cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The mechanism of tumor localization of gallium-67 citrate: role of transferrin binding and effect of tumor pH.

Abstract When injected at tracer levels into the blood, radiogallium binds to plasma transferrin and is transported to the tumor tissue. The mechanism, however, by which this transferrin-bound gallium is converted to tumor-bound gallium is not clearly understood. We observed in vitro that the stability of gallium-transferrin complex could be affected by increased hydrogen ion concentration (pH effect) or by decreased transferrin concentration (dilution effect). In the in vitro tumor cell experiments with L1210 Leukemia cells, the cellular uptake of gallium showed an inverse pH dependence. The presence of glucose in the incubation medium did not alter the nature of gallium uptake by the L1210 cells, whereas the uptake of gallium by Ehrlich ascites cells was significantly influenced by both pH and glucose. Tumor uptake of gallium in rats bearing Walker-256 carcinosarcoma or Murphystum lymphosarcoma was significantly enhanced by prior glucose administration. These results indicate that the stability of gallium-transferrin complex is pH-dependent and suggest that acidic pH at the tumor site may be one of the factors involved in gallium localization in tumors. Clinical differences in gallium uptake by various tumor types may, in part, reflect differences in tumor pH.
The elephant in uremia: Oxidant stress as a unifying concept of cardiovascular disease in uremia

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality in uremic patients. In large cross-sectional studies of dialysis patients, traditional cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension and hypercholesterolemia have been found to have low predictive power, while markers of inflammation and malnutrition are highly correlated with cardiovascular mortality. However, the pathophysiology of the disease process that links uremia, inflammation, and malnutrition with increased cardiovascular complications is not well understood. We hereby propose the hypothesis that increased oxidative stress and its sequalae is a major contributor to increased atherosclerosis and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality found in uremia. This hypothesis is based on studies that conclusively demonstrate an increased oxidative burden in uremic patients, before and particularly after renal replacement therapies, as evidenced by higher concentrations of multiple biomarkers of oxidative stress. This hypothesis also provides a framework to explain the link that activated phagocytes provide between oxidative stress and inflammation (from infectious and non-infections causes) and the synergistic role that malnutrition (as reflected by low concentrations of albumin and/or antioxidants) contributes to the increased burden of cardiovascular disease in uremia. We further propose that retained uremic solutes such as beta-2 microglobulin, advanced glycosylated end products (AGE), cysteine, and homocysteine, which are substrates for oxidative injury, further contribute to the pro-atherogenic milieu of uremia. Dialytic therapy, which acts to reduce the concentration of oxidized substrates, improves the redox balance. However, processes related to dialytic therapy, such as the prolonged use of catheters for vascular access and the use of bioincompatible dialysis membranes, can contribute to a pro-inflammatory and pro-oxidative state and thus to a pro-atherogenic state. Anti-oxidative therapeutic strategies for patients with uremia are in their very early stages; nonetheless, early studies demonstrate the potential for significant efficacy in reducing cardiovascular complications.
Desorption kinetics for selected PCB congeners from river sediments

Abstract Desorption of PCBs from sediment can significantly affect the ultimate fate and effects of PCBs in aquatic systems. Using a gas purging technique to strip soluble and sorbed polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from solutions and sediment suspensions, Henry's law constants, approach to equilibrium, and desorption rate constants for four PCB congeners were measured. Henry's law constants were on the order of 10 −4 m 3 atm mole −1 . Desorption rate constants measured for a predominantly kaolinitic, low-organic carbon sediment were on the order of 0.03–0.1 days −1 . In contrast, desorption rate constants measured for a sediment composed of montmorillonite with a 3% organic carbon content were on the order of 0.009–0.04 days −1 . Desorption data suggest that equilibration times for PCBs with low chlorine content are on the order of six weeks, and months to years for PCBs with a significantly higher chlorine content.
The effect of schadenfreude on choice of conventional versus unconventional options

Abstract Others’ choices that turn out badly often elicit schadenfreude; that is, feelings of malicious joy about the misfortunes of others. We examine the impact of experiencing schadenfreude when choosing between conventional and unconventional options. Results show that individuals are relatively more likely to choose compromise options and safe options when experiencing schadenfreude, in comparison to happiness and to sadness. In support of an affect-as-information mechanism underlying this effect, the influence of schadenfreude on choice is limited to situations in which decision-makers are unaware of the source of their affect. Our last study demonstrates that individuals interpret schadenfreude as information regarding which option they should choose: its experience heightens anticipation of unfavorable outcomes of their own choices. We end with a discussion of the theoretical and organizational implications of our research.
Review of profiling oceanographic lidar

