cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Depletion of H3K79 methylation specifically enhances reprogramming to pluripotency but not transdifferentiation

Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) exist in a unique state poised to differentiate into any of the somatic cell types in part by maintaining an open chromatin structure. How these extraordinary cells suppress spurious transcription in the relative absence of repressive epigenetic modifications is poorly understood. PSCs are depleted for transcriptional elongation associated epigenetic modifications, primarily H3K79me2. Although H3K79me2 is found on thousands of genes, inhibiting the enzymatic activity of its methyltransferase, Dot1L results in few transcriptional changes, the majority of which are upregulated. During reprogramming of somatic cells to pluripotency, Dot1L inhibition (Dot1Li) at the midpoint is particularly effective at yielding greater number of colonies. Further, Dot1Li enhances reprogramming beyond early phases such as the mesenchymal to epithelial transition and from already epithelial cell types such as keratinocytes. Modulation of single genes from the DotLi transcriptional response cannot replace its function. Significantly, Dot1L inhibition does not enhance lineage conversion to neurons. Taken together, our results indicate that H3K79me is not a universal barrier of cell fate transitions but specifically protects cells from reverting to the pluripotent state.
Relevance of Precipitation Partitioning to the Tree Water and Nutrient Balance Open image in new window

Canopy partitioning of precipitation into interception, throughfall, and stemflow can influence the dynamics of tree water and nutrient balances. Intercepted precipitation may evaporate back to the atmosphere or reach the forest soil via throughfall or stemflow; however, intercepted precipitation—and the minerals dissolved in the solution—may also enter the plant directly through foliar or bark uptake. Minerals deposited on canopy surfaces can be transferred along vegetation surfaces and to the soil via throughfall and stemflow. In addition to throughfall- and stemflow-mediated transport of nutrients originating from deposition, nutrients can also be leached from leaf surfaces via throughfall and stemflow. Nutrient concentrations in stemflow are typically higher than concentrations in throughfall, but throughfall volumes are much higher than stemflow volumes. Still, the majority of nutrient return to the soil occurs through leaf litter inputs and subsequent decomposition at the soil surface. Canopy partitioning of throughfall results in heterogeneous distribution of moisture which may directly or indirectly influence the heterogeneity of nutrient availability. Direct influence is based on dissolved minerals in throughfall or stemflow, whereas partitioning of throughfall may indirectly influence the heterogeneity of nutrient availability by influencing the microbial environment and community. The heterogeneity of belowground resource availability may impact fine-root density and spatial patterns of proliferation. Current knowledge is limited by a focus on how throughfall and stemflow water and nutrient pulses and patches influence individuals. We suggest that the path forward for improving our understanding of how precipitation partitioning influences tree water and nutrient balances should focus on a more holistic framework that investigates population or community level responses rather than just individual responses. Likewise, controlled manipulative experiments may prove more instructive in determining the mechanistic controls of canopy partitioning on tree water and nutrient balance than have observational studies.
Mis/Alignment Between High School and Community College Standards

This study explores the extent to which “college-ready” students, by high school standards, are assigned to remedial courses in college. We used a unique longitudinal data set that links high schoo...
Engaging Ethnic Restaurants to Improve Community Nutrition Environments: A Qualitative Study with Hispanic Caribbean Restaurants in New York City.

This study used interviews with New York City Hispanic Caribbean (HC) restaurant owners, managers, and cooks/chefs (n=19) to examine perceptions concerning the healthfulness of the HC diet and diet...
Electroanalytical Chemistry in Molten Salts—A Review of Recent Developments

This chapter is concerned with electroanalytical chemistry in molten salts. Electroanalysis has been applied extensively for in situ determination and characterization of solutes in molten salt solvents. This field has been reviewed previously(1–6)† either alone or in conjunction with other topics. In this review we shall stress more recent developments (1965–1971) in several important solvent systems. We shall exclude the discussion of transport properties and related topics, the electrical double layer, and the rates of charge-transfer processes, since the reviews of these topics(6–8) are quite up to date.
The Institutionalist Turn in Supreme Court Copyright Jurisprudence

Beginning with its 2002 decision in Eldred v. Ashcroft and thereafter continuing in the Roberts Court through its most recent decision in Google v. Oracle, the U.S. Supreme Court has embarked on an approach to copyright law best characterized as its “institutionalist turn”. The institutionalist turn refers to the reality that over the last decade and a half, the Court’s copyright jurisprudence has come to focus less and less on directly resolving substantive issues within the landscape of copyright doctrine. It has instead become a principal site of debate and disagreement over issues that have a direct bearing on the role, competence, and legitimacy of the Court within the copyright system. The Court’s institutionalism in copyright is seen to cluster around three analytically interrelated themes: (i) the Court’s role as faithful agent interpreting Congress’s directives as contained in the complex Copyright Act of 1976, (ii) the nature of legislative-judicial interaction and deference in the domain of copyright lawmaking, and (iii) the continuity—or lack thereof—between copyright’s adjudicative mechanisms and other legal areas. This Article analyzes the origins and entrenchment of the Court’s institutionalism in its copyright jurisprudence and argues that while it may have allowed the Court to steer clear of divisive copyright issues in order to preserve its own legitimacy, it has at the same time made the Court an outsider to the modern copyright system and hurt the development of copyright doctrine and policy.
Visualization and Quantitative Assessment to Verify Precipitation Forecasts Associated with Mid-Latitude Cyclones across the Eastern United States

