cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Creased hydrogels as active platforms for mechanical deformation of cultured cells

Cells cultured in vitro using traditional substrates often change their behavior due to the lack of mechanical deformation they would naturally experience in vivo. To mimic the in vivo mechanical environment, we design temperature-responsive hydrogels with patterned surface creases as dynamic cell stretching devices. A one-step photolithographic method is first employed to pattern integrin-binding peptides on the gel, causing single cells or several-cell clusters to adhere to the surface in registry with creases. A variety of crease patterns are prescribed on a single substrate, enabling the mechanical deformation of cultured myoblast cells with different strain states and achieving tensile strain as high as 0.2. As creases provide large amplitude local deformation of the gel surface without the need for macroscopic deformation, can be formed on gels covering a wide range of modulus, and can be actuated using a variety of stimuli, they hold the potential to enable the design of high throughput and versatile platforms for mechano-biological studies.
Infrasonic Pressure Waves from the Aurora: a Shock Wave Model

The anisotropic radiation of infrasonic waves from moving aurorae is explained by a shock wave model. The acoustic waves, as observed on the ground at a site ahead of the moving aurora, are amplified in the direction parallel to the auroral motion by superposition of wave fronts if the auroral form is moving at supersonic speed.
Democracy in Mexico City: The Impacts of Structural Reforms

In the 1980s and 1990s, the Mexican Congress instituted reforms to provide for democratic governance in the Distrito Federal (DF). The reform9s impacts are examined through longitudinal surveys of DF city council members and the public, elite interviews, and elections analysis. DF governance provides for democratic elections for mayor, district administrators, and the city council, but government corruption undermines the fairness of elections. The mayor retains a great deal of formal policymaking authority relative to the weak city council. DF citizens are denied democratic rights to influence public policies through the city council. The mayor has thwarted the council9s democratic initiatives and advanced populist policies at the expense of long-term policies. En las deecadas de 1980s y 1990s, el Congreso de Meexico instituyoo reformas para proporcionar un gobierno democraatico en el Distrito Federal (DF). Los impactos de las reformas estaan examinados por encuestas longitudinales de los diputados locales y el puublico, entrevistas con las eelites y anaalisis de las elecciones. El gobierno del DF provee elecciones democraaticas para jefe de gobierno del DF, jefes delegacionales y la Asamblea Legislativa del DF (ALDF), pero la corrupcioon mina la limpieza de las elecciones. El jefe de gobierno del DF conserva una autoridad muy grande para hacer poliiticas en comparacioon de una ALDF deebil. A los ciudadanos del DF les faltan derechos democraaticos para influir en las poliiticas puublicas a travees de la ALDF. El jefe de gobierno del DF ha frustrado las iniciativas de la ALDF y, en cambio, introduce poliiticas populares en vez de hacer poliitica a largo plazo.
Inactivation determined by a single site in K+ pores.

An N-terminus peptide or a C-terminus mechanism involving a single residue in transmembrane segment 6 produces inactivation in voltage-dependent K+ channels. Here we show that a single position in the pore of K+ channels can produce inactivation having characteristics distinct from either N- or C-type inactivation. In a chimeric K+ channel (CHM), the point reversion CHM V 369I produced fast inactivation and CHM V 369S had the additional effect of halving K+ conductance consistent with a position in the pore. The result was not restricted to CHM; mutating position 369 in the naturally occurring channel Kv2.1 also produced fast inactivation. Like N- and C-types of inactivation, pore or P-type inactivation was characterized by short bursts terminated by rapid entry into the inactivated state. Unlike C-type inactivation, in which external tetraethylammonium (TEA) produced a simple blockade that slowed inactivation and reduced currents, in P-type inactivation external TEA increased currents. Unlike N-type inactivation, internal TEA produced a simple reduction in current and K+ occupancy of the pore had no effect. External TEA was not the only cation to increase current; external K+ enhanced channel availability and recovery from inactivation. Additional features of P-type inactivation were residue-specific effects on the extent of inactivation and removal of inactivation by a point reversion at position 374, which also regulates conductance. The demonstration of P-type inactivation indicates that pore residues in K+ channels may be part of the inactivation gating machinery.
Crystallization of a self-assembled three-dimensional DNA nanostructure

The powerful and specific molecular-recognition system present in the base-pairing of DNA allows for the design of a plethora of nanostructures. In this work, the crystallization of a self-assembling three-dimensional B-DNA nanostructure is described. The DNA nanostructure consists of six single-stranded oligonucleotides that hybridize to form a three-dimensional tetrahedron of 80 kDa in molecular mass and 20 bp on each edge. Crystals of the tetrahedron have been successfully produced and characterized. These crystals may form the basis for an X-ray structure of the tetrahedron in the future. Nucleotide crystallography poses many challenges, leading to the fact that only 1352 X-ray structures of nucleic acids have been solved compared with more than 80 000 protein structures. In this work, the crystallization optimization for three-dimensional tetrahedra is also described, with the eventual goal of producing nanocrystals to overcome the radiation-damage obstacle by the use of free-electron laser technology in the future.
DETANONOate, a nitric oxide donor, decreases amiloride-sensitive alveolar fluid clearance in rabbits.