This paper provides a review of the development of profiling oceanographic lidars. These can provide quantitative profiles of the optical properties of the water column to depths of 20 to 30 m in productive coastal waters and to depths of 100 m for a blue lidar in the open ocean. The properties that can be measured include beam attenuation, diffuse attenuation, absorption, volume scattering at the scattering angle of 180 deg, and total backscattering. Lidar can be used to infer the relative vertical distributions of fish, plankton, bubbles, and other scattering particles. Using scattering as a tracer, lidar can provide information on the dynamics of the upper ocean, including mixed-layer depth, internal waves, and turbulence. Information in the polarization of the lidar return has been critical to the success of many of these investigations. Future progress in the field is likely through a better understanding of the variability of the lidar ratio and the application of high-spectral-resolution lidar to the ocean. Somewhat farther into the future, capabilities are likely to include lidar profiling of temperature in the ocean and an oceanographic lidar in space.
Water relations and leaf chemistry of Chrysothamnus nauseosus ssp. consimilis (Asteraceae) and Sarcobatus vermiculatus (Chenopodiaceae)

At Mono Lake, California, we investigated field water relations, leaf and xylem chemistry, and gas exchange for two shrub species that commonly co-occur on marginally saline soils, and have similar life histories and rooting patterns. Both species had highest root length densities close to the surface and have large tap roots that probably reach ground water at 3.4-5.0 m on the study site. The species differed greatly in leaf water relations and leaf chemistry. Sarcobatus vermiculatus had a seasonal minimum predawn xylem pressure potential (Wpd) of -2.7 MPa and a midday potential (Wind) of -4.1 MPa. These were significantly lower than for Chrysothamnus nauseosus, which had a minimum Wpd of -1.0 MPa and Wind of -2.2 MPa. Sarcobatus had leaf Na of up to 9.1 % and K up to 2.7 % of dry mass, and these were significantly higher than for Chrysothamnus which had seasonal maxima of 0.4% leaf Na and 2.4 % leaf K. The molar ratios of leaf K/Na, Ca/Na, and Mg/Na were substantially lower for Sarcobatus than for Chrysothamnus. Xylem ionic contents indicated that both species excluded some Na at the root, but that Chrysothamnus was excluding much more than Sarcobatus. The higher Na content of Sarcobatus leaves was associated with greater leaf succulence, lower calculated osmotic potential, and lower xylem pressure potentials. Despite large differences in water relations and leaf chemistry, these species maintained similar diurnal patterns and rates of photosynthesis and stomatal conductance to water vapor diffusion. Sarcobatus Wpd may not reflect soil moisture availability due to root osmotic and hydraulic properties.
Application of neural network modeling to identify auditory processing disorders in school-age children

P300 Auditory Event-Related Potentials (P3AERPs) were recorded in nine school-age children with auditory processing disorders and nine age- and gender-matched controls in response to tone burst stimuli presented at varying rates (1/second or 3/second) under varying levels of competing noise (0 dB, 40 dB, or 60 dB SPL). Neural network modeling results indicated that speed of information processing and task-related demands significantly influenced P3AERP latency in children with auditory processing disorders. Competing noise and rapid stimulus rates influenced P3AERP amplitude in both groups.
Calcium channel blockers and cancer.

Abstract PURPOSE: We sought to explore the relation that has been previously reported between calcium channel blockers and an increased risk of cancer. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We followed 3,511 participants, age 65 years or older, in the Duke Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly for up to 10 years. Information about use of medications was obtained at baseline and 3 and 6 years later. Information about hospitalization for cancer, or death from cancer, was obtained from Health Care Financing Administration data and death certificates. RESULTS: Of the 133 users of calcium channel blockers, 16 (12%) developed cancer, compared with 548 (16%) of 3,378 nonusers (hazard ratio=0.9; 95% confidence interval, 0.5 to 1.5). Adjusting for baseline and time-dependent covariates, such as race, diabetes, or blood pressure, for dose or class of calcium channel blockers, or for length of follow-up, had no effect. CONCLUSIONS: Use of calcium channel blockers does not appear to be related to cancer risk. Earlier reports showing such a relation may have been the result of chance.
Does Creation Equal Nature? Confronting the Christian Confusion about Ecology and Cosmology

Much of the recent interest in the idea of creation among Christian writers has suffered from a fundamental misconception that creation and nature are equivalent or nearly equivalent terms. While the two are not unrelated, they are nonetheless distinct. Two particular areas where this misconception appears are the movement that calls itself "creation science" and certain strains within the movement known as "theology of nature" or "ecological theology." One promising way to distinguish the ideas of creation and nature is by introducing Hans-Georg Gadamer's understanding of world (Welt) as a hermeneutical construct. This allows us initially to distinguish world as creation from world as nature. Once the lines of division have been laid, Gadamer's ideas provide the groundwork for a more critical reintroduction of ideas of creation and nature that offers productive possibilities for an ecological ethic as well as a general ethic.
Examining the Measurement Precision and Invariance of the Revised Get Ready to Read