Analysis was conducted to verify forecast against observation precipitation associated with mid-latitude cyclones over the Eastern US in winter and spring 2013 using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The forecast data are day two 24-hour Quantitative Precipitation Forecasts (QPF) produced by the Global Forecast System (GFS) model. The analysis methods produced categorical geographic error maps of hits, misses and false alarms in spatial relation to the mid-latitude cyclones and traditional verification scores for each day. A hypothesis test was also performed to determine if the GFS mean forecast precipitation over the study area is significantly different from the mean observed precipitation during mid-latitude cyclones. The spatial verification maps, as an analytical and visualization tool, provided evidences on geographical relationship between correct predictions (hits and correct negatives) and incorrect predictions (misses and false alarms). Working together with quantitative scores and hypothesis test, spatial verification maps reveal that the GFS model has a tendency to over forecast precipitation coverage associated with mid-latitude cyclones over the Eastern US and often moves the mid-latitude cyclones too fast.
A Simplified Two-Dimensional Theory of Thin Airfoils

IN THE EXISTING SOLUTIONS of the thin airfoil problem, the determination of the steady state lift and moment of an airfoil of small camber and thickness, as given by Birnbaum, von Karman, C. B. Millikan, etc., 4> 5 the velocity potential for the flow is determined, and the lift distribution and the integrated lift and moment are found from this result. It appears that a somewhat simpler solution of this problem can be obtained by working directly with the velocity components rather than with the velocity potential. This same method can also be used to advantage in many threedimensional wing problems. An important feature of this method is that the inverse problem, the determination of an airfoil shape that will produce a given lift distribution, can be solved just as easily as the direct problem. Both the direct and the inverse problem will be investigated by this method in the present paper. The notations used in the analysis are as follows:
Constitutive equations from transient network theory

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the constitutive equations that are derived in a fixed coordinate system. The constitutive equations can also be deduced in a convected (body) coordinate system and via an energy method. Several constitutive equations based on structural kinetics are shown to be related to the transient network theory. The Marrucci model is one of them. These structural equations can be quite useful at describing the rheological properties of complex materials. It is shown that the De Kee-Carreau model, a shear rate dependent model, can predict satisfactorily the rheological properties of polymeric systems. However, the shear rate dependent models have been objected to on the ground that they do not recover the linear viscoelastic behavior in small amplitude oscillatory flows. The model parameters of the network theory are not related to the molecular structure of the material and it is desirable to seek such a connection. The double reptation model, the reptation of a stress point is considered in addition to the reptation inside the tube.
India in the World Order: Searching for Major-Power Status. Baldev Raj Nayar and T.V. Paul. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003. £16.95. 291pp

(2003). India in the World Order: Searching for Major-Power Status. Baldev Raj Nayar and T.V. Paul. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003. £16.95. 291pp. Survival: Vol. 45, No. 3, pp. 241-241.
Effective capacitance of RLC loads for estimating short-circuit power

An effective capacitance of a distributed RLC load for estimating short-circuit power is presented in this paper. Both resistive and inductive shielding effects of interconnects are considered and no iterations are required to determine the effective capacitance. The proposed method has been verified with Cadence Spectre. For a single switching input, the average error of the short-circuit power obtained with the effective capacitance is less than 2% for the example circuits as compared with an RLC /spl pi/ model. The proposed method can be used in look-up table or k-factor based models to estimate short-circuit power dissipation in CMOS gates with complex interconnects.
American Buddhism : Methods and Findings in Recent Scholarship

This is the first scholarly treatment of the emergence of American Buddhist Studies as a significant research field. Until now, few investigators have turned their attention to the interpretive challenge posed by the presence of all the traditional lineages of Asian Buddhism in a consciously multicultural society. Nor have scholars considered the place of their own contributions as writers, teachers, and practising Buddhists in this unfolding saga. In thirteen chapters and a critical introduction to the field, the book treats issues such as Asian American Buddhist identity, the new Buddhism, Buddhism and American culture, and the scholar's place in American Buddhist Studies. The volume offers complete lists of dissertations and theses on American Buddhism and North American dissertations and theses on topics related to Buddhism since 1892.
Adenosine Triphosphatase from Rat Liver Mitochondria II. INTERACTION WITH ADENOSINE DIPHOSPHATE

