cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regulation of cAMP-Dissociation Kinetics in Lactating Rat Mammary Gland

The cAMP-dissociation kinetics of rat mammary gland cytosols are dependent upon the temperature of cAMP association. Dissociation rates (measured at pH 6.5, 24C) were biphasic (k−1 = 0.08–0.23 min−1 and k−2 = 0.02 min−1) and monophasic (k−1 = 0.02 min−1) after 0C and 24C association, respectively. The temperature-dependent change from an initial fast rate to an initial slow rate was observed at all concentrations of cAMP tested from 1 to 1000 nM.When the slow-dissociating site was associated with monradioactive 8-bromo-cAMP, the dissociation rates of [3H]-cAMP from the remaining dissociating site was slow (k−1 = 0.02 min−1) and fast (k−1 = 0.05 min−1) at 24C and 0C association, respectively. These data indicate that the fast-dissociating rate can be converted to the slow-dissociating rate by warming.When 0.2 M sodium thiocyanate was added to the association mixture at 24C, biphasic dissociation rates of k−1 = 0.23 min−1 and k−2 = 0.02 min were observed, suggesting that the chaotropic salt blocks the inter...
Failure of N-acetylcysteine to reduce low-density lipoprotein oxidizability in healthy subjects.

We have studied the effects of N-acetylcysteine which is thought to have antioxidant properties, on the susceptibility of low-density lipoprotein to oxidation and on whole-blood glutathione concentrations in six healthy volunteers. N-acetylcysteine was given orally in a dosage of at 1.2 g per day for 4 weeks, followed by 2.4 g per day for a further two weeks. The susceptibility of low-density lipoprotein toin vitro Cu2+-oxidation was determined by continuously measuring the formation of conjugated dienes. Whole-blood concentrations of reduced and oxidized glutathione were also determined. N-acetylcysteine had no effect on the susceptibility of LDL to oxidation. Concentrations of vitamin E in the serum and in low-density lipoprotein were not changed. Compared with controls the concentration of glutathione in N-acetylcysteine treated subjects was reduced (−48 %) and the concentration of oxidized glutathione was higher (+80%). The GSH/GSSG-ratio, a marker of oxidative stress was 83 % lower. The results do not support the supposed antioxidative action of N-acetylcysteine. It seems more likely that N-acetylcysteine acts as a pro-oxidant in the dosage used.
Aging of the hematopoietic system.

Purpose of reviewAging of the hematopoietic system is associated with myeloid malignancies, anemia and immune dysfunction. As hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) generate all cells of the hematopoietic system, age-associated changes in HSCs may underlie many features of the aged hematopoietic system. Re
A daily rhythm in hCG binding to ovarian follicles of the cyclic hamster

On each day of the estrous cycle hCG binding to follicle increased from 09.00 to 21.00 h; then hCG binding was static until 09.00 h of the next day. FSH binding did not exhibit rhythmicity. This pattern of hCG binding may be related to the pulsing of LH on each cycle day.
Cost-effectiveness of low-molecular-weight heparin in the treatment of proximal deep vein thrombosis.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the cost-effectiveness of low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) in the treatment of proximal lower extremity deep venous thrombosis.
Institutional Effectiveness in Two-Year Colleges: The Southern Region of the United States

Using institutional effectiveness criteria established by the Southern Assocation of Colleges and Schools, the authors surveyed administrators and faculty at institutions granting associate's degrees in the southern United States to elicit (a) the extent to which effectiveness components were implemented, (b) the importance placed on those components by institutional leaders, and (c) discrepancies between reported implementation and perceived importance. The data were analyzed to determine if differences existed between perceived levels of implementation and importance based on institutional size and respondents' characteristics (including professional classification, gender, ethnicity, age, and years of employment). Reported implementation did not vary according to institutional size or respondents' characteristics, but one-way analysis of variance tests revealed significant relationships between the perceived importance of some components and respondents' length of employment, professonal classification...
The role of mantle delamination in widespread Late Cretaceous extension and magmatism in the Cordilleran orogen, western United States

Extension during plate convergence and mountain building is widely recognized, yet the causes of synconvergent extension remain controversial. Here we propose that delamination of lithospheric mantle, aided by decoupling of the crust from the mantle via a reduction in the viscosity of the lower crust through heating, incursion of fl uids, and partial melting, explains many enigmatic yet prevalent aspects of the metamorphic, magmatic, and kinematic history of the Sevier-Laramide orogen of the western United States during the Late Cretaceous. Extension, heating, anatexis, magmatism, and perhaps rock uplift were widespread during a restricted time interval in the Late Cretaceous (75‐67 Ma) along the axis of maximum crustal thickening within the Mojave sector of the Sevier orogen, and to a lesser extent within the interior of the Idaho-Utah-Wyoming sector to the north; similar processes may have been active in the Peninsular Range, Sierran, western Mojave, and Salinian segments of the Mesozoic Cordilleran arc. These processes are viewed as predictable consequences of the thermal, rheological, and dynamic state of the overlying crust following delamination of mantle lithosphere beneath isostatically compensated mountain belts. The proposed delamination would have occurred immediately prior to eastward propagation of lowangle subduction of the Farallon plate during the inception of the Laramide orogeny. Following delamination, extension and anatexis of the North American crust were aided locally by egress of slab-derived fl uids from the low-angle Farallon slab. We suggest that lithospheric delamination may have aided in the shallowing of the slab to achieve lowangle subduction geometry. Delamination has been proposed to be common in areas of thickened continental lithosphere in the terminal phase or late in orogenesis. The Late Cretaceous delamination event proposed here for the Sevier-Laramide orogen occurred during protracted plate convergence and was synchronous with, and followed by, continued shortening in the external part of the orogen.
Life cycle and nano-products: end-of-life assessment