Inhaled nitric oxide (NO) has been administered to animals to selectively reduce pulmonary hypertension via NO donors such as the NONOates. However, vectorial Na+ transport across confluent monolayers of alveolar type II (ATII) pneumocytes has been decreased by NO. We tested the hypothesis that administration of the NO donor, DETANONOate, would decrease alveolar fluid clearance (AFC) in the rabbit in vivo. We instilled a solution of 5% albumin in 0.9% NaCl with 3 mM DETANONOate into anesthetized rabbits. Two hours later, similar AFC values were measured in the presence and absence of 3 mM DETANONOate (38 ± 12% versus 43 ± 13%; mean ± SD). However, animals coadministered 1 mM amiloride with one of three doses of DETANONOate (100 μ M, 300 μ M, or 3 mM) had significantly (p < 0.05) greater AFC values (23 ± 8, 20 ± 14, 28 ± 12%, respectively) than those administered amiloride alone (10 ± 7%). When 5% albumin in a Cl−-free solution was administered in the presence or absence of 100 μ M DETANONOate, neither AFC...
The equilibrium of a rotating body of arbitrary density

This paper extends Clairaut's theory of rotational equilibrium to third order terms in a small parameter and is meant to be a sequel to a 1962 publication by the author bearing on the same topic. It has been feasible to obtain the Clairaut equation, which governs the deformation of the equipotential surfaces within a rapidly rotating mass in hydrostatic equilibrium, as an ordinary differential equation. This has been achieved by eliminating the two integral terms which appeared in the original formulation. It is expected that the numerical integration of this newly obtained equation will contribute toward a more precise solution of certain geophysical problems — e.g., the determination of the geoid to an accuracy of ±1 m, and the correction to the travel-time of seismic waves; it should also assist in some planetary questions like the determination of the exterior shape for the rapidly rotating planets Jupiter and Saturn.
Water Vapor Depletion in the DMT Continuous-Flow CCN Chamber: Effects on Supersaturation and Droplet Growth

The continuous-flow streamwise thermal-gradient cloud condensation nuclei counter (CFSTGC) is a commercially available instrument that is widely used for laboratory and field measurements of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). All studies to date assume that the supersaturation profile generated in its growth chamber is not influenced by the condensation of water vapor upon the growing CCN. The validity of this assumption, however, has never been systematically explored. This work examines when water vapor depletion from CCN can have an important impact on supersaturation, measured CCN concentration, and droplet growth. A fully coupled numerical flow model of the instrument is used to simulate the water vapor supersaturation, temperature, velocity profiles, and CCN growth in the CFSTGC for a wide range of operation and CCN concentrations. Laboratory CCN activation experiments of polydisperse calibration aerosol (with a DMT CFSTGC operated in constant flow mode) are used to evaluate the simulations. The simul...
PHENOLOGICAL ISOLATION, GENE FLOW AND DEVELOPMENTAL DIFFERENCES AMONG LOW- AND HIGH-ELEVATION POPULATIONS OF EUPHILOTES ENOPTES (LEPIDOPTERA: LYCAENIDAE).

Populations of the specialist herbivore, Euphilotes enoptes (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae), along three elevational transects in the mountains of central Washington state, differed markedly in the phenology of adult flight. In spite of this apparent limitation to gene flow, six allozyme loci revealed substantial gene exchange among populations along these gradients. The elevational difference, and thus the phenological difference, between populations has not influenced the extent of gene flow between them. Because the direct exchange of genes between low- and high-elevation populations is very unlikely, gene flow between them has probably occurred in a stepwise fashion via intermediate populations. It is hypothesized that such gene flow has been biased in an uphill direction due to the combined effects of source size and oviposition behavior. Adult emergence times of populations in the same region are positively correlated with elevation in a nonlinear fashion, consistent with the hypothesis that gene flow from low-elevation populations has been swamping selection at higher altitudes.
Average work hours as a leading economic variable in US manufacturing industries

Abstract This paper examines the role of the average workweek as a leading indicator of output and employment in US manufacturing industries. A separate VAR system is estimated for the aggregate, durable, and non-durable manufacturing sectors as well as for 16 of the 20 two-digit SIC detailed manufacturing industries. Each VAR system is comprised of hours, employment, output, and real wages for that sector or industry. Tests conducted for structural change show a structural break occurred after the late 1970s. Granger causality tests and impulse response analysis show that the impact of a given change in average hours on employment and output weakened considerably after the structural break point in 1979. Our results imply that the average workweek in US manufacturing has become less associated with the entire business cycle in both output and employment.
Seasonal abundance and occurrence of the Asian isopod Synidotea laevidorsalis in Delaware Bay, USA

In 1999 the marine isopod Synidotea laevidorsalis (Miers 1881), indigenous to the northwest Pacific, was first documented in Delaware Bay, USA. We monitored weekly recruitment of this isopod and several other motile species in the Maurice River, a tributary of Delaware Bay. A spatial survey was also conducted. Abundance of S. laevidorsalis varied seasonally but overwhelmingly dominated other co-occurring species by an order of magnitude or more throughout most of the year. Isopod abundance increased through the summer of 2004 and peaked in September, coincident with the passing of Hurricane Ivan. Field observations documented large populations, frequently associated with pilings and buoy lines, throughout Delaware Bay in salinities of 4 through 22 ppt. The dramatic abundance of this isopod indicates that there is considerable potential for altering community structure. This isopod has yet to be observed along the Atlantic Coast of New Jersey or in Chesapeake Bay, but it has been reported near Charleston, SC.
Anterior cruciate ligament injury: fast spin-echo MR imaging with arthroscopic correlation in 217 examinations.

