earthquake precursors, anomalous pore pressure, leakage from aquifers or other large-scale phenomena. Where crystalline rocks are involved, k was about 0.1 to 10 md, and thus about the same as the more permeable zones in wells; this is close to the permeability of many sandstones and is about 103 times greater than laboratory,measurements for intact crystalline rocks. For argillaceous rocks, laboratory, in situ, and inferred values all agreed within about a factor of 10. Laboratory study of artificial fractures suggest that in situ values for crystalline rocks are high because of natural fractures; fractures may be sealed or absent in shale. Based on observed variation in wells, k at particular sites in crystalline rock is not predictable within a factor of 105. For crystalline rocks, laboratory values provide little more than the minimum in situ k; for argillaceous rocks they may provide a good estimate of in situ k. Because of the great sensitivity of k to the effective stress, measurement or estimation of k must be tailored to the particular stress state of the application. If, as tentatively suggested by in situ and inferred values of k , average crustal k is about 10 md, pore pressure much greater than hydrostatic seems ruled out in terrains of outcropping crystalline rocks. Apart from hot pluton environments, anomalously high pore pressures seem to require everywhere a thick blanket of clay-rich rocks, as originally suggested for sedimentary basins.
Understanding Managerial Values and Behaviour among the Gang of Four: South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong

The article presents an analytical discussion of the role of traditional religious and social philosophies in the conduct of business and management relationships in South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong. Recommendations are made as to how Westerners can use this knowledge to improve business relations with companies in these countries.
Characterization of Glucocorticoid Type II Receptors in Neuronal and Glial Cultures from Rat Brain.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to characterize and compare the properties of glucocorticoid Type II receptors in neuronal and astrocyte glial cultures prepared from rat brain. Type II receptors in cytosol prepared from cultured cells were labeled with [(3) H]dexamethasone (DEX) at 0 degrees C. The binding was saturable and specific, with a complete displacement by unlabeled DEX or RU 28362 (a pure glucocorticoid). Scatchard analysis of [(3) H]DEX binding suggested a single class of receptors with a slightly lower dissociation constant (K(d)) in neuronal (1.13 nM) versus astrocyte glial (1.64 nM) cytosol. The number of binding sites (B(max)) in astrocyte glial cultures was four times that in neuronal cultures on a per milligram protein basis (120.3 versus 29.3 fmol/mg protein). The presence of Type II receptors in cultured neurons and astrocyte glia was further confirmed by immunofluorescent staining with a monoclonal antibody against this receptor (BuGR-2). The steroid specificity of Type II receptors was studied by examining the displacement of [(3) H]DEX binding to cytosol with unlabeled steroids. For both types of cultures, the potency series for competition was RU 28362> DEX> corticosterone> > aldosterone. Switching cultured cells from serum-supplemented to serum-free medium reduced [(3) H]DEX binding at low concentrations (0.5 to 5 nM) of the ligand in both types of culture, thus resulting in a decrease in the apparent affinity. This treatment did not, however, have any significant effect on the total number of binding sites. In summary, these results demonstrate that both neuronal and astrocyte glial cells in culture contain specific glucocorticoid Type II receptors, which resemble those seen in the brain and peripheral tissues.
Effect of theophylline and trimethobenzamide when given during kainate-induced status epilepticus: an improved histopathologic rat model of human hippocampal sclerosis.

Summary: Purpose: The most common pathology in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is hippocampal sclerosis. It is controversial whether status epilepticus (SE) or prolonged seizures plus secondary cerebral injuries are pathogenic mechanisms of hippocampal sclerosis. This study addressed this question in rat models of TLE. Methods: Hippocampal neuron densities and supragranular mossy fiber sprouting were determined in adult rats subjected to systemic kainate-induced SE (KA-only) and KA-induced SE followed 75 minutes later by theophylline (KA/Theo) or trimethobenzamide (KA/Tri). These drugs probably decrease seizure-induced cerebral hyperemia or hypertension. Results: Compared with controls and KA-only rats, KA/Tri and KA/Theo rats showed decreased CA3b and CA1 neuron densities (i.e., greater Sommer's sector injury). In addition, KA/Tri rats showed that increased trimethobenzamide dosages were associated with decreased hilar, CA3c, CA3b, CA1, and subiculum neuron densities. There were no significant differences in supragranular mossy fiber sprouting between KA-only, KA/Tri, and KA/Theo rats. Conclusions: Pharmacologic manipulations during KA-induced SE are associated with differences in hippocampal pathology, especially in Sommer's sector, and the final pattern of damage and axon sprouting shows histopathologic similarities to that in patients with hippocampal sclerosis. Our findings support the hypothesis that secondary physiologic insults during SE that are likely to decrease seizure-induced cerebral hyperemia and hypertension may generate greater hippocampal neuronal injury compared with SE alone, and this may be a pathogenic mechanism of human hippocampal sclerosis in patients with TLE.
Trans-activation of H-1 parvovirus P38 promoter is correlated with increased binding of cellular protein(s) to the trans-activation responsive element (tar).