Abstract Homogeneous mitochondrial ATPase from rat liver binds ADP in a rapidly reversible manner. The enzyme-bound ADP can be recovered quantitatively as ADP. In the absence of Mg2+, the enzyme exhibits 0.88 binding sites for ADP per enzyme molecule with an intrinsic dissociation constant of 0.94 µm. In the presence of Mg2+, the enzyme loses 90% of its ATPase activity but does not lose the ability to bind ADP. Short term binding experiments detect 0.65 binding sites per enzyme molecule with an intrinsic dissociation constant of 2.1 µm. The Km (ADP) for oxidative phosphorylation catalyzed by purified inner membrane vesicles, in which mitochondrial ATPase is located on the outer surface of the membrane directly available to added ADP, was found to be 3.8 µm. Aurovertin, a potent inhibitor of oxidative phosphorylation, inhibits binding of ADP by mitochondrial ATPase in the absence of Mg2+ in a manner similar to its inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation. In the presence of Mg2+, however, binding is enhanced by aurovertin. Taken together, the results show that the binding of ADP by soluble mitochondrial ATPase has important properties in common with the interaction of ADP with the functional oxidative phosphorylation system.
The Escherichia coli K-12 F plasmid gene traX is required for acetylation of F pilin.

Abstract The Escherichia coli F plasmid gene required for amino-terminal acetylation of F-pilin subunits was identified. Using Western blots (immunoblots), we assayed the reaction of monoclonal antibodies with F-pilin polypeptides in inner membrane preparations from various F mutant strains. It was known that JEL92 recognizes an internal pilin epitope and JEL93 recognizes the acetylated amino-terminal sequence (L.S. Frost, J.S. Lee, D.G. Scraba, and W. Paranchych, J. Bacteriol. 168:192-198, 1986). As expected, neither antibody reacted with inner membranes from F- cells or Flac derivatives that do not synthesize pilin. Mutations that affected the individual activities of F tra genes traA, -B, -C, -D, -E, -F, -G, -H, -I, -J, -K, -L, -M, -N, -P, -R, -U, -V and -W or trb genes trbA, -B, -C, -D, -E, -G, -H, and -I did not prevent JEL92 or JEL93 recognition of membrane pilin. However, Hfr deletion mutants that lacked the most-distal transfer region genes did not express pilin that reacted with JEL93. Nevertheless, all strains that retained traA and traQ did express JEL92-reactive pilin polypeptides. Analysis of strains expressing cloned tra segments showed that traA and traQ suffice for synthesis of JEL92-reactive pilin, but synthesis of JEL93-reactive pilin is additionally dependent on traX. We concluded that the traX product is required for acetylation of F pilin. Interestingly, our data also showed that TraA+ TraQ+ cells synthesize two forms of pilin which migrate at approximately 7 and 8 kDa. In TraX+ cells, both become acetylated and react with JEL93. Preparations of wild-type F-pilus filaments contain both types of subunits.
Effects of drugs on stimulus control of behavior. III. Analysis of effects of pentobarbital and d-amphetamine.

Key-peck responses of pigeons on one of two keys were reinforced intermittently under a multiple fixed-interval schedule. In one component of the schedule, a houselight provided general illumination of the experimental chamber, and responses on a red key produced food according to a 5-min fixed-interval schedule. In the alternate component, the houselight was off and responses on an amber key produced food according to the 5-min fixed-interval schedule. Each response randomly (P = .5) alternated the positions of the key colors (right or left) and the two components (houselight on or off) alternated in a mixed sequence. Thus, there were two sources of discriminative control over responding: 1) the presence or absence of the houselight and 2) the key colors. Stimulus control was assessed by comparing the relative frequencies of red-key responses in the presence and absence of the houselight. Pentobarbital decreased stimulus control of responding at intermediate (3.0-10.0 mg/kg) doses that did not appreciably alter average rates of responding. Whereas d-amphetamine decreased stimulus control only at high doses (3.0-5.6 mg/kg) that also substantially decreased response rates. The results of subsequent studies suggested that the two drugs primarily affected stimulus control exerted by the colors of the response keys. Furthermore, the effects on stimulus control produced by the two drugs were modified by a number of environmental conditions, in particular those that alter the degree of stimulus control existing before drug administration.
Metabolic changes following major burn injury: How to improve outcome

The changes in patient metabolism following a major burn may be seen for more than 12 months after the initial injury. The ensuing period of hypermetabolism and catabolism post-burn leads to impaired immune function, decreased wound healing, erosion of lean body mass, and hinders rehabilitative efforts delaying reintegration into normal society. The typical changes in metabolism are the development of a hyperdynamic circulation [1], increased body temperature [2], increased protein catabolism with peripheral protein wasting [3], increased lipolysis leading to fatty infiltration of the liver [4], increased glycolysis and futile substrate cycling 5. These changes are responsible for much of the morbidity and mortality seen with such an injury and as such are important targets for available treatments including: early excision and grafting; aggressive treatment of sepsis, early commencement of high protein, high carbohydrate enteral feeding, elevation of the immediate environmental temperature to 31.5°C (±0.7°C); and early institution of an aerobic resistive exercise program. Several pharmacotherapeutic options are also available to further reduce erosion of lean body mass; these include anabolic agents such as recombinant human growth hormone, insulin, oxandrolone and beta-blockade with propranolol. This chapter will discuss the metabolic changes seen following a major burn and how different treatment options affect outcome.
Editorial: Opportunities for Cross-Cultural Comparative Research on Leisure

