cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Foreign currency debt and the optimal monetary policy response to rising US interest rates

ABSTRACTRising US interest rates impact emerging economies through capital outflows and currency depreciations. For those with flexible exchange rates, the appropriate monetary policy response weig...
Biosynthesis of Amino Acids and Related Compounds

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the biosynthesis of amino acids and related compounds. Three of the amino acids, namely, alanine, aspartic acid, and glutamic acid, are readily formed by transamination from products of the citric-acid cycle. The chapter reviews the formation of certain biologically important compounds derived from amino acids. The metabolic pathways of serine biosynthesis appear very logical from the availability of their precursors and the analogy with the formation of a variety of other amino acids. The authenticity of the enzymically formed active formaldehyde was established by its reactivity in serine biosynthesis and its oxidation to formyl-FH4 by triphosphopyridinenucleotide and CH2OH-FH4dehydrogenase. The accumulation of L-homoserine from L-aspartate in suspensions of a mutant of Escherichia coli blocked in the conversion of homoserine to threonine. The reactions in the pathway of homoserine and threonine formation for aspartic acid were largely established by enzyme studies. Two different pathways for the biosynthesis of lysine have been discovered. Fungi utilize a route through α-aminoadipic acid; bacteria and blue-green algae utilize a route through diaminopimelic acid. The essential nature of the reactions for histidine biosynthesis is shown by the fact that their elimination by mutation leads to a requirement for histidine for growth.
Landscape genetics reveals unique and shared effects of urbanization for two sympatric pool-breeding amphibians.

Metapopulation-structured species can be negatively affected when landscape fragmentation impairs connectivity. We investigated the effects of urbanization on genetic diversity and gene flow for two sympatric amphibian species, spotted salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum) and wood frogs (Lithobates sylvaticus), across a large (>35,000 km2) landscape in Maine, USA, containing numerous natural and anthropogenic gradients. Isolation-by-distance (IBD) patterns differed between the species. Spotted salamanders showed a linear and relatively high variance relationship between genetic and geographic distances (r = .057, p < .001), whereas wood frogs exhibited a strongly nonlinear and lower variance relationship (r = 0.429, p < .001). Scale dependence analysis of IBD found gene flow has its most predictable influence (strongest IBD correlations) at distances up to 9 km for spotted salamanders and up to 6 km for wood frogs. Estimated effective migration surfaces revealed contrasting patterns of high and low genetic diversity and gene flow between the two species. Population isolation, quantified as the mean IBD residuals for each population, was associated with local urbanization and less genetic diversity in both species. The influence of geographic proximity and urbanization on population connectivity was further supported by distance-based redundancy analysis and multiple matrix regression with randomization. Resistance surface modeling found interpopulation connectivity to be influenced by developed land cover, light roads, interstates, and topography for both species, plus secondary roads and rivers for wood frogs. Our results highlight the influence of anthropogenic landscape features within the context of natural features and broad spatial genetic patterns, in turn supporting the premise that while urbanization significantly restricts interpopulation connectivity for wood frogs and spotted salamanders, specific landscape elements have unique effects on these two sympatric species.
The FtsZ Homolog, FszB, Inhibits Mitochondrial Dynamics in Dictyostelium discoideum

Dictyostelium discoideum is a well-established mitochondrial model system for both disease and dynamics, yet we still do not understand the actual mechanism of mitochondrial dynamics in this system. The FtsZ proteins are known to mediate membrane remodeling events such as cytokinesis in bacteria and fission of chloroplasts; D. discoideum has two FtsZ proteins, FszA and FszB. To determine the role of these proteins in mitochondrial dynamics we overexpressed FszB-GFP and determined its effect on fission, fusion, and motility in the presence of intact and disrupted cytoskeletal filaments. Here we show that overexpression of FszB-GFP decreases mitochondrial dynamics and suggest that actin may play a positive role driving fission in the context of excessive inhibition by overexpressed FszB-GFP.
Pot in pans: a history of eating cannabis: by Robyn Griggs Lawrence, Lanham, Rowman & Littlefield, 2019, 217 pp., ISBN 978-1-5381-0697-6

Cannabis is perhaps the ultimate social construction – it is simultaneously defined as a harmless intoxicant, a prohibited substance, a medicine, an entheogen, and the next billion-dollar business ...
Stabilization of Photocatalytically Active Uranyl Species in a Uranyl-Organic Framework for Heterogeneous Alkane Fluorination Driven by Visible Light.

