cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mobile phase effects on retention on a new butylimidazolium-based high-performance liquid chromatographic stationary phase

A new HPLC stationary phase based on n-butylimidazolium bromide has been characterized by a linear solvation energy relationship (LSER) approach in the binary acetonitrile/water mobile phases. The retention properties of the stationary phase were systematically evaluated in terms of intermolecular interactions between 28 test solutes and the stationary phase. The results and further comparisons with conventional reversed phase system confirm that retention properties are similar to phenyl phases in acetonitrile/water mixtures. The results obtained with acetonitrile/water mixtures are also compared with results obtained using methanol/water mixtures.
Kawasaki's disease: Another cause for fever in the pediatric patient

Abstract The case of a four-year-old black male with mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome (Kawasaki's disease) is presented. The clinical as well as the laboratory criteria for diagnosis are illustrated and corollated with the corresponding pathologic findings. Recommendations are made for the immediate disposition of patients encountered in the emergency department setting, and an outline for the long-term follow-up of the patient is presented.
(α-Aminoacyl)amino-Substituted Heterocycles and Related Compounds

N-Protected-(aminoacyl)benzotriazoles 1a-e, g, i, j, 1a'-c' convert heterocyclic amines of the following series: thiazoles (3a and 3a'), benzothiazoles (3b and 3b'), benzimidazoles (3c and 3c'), thiadiazoles (3d), pyrimidones (9a, b, a'), pyrazoles (11a, b), and pyridines (13a-g, 13d') under microwave irradiation, into N-substituted amides in yields of 40-98% (average 76%). N-Protected peptidoylbenzotriazoles 6a, b similarly afforded C-terminal N-protected dipeptidoyl amides 7a, b (52-60%).
Homologies of the N-terminal sequences of asclepains and papain☆

Sequences to residue 21 have been determined for the two asclepains, cysteinyl proteases isolated from milkweed (Asclepias syriaca L.). These were compared with the sequence for papain, and extensive homology was found.
Play Deprivation in Deer

The normal spontaneous play (ludic behavior) in a male and a female hand-raised fawn of the blacktailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) is described. The motor patterns employed and the extent and circumstances of play are in accordance with LINSDALE and TOMICH's observations in the wild. The play consists of head jerks, butting, pushing, head shaking, mounting, leaping, running, neck craning and neck twisting, and kicking. Exploratory behavior is independent of locomotor play. Both individuals were repeatedly experimentally deprived of leaping, running and accompanying movements (e.g., kicking). There was no effect on play: all motor patterns occur in their usual frequency after play deprivation. However, the raised speed of running in the female after deprivation should not be overlooked. The major effects of play deprivation were prolongation of the activity periods without increasing the total amount of activity, a higher rate of locomotion in the first hours after the deprivation, and in the female more exploration in the regular activity periods following the experiment. These findings support the hypothesis that play is not due to a specific motivation on its own but is closely related to a general readiness to be active, at least for the species in question.
Natural monopoly and the deregulation of local telephone service

Abstract Natural monopoly theory fails to provide a credible reason for regulation. Before regulation, competition in the US telephone industry performed its classic function of providing discipline on prices, profits and costs. Loop-conserving technological developments have now reduced the minimum efficient size of entry and made local competition a feasible substitute for regulation. A policy of open entry, mandatory non-discriminatory interconnection, and allowing resale would bring this about. Politically, such an outcome is most likely when the local carriers' capital-recovery problems have been resolved, the toll-to-local subsidy has dissappeared, and parity is brought about between residence prices and costs.
Non-anti-matter Nature of the Tunguska Meteor

THE deduction of Cowan et al.1, from their radiocarbon measurements of tree rings, that the Tunguska meteorite could not have been made of anti-matter has been called into question recently by R. V. Gentry2. The present communication supports the assumption of Cowan et al. that there are about 8 ± 4 neutrons per nucleon–antinucleon annihilation and reaffirms the validity of their conclusion. Gentry has pointed out that for proton (P)–antiproton (P) annihilations which produce two low energy charged pions each on average, the pions decay before they can travel far enough in the atmosphere to interact; and that neutrons cannot therefore be produced to any important extent by P–P annihilations in the atmosphere.
Experimental evidence of state-selective charge transfer in inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry

Abstract State-selective charge-transfer behavior was observed for Fe, Cr, Mn and Cu in inductively coupled plasma (ICP)-atomic emission spectrometry. Charge transfer from Ar + to Fe, Cr and Mn is state-selective because of inefficient collisional mixing of the quasiresonant charge-transfer energy levels with nearby levels. This low efficiency is the consequence of differences in electronic configuration of the core electrons. The reason for state-selective charge-transfer behavior to Cu is not clear, although a tentative explanation based on efficiency of intramultiplet and intermultiplet mixing for this special case is offered.
Regression diagnostic plots in 3-D

