cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Ancient Relative of Cyclooxygenase in Cyanobacteria Is a Linoleate 10S-Dioxygenase That Works in Tandem with a Catalase-related Protein with Specific 10S-Hydroperoxide Lyase Activity

In the course of exploring the scope of catalase-related hemoprotein reactivity toward fatty acid hydroperoxides, we detected a novel candidate in the cyanobacterium Nostoc punctiforme PCC 73102. The immediate neighboring upstream gene, annotated as "cyclooxygenase-2," appeared to be a potential fatty acid heme dioxygenase. We cloned both genes and expressed the cDNAs in Escherichia coli, confirming their hemoprotein character. Oxygen electrode recordings demonstrated a rapid (>100 turnovers/s) reaction of the heme dioxygenase with oleic and linoleic acids. HPLC, including chiral column analysis, UV, and GC-MS of the oxygenated products, identified a novel 10S-dioxygenase activity. The catalase-related hemoprotein reacted rapidly and specifically with linoleate 10S-hydroperoxide (>2,500 turnovers/s) with a hydroperoxide lyase activity specific for the 10S-hydroperoxy enantiomer. The products were identified by NMR as (8E)10-oxo-decenoic acid and the C8 fragments, 1-octen-3-ol and 2Z-octen-1-ol, in ∼3:1 ratio. Chiral HPLC analysis established strict enzymatic control in formation of the 3R alcohol configuration (99% enantiomeric excess) and contrasted with racemic 1-octen-3-ol formed in reaction of linoleate 10S-hydroperoxide with hematin or ferrous ions. The Nostoc linoleate 10S-dioxygenase, the sequence of which contains the signature catalytic sequence of cyclooxygenases and fungal linoleate dioxygenases (YRWH), appears to be a heme dioxygenase ancestor. The novel activity of the lyase expands the known reactions of catalase-related proteins and functions in Nostoc in specific transformation of the 10S-hydroperoxylinoleate.
The Effects of Severity of Autism and PDD-NOS Symptoms on Challenging Behaviors in Adults with Intellectual Disabilities

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) constitute a group of neurodevelopmental conditions that result in marked delays and impairments. The ASD can be defined by a good deal of heterogeneity and severity of specific behaviors within the general domains of communication, social behavior, and repetitive/stereotyped behavior. ASD also puts the afflicted individual at risk for other problems such as intellectual disability and challenging behaviors. This study assessed the relationship between severity of ASD core symptoms and the rate and types of challenging behaviors evinced in 298 adults with severe intellectual disabilities (ID). General categories of aggression/destruction disruptive behavior, and self-injury were studied. More severe core ASD symptoms were associated with higher rates of challenging behaviors. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Computer Simulation of Misfit Dislocation Mobility in Cu/Ni and Cu/Ag Interfaces

The mobility of misfit dislocations in semicoherent Cu/Ni and Cu/Ag interfaces is determined by molecular dynamics and elastic band simulation methods. Cube-on-cube oriented Cu/Ni and Cu/Ag systems were studied with the interfaces parallel to (010). Core structures of misfit dislocations in semicoherent interfaces are found to be quite different in these systems. In Cu/Ni the misfits have very narrow cores in the plane of the interface. Consequently, the shear stress to move these dislocations is large, ~1.1 GPa. The core width and hence the misfit mobility can be changed by placing the misfit away from the chemical interface. Placement of the misfit one atom layer into the Cu increased the core width almost a factor of four and lowered the threshold shear stress to 0.4 GPa. The misfit dislocations in Cu/Ag interfaces, on the other hand, are wide and therefore are much more mobile. The threshold shear stress for misfit movement in Cu/Ag is very low, ~0.03 GPa.
Exchange rate volatility and U.S. multilateral trade flows

Abstract This paper investigates the relation between exchange rate volatility, international trade and the macroeconomy in the context of a VAR model. The model is estimated for U.S. multilateral trade over the current floating rate period and includes a moving standard deviation measure of real exchange volatility. There is some evidence of a statistically significant relationship between volatility and trade, but the moving average representation of the system suggests that the effects are quantitatively small. We do find that exchange rate volatility is influenced by the state of the economy.
PAH and Soot Emissions from Combustion of Coal and Waste Tire-derived-fuel in Fixed Beds