When photoactivated, the uranyl ion is a powerful oxidant capable of abstracting hydrogen atoms from nonactivated C–H bonds. However, the highly reactive singly reduced [UVO2]+ intermediate is unst...
Verifying Systems with Replicated Components in Murb

An extension to the Murb verifier is presented to verify systems with replicated identical components. Although most systems are finite-state in nature, many of them are also designed to be scalable, so that a description gives a family of systems, each member of which has a different number of replicated components. It is therefore desirable to be able to verify the entire family of systems, independent of the exact number of replicated components. The verification is performed by explicit state enumeration in an abstract state space where states do not record the exact numbers of components. We provide an extension to the existing Murb language, by which a designer can easily specify a system in its concrete form. Through a new datatype, called RepetitiveID, a designer can suggest the use of this abstraction to verify a family of systems. First of all, Murb automatically checks the soundness of this abstraction. Then it automatically translates the system description to an abstract state graph for a system of a fixed size. During the verification of the system of a fixed size, Murb uses a simple run-time check to determine if the result can be generalized for a family of systems with sizes larger than the original system, including the system with an unbounded number of components.
Modeling hydrologic processes associated with soil saturation and debris flow initiation during the September 2013 storm, Colorado Front Range

Seven days of extreme rainfall during September 2013 produced more than 1100 debris flows in the Colorado Front Range, about 78% of which occurred on south-facing slopes (SFS). Previously published soil moisture (volumetric water content) observations suggest that SFS were wetter than north-facing slopes (NFS) during the event, which contrasts with soil moisture patterns observed during normal conditions. Various causes have been hypothesized for the preferential saturation of SFS, but those hypotheses remain largely untested. Here, we analyze the soil moisture patterns using additional soil moisture observations, determine the hydrologic processes controlling the preferential saturation of SFS, and evaluate the importance of soil moisture in predicting the debris flow initiation sites. Soil moisture patterns are simulated using the Equilibrium Moisture from Topography, Vegetation, and Soil (EMT + VS) model. Five hypotheses are tested that may have influenced the soil moisture reversal including higher rainfall rates, lower interception rates, lower saturated water content, thinner soils, and reduced deep drainage on SFS. The EMT + VS model is coupled with an infinite slope stability model to produce factor of safety maps. The hypotheses are tested by comparing the modeled soil moisture to soil moisture observations and the debris flow initiation sites. The results suggest that differences in interception and deep drainage between SFS and NFS were primarily responsible for producing wetter SFS, but the soil moisture pattern likely played a smaller role than vegetation and slope in determining where debris flows initiated. The final model predicts instability at approximately 72% of the observed debris flow initiation sites.
What do creators and viewers owe each other? Microcelebrity, reciprocity, and transactional tingles in the ASMR YouTube community

ASMR has skyrocketed to international popularity in recent years, and a thriving community and cultural exists around the phenomenon on YouTube. However, misunderstandings about the practice persist, and little is known about this community in terms of its texts and practices. This research draws on a multiyear digital ethnography into the ASMR culture and community on YouTube, where I analyze how microcelebrity, the attention economy, platform-specific dynamics, and content creation merge. Drawing on extant research that identifies reciprocity as a key cultural dynamic on YouTube, I argue reciprocity in the ASMR YouTube community, as well as the relationship between creator and viewer, can best be understood as transactional tingles: relaxation in exchange for likes, clicks, and views within the attention economy. Transactional tingles is also a contemporary blending of more traditional art patronage and dealer-critic systems, which offers insights into the role viewers and platforms play in content creation, digital labor, and precarity.
How clinician-patient communication affects trust in health information sources: Temporal trends from a national cross-sectional survey.

Background Understanding patients’ trust in health information sources is critical to designing work systems in healthcare. Patient-centered communication during the visit might be a major factor in shaping patients’ trust in information sources. Objective The purpose of this paper is to explore relationships between patient ratings of clinician communication during the visit and patient trust in health information sources. Methodology We conducted a secondary analysis of the nationally-representative Health Information National Trends Surveys; HINTS4 Cycle1 (2011), HINTS4 Cycle4 (2014), and HINTS5 Cycle1 (2017), and HINTS5 Cycle2 (2018). We created a composite score of patient-centered communication from five questions and dichotomized at the median. We created multivariable logistic regression models to see how patient-centered communication influenced trust in different information sources across cycles. Consecutively, we used hierarchical analysis for aggregated data. Results We analyzed data from 14,425 individuals. In the adjusted logistic models for each cycle and the hierarchical model, clinicians’ perceived patient-centered communication skills were significantly associated with increased trust in the clinicians as an information source. Conclusion Clinicians still represent an essential source of trustworthy information reinforced by patient-centered communication skills. Given that trust helps build healing relationships that lead to better healthcare outcomes, communication sets an essential foundation to establish necessary trust. Interpreting information from the internet sources for patients is likely to remain a vital clinician function.
Transcriptomic evaluation of pediatric localized scleroderma skin with histological and clinical correlation

