cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Kinetics and mechanistic studies of anticarcinogenic bisperoxovanadium(V) compounds: ligand substitution reactions at physiological pH and relevance to DNA interactions.

Bisperoxovanadium(V) compounds with bidentate ligands have shown tumor growth inhibition by cleaving DNA. The kinetics and mechanisms of ligand substitution reactions of two bisperoxovanadium(V) co...
The relationship of perceived risk to condom use: why results are inconsistent.

This paper examined the factors associated with the inconsistent relationship between perceived risk and condom use among young adults. In a review of previously conducted case studies 24 out of 25 studies found a positive relationship with self-efficacy. In this study 709 teenagers from Sacramento California completed a self-administered baseline survey. The results revealed that 68% use condoms during sexual intercourse. An analysis of perceived risk showed that 25% belong to the high-perceived-risk respondents while 75% belong to the low-perceived-risk respondents. Findings from the study indicated that the perceived risk for HIV transmission was a cause and effect of condom use and other precautionary behavior. In addition the direction of the association between perceived risk and the behavior reverses depending on how a respondent interprets the perceived risk measure. Furthermore in the development of indicators that measures the desired construct open-ended question must be considered particularly during the pre-testing phase to find out how respondents were interpreting the perceived risk question.
Nuclear import of PKCδ is required for apoptosis: identification of a novel nuclear import sequence

We have shown previously that protein kinase Cδ (PKCδ) is required for mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis. Here we show that PKCδ is imported into the nucleus of etoposide-treated cells, that nuclear import is required for apoptosis and that it is mediated by a nuclear localization signal (NLS) in the C-terminus of PKCδ. Mutation of the caspase cleavage site of PKCδ inhibits nuclear accumulation in apoptotic cells, indicating that caspase cleavage facilitates this process. Expression of the PKCδ catalytic fragment (CFδ) in transfected cells results in nuclear localization and apoptosis. We show that the PKCδ NLS is required for nuclear import of both full-length PKCδ and CFδ, and drives nuclear localization of a multimeric green fluorescent protein. Mutations within the NLS of CFδ prevent nuclear accumulation and block apoptosis. Conversely, nuclear expression of a kinase-negative catalytic fragment (KN-CFδ) protects cells from etoposide-induced apoptosis. Mutation of the NLS blocks the ability of KN-CFδ to protect against etoposide-induced apoptosis. These results indicate that PKCδ regulates an essential nuclear event(s) that is required for initiation of the apoptotic pathway.
A new hammer in the redox toolbox: high-purity peroxynitrite for cell signaling and toxicology studies.

A new chemical synthesis has been disclosed for the oxidizing and nitrating species peroxynitrite. This nitric oxide and superoxide-derived cell signaling mediator can also serve as a toxicant at higher rates of generation. The new synthetic strategy reported by Sturzbecher-Hohne and colleagues overcomes long-standing issues with purity and quality of peroxynitrite preparations and should lay a foundation for nailing new insight into the redox reactions of peroxynitrite and its products.
Single-molecule resolution and fluorescence imaging of mixed-mode sorption of a dye at the interface of C18 and acetonitrile/water.

Single-molecule imaging is used for the first time to study the cationic dye, 1,1‘-dioctadecyl-3,3,3‘3‘-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate (DiI), at the chromatographic interface consisting of acetonitrile/water and a hydrocarbon monolayer (C18) covalently bound to silica. Autocorrelations of burst data agree with our previous single-molecule counting results, showing that most dye molecules are diffusing and that there is a rare specific adsorption site associated with a 0.07-s desorption time. These autocorrelations go further in detecting an even rarer specific adsorption event associated with a 2.6-s desorption time. The latter desorption time would contribute much more significantly to peak tailing in chromatography. In water, the populations of DiI at these two specific adsorption sites are shown to be 11% and 4%, respectively, for the weaker and stronger sites, relative to the diffusing population of DiI. In 60% acetonitrile/water, the relative populations of the specific adsorption sites are ...
Knocking on Newsroom Doors: The Press and Political Scandals in Argentina

This article examines the causes for the rise of political scandals in Argentina in the early 1990s. Available explanations fail to provide a satisfactory answer, mainly because they ignore the interplay of forces that produce media revelations of government wrongdoing. Argentine scandals cannot be reduced to arguments about official corruption but rather require a consideration of political and media developments. Media exposes in Argentina have resulted from particular political dynamics coupled with the increasing opposition of some news media to the Menem administration. Political dynamics such as democratic stability, a strong executive, and the weakness of political parties as policymaking and communication institutions have contributed to reinforcing the role of the press as an alternative arena for acting out political confrontations. The fact that two dailies have adopted a muckraking ethos and conducted investigative reporting, unusual for Argentine media standards, also accounts for the growing...
On the Behavioral Foundations of Mathematical Concepts

The title of this paper will perhaps mean different things to different people. Philosophers and mathematicians interested in the foundations of mathematics and the philosophy of language may think I intent to pursue a systematic pragmatics built around such notions as Ajdukiewicz’ concept of acceptance. Actually, I am going in a different direction. What I want to do is outline present applications of mathematical learning theory to mathematical concept formation. The aims of this paper are primarily constructive, that is, to contribute to the development of a scientific theory of concept formation. Before I turn to this subject, however, I want to comment on two general aspects of the teaching of mathematical concepts.
Measuring technical efficiency