This is a laboratory investigation on the emissions from batch combustion of waste tire-derived-fuel (TDF) and coal in fixed beds. The goal was to compare the magnitude of the emissions of this mode of combustion to that of continuous combustion of streams of particles of the same fuels in pulverized form, conducted previously (Levendis et al., 1996; Levendis et al., 1998). In the experiments herein waste tire chunks (in the range of 3-9 mm), tire crumb (180 212 μm) and bituminous coal (63-75 μm) were burned in a horizontal muffle furnace, at a gas temperature of 1000°C. The fuel mass loading in the furnace was varied; the residence time of the post-combustion gases was 1 s. At the exit of the furnace CO, CO 2 , NO,, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) and particulate emissions were measured. Results showed that the PAH emissions from batch combustion of tire chunks were higher than those from tire crumb, which in turn were an order of magnitude higher than those from coal, under similar combustion conditions. Increasing the mass loading for both tire crumb and pulverized coal, increased the specific emissions of PAHs. Increasing the segmentation of the tire, at a fixed mass loading also increased the specific PAH emissions. Emissions of particulates closely followed the trend of PAH emissions. Batch combustion of tire chunks resulted in higher particulate yields than tire crumb, with pulverized coal a distant third. Specific CO emissions from batch combustion of TDF were an order of magnitude higher than those from coal combustion. For both fuels, CO emissions were detected during the release and combustion of the volatiles only. On the other hand, specific CO 2 , and, especially, NO x emissions from batch combustion oftire crumb were lower than those from coal. The comparison of the emissions of batch combustion of pulverized fuels in fixed beds with those of continuous combustion of streams of particles was conducted under laminar flow conditions, similar gas temperatures and similar post combustion residence times. Results showed that (i) the PAH and CO emissions of tire crumb were much lower in the latter mode of combustion, even at bulk equivalence ratios as high as 1.4; (ii) to the contrary, for coal the mode of combustion had little influence on the PAH and CO emissions.
Pathways of electron flow established by tetramethyl-phenylenediamine in mitochondria and ascites tumor cells

Summary 1. The pathways of electron flow established by N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine (TMPD) have been studied in rat-liver mitochondria and ascites tumor cells. 2. Ascorbate-TMPD oxidation results in reduction of cytochrome c and a in the absence or presence of antimycin A. The reaction gives ADP:O ratios in excess of unity but these are lowered by antimycin A or high TMPD concentrations, conditions that eliminate oxidation of endogenous substrates. 3. Ascorbate-TMPD reversed electron flow and oxidation, occurring simultaneously, cause reduction of pyridine nucleotide, flavoprotein, and cytochromes in the aerobic steady state. However, when antimycin A is present, cytochrome b and other carriers on the substrate side of the inhibition site are oxidized, and components on the O2 side remain in the reduced state. Therefore, in the presence of ascorbate, TMPD is presumed to interact with the respiratory chain at cytochrome c (or c1 which has not been measured). 4. A TMPD bypass causes an oxidation of cytochrome b in antimycin-treated mitochondria. This bypass permits electron transfer over the inhibited site and results in ADP:O ratios of about 1 and 2 respectively with succinate and β-hydroxy-butyrate, reflecting a loss of energy conservation in the cytochrome b region. Despite loss of phosphorylation, ADP (and uncouplers) can reduce cytochrome b in the ascor-bate-TMPD, but not in the TMPD system. TMPD also restores the antimycin-inhibited respiration of ascites tumor cells. The bypass stimulates cell respiration and abolishes the apparent Crabtree phenomenon seen in the presence of mannose or oligomycin. 5. Mechanisms are considered whereby TMPD and ascorbate-TMPD affect reactions of cytochrome b through oxidation, reversed electron flow, and bypass pathways of electron flow.
Ecology of mesophotic coral reefs

Mesophotic coral reefs, reefs at depths of 30 m to 150 m, are receiving renewed interest from coral reef scientists and managers because they are linked physically and biologically to their shallow water counterparts, have the potential to be refugia for shallow coral reef taxa such as coral and sponges, and can be a source of larvae that could contribute to the resiliency of shallow water reefs. Here we review what is currently known about how mesophotic reef communities are structured and identify critical areas where new information is needed. The review covers two primary taxa, coral and sponges, where a majority of the ecological work on mesophotic coral reefs has been done, and physical processes (e.g., the attenuation of visible irradiance and internal waves) that exert significant abiotic control on the structure of these deep fore reef communities. Understanding the ecology of mesophotic coral reefs, and the connectivity between them and their shallow water counterparts, should be a primary focus of future reef studies as the worldwide degradation of shallow coral reefs, and the ecosystem services they provide, continues.
A liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method for measurement of N-modified phosphatidylethanolamines

N-Acyl phosphatidylethanolamines (NAPEs) are synthesised in response to stress in a variety of organisms from bacteria to humans. More recently, nonenzymatic modification of the ethanolamine headgroup of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) by various aldehydes, including levuglandins/isoketals (which are gamma-ketoaldehydes [gammaKAs] derived from arachidonic acid), has also been demonstrated. The levels of these various N-modified PEs formed during stress and their biological significance remain to be fully characterized. Such studies require an accurate, facile, and cost-effective method for quantifying N-modified PEs. Previously, NAPE and some of the nonenzymatically N-modified PE species have been quantified by mass spectrometry after hydrolysis to their constituent N-acylethanolamine by enzymatic hydrolysis, most typically with Streptomyces chromofuscus phospholipase D. However, enzymatic hydrolysis is not cost-effective for routine analysis of a large number of samples, and hydrolytic efficiency may vary for different N-modified PEs, making quantitation more difficult. Therefore, we sought a robust and inexpensive chemical hydrolysis approach. Methylamine (CH(3)NH(2))-mediated deacylation has previously been used in headgroup analysis of phosphatidylinositol phosphates. Therefore, we developed an accurate assay for NAPEs and gammaKA-PEs using CH(3)NH(2)-mediated deacylation and quantitation of the resulting glycerophospho-N-modified ethanolamines by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.
The Effect of Platelet-Rich Fibrin Matrix on Rotator Cuff Tendon Healing: A Prospective, Randomized Clinical Study

