cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The ultraviolet spectra of some methyl-substituted aromatic hydrocarbons

Abstract The ultraviolet absorption spectra of anthracene, phenanthrene, 3:4-benzphen-anthrene and several of their methyl and methylene derivatives have been measured at − 100°C in n-pentane solution and at room temperature in n-heptane solution. The effects of the position of methyl substitution on the band envelopes have been analysed. This work is in continuation of similar studies on methyl derivatives of 1:2-benzanthracene which have been described in a previous publication.
Microstructure of polycrystalline CuInSe2/Cd(Zn)S heterojunction solar cells

Abstract Polycrystalline CuInSe 2 /Cd(Zn)S heterojunction solar cells deposited on Corning 7059 or soda-lime glass are characterized structurally and chemically by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy in conjunction with energy-dispersive analysis of X-rays. Scanning electron micrographs reveal rough and uneven surfaces and cross-sectional morphologies of the Cd(Zn)S and CuInSe 2 layers. The crystallography and defect structure of the individual Cd(Zn)S, CuInSe 2 and molybdenum layers are examined by conventional and high resolution transmission electron microscopy. The crystal structures for Cd(Zn)S, CuInSe 2 and molybdenum are wurtzite, chalcopyrite and b.c.c. respectively. The Cd(Zn)S layer exhibits stacking faults on hexagonal basal planes. Planar defects such as twins and stacking faults on {112} chalcopyrite planes are identified in the CuInSe 2 layer. The most significant features obtained from these cross-sections are (i) the lateral non-uniformity of the Cd(Zn)S and CuInSe 2 layers, (ii) the intimate bonding between these two layers, and an epitaxial relationship between grains of Cd(Zn)S and CuInSe 2 at the interface ({0001} Cd(Zn)S ∥ {112} CuInSe 2 ), and (iii) the presence of voids and fractures in the CuInSe 2 layer. A correlation between the formation of fractures and voids and the defect structure in CuInSe 2 layer, and the mechanical stresses induced by differential thermal contraction of the substrate/film assembly is discussed.
Preflare Phenomena in Eruptive Flares

We report the results of a statistical study of the relationship between eruptive solar flares and an observed Hα preflare phenomenon we call moving blueshift events (MBSEs). The Hα data were gathered using the Mees Solar Observatory CCD imaging spectrograph (MCCD). The 16 events in our data set were observed by both the MCCD and the Yohkoh Soft X-Ray Telescope, typically for at least 3 hr prior to the flare and in some cases repeatedly for several days prior to the flare. The data set contains both eruptive and noneruptive flares, without bias. Focusing on 3 hr periods before and after the flares, we found that the average rate of MBSEs prior to the flares was ~5 times greater prior to the 11 eruptive flares than prior to the five noneruptive ones. Also, the average rate of MBSEs dropped by a factor of ~6 after the eruptive flares. Earlier studies inferred that MBSEs reflect motions that originate in the readjustment of magnetic fields after magnetic reconnection. From the high correlation between eruptive flares and preflare MBSEs in the several hours prior to such events, we conclude that reconnection in the chromosphere or low corona plays an important role in establishing the conditions that lead to solar flare eruptions.
A Lakewide Comparison Study of Phytoplankton Biomass and its Species Composition in Lake Huron, 1971 to 1985

Abstract Phytoplankton were collected at offshore sites during 23 cruises in the spring, summer and autumn of 1983, 1984, and 1985. Forty common species and varieties from a total of 448 taxa accounted for 89.8% of the total abundance and 88.1% of the total biomass. The average phytoplankton density (mean ± S.E.) from April through December was as follows: 1985 — 2,020±113 cells/mL, 1984—2,918±196 cells/mL, 1983—2,567 ± 178 cells/mL. Average biomass for the same period was: 1985—0.34±0.021 g/m 3 , 1984—0.41±0.44 g/m 3 , 1983—0.37±0.040 g/m 3 . The following predominant diatoms were observed in 1974, 1983, 1984, and 1985: Asterionella formosa, Cyclotella comensis, C. comta, C. ocellata, Fragilaria crotonensis, Melosira islandica, Tabellaria flocculosa , and Rhizosolenia spp. The historical consistency of the mesotrophic-eutrophic diatom ratio, the similarity of dominant species, the predominance of oligotrophic and mesotrophic diatom indicator species, and the similarity in phytoplankton biomass suggest little change in the trophic status of the offshore waters of Lake Huron from 1971 to 1982–85.
Angiotensin II-induced hypertension increases plasma membrane Na pump activity by enhancing Na entry in rat thick ascending limbs.

