cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Kinetic studies of the formation, acid-catalyzed solvolysis, and cupric ion displacement of a zinc porphyrin in aqueous solutions

Abstract The rates of zinc incorporation, zinc demetallation, and cupric ion displacement of zinc in a water-soluble porphyrin were investigated. The tetra-sulfonated tetraphenylporphine TPPS (see Fig. 1) was employed in the studies. The rate of zinc ion incorporation was equal to [k1][Zn2+] [TPPS] where k1 = 4.76 × 10−1 M−1 sec−1 at 30°C; the rate of Zn-TPPS demetallation is equal to kd[Zn-TPPS][H+−]c where kd = 10.9 M−2 sec−1 at 30°C; the rate of Cu2+ replacement in Zn-TPPS is equal to kCu[Zn-TPPS] [Cu2+] where kCu = 5.1 × 10−3 M−1 sec−1 at 30°C. These rate laws are discussed in terms of the possible mechanisms for the reactions studied.
Operation of Airport Security Checkpoints Under Increased Threat Conditions

Many types of foreign and domestic crises can increase the concern over terrorist actions directed toward the U.S. commercial air transportation system. Government and airport officials respond to these threats by increasing security measures. However, even under increased levels of security, airport officials are still responsible for ensuring the effective movement of air passengers. To address this problem, a simulation analysis was conducted on the operation of an airport security checkpoint under increased threat conditions. The results provide guidance for airport officials in maintaining effective passenger movement under these conditions.
The role of standardized tests in college admissions: Test‐Optional admissions

This chapter examines developments in using standardized tests in the college admission process. The author discusses the controversy that has surrounded these tests over the past several years.
Efficient Synthesis of Narrowly Dispersed Brush Polymers via Living Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization of Macromonomers

Various macromonomers (MMs) were efficiently synthesized through the copper-catalyzed “click” coupling of a norbornene moiety to the chain end of poly(methylacrylate), poly(t-butylacrylate), and polystyrene that were prepared using atom transfer radical polymerization. Ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of these MMs was carried out using the highly active, fast-initiating ruthenium catalyst (H2IMes)(pyr)2(Cl)2RuCHPh in THF at room temperature. ROMP of MMs was found to be living with almost quantitative conversions (>90%) of MMs, producing brush polymers with very low polydispersity indices of 1.01−1.07 and high Mn’s of 200−2600 kDa. The efficient ROMP of such MMs provides facile access to a variety of brush polymers and overcomes previous difficulties in the controlled polymerization of MMs. Atomic force microscopy of the brush polymer products revealed extended, wormlike shapes as a result of significant steric repulsion of densely grafted side chains.
Abstract A32: Identification and characterization of colon cancer-associated antigens

Colon cancer (CRC) is an immunogenic tumor and adaptive immunity may play a role in inhibiting disease relapse. A vaccine to boost cellular immunity in CRC patients could prevent disease recurrence, but there have been few defined immunogenic proteins identified as vaccine candidates. TVG has shown that overexpressed tumor associated proteins, abundant in the cancer state but expressed at basal levels in normal cells, can be immunogenic. We hypothesized that ideal candidate antigens would be ones already validated as prognostic markers in multivariate analysis. We performed a directed literature review using search words e.g. colon cancer, prognosis, biomarker, multivariate analysis. We selected a panel of eight proteins based on (1) incidence of expression, (2) independent predictor of poor prognosis, (3) independent predictor of early disease recurrence, and (4) known biologic function in CRC pathogenesis. Using a web based algorithm program developed by TVG, we identified peptides that were predicted to be high affinity binders across multiple HLA DR alleles; characteristics we have shown to be associated with native epitopes of self tumor antigens. We selected and synthesized 19 peptides predicted to be the highest binders. We evaluated the potential immunogenicity of peptides with 1. IFN-g ELISPOT assays using PBMC from CRC patients and normal controls and 2. specific IgG antibody response with ELISA using sera from CRC patients and normal controls. We quantitated antigen gene expression using qPCR in cell lines representing microsatellite unstable (MSI), chromosome unstable (CIN) and CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) colorectal cancer. The eight proteins are: CDC25B, COX-2, EBAG9, EGFR, Fascin-1, IGF-1R, PRL-3 and VCP. Two of the eight proteins had already been shown to be human tumor antigens. For all candidate antigens there was a greater IFN-g response in CRC patients than in controls; for three proteins, this difference reached statistical significance. Six proteins were positive by ELISA. Seven antigen genes were overexpressed relative to normal colon. We conclude that: 1. biologically relevant CRC associated proteins can be identified that are associated with prognosis, 2. epitopes predicted to bind multiple DR alleles, derived from candidate antigens, elicit T cell responses greater in CRC patients than in normal controls, 3. there was an overexpression of candidate genes across three different CRC phenotypes, and 4. these antigens may represent novel immunologic targets for CRC. Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2010;3(12 Suppl):A32.
Role for perinuclear chromosome tethering in maintenance of genome stability