Our objective was to evaluate the accuracy of MR imaging strategy that uses primarily fast spin-echo sequences for the diagnosis of anterior cruciate ligament tears.The original clinical interpretations of MR images of 217 examinations of the knee joint were correlated with subsequent arthroscopic results. Each MR examination included a double-echo fast spin-echo sequence as the only imaging sequence in the sagittal plane. Subsequent discordant MR and arthroscopic examinations were then subjected to reanalysis by two observers who were unaware of arthroscopic results to determine if misinterpretations were observer or image dependent. Two hundred sixteen patients who underwent MR imaging for suspected internal derangement of the knee subsequently underwent arthroscopic surgery. Two patients had both knees evaluated. One patient was excluded because he was referred for evaluation for osteomyelitis, not internal derangement. This yielded a total number of 217 MR examinations for suspected internal derangeme...
Components of Intraflagellar Transport Complex A Function Independently of the Cilium to Regulate Canonical Wnt Signaling in Drosophila

The development of multicellular organisms requires the precisely coordinated regulation of an evolutionarily conserved group of signaling pathways. Temporal and spatial control of these signaling cascades is achieved through networks of regulatory proteins, segregation of pathway components in specific subcellular compartments, or both. In vertebrates, dysregulation of primary cilia function has been strongly linked to developmental signaling defects, yet it remains unclear whether cilia sequester pathway components to regulate their activation or cilia-associated proteins directly modulate developmental signaling events. To elucidate this question, we conducted an RNAi-based screen in Drosophila non-ciliated cells to test for cilium-independent loss-of-function phenotypes of ciliary proteins in developmental signaling pathways. Our results show no effect on Hedgehog signaling. In contrast, our screen identified several cilia-associated proteins as functioning in canonical Wnt signaling. Further characterization of specific components of Intraflagellar Transport complex A uncovered a cilia-independent function in potentiating Wnt signals by promoting β-catenin/Armadillo activity.
Can premorbid episodes of diminished vagal tone be detected via histological markers in patients with PTSD

While laboratory methods for estimating genetic susceptibility for adult psychopathology have received much recent attention, laboratory methods for objectively estimating a person's early autonomic nervous system perturbations have been under-researched. Research on heart rate variability suggests that early life episodes of diminished vagal tone may predict poor stress resilience in adults. This article will detail a research method for retrospectively estimating in adults the chronology of diminished vagal tone episodes experienced prior to age 10. This method makes use of the developing enamel matrix, one of very few tissues that cannot recover after being stressed.
The RAD6/BRE1 Histone Modification Pathway in Saccharomyces Confers Radiation Resistance Through a RAD51-Dependent Process That Is Independent of RAD18

We examine ionizing radiation (IR) sensitivity and epistasis relationships of several Saccharomyces mutants affecting post-translational modifications of histones H2B and H3. Mutants bre1Δ, lge1Δ, and rtf1Δ, defective in histone H2B lysine 123 ubiquitination, show IR sensitivity equivalent to that of the dot1Δ mutant that we reported on earlier, consistent with published findings that Dot1p requires H2B K123 ubiquitination to fully methylate histone H3 K79. This implicates progressive K79 methylation rather than mono-methylation in IR resistance. The set2Δ mutant, defective in H3 K36 methylation, shows mild IR sensitivity whereas mutants that abolish H3 K4 methylation resemble wild type. The dot1Δ, bre1Δ, and lge1Δ mutants show epistasis for IR sensitivity. The paf1Δ mutant, also reportedly defective in H2B K123 ubiquitination, confers no sensitivity. The rad6Δ, rad51null, rad50Δ, and rad9Δ mutations are epistatic to bre1Δ and dot1Δ, but rad18Δ and rad5Δ show additivity with bre1Δ, dot1Δ, and each other. The bre1Δ rad18Δ double mutant resembles rad6Δ in sensitivity; thus the role of Rad6p in ubiquitinating H2B accounts for its extra sensitivity compared to rad18Δ. We conclude that IR resistance conferred by BRE1 and DOT1 is mediated through homologous recombinational repair, not postreplication repair, and confirm findings of a G1 checkpoint role for the RAD6/BRE1/DOT1 pathway.
VSV: L2-miss-driven variable supply-voltage scaling for low power