Understanding environmental impacts of nanomaterials necessitates analyzing the life cycle profile. The initial emphasis of nanomaterial life cycle studies has been on the environmental and health effects of nanoproducts during the production and usage stages. Analyzing the end-of-life (eol) stage of nanomaterials is also critical because significant impacts or benefits for the environment may arise at that particular stage. In this article, the Woodrow Wilson Center’s Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN) Consumer Products Inventory (CPI) model was used, which contains a relatively large and complete nanoproduct list (1,014) as of 2010. The consumer products have wide range of applications, such as clothing, sports goods, personal care products, medicine, as well as contributing to faster cars and planes, more powerful computers and satellites, better micro and nanochips, and long-lasting batteries. In order to understand the eol cycle concept, we allocated 1,014 nanoproducts into the nine end-of-life categories (e.g., recyclability, ingestion, absorption by skin/public sewer, public sewer, burning/landfill, landfill, air release, air release/public sewer, and other) based on probable final destinations of the nanoproducts. This article highlights the results of this preliminary assessment of end-of-life stage of nanoproducts. The largest potential eol fate was found to be recyclability, however little literature appears to have evolved around nanoproduct recycling. At lower frequency is dermal and ingestion human uptake and then landfill. Release to water and air are much lower potential eol fates for current nanoproducts. In addition, an analysis of nano-product categories with the largest number of products listed indicated that clothes, followed by dermal-related products and then sports equipment were the most represented in the PEN CPI (http://www.nanotechproject.org/inventories/consumer/browse/categories/2010).
Midterm Results of Repair of Perimembranous or Conal Ventricular Septal Defects Using the Transaortic Direct Suture Technique

Background A midterm retrospective analysis of the transaortic primary suture repair of perimembranous or conal ventricular septal defects with aortic valve prolapse was conducted. Methods From January 1998 to January 2006, 56 patients underwent transaortic repair of perimembranous or conal ventricular septal defects using the direct suture technique. The mean age at operation was 7.7 ± 5.0 years (37 males). Twenty-eight patients had none or trivial aortic regurgitation (AR), 19 had mild AR, and 9 had moderate or severe AR. The mean defect size was 7.0 ± 2.6 mm at operation. Results There was no early mortality. In the immediate postoperative period, AR remained unchanged in 32 patients, improved in 17, and worsened in 9, including 2 patients who required early reoperation. Median follow-up was 3 years (range, 2 months to 8 years). There was 1 late death. Aortic regurgitation had deteriorated in 21 patients, 3 of whom required late reoperation, and improved in 5 compared with the preoperative state. Freedom from deterioration in AR was 97% at 2 years and 71% at 4 years. Deterioration in aortic valve function was independent of demographic and morphologic features. Conclusions This surgical technique does not prevent progressive aortic valve dysfunction, which may be related to structural deficiency of the valve leaflet or distortion of the annulus by direct suture closure of the ventricular septal defect. Early closure may prevent structural leaflet damage, whereas adaptation of the transaortic technique to include a shallow ventricular septal defect patch may be beneficial in older patients.
Optical to UV spectra and birefringence of SiO 2 and TiO 2 : First-principles calculations with excitonic effects

A first-principles approach is presented for calculations of optical, ultraviolet spectra including excitonic effects. The approach is based on Bethe-Salpeter equation calculations using the NBSE code combined with ground-state density-functional theory calculations from the electronic structure code ABINIT. Test calculations for bulk Si are presented, and the approach is illustrated with calculations of the optical spectra and birefringence of $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-phase ${\text{SiO}}_{2}$ and the rutile and anatase phases of ${\text{TiO}}_{2}$. An interpretation of the strong birefringence in ${\text{TiO}}_{2}$ is presented.
In Situ Electrokinetic Preconcentrator for Conductive Biofluids

To detect and identify biomolecules at its infectious dose, all sensors require a relatively long time — days or even weeks — for reliable results. This delay occurs because the collection of analyte molecules onto the sensing elements depends solely on the diffusion process of those agents to a sensor. This work seeks to enhance the transport process, and thereby significantly improve a sensor’s detection capability. This work investigates an in-situ, label-free nanoparticle (e.g. protein) preconcentrator based on a new AC electrothermal effect (ACET) that can operate even in a highly conductive solution for which current methods such as dielectrophoresis, electrophresis or electroosmosis won’t function effectively. The proposed AC electrokinetic preconcentrator is expected to significantly increase the nanoparticle counts, realizing sub-femto molar detection in real time.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Catalytically Induced Electrokinetics for Motors and Micropumps.

