cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Structure of the Relaxed Thick Filaments from Lethocerus Asynchronous Flight Muscle - Implications for Stretch Activation

A general property of striated muscles, particularly rhythmically beating cardiac and fibrillar insect flight muscles, is a delayed tension rise following a rapid stretch, known as stretch activation. The mechanism of stretch activation remains poorly understood. Proposed hypotheses include the match/mismatch between myosin origins and actin targets, changes to thin filament structure via direct connections between thick and thin filaments, or changes in the thick filament structure via connecting filaments. Stretch activation is highly refined in Lethocerus. The cryoEM structure of relaxed Lethocerus thick filaments shows myosin heads adopting the same interacting head motif (IHM) seen in smooth muscle myosin. However, the IHM position differs from previously described thick filaments in the absence of nearest-neighbor contacts between IHMs. Moreover, myosin's actin-binding region points away from actin; and instead, myosin's SH3 domain is closest to the thin filament. The presence of extra proteins threaded among the myosin rods may loosen the rod packing density, although no high-resolution structures of coiled-coils of this length exist for comparison. Formation of the IHM is correlated with filament instability in non-muscle and smooth muscle filaments. Tama et al. (J Mol. Biol. 345, 837 (2005)) hypothesized that the IHM distorts the coiled-coil rod thereby loosening the packing and destabilizing the filaments. We reverse that logic, and suggest that lack of nearest neighbor contacts between IHMs, loose myosin rod packing, and the presence of proteins separating the myosin rods within the Lethocerus thick filament serve to poise the IHM on the edge of stability, sensitizing it to stretching of the myosin filament that affects the rod packing. The attraction of this mechanism is simultaneous activation of all heads and continued activation until tension drops. Supported by NIH and AHA.
Hydrogen evolution from water using Mo-oxide clusters in the gas phase: DFT modeling of a complete catalytic cycle using a Mo2O4-/Mo2O5- cluster couple.

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations using a small metal cluster couple, Mo2O4−/Mo2O5−, are used to model a complete catalytic cycle for H2 production from water. While Mo2O4− is known to readily react with water to form Mo2O5− and release H2, the principal challenge is in reducing Mo2O5− to Mo2O4− to complete the cycle. We investigate the role of several potential sacrificial reagents (ethylene, propylene, CO and acetylene) that can reduce Mo2O5− after the initial oxidation. DFT calculations of the free energy reaction pathways demonstrate the presence of overall kinetically accessible barriers that are below the entrance channel (separated reactants) in the Mo2O4− + H2O reaction (step I) followed by the Mo2O5− + sacrificial reagent reactions (step II). Though the overall reaction is thermodynamically favorable, the first step is highly exothermic while the second step is endothermic. The deepest part of the potential energy surface is a complex of Mo2O5− with the sacrificial reagent. If the energy gained in the first reaction and the succeeding complex formation is not lost due to collisions, the subsequent barriers can be overcome, leading to possible catalytic applications of the Mo2O4−/Mo2O5− cluster couple in H2 production reactions.
Career Trajectory Analysis of Information Technology Alumni: A LinkedIn Perspective

Understanding alumni's career path is critical for an Information Technology (IT) program to engage existing students, get connected to alumni and adapt the curriculum to the ever-changing technology field. LinkedIn, the largest professional networking site, provides a wealth of publicly available career outcomes of educations from higher education institutions. In the paper, we present an alumni database architecture that can extract the data from alumni LinkedIn profiles, transform and load the data in a database for analysis. We collected over 600 LinkedIn profiles of alumni who have graduated with Bachelor of Science (BS) degrees and Master of Science (MS) degrees from an IT program. We analyzed and compared the career trajectory of BSIT and MSIT graduates. Our findings show that graduates from both programs in general were moving towards managerial positions as their career progressed. However, BSIT and MSIT alumni showed some different career paths. BSIT graduates were developed into two different job titles: engineers and managers; while MSIT alumni were gradually growing into more managerial and business types of positions, such as managers and analysts
Pasteurella multocida cellulitis and possible septic arthritis of the knee after exposure to dog saliva after a recent total knee arthroplasty

Prosthetic joint replacement occurs frequently. Complications of prosthetic joint replacements include bleeding, mechanical disruption, persistent pain, and infection. Infectious complications can occur early or late, measured in hours to days or months to years. The microorganism profiles vary depending on whether infection is early or late. Factors related to wound care have a significant role in the development of wound infection and coincident infection of the prosthesis. We report a wound infection and possible septic arthritis with septic shock due to Pasteurella multocida ; symptoms and signs of joint involvement were noted but aspiration of the joint was declined by the orthopedic surgery service due to concerns about joint contamination from the overlying cellulitis. Blood cultures were sterile. The wound had been licked by her pet dogs on numerous occasions. Ultimately the infection was eradicated with antimicrobial agents, and the septic shock resolved.
Failure of cemented soil under decreasing effective stress

