cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
γ-Glutamyltransferase and Its Isoform Mediate an Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Response

Although use of multiple alternative first exons generates unique noncoding 5′-ends for γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) cDNAs in several species, we show here that alternative splicing events also alter coding exons in mouse GGT to produce at least four protein isoforms. GGTΔ1 introduces CAG four bases upstream of the primary ATG codon and encodes an active GGT heterodimeric ectoenzyme identical to constitutive GGT cDNA but translational efficiency is reduced 2-fold. GGTΔ2–5 deletes the last eight nucleotides of exon 2 through most of exon 5 in-frame, selectively eliminating residues 96–231 from the amphipathic N-terminal subunit, including four N-glycan consensus sites, while leaving the C-terminal hydrophilic subunit intact. GGTΔ7 introduces 22 bases from intron 7 causing a frameshift and a premature stop codon so a truncated polypeptide is encoded terminating with 14 novel residues but retaining the first 339 residues of the native GGT protein. GGTΔ8–9 deletes the terminal four nucleotides of exon 8 plus all of exon 9 and inserts 24 bases from intron 9 in-frame so the C-terminal subunit of the encoded polypeptide loses residues 401–444 but gains eight internal hydrophobic residues. In contrast to the product of GGTΔ1, those derived from GGTΔ2–5, Δ7, Δ8–9 all lack transferase activity and persist as single-chain glycoproteins retained largely in the endoplasmic reticulum as determined by immunofluorescence microscopy and constitutive endoglycosidase H sensitivity in metabolically labeled cells. The developmental-stage plus tissue-specific regulation of the alternative splicing events at GGTΔ7 and GGTΔ8–9 implies unique roles for these GGT protein isoforms. The ability of the GGTΔ1 and GGTΔ7 to mediate the induction of C/EBP homologous protein-10, CHOP-10, and immunoglobulin heavy chain binding protein, BiP, implicates a specific role for these two GGT protein isoforms in the endoplasmic reticulum stress response.
Angular emission and polarization dependence of harmonics from laser–solid interactions

Laser plasma interaction experiments have been performed to characterize high order harmonic emission up to the 18th order using high rep rate mJ level laser pulses at relativistic intensities. The experiments were compared to two- and three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. The harmonic divergence was found to be less than 4° (full-width at half-maximum) at highest intensity and increased as the laser was defocused (i.e. as the intensity was reduced). The polarization dependence on the harmonic generation efficiency and divergence was also measured. Circular polarization was found to cause a deflection in the angle of emission of the harmonics—an effect which may be beneficial in the use of such harmonics for efficient isolated attosecond pulse production.
Incremental learning of new classes from unbalanced data

Multiple classifier systems tend to suffer from outvoting when new concept classes need to be learned incrementally. Out-voting is primarily due to existing classifiers being unable to recognize the new class until there is a sufficient number of new classifiers that can influence the ensemble decision. This problem of learning new classes was explicitly addressed in Learn++.NC, our previous work, where ensemble members dynamically adjust their own weights by consulting with each other based on their individual and collective confidence in classifying each concept class. Learn++.NC works remarkably well for learning new concept classes while requiring few ensemble members to do so. Learn++.NC cannot cope with the class imbalance problem, however, as it was not designed to do so. Yet, class imbalance is a common and important problem in machine learning, made even more challenging in an incremental learning setting. In this paper, we extend Learn++.NC so that it can incrementally learn new concept classes even if their instances are drawn from severely imbalanced class distributions. We show that the proposed algorithm is quite robust compared to other state-of-the-art algorithms.
Independent Pulsed Doppler Mapping Techniques: Limitations in the Prediction of the Angiographic Severity of Mitral Regurgitation

Pulsed Doppler mapping of the flow disturbance of mitral insufficiency is commonly employed to estimate the severity of regurgitation. We re-examined the customary pulsed Doppler criterion of relative depth of jet penetration (MR ratio) in 50 patients undergoing left ventriculography and found a modest correlation (r=0.70) between Doppler and angiographic estimates of regurgitant grade. The MR ratio did not provide statistically significant separation between adjacent angiographic grades 1+ to 3+ (scale 0 to 4 +). However, when the data were re-analyzed for the subset of 36 patients with pure mitral regurgitation the correlation between Doppler and angiographic estimates of regurgitant grade improved dramatically (r=0.88) and MR ratio provided statistically significant separation between all angiographic grades with the sole exception of the distinction between 1 + and 2 + regurgitation. The presence of restriction of the regurgitant orifice in the remaining 14 patients with relative mitral inflow obstruction may result in a nozzle effect on the regurgitant jet which alters the relationship between depth of jet penetration and severity of regurgitation. In this latter group of patients independent pulsed Doppler mapping techniques may provide inaccurate estimates of the angiographic severity of mitral regurgitation.
Microtubule organization during maturation of Xenopus oocytes: assembly and rotation of the meiotic spindles.