OBJECTIVE Juvenile localized scleroderma (LS) is an autoimmune disease of the skin whose pathogenesis is not well understood due to the rarity of the disease. This study was undertaken to determine the skin transcriptome in skin biopsy tissue from children with juvenile LS compared to pediatric healthy controls, with identification of significant molecular targets using RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq). In this study, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were assessed for correlations with histopathologic and clinical features in children with juvenile LS, and were used to group the children into distinct genetic clusters based on immunophenotype. METHODS RNA-Seq was performed on sections of paraffin-embedded skin tissue obtained from 28 children with juvenile LS and 10 pediatric healthy controls. RNA-Seq was carried out using an Illumina HTS TruSeq RNA Access library prep kit, with data aligned using STAR and data analysis using a DESeq2 platform. A standardized histologic scoring system was used to score skin sections for the severity of inflammation and levels of collagen deposition. Histologic scoring was completed by 2 pathologists who were blinded with regard to the status of each sample. Spearman's rank correlation coefficients were used to assess significant correlations between DEG expression profiles and skin histologic findings in patients with juvenile LS. RESULTS We identified 589 significant DEGs in children with juvenile LS as compared to healthy controls. Hierarchical clustering was used to demonstrate 3 distinct juvenile LS immunophenotype clusters. The histologic scores of skin inflammation (based on numbers and categories of inflammatory cell infiltrates) were significantly correlated with the expression levels of HLA-DPB1, HLA-DQA2, HLA-DRA, and STAT1 genes (rs > 0.5, P < 0.01). Collagen thickness correlated with the expression levels of collagen organization genes as well as with genes found to be correlated with the severity of inflammation, including genes for major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I, MHC class II, and interferon-γ signaling. CONCLUSION Among children with juvenile LS, 3 distinct genetic signatures, or clusters, were identified. In one cluster, inflammation-related pathways were up-regulated, corresponding to the histologic skin inflammation score. In the second cluster, fibrosis-related pathways were up-regulated. In the third cluster, gene expression in the skin corresponded to the patterns seen in healthy controls. Up-regulation of HLA class II genes was observed within the first cluster (characterized by predominant inflammation), a feature that has also been observed in the peripheral blood of patients with morphea and in the skin of patients with systemic sclerosis.
Inactivation of the infralimbic cortex decreases discriminative stimulus-controlled relapse to cocaine seeking in rats.

Persistent susceptibility to cue-induced relapse is a cardinal feature of addiction. Discriminative stimuli (DSs) are one type of drug-associated cue that signal drug availability (DS+) or unavailability (DS-) and control drug seeking prior to relapse. We previously established a trial-based procedure in rats to isolate DSs from context, conditioned stimuli, and other drug-associated cues during cocaine self-administration and demonstrated DS-controlled cocaine seeking up to 300 abstinence days. The behavioral and neural mechanisms underlying trial-based DS-control of drug seeking have rarely been investigated. Here we show that following discrimination training in our trial-based procedure, the DS+ and DS- independently control the expression and suppression of cocaine seeking during abstinence. Using microinjections of GABAA + GABAB receptor agonists (muscimol + baclofen) in medial prefrontal cortex, we report that infralimbic, but not prelimbic, subregion of medial prefrontal cortex is critical to persistent DS-controlled relapse to cocaine seeking after prolonged abstinence, but not DS-guided discriminated cocaine seeking or DS-controlled cocaine self-admininstration. Finally, using ex vivo whole-cell recordings from pyramidal neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex, we demonstrate that the disruption of DS-controlled cocaine seeking following infralimbic cortex microinjections of muscimol+baclofen is likely a result of suppression of synaptic transmission in the region via a presynaptic mechanism of action.
Pharmaceutical (Re)capture

This Article makes the case that pharmaceutical companies, along with other powerful corporate actors in the pharmaceutical industry, are in effect designing their own markets, often at the expense of, rather than in pursuit of, public health. The influence exerted by these corporate actors extends beyond traditional forms of regulatory capture, rising to what this Article refers to as pharmaceutical capture—a concept that encompasses the exercise of holistic and systemic control over the operation of pharmaceutical markets and their regulation. After developing a framework for thinking about pharmaceutical capture, this Article uses the evolution of the opioid epidemic as a case study of capture at work. It argues that the patterns of corporate influence highlighted in the case study are not unique to opioids, but rather are structural features of U.S. pharmaceutical markets. A popular political response to concerns about the power exerted by corporate actors in the pharmaceutical industry has been to pin the blame on government regulation as impeding the discipline of the “free market.” But pharmaceutical markets rely on government regulations to function, and this push for deregulation is in many cases simply an effort to substitute one governance structure for another more favorable to incumbent corporate interests. This Article concludes that it is not deregulation, but rather a redesign of regulation, that is needed to improve the public health impact of the pharmaceutical industry. Drawing lessons from pharmaceutical capture, it suggests guidelines for a regulatory recapture.
Effects of Copper Deficiency on the Activity of the Selenoenzyme Glutathione Peroxidase and on Excretion and Tissue Retention of 75SeO32