In case of cut slope made in cemented soil or stiff clay, failure is to be expected due to the detachment of bonds (brittle fracture). This field scenario could be simulated by performing triaxial extension test on these types of soils under low effective stress state. This paper presents the results of a series of triaxial compression and extension tests performed on artificially prepared cemented soil and remolded clay in the low stress range. Testing revealed that the mode of failure for cemented soil is different in compression (shear failure) and extension (brittle failure). For cemented soil, shear resistance in extension is found to be less dependent on the normal stress and the resistance is mostly due to the cementation bonds. But in remolded clay, shear resistance is found to be proportional to the effective normal stress at failure. Therefore the use of shear parameters based on compression tests may not be apposite for the stability analysis of cut slopes made in cemented soil. In such cases, failure criteria may be better taken as the difference in principal stresses.
Review Of Optical Coherence Effects In Instrument Design

Improved performance in many optical instruments has been achieved by considering coherence effects in the design of the optical instrument. In this paper such improvements are reviewed by heuristically describing the fundamental principles of partial coherence which are required in the design of such instruments. Furthermore, these coherence effects, which arise from both coherent and incoherent sources of radiation, are illustrated by discussing a selected set of instruments in which improved performance has been achieved. These examples include high-resolution recording and analyzing instruments which use incoherent sources, as well as imaging and mensuration instruments which use coherent sources. A set of guidelines for determining when coherence effects influence system performance with respect to linearity, resolution and noise is also presented.© (1979) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Electrodeposition of partially oxidized tetracyanoplatinate nanowires on seeds and patterns for gas sensing

This paper describes the synthesis of a new type of nanowires, potassium tetracyanoplatinate sesquihydrate Krogmann salt or K(def)TCP. Seed-mediated electrocrystallization nucleates and confines th...
Weldability Knowledge Visualization of Resistance Spot Welded Assembly Design

Abstract This paper presents a Resistance Spot Welding (RSW) weldability knowledge visualization framework. To realize this visualization framework, real industry RSW quality datasets are analyzed using data mining algorithms and weldability decision rules are extracted. Then, an RSW ontology is employed to build a shareable RSW weldability knowledge model from the extracted decision rules, by converting into Semantic Web Rule Language rules. To visualize the weldment design integrated with the weldability knowledge, the RSW ontology data is mapped and integrated with X3DOM models and then X3DOM models are utilized for the visualization of welded assembly design. Finally, the visualization framework is implemented and demonstrated with a case study.
Biodegradation of representative ignitable liquid components on soil

Abstract A mixture containing 14 hydrocarbons representing six distinct compound types (e.g. normal alkanes, branched alkanes, cyclic alkanes, aromatics, polynuclear aromatics, and oxygenates) was deposited onto ninety grams of potting soil and allowed to remain for specified periods of time. Hydrocarbons remaining at the end of each time period were extracted by passive headspace concentration and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. No byproducts were observed to be formed or accumulate during biodegradation in this study. There was sizable loss of oxygenated compounds, normal alkanes, and toluene compared to poly-substituted aromatics, polynuclear aromatics, branched alkanes, and cyclic alkanes. The half-life for the cumulative loss of all components of the hydrocarbon mixture was calculated to be 3.15 days. A half-life as short as 1.75 days was determined for the integrated loss of a commercial ignitable liquid from the ASTM E1618 aromatic class ignitable liquid.
PI3K/Akt/mTOR/PTEN and ERK/MAPK Pathways

Aberrant activation of oncogenic intracellular signaling pathways in prostate cancer holds enormous promise as a potential therapeutic target. Of these signaling circuits, PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling is one of the most important in the disease, and numerous compounds targeting this pathway are currently being tested in clinical trials or preclinical models of prostatic tumorigenesis. In the vast majority of tumors, PTEN loss by genomic deletion is one of the earliest and most critical events leading to activation of downstream PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling. While amplifications of PI3K component genes also occur, activating mutations of PI3K or downstream AKT/mTOR signaling are relatively rare compared to their common occurrence in other solid tumor types. Though activation of RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK signaling comprises another important oncogenic circuit in prostate cancer, the molecular mechanisms responsible for this remain unclear. Activating mutations in MAPK constituents and gene fusions leading to activation rarely occur but may be targetable in rare cases. Ultimately, realizing the promise of precision medicine approaches for targeting these critical signaling pathways will hinge on the development and extensive validation of molecular pathology assays to assess pathway status.
Osteoarthritis of the First CMC

Carpometacarpal arthritis is pain in the base of the thumb due to degenerative joint disease of the joint between the carpal bones and the metacarpal joint of the thumb. It involves wear and tear of cartilage, with joint space narrowing, and bony formations of osteophytes. Its most pathognomonic symptom is pain at the base of the thumb or on handgrip. Plain radiographs confirm a clinical diagnosis of carpometacarpal arthritis. Most common treatment includes relative rest, physical therapy, heat, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Various injection techniques are also useful for short periods to relieve exacerbations of pain.
Design systematic weak point discovery optimization