Children's emergent literacy skills are highly predictive of later reading abilities. To determine which children have weaker emergent literacy skills and are in need of intervention, it is necessary to assess emergent literacy skills accurately and reliably. In this study, 1,351 children were administered the Revised Get Ready to Read! (GRTR-R), and an item response theory analysis was used to evaluate the item-level reliability of the measure. Differential item functioning (DIF) analyses were conducted to examine whether items function similarly between subpopulations of children. The GRTR-R had acceptable reliability for children whose ability level was just below the mean. DIF for a small number of items was present for only two comparisons-children who were older versus younger and children who were White versus African American. These results demonstrate that the GRTR-R has acceptable reliability and limited DIF, enabling the screener to identify those at risk for developing reading problems.
Characterization of the Effect of Surface Roughness and Texture on Fluid Flow: Past, Present, and Future (Keynote)

That surface roughness has an effect on fluid flow in networks has been understood for well over a century. The exact effect roughness has on fluid flow has not been completely understood, but a working estimate has been offered by a variety of authors over time. The work of Colebrook, Nikuradse, and Moody has provided practitioners with a method to include at least a first order estimate of roughness effects, but their work has been limited to relative roughness to diameter values of 5% or less. Modern fluidic systems at the mini and micro levels routinely violate the 5% relative roughness threshold due to the inability to control the roughness of surfaces to sufficient levels with respect to decreasing system scale. Current work by Kandlikar, et al., has extended the traditional methods of assessing surface roughness effects up to 14% relative roughness by including the effect of constricted flow diameters and modifying the Moody diagram to reflect new experimental data. The future of micro fluidics would suggest that trends for miniaturization will continue and that further understanding and experimentation will be warranted. This is especially true with regards to understanding the role of roughness on the flow in mini and micro channels.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Should inflation-targeting central banks respond to exchange rate movements?

Abstract This paper examines whether it is optimal for inflation-targeting central banks to respond to exchange-rate movements. The paper finds that exchange-rate movements can provide a signal on the developments in the economy that the central bank cannot perfectly observe. The results suggest that when the degrees of exchange-rate pass-through and international financial integration are high, it is optimal for the central bank to pay more attentions to exchange-rate movements. These results however depend on two conditions: 1) the ability of the central bank to observe the true exchange-rate process and 2) the number of real frictions in the model economy.
Transperineal prostate needle biopsy guided by transurethral ultrasound in patients without a rectum

Abstract Objectives Patients with elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and no access to the rectum present a diagnostic challenge to the urologist. This study was undertaken to determine the efficacy of transperineal prostate biopsy using transurethral ultrasound guidance for the detection of prostate cancer. Methods Five men status post either total colectomy or abdominoperineal resection (age range: 58 to 73 years, mean age 65.8 years) were referred to us for the evaluation of an elevated PSA (range: 5.6 to 21.4 ng/dL, mean 16.1 ng/dL). Seven procedures were performed utilizing transurethral ultrasound to guide transperineal prostate biopsies in these men. Results Biopsy results revealed benign prostatic hyperplasia in 4 procedures and prostate cancer in 3 procedures. Conclusions Transurethral ultrasound enables the practitioner to perform accurate sonographic assessment and precise biopsy of the prostate in such patients.
Histopathology of Gottron’s papules – utility in diagnosing dermatomyositis

Dermatomyositis (DM) is an uncommon connective tissue disease that presents with a characteristic violaceous skin eruption as well as proximal muscle weakness, primarily of the upper extremities. Cutaneous stigmata of DM include Gottron's papules, similarly colored papules and plaques overlying the extensor surfaces of finger joints. While biopsy of the typical poikilodermatous skin eruption found in patients with suspected DM is a standard algorithmic component in the workup and diagnosis of the disease, Gottron's papules are rarely sampled for histopathologic assessment. The precise reason for this is not known but may be related to problems associated with healing because of constant motion forces in the vicinity of the joint. Given this, sparse literature is available on the histopathologic features of Gottron's papules. In this study, we present two cases in which the presence of papular (Gottron's papules) lesions on the fingers led to a presumptive diagnosis of DM and prompted biopsies of the same. The study illustrates the diagnostic utility of biopsies from Gottron's papules.
Electroreduction of the ruthenium complex [(bpy)2Ru(tatpp)]Cl2 in water: insights on the mechanism of multielectron reduction and protonation of the Tatpp acceptor ligand as a function of pH.

The mononuclear ruthenium complex [(bpy)2Ru(tatpp)]2+ (12+; bpy is 2,2′-bipyridine and tatpp is 9,11,20,22-tetra-aza-tetrapyrido[3,2-a:2′3′-c:3′′,2′′-l:2′′′,3′′′]-pentacene) undergoes up to four re...
Effects of age and diabetes mellitus on the solubility of collagen from human skin, tracheal cartilage and dura mater.