Liver and lung activities of the antioxidant enzymes glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were determined in control and copper-deficient rats. Decreased activity of SOD was found in liver and decreased activity of the selenoenzyme GSH-Px was found in liver and lung in the copper-deficient animals. The decreased liver activity of GSH-Px could be partially corrected by daily supplementation of the basal diet with sodium selenite. Urinary, fecal and biliary excretion of 75SeO3(2-) were determined in controls and copper-deficient rats in order to assess selenium losses. Urinary excretion of 75Se was not different in the two groups. Fecal loss of 75Se was increased in the copper-deficient animals when compared to controls and biliary excretion was decreased. Tissue retention of 75Se was also determined in both groups. Retention of 75Se in the copper-deficient rats was increased in brain and lung and decreased in liver. This pattern of tissue retention of 75Se is similar to that which occurs in selenium-deficient rats. Copper deficiency in rats results in decreased liver activity of both the copper-containing enzyme SOD and the selenoenzyme GSH-Px. The mechanism of decreased GSH-Px activity is unknown.
Energy dissipation modeling of lossy transmission lines driven by CMOS inverters

In this paper new formulations for the energy dissipation of lossy transmission lines driven by CMOS inverters are provided. These formations are obtained using an approximated expression for the driving-point impedance of loss coupled transmission lines which itself is derived by solving Telegraphers equations. A comprehensive analysis of energy if performed for both step and flattened ramp inverter inputs. To accomplish this task a new stable circuit that is capable of modeling the transmission line for a broad range of frequencies is synthesized. Experimental results show that the energy calculated using this equivalent circuit is almost equal to the one calculated by solving the more complicated transmission line equations directly.
Simply Scheme: Introducing Computer Science

From the Publisher: This lively introduction to computer science and computer programming in Scheme is for non-computer science majors with a strong interest in the subject and for computer science majors who lack prior programming experience. The text allows the student to experience the computer as a tool for expressing ideas, not as a frustrating set of mathematical obstacles. This goal is supported by the use of Scheme, a modern dialect of Lisp, designed to emphasize symbolic programming.
Net fluid secretion and impaired villous function induced by colonization of the small intestine by nontoxigenic colonizing Escherichia coli

The role of colonizing bacteria in the small bowel in causing diarrhea remains unclear. We examined whether colonizing, nontoxigenic Escherichia coli could alter small bowel function by determining net water and electrolyte fluxes and sucrase activity in colonized and noncolonized ileal segments by using the reversible-ileal-tie adult rabbit model. Colonization of the ileum with nontoxigenic E. coli for greater than or equal to 72 h at greater than or equal to 10(4)/cm2 was associated with significant functional derangements, as follows: (i) overt liquid diarrhea in 50% of animals colonized at greater than 10(4)/cm2; (ii) reversal of normal net ileal absorption to net secretion of water, sodium, and chloride; and (iii) significant decrease in mucosal sucrase activity. We conclude that small bowel colonization by colonizing, nontoxigenic E. coli impairs water and electrolyte absorption and sucrase activity in the absence of recognized enterotoxin, cytotoxin, invasion, or effacement traits.
Actinides: Organometallic Chemistry

An actinide organometallic complex is one containing an actinide-carbon π-bond, an actinide-carbon σ-bond, or a combination of both. Actinide organometallic complexes are known for the actinide (An) elements from thorium through californium; the vast majority of the reports on organoactinide compounds, however, deal with thorium and uranium. The latter elements have isotopes, for example, thorium-232 (t1/2 = 1.41 × 1010 years) and uranium-238 (t1/2 = 4.468 × 109 years), with extremely long half-lives. Modern organoactinide chemistry is characterized by the existence not only of actinide analogs to many classes of d transition metal complexes, but increasingly common reports of compounds and types of reactions unique to the actinide series. Keywords: actinide; hydrocarbyl ligands; carbocyclic ligands; fullerenes; hydride ligands; phosphoylides; uranocene; migratory insertion; π-back bonding, surface chemistry; electronic structure calculations
HIGH FREQUENCY REPEAT-INDUCED POINT MUTATION (RIP) IS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH EFFICIENT RECOMBINATION IN NEUROSPORA

Duplicated DNA sequences in Neurospora crassa are efficiently detected and mutated during the sexual cycle by a process named repeat-induced point mutation (RIP). Linked, direct duplications have previously been shown to undergo both RIP and deletion at high frequency during premeiosis, suggesting a relationship between RIP and homologous recombination. We have investigated the relationship between RIP and recombination for an unlinked duplication and for both inverted and direct, linked duplications. RIP occurred at high frequency (42-100%) with all three types of duplications used in this study, yet recombination was infrequent. For both inverted and direct, linked duplications, recombination was observed, but at frequencies one to two orders of magnitude lower than RIP. For the unlinked duplication, no recombinants were seen in 900 progeny, indicating, at most, a recombination frequency nearly three orders of magnitude lower than the frequency of RIP. In a direct duplication, RIP and recombination were correlated, suggesting that these two processes are mechanistically associated or that one process provokes the other. Mutations due to RIP have previously been shown to occur outside the boundary of a linked, direct duplication, indicating that RIP might be able to inactivate genes located in single-copy sequences adjacent to a duplicated sequence. In this study, a single-copy gene located between elements of linked duplications was inactivated at moderate frequencies (12-14%). Sequence analysis demonstrated that RIP mutations had spread into these single-copy sequences at least 930 base pairs from the boundary of the duplication, and Southern analysis indicated that mutations had occurred at least 4 kilobases from the duplication boundary.
Instructional Guidance and Realism of Manipulatives Influence Preschool Children's Mathematics Learning