Assembly of the meiotic spindles during progesterone-induced maturation of Xenopus oocytes was examined by confocal fluorescence microscopy using anti-tubulin antibodies and by time-lapse confocal microscopy of living oocytes microinjected with fluorescent tubulin. Assembly of a transient microtubule array from a disk-shaped MTOC was observed soon after germinal vesicle breakdown. This MTOC-TMA complex rapidly migrated toward the animal pole, in association with the condensing meiotic chromosomes. Four common stages were observed during the assembly of both M1 and M2 spindles: (1) formation of a compact aggregate of microtubules and chromosomes; (2) reorganization of this aggregate resulting in formation of a short bipolar spindle; (3) an anaphase-B-like elongation of the prometaphase spindle, transversely oriented with respect to the oocyte A-V axis; and (4) rotation of the spindle into alignment with the oocyte axis. The rate of spindle elongation observed in M1 (0.7 μm min−1) was slower than that observed in M2 (1.8 μm min−1). Examination of spindles by immunofluorescence with antitubulin revealed numerous interdigitating microtubules, suggesting that prometaphase elongation of meiotic spindles in Xenopus oocytes results from active sliding of antiparallel microtubules. A substantial number of maturing oocytes formed monopolar microtubule asters during M1, nucleated by hollow spherical MTOCs. These monasters were subsequently observed to develop into bipolar M1 spindles and proceed through meiosis. The results presented define a complex pathway for assembly and rotation of the meiotic spindles during maturation of Xenopus oocytes.
WELFARE COST OF INFLATION IN A GENERAL EQUILIBRIUM MODEL WITH CURRENCY AND INTEREST-BEARING DEPOSITS

The user cost of non-interest bearing currency is the nominal interest rate. Increases in inflation lead to decreased real currency held in steady state, which imposes a welfare cost. Lucas (2000) estimates this welfare cost in a model with a single non-interest bearing monetary asset. Lucas suggests applying monetary aggregation/index number theory to generalize the model to contain interest-bearing deposits. We solve a general equilibrium model with three agents: a household, a goods producing firm, and a financial firm. We assume that currency and deposits provide utility to the household and form a weakly separable group in the utility function. We use monetary aggregation and index number methods to calibrate the model and estimate the welfare cost of inflation. We compare these estimates to welfare cost estimates from a model in which all money is non-interest bearing currency. We find that the welfare cost of inflation is substantially lower in the models with interest-bearing deposits than in models with only non-interest bearing currency. We also find that the welfare cost of inflation is positively related to the own price elasticity of aggregate money demand.
“Strange Fruit,” Ekphrasis, and the Lynching Scene

This essay examines the way in which the song “Strange Fruit,” as performed by Billie Holiday, employs ekphrasis in order to make appeals condemning the practice of lynching. In developing the visual aspects of a lynching scene through ekphrasis, Holiday engages audiences in a way that encourages them to experience the lynching scene with all five senses. The sensory experience of the scene and Holiday's performance creates a strong condemnation of lynching and practices of racial violence.
Modification of the Surface Properties of Natural Phyllosilicate Sepiolite by Secondary Isomorphic Substitution

Abstract The alumination of sepiolite led to a material with a moderate Lewis acidity, a high surface area, a microporous character, and a cation exchange capacity (CEC). The CEC increased to 45 meq/100 g and extraframework aluminum was formed. Alumination was accompanied by an increase in the sodium content of the sample and an improvement of the thermal stability, reflected in a microporosity more stable at 400°C than in the starting material. The CEC resulting from alumination allowed for the dispersion of vanadyl cations without loss of crystallinity. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectra indicated an isolated, immobile octahedral environment compatible with charge balancing vanadyl cations and/or vanadyl species at the edges of the octahedral ribbons in the framework. Upon alumination, the activity for ethanol dehydration was increased threefold at 400°C to 85% with a selectivity for ethylene of 50%. Upon dispersion of vanadyl cations, the reactivity for ethanol conversion was further increased. The possibility to apply successfully secondary isomorphic substitution techniques to natural minerals was clearly established and it was shown to alter their surface properties considerably, as shown here on sepiolite from both spectroscopic and reactivity studies.
Detection of intracellular signal transduction molecules in PBMC from rhesus macaques and sooty mangabeys.

: One of the manifestations of human HIV-1 and nonhuman primate SIV infection that lead to disease is reasoned to be secondary to generalized T-cell dysfunction. The molecular mechanisms associated with the T-cell dysfunction remain to be elucidated. To address this issue, we sought to utilize the nonhuman primate model to study intracellular signaling events in cells from disease-susceptible rhesus macaques and disease-resistant sooty mangabeys. Because relatively little is known about these events in nonhuman primates, our laboratory defined optimal conditions, reagents, and assays for the study of signal transduction events in cells from nonhuman primates. The protein phosphorylation patterns in the two monkeys exhibited quantitative, qualitative, and kinetic differences. Antibodies to Stat6 detected a unique band in macaque cell lysates. This band is markedly decreased human cell lysates and never seen in mangabey cell lysates. Detection of various other intracellular signaling proteins is also described.
Quantitative analysis of endoneurial T-cells in human sural nerve biopsies