Repetitive DNA sequences, which constitute half the genome in some organisms, often undergo homologous recombination. This can instigate genomic instability resulting from a gain or loss of DNA. Assembly of DNA into silent chromatin is generally thought to serve as a mechanism ensuring repeat stability by limiting access to the recombination machinery. Consistent with this notion is the observation, in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, that stability of the highly repetitive ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequences requires a Sir2-containing chromatin silencing complex that also inhibits transcription from foreign promoters and transposons inserted within the repeats by a process called rDNA silencing. Here we describe a protein network that stabilizes rDNA repeats of budding yeast by means of interactions between rDNA-associated silencing proteins and two proteins of the inner nuclear membrane (INM). Deletion of either the INM or silencing proteins reduces perinuclear rDNA positioning, disrupts the nucleolus-nucleoplasm boundary, induces the formation of recombination foci, and destabilizes the repeats. In addition, artificial targeting of rDNA repeats to the INM suppresses the instability observed in cells lacking an rDNA-associated silencing protein that is typically required for peripheral tethering of the repeats. Moreover, in contrast to Sir2 and its associated nucleolar factors, the INM proteins are not required for rDNA silencing, indicating that Sir2-dependent silencing is not sufficient to inhibit recombination within the rDNA locus. These findings demonstrate a role for INM proteins in the perinuclear localization of chromosomes and show that tethering to the nuclear periphery is required for the stability of rDNA repeats. The INM proteins studied here are conserved and have been implicated in chromosome organization in metazoans. Our results therefore reveal an ancient mechanism in which interactions between INM proteins and chromosomal proteins ensure genome stability.
The lunar outpost - Testbed for colonization and extraterrestrial evolution

Three aspects of extraterrestrial habitation are presented with primary focus on lunar habitation. An overview of human experience in low earth orbit (LEO) is given and the establishment of an experience base is discussed. Three primary conditions are listed as crucial requirements for extraterrestrial habitation. These include the construction of artificial environments (AEs); the improvement of AEs so that they are attractive enough for people to want to spend their lives nd eventually bear and raise children in such an environment; and finally, the achievement of self-sufficiency and growth by regenerating consumables and using in situ resources in order to be both cost effective and maximally independent. Regenerative life support, establishment and maintenance of productivity, and the importance of human reproduction in establishing a colony are all discussed in detail. Physiological issues and concerns are considered including hypogravity and radiation physiology.
How might recruitment research on coral‐reef fishes help manage tropical reef fisheries?

‘Ecologic’ reef fishes (basic research subjects) and ‘Economic’ reef fishes (exploited by humans) share fundamental early life-history attributes of small, widely dispersed planktonic eggs, larvae, and (for some species in both groups) pelagic juveniles. These attributes predispose the open populations of species in both groups to limitation resulting from environmentally induced fluctuations in recruitment from planktonic/pelagic to benthic stages. Rates of movement within and among reefs, one of several postrecruitment processes likely to be subject to density-dependent regulation, may differ between Ecologies (mostly small-bodied) and Economics (generally larger-bodied). This is because of differences between species in the two groups in size-related differences in the home ranges of individuals. Existing data, however, neither support the notion that natural growth and mortality rates basically differ between the adults of Ecological and Economic species, nor that the generally larger home ranges of larger-bodied adult Economics are more subject to density-dependent control. Further, the small-bodied young-of-year juveniles of both groups on average probably have similar growth and mortality rates and small individual home ranges that are equivalently affected by density dependence. In conclusion I argue that, because of fundamental similarities in the sizes and durations of planktonic propagules and spawning periodicities, certain Ecologies and Economics may comprise a single recruitment guild. Coefficients of growth and mortality for postsettlement Ecologies also may resemble, and be applied as preliminary proxies for, analogous coefficients for Economic species. The efficacy of management strategies such as harvest refugia may differ for Ecological and Economic species, however, depending on whether the refugia are used to counter growth or recruitment overfishing.
Reforming Tanzania's tea sector: a story of success?