Design systematics have posed significant problems for the development of the latest technology nodes, specifically for logic with design rules of 28nm and below. The faster design systematics are identified, the faster the technology can mature into high volume manufacturing. For advanced design rules, the cost of these systematics increases exponentially with time and thus early detection yields high return on investment. In this paper, we report on a 2× increase in killer defect capture rate for PWQ (Process Window Qualification) inspections by revising the inspection layer. In addition, we found that we can also improve the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for single line opens (SLOs) for the actual inline process monitor at post-CMP. This experimentally measured SNR for SLOs was compared to a new computational tool to simulate the expected SNR of DOIs (defects of interest) from broadband plasma (BBP) inspection systems. The reported simulation tool was found to match experimental SNR as a function of the input physical defect model. As the physical defect model more closely matched the actual wafer, the closer the prediction was to the measured SNR. This new tool can aid in finding the best optical state for a given DOI and thus enable detection of the smallest design systematic faster than current methods.
String Compactification with N = 1 Supersymmetry

We give a very broad overview of problems and recent work in the study of string compactification with N = 1 supersymmetry, following the paradigms of heterotic string compactification on a Calabi-Yau manifold, and the more recent Dirichlet brane paradigm.
Maximizing influence in competitive environments: a game-theoretic approach

Ideas, ranging from product preferences to political views, spread through social interactions. These interactions may determine how ideas are adopted within a market and which, if any, become dominant. In this paper, we introduce a model for Dynamic Influence in Competitive Environments (DICE). We show that existing models of influence propagation, including linear threshold and independent cascade models, can be derived as special cases of DICE. Using DICE, we explore two scenarios of competing ideas, including the case where a newcomer competes with a leader with an already-established idea, as well as the case where multiple competing ideas are introduced simultaneously. We formulate the former as a Stackelberg game and the latter as a simultaneous-move game of complete information. Moreover, we show that, in both cases, the payoff functions for both players are submodular, leading to efficient algorithms for each player to approximate his optimal strategy. We illustrate our approach using the Wiki-vote social network dataset.
A Study of Socialization of Accelerated Bsn Graduates

Socialization of accelerated baccalaureate nursing graduates from the perspective of the affective domain specifically, the feeling of being a nurse, has not been studied. The purpose of the phenomenological study was to investigate socialization from the perspective of the feeling of being a nurse of accelerated B.S.N. graduates. Semi-structured, face to face interviews were conducted with eight graduates of an accelerated B.S.N. program. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi's procedural steps. The following findings emerged: (1) The feeling of being a nurse, an attribute of professional identity, coincided with the occurrence of specific incidents during induction socialization; (2) The feeling of being a nurse is a sense of becoming, involving personal commitment and internalization of values during the process of professional socialization; and (3) accelerated BSN graduates have a deep sense of commitment to nursing.
Elevated PT and aPTT.

A 52-year-old man with no significant past medical history presented with epistaxis for 1 week. He had no history of bleeding disorders and was not on anticoagulation medication. Family history of bleeding disorders was unknown. Table 1 provides a summary of relevant laboratory studies. View this table: Table 1. Laboratory studies performed. 1. How does the finding of increases in both …
Emotion regulation and cortisol reactivity during a social evaluative stressor: A study of post-institutionalized youth.

In the current study, we compared emotion regulation abilities between post-institutionalized (PI; N = 124) and never-institutionalized non-adopted (NA; N = 172) children and adolescents (7-15 years). We assessed cortisol reactivity and coded emotion regulation during the speech portion of Trier Social Stress Test (TSST-M). Parents reported on their children's social, academic, and behavioral adjustment. Results suggest that emotion regulation abilities increased with age, but this increase was greater for NA than PI youth. With regard to cortisol, piecewise growth modeling revealed that at higher levels of emotion regulation PI youth had greater baseline values (after a period of time allowing for acclimation to the laboratory) and had steeper recovery slopes than NA youth. There was also a main effect of emotion regulation on the reactivity slope suggesting that for both groups, as emotion regulation increased, the cortisol reactivity slope decreased. Finally, greater emotion regulation predicted fewer internalizing behavior problems for PI youth but not for NA youth.
An Efficient Nonparametric Estimate for Spatially Correlated Functional Data

Functional data are often generated by modern biomedical technologies where features related to the pathophysiology and pathogenesis of a disease are interrogated repeatedly over time and at multiple spatially interdependent regions. To reduce model complexity and simplify the resulting inference, possible spatial correlation among neighboring regions is often neglected. In this article, we propose a weighted kernel smoothing estimate of the mean function that leverages the spatial and temporal correlation. We also address the companion problem of developing a simultaneous prediction method for individual curves using discrete samples. We establish the asymptotic properties of the proposed estimate, including its unique maximum efficiency achieving minimum asymptotic variance. The proposed method improves estimation and prediction in the presence of sparse observations, and therefore, is advantageous to biomedical applications that utilize markers to identify features intrinsic to a particular disease at multiple interdependent sites within an organ. Our simulation and case studies show that the proposed method outperforms conventional approaches for characterizing the dynamic functional imaging data, with the maximum benefit achieved in the presence of a small number of repeated scans.
Using social network analysis to examine alcohol use among adults: A systematic review