Abstract The solubility of collagen from human skin, tracheal cartilage and dura mater was compared. Skin contained the greatest amount of soluble collagen followed by dura and cartilage. An age-related decrease in the proportion of neutral salt-soluble collagen was observed for cartilage and dura. The proportion of collagen soluble in acetic acid decreased as a function of age in skin and dura. An age-related decrease in the proportion of skin and dura collagen released by pepsin digestion was also observed, as was a concomitant increase in the proportion of insoluble collagen in these tissues. Individuals with juvenile onset diabetes had significantly less salt-soluble dura collagen, acid-soluble skin and dura collagen, pepsin-released skin and dura collagen, and significantly more insoluble skin and dura collagen than comparably aged nondiabetics. One young maturity onset diabetic had significantly less salt-soluble dura collagen, pepsin-released skin and dura collagen, and significantly more insoluble skin and dura collagen than similarly aged non-diabetics. The solubility of collagen from tissues of older maturity onset diabetics, however, did not differ significantly from other old nondiabetics. These data indicate that there is a direct effect of age on the solubility of collagen from human tissues, and that based on solubility, cartilage collagen ages faster than dura collagen, with skin undergoing the slowest relative aging. These data also support previous observations indicating that collagen from individuals with diabetes mellitus undergoes accelerated aging. Alterations in collagen may be responsible for some of the debilities of age that occur in collagen-rich tissues, and which appear at an earlier age and more severely in individuals with diabetes mellitus.
Interactionist AI and the promise of ubicomp, or, how to put your box in the world without putting the world in your box

In many ways, the central problem of ubiquitous computing -- how computational systems can make sense of and respond sensibly to a complex, dynamic environment laden with human meaning -- is identical to that of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Indeed, some of the central challenges that ubicomp currently faces in moving from prototypes that work in restricted environments to the complexity of real-world environments -- e.g. difficulties in scalability, integration, and fully formalizing context -- echo some of the major issues that have challenged AI researchers over the history of their field. In this paper, we explore a key moment in AI's history where researchers grappled directly with these issues, resulting in a variety of novel technical solutions within AI. We critically reflect on six strategies from this history to suggest technical solutions for how to approach the challenge of building real-world, usable solutions in ubicomp today.
Cumulative effect of brief daily periods of monocular vision on kitten striate cortex.

Eight kittens were subjected to daily 4-h sessions with vision restricted to one eye between the 4th and 9th postnatal weeks. The total duration of monocular exposure ranged from 76 to 152 h. Between monocular exposure periods, four kittens were kept in total darkness, and four experienced binocular vision under normal colony conditions. At the end of the rearing period, all experimental animals and four normally reared controls were studied by means of single-unit recording in primary visual cortex. In kittens with inter-session dark rearing, very few neurons could be driven through the deprived eye. This effect was more extreme than that observed after continuous dark rearing. Visual responses mediated by the experienced eye appeared normal. In contrast, in kittens with inter-session binocular vision, the large majority of visual cortical neurons responded to visual stimulation of either eye. A few neurons appeared to have lost their responsiveness to the deprived eye, but this effect was small. We conclude that monocular vision delivered during brief daily sessions produces a cumulative competitive inactivation of transmission in the pathway from the deprived eye to striate cortex so long as no visual stimulation occurs outside the monocular periods. Binocular visual stimulation received between sessions rapidly and almost completely reverses the effects of monocular vision.
Using multiple methods to understand agency values and objectives: Lessons for public lands management

The Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA) directs agencies to determine their objectives based on what stakeholders value. Identifying, measuring and analyzing values and objectives is a key challenge for public land management agencies. Using R and Q factor analysis we assess the values and objectives within the Leadership Team (LT) of the United States Forest Service (USFS). R-factor analysis demonstrates strong support among the LT for a more preservation-oriented view to manage public lands. Q-factor analysis reveals divergent perspectives among the LT and how the aggregated preservation orientation found with the R-factor analysis plays out according to individual perspectives. The findings illustrate the challenges inherent in identifying what values and objectives exist, how they should be analyzed, and the implications for choosing one set of values and objectives over another in public lands management to fulfill the mandates under GPRA.
The Brown Dwarf Eclipsing Binary 2M0535-05: A Case Study for Activity Effects on Physical Properties of Low-Mass Stars and Brown Dwarfs

2M0535−05 is a one-of-a-kind eclipsing binary (EB) comprising two brown dwarfs (BDs), and is an important benchmark for understanding the fundamental properties of BDs and low-mass stars. Because 2M0535−05 presents a peculiar reversal of temperatures with mass (the higher mass, magnetically active BD in the system is cooler than the lower mass companion BD), 2M0535−05 is particularly important as a case study for the effects of magnetic activity on the properties of low-mass objects. Using a large number of low-mass M-dwarfs and EBs in the field, we have developed empirical relations for determining the amount by which the temperatures and radii–and therefore the estimated masses–of low-mass stars and BDs are altered due to chromospheric activity. The relations link the amount by which an active object's temperature is suppressed, and its radius inflated, to the strength of its Hα emission. These relations are found to approximately preserve bolometric luminosity. Applying these relations to 2M0535−05 brings the activity-corrected radii and temperatures of 2M0535−05 into precise agreement with theoretical isochrones for inactive stars. The relations that we present are applicable to BDs and low-mass stars with masses below 0.8 M ⊙ and for which the activity, as measured by Hα, is in the range − 4.6 H α /L bol < −3.3. We discuss implications of this work for determinations of young cluster IMFs, and discuss competing ideas for the physical mechanism by which magnetic fields alter the temperatures and radii of low-mass stars.
Library Public Relations: Recent Articles on Marketing and Branding in University Libraries