Cross-cultural comparative research on leisure is extremely rare in both the anthropological and leisure literatures. The opportunities for conducting such research are excellent, however. Ethnographic data archives, such as the Human Relations Area Files, are widely available and contain a trove of information on leisure in societies, both past and present, from around the world. Methods for cross-cultural comparative research have improved greatly in the past two decades. The purpose of this editorial is to urge leisure researchers to make use of both cross-cultural comparative methods and existing sources of data.
d-Alanine metabolism in the lucinid clam Lucinoma aequizonata

The chemoautotrophic symbiont-bearing clam Lucinoma aequizonata contains very high levels of free d-alanine in all tissues. The possible sources for this amino acid and its involvement in the clams' metabolism were investigated. Very low levels of d-alanine (generally below 1 μmol·l-1) were measured in the sediment porewaters from the habitat of the clams. Experiments with 14C-labeled tracers demonstrate an active metabolism of d-alanine in the clams rather than a role as inert waste product. d-alanine is metabolized at about 0.12 μmol·g fw-1·h-1. Label from aspartate, but not glucose and CO2, is incorporated into d-alanine. Incubation with labeled d-alanine did not result in formation of radioactive l-alanine. Tests for alanine racemase (EC 5.1.1.1) and d-amino acid oxidase (EC 1.4.3.3.) did not show activity in either gill, i.e. symbiont and host, or foot tissue. d-Alanine amino transferase (EC 2.6.1.b.) was demonstrated in gill and foot tissues. Two sources for d-alanine are proposed: a degradation of cell walls of symbiotic bacteria and production by the host using a d-specific alanine transaminase.
Acute Coronary Syndrome Clinical Presentations and Diagnostic Approaches in the Emergency Department

This article discusses clinical presentations and diagnostic approaches to acute coronary syndrome in the emergency department.
Activity coefficients at infinite dilution

Equations are derived for obtaining activity coefficients at infinite dilution in binary systems by use of one of the following: (1) an isobaric temperature—liquid composition diagram, (2) an isobaric temperature—vapor composition diagram, (3) an isothermal pressure—liquid composition diagram, or (4) an isothermal pressure—vapor composition diagram. The derived equations are thermodynamically exact, and application involves no doubtful extrapolation of experimental data, as has heretofore been the case. Each equation involves the slope of one of the diagrams at the point corresponding to the pure component. Attention is called to the fact that data on the compositions of both the vapor and liquid phases in equilibrium are not required. Use of the equations is illustrated.
Leaving some stones unturned: A reassessment of iterative planning theory

Abstract Drawbacks of standard iterative planning algorithms include: (i) planner actions are just on-paper calculations, without direct economic consequences, and may converge very slowly; (ii) planners cannot act systematically on hunches and intuitions; and (iii) planners can observe unrealistically detailed information. These problems are addressed through a Bayesian learning model. It is shown, in sharp contrast to the standard literature, that planners will not necessarily settle in the long run on even approximately optimal prices. In an example, the planner can end up setting prices in every period that guarantee chronic shortage. This is an outcome of a fully optimizing model.
Self-consistent patterns for symmetric multivariate distributions

The set of k points that optimally represent a distribution in terms of mean squared error have been called principal points (Flury 1990). Principal points are a special case of self-consistent points. Any given set of k distinct points in Rp induce a partition of Rp into Voronoi regions or domains of attraction according to minimal distance. A set of k points are called self-consistent for a distribution if each point equals the conditional mean of the distribution over its respective Voronoi region. For symmetric multivariate distributions, sets of self-consistent points typically form symmetric patterns. This paper investigates the optimality of different symmetric patterns of self-consistent points for symmetric multivariate distributions and in particular for the bivariate normal distribution. These results are applied to the problem of estimating principal points.
What kinds of leaders are entering optometry schools

The purpose of this study was to determine the parameters of leadership of students entering one optometry school, assess the relation between personality types and leadership during optometry school, and forecast potential for leadership beyond school. Personality inventories of 269 students entering University of Houston College of Optometry (UHCO) from 1988 through 1990 were analyzed for personality type according to Gough's two-vector system (V1=extroversion/introversion; V2=norm-favoring/norm-doubting) which results in four types or life styles: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta
Assignment of aromatic aldehyde spectra from deuterium isotope shifts

Abstract A simple method for assigning nπ * and ππ * spectra in aromatic aldehydes is described involving the aldehyde hydrogen deuteration shift of the 00 band. The method exploits differences in the nπ * and ππ * potential surfaces rather than differences in the wavefunction. For π * ← n transitions a large deuteration shift and for π * ← π a small shift is established. The method is relatively insensitive to the admixture of nπ * and ππ * wavefunctions brought about by environmental or vibronic perturbations. The method is applied to examples of phosphorescence spectra involving closely-spaced ππ * and nπ * triplet states in benzaldehyde and p -chlorobenzaldehyde in various host matrices.
Decision-making Processes among Prostate Cancer Survivors with Rising PSA Levels: Results from a Qualitative Analysis.