BACKGROUND Alcohol use and abuse constitute a major public health problem and identifying their determinants is a priority. Social network analysis can indicate how characteristics of social networks are related to individual health behaviors. A growing number of studies have used social network analysis to examine how social network characteristics influence adult alcohol consumption, but this literature has never been systematically reviewed and summarized. The current paper systematically reviews empirical studies that used social network analysis to assess the influence of social network characteristics on drinking behaviors in adults. METHODS A literature search of PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO and Web of Science databases and a review of the reference lists of retrieved articles was conducted in March 2019. Two reviewers independently screened 5,510 non-duplicate records, and further screened the full text of 150 articles to determine their eligibility for inclusion. Seventeen articles were judged eligible and included. RESULTS Most studies were conducted among young adults (mean age<30), in university settings or follow up visits with adolescent networks moving into adulthood. The objectives and methods of the included studies were heterogeneous. All included studies reported a statistically significant association between a social network characteristic and an alcohol consumption-related outcome. Social network members drinking behaviors were associated with participants' drinking behaviors in multiple ways. DISCUSSION In young adults, among whom the majority of identified studies were conducted, with whom they socialize and how they socialize appears to be associated with alcohol consumption; this was observed across methodologies and settings. We still know very little about the relationship of social networks to drinking in older age groups, and in populations most impacted by alcohol. As social networks appear to play a role in the consumption of alcohol in young adulthood, interventions that utilize social networks to help reduce harmful alcohol consumption should be considered.
Post-surgical flap placement following osseous surgery: A short-term clinical evaluation.

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between immediate post-surgical flap position and subsequent probing depth measurements following osseous surgery. METHODS Twenty-four patients treatment planned for osseous surgery after completion of initial therapy and re-evaluation were enrolled. Pressure molded stents were fabricated to serve as a reference for probing depth and relative attachment level measurements prior to surgery. After osseous recontouring was completed, flaps were sutured and compressed, and bone sounding measurements were made as designated by the stent. Patients returned at 3- and 6 months for repeat measurements of probing depth and attachment level. RESULTS Twenty-four patients completed surgical treatment and follow-up measurements with a total of 402 treated sites. A statistically significant moderate correlation between immediate post-surgical bone sounding measurements and subsequent probing depth was found at 6 months (R = 0.56, P 3 mm away from the alveolar crest (48/96 sites). Interproximal sites were significantly more likely (P 3 mm at 3 and 6 months. CONCLUSIONS Results suggest a statistically significant relationship between immediate post-surgical flap placement and subsequent probing depths. Positioning the surgical flap more closely to the alveolar crest when performing osseous surgery resulted in shallower probing depths at 3 and 6 months.
Cost-effectiveness analysis comparing "PARP inhibitors-for-all" to the biomarker-directed use of PARP inhibitor maintenance therapy for newly diagnosed advanced stage ovarian cancer.

Abstract Objectives Clinical trials evaluating universal PARP inhibitor (PARPi) frontline maintenance therapy for advanced stage ovarian cancer have reported progression-free survival (PFS) benefit. It is unclear whether PARPi maintenance therapy will universally enhance value (clinical benefits relative to cost of delivery). We compared a “PARPi-for-all” to a biomarker-directed frontline maintenance therapy approach as a value-based care strategy. Methods The cost of two frontline PARPi maintenance strategies, PARPi-for-all and biomarker-directed maintenance, was compared using modified Markov decision models simulating the study designs of the PRIMA, VELIA, and, PAOLA-1 trials. Outcomes of interest included overall costs and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) reported in US dollars per quality adjusted progression-free life-year (QA-PFY) gained. Results PARPi-for-all was more costly and provided greater PFS benefit than a biomarker-directed strategy for each trial. The mean cost per patient for the PARPi-for-all strategy was $166,269, $286,715, and $366,506 for the PRIMA, VELIA, and PAOLA-1 models, respectively. For the biomarker-directed strategy, the mean cost per patient was $98,188, $167,334, and $260,671 for the PRIMA, VELIA, and PAOLA-1 models. ICERs of PARPi-for-all compared to biomarker-directed maintenance were: $593,250/QA-PFY (PRIMA), $1,512,495/QA-PFY (VELIA), and $3,347,915/QA-PFY (PAOLA-1). At current drug pricing, there is no PFS improvement in a biomarker negative cohort that would make PARPi-for-all cost-effective compared to biomarker-directed maintenance. Conclusions This study highlights the high costs of universal PARPi maintenance treatment, compared with a biomarker-directed PARPi strategy. Maintenance therapy in the front-line setting should be reserved for those with germline or somatic HRD mutations until the cost of therapy is significantly reduced.
Food Insecurity During COVID-19: An Acute Crisis With Long-Term Health Implications.