Recently an administrator in the library where I work observed a propos of budget cuts that we—the library—need to “tell our story differently.” I took this to mean that we need to formulate a posi...
Design of automated hybrid work stations: An evaluation of robot sensory systems for safety

Abstract Hybrid robotic systems necessitate a new integrated approach to the design of tasks and the performance requirements for human operators and robots. The presence of operators in hybrid work stations adds to the complexity and unpredictability of such design requirements. An important component of the hybrid system design is the integration of both human and robot sensory capabilities for task completion. A model for the integration of human and robot sensory information collection, processing, and action is presented. Robot sensory systems are evaluated with respect to the safety of operators within a hybrid work station. Four sensory technologies of optical (vision), sonar, capacitance, and infrared are compared. Optically-based and infrared sensors appear to be the most promising in terms of the safety and efficiency of hybrid work stations.
Progenitor cell maintenance requires numb and numblike during mouse neurogenesis

Neurons in most regions of the mammalian nervous system are generated over an extended period of time during development. Maintaining sufficient numbers of progenitors over the course of neurogenesis is essential to ensure that neural cells are produced in correct numbers and diverse types. The underlying molecular mechanisms, like those governing stem-cell self-renewal in general, remain poorly understood. We report here that mouse numb and numblike (Nbl), two highly conserved homologues of Drosophila numb, play redundant but critical roles in maintaining neural progenitor cells during embryogenesis, by allowing their progenies to choose progenitor over neuronal fates. In Nbl mutant embryos also conditionally mutant for mouse numb in the nervous system, early neurons emerge in the expected spatial and temporal pattern, but at the expense of progenitor cells, leading to a nearly complete depletion of dividing cells shortly after the onset of neurogenesis. Our findings show that a shared molecular mechanism, with mouse Numb and Nbl as key components, governs the self-renewal of all neural progenitor cells, regardless of their lineage or regional identities.
Prey-dependent effects of fluprazine hydrochloride on predatory aggression in northern grasshopper mice (Onychomys leucogaster) and rats (Rattus norvegicus)

Treatment with the phenylpiperazine DU 27716 (fluprazine hydrochloride) inhibited the predatory killing of albino mice by northern grasshopper mice (Onychomys leucogaster) and of frogs by rats. This treatment had no effect on cricket predation by grasshopper mice or worm predation by rats. The prey-specific effect of fluprazine did not seem to result from a decreased tendency to attack nor was its effect restricted to prey showing characteristic rodent defensive responses. Rather, the drug seemed to increase fearfulness when the prey exhibited vigorous defensive behavior. It is possible that increased fearfulness induced by treatment with this drug may also contribute to its antioffensive effect during conspecific encounters.
The Racial Formation of Chatbots

In his article "The Racial Formation of Chatbots" Mark C. Marino introduces electronic literature known as chatbot or conversation agent. These programs are all around us from automated help centers to smartphones (e.g., Siri). These conversation agents are often represented as text or disembodied voices. However, when programmers give them a body or the representation of a body (partial or full), other aspects of their identity become more apparent—particularly their racial or ethnic identity. Marino explores the ways racial identity is constructed through the embodied performance of chatbots and what that indicates for human identity construction on the internet. Mark C. Marino, "The Racial Formation of Chatbots" page 2 of 11 CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture 16.5 (2014): http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/clcweb/vol16/iss5/13> Special Issue New Work on Electronic Literature and Cyberculture. Ed. Maya Zalbidea, Mark C. Marino, and Asuncion Lopez-Varela
EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON THE GROWTH OF WASTEWATER BACTERIA

The wastewater bacterial growth was investigated at different temperatures (20, 40, 60 and 80°C), and the effect of crude oil and surfactant on the bacterial growth was tested. It was concluded that bacteria would grow rapidly in an aerated environment and temperatures in the range of 20 to 40°C. The maximum number of bacteria was observed at 20°C in a shaker. Shaking or stirring supplies oxygen to the wastewater bacteria, and expedites the growth rate. As temperature is increased to 60 and 80°C, bacteria die off because enzymes are denatured and cannot perform metabolic processes outside the cell. The presence of oil increases the bacterial growth in the mixed system, therefore, the wastewater bacteria can be employed to biodegrade petroleum hydrocarbons. The presence of surfactant also increases bacterial growth at 20 and 40°C, but has adverse impact at 60 and 80°C. Microorganisms suitable for petroleum hydrocarbons have significant applicability to Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR) as well as the ...
Functional Incorporation of KcsA into Tethered Lipid Bilayer Membranes