Abstract The parovivirus H-1 P38 promoter contains a trans-activation responsive element (tar). It was previously shown that the parvovirus H-1 nonstructural protein NS1 positively regulates the expression of the P38 promoter for the viral capsid protein gene via the tar ( Rhode and Richard, 1987 , J. Virol. 61, 2807–2815). To characterize the mechanism of trans-activation by the tar, we used gel shift assays to demonstrate that there exist proteins in virus-infected cellular extracts which have higher binding activity than that found in mock-infected extracts. These observations in vitro are consistent with the expression by P38 constructs with the wild-type promoter linked to a reporter gene, chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (cat), in vivo . We also provide evidence that the protein(s)-tar complex has a molecular mass of approximately 75 kDa in an SDS-polyacrylamide gel, which is less than NS1, and this complex cannot be precipitated by NS1 antibody, which suggests that NS1 mediates the trans-activation by inducing an alteration in the binding activity of some cellular protein(s) in an indirect manner. These data support our previous hypothesis for the activation of the P38 promoter, in which the trans-activator(s) interacts with the tar effectively in the presence of NS1, leading to the formation of the transcription initiation complex by protein-protein associations ( Gu, Chen, and Rhode, 1992 , Virology 187, 10–17).
Sex ratio of livebirths in Micronesia.

A growing body of data extends Hunt's earlier findings from Yap to suggest a characteristic Micronesian pattern of highly masculinized secondary sex ratios. Using materials from an extensive family record register for pre-World War II Guam, it is now possible to examine parental age and birth order effects in a Micronesian population in which the overall sex ratio of livebirths to 3,406 formally wed and fertile couples was 109.6. In contrast to the results of most studies among Euroamerican groups, secondary sex ratios on Guam were significantly higher for higher order births and for paternal age at last recorded birth to older couples. This apparent anomaly is resolved, however, and James' hypothesis of human sex ratio determination is supported when universalistic assumptions of declinin coital frequencies with spousal age and marital duration are replaced by more appropriate and population-specific ethnodemographic information. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A Conserved Protein Interaction Interface on the Type 5 G Protein β Subunit Controls Proteolytic Stability and Activity of R7 Family Regulator of G Protein Signaling Proteins

Regulators of G protein signaling (RGS) proteins of the R7 subfamily limit signaling by neurotransmitters in the brain and by light in the retina. They form obligate complexes with the Gβ5 protein that are subject to proteolysis to control their abundance and alter signaling. The mechanisms that regulate this proteolysis, however, remain unclear. We used genetic screens to find mutations in Gβ5 that selectively destabilize one of the R7 RGS proteins in Caenorhabditis elegans. These mutations cluster at the binding interface between Gβ5 and the N terminus of R7 RGS proteins. Equivalent mutations within mammalian Gβ5 allowed the interface to still bind the N-terminal DEP domain of R7 RGS proteins, and mutant Gβ5-R7 RGS complexes initially formed in cells but were then rapidly degraded by proteolysis. Molecular dynamics simulations suggest the mutations weaken the Gβ5-DEP interface, thus promoting dynamic opening of the complex to expose determinants of proteolysis known to exist on the DEP domain. We propose that conformational rearrangements at the Gβ5-DEP interface are key to controlling the stability of R7 RGS protein complexes.
The S-matrix and the effective potential for the liouville quantum field theory☆

Abstract We argue that the S-matrix for the quantum Liouville field theory is unity. We also discuss the effective potential for the Liouville theory defined on a circle, and we show that the exact result due to Goldstone is recovered in the large volume limit.
Extraction and distribution of soil organic and inorganic selenium in coal mine environments of Wyoming, USA