Thick ascending limbs (TAL) reabsorb 30% of the filtered NaCl load. Na enters the cells via apical Na-K-2Cl cotransporters and Na/H exchangers and exits via basolateral Na pumps. Chronic angiotensi...
High white-tailed deer densities benefit graminoids and contribute to biotic homogenization of forest ground-layer vegetation

Biotic homogenization, with its emphasis on invasions, extinctions, and convergence in taxonomic similarity, provides an important framework for investigating changes in biodiversity across scales. Through their selective foraging, large populations of white-tailed deer are altering population sizes, driving extirpations, and facilitating invasions of plants throughout the eastern United States. I hypothesize that deer can drive biotic homogenization in forest understory communities by shifting species composition to one dominated by grasses, sedges, and ferns (all wind-pollinated plants). I report the effects of 16 years of deer exclusion in a hemlock-northern hardwood stand in N Wisconsin using a block design. Species composition showed greater convergence in control plots than exclosure plots, indicating deer can drive biotic homogenization at the stand level. Total percent cover is nearly 4 times greater in exclosure plots. Percent cover by woody plants, broadleaf herbs, and ferns is 150, 63, and 20 times greater in exclosure plots, respectively, while cover by sedges and grasses is 3.8 and 2.2 times greater in control plots. Cover by species with showy, insect-pollinated flowers is 79 times greater in exclosures. Graminoid-dominated control plots represent a novel state not observed fifty years ago, and could reflect the emergence of a grazing lawn. The increase in graminoids at this study area and throughout the region could under some global change scenarios be an early stage of conversion from forest to savanna or wood pasture.
Older Women’s Experience with a Benign Breast Biopsy—A Mixed Methods Study

Little is known about older women’s experience with a benign breast biopsy. To examine the psychological impact and experience of women ≥ 65 years of age with a benign breast biopsy. Prospective cohort study using quantitative and qualitative methods. Three Boston-based breast imaging centers. Ninety-four English-speaking women ≥ 65 years without dementia referred for breast biopsy as a result of an abnormal mammogram, not aware of their biopsy results at baseline, and with a subsequent negative biopsy. We interviewed women at the time of breast biopsy (before women knew their results) and 6 months post-biopsy. At both interviews, participants completed the validated negative psychological consequences of screening mammography questionnaire (PCQ, scores range from 0 to 36 [high distress], PCQ ≥ 1 suggests a psychological consequence, PCQs <1 are reported at time of screening) and women responded to open-ended questions about their experience. At follow-up, participants described the quality of information received after their benign breast biopsy. We used a linear mixed effects model to examine if PCQs declined over time. We also reviewed participants’ open-ended comments for themes. Overall, 88 % (83/94) of participants were non-Hispanic white and 33 % (31/94) had a high-school degree or less. At biopsy, 76 % (71/94) reported negative psychological consequences from their biopsy compared to 39 % (37/94) at follow-up (p < 0.01). In open-ended comments, participants noted the anxiety (29 %, 27/94) and discomfort (28 %, 26/94) experienced at biopsy (especially from positioning on the biopsy table). Participants requested more information to prepare for a biopsy and to interpret their negative results. Forty-four percent (39/89) reported at least a little anxiety about future mammograms. The high psychological burden of a benign breast biopsy among older women significantly diminishes with time but does not completely resolve. To reduce this burden, older women need more information about undergoing a breast biopsy.
Lesion-induced axon sprouting in the deafferented striatum of adult rat

Synaptic replacement in rat striatum following a unilateral cortical lesion was investigated using electron microscopy and the anterograde tracer, biotinylated dextrin amine (BDA). In the deafferented striatum evidence of axon sprouting and synapse replacement was seen at 20 days after the lesion and most newly-formed axon terminals were labeled with BDA injected previously into the contralateral cortex. In addition, BDA-labeled fibers from the contralateral cortex formed multiple asymmetric axospinous synapses with deafferented striatal neurons, a morphological feature rarely seen in unlesioned rats. These data suggest that in response to a unilateral cortex lesion axons from the contralateral cortex sprout and reinnervated the deafferented striatal neurons and that reinnervation by 'like' afferents maybe crucial for the establishment of functional recovery after the unilateral cortex lesion.
Conclusion and Future Directions

With the increased popularity of mobile devices, more and more applications on the mobile platform rely on the contextual information of a user to provide high quality and customized services.
An Ambition-Theoretic Approach to Legislative Organizational Choice

Understanding legislative organization requires that we understand internal institutional choice; we must be able to describe and predict variation in internal structures across legislatures rather than simply explain a given structure. Currently, models that would enable us to do so are largely unavailable. This article offers a more general model, based on a variant of ambition theory, with the explicit purpose of examining variation in internal organization rather than a particular structure. Theoretical results indicate that legislators' strategic preferences over structures will fall into distinct and opposed types. This finding implies that legislatures themselves should fall into the same types and that structures, rules, and norms should appear in organized, relatively coherent bundles linked to varying legislator types
Clash of Engineering Scientists and Environmental Engineers