Tethered lipid bilayer membranes (tBLMs) are solid-supported lipid bilayers separated by a ∼ 2 nm thick hydrated layer from the solid interface. In comparison to cell membranes, they are simpler in their chemical composition and can therefore be quantitatively studied with a variety of experimental techniques. In comparison to free-standing or vesicle membranes, they are much more long-term stable. tBLMs can be formed by rapid solvent exchange,1 which leads to highly electrically insulating, defect-free bilayers,2 or by vesicle fusion, which results in membranes with higher residual conductance but makes protein reconstitution more straightforward. While we studied the structure and function of tBLMs produced by rapid solvent exchange extensively in the past,2 we have more recently optimized vesicle fusion protocols for tBLM formation and observed with neutron reflectometry that the membranes resulting from the two preparation methods are very similar in their molecular structure. Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy shows that lipid-label diffusion is identical in both cases. In this work, we incorporate the tetrameric potassium-selective channel KcsA from Streptomyces lividans into tBLMs through vesicle fusion. KcsA is reconstituted into POPE/POPG lipid vesicles that are spread onto the solid support to form the membranes. The functionality of the reconstituted channel is confirmed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), where we observe that the resistance of tBLMs with KcsA is 3 to 10 times smaller than the resistance of neat tBLMs in the presence of K+ ions, and with various blockers of the potassium channel.Supported by the NIH (1P01AG032131) and the AHAF (A2008-307).1Cornell, B.A, et al. 1997. Nature 387:580-583.2Valincius, G., et al. 2008. Biophys. J. 95:4845-4861.
Comparison of the Effect of Feeding Thiobarbital and Thiouracil on the Thyroid Gland of the Chick

Abstract IN PREVIOUS reports from this laboratory (Mixner, Reineke and Turner, 1944; Schultze and Turner, 1945), comparisons have been made of the goitrogenicity of thiourea and thiouracil when fed to chicks of various ages. Due to the narrow margin between the toxic and physiological dosage and the low potency of thiourea (Reineke and Turner, 1945), this compound has been eliminated from further consideration by most investigators. The practical value of goitrogenic agents in the fattening of broilers is suggested by the observations of Kempster and Turner (1945) and Andrews and Schnetzler (1946). Many compounds of a diverse nature have been assayed biologically in order to find more active preparations. Of these, thiobarbital was reported by Astwood et al. (1945) to be somewhat more effective than thiouracil in the rat, and twice as active in inhibiting the function of the thyroid gland in man (Astwood, 1945). McGinty and Bywater (1945) gave thiobarbital . . .
Joint bandwidth provisioning and cache management for video distribution in software-defined Passive Optical Networks

We propose joint bandwidth provisioning and base station caching for video delivery in software-defined PONs. Performance evaluation via custom simulation models reveals 30% increase in served video requests and 50% reduction in service response delays.
Spectrum of velocity fluctuations in superfluid 4He

Abstract Theoretical arguments are presented which imply that the spectrum of velocity fluctuations for superfluid 4 He near its transition temperature should go as 1/ f over several decades in frequency. The magnitude of the fluctuation spectrum is estimated assuming equilibrium thermal fluctuations.
Mutual information-based feature selection in studying perturbation of dendritic structure caused by TSC2 inactivation.

In this study, the effect of protein Tuberous sclerosis 2 (TSC2) on the dendritic spine density and length was demonstrated by using TSC2-RNA inactivation. In addition, the role of rapamycin, an antagonist of the molecular target of rapamycin, in the morphological changes of spine caused by TSC2 silencing was investigated. The features were extracted from high-resolution three-dimensional image stacks collected by two-photon laser scanning microscopy of green fluorescing pyramidal cells expressing TSC2-RNA interference (RNAi), or TSC2-RNAi and rapamycin treatment in rat hippocampal slice cultures. We proposed to apply the lognormal distribution method for feature extraction. The extracted features of three cases under investigation, namely, (1) green-fluorescent protein GFP vs TSC2-RNAi, (2) GFP vs TSC2-RNAi and rapamycin, and (3) TSC2-RNAi vs TSC2-RNAi and rapamycin, were analyzed by mutual information-based feature selection and evaluated by three classifiers, K-nearest neighbor, Perceptron, and two-layer neural networks. The results showed that both the spine density and length have significant morphological changes after TSC2-RNAi treatment. However, rapamycin treatment could reverse the effect of TSC2-RNAi on spine length but not on spine density. These results are consistent with the results reported in the scientific literature. Finally, we explored the application of pattern recognition method in a small sample with richer feature properties, namely bootstrap mutual information estimation and a mutual information-based feature selection method.
Suburban Opposition to District Reorganization: The 1968 Spainhower Commission and Metropolitan Kansas City and St. Louis.