We have explored the role of electrokinetics in the spontaneous motion of platinum-gold nanorods suspended in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) solutions that may arise from the bimetallic electrochemical decomposition of H2O2. The electrochemical decomposition pathway was confirmed by measuring the steady-state short-circuit current between platinum and gold interdigitated microelectrodes (IMEs) in the presence of H2O2. The resulting ion flux from platinum to gold implies an electric field in the surrounding solution that can be estimated from Ohm's Law. This catalytically generated electric field could in principle bring about electrokinetic effects that scale with the Helmholtz-Smoluchowski equation. Accordingly, we observed a linear relationship between bimetallic rod speed and the resistivity of the bulk solution. Previous observations relating a decrease in speed to an increase in ethanol concentration can be explained in terms of a decrease in current density caused by the presence of ethanol. Furthermore, we found that the catalytically generated electric field in the solution near a Pt/Au IME in the presence of H2O2 is capable of inducing electroosmotic fluid flow that can be switched on and off externally. We demonstrate that the velocity of the fluid flow in the plane of the IME is a function of the electric field, whether catalytically generated or applied from an external current source. Our findings indicate that the motion of PtAu nanorods in H2O2 is primarily due to a catalytically induced electrokinetic phenomenon and that other mechanisms, such as those related to interfacial tension gradients, play at best a minor role.
Progress in LIBS for landmine detection

The ability to interrogate objects buried in soil and ascertain their chemical composition in-situ would be an important capability enhancement for both military and humanitarian demining. Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) is a simple spark spectrochemical technique using a pulsed laser. Recent developments in broadband and man-portable LIBS provide the capability for the real-time detection at very high sensitivity of all elements in any target material because all chemical elements emit in the 200-940 nm spectral region. This technological advance offers a unique potential for the development of a rugged and reliable man-portable or robot-deployable chemical sensor that would be capable of both in-situ point probing and chemical sensing for landmine detection. Broadband LIBS data was acquired under laboratory conditions for more than a dozen different types of anti-personnel and anti-tank landmine casings from four countries plus a set of antitank landmine simulants. Subsequently, a statistical classification technique (partial least squares discriminant analysis, PLS-DA) was used to discriminate landmine casings from the simulants and to assign "unknown" spectra to a mine type based upon a library classification approach. Overall, a correct classification success of 99.0% was achieved, with a misclassification rate of only 1.8%. This performance illustrates the potential that LIBS has to be developed into a field-deployable device that could be utilized as a confirmatory sensor in landmine detection. The operational concept envisioned is a small LIBS system that is either man-portable or robot-deployed in which a micro-laser is contained in the handle of a deminer's probe, with laser light delivered and collected through an optical fiber in the tapered tip of the probe. In such a configuration, chemical analysis could be readily accomplished by LIBS after touching the buried object that one is interested in identifying and using real-time statistical signal processing techniques to accomplish "mine/no-mine" discrimination and even object identification if a material library could be constructed prior to analysis.
Uptake and binding of riboflavin by membrane vesicles of bacillus subtilis

Riboflavin uptake and membrane-associated riboflavin-binding activity have been investigated in Bacillus subtilis. The uptake and binding activity of the vitamin were found to be repressed coordinately by riboflavin present in the growth medium. The uptake of riboflavin has been shown to have properties of a carrier-mediated process, and membrane vesicles have been shown to demonstrate riboflavin counterflow and exchange. The membrane-associated binding activity for riboflavin has been solubilized with detergents, and a procedure for the partial purification of this component is described. The partially purified riboflavin-binding component has properties expected for a carrier involved in riboflavin uptake, as it shows saturation kinetics and is inhibited by riboflavin analogues. Evidence is also presented showing that reduced riboflavin binds to a greater extent than oxidized riboflavin, and the possible role of the reduced riboflavin in riboflavin uptake is discussed.
STEM: Secure Telephony Enabled Middlebox

Dynamic applications, including IP telephony, have not seen wide acceptance within enterprises because of problems caused by the existing network infrastructure. Static elements, including firewalls and network address translation devices, are not capable of allowing dynamic applications to operate properly. The Secure Telephony Enabled Middlebox (STEM) architecture is an enhancement of the existing network design to remove the issues surrounding static devices. The architecture incorporates an improved firewall that can interpret and utilize information in the application layer of packets to ensure proper functionality. In addition to allowing dynamic applications to function normally, the STEM architecture also incorporates several detection and response mechanisms for well-known network-based vulnerabilities. This article describes the key components of the architecture with respect to the SIP protocol.
Life cycle cost analysis of a car, a city bus and an intercity bus powertrain for year 2005 and 2020