In recent editorials in the Journal of Environmental Engineering (JEE), practitioners have questioned the relevance of JEE to the practice of environmental engineering ~Srivastava 2001; Sonnen 2001; Parker 2002!. While acknowledging that the content of JEE is not above reproach, Pavlostathis and Arnold ~2001! note that many practitioners are still participating in JEE, representing 29% of authors and coauthoring 47% of published articles in a recent year of JEE. I suggest that the dissatisfaction with JEE voiced by a sector of the community of practicing environmental engineers is just one symptom of a larger more pervasive problem with ramifications far more significant than the future role of this Journal. While the percentage of work published by practitioners in JEE is not insignificant, the Journal, like many other widely cited journals, is dominated by authors from institutions of higher education. JEE’s content merely reflects the schism between academia and practice. Regardless of changes in the management and operation of JEE, one journal cannot serve these two communities, which have differing perspectives, equally well. If one looks closely at the forces influencing today’s educators of engineers, one can see how the gap between academia and practice has developed. Efforts to close this gap will not only improve the relevance of JEE articles to the practicing community, but more importantly will also help to train engineers better prepared to address complex, interdisciplinary environmental challenges. Since World War II, leading engineering programs have evolved from practice-oriented training facilities to researchintensive institutions. While there clearly is a need for engineering research, engineering higher education has adopted the evaluation and reward structure of academic science programs. Faculty performance is evaluated in the areas of teaching, research, and service to the profession. Nowhere in this science paradigm of higher education is practice seriously considered. In fact, how much an institution values ‘‘practice’’ in the evaluation of faculty performance seems to be inversely related to the reputation of the institution. Top programs hope to hire faculty with P.E.s in hand, and then actively discourage the faculty members from continuing to practice. As president of the National Academy of Engineering, Wulf ~1998! referred to the current generation of faculty members that has developed under the science paradigm as ‘‘engineering scientists.’’ Working within the evaluation and reward structure that has been laid out for them, can we be surprised that these bright, dedicated engineering scientists have not made keeping close ties to practice a high priority? The fundamental problem with applying the science paradigm to engineering programs is that engineering is by definition a practice, problem-solving profession. Engineering students, both undergraduates and graduates, need exposure to insights gained in
Use of volunteer student abstractors for a retrospective cohort analysis: a study of inter-rater reliability.

Abstract Background Little is known about the reliability of data collected by abstractors without professional medical training. This investigation sought to determine the level of agreement among untrained volunteer abstractors as part of a study to evaluate the risk assessment of venous thromboembolism in patients who have undergone trauma. Methods Forty-nine paper charts were chosen randomly from a volunteer-reviewed cohort of 2,339 and were compared with those of a single experienced abstractor. Inter-rater agreement was assessed using percent agreement, Cohen's kappa, and prevalence-adjusted bias-adjusted kappa (PABAK). Results Of the 71 data points, 28 had perfect agreement. The average agreement across all charts was 97%. Data with imperfect agreement had kappa values between .27 and .96 (mean, .75), with one additional value at zero even though it was associated with an agreement of 94%. PABAK values ranged from .67 to .98 (mean, .91), an average increase of .17 compared with kappa values. Conclusions The performance of volunteers showed outstanding inter-rater reliability; however, limitations of interpretation can influence reliability.
Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase C677T Polymorphism, Venous Thrombosis, Cardiovascular Risk, and Other Effects

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) plays a major role in regulating levels of homocysteine (HC), and the C677T mutation of this enzyme results in significantly decreased activity. This MTHFR C677T genotype is associated with elevated plasma HC and an increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) disease. The HC levels are set by individual laboratories, but in general, a level 60 mmol/L (808 mg/dL) considered severely elevated. Homocysteine is a sulfhydryl-containing amino acid intermediate, which results from the demethylation of methionine, an essential amino acid that comes from proteins in the diet and also from endogenous protein metabolism. Metabolism of HC occurs by either a transsulfuration pathway or 1 of the 2 remethylation pathways. With the transsulfuration pathway, cystathionine b synthase and cystathionase are required and both need vitamin B6 as a cofactor. The first remethylation pathway requires transfer of a methyl group from 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (MTHF) to HC. This first remethylation pathway involves methionine synthetase, which needs vitamin B12 and folate. Therefore, specific vitamin B deficiencies (B6, B12, and folate) could theoretically result in increased plasma HC levels. The second remethylation pathway utilizes an irreversible methyl group transfer to HC from betaine.
Evaluation of Real-Time Clinical Decision Support Systems for Platelet and Cryoprecipitate Orders

Objectives: To evaluate cryoprecipitate and platelet ordering practices after the implementation of real-time clinical decision support systems (CDSSs) in a computerized physician order entry (CPOE) system. Methods: Uniform platelet and cryoprecipitate transfusion thresholds were implemented at 11 hospitals in a regional health care system with a common CPOE system. Over 6 months, a variety of information was collected on the ordering physicians and the number of alerts generated by the CDSSs when these products were ordered outside of the institutional guidelines. Results: There were 1,889 orders for platelets and 152 orders for cryoprecipitate placed in 6 months. Of these, 1,102 (58.3%) platelet and 74 (48.7%) cryoprecipitate orders triggered an alert. The proportion of orders canceled after an alert was generated ranged from 13.5% to 17.9% for platelets and 0% to 50.0% for cryoprecipitate orders. Conclusions: CDSS alerts reduce, but do not eliminate, platelet and cryoprecipitate transfusions that do not meet institutional guidelines.
Religion and Gender Equality Worldwide: A Country-Level Analysis