This article concerns three-dimensional (3-D) added variable and partial residual plots. We show that the two-dimensional (2-D) added variable and partial residual plots are included as views in the 3-D plots, and these views are along (parallel to) the regression plane. That is, the 2-D plots are limited views, restricted to a sort of flatland, so they have a limited ability to show what is going on. In the case of just two predictors, recent improvements in the 2-D partial residual plot, such as the Mallows augmented plot, are also included as views in the 3-D plot, but these views are not along the regression plane.
The formation and structure of political belief systems

Do large numbers of people possess the ability to relate to political events in a systematic way? Is this ability shown in the formation of relatively coherent systems of beliefs about politics? To deal with these questions, this article develops and tests a model of the cognitive process by which individuals form and organize beliefs about politics. The model explains the formation of political belief systems and successfully predicts their structure. The model also provides an integrative focus for the literature on political rationality and “issue voting,” and on the relationship between political attitude and political behavior.
Raman/Rayleigh/LIF/CRDS measurements in premixed CH4/N2/O2 atmospheric pressure flames

Measurements of N2, O2, CH4, CO2, and H2O have been made by vibrational raman scattering and OH by laser induced fluorescence (LIF) and cavity ringdown spectroscopy (CRDS) as a function of height in a premixed methane/air flame at atmospheric pressure.
Initial characterization of the metabolism of intervertebral disc cells encapsulated in microspheres

Adult, canine intervertebral disc cells were isolated with a sequential digestion of pronase and bacterial collagenase. The nonchondrodystrophoid nucleus pulposus exhibits two populations of cells: large notochordal cells and smaller chondrocyte-like cells. The cells from the transition zone and anulus fibrosus are uniform in size, ranging from 17 to 21 microns. The isolated cells were encapsulated in alginate beads and cultured in Ham's F-12 medium containing 5% heat-inactivated fetal bovine serum. Alginate bead formation requires calcium ions and can be reversed with a suitable chelator, thus releasing viable cells. We observed that 58% of the newly synthesized proteoglycans formed large-molecular-weight aggregates with hyaluronic acid. The proteoglycans contained low amounts of keratan sulfate (KS) (less than 5% of the total glycosaminoglycans synthesized). The chondroitin sulfates (CS) consisted of 51-67% as 6-O-sulfate and 29-39% as 4-O-sulfate, with the remainder (4-10%) present as 4,6-sulfate for all three zones of the disc. The majority of cells synthesized significant amounts of matrix as evidenced by Alcian Blue staining. By immunohistochemical analysis, the matrix contained chondroitin 6-sulfate as demonstrated by monoclonal antibodies to the unsaturated disaccharides remaining on the proteoglycan core after chondroitinase ABC digestion. Keratan sulfate was also present in the majority of the matrices around cells. These results emphasize the similarity of the newly synthesized proteoglycans secreted by cells grown in alginate beads to those synthesized by the neonate disc. These experiments also demonstrate the usefulness of this method as a microculture technique for disc cells.
Electron paramagnetic resonance signal II in spinach chloroplasts. II. Alternative spectral forms and inhibitor effects on kinetics of signal II in flashing light.

Abstract Linewidth and hyperfine structure measurements of the EPR spectrum of Signal II in spinach chloroplasts show that the signal reflects two alternative states. One state is characterized by a 16-G linewidth and four partially resolved hyperfine components. The other state has 19 G linewidth and five partially resolved hyperfine components. It is possible to interconvert these two states by changing the ionic strength of the chloroplast suspension. Both states of Signal II show similar light-induced increases in dark-adapted chloroplasts and respond to 10-μs white light flashes with identical kinetics. In chloroplasts at room temperature, Signal II dark decays to 50% of its total light-induced level in about 1 h. Single flashes increase the spin concentration in these aged chloroplasts but with decreased effectiveness compared with fresh, dark-adapted chloroplasts. Carbonyl cyanide-m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP) decreases the decay time of Signal II from hours to seconds without appreciably altering the level of Signal II formed in saturating continuous light. However, both the formation time constant and the extent of Signal II increase stimulated by a single saturating flash are decreased in CCCP-treated chloroplasts. These results are interpreted in terms of the model, proposed in the preceding paper, in which Signal II is generated by oxidation-reduction reactions on the water side of Photosystem II.
Brent Ryan, Design After Decline: How America Rebuilds Shrinking Cities (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2012). George Galster, Driving Detroit: The Quest for Respect in the Motor City (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2012).

These two books, from different urban series published by the University of Pennsylvania Press, offer contrasting perspectives on the deindustrialization of America’s twentieth-century manufacturin...
High-temperature plastic deformation in Y2O3-stabilized ZrO2 single crystals: IV. The secondary slip systems

Abstract Activation of secondary slip systems, {110} 〈1·0〉 and {111} 〈1·0〉, have been studied in Y2O3-stabilized ZrO2 at 1400°C by deforming crystals along orientations (〈001〉, 〈115〉, 〈113〉, and 〈029〉), for which the Schmid factors for the primary ({001} 〈110〉) system are low. The critical resolved shear stresses for {110} and {111} slip were nearly identical and about ⅓ higher than for {001} slip.
Serine substitutions caused by an ochre suppressor in yeast.