The 1968 Spainhower Commission planned extensive changes in the organization of public education in Missouri, proposing larger, comprehensive districts throughout the state. Intended to increase efficiency and reduce inequities, its reform proposals spurred widespread opposition from both rural and suburban communities. In the suburbs hostility was particularly vehement and often was expressed in racial terms, revealing fault lines that came to divide large metropolitan regions in the 1960s. There were differences in the response of suburbanites in Kansas City and St. Louis, however, as resistance was expressed more adamantly in greater Kansas City. In St. Louis, a local tradition of holding meetings to discuss educational problems and inter-district cooperation appears to have helped mediate opposition to the suggestion of change. Eventually districts in greater St. Louis participated in an extensive transfer plan for urban students, while districts in metro Kansas City did not. Despite these differences, suburban residents’ antagonism in both areas toward plans for sending significant numbers of urban students to their schools remains quite high today, suggesting that patterns of conflict revealed in the Spainhower era continue to exist.
Light-induced absorbance changes of P518 in intact chloroplasts.

The light-induced absorbance change centred at 518 nm (P518 response) is 20–30-fold greater in intact chloroplasts than in swollen chloroplasts. The various characteristics of this large P518 response, including induction effects and chromatic transients, were studied. 3-(3′,4′-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU) (2 μM) strongly inhibited the response and the uncoupler, carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenyl hydrazone, abolished it. Other uncouplers such as NH4Cl, methylamine, atebrin and nigericin were without effect. Valinomycin inhibited the response and valinomycin in combination with NH4Cl or nigericin abolished it. In the presence of DCMU the P518 response could be restored with 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol (+ ascorbate) but not with N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine (+ ascorbate). The results support a correlation between the P518 response and a membrane potential across the functional photosynthetic membrane, which may be produced by two mechanisms, one fast and one slow. It is suggested that an oxidation-reduction loop between the two photosystems, forms a significant component of the slower mechanism.
Charge-Coupled-Device Manufacture and Application

This special issue of Optical Engineering is the second of three consecutive issues on charge-coupled devices. Papers included in this issue present some of the recent major advancements in the manufacture of CCDs intended mainly for scientific applications, both as imaging detectors and as signal processing components. In addition, as with the other issues in this series, papers are included that describe several specific CCD-based instruments, illustrating the wide range of fields in which CCDs now play a role.
Crust and upper mantle discontinuity structure beneath eastern North America

[1] Crust and mantle discontinuities across the eastern margin of the North American craton were imaged using P to S converted phase receiver functions recorded by the Missouri to Massachusetts Broadband Seismometer Experiment. Crustal structure constrained by modeling Moho conversions and reverberations shows a variation of Moho depth from a minimum of 30 km near the Atlantic coast to depths of 44–49 km beneath the western Appalachian Province and 38–45 km beneath the Proterozoic terranes in the west. The variation in crustal thickness is substantially greater than that required for local isostasy, unless lower crustal densities are >3110 kg/m3. In the upper mantle, Ps phases corresponding to a discontinuity at depths of 270–280 km were clearly observed beneath the eastern half of the array. Beneath the western third of the array, the receiver function stacks indicate more complex scattering, but weak Ps phases may be generated at depths of roughly 320 km. The transition between these two regions occurs across the eastern edge of the North American lithospheric keel imaged by tomography. The observed phases may be interpreted as conversions from the base of a low-velocity asthenosphere.
An Improved Synthesis of Antiulcerative Drug: Tenatoprazole

An efficient, cost-effective and multikilogram-scale process for the synthesis of tenatoprazole 1, an antiulcerative drug, is described. The key steps in this synthesis involve the coupling of 2-mercapto-5-methoxyimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine 2 with 2-chloromethyl-4-methoxy-3,5-dimethyl pyridine hydrochloride 3 to yield 4 and its subsequent oxidation with m-CPBA to produce sulfoxide 1. The process has been scaled up for the multikilogram-scale of compound 1 with an overall yield of 72%. The new process requires no purification process and affords the target compound 1 with 99.8% purity by HPLC.
GCP-WD is a gamma-tubulin targeting factor required for centrosomal and chromatin-mediated microtubule nucleation.

GCP-WD is a γ-tubulin targeting factor required for centrosomal and chromatin-mediated microtubule nucleation
Deletions in chromosome 2 and fragile sites.

We report on 2 patients with de novo deletions of 2q and chromosome constitutions of 46, XY,del(2)(q32.3q33.3) and 46,XX,del(2) (q21q23.2), respectively. Comparisons of breakpoints of interstitial deletions show frequent correspondence to common fragile sites.
Power Distance, Uncertainty Avoidance, and Technology: Analyzing Hofstede's Dimensions and Human Development Indicators

Correlations between Hofstede's dimensions of power distance and uncertainty avoidance and selected indicators of the Human Development Report (HDR) were analyzed. Three communication technology indicators—that is, cell phone subscription, Internet use, and the number of telephone mainlines—were predicted to measure the development of a nation. Results indicate a negative correlation between high power distance and communication technology in terms of the three technologies examined in this study. We found a negative correlation between power distance and human development. Negative correlations were also found between uncertainty avoidance and two cell phone subscription as well as internet use.
Exploiter, leader, hero, and martyr: The four archetypes of the 2 × 2 game