Does religion help or hinder gender equality worldwide? Are some major world religions more conducive to equality than others? This study answers these questions using country-level data assembled from multiple sources. Much of the research on religion and gender has focused on the relationship between individual religious belief and practice and gender attitudes. This study, alternatively, compares the macro effects of the proportion of religious adherents in a country on two indicators of material gender equality: the United Nations Gender Inequality Index and the Social Watch Gender Equity Index. Comparing the world’s four largest religious groups reveals that the largest distinction is not between any of the three largest faiths—Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism—but between the religious and the non-religious. The more non-religious people in a country, the more gender equal that country tends to be. This finding holds when accounting for human development and other country-level factors, as well as in instrumental variable analysis.
WP744 is a novel anthracycline with enhanced activity against neuroblastoma

Background Doxorubicin (Dox) is one of the most useful chemotherapeutic agents for patients with advanced neuroblastoma (NB). A series of Dox analogs with bulky substitutions at the C-4′ at amino-sugar have been designed to impair interactions between the drug and P-glycoprotein (P-gp), a multidrug drug resistance (MDR) transporter. Two analogs, WP744 and WP769, were selected and their biological properties were compared with Dox and the daunorubicin-based bisintercalator WP631. These novel Dox analogs may have antitumor activity beyond MDR evasion. Materials and methods MTT assays were used to determine the potency of three structurally altered Dox analogs against a panel of NB cell lines with and without amplification of the MYCN oncogene. Flow cytometry (FCM) was used to analyze apoptosis and cell death and phenotype cell lines for surface expression of the MDR protein P-gp. Results The 4′-O-benzylated Dox analogs WP744 and WP769 were 2 to 36 times more cytotoxic than Dox for the NB cell lines tested. The bis-intercalator WP631, despite its significantly greater affinity for DNA (>10,000-fold), was generally less potent against NB than Dox. In Tet21N cells, which conditionally express MYCN, greatly enhanced (nearly 6-fold) sensitivity to WP744 killing was seen when this oncogene was induced, while enhanced sensitivity to Dox was more modest (2-fold) under MYCN-induced conditions. Treatment with WP744 also resulted in enhanced apoptosis. Apoptosis, but not cell death, in response to either WP744 or Dox was inhibited by caspase inhibition, suggesting that cell death was not completely dependent upon apoptosis. P-gp expression was detectable on five NB cell lines. WP744 was more cytotoxic than Dox against both P-gp+ and P-gp− cells. Conclusions These findings demonstrate that 4′-O-benzylation of the anthracycline molecule significantly enhances potency against NB independent of MYCN status, caspase activation, and MDR phenotype. However, WP744 demonstrated a unique synergy with MYCN for cell killing when this oncogene was specifically induced. WP744 may be more useful than conventional agents for the treatment of tumor clones that harbor defects in apoptotic pathways, in those with MYCN amplification, and in those with drug-resistant tumors.
Theory of ZnO Varistors

The theory of ZnO varistors has evolved along with the increasingly detailed experimental description [1–2]. The extreme nonlinearity in the currentvoltage curves naturally led the early investigators to suggest the well-known nonlinear mechanisms, such as space-charge limited currents or electron tunneling. Later experiments made these first proposals untenable [3–9]. Recently a second generation of theories has been proposed, with many different mechanisms suggested for the extreme nonlinearity [10–15]. Here we wish to review these different theories, and also the experiments which bear upon their validity.
The Food Preference Paradigm: A Review of Autumn–Winter Food Use by North American Dabbling Ducks (1900–2009)

Abstract Studies describing food use (i.e., diet) of nonbreeding dabbling ducks Anas spp. are essential to understanding physiological needs of and recommending habitat management for these birds. We conducted a review of published autumn and winter food-use studies of dabbling ducks in North America to characterize the current state of knowledge and identify remaining research needs. We initiated our review to determine whether valuations of duck foods and the term “preference” commonly used by researchers and in waterfowl management guides (i.e., the food preference paradigm) were supported by available peer-reviewed literature. We analyzed peer-reviewed literature (1900–2009) on autumn–winter food use of dabbling ducks (n = 59 studies). Most studies (68%) used methods known to contain substantial bias including data from gizzards and hunter-collected ducks. Only 5% of published articles reliably determined food selection by concurrently measuring food use and availability, and no study determined foo...
Modular Multiplication using Redundant Digit Division

Most implementations of the modular exponentiation, ME mod N, computation in cryptographic algorithms employ Montgomery multiplication, ABR-1 mod N, instead of modular multiplication, AB mod N, even the former requires some transformational overheads. This is so because a state-of-the-art Montgomery multiplication implementation has a performance advantage over direct modular multiplication based on the Barrett algorithm that more than compensates for the overhead. In this paper, we present a direct modular multiplication method that is comparable in speed to Montgomery multiplication. One consequence is that when the exponent in small, direct computation (which does not incur the transformational overhead) using the modular multiplication algorithm presented here results in practical performance gain. For the exponent 17, for instance, which requires five modular multiplication, a saving of up to 40% can be achieved.
Alternative techniques of seeding cultured endothelial cells to ePTFE grafts of different diameters, porosities, and surfaces