Selenium (Se), an animal toxicant and aquifer contaminant, occurs in coal mine environments of Wyoming. There is a paucity of information on solution-phase Se speciation in mine soils. The objectives of this study were to compare Se extraction efficiencies of various reagents and to characterize SeO2– 3 (selenite), SeO2– 4 (selenate) and organic Se components in these extracts. Forty coal mine soils were extracted using DI (deionized) water, hot water (0.1% CaCl2), AB-DTPA, NaOH, and KH2PO4. Each solution was analyzed for total dissolved Se, and inorganic and organic Se fractions. Both inorganic and organic Se fractions were detected in the soil extracts. The order of Se (total, inorganic, and organic) extraction efficiency for different reagents was DI water < hot water < AB-DTPA < NaOH < KH2PO4. The inorganic–organic Se ratios in DI water, hot water, AB-DTPA, NaOH, and KH2PO4 extracts were 60 : 40, 26 : 74, 61 : 39, 87 : 13, and 52 : 48, respectively, indicating predominance of inorganic Se in all but the hot water extract. Selenite was the dominant inorganic species in AB-DTPA and KH2PO4 extracts, while SeO2– 4 was the major Se species in the DI water, hot water, and NaOH extracts. Significant correlations (P<0.01) were observed among extractable inorganic Se [NaOH and KH2PO4 (r=0.95); hot water and AB-DTPA (r=0.89)], total soluble Se [DI water with hot water (r=0.98) and AB-DTPA (r=0.95)], and Se species [SeO2– 3 in AB-DTPA with SeO2– 4 in NaOH (r=0.94) and SeO2– 3 in KH2PO4 (r=0.88)]. These correlations are indicative of Se extraction efficiency, thermodynamically predicted chemical transformations (such as oxidation of SeO2– 3 to SeO2– 4), and probable interconversions between the organic and inorganic Se fractions (r=0.70 in KH2PO4 extracts); as a whole the correlations can be used as statistical validations of possible geochemical processes.
Hollow form as a function of boulder size in the Valley and Ridge province, southwestern Virginia

Dells (hollows) that corrugate the antidip slopes of strike-ridge mountains in the Valley and Ridge province of southwestern Virginia vary greatly in cross-section form. This form is a function not of the underlying bedrock, but of the size and durability of boulders supplied to slopes by sandstones capping the strike ridge. Where the largest boulders are smaller than about 0.5 m in intermediate diameter, deep V-shaped dells occur. Where the largest boulders are larger than about 1.0 m, dells are shallow and U-shaped. Boulder size apparently determines the type of erosional processes that predominate in the development of the dells, and thereby dell form. Where boulder size is sufficiently small, running water is the dominant process and incises V-shaped dells. Where boulders are so large that even the largest floods cannot move them, the dell floor is armored and fluvial incision is greatly reduced. The evolution of such dells is dominated by debris flows that have recurrence intervals measured in millenia and by lateral fluvial erosion along the margins of the bouldery dell fill, both of which tend to produce shallow, U-shaped dells. Some evidence for the armoring effect of large boulders was obtained by applying a technique developed for reconstructing flash-flood peaks from boulder deposits. This procedure indicates that boulders in the V-shaped dells could be transported by high but plausible water flows, whereas movement of boulders in the U-shaped dells would require implausibly high flows.
Availability of Owner's Manuals for ‘Second-Hand’ Consumer Products

This research concerns the availability of owner's manuals for second-hand (used or resold) consumer products. One-hundred people were approached in a shopping center mall and asked various consume...
Some Determinants of Anti-Establishment Career Goals: An Empirical Analysis

Responses to a questionnaire by 125 students suggested that students using home-and-family as a reference group tended to be more establishment-oriented as were career-minded students, especially males.
Land use and small mammal predation effects on shortgrass prairie birds

Abstract Grassland birds endemic to the central shortgrass prairie ecoregion of the United States have experienced steep and widespread declines over the last 3 decades, and factors influencing reproductive success have been implicated. Nest predation is the major cause of nest failure in passerines, and nesting success for some shortgrass prairie birds is exceptionally low. The 3 primary land uses in the central shortgrass prairie ecoregion are native shortgrass prairie rangeland (62%), irrigated and nonirrigated cropland (29%), and Conservation Reserve Program (CRP, 8%). Because shortgrass–cropland edges and CRP may alter the community of small mammal predators of grassland bird nests, I sampled multiple sites on and near the Pawnee National Grasslands in northeast Colorado, USA, to evaluate 1) whether small mammal species richness and densities were greater in CRP fields and shortgrass prairie–cropland edges compared to shortgrass prairie habitats, and 2) whether daily survival probabilities of ground-...
Overview of endocrine systems in primary hypertension.