Abstract We used immunocytochemical methods on sural nerve biopsies from 42 patients with peripheral neuropathy to identify mononuclear cells, determine whether lymphocytic infiltration occurs in a variety of neuropathies, and identify the subtypes of lymphocytes. Immunostained cells were present in 76% of nerve biopsies. CD3 + cells (T lymphocytes) were greatest in density (cells/mm 2 ). In patients whose CD4: CD8 T cell ratio was measured also in blood and cerebrospinal fluid, the CD4:CD8 T cell ratio was similar in all three compartments. These findings suggest that T lymphocytes are frequently present in nerves obtained from patients with various types of neuropathies and raise questions about factorsthat attract T lymphocytes into nerve that may be important in pathogenesis.
650 SERUM COPPER AND CERULOPLASMIN IN THE PREMATURE INFANT

Serial serum copper (Cu) and ceruloplasmin (Cerlp) concentrations were followed for an average of 14 weeks in 25 well, growing AGA premature infants (mean GA=30 wks., mean B.W.=1181gms.) fed standard infant formulas. Serum Cu and Cerlp, low at birth, gradually increased over the first 5 months of life. No relationship between Cu intake (μg/kg) and serum Cu concentrations was seen as serum Cu was lowest when intake was highest. The ratio of Cerlp/Cu was constant (x=.28) except for the first 72hrs. of life when the ratio was significantly lower (p=.00007). The data suggests: 1. serum Cu is controlled by factors other than dietary intake; 2. Cerlp production relative to serum Cu increases significantly over the first week of life; 3. Changes in serum Cu are paralleled by proportional changes in Cerlp after the first 72 hrs. of life.
Optical microangiography of retina and choroid and measurement of total retinal blood flow in mice

We present a novel application of optical microangiography (OMAG) imaging technique for visualization of depth-resolved vascular network within retina and choroid as well as measurement of total retinal blood flow in mice. A fast speed spectral domain OCT imaging system at 820nm with a line scan rate of 140 kHz was developed to image the posterior segment of eyes in mice. By applying an OMAG algorithm to extract the moving blood flow signals out of the background tissue, we are able to provide true capillary level imaging of the retinal and choroidal vasculature. The microvascular patterns within different retinal layers are presented. An en face Doppler OCT approach [Srinivasan et al., Opt Express 18, 2477 (2010)] was adopted for retinal blood flow measurement. The flow is calculated by integrating the axial blood flow velocity over the vessel area measured in an en face plane without knowing the blood vessel angle. Total retinal blood flow can be measured from both retinal arteries and veins. The results indicate that OMAG has the potential for qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the microcirculation in posterior eye compartments in mouse models of retinopathy and neovascularization.
Sub-100nm Non-Planar 3D InGaAs MOSFETs: Fabrication and Characterization

InGaAs MOSFETs have been considered promising candidate for post-Si logic devices beyond 14nm technology node. To meet the increasing demand in electrostatic control at sub-100nm channel lengths, non-planar 3D structures have been introduced to the fabrication of InGaAs MOSFETs. In this paper, the fabrication and characterization of various non-planar 3D InGaAs MOSFETs have been demonstrated and summarized, including InGaAs heterostructure FinFETs, InGaAs-on-nothing nanowire MOSFETs, and InGaAs gate-all-around nanowire MOSFETs. It is shown that the implementation of 3D structure greatly reduces short channel effect and improves scalability of InGaAs MOSFETs. The gate-allaround nanowire structure has been fabricated by a novel top-down approach for the first time and is found to offer great scalability down to at least 50nm channel length with good transport property, making InGaAs gate-all-around nanowire MOSFETs strong candidate for ultimately scaled III-V logic technology.
Hydraulic Performance Curves for Highway Culverts

This paper presents a versatile two-parameter model describing the hydraulic performance of highway culverts operating under inlet control for both unsubmerged and submerged conditions. Applications show that the model can accurately represent the Federal Highway Administration (FHwA) performance curves (which use four parameters) for a range of culvert types and materials. Laboratory data from an investigation of the hydraulic performance of single- and multiple-barrel low-headwater box culverts are also used, and the resulting model predicts a smaller culvert size as compared with the FHwA equations for a given design discharge. Design recommendations are presented for low-headwater box culverts.
Hepatitis C Virus Nonstructural Protein 5A: Biochemical Characterization of a Novel Structural Class of RNA-Binding Proteins