Energy efficient processor design is becoming more and more important with technology scaling and with high performance requirements. Supply-voltage scaling is an efficient way to reduce energy by lowering the operating voltage and the clock frequency of processor simultaneously. We propose a variable supply-voltage scaling (VSV) technique based on the following key observation: upon an L2 miss, the pipeline performs some independent computations but almost always ends up stalling and waiting for data, despite out-of-order issue and other latency-hiding techniques. Therefore, during an L2 miss we scale down the supply voltage of certain sections of the processor in order to reduce power dissipation while it carries on the independent computations at a lower speed. However, operating at a lower speed may degrade performance, if there are sufficient independent computations to overlap with the L2 miss. Similarly, returning to high speed may degrade power savings, if there are multiple outstanding misses and insufficient independent computations to overlap with them. To avoid these problems, we introduce two state machines that track parallelism on-the-fly, and we scale the supply voltage depending on the level of parallelism. We also consider circuit-level complexity concerns which limit VSV to two supply voltages, stability and signal-propagation speed issues which limit how fast VSV may transition between the voltages, and energy overhead factors which disallow supply-voltage scaling of large RAM structures such as caches and register file. Our simulation shows that VSV achieves an average of 20.7% total processor power reduction with 2.0% performance degradation in an 8-way, out-of-order-issue processor that implements deterministic clock gating and software prefetching, for those SPEC2K benchmarks that have high L2 miss rates. Averaging across all the benchmarks, VSV reduces total processor power by 7.0% with 0.9% performance degradation.
BLOOD ADRENALIN LEVELS DURING INSULIN SHOCK TREATMENTS FOR SCHIZOPHRENIA1

PROMINENT among the changing symptoms observed during insulin shock are those arising from the autonomic nervous system. The fluctuating pupil,dilating and constricting alternately, may become small and fixed at the end of deep coma. The high blood pressure, with increasing pulse pressure, extreme sweating, salivation, gooseflesh and flushing of the skin have been often described. Gellhorn (1) said “It may be concluded that the various treatments used in schizophrenia are effective because they produce, by a profound alteration in the metabolism of the central nervous system, a sufficiently strong and lasting excitation of the sympathetic nervous system and thereby bring about a farreaching reorganization of all mental processes.” Sakel (2) spoke of the “sudden transitory compensatory adrenaline me bilization during early insulin shock.“ Cameron (3) wrote “we are making a study of the effects of adrenalin injections upon the mentation of normal subjects.
Scheduling Parallel Production Lines with Changeover Costs: Practical Application of a Quadratic Assignment/LP Approach

Production orders for a number of products must be scheduled on a number of similar production lines so as to minimize the sum of product-dependent changeover costs, production costs, and time-constraint penalties. We treat the problem by a quadratic assignment algorithm with a linear programming adjustment, and describe a successful practical application for chemical reactor scheduling.
The current state and future directions of transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

Currently, surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) remains the standard of care for most patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis (AS). However, transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has emerged as an alternative option for patients with symptomatic AS who have a prohibitive risk profile for SAVR.
Folic acid fortification of grain: an economic analysis.

OBJECTIVES. The purpose of this study was to compare the economic costs and benefits of fortifying grain with folic acid to prevent neural tube defects. METHODS. A cost-benefit analysis based on the US population, using the human capital approach to estimate the costs associated with preventable neural tube defects, was conducted. RESULTS. Under a range of assumptions about discount rates, baseline folate intake, the effectiveness of folate in preventing neural tube defects, the threshold dose that minimizes risk, and the cost of surveillance, fortification would likely yield a net economic benefit. The best estimate of this benefit is $94 million with low-level (140 micrograms [mcg] per 100 g grain) fortification and $252 million with high-level (350 mcg/100 g) fortification. The benefit-to-cost ratio is estimated at 4.3:1 for low-level and 6.1:1 for high-level fortification. CONCLUSIONS. By averting costly birth defects, folic acid fortification of grain in the United States may yield a substantial econ...
On the complexity of bounded-interaction and noninteractive zero-knowledge proofs

We consider the basic cryptographic primitive known as zero-knowledge proofs on committed bits. In this primitive, a prover P commits to a set of bits, and then at a later time convinces a verifier V that some property /spl Pscr/ holds for a subset of these bits. It is known how to implement this primitive based on an ordinary bit-committal primitive, but the standard implementations involve a great deal of interaction between the prover and the verifier. We introduce new implementations that require markedly less interaction. We implement bounded-interaction proofs on committed bits, generalizing a model of A. De Micali et al. (1988). For all security parameters, our implementations require only a lg/sup 2/ (n) overhead over the best known circuit-based interactive implementations; for sufficiently large security parameters this gap drops to a lg(n) factor. >
Mercury contamination and population‐level responses in chironomids: Can allozyme polymorphism indicate exposure?