Attachment of /sup 111/Indium-oxine labeled cultured canine venous endothelial cells to expanded polytetrafluorethylene (ePTFE) grafts was evaluated in vitro. Three alternative seeding techniques were studied in grafts having different diameters, porosities, and surfaces, including: (I) manual milking of blood containing endothelial cells within the graft; (II) a two-step procedure of incubating grafts initially with blood and then with an endothelial cell suspension; and (III) mechanical spinning of grafts filled with blood containing endothelium. Method II had significantly higher cell attachment to the graft (11.6%) than did Method I (1.5%) or III (4.7%). A somewhat higher seeding efficiency was noted in 10-mm-I.D. grafts (11.6%) compared to 6-mm-I.D. grafts (6.3%). Different graft porosity, created by altering internodal distances, did not cause significant changes in cell attachment (10 microns, 13.4%; 30 microns, 6.3%; 90 microns, 16.0%). Fibronectin-coated surfaces, which should have enhanced cell adhesion, demonstrated a 6.0% cell attachment, a lower efficiency than the 11.6% observed with a blood coating alone. Acetone-soaked surfaces, which should have predictably exhibited less hydrophobicity, produced quite variable attachments (range 3.4 to 59.7%, mean 23.4%). In the present investigation the best seeding technique was method II, the two-step incubation procedure. Consistent differences were not noted with various ePTFEmore » graft configurations or surfaces.« less
Assessing Web services quality for call-by-call outsourcing

The process of decision making regarding the outsourcing of various tasks in an enterprise's value chain involves consideration of a number of important economic trade offs. Outsourcing decisions in the past have typically been of a strategic nature involving long-term commitment. However, given the emerging technologies of Web services and the growing variety of service providers, it seems feasible to utilize the Internet's ubiquity and pervasiveness for outsourcing at least more simple tasks dynamically in a call-by-call manner. However, to make the required decisions in each instance without having to manually assess the quality of each offer, an automatic quality assessment based on a mutual service level agreement is essential. In this paper, we investigate the necessary mechanisms and demonstrate their feasibility in a real world use case scenario.
Experimental constraints on the evaporation of partially oxidized acid-sulfate waters at the martian surface

Abstract Isothermal evaporation experiments were carried out on an acidic (pH 2), partially oxidized (Fe2+/FeT ∼0.5) brine with a cation composition consistent with derivation from the chemical weathering of martian basalt. During evaporation, the brine composition evolved to a highly acidic (un-scaled pH −1.3) Mg–Fe–SO4–Cl brine depleted in Ca, Al and K. Evaporite minerals identified throughout the course of the experiment include (in order of crystallization): gypsum, Mg-rich voltaite, (Mg0.7, Fe 2 + 0.3 )SO4·7H2O and rhomboclase. The solid solution compositions of voltaite and (Mg0.7, Fe 2 + 0.3 )SO4·7H2O, although uncommon in analogous environments on Earth, result from the distinct chemistry of evaporating martian surface fluids. Analysis of brine compositions with available thermodynamic models indicates that, although gypsum and rhomboclase precipitate at equilibrium saturation, kinetic controls on the precipitation of copiapite-group minerals affect the subsequent sulfate mineralogy and evolving chemistry of the entire system. In addition, geochemical simulations of the experimental evaporation process suggest that the appearance of voltaite and rhomboclase indicate a “metastable” evaporation pathway for martian fluids whereby bilinite and copiapite-group minerals did not form despite thermodynamic saturation. Comparison of the experimentally-produced assemblage to available observations of saline minerals at the martian surface represents a step toward systematically characterizing evaporite mineralogy as a function of Fe-oxidation in the initially dilute fluid. Deconvolving the complexity of Fe-sulfate formation in martian environments ultimately will help to exploit the sensitivity of these minerals to pH and redox conditions present at the ancient martian surface.
Multiple agents architecture for intelligent command and control system of AUVs : application to the MARIUS vehicle

This paper addresses the problem of intelligent command and control systems for AUVs. It presents a conceptual multiple agents based architecture proposed for the MARIUS prototype vehicle (devoted to coastal survey missions). The paper presents the characteristics of the vehicle system and a synthesis of the functional requirements to be fulfilled; it describes the proposed multiagents architecture for the onboard mission management system, with details on architecture, functionalities and communications capabilities of the agents It describes the mapping of the functional decomposition of the RIMS on this multiple agents architecture. >
Automation Method for Testing XML/DB/XML Layers