Multiple hormonal factors play a major role in the functional and structural abnormalities of hypertension (HT). At present, the kidneys and, in particular, renal Na + retention are thought to constitute a primary and sustaining mechanism in the development of HT. However, the precise renal and hormonal mechanisms leading to increased Na + reabsorption and HT remain unknown. Because the vast majority of HT is primary, this article focuses on the major endocrine systems, the RAS, aldosterone, and the SNS, that play a prominent role in the pathogenesis of HT.
Plasma estrogen, progesterone, and luteinizing hormone prior to estrus and during pregnancy in pigs.

Total estrogen, luteinizing hormone (LH), and progesterone concentrations were measured in plasma samples collected on days −6, −5, −4, −3, −2, −1 before estrus, estrus (day 0) and days 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24 of pregnancy in six gilts. The mean progesterone concentration decreased from 16.1 ng/ml of plasma (per pig) on day −6 before estrus to 1 ng/ml or less on day −4. Progesterone levels remained low through estrus, increased to a peak value of 35.4 ng/ml on day 12 of pregnancy, and then declined to 17.2 ng/ml on day 24. Total estrogen began to increase on day −3, which coincided with the time of lowest progesterone levels in most animals, and reached maximum values of about 38 pg/ml on days −2 and −1 before estrus. Prior to the proestrous peak and during pregnancy, levels of estrogen fluctuated between 10 and 28 pg/ml. There was a significant negative linear correlation (r = −0.369, n = 65) between ng of progesterone and pg of estrogen (p < 0.01) during the experimental period. LH values were the following...
Phenytoin protects against ischemia-produced neuronal cell death

Abstract Brief bilateral carotid occlusion in the gerbil produces forebrain ischemia that results in almost complete neuronal destruction in the CA1 sector of the hippocampus. Treatment with phenytoin (200 mg/kg) blocked the ischemia-induced neuronal death. The average density of CA1 pyramidal neurons (cells/mm CA1) was 253.6 ± 4.4 in the sham surgery group, 12.3 ± 3.4 in the ischemia group, and 119.5 ± 16.6 in the group treated with phenytoin before ischemia. Thus, phenytoin reduced ischemia-produced neuronal loss in hippocampal CA1 by 44.4% (P
Atypical myxoid smooth muscle tumor of the prostate: ERUS, CDI, and MR findings

Atypical myxoid smooth muscle tumor (AMSMT) of the prostate is a rare neoplasm not previously described in the radiographic literature. This report describes the unusual appearance of this tumor during endorectal ultrasound (ERUS), color Doppler imaging (CDI), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in a 26-year-old man.
Probing the interaction between single molecules: fluorescence resonance energy transfer between a single donor and a single acceptor

Summary form only given. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) is a standard spectroscopic technique for measuring distances in the 10-75 /spl Aring/ range. We extended the technique's sensitivity by measuring energy transfer between a single donor fluorophore and a single acceptor fluorophore. Near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM) was used to obtain simultaneous dual color imaging and emission spectra from a single pair of donor and acceptor fluorophores linked by a short (10 or 20 bases long) DNA molecule.
Key Residues Controlling Phenacetin Metabolism by Human Cytochrome P450 2A Enzymes