Allozyme frequencies of Chironomus plumosus were determined along a gradient of sediment mercury concentrations in a contaminated lake. We examined whether allozyme frequencies could be used to distinguish populations along the gradient or between contaminated and reference sites. No significant correlations were found between allozyme frequencies and contamination, but an overall deficit of heterozygotes (in nine of 13 loci examined) was found at all sites sampled. While toxicant stress could be the cause, a more parsimonious explanation would be sampling over a patchy population structure leading to a heterozygote deficiency (i.e., Wahlund effect). Examination of allozyme frequencies along a transect indicated that the observed deficiency of heterozygote genotypes was due to sampling across some fine-scale substructuring of the populations. The findings of these studies lend a note of caution regarding the use of allozymes to infer population effects of contaminants or their potential use as biomarkers. Studies must define population structure, naturally occurring variation within and among populations, and relevant ecological factors in conjunction with the presence of xenobiotics and their concentrations.
Recognition of box-like objects by fusing cues of shape and edges

Boxes are the universal choice for packing, storage, and transportation. In this paper we propose a template-based algorithm for recognition of box-like objects, which is invariant to scale, rotation and translation as well as robust to patterned surfaces and moderate occlusions. The algorithm first over-segments the input image to partition objects into pieces. Based on the smoothness property of surface texture, candidates for component segments of boxes are selected. Guided by a template trained linear discriminant analysis (LDA) classifier, box-like segments are reassembled from these segments of interests. For each box-like segment, we estimate its probability of being a 2D projection of a 3D box model upon the extracted contour and inner edges. Experimental results demonstrate high detection accuracy of boxes and reliable recovery of their 2D models.
Symmetry and Asymmetry as Elements of Federalism: A Theoretical Speculation

THIS SHORT ESSAY is mainly speculative. It attempts to highlight a principal weakness in theoretical treatments of the concept of federalism, and to offer modifications of the federal concept. It is not in any sense a complete theoretical statement of federalism. Nor is it meant to survey writings on federalism, although it is generally based on a wide sampling from those writings. Specifically what I want to suggest is that in studies of federalism the prevailing emphases avoid sufficient consideration of the diverse ways in which each member state in a federal system is able to relate to the system as a whole, the central authority, and each other member state. The federal relationship, in any realistic sense, means something very much different to nearly every participant unit in the system. Among the several states in a federal union, cultural, economic, social, and political factors combine to produce variations in the symbiotic connection between those states and the system. Two concepts, both to be explored in greater detail in a later section, can be introduced and their general content suggested here. The first, the notion of symmetry refers to the extent to which component states share in the conditions and thereby the concerns more or less common to the federal system as a whole. By the same token, the second term, the concept of asymmetry expresses the extent to which component states do not share in these common features. Whether the relationship of a state is symmetrical or asymmetrical is a question of its participation in the pattern of social, cultural, economic, and political characteristics of the federal system of which it is part. This relation, in turn, is a significant factor in shaping its relations with other component states and with the national authority.
The Voltage-Sensitive Release Mechanism of Excitation Contraction Coupling in Rabbit Cardiac Muscle Is Explained by Calcium-Induced Calcium Release

The putative voltage-sensitive release mechanism (VSRM) was investigated in rabbit cardiac myocytes at 37 degrees C with high resistance microelectrodes to minimize intracellular dialysis. When the holding potential was adjusted from -40 to -60 mV, the putative VSRM was expected to operate alongside CICR. Under these conditions however, we did not observe a plateau at positive potentials of the cell shortening versus voltage relationship. The threshold for cell shortening changed by -10 mV, but this resulted from a similar change of the threshold for activation of inward current. Cell shortening under conditions where the putative VSRM was expected to operate was blocked in a dose dependent way by nifedipine and CdCl2 and blocked completely by NiCl2. "Tail contractions" persisted in the presence of nifedipine and CdCl2 but were blocked completely by NiCl2. Block of early outward current by 4-aminopyridine and 4-acetoamido-4'-isothiocyanato-stilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (SITS) demonstrated persisting inward current during test depolarizations despite the presence of nifedipine and CdCl2. Inward current did not persist in the presence of NiCl2. A tonic component of cell shortening that was prominent during depolarizations to positive potentials under conditions selective for the putative VSRM was sensitive to rapidly applied changes in superfusate [Na+] and to the outward Na+/Ca2+ exchange current blocking drug KB-R7943. This component of cell shortening was thought to be the result of Na+/Ca2+ exchange-mediated excitation contraction coupling. Cell shortening recorded under conditions selective for the putative VSRM was increased by the enhanced state of phosphorylation induced by isoprenaline (1 microM) and by enhancing sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ content by manipulation of the conditioning steps. Under these conditions, cell shortening at positive test depolarizations was converted from tonic to phasic. We conclude that the putative VSRM is explained by CICR with the Ca2+ "trigger" supplied by unblocked L-type Ca2+ channels and Na+/Ca2+ exchange.
self-perception and personal commitment: A Challenge to current theory of marital dissolution and stability and implications for marital therapy

Abstract This paper proposes a modification of social exchange theories of marital dissolution. Utilizing self-perception theory from social psychology, a systemic rather than a linear conceptualization is outlined and illustrated with case examples. It explains why couples who are deciding whether to divorce are typically ambivalent, and why individuals who choose to remain in unhappy relationships even when they feel free to go may experience renewed personal commitment. Clinical interventions are described to assist the clinician working with couples contemplating marital dissolution. These interventions help clients explore the various options available to them, without implying their choices are in any way deficient.
Impact of type 1 diabetes and insulin treatment on plasma levels and fractional synthesis rate of retinol-binding protein 4.