Abstract The suppressor SUQ5 in yeast can cause the production of approximately 10 to 20% of the normal amount of iso-l-cytochrome c when coupled to the ochre (UAA) mutants cyc1–2 and cyc1–72. The iso-l-cytochromes c contain residues of serine at positions that correspond to the sites of the ochre codons. SUQ5 is efficient only in strains having the non-Mendelian factor ψ+, although the low amount of suppressed iso-l-cytochrome c from a ψ−SUQ5 cyc1–72 strain was also shown to contain serine at the ochre site. Thus SUQ5 differs from the eight other characterized suppressors of UAA in yeast, which were previously shown to insert residues of tyrosine at ochre sites (Gilmore et al., 1971) and which are only effective in strains haying the non-Mendelian factor ψ−, since they generally cause inviability in the ψ+ state. Like the tyrosine-inserting suppressors, SUQ5 can also act on another ochre allele cyc1–9, but with a very low efficiency of approximately 0.4%, while it does not appear to act at all on amber (UAG) mutants. SUQ5 was found to be 6.4 cM (centiMorgans) from tyr7 on chromosome XVI. It is suggested that the gene product of SUQ5 is serine tRNA.
Cognitive and Motivational Effects of Seeking Academic Assistance

Abstract The instructional needs of a student who sought assistance for his continuing academic difficulties within his high school setting were examined. The authors evaluated how his perception of his academic and motivational performances compared with the perceptions of his parents, school officials, and those professionals who conducted 3 psy-choeducational evaluations for a learning disability during his middle and high school years. None of the 3 evaluations considered the quality of the student's classroom instruction, school grading practices, or study strategies, all of which increased his vulnerability to risk. Discussion focuses on the question of whether the student's negative learning and motivational profiles might have improved if his school's attempts to provide academic assistance had adopted a broader and more comprehensive focus.
Mathematical Formulation of the Project Quarterback Rating: New Framework to Assess Construction Project Performance

AbstractThis paper presents the definition and the mathematical formulation of a unique performance metric called the project quarterback rating (PQR). The PQR gives a specific score for each construction project based on a set of key variables affecting project performance and outcome. The importance of the PQR is found in its ability to quantitatively assess overall performance from the contractor’s perspective, taking into account key performance areas, which include customer satisfaction, schedule, cost, profit, and communication. A practical application comparing the performance of several recently completed projects is also presented in this paper to illustrate the new model. This application shows one of many possibilities for how PQR can be used to solve industry problems and to fill an existing gap in the literature. This research offers a contribution to the construction engineering and management literature and to the architecture/engineering/construction (AEC) industry. It is the creation of a...
Theology and Marxism: The Tragic and Tragi-Comic

Despite attempts to claim that tragedy is 'dead', powerful restatements of the concept continue to be made. Some, and here Raymond Williams and Terry Eagleton come to mind, argue that tragedy remains salient even if it can no longer be understood in terms of classical Aristotelian principles. Others argue that tragedy retains its significance because it can now be understood in terms of the sublime. This paper starts with Kierkegaard's attempt to revise the notion in a way that frees it from Aristotelian canonical principles. Kierkegaard's reformulation hints at the idea of an unconscious. In considering Freud's notion of a 'symptomatic act', the paper argues that tragedy glossed in ways that accommodate such acts becomes difficult to demarcate from comedy, this in some way being Kierkegaard's fundamental insight. Discussions of the genre of the tragic have in recent decades possessed at least some of the following features: Against those 'conservatives' who bemoan the 'death of tragedy' in a modem world no longer capable of accommodating tragic experience in its paradigmatic mode (this mode being typically defined by recourse to ancient Greek ideals)—to wit, nonnegotiable notions of honour and nobility, intractable flaws of character, social and cultural norms underwritten by hieratical elites, conceptions of unbending destiny and inexorable twists of fortune, and so on—some writers have insisted that the tragic form still manages to remain salient.1 Against a certain 'cultural left orthodoxy' for whom it is a doxa that the tragic form is deeply problematic because it absolutises features of human experience that are highly contingent and idiosyncratic—viz., precisely the ones sanctioned by the Greek tragic schema—it could be argued that this left orthodoxy takes a position that exactly parallels the conservative one in its Literature & Theology, Vol. ip. No. 2 © The Author 2005. Published by Oxford University Press 2005; all rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: joumals.permissions@oupjoumals.org This content downloaded from 157.55.39.3 on Tue, 15 Nov 2016 04:00:04 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
Mechanisms of complex transcriptional regulation: implications for brain development.