Cytochrome P450s (P450s) metabolize a large number of diverse substrates with specific regio- and stereospecificity. A number of compounds, including nicotine, cotinine, and aflatoxin B1, are metabolites of the 94% identical CYP2A13 and CYP2A6 enzymes but at different rates. Phenacetin and 4-aminobiphenyl were identified as substrates of human cytochromes P450 1A2 and 2A13 but not of CYP2A6. The purpose of this study was to identify active site amino acids that are responsible for CYP2A substrate specificity using phenacetin as a structural probe. Ten amino acid residues that differ in the CYP2A13 and CYP2A6 active sites were exchanged between the two enzymes. Phenacetin binding revealed that the six substitution, CYP2A13 S208I, A213S, F300I, A301G, M365V, and G369S decreased phenacetin affinity. Although incorporation of individual CYP2A13 residues into CYP2A6 had little effect on this enzyme's very low levels of phenacetin metabolism, the combination of double, triple, and quadruple substitutions at positions 208, 300, 301, and 369 increasingly endowed CYP2A6 with the ability to metabolize phenacetin. Enzyme kinetics revealed that the CYP2A6 I208S/I300F/G301A/S369G mutant protein O -deethylated phenacetin with a K m of 10.3 μM and a k cat of 2.9 min-1, which compare very favorably with those of CYP2A13 ( K m of 10.7 μM and k cat of 3.8 min-1). A 2.15 A crystal structure of the mutant CYP2A6 I208S/I300F/G301A/S369G protein with phenacetin in the active site provided a structural rationale for the differences in phenacetin metabolism between CYP2A6 and CYP2A13.
Using even terms of the scattering series for deghosting and multiple attenuation of ocean-bottom cable data

Inverse scattering multiple attenuation (ISMA) is a method of removing free‐surface multiple energy while preserving primary energy. The other key feature of ISMA is that no knowledge of the subsurface is required in its application. I have adapted this method to multicomponent ocean‐bottom cable data (i.e., to arrays of sea‐floor geophones and hydrophones) by selecting a subseries made of even terms of the current scattering series used in the free‐surface multiple attenuation of conventional marine surface seismic data (streamer data). This subseries approach allows me to remove receiver ghosts (receiver‐side reverberations) and free‐surface multiples (source‐side reverberations) in multicomponent OBC data. I have processed each component separately. As for the streamer case, my OBC version of ISMA preserves primary energy and does not require any knowledge of the subsurface. Moreover, the preprocessing steps of muting for the direct wave and interpolating for missing near offsets are no longer needed. ...
Physical characterization of MxiH and PrgI, the needle component of the type III secretion apparatus from Shigella and Salmonella

Shigella and Salmonella use similar type III secretion systems for delivering effector proteins into host cells. This secretion system consists of a base anchored in both bacterial membranes and an extracellular “needle” that forms a rod-like structure exposed on the pathogen surface. The needle is composed of multiple subunits of a single protein and makes direct contact with host cells to facilitate protein delivery. The proteins that make up the needle of Shigella and Salmonella are MxiH and PrgI, respectively. These proteins are attractive vaccine candidates because of their essential role in virulence and surface exposure. We therefore isolated, purified, and characterized the monomeric forms of MxiH and PrgI. Their far-UV circular dichroism spectra show structural similarities with hints of subtle differences in their secondary structure. Both proteins are highly helical and thermally unstable, with PrgI having a midpoint of thermal unfolding (Tm) near 37°C and MxiH having a value near 42°C. The two proteins also have comparable intrinsic stabilities as measured by chemically induced (urea) unfolding. MxiH, however, with a free energy of unfolding (ΔG°0,un) of 1.6 kcal/mol, is slightly more stable than PrgI (1.2 kcal/mol). The relatively low m-values obtained for the urea-induced unfolding of the proteins suggest that they undergo only a small change in solvent-accessible surface area. This argues that when MxiH and PrgI are incorporated into the needle complex, they obtain a more stable structural state through the introduction of protein–protein interactions.
Performance analysis of a null steering algorithm

In this paper we have analyzed the performance of a general null steering algorithm by simulation studies for the expected OISR and standard deviation of OISR for different signal to noise level and different number of samples. We have also studied a special case of the general approach and compared the expected value of OISR using the definition and the approximate expression of the expected value of OISR The results show that the approximation E{OSIR} (eq.8) is not accurate enough even in the case where higher SNR, large T, and distanced sources were used. These results are useful for predicting the asymptotic performance of an open-loop adaptive null steering system under different signal to noise level and different number of snapshots.
Maize ROP2 GTPase Provides a Competitive Advantage to the Male Gametophyte