Abstract The theoretical consideration of technical efficiency has existed since Koopmans (Koopmans, T.C., 1951. An analysis of production as an efficient combination of activities. In: Koopmans, T.C. (Ed.), Activity Analysis of Production and Allocation. Cowles Commission for Research in Economics, Monograph No. 13, Wiley, New York) defined it as production possibilities for which it is not possible to increase any output without simultaneously increasing any input, ceteris paribus. The non-parametric approach to efficiency calculation known as Data Envelopment Analysis is not based on this definition but rather on the radial index of Farrell (Farrell, M.J., 1957. The measurement of productive efficiency. Journal of the Royal Statistic Society Ser. A 120, 253–281). Even after Farrell efficiency is achieved there may exist additional slack in individual inputs and/or outputs, implying that Farrell's index does not necessarily measure Koopmans inefficiency. Various measures have been proposed to solve this problem. This paper discusses shortcomings of these alternative measures and introduces a new relative measure of technical efficiency. Using simulated data, it is shown that the new measure outperforms existing measures in the majority of cases.
Signal averaged laser Doppler measurements of activation-flow coupling in the rat forepaw somatosensory cortex.

Abstract Regional alterations in cerebral blood flow (CBF) are widely used as a surrogate for neuronal function based on an intact coupling between changes in regional CBF and metabolism, activation–flow coupling (AFC). To further investigate parameters affecting AFC, we have implemented a rat model with electrical forepaw stimulation under α-chloralose anesthesia using laser Doppler (LD) measurements of flow parameters through thinned skull over contralateral somatosensory cortex. Signal averaging of the LD response was used to improve reproducibility. A characteristic flow response to electrical forepaw stimulation was reliably recorded from the somatosensory cortex using signal averaging. Stimulation at 5 Hz maximized the LD response, and constant current stimulation up to 1 mA did not induce changes in systemic blood pressure. The shape of the flow response consisted of an initial peak followed by a steady state plateau phase which was observed for stimulation durations longer than 4 s. When individual LD parameters of velocity, red blood cell concentration (CRBC), and cerebral blood flow (CBF) were compared, changes in LDCBF were primarily attributable to changes in LDvelocity rather than LDCRBC. This finding was also observed during hypercapnia. Characterization of AFC in the model provides a background for future studies of the effects of pharmacological manipulation or pathophysiological states.
Rock salt vs. wurtzite phases of Co1−xMnxO: control of crystal lattice and morphology at the nanoscale

Mixed Mn–Co oxide nanoparticles have been prepared by decomposition of metal carboxylate precursors in a mixture of oleic acid (OA) and tri-n-octylamine (TOA). In addition to the stable MO rock salt structures, wurtzite-type Co1−xMnxO (0.55 < x < 0.65) nanoparticles have been synthesized for the first. Molar ratios of OA to precursor in excess of 5 were required to obtain the metastable phase. Varying the surfactant, water and precursor ratios allows control of particle size, morphology and stoichiometry: diamond cuboid, rhombohedra and hexagonal-shaped nanocrystals as well as branched rods of rock salt Co1−xMnxO (0.01 ≤ x ≤ 0.9) have also been synthesized. The rhombohedra and hexagons exhibited dimensions <50 nm on the longest axis, while nanorods had branches up to 150 nm and cuboids grew up to 250 nm on an edge. These results indicate that nanoparticle morphologies and crystal lattices arise from crystal growth and Ostwald ripening at different rates selecting for either small, smooth-surfaced wurtzite nanoparticles or large, dendritic rock salt nanoparticles. In some mixed metal Mn1−xCoxO particles, superlattice ordering is observed. As with the previously studied MnO and FeO systems, surface oxidation occurs to produce spinel phase M3O4.
The detection of picomolar quantities of GD1b, GT1b and GQ1b on thin-layer chromatograms by the direct binding of125I-labeled tetanus toxin, fragment C

The125I-labeled fragment C of tetanus toxin was found to bind specifically to the gangliosides GD1b, GT1b, and GQ1b when applied to thin-layer chromatograms on which a mixture of gangliosides had been resolved. As little as 2.5 pmoles of these gangliosides could be detected by this method. In addition to factors determined by the sample, namely the amount and species of gangliosides present, optimal binding of the125I-labeled fragment C also depended upon the iodination procedure used to generate the probe, the toxin concentration, and the concentration, buffer type, pH, and ionic strength of the binding solution. This new technique was shown to be a sensitive method for the detection and identification of specific gangliosides originating from extraneural or neural cells.
Structure and dynamics of hydrogen molecules in the novel clathrate hydrate by high pressure neutron diffraction.