Abstract The large number of transcription factors, their diverse sequence-specific interactions with DNA sites and with other transcription factors, and their ability to be modified in response to a variety of environmental cues and intracellular signals provide combinatorial codes for highly complex and yet highly organized patterns of gene expression likely to underlie the determination of diversity of neuronal phenotypes. Subtle differences in the combinations of transcription factors are likely to have profound consequences for cell phenotype, similar to the mechanism involved in the specification of cell types in yeast (reviewed in Herskowitz,1989). Although our current understanding of transcriptional regulation in the brain comes largely from phenomenological studies, recent technical progress on two fronts promises a bright future. Homologous recombination technology in embryonic stem cells (reviewed in Capecchi, 1989; Rossant, 1990) allows the disruption of particular genes in transgenic mice and definition of the roles of identified transcription factors in mammalian neurogenesis. A second technological advance, targeted tumorigenesis, has provided neuronal model cell lines (Mellon et al., 1990; reviewed in Cepko, 1988; McKay et al.,1988) that mimic certain neuronal differentiation pathways. These combined genetic, cell biological, and biochemical approaches will greatly facilitate the study of neural development and function.
Ozone Formation Related to Power Plant Emissions

A curious and unambiguous event of excess ozone formation downwind of a power plant has been analyzed. A kinetic model used to simulate the event indicates that the excess ozone can be reconciled entirely on the basis of excess nitrogen oxides in the polluted air.
Disproportionate increases in locomotor activity in response to hormonal and photic stimuli following regional neurochemical depletions of serotonin

Abstract The role of forebrain serotonin in behavior-related energy output was assessed in two locomotor activity tests conducted 3 and 6 months after bilateral, intrahypothalamic microinfusion of the serotonin neurotoxin, 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT). The serotonin-depleted animals exhibited a long-lasting and stable increase in energy expenditure as locomotor activity. This increased activity was investigated at the behavioral level by relating the hyperactivity to estrous cycle, photoperiod and body weight. Although the serotonin depletion-induced hyperactivity occurred in all photoperiod and estrous cycle stages, its magnitude was disproportionately increased during light and estrus. This hyperactivity could not be related to decreases in body weight because the serotonin-depleted animals weighed significantly more than the control animals. These animals responded to the weight loss that normally accompanies wheel running by increasing their activity to the same proportion as the other groups. The neuroanatomical and neurochemical substrate of the increased locomotor activity was investigated with a regional neurochemical assay for serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. This assay revealed that the toxin had no effect on dopamine or norepinephrine in any structure analyzed; however, serotonin was depleted in the hippocampus, septum and, to a lesser degree, in the hypothalamus. Serotonin levels were negatively correlated with overall activity. The magnitude of the disproportionate increase in activity during light and estrus was negatively correlated with hippocampal serotonin level. These results indicate that forebrain depletions of serotonin differentially affect the control of activity exerted by the phases of the photoperiod and estrous cycle. However, the modulation of activity levels by decreases in body weight remains intact.
50 Jahre helle Montanwachse - Stand der Montanwachsveredelung nach 50jähriger Entwicklung†

Seit nunmehr 50 Jahren werden helle Montanwachse durch Veredelung des in bestimmten Braunkohle-Vorkommen enthaltenen Rohmontanwachses technisch hergestellt. Hierbei wird das als solches nur begrenzt gebrauchsfahige dunkle Rohmontanwachs in helle hochwertige Wachsprodukte umgewandelt. Auf Grund einer langjahrigen konsequenten Entwicklungsarbeit stehen heute fur die Montanwachsveredelung Verfahren zur Verfugung, die es erlauben, in gezielter Weise fur praktisch jeden Anwendungszweck optimal geeignete Wachsprodukte herzustellen. Dabei wird das komplex zusammengesetzte Rohmontanwachs zunachst nach speziellen Verfahren entharzt und gebleicht. Anschliesend kann es dann durch verschiedenartige chemische Umsetzungen in vielfaltiger Weise modifiziert werden. Es wird ein Uberblick uber die heutzutage bekannten Verfahren der Montanwachsveredelung gegeben. Fifty Years of Light Colored Montana Wax - State of Montana Wax Refining since 50 Years of Development Since 50 years, light colored montana waxes are technically prepared by refining of crude montana wax which occurs in certain varieties of lignite. By this process, the dark colored crude montana wax, which is of limited use, is converted into valuable light colored wax products. Since many years of development work, process are now available for montana wax refining that permit the production of wax products which are suitable for every field of application. According to these processes, the crude montana wax having complex composition is depolymerized and bleached. Subsequently, the product can be modified by a variety of chemical transformations. The processes known for the refining of montana wax are reviewed.
Pose Estimation and Force Prediction of Non-Rigid Endoscopic Tool

Endoscopy is useful for inspecting features in hard-to-reach cavities, such as the blades inside a turbine engine with a flexible body and a semi-rigid bending section. It is hypothesized that an endoscope can be used to grind a predetermined amount of material to smooth the cracks on turbine blades in those cavities. By turning control knobs on the endoscope, the bending section can access a workpiece on its lateral direction. In this research, two models are built to estimate the pose (position and orientation) and force on a modified PENTAX ES-3801 endoscope. The experimental and estimated results prove that the pose and force of the flexible bending section can be predicted and monitored when subjected to varying loads.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Wings and perfect graphs