Background: There is a strong need for methods to improve the biological potential of rotator cuff tendon healing. Platelet-rich fibrin matrix (PRFM) allows delivery of autologous cytokines to healing tissue, and limited evidence suggests a positive effect of platelet-rich plasma on tendon biology.Purpose: To evaluate the effect of platelet-rich fibrin matrix on rotator cuff tendon healing.Study Design: Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 2.Methods: Seventy-nine patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff tendon repair were randomized intraoperatively to either receive PRFM at the tendon-bone interface (n = 40) or standard repair with no PRFM (n = 39). Standardized repair techniques were used for all patients. The postoperative rehabilitation protocol was the same in both groups. The primary outcome was tendon healing evaluated by ultrasound (intact vs defect at repair site) at 6 and 12 weeks. Power Doppler ultrasound was also used to evaluate vascularity in the peribursal, peritendinous, an...
Enhanced delivery of boronophenylalanine for neutron capture therapy by means of intracarotid injection and blood-brain barrier disruption.

There has been increasing interest in the possible use of boronophenylalanine as a capture agent for boron neutron capture therapy of brain tumors. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether the uptake of boronophenylalanine in F98 glioma-bearing rats could be enhanced by means of intracarotid (i.c.) injection with or without blood-brain barrier disruption (BBB-D). Glioma cells (10(5)) were stereotactically implanted into the right cerebral hemisphere of Fischer rats, and 12 days later, BBB-D was performed by infusing 25% mannitol (1.373 mOsmol/ml) into the right carotid artery and then immediately injecting L-boronophenylalanine (300 mg/kg of body weight) intracarotidly. The animals were killed 0.5, 1, 2.5, and 4 hours later, and the brains were removed for boron determination by direct current plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. BBB-D was assessed by the intravenous injection of Evans blue or horseradish peroxidase, and the barrier-disrupted hemispheres and tumors showed intense staining with each. The mean tumor boron concentration after i.c. injection and BBB-D was 34.8 +/- 6.8 micrograms/g at 2.5 hours compared with 20.3 +/- 6.2 micrograms/g after i.c. injection without BBB-D and 10.7 +/- 0.7 micrograms/g after intravenous injection. No significant differences in boron concentration in muscle, skin, and eye were observed among the different groups. Boron concentrations in the ipsilateral, disrupted hemisphere increased transiently but rapidly returned to background levels by 2.5 hours after BBB-D. The tumor:brain and tumor:blood ratios were 5.2 and 5.6, respectively, compared to 3.2 and 2.1 for intravenous injection groups at 2.5 hours. The present study is the first to show that BBB-D combined with i.c. injection can enhance the tumor uptake of boron compounds for boron neutron capture therapy.
The rhetoric of Kevorkian's battle.

Kenneth Burke's characterization of constitutions effectively describes the customs and values that are lived within a community, and he has well charted the dialectical process which such constitutions undergo when they actually submit to change. In this paper, the totality of thematically‐relevant discursive events which arise during periods of constitutional amending are referred to, building from Bitzer, as a rhetorical situation. Using Bitzer alongside Burke, it will be shown that Jack Kevorkian's rhetorical intent, as expressed in his writings and public statements, is distinct from the rhetorical situation to which he has been assigned, illustrating the significant discrepancy between the would‐be rhetorical utterances of a speaker and those utterances which have rhetorical impact. The argument will show how Kevorkian's intention to popularize obitiatry contrasts with his public image as a champion of physician‐assisted dying.
The influence of organization structure and organizational learning factors on the extent of EDI implementation in U.S. firms

Electronic Data Interchange EDI is a widely used form of electronic commerce. Numerous strategic and tactical advantages have been attributed to the use of EDI. We develop and empirically test a theoretical model to explain the extent of EDI implementation in organizations. Factors considered include organization structural characteristics size, centralization, and functional differentiation and organization learning factors technical expertise, level of EDI knowledge, and training availability. We use three dependent variables to assess the extent of EDI implementation volume, diversity, and sophistication. We analyze 235 responses from a national survey of 1200 EDI users. Our analysis suggests the data provide some support for the model. The results indicate that organization size explains much of the extent of EDI implementation in organizations, suggesting that the extent of EDI implementation is partly a matter of resource availability and transaction volume. The level of technical and EDI knowledge also influences the extent of EDI implementation. Functional differentiation affects EDI diversity and EDI sophistication. Training availability influences EDI sophistication in organizations.
Therapeutic advances in the treatment of hairy cell leukemia.

Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) is a rare chronic lymphoproliferative disorder typified by the presence of circulating monoclonal B-lymphocytes that have prominent cytoplasmic projections, and which display distinctive infiltration patterns in the bone marrow and spleen. In the USA it represents 2–3% of all adult leukaemias. There is a 4:1 male to female predominance with the median age at presentation being 52 years. The clinical presentation often includes a history of repeated infections, symptoms related to low peripheral blood counts, and splenomegaly on physical examination. Circulating hairy cells, which may not be present in large numbers, appear slightly larger than regular lymphocytes and display irregular, ruffled, pale blue cytoplasm (Fig. 1). The morphologic finding on the bone marrow core biopsy consists of a diffuse infiltration by lymphocytes that are spaced wider than expected — the ‘fried-egg’ appearance (Fig. 2). Reticulin staining is increased reflecting the fibrosis, which accounts for the difficulty usually encountered when attempting to aspirate the bone marrow (Fig. 3). Hairy cells exhibit tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) activity although this may also occasionally be seen in other lymphoproliferative disorders. Immunophenotypic analysis of the abnormal cells in HCL reveals CD11c, CD19, CD20, CD22, CD25, CD103, and kappa or lambda light chain positivity [1], and the absence of CD5 and CD21 antigen expression.
Cell Anchorage Regulates Apoptosis through the Retinoblastoma Tumor Suppressor/E2F Pathway

Epithelial cells are dependent upon adhesion to extracellular matrix for survival. We show that loss of beta1 integrin receptor contact with extracellular matrix signals the inhibition of G1 cyclin-dependent kinase activity. This loss of cyclin-dependent kinase activity leads to accumulation of the hypophosphorylated (active) form of the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor protein (Rb). We present evidence that in epithelial cells deprived of matrix contact, the growth suppression signal elicited by hypophosphorylated Rb opposes stimulatory signals from serum growth factors, leading to a cell cycle conflict that triggers apoptosis. This apoptotic pathway is modulated by Bcl-2 through a novel mechanism that regulates Rb phosphorylation. We present evidence that the Rb-dependent apoptotic pathway functions in vivo in the apoptosis of the prostate glandular epithelium following castration.
New Insights into Structure-Property Relationships in Thermosetting Polymers from Studies of Co-Cured Polycyanurate Networks (Preprint)

Studies of the physical properties of the cocured networks formed from three similar dicyanate ester monomers revealed a number of unexpected variations from simple linear mixing rules. These variations shed light on important synergistic effects in cocured thermosetting networks and their possible causes. The monomers utilized were the dicyanate esters of Bisphenol A (BADCy) and Bisphenol E (LECy) and the silicon-containing analogue of Bisphenol A (SiMCy). The most important of the synergistic effects was a decrease of ∼25% in moisture uptake seen only in conetworks of LECy and SiMCy. For all other systems, a clear relationship between moisture uptake and the number density of cyanurate rings was observed. This relationship generally applies to many types of cyanate esters and gives an indication of the importance of specific sites (as opposed to free volume alone) in moisture uptake. Numerous additional examples of nonlinear mixing relations were observed in the glass transition temperature, density, an...
Cortical connections of areas V3 and VP of macaque monkey extrastriate visual cortex

The cortical connections of visual area 3 (V3) and the ventral posterior area (VP) in the macaque monkey were studied by using combinations of retrograde and anterograde tracers. Tracer injections were made into V3 or VP following electrophysiological recording in and near the target area. The pattern of ipsilateral cortical connections was analyzed in relation to the pattern of interhemispheric connections identified after transection of the corpus callosum. Both V3 and VP have major connections with areas V2, V3A, posterior intraparietal area (PIP), V4, middle temporal area (MT), medial superior temporal area (dorsal) (MSTd), and ventral intraparietal area (VIP). Their connections differ in several respects. Specifically, V3 has connections with areas V1 and V4 transitional area (V4t) that are absent for VP; VP has connections with areas ventral occipitotemporal area (VOT), dorsal prelunate area (DP), and visually responsive portion of temporal visual area F (VTF) that are absent or occur only rarely for V3. The laminar pattern of labelled terminals and retrogradely labeled cell bodies allowed assessment of the hierarchical relationships between areas V3 and VP and their various targets. Areas V1 and V2 are at a lower level than V3 and VP; all of the remaining areas are at a higher level. V3 receives major inputs from layer 4B of V1, suggesting an association with the magnocellular-dominated processing stream and a role in routing magnocellular-dominated information along pathways leading to both parietal and temporal lobes. The convergence and divergence of pathways involving V3 and VP underscores the distributed nature of hierarchical processing in the visual system.
Conformational changes in G-CSF/Receptor complex as investigated by isotope-edited FTIR spectroscopy

Conformations of G-CSF and the extracellular domain of its receptor as well as their complex have been investigated by employing isotope-edited FTIR spectroscopy. To determine unambiguously the protein conformations of G-CSF and the receptor in the complex, we have prepared uniformly 13C/15N isotope labeled G-CSF to resolve its amide I‘ band from that of the receptor in the IR spectrum of the complex. By comparing the IR spectra of the isotope-labeled G-CSF and the receptor with that of the complex, we have provided spectral evidence that the AB loop region involving the unique 310 helix segment of G-CSF likely undergoes a conformational change to a regular α-helix upon binding to the receptor. The IR data also indicate a possible minor increase in α-helical conformation for the receptor in the complex. Furthermore, FTIR spectra of G-CSF, the receptor, and their complex demonstrate clearly that protein conformations of both G-CSF and the receptor have been dramatically stabilized by complex formation. Spe...
Post-obstructive diuresis: a review.