Extensible markup language (XML) is a very convenient format for exchanging data in an application-neutral way. Most of the middleware products usually produce or consume data in XML format at some interfaces. This data either comes from or needs to be persisted into a relational database. Thus, two end points can be discerned clearly - one is XML input and/or output, and another is the relational database. Same data is converted from one format to another between these two end points. It is usually imperative to assure the accuracy of data at these two end points. Though this accuracy can be verified manually for development purposes, for efficient quality assurance of the product, the manual verification needs to be replaced with automated verification. In this paper, we present an automation technique to verify the accuracy of data at these two endpoints.
Regional left ventricular function in individuals with mild to moderate renal insufficiency: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Introduction Asymptomatic individuals with moderate reduction in renal function are at increased risk for congestive heart failure. In this study we investigate the relationship between mild-moderate renal insufficiency and regional left ventricle function in a population free of cardiovascular disease. Method This is a cross-sectional study in 500 individuals ≥45 years of age without known cardiovascular disease who participated in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Regional systolic and diastolic strain rate as well as peak systolic midwall circumferential strain were calculated from tagged magnetic resonance imaging studies in these participants. Regions were defined by coronary territories (left anterior descending, left circumflex, right coronary artery). Creatinine clearance (CrCl) was estimated by using the Cockcroft-Gault equation and categorized as ≥90 mL/min (normal CrCl), 60 to 89 mL/min (mildly reduced CrCl), and Results The mean participant age was 66 ± 10 years (58% men). The mean CrCl was 80 ± 25 mL/min. Multiple linear regression analyses indicated that circumferential systolic strain as well as systolic strain rate were significantly lower in participants with moderately reduced CrCl compared with those with normal CrCl in all coronary territories. Lower diastolic strain rates was observed in mild-moderate renal territories compared with those with normal CrCl. Conclusions Impaired regional systolic and diastolic function was observed with mild-moderate reduction of renal function without evidence of clinical heart disease. The results strengthen the usefulness of routine determination of renal function in potentially identify individuals with early myocardial dysfunction.
Engineering new protein-protein interactions on the β-propeller fold by yeast cell surface display.

The β-propeller fold is a widespread structural module responsible for specific protein-protein interactions in the cell. [1] Typically β-propellers consist of four to eight blades that are made of antiparallel β-sheets twisting around a central tunnel (Figure 1 and Figure S1 in the Supporting information). The flexible loops connecting the β-strands in the blades put together docking sites for diverse cellular targets. Often the blades of β-propellers are tandem repeats of Kelch or WD motifs of 40–50 residues so β-propellers are also known as the Kelch- or WD-repeats (Figure S2 in the Supporting Information). [2–3] They have many important functions in the cell including recruiting substrate proteins to Cullin-RING ligases for protein ubiquitination, [4–7] mediating signal transduction through receptor-G protein coupling, [8] organizing caspases to initiate cell apoptosis, [9] regulating microtubule dynamics, [10] and detecting DNA damage. [11] The β-pinwheel domain of DNA topoisomerases also adopts a fold similar to the β-propeller to wrap around double-stranded DNA and induce DNA supercoiling. [12–13] Here we engineered the binding specificity of the Kelch-repeat (KR) domain of the Keap1 protein [14] by yeast cell surface display. Our results showed that the β-propeller fold can be redesigned to generate new protein-protein interactions.
Role of Immune Therapies for Myeloma

Immune therapy has emerged as a promising area of cancer therapeutics based on its potential for tumor selectivity and targeting of chemotherapy-resistant clones. Allogeneic transplantation produces durable remissions in a subset of patients, albeit at the cost of graft- versus-host disease. Recent years have witnessed efforts to induce more selective immune responses via dendritic cell vaccines, autologous and engineered T-cell therapy, and immune checkpoint blockade. Optimizing these immunotherapeutic approaches, understanding how to best use them in combination, and determining how to integrate them with standard anti-myeloma therapy could provide the potential to alter the natural history of this disease.
Iron, Engineers, and Urbanization

Remains of the cast-iron age are easily found in present day cities although progress has served to erase many of them from existence. In the old sections of the downtowns, one is likely to find cast-iron front buildings—some left in quiet anonymity and others repainted in polychrome. The successes of the 18th century restorations have been widely publicized, so much so that in other historical areas of the country, well-meaning city fathers seek to mold their cities into this idyllic form. This emphasis on the 18th century serves only to further romanticize life two centuries ago while desecrating the memory of the more recent industrial past. In looking at present day cities, one should want to perceive the continuum from the origins of the city to modern times—not solely the worshipped remains of the early years among brand new structures.
Cancer Chemotherapy and Immunosuppressive Agents

A number of neoplastic diseases can be cured with drugs alone or with drugs in combination with other modalities (e.g., choriocarcinoma, Hodgkin’s disease, acute leukemia, Burkitt’s lymphoma, testicular carcinoma). Adjuvant chemotherapy in combination with surgery and/or radiotherapy has increased survival rates for a number of solid tumors. However, the most prevalent forms of human cancer respond poorly or not at all to chemotherapy.
Does the Magna Carta Embody a Proportionality Principle

American scholars often argue that the Magna Carta embodies a “proportionality principle” mandating that the punishment fit the crime. This principle, according to a familiar narrative, found expression centuries later in the English Bill of Rights, which was reproduced another century later in the American Bill of Rights. Justices on the U.S. Supreme Court have claimed the authority of the Magna Carta when infusing the Eighth Amendment with a proportionality principle not immediately evident from its text. This Essay explores and questions the narrative. The argument that the Magna Carta embodies a proportionality principle seizes upon three Chapters (20 to 22) that provide that a penalty not exceed “the degree of the offense.” Yet these sections exclusively concern the Norman practice of amercements — a penalty imposed for a litany of administrative offenses that were almost never of a criminal nature. Furthermore, given the prevalence of violent crime and the widespread acceptance of cruel punishment, it is implausible to project humanitarian motives onto the authors of Chapters 20 to 22. The Essay concludes with broader reflections on the uses made of the Magna Carta in this year, the 800th anniversary of its sealing. Like virtually every legal document in recorded history, the Magna Carta embodies at some level a proportionality principle. But as jurists purport to extract more meaningful and specific lessons from the Magna Carta on this and other points, their arguments lapse into poor scholarship and hopeless anachronism.
Heterogeneous Chemistry in the Atmosphere