If the payoffs of a 2 × 2 game (two players, each with a choice of two strategies) are defined only on an ordinal scale, there are exactly 78 nonequivalent games of this sort. Of these, twelve are symmetric; that is, in these games each of the players has the same payoff matrix. Of the twelve symmetric games, eight are trivial, in the sense that the same outcome is the most preferred by both players, so that there is no conflict of interest. The remaining four games bring out four distinct types of “psychological pressure” operating on each player. These pressures are seen as the motivations of a player to shift from the so-called natural (minimax) outcome of the game. In three of the games the motivation to shift is governed by a greater payoff which accrues to the shifting player (if he shifts alone). These, in turn, make the shifting player either an “exploiter” (because he is rewarded but the other is punished), or a “leader” (because both are rewarded but the shifting player more than the other), or a “hero” (because both are rewarded, but the shifting player less than the other). In each of these three games there is also a counterpressure against shifting, because if both shift, both lose. In the fourth game, on the contrary, the immediate pressure is against shifting away from the natural outcome, because the shifting player punishes himself while rewarding the other, that is, becomes a “martyr.” But there is also a counterpressure to shift, because if both shift, both gain. This game is known as Prisoner's Dilemma.
Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome: a historical perspective.

Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome is a congenital defect of the Mullerian ducts characterized by uterovaginal agenesis and underdeveloped female genital organs. This paper is a tribute to the contributors of this condition - August Franz Joseph Karl Mayer, Karl Freiherr von Rokitansky, Hermann Kuster and Georges Andre Hauser. In addition to their contributions, we have discussed findings and reports of similar defects from other important scientists (Hippocrates, Albucasis, etc.) dating as far back as 460B.C. We have also discussed the disease types and different classification systems including VCUAM and AFS/ASRM among others. Even with several surgical and non-surgical treatment options, there are still many questions that remain unanswered and very little is known about the etiology or genetic predisposition of this condition.
Insulin Sensitivity as a Predictor of Weight Regain

A recent study found that increases in insulin sensitivity following weight loss and stabilization were strongly related to subsequent weight regain. The present paper analyzed this relationship in two behavioral weight-loss programs. In the first study, 125 nondiabetic subjects were followed over 30 months; weight losses averaged 10 kg at six months, and subjects had regained 8 kg of their weight loss by their 30-month follow-up. Neither fasting insulin levels at six months nor changes in fasting insulin from zero to six months were related to subsequent weight regain. Similarly, insulin levels measured two hours after a 75 g glucose load were unrelated to subsequent weight regain. The second study followed 33 individuals with Type II diabetes, treated with behavior modification, and either a low calorie diet or a very low calorie diet. Weight losses averaged 18 kg at six months, and subjects had regained 10 kg by their 24-month follow-up. The Bergman minimal model was used to assess insulin sensitivity at 6-month intervals. Initial analyses suggested that changes in insulin sensitivity from zero to six months were related to subsequent weight regain, but this effect was strongly influenced by an outlier. After removing this individual, there were no significant relationships between the changes in insulin sensitivity that accompanied weight loss and future weight regain. Likewise, insulin sensitivity at 12 months did not predict weight regain from 12 to 24 months. These data do not support the hypothesis that increases in insulin sensitivity with weight loss are associated with subsequent weight regain.
Perivascular Macrophages Are the Primary Cell Type Productively Infected by Simian Immunodeficiency Virus in the Brains of Macaques: Implications for the Neuropathogenesis of AIDS

The macrophage is well established as a target of HIV and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection and a major contributor to the neuropathogenesis of AIDS. However, the identification of distinct subpopulations of monocyte/macrophages that carry virus to the brain and that sustain infection within the central nervous system (CNS) has not been examined. We demonstrate that the perivascular macrophage and not the parenchymal microglia is the primary cell productively infected by SIV. We further demonstrate that although productive viral infection of the CNS occurs early, thereafter it is not easily detectable until terminal AIDS. The biology of perivascular macrophages, including their rate of turnover and replacement by peripheral blood monocytes, may explain the timing of neuroinvasion, disappearance, and reappearance of virus in the CNS, and questions the ability of the brain to function as a reservoir for productive infection by HIV/SIV.
Raman scattering investigations of CdS thin films grown by thermal evaporation

In this study, CdS thin films deposited by thermal evaporation on the ITO coated glass substrate have been annealed at 450°C for constant times of 30 minutes at varied excitation powers in order to study the effects on the optical characteristics of CdS thin films. Raman and Photoluminescence measurements were made at room temperatures for the annealed samples and a comparison was carried out with as grown sample at different laser powers. Results indicate an improved crystalline quality for the annealed films as compared to the as grown samples. Further a shift in the band gap was observed for annealed films with decreased excitation powers.