Context: Retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4) levels are elevated in insulin-resistant states and reduced in type 1 diabetes (T1D), but it is unknown whether changes in insulin levels and glycemic control alter RBP4 levels. In vivo synthesis rates of RBP4 and their relationship to RBP4 levels remain to be determined. Objective: The aim of the study was to determine whether the synthesis rate of RBP4 is altered in people with T1D during both insulin deficiency and insulin treatment. Design: Seven T1D participants were studied on two occasions, during 8 h of insulin deprivation and during insulin treatment, and compared with nondiabetic (ND) controls. Main Outcome Measures: We measured in vivo fractional synthesis rate of RBP4 using [ring-13C6]phenylalanine as a tracer and RBP4 concentration in plasma by nephelometric assay and Western blot analyses. Results: Plasma RBP4 levels were lower (P < 0.01) in insulin-treated T1D than in ND but were not different between insulin-deprived T1D and ND participants. Synthe...
Power to the Periphery: Suburban Empowerment in Toulouse, France

Much of the scholarship on the empowerment of suburbs (‘edge city’, ‘ex-urb’, and so on) focuses on American cases and draws upon social and economic variables to explain the phenomenon. In this paper I aim to broaden the empirical reach of the literature by examining the transformation of several municipalities from rural backwaters into powerful political and economic forces in Toulouse, France. I also aim to broaden existing theoretical approaches by closely examining the state's role in the empowerment of this particular patch of suburbs. In particular, I argue that changes in both local economic and state structures have presented officials across Toulouse, France with a broad range of opportunities. Actors with heightened strategic capacities, like those actors composing the suburbs under investigation, have been better able to acquire the wealth and power needed to become potent territorial forces.
Abnormalities of the Human Embryonic Zona Pellucida

The mammalian oocyte becomes surrounded by an acellular glycoprotein coat called the zona pellucida (ZP) during growth of the ovarian follicle. It is unclear whether the ZP originates from the oocyte, the follicular cells surrounding it, or both. The ZP plays an important role during both fertilization and preimplantation development. It contains species-specific sperm receptors that function during fertilization and participates in a secondary block to polyspermy following fertilization. It is not until the expanded blastocyst stage of development that embryos hatch from their ZP, allowing them to implant into the endometrial lining. Almost all studies of the mammalian ZP deal with molecular aspects of gamete recognition events (Dietl, 1988). Very few investigators study the ZP following sperm-egg fusion, despite its many important biological functions at that time.
Correlation of In and Ex Situ Stress to Microstructures during Al-Induced Crystallization of PECVD Amorphous Silicon

We studied the correlation of in and ex situ stress to microstructures during Al-induced crystallization for structures of Al on top (AOT) and Al on bottom (AOB) of amorphous Si (a-Si) on 3000 A SiO2 coated on Si wafers and found that a-Si deposited on PECVD SiO2 and Al increases the stress compressively, and Al deposited on PECVD SiO2 and on a-Si decreases the stress tensilely. In addition, the stress of AOB structures is in general less than that of AOT structures. Correlation of stress to microstructures indicated that the difference in microstructures between AOT and AOB results from the nature of the layer structures themselves. By using modified Stoney’s equation, the lower stress of AOB structures than AOT could be explained with existence of oxide between a-Si and Al for both AOT and AOB structures.
Low-temperature dynamic nuclear polarization with helium-cooled samples and nitrogen-driven magic-angle spinning.

Abstract We describe novel instrumentation for low-temperature solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) with dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) and magic-angle spinning (MAS), focusing on aspects of this instrumentation that have not been described in detail in previous publications. We characterize the performance of an extended interaction oscillator (EIO) microwave source, operating near 264 GHz with 1.5 W output power, which we use in conjunction with a quasi-optical microwave polarizing system and a MAS NMR probe that employs liquid helium for sample cooling and nitrogen gas for sample spinning. Enhancement factors for cross-polarized 13 C NMR signals in the 100–200 range are demonstrated with DNP at 25 K. The dependences of signal amplitudes on sample temperature, as well as microwave power, polarization, and frequency, are presented. We show that sample temperatures below 30 K can be achieved with helium consumption rates below 1.3 l/h. To illustrate potential applications of this instrumentation in structural studies of biochemical systems, we compare results from low-temperature DNP experiments on a calmodulin-binding peptide in its free and bound states.
Kinetic Network Models of Tryptophan Mutations in β-Hairpins Reveal the Importance of Non-Native Interactions