Educators often use manipulatives when teaching mathematics because manipulatives are assumed to promote learning. However, research indicates that instructional variables impact the effectiveness of manipulatives. In this article, the authors consider the relations between two instructional characteristics: (a) level of instructional guidance and (b) perceptual qualities of manipulatives. Results from the randomized experiment with preschoolers (N = 72) suggest that learning is improved when instruction is conducted with high levels of instructional guidance and is impacted by the perceptual qualities of manipulatives. Perceptually rich manipulatives decreased learner performance on outcomes associated with conceptual knowledge and improved performance on transfer of learning. In addition, transfer was positively affected by perceptually rich manipulatives when low levels of instructional guidance were present.
CARMA: A platform for analyzing microarray datasets that incorporate replicate measures

The incorporation of statistical models that account for experimental variability provides a necessary framework for the interpretation of microarray data. A robust experimental design coupled with an analysis of variance (ANOVA) incorporating a model that accounts for known sources of experimental variability can significantly improve the determination of differences in gene expression and estimations of their significance. To realize the full benefits of performing analysis of variance on microarray data we have developed CARMA, a microarray analysis platform that reads data files generated by most microarray image processing software packages, performs ANOVA using a user-defined linear model, and produces easily interpretable graphical and numeric results. No pre-processing of the data is required and user-specified parameters control most aspects of the analysis including statistical significance criterion. The software also performs location and intensity dependent lowess normalization, automatic outlier detection and removal, and accommodates missing data. CARMA provides a clear quantitative and statistical characterization of each measured gene that can be used to assess marginally acceptable measures and improve confidence in the interpretation of microarray results. Overall, applying CARMA to microarray datasets incorporating repeated measures effectively reduces the number of gene incorrectly identified as differentially expressed and results in a more robust and reliable analysis.
Biological variation in the biparietal diameter and its bearing on clinical ultrasonography

Abstract Interpopulation differences in the term BPD and its relations to BW stress the need for each institution to analyzed its own data. Variations in the BPD as a function of BW do not connote differences in the brain: body weight relationship, because the neurocrania of all term fetuses are not homomorphic. Differentiation of neurocranial form accounts for there being no consistent relationship between the BPD and calculated brain weight in interpopulation comparisons. The wide scatter of BPD and BW values in data from a single source challenges the wisdom of judging individual serial BPD readings by mean population values. Because the correlation between BW and the common indices of maternal size (stature, weight, and surface area) is too low (r = 0.27, 0.27, and 0.35, respectively) to provide a useful means of determining the fetal growth potential, each fetus should be used as its own control in serial cephalometry.
High order locally corrected Nyström method with normal continuity

A constrained locally corrected Nystrom (CLCN) method has recently been developed. The CLCN method enables the imposition of normal continuity on underlying vector quantities across mesh element boundaries. This is accomplished by deriving appropriate transformation vectors through simple algebraic analyses of local, homogeneous constraint conditions. Compared to the LCN method, the CLCN method improves the condition numbers of the system matrix, it reduces computational costs through a reduction in the number of degrees of freedom (DOFs), and it improves accuracy for sharp geometries. In the case of the magnetic field integral equation (MFIE), it is shown that the CLCN method yields stable condition numbers as the order increases.
Experimental Validation of the Docking Orientation of Cdc25 with Its Cdk2−CycA Protein Substrate†

Cdc25 phosphatases are key activators of the eukaryotic cell cycle and compelling anticancer targets because their overexpression has been associated with numerous cancers. However, drug discovery targeting these phosphatases has been hampered by the lack of structural information about how Cdc25s interact with their native protein substrates, the cyclin-dependent kinases. Herein, we predict a docked orientation for Cdc25B with its Cdk2-pTpY-CycA protein substrate by a rigid-body docking method and refine the docked models with full-scale molecular dynamics simulations and minimization. We validate the stable ensemble structure experimentally by a variety of in vitro and in vivo techniques. Specifically, we compare our model with a crystal structure of the substrate-trapping mutant of Cdc25B. We identify and validate in vivo a novel hot-spot residue on Cdc25B (Arg492) that plays a central role in protein substrate recognition. We identify a hot-spot residue on the substrate Cdk2 (Asp206) and confirm its interaction with hot-spot residues on Cdc25 using hot-spot swapping and double mutant cycles to derive interaction energies. Our experimentally validated model is consistent with previous studies of Cdk2 and its interaction partners and initiates the opportunity for drug discovery of inhibitors that target the remote binding sites of this protein-protein interaction.
Ciguatoxin: Isolation and Chemical Nature