Background. Prostate cancer survivors with a rising prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level have few treatment options, experience a heightened state of uncertainty about their disease trajectory that might include the possibility of cancer metastasis and death, and often experience elevated levels of distress as they have to deal with a disease they thought they had conquered. Guided by self-regulation theory, the present study examined the cognitive and affective processes involved in shared decision making between physicians and patients who experience a rising PSA after definitive treatment for prostate cancer. Methods. In-depth interviews were conducted with 34 prostate cancer survivors who had been diagnosed with a rising PSA (i.e., biochemical failure) within the past 12 months. Survivors were asked about their experiences and affective responses after being diagnosed with a rising PSA and while weighing potential treatment options. In addition, patients were asked about their decision-making process...
Future developments in planetary Fourier transform spectroscopy at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

Planetary Fourier transform spectroscopy (FTS) has a long history at the Goddard Space Flight Center. Dr. Rudy Hanel developed a series of such instruments for Earth, Mars and the two Voyager spacecraft. More recently as part of the Cassini mission, the CIRS (Composite Infrared Spectrometer) FTS was launched in 1997 for the 2000-2001 Jupiter flyby and the 2004-2008+ Saturn tour. At about 40 kg, CIRS is both too heavy and too light for future planetary missions. It is too heavy for future Discovery and New Frontier missions, where the emphasis is on low-mass, low-power instrumentation. On the other hand, CIRS could be heavier to take full advantage of future Prometheus missions such as JIMO. Here we discuss future development of CIRS-like FTS’s for both Discovery/New Frontier and for Prometheus flight opportunities. We also briefly discuss possible applications in the Moon/Mars exploration initiative.
Estrogen regulation of the dopamine-activated GIRK channel in pituitary lactotrophs: implications for regulation of prolactin release during the estrous cycle.

Prolactin (PRL), synthesized and secreted from lactotrophs of the anterior pituitary gland, is tonically inhibited by hypothalamic dopamine (DA) throughout the female reproductive (estrous) cycle. Our laboratory has shown that DA hyperpolarizes these cells by activating G protein-coupled inwardly rectifying K+ (GIRK) channels; however, this response is only observed on proestrus. While the cellular mechanisms that allow for functional expression of this unique DA-signaling pathway are unclear, we hypothesized that activation of the DA-GIRK effector pathway is due to the rise in circulating estrogen (E2) during the preceding day of diestrus. Thus, we examined the effects of E2 on primary lactotrophs isolated from female rats. Treatment with a physiological concentration of E2 (40–80 pg/ml, in vivo or in vitro) induced a proestrous phenotype in diestrous lactotrophs. These cells exhibited a DA-induced membrane hyperpolarization, as well as a secretory rebound of PRL following DA withdrawal (characteristic of proestrous cells). Internal dialysis of GTPγS demonstrated that E2 exposure enabled functional expression of GIRK channels, and this regulation by E2 did not involve the D2R. The effect of E2 was blocked by the receptor antagonist, ICI 182,780, and by the protein synthesis inhibitor, cycloheximide. Single-cell analysis revealed increased mRNA expression of GIRK channel subunits in E2-treated lactotrophs. While E2 is known to have multiple actions on the lactotroph, the present findings illuminate a novel action of E2 in lactotrophs—regulation of the expression of a DA effector, the GIRK channel.
Color Stability and Aging of Plastic Veneering Materials

The color stability and aging characteristics of commercial plastic veneering materials were studied in vitro by an accelerated aging method. The veneering materials were similar in color to, but more opaque than, composite restorative materials. Changes in color during aging were minimal. Weight loss occurred during aging.
Cell-Permeable, Mitochondrial-Targeted, Peptide Antioxidants

Cellular oxidative injury has been implicated in aging and a wide array of clinical disorders including ischemia-reperfusion injury; neurodegenerative diseases; diabetes; inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis, arthritis, and hepatitis; and drug-induced toxicity. However, available antioxidants have not proven to be particularly effective against many of these disorders. A possibility is that some of the antioxidants do not reach the relevant sites of free radical generation, especially if mitochondria are the primary source of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The SS (Szeto-Schiller) peptide antioxidants represent a novel approach with targeted delivery of antioxidants to the inner mitochondrial membrane. The structural motif of these SS peptides centers on alternating aromatic residues and basic amino acids (aromatic-cationic peptides). These SS peptides can scavenge hydrogen peroxide and peroxynitrite and inhibit lipid peroxidation. Their antioxidant action can be attributed to the tyrosine or dimethyltyrosine residue. By reducing mitochondrial ROS, these peptides inhibit mitochondrial permeability transition and cytochromec release, thus preventing oxidant-induced cell death. Because these peptides concentrate >1000-fold in the inner mitochondrial membrane, they prevent oxidative cell death with EC50 in the nM range. Preclinical studies support their potential use for ischemia-reperfusion injury and neurodegenerative disorders. Although peptides have often been considered to be poor drug candidates, these small peptides have excellent “druggable” properties, making promising agents for many diseases with unment needs.
Currency Invoicing: The Role of ‘Herding’ and Exchange Rate Volatility