The clinical syndrome and pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying the development of post-obstructive diuresis are reviewed. The means by which the kidney normally regulates sodium and water balance are first presented as background for this review.
Antithyroid effects in vivo and in vitro of vitexin: a C-glucosylflavone in millet.

Millet diets rich in C-glycosylflavones (C-GF) are goitrogenic, and its three most abundant C-GF inhibit in vitro thyroid peroxidase, suggesting that these compounds are the goitrogens in millet. However, proof of a cause and effect relationship between C-GF and goitrogenesis requires a demonstration of in vivo antithyroid activity by the purified isolated compounds. Vitexin, one of the three major C-GF in millet, was used to test this hypothesis. Twenty-four female Wistar rats, divided into groups of six rats each and fed Purina iodine-rich diet (12 micrograms I-/day.rat), were administered acutely by gastrointestinal tube goitrogen-free water (controls), methimazole (0.5 mumol), and vitexin (20 and 80 mumol). 125I (1 microCi) was injected ip 1 h later, and the rats were killed 2 h after the injection. The thyroid glands were removed and analyzed for their content of total 125I and 125I-labeled compounds. Rats given vitexin, in contrast to those receiving methimazole, did not show suppressed thyroid 125I uptake. However, significant inhibition of the coupling mechanism (high 125I-labeled monoiodotyrosine plus diiodotyrosine/125T3 plus T4 ratio and low 125T3 and T4 concentrations) did occur with the highest dose of vitexin. These results provide direct evidence in vivo of C-GF antithyroid activity, strongly supporting the concept that C-GF are the goitrogens in millet.
Cloud Platform Support for API Governance

As scalable information technology evolves to a more cloud-like model, digital assets (code, data and software environments) increasingly require curation as web-accessible services. "Service-izing" digital assets consists of encapsulating assets in software that exposes them to web and mobile applications via well-defined yet flexible, network accessible, application programming interfaces (APIs). In this paper, we postulate that recent advances in cloud computing make cloud platforms as-a-service (PaaS) ideal for deployment, lifecycle management, and policy-based control i.e. API governance - for extant and future digital assets. Toward this end, we overview API governance as a PaaS technology and outline some early results generated by our investigation of a prototype we are developing, called EAGER, for implementing API governance at scale.
Fully developed temperature waves in a bed of processed shale

The combustion of processed shale is analyzed. By using a coordinate system moving with the same velocity as the combustion zone a model is obtained for the fully developed temperature wave. Of particular interest is the interpretation of this wave in terms of the kinetics and thermal effects of the reactions that are involved.
Biosphere II: engineering of manned, closed ecological systems.

Space Biospheres and Ventures, a private, for‐profit firm, has undertaken a major research and development project in the study of biospheres, with the objective of creating and producing biospheres. Biosphere II—scheduled for completion in March 1991—will be essentially isolated from the existing biosphere by a closed structure, composed of components derived from the existing biosphere. Like the biosphere of the Earth, Biosphere II will be essentially closed to exchanges of material or living organisms with the surrounding environment and open to energy and information exchanges. Also, like the biosphere of the Earth, Biosphere II will contain five kingdoms of life, a variety of ecosystems, plus humankind, culture, and technics. The system is designed to be complex, stable and evolving throughout its intended 100‐year lifespan, rather than static. Biosphere II will cover approximately 1.3 hectare and contain 200,000m3 in volume, with seven major biomes: tropical rainforest, tropical savannah, marsh, mar...
Calcium homeostasis during magnesium treatment in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Objective Magnesium treatment in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) can result in hypocalcemia; this hypocalcemia increases the risk of delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) and poor outcome. We assessed whether low serum levels of total calcium in patients with SAH treated with magnesium is mediated by parathyroid hormone (PTH) or calcitriol, and whether increased PTH or low serum levels of ionized calcium are associated with an increased risk of DCI and poor outcome.
The TBC1D15 Oncoprotein Controls Stem Cell Self-Renewal through Destabilization of the Numb-p53 Complex

Stem cell populations are maintained through self-renewing divisions in which one daughter cell commits to a specific fate while the other retains the multipotent characteristics of its parent. The p53 tumor suppressor, in conjunction with its interacting partner protein Numb, preserves this asymmetry and functions as a vital barrier against the unchecked expansion of tumor stem cell pools; however, little is known about the biological control of the Numb-p53 interaction. We show here that Numb and p53 are the constituents of a high molecular mass complex, which is disintegrated upon activation of aPKCζ, a Numb kinase. Using large-scale affinity purification and tandem mass spectrometry, we identify TBC1D15 as a Numb-associated protein and demonstrate that its amino-terminal domain disengages p53 from Numb, triggering p53 proteolysis and promoting self-renewal and pluripotency. Cellular levels of TBC1D15 are diminished upon acute nutrient deprivation through autophagy-mediated degradation, indicating that TBC1D15 serves as a conduit through which cellular metabolic status is linked to self-renewal. The profound deregulation of TBC1D15 expression exhibited in a diverse array of patient tumors underscores its proposed function as an oncoprotein.
Influence of the host cell on the association of ICP4 and ICP0 with herpes simplex virus type 1.