Ciguatoxin, the agent responsible for ciguatera, a disease produced in humans from ingestion of certain fishes, has been isolated from specimens of the moray eel, Gymnothorax javanicus. The toxin is apparently a lipid containing quaternary nitrogen, hydroxyl, and carbonyl functions.
Is PDGF really important? Testing the hypotheses

Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) has been proposed to be one of the growth factors that drive proliferation during normal development and in various pathological conditions. Support for these hypotheses has been largely circumstantial. We discuss the pros and cons of the different experimental approaches that have been taken to test these hypotheses, and evaluate the information to be gained by characterizing the consequences of deletion of one of the PDGF receptor genes in the Patch mutant mouse.
Characteristic of IR absorption of 110K Bi(Pb)SrCaCuO superconductor

Abstract We used the co-decomposition method to prepare Bi(Pb)SrCaCuO superconductor under partial oxygen pressure. The oxygen dependence of the high Tc phase was studied. The IR absorption of (Bi 1−x Pb x ) 2 Sr 2 Ca 2 Cu 3 O 10+b superconductor was measured at various temperatures from 98K to 290K. An absorption peak was observed at wave number 1265cm −1 below 217K.
Human H3N2 Influenza Viruses Isolated from 1968 To 2012 Show Varying Preference for Receptor Substructures with No Apparent Consequences for Disease or Spread.

It is generally accepted that human influenza viruses bind glycans containing sialic acid linked α2–6 to the next sugar, that avian influenza viruses bind glycans containing the α2–3 linkage, and that mutations that change the binding specificity might change the host tropism. We noted that human H3N2 viruses showed dramatic differences in their binding specificity, and so we embarked on a study of representative human H3N2 influenza viruses, isolated from 1968 to 2012, that had been isolated and minimally passaged only in mammalian cells, never in eggs. The 45 viruses were grown in MDCK cells, purified, fluorescently labeled and screened on the Consortium for Functional Glycomics Glycan Array. Viruses isolated in the same season have similar binding specificity profiles but the profiles show marked year-to-year variation. None of the 610 glycans on the array (166 sialylated glycans) bound to all viruses; the closest was Neu5Acα2–6(Galβ1–4GlcNAc)3 in either a linear or biantennary form, that bound 42 of the 45 viruses. The earliest human H3N2 viruses preferentially bound short, branched sialylated glycans while recent viruses bind better to long polylactosamine chains terminating in sialic acid. Viruses isolated in 1996, 2006, 2010 and 2012 bind glycans with α2–3 linked sialic acid; for 2006, 2010 and 2012 viruses this binding was inhibited by oseltamivir, indicating binding of α2–3 sialylated glycans by neuraminidase. More significantly, oseltamivir inhibited virus entry of 2010 and 2012 viruses into MDCK cells. All of these viruses were representative of epidemic strains that spread around the world, so all could infect and transmit between humans with high efficiency. We conclude that the year-to-year variation in receptor binding specificity is a consequence of amino acid sequence changes driven by antigenic drift, and that viruses with quite different binding specificity and avidity are equally fit to infect and transmit in the human population.
Opioid antagonist activity of naltrexone-derived bivalent ligands: Importance of a properly oriented molecular scaffold to guide "address" recognition at κ opioid receptors

The presence of a molecular scaffold to orient a basic group is important for potent and selective κ opioid antagonist selectivity. An attempt to determine how the geometry of the scaffold affects this selectivity has led to the synthesis of a bivalent ligand (5) whose linker constrains the N17‘ basic nitrogen (the “address”) to a position that is 6.5 A from N17‘ in the κ antagonist norBNI (1) when these molecules are superimposed. The fact that compound 5 was found to be a highly selective and potent μ-selective antagonist supports the idea that the position of N17‘ in 5 precludes effective ion pairing with the nonconserved residue Glu297 on outer loop 3 of the κ opioid receptor. The high μ receptor binding affinity and in vitro pharmacological selectivity of 5 coupled with its presumed low central nervous system bioavailability suggest that it may be a useful antagonist for the investigation of peripheral μ opioid receptors.
Carbon nanotube-based power diode

Power diodes are frequently used in power converters and inverters as freewheeling and snubber components. In many applications, power diodes are required to meet demands such as short reverse recovery time, soft recovery, high breakdown voltage and a low forward voltage drop at the rated forward current with small size. Bundled Single-walled Carbon Nanotube (BSWCNT) p-type semiconductor is a strong candidate material for power diodes because of the selective electron transport that can be used in hot carrier, ballistic transport, high current density, mechanical stiffness, thermal, and chemical stability. In addition, carbon nanotube-based power diode provides high breakdown voltage, high electrical conductivity in the forward mode, and high current output capability. This paper presents modeling, design, and simulation of the Bundled Single-Walled Carbon (BSWCNT) nanotechnology-based power diode.
Silicon carbide and the origin of interstellar carbon grains