As of this writing, more than 177 000 Americans have died of COVID-19, and nearly 6 million cases have been confirmed in the United States The pandemic has exposed and exacerbated serious disparities along racial/ethnic and socioeconomic lines with low-income Americans and Black and Hispanic Americans being the most likely to get sick and die from COVID-19 But the case counts, infection rates, and deaths are just the tip of the iceberg The economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has already led to devastating consequences for millions of Americans who were struggling to make ends meet and will continue to exert lasting damages disproportionately felt by low-income Americans and communities of color (Am J Public Health Published online ahead of print September 24, 2020: e1-e3 https://doi org/10 2105/AJPH 2020 305953)
Optical absorption in gallium and indium oxide (Conference Presentation)

Ga2O3 is a wide-band-gap oxide, with promising properties suitable for high-power devices and UV photodetectors. The latter requires combining transparency with conductivity, which are properties usually not occurring together. We use first-principles calculations to accurately define the fundamental transparency limits of Ga2O3, by considering both indirect and direct free-carrier absorption. These results also shed light on recent experimental observations. We will also discuss absorption in In2O3, as Sn-doped In2O3 (ITO) is the most widely used transparent conducting oxide, and explain what makes it such a good material. Work performed in collaboration with E. Kioupakis and C.G. Van de Walle.
Exploring Perceptions of a Localized Content-Sharing System Using Users-as-Beacons

We envision a unique social interaction system, ‘users-as-beacons’ built upon Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacon technology, that could provide potential privacy benefits. It leverages BLE to employ the user devices to act as mobile beacons. Its potential applications include community-based social networking, localized advertising, and instant reviewing. To evaluate the potential for this system and inform design, we conducted an exploratory interview study of 27 participants of a hypothetical localized content-creating system. Using a design prototype and multiple scenarios as prompts, we asked questions regarding users’ perceptions of the potential benefits and challenges of a users-as-beacons system, focusing in particular on their privacy concerns and needs. Our results indicate that users do perceive the benefit of increased trustworthiness of user-beacons, but do not have expectations of greater location or behavioral tracking privacy. We highlight multiple design challenges of this system in supporting the trustworthy, relevant, and timely sharing of posts between people in a community.
Genetic re-direction of canine primary T cells for clinical trial use in pet dogs with spontaneous cancer.

Immunocompetent pet dogs develop spontaneous, human-like cancers, representing a parallel patient population for the investigation of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) therapies. We have optimized a retrovirus-based protocol to efficiently CAR transduce primary T cells from healthy and tumor-bearing dogs. While transduction efficiencies and CAR-T expansion vary among dogs, CAR expression is typically higher and more stable compared with previous protocols, thus enabling human and comparative oncology researchers to use the dog as a pre-clinical model for human CAR-T cell research. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Panjwani et al. (2020).
Systematic interindividual differences in Neurobehavioral impairment from sleep loss: Evidence of trait-like differential vulnerability

OBJECTIVES: To investigate interindividual differences in neurobehavioral deficits during sleep deprivation, and to establish to what extent the neurobehavioral responses to sleep loss are a function of sleep history versus trait-like differential vulnerability. DESIGN: Individuals were exposed to sleep deprivation on 3 separate occasions in order to determine the stability of interindividual differences in neurobehavioral impairment. SETTING: The sleep-deprivation experiments were conducted under standardized laboratory conditions with continuous monitoring of wakefulness. Each subject underwent a laboratory-adaptation session before entering the sleep-deprivation phase of the study. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 21 healthy adults (aged 21-38 years) completed the experiment. INTERVENTIONS: Subjects came to the laboratory 3 times at intervals of at least 2 weeks. During each laboratory session, they underwent neurobehavioral testing every 2 hours during 36 hours of total sleep deprivation, which was preceded by baseline sleep and followed by recovery sleep. In the week prior to each sleep-deprivation session and on the baseline night in the laboratory, subjects were required to either restrict their sleep to 6 hours per day (prior sleep restriction condition) or to extend their time in bed to 12 hours per day (prior sleep extension condition), so as to experimentally manipulate sleep history (in randomized counterbalanced order). RESULTS: There was strong evidence that interindividual differences in neurobehavioral deficits during sleep deprivation were systematic and trait-like. The magnitude of interindividual variability was substantial relative to the magnitude of the effect of prior sleep restriction (which on average involved a reduction of 4.1 hours sleep per day, compared to prior sleep extension, for 7 days). Overall, interindividual differences were not explained by subjects' baseline functioning or a variety of other potential predictors. Interindividual variability clustered on 3 distinct neurobehavioral dimensions: self-evaluation of sleepiness, fatigue, and mood; cognitive processing capability; and behavioral alertness as measured by sustained attention performance. CONCLUSIONS: Neurobehavioral deficits from sleep loss varied significantly among individuals and were stable within individuals. Interindividual differences in neurobehavioral responses to sleep deprivation were not merely a consequence of variations in sleep history. Rather, they involved trait-like differential vulnerability to impairment from sleep loss, for which neurobiologic correlates have yet to be discovered. Language: en
A taste of TGFβ in Tuscany.