We present an analysis of the most extensive explicit-solvent simulations of β-hairpins to date (9.4 ms in aggregate), with the aim of probing the effects of tryptophan mutations on folding. From molecular simulations of GB1 hairpin, trpzip4, trpzip5, and trpzip6 performed on Folding@home, Markov State Models (MSMs) were constructed using a unified set of metastable states, enabling objective comparison of folding mechanisms. MSM models display quantitative agreement with experimental structural observables and folding kinetics, and predict multimodal kinetics due to specific non-native kinetic traps, which be identified as on- or off-pathway from the network topology. We quantify kinetic frustration by several means, including the s-ensemble method to evaluate glasslike behavior. Free-energy profiles and transition state movement clearly show stabilization of non-native states as Trp mutations are introduced. Remarkably, we find that "β-capped" sequences (trpzip4 and trpzip5) are able to overcome this frustration and remain cooperative two-state folders with a large time-scale gap. These results suggest that, while β-capping motifs are robust, fold stabilization by tryptophan generally may require overcoming significant non-native kinetic traps, perhaps explaining their under-representation in natural proteins.
Time Required for Food Passage through the Alimentary Tract of the Cockroach, Periplaneta Americana Linn.

Mechanical movements of parts of the alimentary tract have been described for a semi-tropical roach, Periplaneta fuliginosa (6), but no extensive studies in time requirements for passage of food through the gut of any roach, or other insect, seem to be available. Velocity records of food movement through, and waste egestion from, the digestive canal of a typical, comparatively unspecialized insect in normal digestion should be of interest in providing a basis for comparison with time requirements for food passage after feeding stomach poisons. It may be that certain combinations of food types and stomach poisons may result in faster or slower passage of ingested mixtures. Such control of movement of poisoned food would be valuable to insect toxicologists. It may be, too, that mixing certain poisons with some particular class of food-stuffs will result in more effective insecticides. This paper reports results from investigations on passage and egestion times of one type of food when fed to the American cockroach, Periplaneta americana . Other experiments are in progress. The roach was selected because of its size, its ease in handling, its adaptability to laboratory conditions, its phylogenetic position, and its omnivorous food habits.
Effect of Contacts on Capacitance Transient Measurements in N-Type Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon

Measurement of the dependence of emission capacitance transients on filling pulse duration has been extended to devices with Ohmic back contacts. Capacitance transients on devices possessing identical bulk 20-ppm P doped a-Si:H but either Ohmic contacts or blocking contacts were compared. The devices with blocking contacts completely reproduced in quantitative detail the previously observed anomalous dependence of capacitance transients on filling pulse duration. The diodes with Ohmic contacts showed no evidence of the anomalous filling pulse effect even for light-degraded, resistive samples. Current injection measurements show that blocking contacts delay the charge injection into the device by about 10–100 msec.
Tyrosine Phosphorylation of the μ-Opioid Receptor Regulates Agonist Intrinsic Efficacy

The mu-opioid receptor (MOR) contains four highly conserved cytoplasmic tyrosine residues that may serve to regulate receptor activity. For Xenopus laevis oocytes coexpressing the rat MOR and the heteromultimeric potassium channel, K(IR)3.1/3.2, pretreatment with insulin produced both a 40% suppression in the basal channel conductance and potentiation of response to the mu-opioid agonist [D-Ala(2),methyl-Phe(4),Gly(5)-ol]enkephalin (DAMGO) to 155% of matched, untreated control cells. Insulin-induced potentiation of the DAMGO response was concentration-dependent and reversed after 1 h. Insulin pretreatment increased the maximal effect of DAMGO, but did not change its EC(50) value. Potentiation of the DAMGO response did not result from a recruitment of MOR to the cell surface, as measured by specific binding of the opioid peptide antagonist [(3)H]d-Phe((3)H)-Cys-Tyr-d-Trp-Arg-Thr-Pen-Thr-NH(2) (cyclic) to whole-oocytes, but instead the potentiation was probably caused by an increase in intrinsic efficacy of G protein coupling. The involvement of tyrosine residues on the putative intracellular loops of the MOR was demonstrated with four point-mutated receptors, replacing tyrosine with phenylalanine to create MOR(Y96F), MOR(Y106F), MOR(Y166F), and MOR(Y336F). None of these mutations significantly altered the EC(50) value for DAMGO compared with wild-type MOR, and insulin pretreatment still potentiated the effect of 1 microM DAMGO in oocytes containing either MOR(Y96F) or MOR(Y336F) to 137 +/- 10 and 124 +/- 8%, respectively. However, insulin did not significantly potentiate the DAMGO response with oocytes containing either MOR(Y106F) or MOR(Y166F), suggesting that these two sites were responsible for the insulin-induced opioid potentiation. The tyrosine-kinase inhibitors genistein (100 microM) or K-252a (20 microM) did not block the insulin-induced potentiation of the DAMGO response, but coincubation of insulin with either the MAP kinase inhibitor PD98,059 (20 microM) or phosphatase inhibitor orthovanadate (30 microM) completely blocked the potentiation. The results suggest the hypothesis that the potentiation was caused by dephosphorylation of the two tyrosines in MOR. To test this hypothesis, we measured the recovery rates after insulin treatment. As predicted, tyrosine kinase inhibition by K-252a significantly slowed the reversal and phosphatase inhibition by orthovanadate significantly accelerated the recovery. These findings support a rapid modulatory role for insulin on opioid signal transduction, possibly through the dephosphorylation of the MOR at tyrosines 106 and 166 by an insulin-activated MAP kinase/protein tyrosine phosphatase cascade. We conclude that tyrosine phosphorylation of the mu-opioid receptor regulates receptor-G protein coupling efficacy.
The Clinical Value of Coronary Artery Stenosis Diagnosed by 256-Slice Computed Tomographic Angiography