The international economy, in the beginning of the 20th century, is characterized by uncertainty about the supply and the price of oil. Together with the fast decrease of electrical propulsion component prices, it becomes more and more cost effective to develop vehicles with alternative powertrains. This paper focuses on two questions: Are alternative powertrains especially cost effective for specific applications?; How does an increased fossil fuel price influences the choose of powertrain? To assess these questions, a computer tool named THEPS, developed in a Ph.D. project, is used. Three applications and three scenarios are analysed. The applications, a car, a city bus and an intercity bus, are vehicles all assumed to operate in Sweden. One scenario represents year 2005, the other two year 2020. The two future scenarios are characterized by different fossil fuel prices. The study, presented in the paper, indicates that alternative powertrains can be competitive from a cost perspective, in some applications, already in year 2005. It is for example cost effective to equip a city bus, running in countries with a high fuel price, with a hybrid powertrain. The study also indicates that pure electric, hybrid and/or fuel cell cars will probably be a more cost effective choice than conventional cars in year 2020. Another indication is that it will not be clear which powertrain concept to choose. The reason is that many cost effective powertrain concepts will be offered. The best choice will depend on the application.
The histone acetyltransferase TIP60 interacts with c-Myb and inactivates its transcriptional activity in human leukemia.

The histone acetyltransferase TIP60 is a coregulator of transcription factors and is implicated in tumorigenesis. In this study, we explored potential regulatory relationships between TIP60 and the c-Myb oncoprotein in hematopoietic cells. We first showed that TIP60 is a c-Myb interacting protein and that the interaction is dependent on the TIP60 acetyltransferase domain and c-Myb transactivation domain. We then found that coexpressing TIP60 decreases the transcriptional activation ability of c-Myb in functional reporter assays. A ChIP assay also revealed that TIP60 binds to the c-Myb target gene c-Myc promoter in a c-Myb-dependent manner. Consistently, knockdown of Tip60 expression by siRNA increased endogenous c-Myc expression. Furthermore, coimmunoprecipitation of Jurkat cell lysates revealed that c-Myb is associated with histone deacetylases HDAC1 and HDAC2, known to interact with TIP60 and repress transcription. Finally, we compared Tip60 expression in six primary AML samples with three normal CD34+ cell samples using quantitative RT-PCR. Tip60 expression was significantly (∼60%) lower in the AML samples. In summary, these studies demonstrate that TIP60 negatively modulates c-Myb transcriptional activity by recruiting histone deacetylases in human hematopoietic cells, leading us to hypothesize that TIP60 is a normal regulator of c-Myb function and that dysregulated or mutated TIP60 may contribute to c-Myb-driven leukemogenesis.
The world magnetic survey

The mathematical and graphical description of the earth's main field has been, and is, a “data limited” problem. The World Magnetic Survey (WMS) is an endeavor to minimize this limitation by rapidly and comprehensively blanketing the earth with magnetic field measurements. Satellite surveys, which will play a key role in the WMS, are the principal topic of this paper. Existing magnetic field descriptions, the expected results from new surveys, and the methods of obtaining these results with the POGO satellite are emphasized. It is anticipated on the basis of extrapolation from Vanguard 3 results and other considerations that a factor of 10 improvement will be obtained. This means that the average errors of 1 to 3 percent now present in field charts and spherical harmonic descriptions should be reduced to 0.1 to 0.3 percent as a result of the survey.
Getting more oomph from programming exercises

Much attention has been given to the content of introductory computer science courses, but based upon a perusal of introductory textbooks, it appears that somewhat less attention has been given to the programming exercises to be used in these courses. Programming exercises can be modified to provide a better educational experience for the student. An example of how atypical programming exercises were incorporated into an introductory programming language course is described.
Synchronization in supply chains: implications for design and management

Supply chain management literature calls for coordination between the different members of the chain. Materials should be moved from one supplier to the next according to a just-in-time schedule. In this paper, we show that for many supply chain configurations, complete synchronization will result in some members of the chain being ‘losers’ in terms of cost. We develop an algorithm for optimal synchronization of supply chains and provide some guidelines for incentive alignment along the supply chain. In developing the model, we use the economic delivery and scheduling problem model and analyze supply chains dealing with single and multiple components. For single-component supply chains, we derive a closed-form expression for the optimal synchronized cycle time. For multi-component supply chains, we develop an algorithm for finding the optimal synchronized cycle time. We test the performance of the algorithm and show that it provides optimal solutions for a wide range of problems. We illustrate the models with numerical examples.
X-chromosome inactivation in cultured cells from human chorionic villi