The recent FASEB Summer Research Conference entitled ‘The TGFβ Superfamily: Signaling in Development and Disease’ was held in August, 2011 in the spectacular setting of Il Ciocco, Lucca, amidst the olive trees in Tuscany, Italy. The organizers assembled an amazing forum, which included 53 speakers and 67 poster presentations from laboratories around the world, to showcase recent advances made in our understanding of the transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) signaling pathway.
Hepatic fatty acid metabolism in pigs and rats: major differences in endproducts, O2 uptake, and beta-oxidation

Models of mammalian hepatic lipid metabolism are based largely on observations made in adult rats, emphasizing ketogenesis as a primary adjunct to mitochondrial beta-oxidation. Studies using piglets have illustrated the divergent nature of intermediary metabolism in this model, wherein ketogenesis and beta-oxidation are small and acetogenesis is an important route of fuel carbon flux. To clarify potential species differences in hepatic lipid metabolism and its control, we compared O2 consumption and metabolic end products in fasted pig and rat liver homogenates treated with 1-[14C]C16:0. Carboxyl carbon accumulation in acid-soluble products (ASP) plus CO2 was threefold greater and O2 consumption was twofold greater in rats (P < 0.05). Unlike rats, pigs showed negligible carboxyl carbon accumulation in ketone bodies (3-7% of ASP), whereas acetate was a carboxyl carbon reservoir in both animals (17-31% of ASP in pigs). Malonate increased (approximately 2-fold) and antimycin/rotenone decreased (40-60%) radiolabel accumulation in acetate. These data concur with the hypotheses that comparatively low hepatic beta-oxidative flux in piglets is partially related to a smaller metabolic rate and that substantial acetogenesis occurs intramitochondrially in both pigs and rats.
Do superior colliculus projection zones in the inferior pulvinar project to MT in primates

In order to determine the relationship of superior colliculus inputs to thalamic neurons projecting to the middle temporal visual area (MT), injections of wheat germ agglutinin conjugated with horseradish peroxidase were placed in the superior colliculus of three owl monkeys, with injections of Fast Blue in the MT. The locations of labelled terminals and neurons in the posterior thalamus were related to four architectonically distinct nuclei of the inferior pulvinar (Stepniewska & Kaas, Vis. Neurosci. 14, pp.1043-1060, 1997). Fast Blue injections in the MT labelled neurons largely in the medial nucleus of the inferior pulvinar. A few labelled neurons were found in the adjoining central medial nucleus of the inferior pulvinar, as well as in the lateral pulvinar and the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus. Superior colliculus inputs were most dense in the posterior and medial nuclei of the inferior pulvinar. There were sparser inputs to the central lateral nucleus of the inferior pulvinar, locations in the lateral and medial pulvinar, and the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus. The results indicate that the medial nucleus of the inferior pulvinar, the major projection zone to the MT, does not receive a significant input from the superior colliculus.
The Urban Precariat, Neoliberalization, and the Soft Power of Humanitarian Design

This essay examines the humanitarian design movement's efforts to address the crushing need, social precarity, and ecological frailty that define global megacities. The aims and character of the humanitarian design movement have been shaped by both the ethical demands of antiglobalization struggles and the rise of nongovernmental organizations as a principal means of social service-delivery in the Global South. The emergent humanitarian design movement offers a compelling critique of the failure of mainstream architectural and industrial design practices to address profound human suffering. Champions of humanitarian design, however, offer a technological fix (e.g., life straws, paper log houses, and hippo rollers) for problems rooted in imperial histories and neoliberal restructuring. In failing to address the dynamics of structural underdevelopment, do-good design performs the grassroots ideological work of neoliberalism by promoting market values and autoregulation. Within the humanitarian-corporate com...
The conversion electron spectrum in the decay of 195 Au

Twenty-four internal conversion lines in the decay of195Au have been studied at high resolution by means of the Vanderbilt iron-free spectrometer. The electron intensities of this work and previously published photon intensities were used to calculate the percentage decay to each level in195Pt. Conversion coefficients andL subshell ratios were used to assign the following multipolarities: 30.8 keV, pureM1; 98.8 keV, (99±1)%M1; 129.8 keV, pureE2; and 210 keV, pureE2. MeasuredL subshell ratios are not in good agreement with theoretical values.
Timing of testing and treatment for asymptomatic diseases