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) nonstructural protein 5A (NS5A) exhibits a preference for G/U-rich RNA in vitro. Biological analysis of the NS5A RNA-binding activity and its target sites in the genome will be facilitated by a description of the NS5A-RNA complex. We demonstrate that the C-4 carbonyl of the uracil base and, by inference, the C-6 carbonyl of the guanine base interact with NS5A. U-rich RNA of 5 to 6 nucleotides (nt) is sufficient for high-affinity binding to NS5A. The minimal RNA-binding domain of NS5A consists of residues 2005 to 2221 (referred to as domain I-plus). This region of the protein includes the amino-terminal domain I as well as the subsequent linker that separates domains I and II. This linker region is the site of adaptive mutations. U-rich RNA-binding activity is not observed for an NS5A derivative containing only residues 2194 to 2419 (domains II and III). Mass spectrometric analysis of an NS5A-poly(rU) complex identified domains I and II as sites for interaction with RNA. Dimerization of NS5A was demonstrated by glutaraldehyde cross-linking. This dimerization is likely mediated by domain I-plus, as dimers of this protein are trapped by cross-linking. Dimers of the domain II-III protein are not observed. The monomer-dimer equilibrium of NS5A shifts in favor of dimer when U-rich RNA is present but not when A-rich RNA is present, consistent with an NS5A dimer being the RNA-binding-competent form of the protein. These data provide a molecular perspective of the NS5A-RNA complex and suggest possible mechanisms for regulation of HCV and cellular gene expression.
Spectral representations of neutron-star equations of state

Methods are developed for constructing spectral representations of cold (barotropic) neutron-star equations of state. These representations are faithful in the sense that every physical equation of state has a representation of this type and conversely every such representation satisfies the minimal thermodynamic stability criteria required of any physical equation of state. These spectral representations are also efficient, in the sense that only a few spectral coefficients are generally required to represent neutron-star equations of state quiet accurately. This accuracy and efficiency is illustrated by constructing spectral fits to a large collection of “realistic” neutron-star equations of state.
Real-time implementation of intelligent actuator control with a transducer health monitoring capability

This paper presents a concept of feedback control for smart actuators that are compatible with smart sensors, communication protocols, and a hierarchical Integrated System Health Management (ISHM) architecture developed by NASApsilas Stennis Space Center. Smart sensors and actuators typically provide functionalities such as automatic configuration, system condition awareness and self-diagnosis. Spacecraft and rocket test facilities are in the early stages of adopting these concepts. The paper presents a concept combining the IEEE 1451-based ISHM architecture with a transducer health monitoring capability to enhance the control process. A control system testbed for intelligent actuator control, with on-board ISHM capabilities, has been developed and implemented. Overviews of the smart actuator architecture and control based on this architecture are presented.
Importin-beta-like nuclear transport receptors

In recent years, our understanding of macromolecular transport processes across the nuclear envelope has grown dramatically, and a large number of soluble transport receptors mediating either nuclear import or nuclear export have been identified. Most of these receptors belong to one large family of proteins, all of which share homology with the protein import receptor importin β (also named karyopherin β). Members of this family have been classified as importins or exportins on the basis of the direction they carry their cargo. To date, the family includes 14 members in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and at least 22 members in humans. Importins and exportins are regulated by the small GTPase Ran, which is thought to be highly enriched in the nucleus in its GTP-bound form. Importins recognize their substrates in the cytoplasm and transport them through nuclear pores into the nucleus. In the nucleoplasm, RanGTP binds to importins, inducing the release of import cargoes. In contrast, exportins interact with their substrates only in the nucleus in the presence of RanGTP and release them after GTP hydrolysis in the cytoplasm, causing disassembly of the export complex. Thus, common features of all importin-β-like transport factors are their ability to shuttle between the nucleus and the cytoplasm, their interaction with RanGTP as well as their ability to recognize specific transport substrates.
Distinguishing between Perceived Closeness and Parental Warmth in Families with Seventh-Grade Boys and Girls

The distinction between perceived closeness and parental warmth was explored by examining the relations between closeness and warmth and selected parent-reported and child-reported characteristics ...
Statistical uncertainty of 1967–2005 thermospheric density trends derived from orbital drag

[1] Estimation of trend uncertainties is an essential element of long-term climate change study. Standard error analysis assumes independent (i.e., uncorrelated) random deviations of the data around the trend, a requirement that is rarely fulfilled by upper atmospheric time series; consequently, uncertainty estimates are typically unrealistically small. To obtain internally consistent estimates of linear trends and trend uncertainties in thermospheric density data, we account for correlated noise by incorporating autoregressive (AR) models of varying order into our error analysis. We apply our method to daily, monthly, and yearly averages of thermospheric mass density data derived from orbital drag, after subtracting out solar and seasonal effects. The resulting trend uncertainty estimates are mutually congruent among the three temporal cadences; in contrast, assuming independent random error produces uncertainty estimates that differ considerably among the daily, monthly, and yearly cases. At 400 km, we estimate the 1967–2005 density trend to be –1.94% per decade, with a 95% confidence interval of [−3.30, −0.59] % per decade. The AR model residuals are consistent with the assumption of independent, normally distributed random errors with uniform variance. Our methodology permits realistic analytical estimates of trend uncertainties for AR processes of arbitrary order, superseding the use of Monte Carlo simulations, and the approach is applicable to trend analysis of other upper atmospheric parameters.
Using student projects in an introductory course for liberal arts students

This talk, given at the IMS Regional Conference honoring Bob Hogg (Iowa City, May 16, 1995), discusses the assigning of student projects in an introductory statistics course for liberal arts students. We discuss several examples by way of motivation, discuss the educational reasons one might use student projects, and finally give some practical guidelines to help the project assignment run smoothly.
Young's Modulus of Various Refractory Materials as a Function of Temperature