X-chromosome inactivation was investigated in human chorionic villi in the first trimester of pregnancy and cultured cells established from them. Expression of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) was evaluated in these extraembryonic cells from four females heterozygous for the electrophoretic variants (AB) of G6PD. In each case the uncultured villi as well as derived cultured cells expressed the AB phenotype for G6PD with about equal intensity for the A and B bands. Single-cell-derived clones established from two of the four cases expressed either G6PD A or B. One clone expressing G6PD B was fused with mouse cells, and a hybrid clone retaining the inactive human X chromosome was isolated; there was no evidence of human G6PD expression in this clone retaining an inactive human X. DNA methylation in the first intron of the human gene for hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) was evaluated in the four pairs of cultured villi and fetal cells. No differences were detected between the cultured villi and fetal cells as they all showed bands characteristic of an inactive X from somatic cells. These results show that there is no preferential inactivation of an X in the majority of cells that constitute human tertiary chorionic villi or in cultured cells derived from them. Long-term cultures established from chorionic villi appear to be no different from somatic cells with respect to X-chromosome inactivation.
The use of clozapine in borderline-intellectual-functioning and mentally retarded schizophrenic patients

Abstract The effect of clozapine, and atypical antipsychotic medication, in five patients with treatment-resistant schizo-phrenia or schizoaffective disorder and borderline intellectual functioning or mental retardation (MR) was studied. Four of the five patients responded favorably to clozapine with few side effects. Progressive improvement in psychopathology, social functioning, and ability to participate in daily activities were noted.
Cryogenic structure of the photosynthetic reaction center of Blastochloris viridis in the light and dark.

The structure of the Blastochloris viridis photosynthetic reaction center has been determined at 100 K by flash-freezing crystals. A data set to 2.2 A resolution provides a well determined model of the wild-type protein. Of particular interest are the position, occupancy and heterogeneity of the QB-binding site. Data were also collected from a crystal frozen immediately after illumination. The data support predominant binding of QB in the proximal position in both the neutral and charge-separated states.
Further studies on the origin of sarcosine synthesized by streptomyces antibioticus and streptomyces chrysomallus

Abstract 1. 1. Evidence was obtained that sarcosine: (a) partially inhibits actinomycin formation by Streptomyces chrysomallus and Streptomyces antibiotics and (b) markedly inhibits the incorporation of proline, hydroxyproline and oxoproline into the antibiotic peptides. 2. 2. Experiments with (N-Me-14C)- and (1-14C)-labeled sarcosine have revealed that sarcosine is directly incorporated into the various actinomycins synthesized by S. chrysomallus and S. antibiotics. 3. 3. Radioisotope dilution experiments to establish a precursor-product relationship between glycine and sarcosine have proved to be inconclusive due to competition by the amino acids for entry into or exit from the cells. 4. 4. It is concluded that free or enzyme-bound glycine is first methylated and that the sarcosine formed is then incorporated into the actinomycin peptide.
Molecular Microcircuitry Underlies Functional Specification in a Basal Ganglia Circuit Dedicated to Vocal Learning

Summary Similarities between speech and birdsong make songbirds advantageous for investigating the neurogenetics of learned vocal communication—a complex phenotype probably supported by ensembles of interacting genes in cortico-basal ganglia pathways of both species. To date, only FoxP2 has been identified as critical to both speech and birdsong. We performed weighted gene coexpression network analysis on microarray data from singing zebra finches to discover gene ensembles regulated during vocal behavior. We found ∼2,000 singing-regulated genes comprising three coexpression groups unique to area X, the basal ganglia subregion dedicated to learned vocalizations. These contained known targets of human FOXP2 and potential avian targets. We validated biological pathways not previously implicated in vocalization. Higher-order gene coexpression patterns, rather than expression levels, molecularly distinguish area X from the ventral striato-pallidum during singing. The previously unknown structure of singing-driven networks enables prioritization of molecular interactors that probably bear on human motor disorders, especially those affecting speech.
Transition Metal-Stabilized Arenium Cations: Protonation of Arenes Dihapto-Coordinated to π-Basic Metal Fragments

A series of metal complexes was synthesized in which arenes were dihapto-coordinated to π-basic metal fragments having the general form {TpM(π-acid)(L)}, where Tp = hydridotris(pyrazolyl)borate, M = rhenium, molybdenum, or tungsten, π-acid = CO or NO+, and L = 1-methylimidazole, 1-butylimidazole, pyridine, or trimethylphosphine. The arene complexes were shown to be significantly more basic than the analogous pentaammineosmium(II) arene complexes and were protonated by moderate acids to give remarkably stable η2 and η3 arenium cation complexes. A crystal structure of [TpRe(CO)(MeIm)(5,6-η2-2H-anisolium)](OTf) confirmed the η2 coordination of the anisolium ligand, but suggests a weak long-range interaction between the metal and C1 of the anisolium.
Perceived Stress, Anhedonia and Illusion of Control: Evidence for Two Mediational Models