Clathrate hydrates represent a large group of inclusion compounds, with the host framework made up of hydrogen-bonded H2O molecules and guest molecules trapped inside the polyhedral cages. Hydrates of natural gases prevail in deep-sea sediments and permafrost, and could play an important role in the formation of planetary
A semi-adaptive compact splitting method for the numerical solution of 2-dimensional quenching problems

Abstract This article studies a semi-adaptive compact Peaceman–Rachford splitting method for solving two-dimensional nonlinear reaction–diffusion equations with singular source terms. While an adaption is utilized in the temporal direction, uniform grids are considered in the space. It is shown that the compact scheme is stable and convergent when its dimensional Courant numbers are within the frame of a window determined by the given spatial domain. Though such a window implies a considerable restriction on the decomposed compact scheme, the new computational strategy acquired is highly efficient and reliable for a variety of applications. Numerical examples are given to illustrate our conclusions and indicate that the method constructed is effective in determining key singularity characteristics such as the quenching time and critical domain.
Model experiments illustrating fibre pull-out

Pull-out of a rigid fibre from a solid matrix has been studied in a model of a composite material using transparent media to display the fracture. Solidified gelatine solution was used to model an elastic-plastic matrix and silicone rubber used to represent a brittle elastic material. The conditions dictating both brittle and plastic failure in the model have been presented theoretically and supported by experimental observations. In addition, a novel type of failure, where bubble cracks propagated between fibre and matrix, was observed.
Feminism and war: Theoretical issues and debates

Men make war; women make peace. Men make war; women make children. Men make war because women make children. Because men make war, women make children. Women make peace because they make children.
Effect of growth hormone on skeletal mass in adult dogs

THE skeletal mass of adult dogs of both sexes can be significantly increased by administering exogenous bovine growth hormone (0.5 mg/kg/day for 84 days) without inducing acromegaly or diabetes. This increase is a consequence of a marked rise in new bone formation. The new bone is histologically and microradiographically normal.
O2-polarographic studies on soluble and mitochondrial enzymes of Crithidia fasciculata; glycerophosphage enzymes.

SYNOPSIS. Mitochondrial and supernatant fractions were isolated from Crithidia fasciculata by grinding with neutral alumina and differential centrifugation. Supernatant fractions contained at least 2 NAD-linked enzymes: an α-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase and a malate dehydrogenase. The properties of these enzymes were investigated polarographically with phenazine ethosulfate acting as electron acceptor. Agaricic acid, cinnamic acid and p-NO2-cinnamic acid were specific inhibitors of the α-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase. Succinate, malate, DL-α-glycerophosphate and NADH stimulated respiration of mitochondrial preparations; O2 uptake was greatest with succinate. KCN and antimycin A inhibited succinate respiration more than α-glycerophosphate respiration. Amytal did not affect succinate, α-glycerophosphate or NADH oxidation. The trypanocide suramin inhibited mitochondrial respiration at least 77% with each substrate. The relevance of these results to other members of the Trypanosomatidae is discussed.
Potato yellow dwarf virus in leafhopper cell culture.

Abstract Both the New York and New Jersey varieties of potato yellow dwarf virus, designated NY-PYDV and NJ-PYDV, respectively, were inoculated on monolayers of their specific leafhopper vector cells. Initially the efficiency of inoculation was very low, but it was greatly increased by incorporation of diethylaminoethyl-dextran (DEAE-dextran) at 25 μg/ml in inoculum prepared from cultures of vector cells infected with NY-PYDV. Linear relationships were established between the concentration of each of these viruses in the inoculum and the incidence of infected cells in inoculated monolayers. In early stages of infection with PYDV only the nuclei stain with fluorescent antiserum to PYDV. Later some staining occurs in the cytoplasm. This is in marked contrast to the absence of stain in nuclei and the heavy staining of cytoplasm that occurs in cells infected with wound tumor virus (WTV) and treated with fluorescent antiserum to WTV. Electron microscopy revealed the bacilliform PYDV virions in the vector cells. These resembled those previously described in infected plants except that the virions were somewhat shorter. As in plants, their principal location was the perinuclear space into which they appeared to develop by a budding-like process from the inner nuclear membrane. The infection of the vector cells indicates that potato yellow dwarf viruses multiply in their vectors.
Edible coatings to inhibit lipid migration in a confectionery product

Coatings containing hydrocolloids and sweetners were tested for lipid barrier and sensory properties, adhesion to chocolate, viscosity, and a w . A coating containing high methoxyl pectin, acacia gum, high fructose corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, and sucrose was most effective. Coatings (0.5 nm thick, a w 0.5) showed no detectable oil migration after 47 days at 30±1 o C, compared to 11.5 mg/cm 2 trilinolein equivalents migration in 1 day at 21±2 o C. Coatings (0.5 mm thick) were applied between chocolate and peanut butter and tested for sensory characteristics. Except for the color of the coating, no significant difference occurred in overall preference compared to control (no coating) samples
A biochemical comparison of Xenopus laevis and mammalian myelin from the central and peripheral nervous systems.