Rop GTPases have been implicated in the regulation of plant signal transduction and cell morphogenesis. To explore ROP2 function in maize, we isolated five Mutator transposon insertions (rop2::Mu alleles). Transmission frequency through the male gametophyte, but not the female, was lower than expected in three of the rop2::Mu mutants. These three alleles formed an allelic series on the basis of the relative transmission rate of each when crossed as trans-heterozygotes. A dramatic reduction in the level of ROP2-mRNA in pollen was associated with the three alleles causing a transmission defect, whereas a rop2::Mu allele that did not result in a defect had wild-type transcript levels, thus confirming that mutation of rop2 causes the mutant phenotype. These data strongly support a role for rop2 in male gametophyte function, perhaps surprisingly, given the expression in pollen of the nearly identical duplicate gene rop9. However, the transmission defect was apparent only when a rop2::Mu heterozygote was used as the pollen donor or when a mixture of wild-type and homozygous mutant pollen was used. Thus, mutant pollen is at a competitive disadvantage compared to wild-type pollen, although mutant pollen grains lacked an obvious cellular defect. Our data demonstrate the importance in vivo of a specific Rop, rop2, in the male gametophyte.
Genetic Tobit Factor Analysis: Quantitative Genetic Modeling with Censored Data

Parameters of quantitative genetic models have traditionally been estimated by either algebraic manipulation of familial correlations (or familial mean squares), biometric model fitting, or multiple-group covariance structure analysis. With few exceptions, researchers who have used these methods for the analysis of twin data have assumed that their data were multinormal and, consequently, have used normal-theory estimation methods. It is shown that normal-theory methods produce biased genetic and environmental parameter estimates when data are censored. Specifically, with censored data, (1) normal-theory estimates of narrowsense heritability are either positively or negatively biased, whereas (2) estimates of shared-familial environmental variance are always biased downward. An alternative method for estimating genetic and environmental parameters from censored twin data is proposed. The method is called genetic Tobit factor analysis (GTFA) and is an extension of the Tobit factor analysis model developed by Muth6n (Br. J. Math. Star. Psychol. 42, 241-250, 1989). Using a Monte Carlo design, the performance of GTFA is compared to traditional quantitative genetic methods in both large and small data sets. The results of this study suggest that GTFA is the preferred method for the genetic modeling of censored data obtained from twins.
Sustained attention: Stimulus control determined by schedule of cue production interacting with cue duration

In a study of sustained attention (“vigilance”), pigeons performed a conditional discrimination in a 3-key operant chamber. Pecking a white center key initiated a 0.2- or 2.0-sec cue (a red or green disk). The side keys then displayed white disks, and a peck on the right or left key was reinforced depending on whether the preceding cue was red or green. Pecks on the white center key initiated the cue according to one of two schedules of cue production (FR 1 or VI 7.5 sec). Control of side key choices by 0.2-sec cues was disturbed by transition from FR 1 to VI 7.5, and recovered after the schedule of cue production changed from VI 7.5 back to FR 1. Control of choices by 2.0-sec cues was not affected by changing schedules of cue production. Rates of pecking the cue were higher than rates of cue-producing responses.
Effective Modulus and Stress Relaxation of Freestanding Aluminum Microtensile Beams

Freestanding Al thin film microtensile beams 600 µm long, 100 µm wide, and with thicknesses of 0.25 µm, 0.50 µm, 0.75 µm, and 1.00 µm were tested under uniaxial tension with a custom-built microtensile system. Displacement controlled experiments employing five strain rates between 8.3 x 10−4 s−1 and 8.3 x 10−1 s−1 were performed. Three crosshead displacements of 1.00 µm (0.17% strain), 2.60 µm (0.43%), and 3.60 µm (0.60% strain) were exercised in order to investigate behavior in the elastic, anelastic, and the inelastic sections of the stress/strain curve. At a 0.17% strain amplitude, the 0.50 µm thick microtensile beams exhibit an effective modulus that increases with increasing strain rate. The 1.00 µm, 0.75 µm, and 0.25 µm microtensile beams do not show a similar trend. The 0.25 µm and the 0.75 µm thick microtensile beams have similar grain sizes and similar moduli; the 0.50 µm and the 1.00 µm microtensile beams have similar but smaller grain sizes and higher effective moduli. This suggests that grain size is more significant than film thickness in determining the effective modulus of freestanding Al thin films. Furthermore, no stress relaxation behavior was identified for any of the films during the hold at the 0.17% strain amplitude. At a strain amplitude of 0.43%, the effective moduli are very similar to the values measured at a 0.17% strain amplitude; however, the 0.50 µm and 1.00 µm thick microtensile beams show measurable stress relaxation while the 0.25 µm and 0.75 µm microtensile beams do not. This result combined with a lower observed modulus suggests that the particular anelastic mechanisms operating in these films at these time scales activate sooner and provide a faster stress relaxation process in the larger grained films.
Language Management/Labor