This paper analyzes an individual firm's choice of invoicing currency under exchange rate volatility. Greater exchange rate volatility amplifies the representative firm's desire to ‘herd’ relative to all other considerations that may affect the currency denomination decision. By ‘herding’ a firm chooses a currency of denomination so that the firm's price and the competition's price are affected by the exchange rate in a similar manner. Contrary to previous research, the results herein suggest that individual firms may invoice in a relatively volatile currency as long as its competitor's invoice in the same volatile currency.
Akathisia and anesthesia: refusal of surgery after the administration of metoclopramide.

kathisia (from the Greek for “not to sit”) is a distressing side effect of some medications often #prescribed to patients (1,2). Akathisia usually presents with objective motor restlessness and subjec- tive mental changes. Perioperative medications known to produce akathisia include droperidol, met- oclopramide, perphenazine, prochlorperazine, nalox- one, and flumazenil. Patient refusal to have surgery after the administration of droperidol has been repeat- edly reported (3,4), but our literature search revealed only one case report of the cancellation of surgery after the administration of metoclopramide (5). We believe that central nervous system side effects of this severity may be rare, but less severe effects of meto- clopramide and other medications may be more com- mon than appreciated. It is possible that there is sub- stantial underdiagnosis and misinterpretation of acute akathisia because of unfamiliarity with the condition (6). We report two cases of the cancellation of surgery by patients in our institution who displayed akathisia- like symptoms after they received an IV bolus of met- oclopramide. After these episodes, we changed the way metoclopramide is given preoperatively.
Transport properties of Cr-patterned Yba2Cu3O7 thin films

Epitaxial thin films of Yba2Cu3O7 (YBCO) have been deposited and patterned on (100) SrTiO3 and (110) NdGaO3 substrates. Wet etchants used in conventional photolithography react too quickly with YBCO thin films, resulting in undercutting of patterned structures. We have implemented a technique to pattern thin lines from films without wet or dry etching. Chromium is evaporated onto the substrates and subsequently patterned. YBCO is then deposited by pulsed laser deposition, which results in an epitaxial YBCO film on patterned areas and randomly oriented YBCO deposited on chromium. An annealing step is required for the chromium to diffuse through the undesired YBCO in order to render those sections insulating. YBCO lines patterned with this technique exhibit resistivity and critical temperatures similar to those of the unpatterned films. As we decrease the width of the YBCO lines, the effect of the edges, where there is chromium-reacted material, on transport becomes more pronounced. The resolution of the patterning technique and the profile of superconducting versus non-superconducting materials at the edges is presented.
Smooth muscle archvillin: a novel regulator of signaling and contractility in vascular smooth muscle

The mechanisms by which protein kinase C (PKC) and extracellular-signal-regulated kinases (ERK1/2) govern smooth-muscle contractility remain unclear. Calponin (CaP), an actin-binding protein and PKC substrate, mediates signaling through ERK1/2. We report here that CaP sequences containing the CaP homology (CH) domain bind to the C-terminal 251 amino acids of smooth-muscle archvillin (SmAV), a new splice variant of supervillin, which is a known actin- and myosin-II-binding protein. The CaP-SmAV interaction is demonstrated by reciprocal yeast two-hybrid and blot-overlay assays and by colocalization in COS-7 cells. In differentiated smooth muscle, endogenous SmAV and CaP co-fractionate and co-translocate to the cell cortex after stimulation by agonist. Antisense knockdown of SmAV in tissue inhibits both the activation of ERK1/2 and contractions stimulated by either agonist or PKC activation. This ERK1/2 signaling and contractile defect is similar to that observed in CaP knockdown experiments. In A7r5 smooth-muscle cells, PKC activation by phorbol esters induces the reorganization of endogenous, membrane-localized SmAV and microfilament-associated CaP into podosome-like structures that also contain F-actin, nonmuscle myosin IIB and ERK1/2. These results indicate that SmAV contributes to the regulation of contractility through a CaP-mediated signaling pathway, involving PKC activation and phosphorylation of ERK1/2.
Progress in the development of artificial diets for bivalve filter feeders

Abstract Methods are described for preparing (1) carboxymethyl cellulose microgel particles, used in the delivery of high molecular weight water-soluble nutrients to aquatic filter feeders and (2) lipid-walled microcapsules for the delivery of low molecular weight water-soluble nutrients. An artificial diet was prepared which consisted of microgel particles, microcapsules, kaolin, and a freely dissolved trace-metal mixture. When the diet was continuously fed to oysters held in beakers, growth rates as high as 73% that of algal-fed controls were obtained. Much poorer growth occurred if the oysters were fed on the same diets in a flow-through apparatus. It is postulated that the better growth of oysters continuously fed on artificial diets in beakers was due to the relatively high bacterial numbers present, compared with lower numbers present in the flow-through apparatus. Bacteria could be important in the growth of oysters fed on the artificial diets by acting as a nutrient source and/or by aiding in the breakdown and digestion of the food particles.
EPIZOOTIC STREPTOCOCCAL PNEUMONIA IN CAPTIVE COYOTES