Abstract An edge uv of a graph G is called a wing if there exists a chordless path with vertices u, v, x, y and edges uv, vx, xy. The wing-graph W(G) of a graph G is a graph having the same vertex set as G; uv is an edge in W(G) if and only if uv is a wing in G. A graph G is saturated if G is isomorphic to W(G). A star-cutset in a graph G is a non-empty set of vertices such that G — C is disconnected and some vertex in C is adjacent to all the remaining vertices in C. V. Chvatal proposed to call a graph unbreakable if neither G nor its complement contain a star-cutset. We establish several properties of unbreakable graphs using the notions of wings and saturation. In particular, we obtain seven equivalent versions of the Strong Perfect Graph Conjecture.
Effects of Maintenance Human Factors in Maintenance-Related Aircraft Accidents

To help prevent maintenance-related aircraft accidents the complex factors behind previous accidents must be understood. Maintenance-related aircraft accidents were studied to determine the effects of maintenance human factors. A taxonomy of causal factors was developed and used to classify the causes of 101 military and civilian accidents and to determine the frequency of occurrence for each factor. The taxonomy identifies elements, such as people and hardware, interfaces between elements (i.e., human factors), and maintenance processes comprised of elements and interfaces. Human factors were found to have a significant effect in the 86 military and 15 civilian maintenance-related accidents studied. Whereas investigation boards were found to focus most heavily on element failures, a majority of the failures were found to occur at the process level. Maintenance instructions and their interfaces with the maintainers and inspectors who use them were the most frequently failed elements and interfaces, respectively. Recommendations are made to guide further research, and ideas are provided for improving process analysis by maintenance units and investigation boards.
Preservation of Trypan Blue and Neutral Red Within the Cells of Loose Connective Tissue

Trypan blue granules within the histiocytes and neutral red stained granules within the mast cells of the same areolar tissue spread can be preserved in their original colored state by the following method: fix in 10% formalin for 12–24 hours; rinse in distilled water; place in two changes of dioxan for 5–10 minutes each (overnight in second change will not hurt); mount from the second dioxan using diaphane dissolved in dioxan as a mounting medium, or clear in xylene and mount in balsam. No dye is lost, and no cellular distortion occurs. Fast green is used as a counterstain (1% aqueous plus 0.2% acetic acid). Stain ½ to 1 minute and rinse.
Thermal Analysis of in-situ Thermoplastic Composite Tape Laying

This paper presents analytical and numerical thermal analysis for melting and consolidating impregnated composite tapes in the presence of a localized heat source. This analysis also leads to the prediction of the processing window for a given tape-laying configuration. Heat of melting/solidification is included in the form of a heat generation term. A separation of variables method is employed to solve the governing equations ana lytically. In the numerical analysis, the governing equations are discretized using a non uniform mesh and are solved using a finite difference approach. The processing parame ters, such as consolidation speed, heat intensity, heat source width, etc., as well as material properties are incorporated within the analysis. The results show large thermal gradients in the vicinity of the consolidation point. The error between the analytical solu tion and the numerical result is found to be 3 % for the maximum temperature, and the maximum error for the temperature over the entire domai...
A simulation study on optically decoding reflecting windows for PMT quadrant sharing scintillation detector block

A large number of decodable crystals per photomultiplier tube (PMT) can be achieved by using the PMT-quadrant-sharing (PQS) technique with proper optically reflecting windows to channel light distribution in scintillation detector block. However, to develop brand new optically decoding reflecting windows for a detector block with different crystal material, PMT size or decoding resolution, is still very time-consuming and also requires much experience. This study is to develop a computer software tool that can simulate an expected two-dimensional (2-D) crystal decoding map before implementing a real detector block with a new set of decoding reflectors. After comparing the experimental decoding data to the simulated results with the same reflector set on a block, data are feed to adjust the software parameters. More accurate decoding reflectors will then be created by the adjusted parameters. Our result shows the decoding simulation of a 10times10 BGO block can be finished within a few minutes, which is much faster than using the Monte Carlo simulation with "DETECT". This software has been evaluated by five different PQS blocks. Our preliminary study shows this simulation tool is very promising which can significantly reduce a new product developing time; only about two-three development cycles are needed to get to the final optimized decoding reflectors
All the Important Things You Wanted to Know About the Effects of Stroke: Location, Location, Location

The Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology of Stroke . 2007. Olivier Godefroy and Julien Bogousslavsky (Eds.). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 664 pp., $160.00 (HB) The Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology of Stroke is a very handy reference book for the bedside or brief office examination of the stroke patient. The initial chapter highlights the need for serial mental status exams during the critical initial post stroke period. The book is then organized by functional sections, each containing several chapters. The sections are organized by neuropsychological processes in the usual “walk around the brain” format. Thus, the reader is offered sections on motor and gestural disorders, aphasia and arthric disorders, hemineglect and right hemisphere syndromes, agnosia and Balint's syndrome, and executive and memory disorders. Of great significance is the inclusion of a section on behavioral and mood disorders, which reviews the clinical domains where the disciplines of psychiatry and neurology overlap. The final section, dementia and anatomical left/right syndromes, extends and integrates the previous sections.
Lab-on-a-chip sensor for point-of-care measurement of manganese exposure

This paper reports on the development of a lab-on-achip (LOC) sensor for rapid electrochemical point-of-care (POC) measurement of biological exposure to manganese (Mn). The sensor was fabricated using an electrodeposited bismuth film as a working electrode, and Ag/AgCl reference and Au auxiliary electrodes. Measurement of Mn was demonstrated in the 0.9 nM – 9μM range in blood using square wave stripping voltammetry (SWSV). The sensitivity was approximately 0.5 μA/nM.
Concepts and Notations for Concurrent Programming

Much has been learned in the last decade about concurrent programming. This paper identifies the major concepts and describes some of the more important language notations for writing concurrent programs. The roles of processes, communication and syhchronization are discussed from both an operational and an axiomatic viewpoint. Language notations for expressing concurrent execution and for specifying process interaction are surveyed. Synchronization primitives based on shared variables and on message passing are described. Finally, three general classes of concurrent programming languages are identified and compared.
Whole-body vibration improves walking function in individuals with spinal cord injury: A pilot study

Injury to the central nervous system often results in impairments that negatively affect walking function. Prior evidence suggests that vibration may improve walking function. The purpose of this study was to determine whether repeated use of whole-body vibration (WBV) is associated with improvements in walking function in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). Subjects were 17 individuals with chronic (1 year), motor-incomplete SCI. Subjects were tested before and after participation in a 12-session (3 days/week for 4 weeks) intervention of WBV. We assessed change in walking function via 3D motion capture, with walking speed as the primary outcome measure. We also assessed the influence of the WBV intervention on secondary gait characteristics, including cadence, step length, and hip-knee intralimb coordination. Walking speed increased by a mean of 0.062 0.011 m/s, a change that was statistically significant (p < 0.001). The WBV intervention was also associated with statistically significant increases in cadence, and both the stronger and weaker legs exhibited increased step length and improved consistency of intralimb coordination. Changes in cadence and step length of the stronger leg were strongly correlated with improvements in walking speed. The improvement in walking speed observed with the WBV intervention was comparable to that reported in the literature in association with locomotor training. This magnitude of change has been identified as being clinically meaningful, even in non-clinical populations. These findings suggest WBV may be useful to improve walking function with effects that may persist for some time following the intervention.
Direct and moderating links of salivary alpha-amylase and cortisol stress-reactivity to youth behavioral and emotional adjustment.

Abstract Recent studies have revealed evidence for interactions between autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity, indexed by saliva alpha amylase (sAA), and hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenocortical activity, in predicting psychological functioning. The present study extends this work by examining individual differences in sAA and cortisol stress reactivity in relation to behavioral and emotional adjustment in youth. Participants were 56 healthy children (age 7–16). sAA, cortisol, and other physiological and affective responses were measured before, during, and after stressor tasks (either performance or peer rejection). Basal and stress responsive sAA and cortisol as well as their interactions were assessed in relation to externalizing and internalizing behaviors and trait anxiety. sAA was positively related to anxiety, while sAA reactivity moderated associations between cortisol reactivity and problem behavior. Results highlight the importance of measuring multiple physiological systems to elucidate mechanisms underlying behavioral and emotional dysregulation.
Structural Requirements for Function of the Crkl Adapter Protein in Fibroblasts and Hematopoietic Cells

Crkl is an adapter protein and phosphotyrosine-containing substrate implicated in transformation by the bcr-abl oncogene and in signaling by cytokines. When phosphorylated, Crkl binds through its Src homology 2 (SH2) domain to other tyrosine phosphoproteins such as paxillin and Cbl. Overexpression of Crkl in fibroblasts induces transformation. Here we examine the role of Crkl in hematopoietic cells and find that overexpression of Crkl confers a signal leading to increased adhesion to fibronectin. In both fibroblasts and hematopoietic cells, individual mutations or deletions of each SH2 and SH3 domain abrogated transformation and adhesion, respectively, indicating that interactions with other proteins such as Cbl and paxillin (SH2 domain) and Abl, Sos, and C3G (N-terminal SH3 domain) are essential for biological activity. In vivo and in vitro tryptic phosphopeptide mapping studies show that Crkl is phosphorylated on multiple tyrosine residues when overexpressed or when activated by Bcr-Abl. Mutation at tyrosine 207, a residue conserved in c-Crk, abrogates all in vivo tyrosine phosphorylation of Crkl. Despite this loss of phosphotyrosine, mutation at this site enhanced Crkl function as measured by complex formation with SH2 binding proteins, signal transduction to Jun Kinase, and fibroblast transformation. These observations implicate Crkl in cellular adhesion and demonstrate that Y207 functions as a negative regulatory site.
The population ecology of contemporary adaptations: What empirical studies reveal about the conditions that promote adaptive evolution