How language is conceptualized as labor is a function of the economy within which profits are made and businesses are structured. Under capitalist regimes, language practices have been conceptualized as apart from labor, as part of the means of production, and as the product. Under neoliberal regimes and conditions of globalization, and depending on the language worker's job description and status as managed or managing, ethnicity/race, gender, and affiliation with national or nonnational language practices are conceptualized as skills subject to Taylorization, as natural abilities for employers' occasional use, or as indexes of authenticity. What ties all this together is how language workers are imagined in relation to the organizations for which they work, a key element being the degree to which language labor represents an internalization of the organization. In this way, language labor is conceptualized in relation to agency as a technology of self.
Reproductive success of cultivated Pyrus calleryana (Rosaceae) and establishment ability of invasive, hybrid progeny

 Premise of the study : Pyrus calleryana Decne., an ornamental tree species introduced from China, is a relatively new invasive that has only recently begun to spread across the United States after intraspecifi c hybridization between cultivars. The function of such hybridization in the evolution of invasiveness is still relatively understudied, especially with respect to the initial establishment and persistence of invasive genotypes. Multiple introductions of genetically divergent populations or cultivars may benefi t from new genetic combinations created during hybridization events and/or release from Allee effects in founder populations.  Methods : We quantifi ed the outcome of intraspecifi c hybridization between cultivars of P. calleryana in a common garden. Measures of the reproductive success and establishment ability of their early- and advanced-generation hybrid offspring were collected to assess the likelihood of particular cultivar genotypes to establish in invasive populations. These traits also were compared between cultivated and invasive parents to identify any generational differences in invasive potential.  Key results : Differences were detected in measures of reproductive ability, but no group emerged as consistently more fecund. Advanced-generation hybrids also had signifi cantly less biomass, indicating a reduction in hybrid performance relative to that of the cultivated progeny.  Conclusion : Ultimately, this study indicates that increased spread of P. calleryana has been initiated by introduction of multiple cultivar types and subsequent widespread planting and is not the result of an inherent fi tness advantage of hybrid progeny.
Evaluation of TRMM PR attenuation correction using ground radar estimations of the raindrop size distribution along the PR beam

Estimation of the raindrop size distribution (RSD) is made along the beam-path of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Precipitation Radar (PR). The PR is a nadir-pointing spaceborne radar that operates at 13.8 GHZ frequency. It is currently being used, along with other instruments aboard the TRMM satellite, for meteorological research. Short wavelength systems are used to reduce cost while maintaining the resolution near the Earth's surface required for meteorological sampling. The limitations are the high signal degradation of the return signal caused by scattering and absorption of the precipitating medium that it is intended to probe. Correction of the TRMM PR return echo is based on a single-frequency technique, which is evaluated using ground-based polarimetric radar observations. Quantitative estimation of a 3-parameter gamma model is made of the RSD along the PR beam. PR attenuation correction is compared to the median values of the RSD parameters. In particular, variations of the median drop size diameter (DO) and normalized intercept parameter (N/sub w/) with PR correction is made along the PR vertical profile in the rain layer. Data collected during the TExas and FLorida UNderflights (TEFLUN-B) experiment and TRMM Large Biosphere-Atmosphere experiment in Amazonia (LBA) field campaign is used in the evaluation.
Supporting the Communication, Language, and Literacy Development of Children with Complex Communication Needs: State of the Science and Future Research Priorities

Children with complex communication needs (CCN) resulting from autism spectrum disorders, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and other disabilities are severely restricted in their participation in educational, vocational, family, and community environments. There is a substantial body of research that demonstrates convincingly that children with CCN derive substantial benefits from augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) in their development of communication, language and literacy skills, with no risk to their speech development. Future research must address two significant challenges in order to maximize outcomes for children with CCN: (1) investigating how to improve the design of AAC apps/technologies so as to better meet the breadth of communication needs for the diverse population of children with CCN; and (2) ensuring the effective translation of these evidence-based AAC interventions to the everyday lives of children with CCN so that the possible becomes the probable. This article considers each of these challenges in turn, summarizing the state of the science as well as directions for future research and development.
Project Bloom: Empowering the security research community through data products and computing