Severe death loss was observed in captive coyotes, Canis latrans. Of 48 coyotes in one kennel, 22 (46%) died within a 7 day period. Cause of death was determined to be acute fibrinopurulent (bacterial) broncho-pneumonia and pleuritis. Streptococcus equisimilis was isolated from the lungs of two coyotes examined.
Regulation of DGK-θ

Diacylglycerol kinases are important regulators of lipid signaling and, consequently, important regulators of many diglyceride-dependent and PA-dependent proteins. Research over the last twenty years has clearly demonstrated that individual DGK isoforms can be connected with disparate cellular processes, indicating the presence of a sophisticated regulatory network for diglyceride and phosphatidic acid signaling through the regulation of individual DGK isoforms. This review presents the progress on the characterization of a primarily neuronal isoform DGK-theta, and examines current data on the primary structure, regulation and potential cellular functions of this enzyme.
Emission spectrum of SiF3

Abstract Bands in the region 2100–2600 A observed in emission by passing silicon tetrafluoride through an electrodeless discharge have been investigated and assigned to SiF3 insteadd of SiF2.
Effect of wet chemical treatments on the distribution of surface oxides on carbonaceous materials

Abstract The properties of carbonaceous materials are often modified using wet chemical treatments; however, the detailed changes in the oxide distribution that accompany different chemical treatments have not been clearly elucidated. To illustrate how this information can be obtained, we have employed chemical derivatization in conjunction with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to quantify changes in the concentration of hydroxyl, carbonyl, and carboxylic acid groups on the surface of a modified wood char following several different wet chemical treatments (H2O2, HNO3, ammonium persulfate, O3, and NaBH4). Results from the present investigation highlight the fact that changes in surface oxide distributions are sensitive to the chemical treatment. For example, ammonium persulfate selectively increases the carboxylic acid group concentration. In contrast, O3 increases the concentrations of hydroxyl, carbonyl, and carboxylic acid groups with roughly equal propensity. These oxide distributions were further modified by reduction with NaBH4, which generally converts carbonyl and carboxylic acid groups to hydroxyl groups. A comparison of results obtained from XPS and chemical analysis reveal that the oxidative effects of wet chemical treatments are restricted to the char’s surface.
CNS melanocortin system involvement in the regulation of food intake.

Accumulating evidence indicates that the central melanocortin (MC) system plays a key role in the regulation of food intake and energy balance. This evidence includes findings that either spontaneous genetic mutations or targeted gene deletions that impair melanocortin signaling cause disrupted food intake and body-weight control. In addition, expression of the mRNA that encodes the endogenous agonists and antagonists for CNS melanocortin receptors is regulated by changes in energy balance and body-adiposity signals. Finally, administration of both natural and synthetic ligands to MC receptors produces changes in food intake. The data collectively suggest a critical role for melanocortin signaling in the control of energy balance.
Bohemia as Subculture; “Bohemia” as Industry Art, Culture, and Economic Development

Artists have long been thought of as agents of revitalization, transforming warehouses and blighted neighborhoods into bohemian enclaves that become destinations for the well-heeled, simultaneously bringing redevelopment and reinvestment. Yet, the active cultivation of art as a central part of economic development is new. The increasing shift in economic development focused on attracting people not smokestacks has brought art and culture center-stage. This article considers the arts in economic development through several discrete but interrelated lenses: 1) As an amenity or consumption product 2) As a redevelopment and development tool 3) As a way to “brand” place 4) As generator of jobs and revenue. Finally, I consider current research that begins to unpack the social and economic processes necessary to cultural production. This line of research may enable a better understanding of the arts' function and potential in economic development.
The dual myths of ‘narco‐terrorism’: How myths drive policy

When held up to the reality and complexity of the relationships between drug traffickers and insurgents, the concept of ‘narco‐terrorism’ falls short of serving as a useful explanatory device. Properly analyzed, ‘narco‐terrorism’ emerges as a political myth based on a stereotypic view of the Andean drug trade, peasant insurgency and the relationships between them. The myth of ‘narco‐terrorism’ coincided with the Latin American policy interests of the Reagan and the Bush administrations. Ironically, the myth's transparency served the policy interests of the opponents of these administrations, who used it to further their own politicized agendas ‐ creating yet another myth. This research traces the evolution and politicization of this concept and shows how it has hindered both scholarship and policy making. The research confirms, in part, earlier work of Australian criminologist Grant Wardlaw and American expert on the Andean drug trade, Rensselaer Lee.
The antigenicity of the rabbit sperm acrosomes and the reversible sterility induced in the immunized rabbits