Many papers in the medical literature analyze the cost-effectiveness of screening for diseases by comparing a limited number of a priori testing policies under estimated problem parameters. However, this may be insufficient to determine the best timing of the tests or incorporate changes over time. In this paper, we develop and solve a Markov Decision Process (MDP) model for a simple class of asymptomatic diseases in order to provide the building blocks for analysis of a more general class of diseases. We provide a computationally efficient method for determining a cost-effective dynamic intervention strategy that takes into account (i) the results of the previous test for each individual and (ii) the change in the individual’s behavior based on awareness of the disease. We demonstrate the usefulness of the approach by applying the results to screening decisions for Hepatitis C (HCV) using medical data, and compare our findings to current HCV screening recommendations.
Planning utility demand-side programs: data and analytical needs

Abstract As conservation and load management options gain recognition among electric utilities, the need for detailed and accurate data on the likely future impacts of such programs increases. Improved data and analytical methods are needed with respect to the costs of these demand-side programs, participation in the programs, adoption of recommended actions, and energy and load reductions. This paper discusses the types of data required as imputs to utility models, the problems associated with interpretation of these data, possible data sources, and how these data might be used to strengthen utility planning and forecasting models.
Identification of an allosterically sensitive unfolding unit in hemoglobin

Hydrogen-exchange studies locate a set of seven allosterically sensitive amide NH protons side by side around two turns of the F-FG helical segment in the hemoglobin beta chain. Some of these protons are on the aqueous protein surface and some deeply inside, yet they all exchange with solvent protons at similar rates. Further, they move in unison to a new common rate when hemoglobin changes its allosteric form. These observations and analogous results for other proteins appear to be inconsistent with penetration-dependent models which relate H-exchange rate to solvent accessibility in the native state. Rather, these results point to sizeable fluctuational distortions that make small sets of protons more or less equally accessible in some transient H-exchange transition state, as visualized in the local unfolding model. The set of allosterically sensitive protons studied here exchanges 30-fold faster in liganded hemoglobin than in the deoxy form. In terms of the unfolding model, this means that the F-FG structure is relatively destabilized in oxyhemoglobin, so that the allosterically linked change in structural free energy at F-FG favors the deoxy state. The 30-fold change in H-exchange rate suggests a contribution to the allosteric free energy by this segment of 2 kcal (1 cal = 4·184 J). These experiments utilized a labeling techanique, described earlier, that selectively places tritium on sites whose H-exchange rates are sensitive to the protein functional state, and used a method introduced by Rosa & Richards (1979, 1981) to locate this label in the protein. The latter method, which rapidly separates protein fragments under conditions that can preserve exchangeable label, was here brought to a more quantitative level. Taken together, these techniques provide a “functional labeling” method capable of selectively labeling and identifying protein segments that participate in functional interactions.
The Effect of a Cu Overlayer on the Magnetization of an Fe Film

The effect of a Cu overlayer on the magnetization of an Fe film is measured at room temperature in a high-vacuum system. The deposition of Cu leads to an increase of the magnetic moment. If one associates this with the magnetic moment in the top monolayer of the copper film, then the measurements suggest that the magnetic moment of the copper film surface is equivalent to the magnetic moment of an iron film 0.16 nm thick.
Attitude and personality characteristics of older stutterers

Abstract Attitude and personality characteristics of 29 stutterers (19 male, 10 female) aged 52–82 yr were assessed using five questionnaires. Results indicate that, while the older stutterers score approximately the same as young adult stutterers on scales assessing approach and performance behaviors, the large majority of older stutterers perceive their stuttering as less handicapping than when they were young adults. Self-perceived personality characteristics of the older stutterers were similar to a group of older nonstutterers. While a few of the subjects had experienced some degree of success as a result of treatment later in life, the majority of the subjects did not currently desire treatment.
Retrograde Conduction from Premature Ventricular Contractions, a Common Occurrence in the Human Heart

On the basis of studies of esophageal electrocardiograms the authors conclude that retrograde conduction to the atria from premature ventricular beats is common and that the theory of normal unidirectional block in the A-V node is not tenable. In most of the cases with retrograde conduction, the latter is not discernible in simultaneously recorded lead II, which explains why the phenomenon has previously been considered rare. Observations on the ventriculoatrial conduction time and the compensatory pause are presented. In two of the cases there are two orders of magnitude of ventriculoatrial conduction time, which, the authors postulate, may be due to two separate pathways of retrograde conduction.
Proteases in invasion: matrix metalloproteinases

The role of proteases in general, and the matrix metalloproteinases in particular, in tumor invasion and metastasis is well established. However, the classic view that these enzymes simply provide a mechanism for the breakdown of connective tissue barriers has been challenged. This overview summarizes recent evidence to support the changing view of the role of matrix metalloproteinases in cancer progression. First we briefly review the central role of cell invasion in cancer progression and also the matrix metalloproteinase family members. We then focus on the emerging roles for these enzymes in cancer progression, including the role of matrix metalloproteinases in cell proliferation and release of growth factors, cell migration and in modification of the extracellular matrix to reveal cryptic sites that alter cell behaviour.
Quantum‐Mechanical Treatment of Inelastic Collisions. II. Exchange Reactions

The theory for the quantum‐mechanical treatment of inelastic collisions developed in the first paper of this series is extended to treat collinear, electronically adiabatic exchange reactions. The formalism is applied to three model potential energy surfaces for the exchange of identical particles. The calculated reaction probabilities are reasonable and two independent checks indicate that they are reliable.
Regulatory cross-talk links Vibrio cholerae chromosome II replication and segregation.