In order to execute Bloom, we need financial resources. The biggest resource required is personnel time to provision and maintain Bloom, offer data products, and collect feedback to improve the service. Further, even though Indiana University has committed much of the computing and storage infrastructure needed to realize it, access to those resources will not be exclusive for Bloom users. Hence, some addition to those resources is necessary to ensure that Bloom users can have dedicated sources and hence good quality of service.
CoRAL: A transparent fault-tolerant web service

The Web is increasingly used for critical applications and services. We present a client-transparent mechanism, called CoRAL, that provides high reliability and availability for Web service. CoRAL provides fault tolerance even for requests being processed at the time of server failure. The scheme does not require deterministic servers and can thus handle dynamic content. CoRAL actively replicates the TCP connection state while maintaining logs of HTTP requests and replies. In the event of a primary server failure, active client connections fail over to a spare, where their processing continues seamlessly. We describe key aspects of the design and implementation as well as several performance optimizations. Measurements of system overhead, failover performance, and preliminary validation using fault injection are presented.
Song Recognition and Appraisal: A Comparison of Children Who Use Cochlear Implants and Normally Hearing Children

The purpose of this study was to compare song recognition and song appraisal of children (ages 8-15) who use cochlear implants and normally hearing children. The Iowa Music Perception and Appraisal Battery-Children's Version was developed to measure these differences. Fifteen children who use cochlear implants and 32 normally hearing children participated in this testing battery. The battery includes a Song Recognition Test, a Song Appraisal Test, and a Musical Background Questionnaire. The cochlear implant recipients were significantly less accurate (p <.0001) than normally hearing children on the Song Recognition Test. Cochlear implant recipients also demonstrated greater dislike than normally hearing children for all items on the Song Appraisal Test. Despite these differences, cochlear implant recipients were quite similar to normally hearing children in terms of self-reported informal musical involvement and music listening habits.
Inheritance of Resistance to the Soybean Aphid in Soybean PI 200538

The soybean aphid (Aphis glycines Matsumura) is a major soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) insect pest. Soybean plant introduction (PI) 200538 has strong resistance to the aphid. The objectives of our research were to determine the inheritance of resistance and to map gene(s) controlling resis- tance in PI 200538. F 2 populations developed from crosses between PI 200538 and three sus- ceptible genotypes were tested for resistance and with DNA markers. F 2 plants from the cross 'Ina' × PI 200538 segregated 114 resistant to 37 susceptible and F 2 plants from the cross 'Wil- liams 82' × PI 200538 segregated 203 resistant to 65 susceptible when tested for resistance to soybean aphid biotype 1. F 2 plants from the cross LD02-4485 × PI 200538 segregated 167 resistant to 62 susceptible when tested for resistance to biotype 2. These populations fi t a 3:1 genetic ratio (P = 0.89, 0.78, and 0.52, respectively) with resistance dominant over sus- ceptibility. Segregation among F 2:3 families from the crosses supported the dominant resistance gene hypothesis. The gene mapped to soybean linkage group F, fl anked by the simple sequence repeat marker loci Satt510, Soyhsp176, Satt114, and Sct_033, located in the same region as the aphid resistance gene Rag2. Since the resis- tance gene in PI 200538 also gave resistance to soybean aphid biotypes 1 and 2, it is pos- sible that the gene is Rag2 and not a new aphid resistance gene. Therefore, PI 200538 may be an additional source of Rag2.
Farm structure, market structure and agricultural sustainability goals: The case of New York State dairying

This paper explores issues of agricultural sustainability in relation to arguments to sustain the family labor farm and the theoretical justification for the recent increase in smallerscale milk processors and differentiated dairy product markets. Using a population of New York State dairy farm households, we identified farm structural variables that influence farmers' use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers and their consideration of intensive rotational grazing. Milk sales, division of hired labor on the farm, and ownership arrangements are found to be interrelated and predict relative use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers within a “conventional” confinement feeding system. Marketing strategies predict production practices within a confinement feeding system less reliably but do predict whether the farm has considered adopting an intensive grazing system. Farms that have higher saks, that use hired labor more extensively, and that are not single family operations are more likely to use chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Farms that sell to differentiated markets are more likely to look favorably on an eventual switch to an intensive rotational grazing system.