Myelin purified from the central nervous system of Xenopus laevis contained the same major lipid and protein components as human myelin. However, some minor differences in the myelin proteins were noted. The Xenopus basic protein had a higher apparent mol wt. on sodium dodecyl sulfate gels than the corresponding mammalian protein. The absolute specific activity of 2′,3′-cyclic nucleotide 3′-phosphohydrolase in the Xenopus myelin was considerably higher than in mammals. There were differences in the high mol wt. proteins, and the glycoproteins in Xenopus myelin were more heterogeneous than those in mammals. Peripheral myelin from Xenopus sciatic nerve was compared with that from the rat. The lipids in the two types of myelin were similar. There was a major glycoprotein in the Xenopus myelin corresponding to the P0 protein and a basic protein of slightly larger mol wt. than the P1 protein of rat myelin.
Methylmercury dicyandiamide: Retardation of Detour learning in chicks hatched from injected eggs

Abstract Fertilized chicken eggs were injected prior to incubation with 0.9% saline or methylmercury dicyandiamide (0.05, 0.50, and 5.0 mg/kg of egg). Activity was measured in the open-field at 5 days of age. Between 7 and 11 days of age (posthatch), chicks were trained in a detour learning situation. Although a dose of 0.5 mg MMD/kg of egg (0.5 ppm) did not effect hatchability or activity, detour learning was significantly impaired.
A Reservoir Sampling Algorithm with Adaptive Estimation of Conditional Expectation

Resource-constrained data mining introduces many constraints when learning from large datasets. It is often not practical or possible to keep the entire data set in main memory and often the data could be observed in a single run in the order in which they are presented. Traditional reservoir-based approaches perform well in this situation. One drawback of these approaches is that the examples not included in the final reservoir are often ignored. To remedy this situation we propose a modification to the baseline reservoir algorithm. Instead of keeping the actual target values of reservoir examples, an estimate of their conditional expectation is kept and updated online as new data are observed from the stream. The estimate is obtained by averaging target values of the similar examples. The proposed algorithm uses a paired t-test to determine the similarity threshold. Thorough evaluation on generated two dimensional data shows that the proposed algorithm is producing reservoirs with considerably reduced target noise. This property allows training of significantly improved prediction models as compared with the baseline reservoir-based approach.
Comparison of covalent with reversible inhibitor binding sites of the gastric H,K-ATPase by site-directed mutagenesis.

Abstract The gastric H,K-ATPase is covalently inhibited by substituted pyridyl-methylsulfinyl-benzimidazoles, such as omeprazole, that convert to thiophilic probes of luminally accessible cysteines in the acid space. The K+ competitive inhibitor, SCH28080, prevented inhibition of acid transport by omeprazole. In stably expressing HEK293 cells, the benzimidazole-reactive cysteines, Cys-321 (transmembrane helix (TM) 3), Cys-813 and Cys-822 (TM5/6), and Cys-892 (TM7/8) were mutated to the amino acids found in the SCH28080-resistant Na,K-ATPase and kinetic parameters of H,K-ATPase activity analyzed. Mutations of Cys-822 and Cys-892 had insignificant effects on the K i(app),K m(app) or V max, but mutations of Cys-813 to threonine and Cys-321 to alanine decreased the affinity for SCH28080. Mutation of Cys-321 to alanine produced mixed kinetics of inhibition, still with higher affinity for the cation-free form of phosphoenzyme. Since the phenylmethoxy ring of the imidazo-pyridine inhibitors binds to TM1/2, as shown by earlier photoaffinity studies, and the mutations in TM6 (Cys-813 → Thr) as well as the end of TM3 (Cys-321 → Ala) decrease the affinity for SCH28080, the TM1/2, TM3, and TM6 helices lie within ∼ 16 A of each other based on the size of the active, extended conformation of SCH28080.
Dynamics of NF3 in a condensed film on Au(1 1 1) as studied by electron-stimulated desorption

Abstract We report a low-temperature dynamics study of condensed layers of NF3 on Au(1 1 1) by time-of-flight electron-stimulated desorption ion angular distribution (TOF-ESDIAD), temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) and low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy (LT-STM). Upon adsorption at 30 K, molecular NF3 adsorption occurs first at the step edges and at minor terrace defect sites with the formation of 2D islands. Within the islands, NF3 is adsorbed in an upright conformation via the nitrogen lone pair electrons projecting fluorine atoms away from the surface as judged by the presence of only a sharp F+ central beam in the ESDIAD pattern. At higher coverages, 3D islands start to populate the surface. Electron bombardment of a thick NF3 (∼6 ML) layer adsorbed on the Au(1 1 1) surface leads to emission of F+, N+, NF+, NF 2 + and NF 3 + ions as observed in the TOF-ESD distribution. Upon heating to ∼37 K, a sudden decrease of the NF 2 + and NF 3 + ion yield, which is not related to thermal desorption, is observed which reflects the surface migration of NF3 molecules, leading to local thinning of the film. The thinning process occurs at the temperature of onset of molecular rotations and self-diffusion in the bulk NF3 crystal. In this process, some NF3 molecules move closer to the surface which results in higher efficiency for ion neutralization by the underlying metal surface. In the TPD spectra, the monolayer desorption is observed to begin at ∼65 K, exhibiting zero-order kinetics with an activation energy of 21 kJ/mol.
DUAL ROLE OF BORON IN THE ELEVATED TEMPERATURE EMBRITTLEMENT OF IRRADIATED COMPLEX HEAT-RESISTANT ALLOYS