Illusion of control (IOC) refers to the perception that one has control over an outcome that is, in actuality, uncontrollable; low IOC has been linked to depression. Prior studies in depression have mostly assessed IOC using paradigms involving positive outcomes, suggesting that IOC might be influenced by anhedonia. Recent evidence indicates that anhedonia, in turn, is linked to stress. To clarify such links, we examined putative relationships among perceived stress, anhedonia, and IOC (as assessed by a non-contingency task) in 63 participants. Perceived stress and anhedonia, but not general depressive symptoms, were associated with reduced IOC. Moreover, anhedonia fully mediated the relationship between stress perception and IOC, and perceived stress partially mediated the relationship between IOC and anhedonia. Findings suggest that (1) IOC is integrally related to hedonic capacity, (2) reward processing deficits may promote reduced IOC, and/or (3) a low IOC may promote depression via anhedonia-related mechanisms.
MEGA: Molecular Evolutionary Genetics Analysis software for microcomputers

A computer program package called MEGA has been developed for estimating evolutionary distances, reconstructing phylogenetic trees and computing basic statistical quantities from molecular data. It is written in C++ and is intended to be used on IBM and IBM-compatible personal computers. In this program, various methods for estimating evolutionary distances from nucleotide and amino acid sequence data, three different methods of phylogenetic inference (UPGMA, neighbor-joining and maximum parsimony) and two statistical tests of topological differences are included. For the maximum parsimony method, new algorithms of branch-and-bound and heuristic searches are implemented. In addition, MEGA computes statistical quantities such as nucleotide and amino acid frequencies, transition/transversion biases, codon frequencies (codon usage tables), and the number of variable sites in specified segments in nucleotide and amino acid sequences. Advanced on-screen sequence data and phylogenetic-tree editors facilitate publication-quality outputs with a wide range of printers. Integrated and interactive designs, on-line context-sensitive helps, and a text-file editor make MEGA easy to use.
Sociosexual investigation in sexually experienced, hormonally manipulated male leopard geckos: Relation with phosphorylated DARPP-32 in dopaminergic pathways

Dopaminergic activity is both associated with sociosexual exposure and modulated by sexual experience and hormonal state across vertebrate taxa. Mature leopard geckos, a reptile with temperature-dependent sex determination, have dopaminoceptive nuclei that are influenced by their embryonic environment and sensitive to adult hormonal manipulation. In this study, we exposed hormonally manipulated male leopard geckos from different incubation temperatures to conspecifics and measured their sociosexual investigation, as well as phosphorylated DARPP-32 at Threonine 34 (pDARPP-32) immunoreactivity as a marker for D1 dopamine receptor activity in the nucleus accumbens, striatum, and preoptic area. Social investigation time by males of different incubation temperatures was modulated in opposite directions by exogenous androgen treatment. Males exposed to novel stimuli spent a greater proportion of time investigating females of different incubation temperatures. The time spent investigating females was positively correlated to pDARPP-32 immunoreactivity in the preoptic area. This is the first study quantifying pDARPP-32 in a lizard species, and suggests the protein as a potential marker to measure differences in the dopaminergic pathway in a social setting with consideration of embryonic environment and hormonal state.
Worlds: controlling the scope of side effects

The state of an imperative program--e.g., the values stored in global and local variables, arrays, and objects' instance variables--changes as its statements are executed. These changes, or side effects, are visible globally: when one part of the program modifies an object, every other part that holds a reference to the same object (either directly or indirectly) is also affected. This paper introduces worlds, a language construct that reifies the notion of program state and enables programmers to control the scope of side effects. We investigate this idea by extending both JavaScript and Squeak Smalltalk with support for worlds, provide examples of some of the interesting idioms this construct makes possible, and formalize the semantics of property/field lookup in the presence of worlds. We also describe an efficient implementation strategy (used in our Squeak-based prototype), and illustrate the practical benefits of worlds with two case studies.
Adaptive finite element methods for high‐speed compressible flows

An adaptive finite element algorithm for solving the unsteady Euler equations is described. The finite element algorithm is based on a Taylor/Galerkin formulation and uses a very fast and efficient data structure to refine and unrefine the grid in order to optimize the approximation. A general version of the method which can be applied to moving grids with sliding interfaces is given, and results for a transient supersonic calculation of rotor-stator interaction are presented.
Attractive noncovalent interactions in asymmetric catalysis: Links between enzymes and small molecule catalysts

Catalysis by neutral, organic, small molecules capable of binding and activating substrates solely via noncovalent interactions—particularly H-bonding—has emerged as an important approach in organocatalysis. The mechanisms by which such small molecule catalysts induce high enantioselectivity may be quite different from those used by catalysts that rely on covalent interactions with substrates. Attractive noncovalent interactions are weaker, less distance dependent, less directional, and more affected by entropy than covalent interactions. However, the conformational constraint required for high stereoinduction may be achieved, in principle, if multiple noncovalent attractive interactions are operating in concert. This perspective will outline some recent efforts to elucidate the cooperative mechanisms responsible for stereoinduction in highly enantioselective reactions promoted by noncovalent catalysts.
A critical comparative assessment of differential equation-driven methods for structural topology optimization