Chemical kineticists have long been involved in the study of the chemistry of the atmosphere. This involvement is both natural and important and has led to quantitative mechanistic understanding of many atmospheric phenomena. Historically the atmosphere had been regarded as essentially a gas phase reactor, with surface phenomena a laboratory hindrance to obtaining measurements that were applicable to the real situation. Relatively recent understanding has changed this view. In this paper, emphasis will be given to results from our laboratory using Knudsen cell techniques to study interactions of gaseous species with atmospherically relevant liquid sulfuric acid-water solutions and soot particles representative of those found (or postulated) in some specific atmospheric venues.
Solid-state NMR study of a 41 kDa membrane protein complex DsbA/DsbB.

The disulfide bond generation system in E. coli is led by a periplasmic protein, DsbA, and an integral membrane protein, DsbB. Here we present a solid-state NMR (SSNMR) study of a 41 kDa membrane protein complex DsbA/DsbB precipitated in the presence of native lipids to investigate conformational changes and dynamics that occur upon transient complex formation within the electron transfer pathway. Chemical shift changes in the periplasmic enzyme DsbA in three states (wild type, C33S mutant, and in complex with DsbB) reveal structural and/or dynamic information. We report a 4.9 ppm 15N chemical shift change observed for Pro31 in the active site between the wild type and C33S mutant of DsbA. Additionally, the Pro31 residue remains elusive in the DsbA/DsbB complex, indicating that the dynamics change drastically in the active site between the three states of DsbA. Using three-dimensional SSNMR spectra, partial 13C and 15N de novo chemical shift assignments throughout DsbA in the DsbA/DsbB complex were compar...
Plasmalogen in the Developing Brain.

SummaryPlasmalogen content in brains of newborn rats is about 2 μmoles/g of wet tissue and represents about 10% of total phospholipid. During growth, and after major increase in brain weight, phospholipid composition shifts to one containing about 20 to 25% plasmalogen (12 μmoles/g). Maximal rate of accumulation of plasmalogen in brain occurs in 20- to 24-day-old rats.
Controlling the Size, Shape, Phase, Band Gap, and Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance of Cu2–xS and CuxInyS Nanocrystals

We show how indium incorporation can effect the size, morphology, crystal structure, and optical properties of CIS nanocrystals (NCs) and demonstrate a robust methodology for preparing monodisperse plasmonic and nonplasmonic CIS NCs. In contrast with previous methods of producing CIS nanocrystals exhibiting localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), which employed expensive and hazardous bis(trimethylsilyl) sulfide, we employ sulfur dissolved in oleic acid as the sulfur donor in combination with appropriate cation precursors to allow production of monodisperse CIS NCs with broad variation of the Cu:In ratio in the products. The crystal phase of the CIS NCs is determined not only by the reactivity of the ligands but also by the cation composition. The LSPR shifted to longer wavelengths with increasing In content until it vanished, while the band gap of the CIS NCs decreased linearly from 2.1 to 1.2 eV. The manipulation of optical properties of CIS NCs with controlled and well-defined size, shape, and phas...
Loss of divalent metal transporter 1 function promotes brain copper accumulation and increases impulsivity.

The divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1) is a major iron transporter required for iron absorption and erythropoiesis. Loss of DMT1 function results in microcytic anemia. While iron plays an important role in neural function, the behavioral consequences of DMT1 deficiency are largely unexplored. The goal of this study was to define the neurobehavioral and neurochemical phenotypes of homozygous Belgrade (b/b) rats that carry DMT1 mutation and explore potential mechanisms of these phenotypes. The b/b rats (11-12 weeks old) and their healthy littermate heterozygous (+/b) Belgrade rats were subject to elevated plus maze tasks. The b/b rats spent more time in open arms, entered open arms more frequently and traveled more distance in the maze than +/b controls, suggesting increased impulsivity. Impaired emotional behavior was associated with down-regulation of GABA in the hippocampus in b/b rats. Also, b/b rats showed increased GABAA receptor α1 and GABA transporter, indicating altered GABAergic function. Furthermore, metal analysis revealed that b/b rats have decreased total iron, but normal non-heme iron, in the brain. Interestingly, b/b rats exhibited unusually high copper levels in most brain regions, including striatum and hippocampus. Quantitative PCR analysis showed that both copper importer copper transporter 1 and exporter copper-transporting ATPase 1 were up-regulated in the hippocampus from b/b rats. Finally, b/b rats exhibited increased 8-isoprostane levels and decreased glutathione/glutathione disulfide ratio in the hippocampus, reflecting elevated oxidative stress. Combined, our results suggest that copper loading in DMT1 deficiency could induce oxidative stress and impair GABA metabolism, which promote impulsivity-like behavior. Iron-copper model: Mutations in the divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1) decrease body iron status and up-regulate copper absorption, which leads to copper loading in the brain and consequently increases metal-induced oxidative stress. This event disrupts GABAergic neurotransmission and promotes impulsivity-like behavior. Our model provides better understanding of physiological risks associated with imbalanced metal metabolism in mental function and, more specifically, the interactions with GABA and redox control in the treatment of emotional disorders.
‘Accountable to Whom?’ And Other Issues for NGOs