IN a recent communication, Roberts and Harries1 discuss some investigations which were made on elevated temperature embrittlement induced in 20 per cent chromium : 25 per cent nickel : niobium-stabilized austenitic steel by irradiation with thermal neutrons. Similar observations2,3 were noted by us in the case of precipitation hardening and also solution strengthened alloys, which were either irradiated at pile ambient or at elevated temperatures and afterwards post-irradiation tested at elevated temperatures in conventional creeprupture testing equipment. The high-temperature brittleness was further observed4 for irradiation conditions in which the fast neutron and thermal neutron dosages were as low as 8 × 1014 nvt and 4 × 1015 nvt, respectively. This thermal neutron dose, for example, is about a factor of 1.9 × 103 lower than those reported by Roberts and Harries.
Effect of Endogenous Triacylglycerol Hydrolysates on the Mechanical Properties of Zein Films from Ground Corn

Dry-milled yellow corn and freshly ground food and nonfood grade yellow and white hybrid corn kernels were pretreated in a solution of lactic acid and sodium metabisulfite followed by extraction with 70% ethanol. Zein was precipitated from the extract by reducing the ethanol content of the extract to 40%. Lipid associated with the zein isolates was between 15 and 20% and contained mostly endogenous free fatty acids. The effect of the endogenous free fatty acids on zein isolate films, with and without free fatty acids, was determined by measuring various film properties. Stress-strain measurements indicated 40-200% greater elongation for zein films containing endogenous free fatty acids. Films prepared from zein isolated from preground corn stored for approximately 4 months (27 degrees C, 17% relative humidity) had approximately 3 times greater elongation values than zein films prepared from freshly ground corn.
Psychological factors predict local and referred experimental muscle pain: A cluster analysis in healthy adults

Background: Recent studies suggest an underlying three- or four-factor structure explains the conceptual overlap and distinctiveness of several negative emotionality and pain-related constructs. However, the validity of these latent factors for predicting pain has not been examined. Methods: A cohort of 189 (99 female, 90 male) healthy volunteers completed eight self-report negative emotionality and pain-related measures (Eysenck Personality Questionnaire – Revised, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Pain Catastrophizing Scale, Fear of Pain Questionnaire; Somatosensory Amplification Scale, Anxiety Sensitivity Index and Whiteley Index). Using principal axis factoring, three primary latent factors were extracted: general distress, catastrophic thinking and pain-related fear. Using these factors, individuals clustered into three subgroups of high, moderate and low negative emotionality responses. Experimental pain was induced via intramuscular acidic infusion into the anterior tibialis muscle, producing local (infusion site) and/or referred (anterior ankle) pain and hyperalgesia. Results: Pain outcomes differed between clusters (multivariate analysis of variance and multinomial regression), with individuals in the highest negative emotionality cluster reporting the greatest local pain (p = 0.05), mechanical hyperalgesia (pressure pain thresholds; p = 0.009) and greater odds (2.21 odds ratio) of experiencing referred pain when compared to the lowest negative emotionality cluster. Conclusion: Our results provide support for three latent psychological factors explaining the majority of the variance between several pain-related psychological measures, and that individuals in the high negative emotionality subgroup are at increased risk for (1) acute local muscle pain; (2) local hyperalgesia; and (3) referred pain using a standardized nociceptive input.
Structure and intermicellar interactions in block polyelectrolyte assemblies

Amphiphilic diblock polyelectrolytes are becoming popular in industrial applications due to their versatility, ranging from usage in pharmaceuticals to personal care products. Many of these systems also exhibit interesting rheological and morphological behavior. Our system is based on a polystyrene-poly(ethyl acrylate) diblock. The properties can be tuned by utilizing a simple hydrolysis reaction, converting poly(ethyl acrylate) (PEA) to poly(acrylic acid) (PAA). We study the effect of this hydrolysis reaction on the interaction between micelles of polystyrene-poly(acrylic acid) in water using small-angle and ultra-small-angle neutron scattering. We see that as more PEA is converted to PAA, the aggregation number and polystyrene core size decrease. We also studied the effect of cationic (DTAB) and anionic surfactant (SDS) on the PS-PAA diblocks using small-angle neutron scattering. We see that as SDS is added, there are no significant changes in the micellar structure. However, on the addition of DTAB past the CMC, we observe changes in the spectra that may correspond to complexation between the PS-PAA micelles and DTAB aggregates.
It’s Time to Bring Dendritic Cell Therapy to Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease that results from a deficient induction or maintenance of tolerance to islet β-cell antigens, allowing the eventual T-cell–mediated destruction of insulin-producing β-cells within the pancreatic islets (1). Under homeostatic conditions, immune tolerance is established by various subsets of antigen-presenting cells (APCs) with tolerance-inducing/maintaining (tolerogenic) functions and reinforced by other cells with suppressor and immunomodulatory properties. T-cell tolerance manifests itself through elimination (deletion), inactivation (anergy), or suppression of self-reactive T cells (Fig. 1 A ). These functions may be performed by a variety of tolerogenic APCs (Table 1), some of which have the ability to induce/boost regulatory T cells (Tregs) and/or B cells (Bregs). Genetic and environmental factors that vary among different individuals contribute to the development of T1D, in part by impacting mechanisms of tolerance (Fig. 1 B ). Therefore, a major goal for the prevention and/or reversal of T1D is to restore effective and durable tolerance to either prevent further destruction of remaining islet β-cells, help islet β-cell regeneration, or protect islet transplants and obviate the use of nonspecific immunosuppressive drugs. The approach reviewed here consists of developing a personalized therapy using the patient’s own cells manipulated to perform as tolerogenic APCs (Fig. 1 C ). In this review, we will explain why dendritic cells (DCs) are the tolerogenic cells of choice to fulfill the goal of restoring immune tolerance in T1D as part of a potentially powerful and safe cellular immunotherapy, the next generation of therapies (2). We will present the clinical considerations and challenges ahead and the plans to address them, taking into account lessons learned from animal models such as the NOD mouse. Figure 1 Tolerance to β-cell antigens: induction, loss, and restoration. A : Tolerance to β-cell antigens is induced and maintained by tolerogenic cells comprised of migratory DCs transporting antigens from peripheral to lymphoid …
Fibrin adhesive in conjunction with epithelial ingrowth removal after laser in situ keratomileusis: Long-term results