Experimental evidence is adduced for an interstellar carbon grain formation mechanism in which SiC nucleates at higher temperatures than 900-1100 C in a hydrogen atmosphere to furnish a surface for subsequent carbon condensation. Studies comparing the spatial distribution of the 11.2-micron SiC feature, or its spectral shape, with thermal dust emission, may further elucidate the present relationship. The model is also consistent with recent laboratory studies which have identified grains of SiC as a constituent of primitive meteorites.
Optimum plastic design of unbraced frames of irregular configuration

Abstract An efficient algorithm is developed for optimum plastic design of low-rise unbraced frames of general configuration. The algorithm is based on the static approach of limit analysis without generating the independent mechanisms. Three equations of equilibrium are written at each joint of the frame to form the equality constraints. To increase the efficiency of the linear programming formulation, a revised simplex method is employed in which the inverse of the basis is represented as a product of elementary matrices. The elementary matrices are actually saved as column matrices to save storage in the microcomputer. Therefore, this approach is more efficient in terms of speed and storage. Based on the algorithm presented, a microcomputer program is developed for optimum plastic design of low-rise frames of arbitrary configuration on an IBM personal computer. The objective of such an optimal design is to find plastic moment capacities of the frame elements that minimize the weight of the structure. Three examples are presented in order to show the practicality of the optimum plastic design of frames on available microcomputers.
Identification of a crucial substructural unit for thromboxane A2 receptor binding

A stereospecific synthesis of the 9α,10α-epoxyprostanoic acid derivative 3, a potent and stable mimic of thromboxane A2, is described.
A detailed three-step protocol for live imaging of intracellular traffic in polarized primary porcine RPE monolayers

The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) performs numerous functions that are indispensable for photoreceptor health and vision. This monolayer of cells is also a major site of insult in inherited and age-related macular degenerations. In vitro models of primary RPE such as human fetal and adult RPE cultures have been invaluable for dissecting disease pathways at the cellular and molecular level. However, numerous studies show that it takes over four weeks for human RPE cell monolayers to become fully polarized after plating on semipermeable membrane supports. Poor persistence of transgene expression over this time period critically limits the applicability of human RPE cultures for live imaging studies required to follow dynamic processes like intracellular trafficking and organelle transport that occur over timescales of milliseconds. Here, we provide a detailed three-step protocol for live imaging of polarized primary RPE using high-speed spinning disk confocal microscopy. Step 1 : establish porcine RPE monolayers that undergo differentiation within one week after plating on semipermeable membrane supports; step 2 : transfect or transduce RPE using either of two different protocols that result in prolonged transgene expression; and step 3 : perform multicolor high-speed live imaging of organelle transport in polarized RPE monolayers. Porcine RPE cells and photoreceptor outer segments were isolated from freshly harvested eyes and plated on collagen-coated Transwell® filters to generate polarized monolayers. After seven days, RPE monolayers were highly pigmented, had TER values ≥ 200 Ω.cm2 and cleared outer segments within 5 hours after phagocytosis. These cells expressed RPE65, localized ZO-1 to the tight junction, Na+,K+-ATPase to the apical membrane and acetylated tubulin to the primary cilium. There was an inverse relationship between initial plating density and the time to differentiation. We used nucleofection to express fluorescently tagged genes in RPE cells prior to plating on filters or baculovirus fusion constructs to transfect polarized monolayers. Both these methods resulted in transfection efficiencies over 40% and transgene expression lasted up to 8 days after plating. These filters were imaged by high-speed spinning disk microscopy to follow tubulovesicular trafficking of lysosomes and actin dynamics in the RPE. Four-dimensional image analysis performed using commercially available software was used to analyze live imaging data. In conclusion, this 3-step protocol describes a powerful method to investigate organelle trafficking and function in real time in the RPE that can be used for answering fundamental questions of RPE cell biology and pathobiology.
Illustrating stability properties of numerical relativity in electrodynamics

We show that a reformulation of the Arnowitt-Deser-Misner equations in general relativity, which has dramatically improved the stability properties of numerical implementations, has a direct analogue in classical electrodynamics. We numerically integrate both the original and the revised versions of Maxwell's equations, and show that their distinct numerical behavior reflects the properties found in linearized general relativity. Our results shed further light on the stability properties of general relativity, illustrate them in a very transparent context, and may provide a useful framework for further improvement of numerical schemes.
Predictability of chronic intermittent stress: effects on sympathetic-adrenal medullary responses of laboratory rats.