Under what conditions might organisms be capable of rapid adaptive evolution? We reviewed published studies documenting contemporary adaptations in natural populations and looked for general patterns in the population ecological causes. We found that studies of contemporary adaptation fall into two general settings: (1) colonization of new environments that established newly adapted populations, and (2) local adaptations within the context of a heterogeneous environments and metapopulation structure. Local ecological processes associated with colonizations and introductions included exposure to: (1) a novel host or food resource; (2) a new biophysical environment; (3) a new predator community; and (4) a new coexisting competitor. The new environments that were colonized often had depauperate communities, sometimes because of anthropogenic disturbance. Local adaptation in heterogeneous environments was also often associated with recent anthropogenic changes, such as insecticide and herbicide resistance, or industrial melanism. A common feature of many examples is the combination of directional selection with at least a short-term opportunity for population growth. We suggest that such opportunities for population growth may be a key factor that promotes rapid evolution, since directional selection might otherwise be expected to cause population decline and create the potential for local extinction, which is an ever-present alternative to local adaptation. We also address the large discrepancy between the rate of evolution observed in contemporary studies and the apparent rate of evolution seen in the fossil record.
Maximum-likelihood estimation of detector response for PET image reconstruction.

An accurate system model is essential for recon- structing high-resolution images. While the system response of a positron emission tomography (PET) system can be measured directly, the process is often difficult to perform and time- consuming. Here we propose a maximum likelihood method for estimating the detector response from projections of a point source at a set of radial locations in the field of view. The detector response functions for all radial bins are estimated simultaneously. No interpolation is required. Compared to the method of direct measurement, the proposed approach requires less measurements and results in sparse system matrix because a factored system matrix is used, which reduces the reconstruction time. We conducted computer simulation to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed method.
Cytoskeletal Proteins and Platelet Signaling

The actin filament network fills the cytoplasm of unstimulated platelets and connects with a submembranous latticework of short cross-linked actin filaments, known as the membrane skeleton. One function of the cytoskeleton is to direct the contours of the membrane in the unstimulated platelet and the rapid changes in shape in the activated platelet. Activation-induced changes result from events such as phosphorylation or calpain-induced cleavage of cytoskeletal proteins. The specific reorganizations depend upon the combination of signals to which platelets are exposed. A second function of the cytoskeleton is to bind other cellular components; it binds signaling molecules, localizing them to specific cellular locations; it binds the plasma membrane regulating properties of the membrane, maintaining microdomains in the membrane, or regulating activities of membrane proteins. In this way, the cytoskeleton plays a critical role in regulation of spatial organizations and, thus, in the integration of cellular activities.
Guanylyl Cyclase C as Biomarker

Metastasis is the primary cause of death from colorectal cancer. In that context, overall survival and therapeutic response to adjuvant chemotherapy are most significantly governed by the presence of metastatic tumor cells in regional lymph nodes. Although histopathologic analysis of lymph nodes is central to all colorectal cancer staging paradigms, its prognostic and predictive value is limited. Indeed, up to 30% of patients with histopathology-negative lymph nodes (pN0) die frommetastatic disease, reflected by microscopic lymph node metastases that are overlooked by standard techniques. These occult tumor cells are especially important when considering racial disparities in outcomes in colorectal cancer patients, where blacks with lymph node-negative disease have the largest discrepancies in outcomes, with more than 40 % excess mortality compared to Caucasian patients. However, the predictive impact of tumor cells in regional lymph nodes remains uncertain, and approximately 50 % of colorectal cancer patients with nodal metastases detected by histopathology remain free of recurrent disease. Accurate identification of occult metastases in regional lymph nodes and certifying their value as a prognostic marker of recurrence risk or a predictive marker of response to adjuvant chemotherapy remain to be a challenge in the management of colorectal cancer patients. Guanylyl cyclase C (GUCY2C), a receptor which is normally expressed in intestinal cells, but is universally overexpressed by colorectal cancer cells, has been validated to detect prognostically significant occult metastases using quantitative RT-PCR (RT-qPCR). This biomarker was validated by a prospective, multicenter, blinded clinical trial. In that trial, occult tumor burden estimated across all regional lymph nodes by GUCY2C RT-qPCR predicted clinical outcomes. Specifically, the biomarker was able to distinguish node-negative patients with a low (near zero) risk, from those with >80 % risk of developing disease recurrence. Moreover, there was disproportionately higher occult tumor burden in black patients compared to white ones. This difference is a contributing factor of racial disparities in outcomes in colorectal cancer. The diagnostic paradigm quantifying occult tumor burden using GUCY2C RT-qPCR is positioned to reduce racial disparities in colorectal cancer deaths. List of Abbreviations 5-FU 5-Fluorouracil DFS Disease-Free Survival GUCY2C Guanylyl Cyclase C H&E Hematoxylin-Eosin MolHigh High Tumor Burden MolInt Intermediate Tumor Burden MolLow Low Tumor Burden OS Overall Survival RT-qPCR Quantitative Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction *Email: scott.waldman@jefferson.edu General Methods in Biomarker Research and their Applications DOI 10.1007/978-94-007-7740-8_34-1 # Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014
Relation of Cumulative Weight Burden to Vascular Endothelial Dysfunction in Obesity