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are attracting increased attention and recognition among practitioners and scholars of development and development assistance. Whether because of frustration with frequent government corruption and repression, the failure of major donors’ projects substantially to alleviate poverty, or the attraction of smaller scale efforts, NGOs are often touted as a solution to many of the problems that bedevil official development aid. Networks of voluntary associations are seen as a valuable resource for building strong civil societies and accountable governments. This chapter explores some issues in these discussions that have special relevance to the NGOs’ engagement with the World Bank.
Pituitary Gland: Normal Function and Assessment.

Abstract Introduction This computer-based, interactive module introduces preclinical medical students to normal pituitary function and outlines its assessment. Solid understanding of these topics i...
A 220pJ/pixel/frame CMOS image sensor with partial settling readout architecture

To reduce power consumption in a CMOS imager readout path, we use partial settling of the column values into a SAR-ADC, creating a 320H×240V prototype sensor with two column-shared 10-bit ADCs, which consumes 2.2mW at 130 fps. The measured INL and DNL with a third order correction of partial settling behavior is +1.855LSB/−1.855LSB and +0.337LSB/−0.179LSB, respectively. The input referred readout noise is 5e− with a conversion gain of 90uV/e−.
Process optimization of high performance ion implanted GaAs JFETs

The strategy, implementation, and results of the optimization of an all-ion-implanted, 0.6- mu m GaAs junction field effect transistor (JFET) process for high-speed, low-power, direct coupled FET logic (DCFL) digital ICs are described. The process has been optimized to provide maximum device performance while concurrently minimizing short channel effects for optimal manufacturability. 15-keV ion implantation is used to form a shallow p-gate ( >
Models of Morality: The Bildungsroman and Social Reform in The Female American and The Woman of Colour

Must Ethiopians be employ’d for you?Much I rejoice if any good I do.I ask O unbeliever, Satan’s childHath not thy Saviour been too much revil’d?—Phillis Wheatley, “An Address to the Deist,” 1767In ...
A priori intrinsic PTM size parameters for predicting the ion mobilities of modified peptides

The rising profile of ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) in proteomics has driven the efforts to predict peptide cross-sections. In the simplest approach, these are derived by adding the contributions of all amino acid residues and post-translational modifications (PTMs) defined by their intrinsic size parameters (ISPs). We show that the ISPs for PTMs can be calculated from properties of constituent atoms, and introduce the “impact scores” that govern the shift of cross-sections from the central mass-dependent trend for unmodified peptides. The ISPs and scores tabulated for 100 more common PTMs enable predicting the domains for modified peptides in the IMS/MS space that would guide subproteome investigations.
Weather Observations, Analysis, and Forecasting

The present article1 is intended to provide a review of recent progress, particularly since the publishing in 1951 of the Compendium of meteorology (Malone, 1951). In certain cases, I have found it necessary to go back to earlier years in order to establish continuity and bring to the fore major trends. To comply with space requirements, it has been necessary to go lightly over many important contributions and to leave out some which deal with highly specialized or local techniques. My apologies are offered to those whose contributions have not been mentioned. I regret, also, that I have been unable to obtain access to recent literature published in the U.S.S.R. and allied countries.
Robust quantitation of basic-protein higher-order aggregates using size-exclusion chromatography

Detection of higher-order aggregates (HOA) using size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) was found to be variable for a basic protein, using exposed-silanol or diol-silica-based SEC columns. Preparations of the tetrameric biopharmaceutical enzyme Erwinia chrysanthemil-asparaginase (ErA), which has an isoelectric point of 8.6, were analysed using a diol-silica SEC column. Although the proportions of ErA main peak and octamer species were unaffected, HOA recovery and detection were extremely variable and had poor agreement with an orthogonal measurement technique, analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC). The observation that only HOA was selectively affected by non-specific silanol interactions was unexpected, so alternatives were sought. Coated-silica SEC columns improved the resolution and reproducibility of HOA detection for this alkaline-pI protein, and improved the agreement of HOA with the AUC method. Basic proteins, such as ErA, should be thoroughly evaluated in SEC method development, to ensure that resolution of larger aggregate species is not compromised.
Horizontal atmospheric turbulence, beam propagation, and modeling

The turbulent effect from the Earth’s atmosphere degrades the performance of an optical imaging system. Many studies have been conducted in the study of beam propagation in a turbulent medium. Horizontal beam propagation and correction presents many challenges when compared to vertical due to the far harsher turbulent conditions and increased complexity it induces. We investigate the collection of beam propagation data, analysis, and use for building a mathematical model of the horizontal turbulent path and the plans for an adaptive optical system to use this information to correct for horizontal path atmospheric turbulence.