This experiment involved an examination of sympathetic—adrenal medullary responses of laboratory rats following exposure to chronic intermittent stress. Animals were assigned at random to one of three groups: (i) controls, handled briefly each day; (ii) restraint stress (RS), restrained for 30 min per day; or (iii) variable stress (VS), exposure to restraint, cold swim, or intermittent footshock during one of five time periods each day. On the 26th day, rats were prepared with chronic tail artery catheters for remote sampling of blood and direct measurement of mean arterial pressure and heart rate. On Day 28, rats of each group were exposed to 30 min of restraint stress and timed blood samples were collected and later analyzed for content of norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (EPI). VS rats gained significantly less body weight compared to control and RS rats. Basal measures of blood pressure and heart rate and of plasma NE and EPI were comparable for rats of the three groups. The plasma catecholamine responses to restraint stress on Day 28 were significantly reduced in RS and VS rats compared to first-time stressed controls. These findings suggest that predictibility of the type of stressor and the time of its occurrence does not influence the pattern of diminished sympathetic—adrenal medullary responses of animals exposed to chronic intermittent stress.
Anxiety sensitivity and impairment: Evidence for a direct association and partial mediation by subclinical anxiety symptoms

Abstract Background Mounting evidence suggests that specific psychological risk factors increase the likelihood for the development of anxiety psychopathology. Anxiety sensitivity (AS), the fear of the consequences of anxiety, is one such risk factor. However, very little is known about the consequences of having elevated AS prior to the development of diagnosable psychopathology. We hypothesized that elevated AS may create impairment among premorbid individuals. The aims of the present study were twofold. The first aim was to examine whether having elevated AS would be predictive of impairment in a nonclinical sample. The second aim was to examine whether subclinical anxiety symptoms would partially mediate the association between AS and impairment in daily life. Method These aims were examined in two studies utilizing samples of individuals with elevated levels of AS. Study 1 ( N =387) and Study 2 ( N =79) were comprised of participants with elevated AS. Participants completed a battery of questionnaires and a diagnostic interview to assess for risk status. Only participants without an anxiety disorder were eligible to participate in the study to ensure that they were in the premorbid stage. Results In Study 1, there was a direct effect of AS on impairment. Additionally, there was evidence for anxiety symptoms acting as a partial mediator in the relation between AS and impairment. Study 2 revealed the same pattern of results, with AS having a significant direct effect on impairment that was partially mediated by anxiety symptoms. Limitations The samples utilized in the present sample were primarily Caucasian females, thereby potentially limiting the generalizability of these findings. Conclusions This study provides evidence that a premorbid risk factor is associated with impairment before the actual development of an anxiety disorder. Implications of the present investigation and future directions are discussed.
Laser Trapping for Single Red Blood Cell (RBC) Ionization and Measurement of Charge

Application of high intensity gradient laser trap for charging a single cell is demonstrated. We used RBCs from normal person (AA hemoglobin) and an individual with sickle cell trait (AC hemoglobin).
QSAR development to describe HIV-1 integrase inhibition

Abstract HIV-1 integrase(IN) is one of three viral enzymes required for replication. IN mediates integration of viral DNA into the host genome in two steps: 3′-processing and strand transfer. It is currently recognized as an important target for therapeutic development against AIDS. QSAR (Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship) modeling was utilized to study HIV-1 integrase inhibition. QSAR models were constructed to predict the IC50 values for the two structural classes (salicyhydrazines and tyrphostins) independently and in combination. The results showed that the models for different structural classes have different dependence on the same descriptors. It suggests that salicylhydrazines and tyrphostins might have different binding sites in HIV-1 integrase.
Questionable conclusiveness from pooled estimate of world leukoplakia prevalence suggesting that the “global” number of oral cancer cases is underreported

Original Article Petti S. Pooled estimate of world leukoplakia prevalence: a systematic review. Oral Oncol 2003;39(8):770-80. Level of Evidence 3a Purpose To estimate the pooled global leukoplakia prevalence using well designed studies and less valuable studies Source of Funding Information not available Type of Study/Design Systematic review
Optimal design of controlled structures

A formulation that finds the optimal design of a controlled structure is proposed. To achieve this goal, a composite objective composed of structural and control objectives is introduced to be optimized, and the effect of the control weighting is examined. A feedback control law is defined before the structural optimization and then the composite objective will only become a function of structural design variables. As a result, optimal structural design and control forces in steady state are obtained.
Space Bats: Multidimensional Spatial Representation in the Bat

It is estimated that more than 8 million different species reside on our planet, many of which live a very different lifestyle ( 1 ). But whether on the ground, in the ocean depths, or in the sky, all animals must have knowledge of their whereabouts to survive. The possible mechanisms subserving this core function and how these are implemented in the brain have been long-standing questions in neuroscience.
Utilization of solar radiation by polar animals: an optical model for pelts

A summary of existing passive solar-heat conversion panels provides the basis for a definition of an ideal passive solar-heat converter. Evidence for the existence of a biological greenhouse effect in certain homopolar homeothermic species is reviewed. The thermal and optical properties of homeothermic pelts, in particular those of the polar bear, are described, and a qualitative optical model of the polar bear pelt is proposed. The effectiveness of polar bear and seal pelts as solar-heat converters is discussed, and comparison is made with the ideal converter.