Purpose To describe the long-term results of fibrin adhesive use in the management of epithelial ingrowth after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). Setting Private practice, Minneapolis, Minnesota, and an academic medical center, Durham, North Carolina, USA. Design Retrospective case series. Methods Patients with a history of LASIK had epithelial ingrowth removal with mechanical debridement and fibrin glue application. Visual outcomes and the presence or absence of epithelial ingrowth were evaluated again after 3 months and at the last follow-up. The main outcome measures were recurrence of epithelial ingrowth and visual acuity. Results Thirty-nine eyes of 38 patients were evaluated. After epithelial ingrowth removal and application of fibrin glue, 31 eyes (79.5%) had no recurrence of ingrowth at the final follow-up and 5 eyes (12.8%) had mild epithelial ingrowth not requiring removal. Three eyes (7.7%) had significant epithelial ingrowth at the 3-month follow-up that required subsequent removal and fibrin application. At the 3-month follow-up visit, 76.9% of eyes achieved 20/25 or better corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) and 69.2% of eyes achieved 20/40 or better uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA). At the last follow-up visit (mean 26.6 ± 17.0 months [SD]), 84.6% of eyes had 20/25 or better CDVA and 74.4% of eyes had 20/40 or better UDVA. Conclusions Fibrin adhesive in conjunction with manual epithelial removal prevented a clinically significant recurrence of epithelial ingrowth in the majority of eyes. Larger randomized studies are needed to compare the success of this technique with that of others. Financial Disclosure No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
Determination of apoplastic Na+ in intact leaves of cotton by in vivo fluorescence ratio-imaging.

Salinity may reduce plant growth via Na + -toxicity symptoms in mature leaves after long-term exposure. It has been suggested by other authors that Na + accumulates in the leaf apoplast and leads to dehydration of leaves, wilting, and finally to death of these leaves. Two methods were employed to determine the Na + concentration in the leaf apoplast of salt-tolerant cotton plants under salinity. The ratio imaging of sodium-binding benzofuran isophthalate (SBFI) fluorescence was used to detect in vivo concentration changes and gradients of Na + within the leaf apoplast under salinity stress, and results were compared with the infiltration-centrifugation method. A significant increase in Na + concentration was found in the leaf apoplast under salinity (75 mM NaCl), but no further significant increase was determined when NaCl supply was increased from 75 to 150 mM. Both methods revealed that Na + concentrations remained relatively low, and thus could not be responsible for the decline in yield under salinity. The ratio images showed changes in Na + concentration and gradients within the leaf apoplast under salt stress, and demonstrated the validity of the method. However, SBFI fluorescence was also influenced by pH, proteins and salt-induced compatible osmolytes.
Predicting the number of fatal soft errors in Los Alamos national laboratory's ASC Q supercomputer

Early in the deployment of the Advanced Simulation and Computing (ASC) Q supercomputer, a higher-than-expected number of single-node failures was observed. The elevated rate of single-node failures was hypothesized to be caused primarily by fatal soft errors, i.e., board-level cache (B-cache) tag (BTAG) parity errors caused by cosmic-ray-induced neutrons that led to node crashes. A series of experiments was undertaken at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) to ascertain whether fatal soft errors were indeed the primary cause of the elevated rate of single-node failures. Observed failure data from Q are consistent with the results from some of these experiments. Mitigation strategies have been developed, and scientists successfully use Q for large computations in the presence of fatal soft errors and other single-node failures.
Long-Range trapping and rotation of single nanorods using plasmonic tweezers

We present plasmonic tweezers that makes use of localized surface plasmons from a close-packed Au nanoparticle (NP) array. This device is able to realize long-range trapping and orientation control of single nanorods with a very low optical intensity requirement.
Are southern California oil and gas platforms essential fish habitat