Young's modulus as a function of temperature was determined by a dynamic method for single-crystal sapphire and ruby and for polycrystalline aluminum oxides ma~esium oxide, thorium oxides mullites spinel, stabilized zirconium oxides silicon carbides and nickelbonded titanium carbide. For the single crystals, Young's modulus was found to decrease linearly with increasing temperature from 100 C to the highest temperature of measurement. For all the polycrystalline materials, except silicon carbide, stabilized zirconium oxides and spinel, Young's modulus was found to decrease approximately linearly with increasing temperature until some temperature range characteristic of the material was reached in which Young's modulus decreased very rapidly and in a nonlinear manner with increasing temperature. This rapid decrease at high temperature is attributed to grain-boundary slip. Stabilized zirconium oxide and spinel were found to have the same rapid decrease in Young's modulus at high temperatures but they also had a decidedly nonlinear temperature dependence at low temperature. (auth)
Biofilm formation by Psychrobacter arcticus and the role of a large adhesin in attachment to surfaces.

ABSTRACT Psychrobacter arcticus strain 273-4, an isolate from a Siberian permafrost core, is capable of forming biofilms when grown in minimal medium under laboratory conditions. Biofilms form at 4 to 22°C when acetate is supplied as the lone carbon source and with 1 to 7% sea salt. P. arcticus is also capable of colonizing quartz sand. Transposon mutagenesis identified a gene important for biofilm formation by P. arcticus. Four transposon mutants were mapped to a 20.1-kbp gene, which is predicted to encode a protein of 6,715 amino acids (Psyc_1601). We refer to this open reading frame as cat1, for cold attachment gene 1. The cat1 mutants are unable to form biofilms at levels equivalent to that of the wild type, and there is no impact on the planktonic growth characteristics of the strains, indicating a specific role in biofilm formation. Through time course studies of the static microtiter plate assay, we determined that cat1 mutants are unable to form biofilms equivalent to that of the wild type under all conditions tested. In flow cell experiments, cat1 mutants initially are unable to attach to the surface. Over time, however, they form microcolonies, an architecture very different from that produced by wild-type biofilms. Our results demonstrate that Cat1 is involved in the initial stages of bacterial attachment to surfaces.
Ammonia Quick Test and ammonia dosimeter tubes for determining ammonia levels in broiler facilities

Abstract A general recommendation is to keep ammonia levels in poultry facilities below 25 ppm. Unfortunately, a reliable, inexpensive method of determining ammonia levels has not been well established. To address this situation, ammonia concentrations, as determined by the Ammonia Quick Test and the passive dosimeter tube, were compared to the ammonia concentration determined by the gas detector tube. The ammonia Quick Test estimated ammonia levels accurately at levels of 20-25 ppm of ammonia. The passive dosimeter tubes estimated average ammonia levels accurately at low levels of ammonia. Comparisons of ammonia concentration to relative humidity suggest that ammonia can increase much more rapidly than relative humidity.
Divisive Primaries and Party Activists: Kentucky, 1979 and 1983

How do campaign workers react when their candidate loses a primary election? Do they retire from the political fray, at least for the rest of the political season, or do they enlist in the winning candidate's general election campaign? And what factors determine these responses? Based on a mail survey of high-level workers in the Kentucky gubernatorial primary campaigns of 1979 and 1983, we conclude that Kentucky activists were more likely to support the winner of the primary than would be expected on the basis of prior research, and that the best predictors of such reactions are the activist's degree of involvement in past campaigns, identification with the party, and, to a somewhat lesser extent, political ideology and material motivation for involvement in the primary.
A direct proof of the Feferman-Vaught theorem and other preservation theorems in products

Here we give short and direct proofs of the Feferman-Vaught theorem and other preservation theorems in products of structures. In 1952, Mostowski [5] first showed the preservation of ≡ ωω by direct powers of structures. Subsequently, in 1959, Feferman and Vaught [2] proved the preservation of ≡ ωω by arbitrary direct products and also by reduced products with respect to cofinite filters. In 1962, Frayne, Morel and Scott [3] noticed that the results extend to arbitrary reduced products. In 1970, Barwise and Eklof [1] showed the preservation of ≡ ∞λ by products and in 1971 Malitz [4] showed the preservation of ≡ κλ with κ strongly inaccessible (or ∞) by products. Below, we give short proofs of the above results. The ideas used here have initiated, in [7], [8], [9], [10], [11], the introduction of several new methods in the theory of products, which on the one hand give new, direct proofs of the known results in the area, including generalizations or strengthenings of some of those, and, on the other hand, give several new results as well in the theory of products and related areas. Below, L denotes a (first order) language, and by a structure we mean an L -structure. 0 and 1 denote the logically valid and false sentence, respectively. We may write ā ∈ A for ā ∈ A n for some n . Also, the values 1 and 2 of a parameter l in the definitions below express a duality corresponding to disjunctive and conjunctive forms.
Effects of commonly used hemostatic agents on the porcine collecting system.