Although excess fat mass is linked to increased cardiovascular risk, the relation between vascular phenotype and degree of obesity in high weight categories is unknown. We examined brachial artery vasomotor responses using ultrasound in 203 consecutive patients with severe obesity (mean age 44 ± 11 years; body mass index [BMI] 46 ± 9 kg/m 2 , range 30 to 72; and body weight 128 ± 29 kg, range 69 to 207). We studied a unique population in which 71% of subjects were characterized as morbidly obese (BMI ≥40 kg/m 2 ), which included a 31% group of super-obese subjects (BMI ≥50 kg/m 2 ). Brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and nitroglycerin-mediated dilation were examined as measures of endothelium-dependent and -independent dilation, respectively, in relation to clinical, hemodynamic, and metabolic variables. Endothelial function was significantly impaired in the highest compared with the lowest tertile of body weight (FMD 6.5 ± 4.6% vs 9.8 ± 4.8%, p
Complementation between mouse Mfn1 and Mfn2 protects mitochondrial fusion defects caused by CMT2A disease mutations

Mfn2, an oligomeric mitochondrial protein important for mitochondrial fusion, is mutated in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) type 2A, a peripheral neuropathy characterized by axonal degeneration. In addition to homooligomeric complexes, Mfn2 also associates with Mfn1, but the functional significance of such heterooligomeric complexes is unknown. Also unknown is why Mfn2 mutations in CMT2A lead to cell type–specific defects given the widespread expression of Mfn2. In this study, we show that homooligomeric complexes formed by many Mfn2 disease mutants are nonfunctional for mitochondrial fusion. However, wild-type Mfn1 complements mutant Mfn2 through the formation of heterooligomeric complexes, including complexes that form in trans between mitochondria. Wild-type Mfn2 cannot complement the disease alleles. Our results highlight the functional importance of Mfn1–Mfn2 heterooligomeric complexes and the close interplay between the two mitofusins in the control of mitochondrial fusion. Furthermore, they suggest that tissues with low Mfn1 expression are vulnerable in CMT2A and that methods to increase Mfn1 expression in the peripheral nervous system would benefit CMT2A patients.
Effects of thematic resolution on landscape pattern analysis

The thematic resolution of mapped data determines the amount of detail of geospatial information, and influences various aspects of landscape classification and the relevance of derived pattern attributes to particular ecological questions. Here we show that changing thematic resolution may significantly affect landscape metrics and in turn their ability to detect landscape changes. The effects of thematic resolution on many landscape metrics tend to show consistent general patterns, but the details of these patterns are likely to be dependent on specific landscape patterns and classification criteria. Thus, the effects of thematic resolution, like those with regard to grain and extent, must be considered in landscape pattern analysis.
RAP80 Responds to DNA Damage Induced by Both Ionizing Radiation and UV Irradiation and Is Phosphorylated at Ser205

Receptor-associated protein (RAP80), a nuclear protein containing two ubiquitin-interacting motifs (UIM), was recently found to be associated with breast cancer-1 (BRCA1) and to translocate to ionizing radiation–induced foci (IRIF). In this study, we show that the BRCT mutant of BRCA1, R1699W, which is associated with increased risk of breast cancer, is unable to interact with RAP80. Previously, we showed that ataxia-telangiectasia mutated protein kinase (ATM) can phosphorylate RAP80 in vitro at Ser205, but whether this site is a target of ATM in whole cells was not established. To address this question, we generated an anti-RAP80Ser205P antibody that specifically recognizes RAP80 phosphorylated at Ser205. Our data show that RAP80 becomes phosphorylated at Ser205 in cells exposed to ionizing irradiation and that RAP80Ser205P translocates to IRIF. We show that this phosphorylation is mediated by ATM and does not require a functional BRCA1. The phosphorylation occurs within 5 minutes after irradiation, long before the translocation of RAP80 to IRIF. In addition, we show that UV irradiation induces translocation of RAP80 to DNA damage foci that colocalize with γ-H2AX. We further show that this translocation is also dependent on the UIMs of RAP80 and that the UV-induced phosphorylation of RAP80 at Ser205 is mediated by ATM- and RAD3-related kinase, not ATM. These findings suggest that RAP80 has a more general role in different types of DNA damage responses. [Cancer Res 2008;68(11):4269–76]