In recent years, differential equation-driven methods have emerged as an alternate approach for structural topology optimization. In such methods, the design is evolved using special differential equations. Implicit level-set methods are one such set of approaches in which the design domain is represented in terms of implicit functions and generally (but not necessarily) use the Hamilton-Jacobi equation as the evolution equation. Another set of approaches are referred to as phase-field methods; which generally use a reaction-diffusion equation, such as the Allen-Cahn equation, for topology evolution. In this work, we exhaustively analyze four level-set methods and one phase-field method, which are representative of the literature. In order to evaluate performance, all the methods are implemented in MATLAB and studied using two-dimensional compliance minimization problems.
A Global “Growth Map” for 2014

The great story of the last decade has been the “rise of the rest”—emerging economies such as China, Brazil, Turkey and India—to a position rivaling that of the established, advanced economies. As the aftershocks of the financial crisis of 2008–2009 continue to ripple through the global system, will the rising rest stay or track or be derailed? Some of the world's top economists examine this question in the following section.
Electromagnetic ground-wave field of vertical antennas

Communication between the shore and a ship and between ships makes use of frequencies from 1 to 30 MHz. Distances up to 10000 km are involved. The analysis presented in this paper provides new simple formulas for the ground wave along the surface of the sea. These include not only the range in which the surface of the sea is well approximated by a plane but also the range where accurate account must be taken of the curvature of the spherical earth. Of practical significance is the fact that when f/spl ges/10 MHz, the amplitude of an outgoing wave decreases much more rapidly than when f<10 MHz.
Assessing Enzyme Activities Using Stable Isotope Labeling and Mass Spectrometry

Activity-based protein profiling has emerged as a valuable technology for labeling, enriching, and assessing protein activities from complex mixtures. This is primarily accomplished via a two-step identification and quantification process. Here we show a highly quantitative and streamlined method, termed catch-and-release activity profiling of enzymes (CAPE), which reduces this procedure to a single step. Furthermore the CAPE approach has the ability to detect small quantitative changes that may have been missed by alternative mass spectrometry-based techniques.
The SiO2-Si3N4 Interface, Part I: Nature of the Interphase

Recent reports in the literature have suggested that Si2N2O forms in the oxidation of Si3N4 as a buffer suboxide below the silica crust, and that equilibrium between SiO2 and Si3N4 requires the presence of this buffer. Here we report the examination of SiO2/Si3N4 boundaries of different genesis, by a variety of techniques, all of which failed to detect Si2N2O. What was found in each case is a graded suboxide whose composition merges seamlessly with the higher oxide above and the Si3N4 below. Part I presents the results of compositional depth profiling across the suboxide. In Part II a model is proposed to explain how O2 diffusion in the graded suboxide limits Si3N4 oxidation kinetics.
Improved progenitor assay standardization using peripheral blood progenitor cells from a donor treated with granulocyte–colony‐stimulating factor

BACKGROUND: Progenitor assays are the principal method for evaluating hematopoietic cell function. The magnitude of assay variability and the assay steps contributing to variability were determined, and modifications intended to increase assay consistency were evaluated. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Assays were performed using a serum-free progenitor assay medium with cells plated at 5.0 × 104 and 1.0 × 105 cells per plate. A peripheral blood progenitor cell component collected from a normal donor after administration of granulocyte–colony-stimulating factor was divided into identical aliquots. Each experiment involved at least 5 technologists, each performing assays in duplicate on five aliquots, with each person scoring all assay plates. Three sample preparation methods were tested: 1) ficoll mononuclear cell enrichment and sample dilution, 2) sample dilution without ficoll separation, and 3) sample dilution without ficoll separation, with cell counts performed before and after each dilution step, dilution volumes calculated on the basis of each cell count, automated electronic pipettors used in dilution steps, and colony frequency calculated on the basis of cell counts from the final specimen. RESULTS: Global variability for colony-forming units–granulocyte-macrophage, represented by the percentage of CV for all specimens and all technologists, was 89.6 percent at 5.0 × 104 cells per plate and 81.3 percent at 1.0 × 105, when ficoll separation was used. Subjective differences in scoring plates did not account for most of the variability observed, as results for any individual plate read by multiple technologists had a mean CV of 15.6 percent and 19.7 percent at the two plating concentrations. Method 3 resulted in the greatest improvement, reducing CV to 24.4 percent at 5.0 × 104 cells per plate and to 24.2 percent at 1.0 × 105 cells per plate. Similar results were obtained for erythroid–burst-forming units. CONCLUSIONS: Baseline assay results were extremely inconsistent. Interindividual differences in colony interpretation did not contribute significantly to assay variability, although sample preparation and plating did. Improved control over cell concentration decreased assay variability by 70 to 73 percent.
Youth development and afterschool time: policy and programming in large cities.