Purpose: Topical hemostatic agents have been particularly useful for preventing bleeding in tubeless percutaneous nephrolithotomy. In the present study, we investigated the effect of gelatin matrix hemostatic sealant (FloSeal), fibrin glue (Tisseel,), polyethylene glycol polymers (CoSeal), and bovine serum albumin/ glutaraldehyde (BioGlue) in the pig urinary collecting system after injection through a percutaneous nephrostomy (PCN) tract. Materials and Methods: Percutaneous nephrostomy was performed in 40 kidneys in 24 domestic pigs. Animals were divided into four groups of six each: (1) FloSeal; (2) Tisseel; (3) CoSeal; and (4) BioGlue. In 16 animals that tolerated the procedure, the contralateral kidney was used as a control for PCN only. All tracts were dilated to 30F with the Amplatz dilator, and 2 mL of the hemostatic agent was injected into the collecting system before pulling back to seal the puncture. Results: Among the control PCN kidneys, no obstruction was detected at the end of a 5-day period. However, three of six kidneys injected with FloSeal, Tisseel, or CoSeal and four of six kidneys injected with BioGlue were obstructed. In each of these cases, there was an associated retroperitoneal urinoma. Conclusion: FloSeal, Tisseel, CoSeal, and BioGlue, if injected directly into the porcine collecting system, can result in significant obstruction that does not resolve over a 5-day period. Until there are clinical data to the contrary, we believe that when using one of these hemostatic agents in association with a tubeless percutaneous procedure, a retrograde occlusion balloon catheter should be considered to prevent inadvertent injection of these materials into the collecting system.
Doped Nanocrystals as Plasmonic Probes of Redox Chemistry

A (nano)crystal-clear view: With doped semiconductor nanocrystals, local chemical events can be probed through their perturbation of the carrier density of the nanocrystal. Examples demonstrate that redox processes and ligand chemistry can induce changes in the vacancy density within copper(I) sulfide nanorods, allowing such events to be detected by strong shifts in localized surface plasmon resonance.
Spectrotemporal receptive fields of neurons in cochlear nucleus of guinea pig

Spectrotemporal receptive fields (STRFs) [Hermes et al., Hear. Res. 5, 147-178, 1981] for neurons in the cochlear nuclei (CN) of guinea pig were estimated. Sixteen periodic segments of bandlimited, synthesized noise evoked replicable, distinctive period histograms for spike discharges. All driven units in the major divisions of the CN having their characteristic frequency (CF) within the noise bandlimits had unique STRFs for a given intensity of noise stimulation. The STRF maximum corresponded to the unit's CF, and details of the STRF patterns differed over CN divisions and response classes derived from tonebursts. The sizes of features in STRFs from this mammal appeared significantly smaller in their temporal and spectral extents than those reported in the torus semicircularis of an amphibian and were roughly comparable to the few units reported from cat ventral CN [Eggermont et al., Quart. Rev. Biophys. 16, 341-414, 1983]. STRFs, as they are presently obtained, provide useful insight into some aspects of afferent processing and perhaps connectivity, but their interpretation is specific to the level of stimulation and limited by the need to choose a specific energy distribution to represent the stimulus.
A framework for middleware supporting real-time wide-area distributed computing

The development of real-time systems that are distributed over a wide area is a significant problem that has challenged researchers for many years. Such systems require precise timing of actions throughout, but wide area networks tend to have variable delays that greatly reduce determinism. The framework described here supports the composition of wide-area real-time distributed virtual computer systems from deterministic components to provide precise timing from end-to-end. The framework use switched optical networks such as those being developed for the OptIPuter project for well-regulated long-distance paths yielding low jitter. Within campus networks, the time-triggered Ethernet technology provide deterministic switching of packets for real-time applications while supporting legacy IP traffic. Finally, at the edges, the time-triggered message-triggered object (TMO) support middleware manage resources to provide realtime operations while supporting an easy-to-program interface and high-level timing specification.
Toward molecular programming with DNA