There is little knowledge of factors and mechanisms for coordinating bacterial chromosome replication and segregation. Previous studies have revealed that genes (and their products) that surround the origin of replication (oriCII) of Vibrio cholerae chromosome II (chrII) are critical for controlling the replication and segregation of this chromosome. rctB, which flanks one side of oriCII, encodes a protein that initiates chrII replication; rctA, which flanks the other side of oriCII, inhibits rctB activity. The chrII parAB2 operon, which is essential for chrII partitioning, is located immediately downstream of rctA. Here, we explored how rctA exerts negative control over chrII replication. Our observations suggest that RctB has at least two DNA binding domains—one for binding to oriCII and initiating replication and the other for binding to rctA and thereby inhibiting RctB's ability to initiate replication. Notably, the inhibitory effect of rctA could be alleviated by binding of ParB2 to a centromere-like parS site within rctA. Furthermore, by binding to rctA, ParB2 and RctB inversely regulate expression of the parAB2 genes. Together, our findings suggest that fluctuations in binding of the partitioning protein ParB2 and the chrII initiator RctB to rctA underlie a regulatory network controlling both oriCII firing and the production of the essential chrII partitioning proteins. Thus, by binding both RctB and ParB2, rctA serves as a nexus for regulatory cross-talk coordinating chrII replication and segregation.
Interactions among light source luminance, illuminance and size on discomfort glare

Discomfort glare from vehicle lighting is more difficult to measure precisely than disability glare, but may have important implications for driver behavior, and in turn on driving safety. Many studies of discomfort glare have found that, as with disability glare, the illuminance at the eyes from a bright light is the primary determinant of the sensation of glare. Nonetheless, the luminance of a light source also can influence discomfort glare, especially when the source is close enough to subtend a relatively large visual angle on the order of a third of a degree or larger. In addition, interactions with the absolute illuminance from a light source are not well understood. The results of an experimental investigation of discomfort glare in terms of light source illuminance, luminance and size are presented and discussed along with implications for automotive lighting applications. Language: en
Fanconi anemia in brothers initially diagnosed with VACTERL association with hydrocephalus, and subsequently with Baller-Gerold syndrome.

Two brothers with presumed Baller-Gerold syndrome, one of whom was previously diagnosed with the association of vertebral, cardiac, renal, limb anomalies, anal atresia, tracheo-esophageal fistula (VACTERL) association with hydrocephalus, were evaluated for chromosome breakage because of severe thrombo cytopenia in one of them. Spontaneous and clastogen-induced breakage was markedly increased in both patients as compared to control individuals. Clinical manifestations and chromosome breakage, consistent with Fanconi anemia, in patients with a prior diagnosis of either Baller-Gerold syndrome, reported earlier in one other patient, or with VACTERL association with hydrocephalus, recently reported in 3 patients, underline the clinical heterogeneity of Fanconi anemia and raise the question of whether these syndromes are distinct disorders or phenotypic variations of the same disease. 12 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab.
Real-Time Interactive Simulation of Finger Tendon Kinematics

The function of the human hand’s underlying tendon system is difficult to understand and visualize due to the complexity of the hand and tendon systems. An interactive hand model, driven by an underlying tendon system, could lead to better understanding and better bio-mimicry of the human hand. This paper presents the initial design of an interactive single finger Graphical User Interface (GUI) as the first steps toward an anatomically correct interactive GUI of the human hand. Four numerical methods for solving the forward kinematics of the finger are presented, a Jacobian Inverse, a Jacobian Transpose, the Levenberg–Marquardt, and the Nelder–Mead methods. Results showed that the Jacobian Transpose method converged the fastest to a solution at an average rate of 0.6ms. To allow the GUI to update in real-time the Jacobian Transpose method was selected to be used in the finger GUI as it grows toward a hand GUI.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Caffeine ulcerogenesis: a mechanism study in vivo.

Abstract Gastric, submucosal administration of caffeine induced hydrochloric acid secretion in the rat. Evidence obtained from bilaterally vagotomized rats treated with parasympatholytic agents indicated that caffeine stimulation is mediated via intramural myenteric plexuses within the stomach. It is concluded that the primary mode of action of caffeine in ulcerogenesis in the rat is augmentation of gastric secretion. The spontaneous secretion of gastric acid in fasting rats was confirmed.