This chapter reviews the issues associated with the growth of after-school programming and the impact on major urban centers.
Chronic hypoxia, glutathione-dependent detoxication, and metabolic instability in rat small intestine

We previously showed that chronic hypoxia decreases activity of intestinal glutathione (GSH)-dependent enzymes and is associated with a proximal-to-distal gradient of enzyme activity, suggesting reduced detoxication capacity in ileal cells. To assess whether hypoxia affects metabolism of hydroperoxides, jejunal and ileal enterocytes from rats exposed to air (n = 11) or 10% O2 (n = 9) for 10 days were exposed to 300 microM tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BH). The initial rate of hydroperoxide metabolism was 50-90% faster in hypoxic enterocytes, but cell killing was enhanced. Metabolism in normoxic, but not hypoxic, cells was enhanced threefold by addition of 10 mM glucose. Hypoxic enterocytes exhibited a higher baseline GSH/GSH disulfide (GSSG) ratio but a larger percent decrease after t-BH exposure. t-BH induced a 35-40% decrease in protein-bound sulfhydryl groups in normoxic and hypoxic enterocytes, but protein-bound sulfhydryl was protected by glucose in normoxic cells only. Metabolic response to substrate load or hydroperoxide challenge was assessed by measurement of cellular O2 consumption. Hypoxia, but not normoxia, increases and decreases O2 consumption on exposure to glucose and oxidant, respectively, suggesting metabolic dysregulation. In summary, prolonged O2 deficiency induces loss of intestinal metabolic integrity that is associated with altered peroxide detoxication activity and mitochondrial respiratory function.
Maintenance of Derotation in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: a Novel Technique Measuring Postoperative Vertebral Rotation by Pedicle Screw Position

Current methods of measuring vertebral rotation by plain radiographs rely on anatomic landmarks that are not present in the postoperative spine or require advanced imaging. Furthermore, there are few studies on the incidence of crankshaft with modern pedicle instrumentation. We sought to (1) describe and validate a method of vertebral rotation measurement using plain radiographs and (2) measure postoperative rotation in a series of patients treated for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis treated with surgery over a 6-year period were reviewed. Patients with computed tomography (CT) scans and radiographs within 60 days of another were included. Vertebral rotation was calculated by radiographic measurements and measured directly by CT scan. As an internal control, patients with two apical pedicle screws on all radiographs were analyzed. Rotation was measured for all patients with at least 1 year of radiographic follow-up. Three thousand five hundred fifty-two instrumented spinal levels in 308 consecutive patients were reviewed. Ten patients with 93 screws were analyzed by CT and radiographs. The average discrepancy between computed tomography (CT) and radiographs was 3.3 ± 1.9°, with 81.7% (76/93) within 5°. Intra- and inter-rater reliabilities for measured axial rotation were excellent (intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) = 0.879 and 0.900, respectively). One hundred swventy-eight patients were eligible with an average follow-up of 2.3 ± 1.2 years; 84.8% (151/178) had screw(s) visible on all images at the major curve apex. The average postsurgical rotation was 3.5 ± 2.9°; 19.2% (29/151) were measured to have a rotation over 5°, and 4.0% (6/151) demonstrated a rotation over 10°. Only 4.6% (7/151) of patients demonstrated a postoperative Cobb angle change over 10°. Most major curves have apical pedicle screw instrumentation that can be followed by radiographs alone to measure rotation. Vertebral rotation measurement requires only plain radiographs and is a more sensitive determination for subtle postoperative crankshaft than change in Cobb angle.
Derivation and Maintenance of Embryonic Stem Cell Cultures

The ability to derive permanent tissue culture lines (1) of pluripotential stem cell lines (ES cells) from mouse embryos has provided a valuable model system for fundamental research into the cellular differentiation processes occuring in the normal embryo. Perhaps the most attractive feature of embryonic stem cell lines is that they can be manipulated to differentiate into a diversity of cell types either directly in the tissue culture dish or within the context of the normal developing embryo following their return to the embryonic environment.
UAS Detection Classification and Neutralization: Market Survey 2015

The purpose of this document is to briefly frame the challenges of detecting low, slow, and small (LSS) unmanned aerial systems (UAS). The conclusion drawn from internal discussions and external reports is the following; detection of LSS UAS is a challenging problem that can- not be achieved with a single detection modality for all potential targets. Classification of LSS UAS, especially classification in the presence of background clutter (e.g., urban environment) or other non-threating targets (e.g., birds), is under-explored. Though information of avail- able technologies is sparse, many of the existing options for UAS detection appear to be in their infancy (when compared to more established ground-based air defense systems for larger and/or faster threats). Companies currently providing or developing technologies to combat the UAS safety and security problem are certainly worth investigating, however, no company has provided the statistical evidence necessary to support robust detection, identification, and/or neutralization of LSS UAS targets. The results of a market survey are included that highlights potential commercial entities that could contribute some technology that assists in the detection, classification, and neutral- ization of a LSS UAS. This survey found no clear and obvious commercial solution, though recommendations are given for further investigationmore » of several potential systems.« less