Objective To evaluate and analyze the diagnostic accuracy of 256-slice computed topographic angiography(CTA) and coronary angiography(CAG) in patients with coronary artery disease(CAD). Methods One hundred and one patients(suspected CAD and confirmed CAD with re-examination) underwent the 256-slice CTA and CAG were included in this study. The coronary artery imaging data of 101 patients were retrospectively collected and analyzed. Calculations for accuracy were conducted on a segmental basis. A total of 1 313 comparable segments were evaluated. The accuracy of 256-slice CTA was evaluated in the diagnosis of moderate and severe stenosis of coronary artery(stenosis in segments of coronary artery≥50%). The values for diagnostic accuracy of 256-slice CTA were analyzed, including mild stenosis: 50%, moderate stenosis: 50%～75%, severe stenosis: 76%～100% and complete occlusion. Results The sensitivity of 256-slice CTA for diagnostic accuracy to coronary heart disease was 94.87%, and the specificity was 52.17%. The positive predictive value was 87.06% and the negative predictive value was 75.00%. The accuracy rates of 256-slice CTA for evaluating the coronary artery stenosis were: mild stenosis(44.23%), moderate stenosis(44.23%), severe stenosis(40.00%) and total occlusion of coronary artery(51.77%), respectively. Conclusion The diagnostic value of 256-slice CTA for the degree of coronary artery stenosis is insufficient, which can be used as a potential alternative screening examination to detect coronary artery stenosis in suspected patients and a method of re-examination in low risk patients with CAD.
The Moral Demands of Memory: Ethics, Truth, and Collective Memory

Modern shared memory is located between the push and pull of two poles: history and myth. – Avishai Margalit, The Ethics of Memory MEMORY AND HISTORY/HISTORY AND MYTH “Memory,” says Kerwin Lee Klein, “is replacing old favorites – nature, culture, language – as the word most commonly paired with history” in academic and to some extent in popular discourse. Memory, more precisely collective or social memory not individual memory, has become a preoccupation of contemporary historiography. However, to say that memory is now commonly paired with history is a simple way of conveying a rather complex truth because there is considerable variation in how these terms are understood and in the point of the pairing. Here are some of the claims about collective memory, history, and their relationship that those who link history with memory make. Historians Pierre Nora and Yosef Yerushalmi, two of the fathers of the current “memory boom” in historical studies, pair “memory” and “history” in order to emphasize their opposition. “Real memory,” says Nora, has an “affective and magical” quality that distinguishes it from the dispassionate analytic approach of history. Collective memory, in its true sense, has largely disappeared from the world and been replaced by new kinds of memory, by what he calls “archive-memory” and “duty-memory.” Others want to criticize, as naive, views that give preference to memory over history on the grounds that memory is somehow more authentic or truer to the past than the alleged contrivances and manipulations of history.
La performatividad de género y la recuperación de la historia en la ficción detectivesca latina

Este articulo ofrece un analisis de la manera en que autoras latinas se apropian de, y subvierten, elementos de la novela negra en sus obras de ficcion policiaca o detectivesca. La cubanoamericana Carolina Garcia-Aguilera y las chicanas Lucha Corpi, Margarita Cota-Cardenas y Alicia Gaspar de Alba han creado figuras detectivescas femeninas que manipulan y desestabilizan nociones de genero, segun la conceptualizacion de la performatividad de genero de Judith Butler. Ademas, a traves de su incorporacion de referencias culturales especificas e historias de sus comunidades, estas escritoras combaten un doble borrado textual por desafiar tanto la version dominante de la historia que omite la de comunidades marginadas como las representaciones masculinas de la experiencia chicana o latina.
Public perceptions and acceptance of induced earthquakes related to energy development

Abstract Growing awareness of the potential for some energy-related activities to induce earthquakes has created a need to understand how the public evaluates the risks of induced earthquakes versus the benefits of energy development. To address this need, this study presents a web survey that used a between-subjects factorial experimental design to explore the views of 325 U.S. adults, who were asked about their experiences with earthquakes; risk perceptions related to different causes of earthquakes (e.g., natural versus induced); and acceptability of earthquakes depending on the benefits, beneficiaries, and decision making process. The results found that participants had more negative feelings toward induced versus naturally occurring earthquakes. Although they judged no earthquake as “acceptable,” participants rated induced earthquakes significantly less acceptable than naturally occurring ones. Attributing the benefits to the provision of renewable energy or climate change mitigation did not increase induced earthquake acceptability, and no particular beneficiary made earthquakes more acceptable, although private companies as beneficiaries made earthquakes less acceptable. Finally, induced earthquake acceptability was significantly higher when people believed that people like them had a voice in the decision to implement the technology that caused the earthquake, underscoring the importance of public engagement in the development of energy technologies.