Rabbits were immunized against their alloantigens extracted from the sperm acrosome. The sequential method of extraction, first by MgCl2 then by detergents, provided the plasma and outer acrosomal membranes and their contents in the first step and the inner acrosomal membrane and its components in the next step. Both groups of antigens appear to have produced monospecific antisera. The MgCl2 extract antiserum lost its sperm immobilization and agglutination activities on absorption to its antigen. The detergent extract, under similar treatment, remained unaffected. Therefore, the agglutination and immobilization factors resided on the plasma membrane. The decrease in sperm concentration suggested that the immunogen affected the germinal epithelium. The reduction in the semen volume and seminal enzymes seems to indicate that the accessory sex glands were also affected by the treatment. The antiserum blocked the dissolution of the hamster and rabbit zona pellucida by the MgCl2 extract. The normal serum had no such effect. Both the normal and immune sera inhibited acrosin equally well while the antisera inhibited other proteinases, arylsulfatase, and β-N-acetylhexosaminidase to a significantly greater extent. Immunized rabbits failed to impregnate females as long as the antibody titer remained high. As the titer declined these animals became fertile and the females delivered normal litters.
V.—SCIENCE AND MORALITY

THE question of the cognitive status of ethical utterances cannot be settled without a discussion of the nature of cognitive utterance in general. For this reason the similarities and differences between statements expressing scientific propositions and statements expressing moral judgements need to be explored. This, in part, is the concern of my paper. I shall conclude that the similarities are substantial enough to justify us in regarding moral utterances as cognitive. At the same time, the concluding section of the paper will show that, in virtue of possessing some features of its own, moral inquiry cannot be fully assimilated to the procedures of natural sciences.
Intrinsic ultracontractivity and conditional gauge for symmetric stable processes

Abstract It is shown in this paper that the conditional gauge theorem holds for symmetric α -stable processes on bounded C 1, 1 domains in R n where 0 α n ⩾2. Two of the major tools used to prove this conditional gauge theorem are logarithmic Sobolev inequality and intrinsic ultracontractivity.
Sacred Stacks: The Higher Purpose of Libraries and Librarianship

Librarianship as a calling is a powerful perspective. Many librarians sense the deeper meaning and higher purpose in their work, yet rarely have time to contemplate it. Maxwell's down-to-earth candor combined with scholarly insight is designed to inspire and enlighten her library peers and colleagues. Drawing from history, sociology, and philosophy, "Sacred Stacks" voices the importance of the library profession and libraries as community institutions in a secular time. Librarians, LIS students and educators, as well as trustees, can step into these Sacred Stacks to reignite meaning in their everyday work. Considering these higher purposes of libraries, Maxwell outlines the work of librarians and libraries that: promote community, uplift society, preserve and transmit culture, and organize chaos.
Harvesting kinetic energy with switched-inductor DC-DC converters

The potential application space for miniaturized systems like wireless microsensors is expansive, from reconnaissance mission work and remote sensors to biomedical implants and disposable consumer products. Conforming to microscale dimensions, however, constrains energy and power to such an extent that sustaining critical power-hungry functions like wireless communication is next to impossible. Harvesting ambient energy offers an appealing alternative, except the act of transferring energy requires power that could easily exceed what the transducer generates in the first place. This paper presents how to design low-power switched-inductor converters capable of producing net energy gains when supplied from low-power piezoelectric and electrostatic kinetic-harvesting sources.
Antinuclear antibody—negative systemic lupus erythematosus: I. Anti-Ro(SSA) and anti-La(SSB) antibodies

Anti-Ro(SSA) and anti-La(SSB) antibodies are found in approximately 25% of systemic lupus erythematosus patients. These antibodies are also detected in lupus patients who fail to demonstrate a significant antinuclear antibody (ANA) titer when mouse liver is employed as the substrate. Approximately 5% to 10% of systemic lupus patients are in this category. These ANA-negative, Ro(SSA)-positive lupus patients generally demonstrate a prominent widespread photosensitive dermatitis and are frequently initially seen and evaluated by a dermatologist.
An Inexpensive Humidifying and Cooling System for Inhalation Chambers

AbstractA relatively inexpensive method for humidifying and cooling the intake air supply of an animal inhalation chamber is described. Specifically, incorporation of a humidifier into the air intake supply and circulation of cold water around the aerosol intake line is required. Descriptive statistics of 3 sets of relative humidity and temperature data from combustion trials of a military smoke product showed that: (1) mean within-chamber relative humidities were increased approximately 2.5 times over ambient conditions, (2) mean within-chamber temperatures were reduced approximately 10°C, and (3) mean within-chamber relative humidities and temperatures were maintained at 44.4 and 42.5% and at 21.2 and 21.7°C during a series of 1-h combustion tests of the smoke product at 500 and 250 1/min air flow rates, respectively.
Conical dielectric resonator antennas excited by a coaxial probe

Dielectric resonator antennas of conical shapes are experimentally examined. The dielectric cone resides above a ground plane, and is excited by a coaxial probe. Two configurations of the cone are tested: one with the wide base placed on the ground plane, and the other with the cone inverted on the ground plane. Results show that the inverted cone achieves a wider bandwidth. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 29: 160–161, 2001.