US federal agencies must consult with the National Marine Fisheries Service on actions that may adversely affect “essential fish habitat” (EFH). This EFH mandate coincides with recent discussions on proposed decommissioning of oil and gas platforms in southern California. While many species falling under the Pacific Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (e.g. rockfish, genus Sebastes) inhabit platforms, available information is insufficient for determining whether the structures are necessary to support a sustainable fishery or contribute to a healthy ecosystem, the two basic tenets of EFH. The occurrence of juvenile and large adult rockfish at some platforms suggests that they may support important ecological functions. Because rockfish show long-term population declines, further evaluation of platform ecological structure and function is warranted and should be integrated into the environmental review process. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd on behalf of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea.
UNDERSTANDING SCENE DESCRIPTIONS AS EVENT SIMULATIONS

The language of scene descriptions must allow a hearer to build structures of schemas similar (to some level of detail) to those the speaker has built via perceptual processes. The understanding process in general requires a hearer to create and run "event simulations" to check the consistency and plausibility of a "picture" constructed from a speaker's description. A speaker must also run similar event simulations on his own descriptions in order to be able to judge when the hearer has been given sufficient information to construct an appropriate "picture", and to be able to respond appropriately to the hearer's questions about or responses to the scene description.In this paper I explore some simple scene description examples in which a hearer must make judgements involving reasoning about scenes, space, common-sense physics, cause-effect relationships, etc. While I propose some mechanisms for dealing with such scene descriptions, my primary concern at this time is to flesh out our understanding of just what the mechanisms must accomplish: what information will be available to them and what information must be found or generated to account for the inferences we know are actually made.
Phylogeny and Taxonomy of an Enigmatic Sterile Lichen

Abstract Crustose, asexually reproducing taxa represent a large component of lichen biodiversity that is often overlooked and underestimated; as a result, remarkable potential remains for discovery of new species in this neglected, polyphyletic group. For this study, ITS and mtSSU rDNA sequences were analyzed in conjunction with chemical and anatomical data to understand the systematic placement of an enigmatic, sterile lichen. This species, despite references in the literature, and being known for over half a decade, has remained undescribed due to our inability to integrate it into a higher-level taxonomic framework using morphology alone. Here we demonstrate the utility of a systematic methodology that combines molecular and non-molecular characters to place and circumscribe species of asexually reproducing lichens that are typically sterile. Based on our analyses, the new species, Caloplaca reptans, shows phylogenetic and morphological affinities to a broad group of Caloplaca species with gray thalli,...
Kinase-Independent Functions of TEL1 in Telomere Maintenance

TEL1 is important in Saccharomyces cerevisiae telomere maintenance, and its kinase activity is required. Tel1p associates with telomeres in vivo, is enriched at short telomeres, and enhances the binding of telomerase components to short telomeres. However, it is unclear how the kinase activity and telomere association contribute to Tel1p's overall function in telomere length maintenance. To investigate this question, we generated a set of single point mutants and a double point mutant (tel1(KD)) of Tel1p that were kinase deficient and two Xrs2p mutants that failed to bind Tel1p. Using these separation-of-function alleles in a de novo telomere elongation assay, we found, surprisingly, that the tel1(KD) allele and xrs2 C-terminal mutants were both partially functional. Combining the tel1(KD) and xrs2 C-terminal mutants had an additive effect and resembled the TEL1 null (tel1Delta) phenotype. These data indicate that Tel1p has two separate functions in telomere maintenance and that the Xrs2p-dependent recruitment of Tel1p to telomeres plays an important role even in the absence of its kinase activity.
Solar angles revisited using a general vector approach

Abstract Rather than follow the standard technique using direction cosines or major axes vectors to define the angles of the sun, we develop the necessary formulae from a 3-tuple vector based analysis. The direction of the sun with respect to a Cartesian coordinate system is defined as a unit vector, as is the orthogonal to a surface intended to accept solar radiation. The vector formulation is powerful and universal. More importantly, the diagrams used to describe the relative motion of the sun with respect to the Earth are quite simple, leading to less confusion when translating the geometry to algebra. An interesting result on the change in solar angle with time follows.
Why Does the United States Regulate Foreign Bribery: Moralism, Self-Interest, or Altruism?

This short essay traces the legislative history of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and its amendments to examine the influence of three distinct motivations: moralism, (economic) self-interest and altruism. The legislative history suggests that moralism and self-interest played the most significant roles in influencing the provisions of the original Act and its 1988 Amendments. Since then altruism has played a more prominent role in shaping the FCPA and other initiatives aimed at foreign bribery. The essay concludes by discussing the potential tension between self-interest and altruism and ways in which it might be resolved.
Augmented Expression of a Human Gene for 8-oxoguanine DNA Glycosylase (MutM) in B Lymphocytes of the Dark Zone in Lymph Node Germinal Centers