Biological organisms are beautiful examples of programming. The program and data are stored in biological molecules such as DNA, RNA, and proteins; the algorithms are carried out by molecular and biochemical processes; and the end result is the creation and function of an organism. If we understood how to program molecular systems, what could we create? Lifelike technologies whose basic operations are chemical reactions? The fields of chemistry, physics, biology, and computer science are converging as we begin to synthesize molecules, molecular machines, and molecular systems of ever increasing complexity, leading to subdisciplines such as DNA nanotechnology, DNA computing, and synthetic biology. Having demonstrated simple devices and systems -- self-assembled structures, molecular motors, chemical logic gates -- researchers are now turning to the question of how to create large-scale integrated systems. To do so, we must learn how to manage complexity: how to efficiently specify the structure and behavior of intricate molecular systems, how to compile such specifications down to the design of molecules to be synthesized in the lab, and how to ensure that such systems function robustly. These issues will be illustrated for chemical logic circuits based on cascades of DNA hybridization reactions.Bio Erik Winfree is an Associate Professor in Computer Science, Computation & Neural Systems, and Bioengineering at Caltech. Winfree is the recipient of the Feynman Prize for Nanotechnology (2006), the NSF PECASE/CAREER Award (2001), the ONR Young Investigators Award (2001), a MacArthur Fellowship (2000), and MIT Technology Review's first TR100 list of "top young innovators" (1999). Prior to joining the faculty at Caltech in 2000, Winfree was a Lewis Thomas Postdoctoral Fellow in Molecular Biology at Princeton, and a Visiting Scientist at the MIT AI Lab. Winfree received a B.S. in Mathematics w/ Computer Science from the University of Chicago in 1991, and a Ph.D. in Computation & Neural Systems from Caltech in 1998. His website is http://dna.caltech.edu/~winfree/.
On-site diagnostics of medium-voltage underground cross-linked polyethylene cables

The polarization-depolarization current measurements were performed on miniature cables (aged in the laboratory), field-aged cables (removed from service and measured in the laboratory), and cables still installed in the local utility power distribution network. The measurements performed on miniature cables revealed significant changes in the area Qp under the HF components of the polarization current with aging time. The percentage increase of Qp could be related to the degree of insulation degradation due to water treeing. The low-frequency component of the depolarization current for field-aged cables was sensitive to polarization time but only when the measurements were performed shortly after switching off of the ac voltage. Virgin and relatively new cables did not show this effect. Cables of similar age and construction but installed in different environments (e.g., in conduits vs. bare ground) gave distinctly different depolarization current waveforms, which indicates that the technique can distinguish the more deteriorated from the less deteriorated cables. An extra year of service caused noticeable changes in the insulation depolarization current characteristics for some cables and almost no change in others. A large change in depolarization current could indicate advancing deterioration of the insulation and increasing probability of failure.
Three-Pulse Echo Peak Shift Studies of Polar Solvation Dynamics

The three-pulse photon echo peak shift technique is used to study room temperature solvation dynamics in acetonitrile, benzonitrile, methanol, ethanol, ethylene glycol, and chloroform utilizing the tricarbocyanine dye, IR144 as the probe molecule. In all cases, an ultrafast component, ascribed to inertial solvent motion, was evident after the very rapid dephasing of the intramolecular vibrational modes. All the solvents except acetonitrile show biexponential behavior on the picosecond (diffusive) time scale. In the case of acetonitrile, the spectral density governing the solute−solvent interaction is recovered by numerical fitting of peak shift data. The inertial component of the spectral density is compared with the solvation spectral density obtained from an instantaneous normal mode calculation. The two spectra agree well. The fitting parameters allow the absorption spectrum to be well reproduced. For ethylene glycol, data are also presented for 397 K; the ultrafast component of solvation is quite inde...
Measuring pain in the (knockout) mouse: big challenges in a small mammal.

The increasing popularity of the mouse as a subject in basic science studies of pain can largely be attributed to the development of transgenic ‘knockout’ technology in this species only. To take advantage of this biological technique, many investigators are rushing to adapt to the mouse experimental protocols that were designed for the rat. However, the myriad physiological and behavioral differences between these two rodent species render such adaptations non-trivial and in many cases seriously problematic. In this article we review the basic nociceptive assays used in behavioral pain research (thermal, mechanical, electrical and chemical), and highlight how species differences affect their proper application. In addition, some of the issues specifically pertaining to the interpretation of such data in knockout studies are addressed. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Next-Generation Lithography (B): Betting on New Production Technology in the Semiconductor Industry

This cases series is intended for use in a technology management curriculum, and the companion Web site, http://www.darden.virginia.edu/it/explore/, provides a multimedia overview of the technology with the aid of 3-D animation to enhance the learning experience. The series brings to life the challenges faced when pursuing cutting-edge technology development. To bridge the chasm of a major technological discontinuity in the semiconductor industry, the leading firms have to confront challenges associated with intercompany cooperation and coordination in a setting replete with technological uncertainties. Only by doing so will the semiconductor industry be able to continue its adherence to Moores Law. The A case UVA-BP-0423) leads students to formulate strategies for cooperative development targeting much-needed next-generation lithography systems. The B case places students in a position of evaluating what the lead firms (IBM, Intel, and Lucent) actually did.
I. Subfamily Anomochlooideae Pilg. ex Potztal (1957)

Rhizomatous perennials, herbaceous. Ligule fringed or lacking. Leaves with a pulvinus at the distal end of the petiole, with broad blades. Inflorescence made up of units that defy conventional descriptions, generally known as “spikelet equivalents,” more or less equivalent to a single flower, bisexual. The spikelet equivalents sessile, bracteate or not. Additional bract-like structures arranged in unusual phyllotaxis, but probably representing highly modified perianth. Caryopsis with a hard endosperm, with the hilum long but inconspicuous, the embryo with or without an epiblast, with a scutellar cleft, without a mesocotyl internode, embryonic leaf margins overlapping or not.
Preparing Marketing Students for a Global and Multicultural Work Environment: The Value of a Semester-Long Study Abroad Program