Abstract ICP4 and ICP0 are two immediate-early proteins of herpes simplex virus type 1 associated with the transcriptional activation of vital genes within infected cells. Previous studies in our laboratory have shown that approximately 100-200 molecules each of ICP4 and ICP0 are associated with the tegument region of virions purified from Vero and HEp-2 cells (F. Yao and R. J. Courtney, 1989, J. Virol. 63, 3338-3344 and 1992, J. Virol. 66, 2709-2716). However, other studies have shown that ICP4 molecules are primarily associated with non-capsid-containing light (L) particles obtained from BHK-21 cells and purified by 5-15% continuous Ficoll gradients (J. McLauchlan and F. J. Rixon, 1992, J. Gen. Virol. 73, 269-276). To reconcile these findings with regard to the association of immediate-early protein with virions obtained from different cell lines, our studies have focused on determining if the host cell type influences the amounts of ICP4 and ICP0 associated with the capsid-containing heavy (H) virus particles (purified virions) compared to the amounts associated with L particles. Virus particles were purified from three different cell lines, Vero, HEp-2, and BHK-21 cells. The H and L virus particles were resolved on 5-15% Ficoll gradients. The results presented indicate that although ICP4 and ICPO are readily detectable in H particles obtained from Vero and HEp-2 cells, minimal amounts of ICP4 and ICP0 are associated with H particles obtained from BHK-21 cells. The data suggest that the host cell may influence the relative amounts of ICP4 and ICP0 associated with the tegument region of virus particles. Finally, physical particle counts of the H and L particles also suggest that the host cell influences the relative number of L particles produced within the cell.
The Mainstream in Agricultural Economics Research

The title of this session suggests the continuing concern about the content of our collective research activity as a profession. Although not all of the agricultural economics research activity is performed by members of the American Agricultural Economics Association (AAEA) or even by those who hold degrees in agricultural economics, much of our discussion will deal with the profession as represented by the AAEA. The interest and debate about the research mix of our profession is not new and has surfaced in many forms dating back to the origins of our association when the discussion was centered on the differing perspectives of farm management and agricultural economics (Taylor and Taylor). Since that time the question of general research orientation has been posed in different terms-basic versus applied research, problem-solving versus disciplinary research (Harl), relevance (Allin, Kelso), and accountability (Nielson). Needs and evaluations of theory have also appeared in our journal (Johnson, Jones). These debates deal primarily with research orientation. There is also the question of the real-world problem focus of our research (e.g., Bishop). Given our available theories and methods, what are the empirical problems that receive our attention? At times the diversity of views in our profession on both research orientation and problem choice seems to cause disruption and polarization, and at other times the tension is creative. It is clearly desirable from time to time to scrutinize both what we are
Digital Family Portrait Field Trial: Support for Aging in Place

A growing social problem in the U.S., and elsewhere, is enabling older adults to continue living independently, as opposed to moving to an institutional care setting. One key part of this complex problem is providing awareness of senior adults day-to-day activities, promoting "peace of mind" for extended family members. The Digital Family Portrait (DFP) is one approach to providing peace of mind that has shown promise. To date, research on the DFP has been limited to wizard-of-oz based experiments over short periods of time. This paper describes a DFP field trial in which a private home was instrumented with sensors rather than relying on input from wizard-of-oz technology. This field trial was conducted over a period of one year between an aging parent living alone in her own home and her adult child living 50 miles distant. From this field trial we find that even though there was no critical reason for the adult child to be concerned about his mother, all involved parties found utility in the presence of the DFP, even those family members who were not directly involved in the field trial itself.
Thermal, structural, and inflation modeling of an isotensoid Supersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator

Near-term missions to Mars may not be possible with current deployable decelerator technology. This possibility becomes a certainty for the more distant human-precursor missions. Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerators (IADs) are a candidate technology that may provide the needed drag augmentation to enable these much heavier missions. The attached isotensoid is one of the IAD configurations favored for application at Mars. Assessing the isotensoid's technical feasibility for Mars missions requires several performance models capable of providing reasonably accurate predictions of key design parameters. This paper describes engineering-level models derived from past isotensoid technology development efforts that have been modified or improved for the problem at hand. Easily implemented models of the isotensoid inflation history, aerothermodynamic environment, and thermostructural performance are described.1 2
A novel power system stabilizer based on fuzzy model reference adaptive controller

The main objective of this work is to illustrate the development of a new class of intelligent adaptive control system based on a system-centric approach for the control of generators under transient operating conditions. The benefit of such a structure is its ability to control time varying power system operations including complex and multimodal dynamics and scheduled/unscheduled ‘Jumps’. The underlying structural feature is the introduction of Intelligent Supervisory Loops (ISL) to augment a conventional adaptive controller. The proposed fuzzy model reference adaptive controller uses a Fuzzy Reference Model Generator (FRMG) in parallel with the Model Reference Adaptive Controller (MRAC). The main advantage of this algorithm is that it is precise, feasible and more effective than other nonlinear adaptive controllers reported to-date. Simulation results are presented in order to show that, the oscillatory and transient response of a generator in a Single Machine Infinite Bus (SMIB) has substantially improved while using the proposed control scheme.
Renal responses to intra-arterial administration of nitric oxide donor in dogs.

Inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis by intra-arterial administration of nitro-L-arginine (NLA) leads to attenuation of the slope of the relation between renal arterial pressure (RAP) and sodium excretion without an alteration in renal autoregulatory efficiency. In the present study, we examined whether only the presence of nitric oxide or, alternatively, changes in nitric oxide production during changes in RAP are required for pressure natriuresis to occur. Anesthetized sodium-replete dogs (n = 8) were treated with NLA (50 micrograms.kg-1 x min-1) to inhibit endogenous nitric oxide formation, and S-nitroso-n-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP) was infused intra-arterially at a constant rate (2 micrograms.kg-1 x min-1) to replenish intrarenal nitric oxide levels. Renal responses to reductions in RAP within the autoregulatory range were assessed before and during NLA infusion followed by SNAP+NLA infusion. As reported previously, NLA infusion alone increased renal vascular resistance and decreased renal blood flow, urine flow, sodium excretion, and fractional excretion of sodium, with no change in glomerular filtration rate. Autoregulatory efficiency remained intact, whereas the pressure-induced natriuretic responses were attenuated. During SNAP+NLA infusion, renal blood flow increased from 2.8 +/- 0.3 to 3.5 +/- 0.3 mL.min-1 x g-1 (P < .001), without significant changes in glomerular filtration rate (0.75 +/- 0.07 to 0.81 +/- 0.05 mL.min-1 x g-1); the autoregulatory efficiency of renal blood flow and glomerular filtration rate remained intact. SNAP increased urine flow (4.8 +/- 1.8 to 10.0 +/- 2.5 microL.min-1 x g-1), sodium excretion (0.63 +/- 0.26 to 1.70 +/- 0.37 mumol.min-1 x g-1), and fractional excretion of sodium (0.55 +/- 0.20% to 1.38 +/- 0.27%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Runaway Wives: Customary Divorce and Remarriage in Shivpuri District

Runaway Wives: Customary Divorce and Remarriage in Shivpuri District. Directed by Marius Holden. 2001. 40 minutes. Hindi with English subtitles. For distribution information contact Marius Holden, marius holden @yahoo.com
Angiotensin II attenuates functional hyperemia in the mouse somatosensory cortex.

We investigated whether angiotensin II (ANG II), a peptide that plays a central role in the genesis of hypertension, alters the coupling between synaptic activity and cerebral blood flow (CBF), a c...
Trajectory-tracking control of a multiple flexible joint robot based on singular perturbation

The trajectory-tracking control of a typical industrial robot with six revolute joints is studied, where the joint flexibility is taken into account. An explicit form of the control law is obtained by using the composite control technique to guarantee the global convergence of tracking error. This method has a unique advantage in handling a multiple flexible joint robot as well as a hybrid rigid/flexible joint robot. Numerical simulation on a PUMA-600 robot arm has been done to verify the control algorithm for both set-point and time-varying trajectory tracking operations. Some important issues related to the validity of the algorithm are discussed.
General and Regional Circulatory Effects of Synthetic Bradykinin in Man

The general and regional circulatory effects of synthetic bradykinin were investigated in 19 healthy volunteers. During intravenous infusion of bradykinin (25 µg/min) mean arterial pressure decreased initially, but returned to control levels within a few minutes. Heart rate increased during the hypotensive period, but subsequently returned toward preinfusion levels. Cardiac output increased, mainly as a result of increased stroke volume, and systemic vascular resistance decreased. Blood flow to hand increased during such infusions of bradykinin, but blood flow to forearm was not altered significantly. Intravenous infusions of 40 µg/min produced an increase in blood flow to the forearm, resulting solely from cutaneous vasodilatation in most subjects. The distensibility of hand veins increased both during intravenous infusions of 25 µg/min and during infusions of 0.2 µg/min into the brachial artery. Renal clearance of inulin was slightly decreased during infusion of 25 µg/ min bradykinin; there was no detectable change of PAH clearance.
Flashlamp-excited organic dye lasers

The flashlamp-excited dye laser is presently the only type of laser capable of tunable emission throughout most of the visible spectrum. Gain and power output of the device are comparable to solid-state systems although the laser performance is hindered by thermal effects, produced by spatially nonuniform excitation of the dye, and optical losses associated with the molecular triplet state. In most of the known laser dyes, steady-state lasing is prevented by triplet state effects. The analysis of the gain of the dye laser is discussed in terms of the singlet-state absorption and fluorescence and triplet-state absorption spectra. The gain analysis is used to study the influence of the triplet state upon the critical inversion, and application of the analysis to a specific system is illustrated by the detailed discussion of the rhodamine 6G laser. A criterion for the maximum permissible triplet-state lifetime consistent with CW operation is given. The quenching of the triplet state of rhodamine 6G is shown to be rapid enough to allow CW operation, although thermal effects seem to be serious. The investigation of thermal effects is reviewed and the advantages of uniform excitation of the dye are pointed out. The minimum optical excitation power required for CW operation of a 7-cm-long rhodamine 6G laser of 2 mm diameter is estimated to be 850 watts neglecting thermal effects. A catalog of dyes, with their structures, that have been used in flashlamp-excited dye lasers is given. Various methods of tuning and mode locking the dye laser are reviewed. With a single dye a tuning range of 40 nm may be obtained by substituting a diffraction grating for one of the laser mirrors. Mode locking can be produced by placing a saturable dye absorber in the cavity.
Bias of Exploratory and Cross-Validated DETECT Index Under Unidimensionality:

DETECT is a nonparametric ``full'' dimensionality assessment procedure that clusters dichotomously scored items into dimensions and provides a DETECT index of magnitude of multidimensionality. Four...
New York City can eliminate the carbon footprint of its buildings by 2050

Abstract Climate scientists agree that a drastic reduction in carbon emissions in the coming decades is necessary to avoid major disasters due to global warming. Using computer modeling, citywide data sets, and insights from experts in the building community, we show how New York City (NYC) can lead the way toward climate change mitigation by improving the efficiency of its building sector (which is currently responsible for 75% of its greenhouse gas emissions) by 2050 using technologies available today. Though the total elimination of greenhouse gas emissions is possible only with the use of carbon-free energy sources, emissions can be reduced by over 60% from energy efficiency measures alone. After eliminating fuel combustion, carbon-free electric energy roughly equal to total electric energy used in 2010 would be consumed, but with a peak demand 60% higher than today's, establishing requirements for generation capacity and storage. Our economic analysis of the building measures shows them to be essentially cost-neutral over time.
Antitumor effects of hyaluronan inhibition in desmoid tumors

Desmoid tumors (DTs) are rare, mesenchymal tumors that exhibit features of an abundant wound healing process. Previously, we showed that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are constituents of DTs and may contribute to desmoid tumorigenesis via activities associated with wound healing. Hyaluronan (HA) is a long-charged chain of repeating glucuronate and N-acetylglucosamine disaccharides that is synthesized by HA synthases (HAS) and degraded by hyaluronidases (HYAL). HA is secreted into the extracellular matrix by injured stroma and is important for normal tissue repair and neoplastic progression. Here, we investigated the presence of HA in DTs and the antitumor effects of the HA inhibitor, 4-methylumbelliferone (4-MU), on DT-derived mesenchymal cells. By immunohistochemistry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, we found abundant expression of HA in 29/30 DTs as well as >5-fold increased HA levels in DT-derived cell lines relative to controls. Immunohistochemistry also demonstrated high expression of HAS2 in DTs, and quantitative PCR analysis showed increased HAS2 upregulation in frozen DTs and DT-derived cells. 4-MU treatment of DT-derived cells significantly decreased proliferation as well as HA and HAS2 levels. Fluorescent immunohistochemistry showed that MSCs in DTs coexpressed HA, HAS2, HYAL2, as well as the major HA receptor CD44 and HA coreceptor TLR4. Taken together, our results suggest that paracrine regulation of HA signaling in DTs may contribute to MSC recruitment and tumor proliferation. Future studies investigating the role of HA in tumor-stroma crosstalk and inhibition of HA-MSC interactions as a novel therapeutic target in DTs and other solid tumors are warranted.
Neuropathological and Genetic Findings in Autism: The Significance of a Putative Minicolumnopathy

Autism is a condition manifested as abnormalities of relatedness, communication, range of interests, and repetitive behaviors. Despite alarming prevalence estimates and exhortations to research, little is known regarding its pathophysiology. Recent reports of a putative minicolumnopathy explain changes in brain size, gray/white matter ratios, and interareal connectivity. This article summarizes possible links between minicolumns and other topics—cortical modularity, age of onset, gliosis, and genetics—relevant to the pathophysiology of autism.
Style & Topic Language Model Adaptation Using HMM-LDA

Adapting language models across styles and topics, such as for lecture transcription, involves combining generic style models with topic-specific content relevant to the target document. In this work, we investigate the use of the Hidden Markov Model with Latent Dirichlet Allocation (HMM-LDA) to obtain syntactic state and semantic topic assignments to word instances in the training corpus. From these context-dependent labels, we construct style and topic models that better model the target document, and extend the traditional bag-of-words topic models to n-grams. Experiments with static model interpolation yielded a perplexity and relative word error rate (WER) reduction of 7.1% and 2.1%, respectively, over an adapted trigram baseline. Adaptive interpolation of mixture components further reduced perplexity by 9.5% and WER by a modest 0.3%.
C‐Map: A High‐level Language for Engineering Analysis and Design

C-MAP is a high level language for engineering computations. In addition to the conventional programming features, C-MAP has over 100 functions covering a broad spectrum of numerical methods for engineering computations ranging from elementary calculus to non-linear constrained optimization problems. These basic functions can be nested in innumerable ways that give C-MAP great flexibility and power. C-MAP comprises four integrated components: (i) a fullscreen text editor with multiple stacked windows for simultaneous editing of programs and output files; (ii) a simplified C-like programming language with control structures, recursive functions, math library, and built-in functions for advanced engineering computations including the processing of general matrix and complex expressions; (iii) an interactive expression processor; and (iv) a simple authoring system with automatic cross-referencing of keywords. The program's versatility helps to meet the different needs of users at different stages of learning. A beginner may use only the built-in functions for math and matrix operations to get immediate, useful results; the advanced users may write their own functions for more complex problems. This paper discusses the features of C-MAP and its applications in teaching structural engineering