B cells that mediate normal, T cell–dependent, humoral immune responses must first pass through germinal centers (GCs) within the cortex of antigenically stimulated lymph nodes. As they move through the dark zone and then the light zone in the GC, B cells are subjected to somatic hypermutation and switch recombination within their rearranged immunoglobulin genes and also participate in a number of other processes that control development into memory cells or cells specialized for antibody secretion. To investigate the molecular mechanisms that contribute to B cell development within GCs, we constructed a recombinant DNA library enriched for cDNAs derived from human genes expressed in B cells at this site. This library was found to contain a cDNA structurally and functionally related to genes in bacteria and yeast for the DNA repair enzyme 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase. Northern blot analysis indicated that the human gene is expressed as two alternatively spliced messenger RNAs within GC B cells at levels greatly exceeding that found in other tissues. In situ hybridization studies revealed that expression of this gene is most abundant within the dark zones of GCs. Both the function and localized expression of this gene suggest that it may play a role in somatic hypermutation of immunoglobulin genes.
Property Crimes and Violence in United States: An Analysis of the influence of Population density

The role of population density in the generation or suppression of crime has been the subject of debate for decades. The classic argument is that high density offers opportunities for property crimes, given that it is a surrogate for the distribution of private property, much of which offers attractive targets to thieves. On the other hand, densely populated areas offer natural surveillance that has the effect of inhibiting violent crimes in so far as witnesses are more abundant and events are more likely to be reported to police. In this analysis, property and violent crimes were selected from a database of over 100,000 crimes reported in Baltimore County, Maryland, U.S.A., in the year 2000. Densities of population and of property and violent crimes were calculated for city blocks. Blocks with population densities above the mean of all blocks were then retained for further consideration. Analysis demonstrated that both property and violent crimes were moderately correlated with population density, and these crimes largely affected the same blocks. It was concluded that at the block level of geography, no evidence of a differential between property and violent crimes based on population density could be detected.
Do Companies Attempt to Strategically Hide Restatements? An Examination of Companies’ Regulatory Filing Choices

This study explores the factors associated with companies’ regulatory filing choices surrounding the restatement of previously filed financial statements. Companies have three regulatory filing alternatives of decreasing transparency: file an 8-K report, file an amended report, or restate the previous financial statements in subsequent regulatory filings. We examine whether the transparency of the regulatory filing decision is associated with the materiality of the restatement and/or company-specific strategic factors. We document that the decision to file 8-K reports is increasing with the materiality factors rather than with companies attempting to strategically hide restatements. The SEC’s rule change that clarified companies’ duties to report restatements in 8-K reports increased the use of 8-Ks, although it did not affect the importance of the various factors in that decision. The amended filing decision, a less transparent choice for which the SEC provides little to no guidance, is more complex: strategic factors are significantly associated with the amended filing decision both prior to and subsequent to the 8-K rule change. In addition, after the SEC rule change, companies are less likely to file amended reports but when an 8-K is filed, the company is more likely to also file an amended report. Our results suggest that the SEC guidance regarding the 8-K restatement filing requirements appears to have led to the intended consequences for 8-K filings, and that the SEC should perhaps consider providing additional guidance on the amended filing requirements.
Optimal design of a perpetual equity-indexed annuity

Abstract We find the participation rate, guaranteed death benefit, guaranteed surrender benefit, and initial and maintenance fees that most appeal to a buyer of a perpetual equity-indexed annuity (EIA) from the standpoint of maximizing the buyer’s expected discounted utility of wealth at death, also called bequest, while still allowing the issuer of the EIA to (at least) break even on the basis of the expected discounted value of the issuer’s payout. In calculating the buyer’s expected utility, we use the physical probability faced by the buyer. However, in calculating the expected value of the issuer’s payout, we use a type of risk-neutral probability by assuming that the issuer sells many independent policies. We demonstrate our method with an illustrative numerical example.
A Modest Proposal to Improve Tax Compliance: Curbing Penalty-Protection Opinions

In this time of record federal budget deficits, policymakers are devoting great attention to the tax gap, a measure of tax compliance (or noncompliance). The gap is estimated to be over a third of a trillion dollars, and it has grown rapidly in recent decades. There is no "silver bullet" to improve compliance across the board; a mix of strategies will be needed. This article suggests one such strategy, a new proposal to reduce noncompliance by wealthy individuals and corporations. Many wealthy taxpayers decide whether to take tenuous tax return positions by weighing rewards against risks. Civil tax penalties are crucial to that calculation. Without a viable penalty regime, perceived rewards from noncompliant behavior will often outweigh perceived risks. The deterrent effect of penalties is undercut by the ability of wealthy taxpayers to obtain favorable opinions from their attorneys and accountants blessing even dubious transactions, providing colorable "reasonable cause" defenses to deflect penalties. This article proposes that the reliance defense be means-tested, that is, be made categorically unavailable to corporate and individual taxpayers whose net worths exceed specified levels. This change would transform the conversations between wealthy taxpayers and their advisers. Since "wink and nod" opinions would no longer be valuable, taxpayers would now want their advisers' candid views of the tax merits of proposed transactions, improving compliance. Moreover, means-testing would be fair. This proposal would merely extend to the penalty context the means-testing that the tax law already requires in other contexts. Means-testing recognizes that wealthy taxpayers have options unavailable to others. After means-testing, wealthy taxpayers would still be able to protect themselves by obtaining rulings or second opinions in close cases and by bringing malpractice actions if they wind up paying penalties as a result of poor advice.