In the future, marketing graduates will face an increasingly diverse and multicultural workplace both within and outside their home countries. A crucial question is, how can marketing educators better prepare students for this complex and changing work environment? One solution is a study abroad program (SAP). This study tests some anecdotal claims about the value of the SAP in preparing students for this work environment. Empirical results show that the SAP helps students become more globally minded, communicate better across cultural and national boundaries, and become more sensitive to new and different cultures. Suggestions for improving SAPs for marketing students conclude the paper.
Optimal Modeling and Equilibrium Mechanism of Taxi Market with Consideration of Service Refusal

In order to analyze the influence of taxi service refusal on the equilibrium mechanism of taxi market,a sigmoid function of service refusal was developed to analyze the equilibrium mechanism among the service refusal and endogenous variables in the taxi market,such as fleet size,price,waiting time and so on.With consideration of service refusal,a taxi market optimal model to maximize social welfare was built.The results show that for service refusal,the optimal price will remain the same,but the fleet size will be increased and the social welfare will be decreased.When the model is applied in Xi'an taxi market,the average waiting time will rise from 0.1hto 0.65hif there is taxi refusal,the demand will decrease by 1.3×104 trips,and the optimal fleet size will increase from 8 426vehicles to 10 839vehicles with the optimal price remaining the same for the maximization of social welfare.The complex impact of the taxi service refusal on the equilibrium mechanism can be described by the proposed model.
Measurement of mode I stress-intensity factors by scattered-light photoelasticity

The feasibility of using the scattered-light technique to determine Mode I stress-intensity factors is demonstrated for the case of an edge-cracked beam subjected to pure bending. Photoelastic-fringe data were utilized to obtain an expression for the fringe gradient in the singular region surrounding the crack tip. Mode I stress-intensity factors were then determined by relating the fringe gradient to the local stresses in the singular region and extrapolating these results to the crack tip. Experimental and analytical results showed good agreement and the technique is suggested for application to three-dimensional fracture-mechanics problems.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis 1 and Many Diseases

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting primarily the motor neurons, although extramotor manifestations of the disease are well-appreciated, including features of frontotemporal dementia. In 90–95% of patients ALS occurs sporadically; in 5–10% it is familial. ALS is characterized by remarkable heterogeneity, which suggests that ALS is in fact a group of diseases with distinct genetic causes and pathophysiologies that share a final common pathway. Clinical heterogeneity is present even in groups of patients with the same causative mutation, which suggests a potential role for genetic modifiers. However, although heterogeneity is striking, there are clearly common clinical and pathologic features across all of ALS. This commonality may hold critical keys to understanding ALS. Exciting discoveries in ALS genetics and new insights into cellular pathology that it is driving have real potential to clarify ALS pathogenesis and lead to novel therapeutics.
On the relative de-anonymizability of graph data: Quantification and evaluation

In this paper, we propose a structural importance-aware approach to quantify the vulnerability/de-anonymizability of graph data to structure-based De-Anonymization (DA) attacks [1][2][3][4]. Specifically, we quantify both the seed-based and the seed-free Relative De-anonymizability (RD) of graph data for both perfect DA (successfully de-anonymizing all the target users) and partial DA (where some DA error is tolerated) under a general data model. In our relative quantification, instead of treating all the users in graph data as structurally equivalent, we adaptively quantify their RD in terms of their structural importance. Leveraging 15 real world graph datasets, we validate the accuracy of our relative quantifications and compare them with state-of-the-art seed-based and seed-free quantification techniques. The results demonstrate that our structural importance-aware relative quantifications are more sound and precise when measuring graph data's real vulnerability/de-anonymizability.
Choosing Technology Majors: What You Don’t Know Can Influence You

This study explores high school graduates’ understanding of technology careers and reasons they choose not to major in technology fields. We employed two data collection methods (surveys and focus ...
A Rapid, Sensitive Myeloperoxidase Stain Using 4-Chloro-1-naphthol

The substitution of 4-chloro-1-naphthol for benzidine-containing compounds used in the myeloperoxidase stain for distinguishing granulocytes from lymphoid blood elements is described. 4-Chloro-1-naphthol is an acceptable substitute for benzidine compounds, which are considered to be carcinogenic. The feasibility of using this method on peripheral blood and bone-marrow films is discussed.
Estimation of Price Elasticities with Data from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys

Household budget surveys have had a variety of uses in a long and venerable history, ranging from concern with the “state of the poor” in the late eighteenth- and mid-nineteenth-century England and Continental Europe to a need for weights in the construction of consumer price indices. For economists, the principal use of data from household budget surveys has usually been the analysis of relationships between consumption expenditures and income, that is, with the estimation of Engel curves. As most budget surveys collect only expenditure data, rather than both quantities and prices, it is generally not possible, absent heroic assumptions on the structure of consumer preferences, to estimate full-blown demand functions and hence to obtain estimates of price as well as income elasticities.