Tea, one of Tanzania's major export crops, contributes about $30 million to the country's export earnings and provides employment to some 50 000 families. Despite the sector's early success, nationalisation of two estates along with neglect of the smallholder sector made it clear that only broad-based policy reforms would revive the sector. Reforms in the tea sector started much earlier than reforms in other export crop sectors. Furthermore, they were undertaken, and hence owned, by the government and the industry. The reforms have been by and large successful. There has been considerable supply response, tea quality has improved, and the research system has been very successful in developing and disseminating useful research findings to both estates and smallholders. However, some issues must be addressed, namely excessive taxation, over-regulation, and the trade policy environment. An earlier version of this paper (which also contains an extensive discussion of the world tea market) has been published i...
SCOPE: a web server for practical de novo motif discovery

SCOPE is a novel parameter-free method for the de novo identification of potential regulatory motifs in sets of coordinately regulated genes. The SCOPE algorithm combines the output of three component algorithms, each designed to identify a particular class of motifs. Using an ensemble learning approach, SCOPE identifies the best candidate motifs from its component algorithms. In tests on experimentally determined datasets, SCOPE identified motifs with a significantly higher level of accuracy than a number of other web-based motif finders run with their default parameters. Because SCOPE has no adjustable parameters, the web server has an intuitive interface, requiring only a set of gene names or FASTA sequences and a choice of species. The most significant motifs found by SCOPE are displayed graphically on the main results page with a table containing summary statistics for each motif. Detailed motif information, including the sequence logo, PWM, consensus sequence and specific matching sites can be viewed through a single click on a motif. SCOPE's efficient, parameter-free search strategy has enabled the development of a web server that is readily accessible to the practising biologist while providing results that compare favorably with those of other motif finders. The SCOPE web server is at .
Morphine metabolism revisited: I. metabolic activation of morphine to a reactive species in rats

Abstract Treatment of fasted rats with relatively high doses of morphine rapidly results in depletion of hepatic glutathione (GSH) content and marked elevation of serum transaminase activity. Such morphine-induced response has been generally attributed to central nervous system mediated effects of the drug. We now report that this response might be due to a direct effect of the drug in the liver. That is, its metabolic activation to reactive electrophilic metabolite(s), by the hepatic cytochrome P -450-dependent mixed function oxidase system. Structure-activity relationships of morphine and its congeners indicate that the (—)-3-hydroxy- N -methylmorphinan moiety is linked with the potential of these opioids to deplete hepatic GSH and to raise serum transaminases in rats.
The Skinny on Sexual Risk: The Effects of BMI on STI Incidence and Risk

Few studies examine the influence of body mass index (BMI) on sexual risk. The purpose of this study was to determine whether BMI among 704 young mothers (ages 14-25) related to STI incidence and sexual risk. We examined the effect of BMI groups (normal weight, overweight, and obese) at 6 months postpartum on STI incidence and risky sex (e.g., unprotected sex, multiple partners, risky and casual partner) at 12 months postpartum. At 6 months postpartum, 31% of participants were overweight and 40% were obese. Overweight women were more likely to have an STI (OR = 1.79, 95% CI = 1.11-2.89, P < .05) and a risky partner (OR = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.01-2.08, P < .05) at 12 months postpartum compared to normal weight women. However, obese women were less likely to have an STI than normal weight women (OR = .57, 95% CI = .34-.96, P < .01). BMI related to STI incidence and sexual risk behavior. Integrated approaches to weight loss and sexual risk prevention should be explored.
Using cultural consensus analysis to study sexual risk perception: a report on a pilot study.

Recent research indicates that risk perceptions are shaped by social and cultural factors, and therefore it is important to study the cultural aspects of sexual risk understandings. This paper reports on a pilot study using consensus analysis to study the content and distribution of knowledge of sexual risk among a small sample of college students at a private university in western New York. Twenty men and 20 women were surveyed. The results of the subsequent consensus analysis suggest that the men, the women, and all the respondents combined share a model of what constitutes risky sex. The women showed a greater level of consensus and average competence than men. There were important differences between men and women in some aspects of the content of knowledge. In particular, men perceived sexual desire as more likely to prevent the practice of safe sex, whereas women saw alcohol in that role. One issue raised in this paper is the problematic assumption that culture as knowledge determines behaviour. Une...
Distributed scheduling in cyber-physical systems: The case of coordinated Electric Vehicle charging

This paper considers a general scheduling problem for a vital class of cyber-physical systems, the Physical Networks (PhyNets), where the physical laws in the plant can be abstracted into a physical graph. Such graph structure often allows efficient distributed algorithms for inference and control. Important application of PhyNets include packet scheduling in wireless ad hoc networks and the coordinated Electric Vehicle (EV) charging in power grids. This paper first formulates the general scheduling problem, and then proposes an optimal scheduling algorithm, which employs a combination of Lyapunov optimization and Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling techniques. The algorithm is fully distributed, and does not require any knowledge of the statistics of the arrival processes and network states. Finally, as the main application focus of this paper, the algorithm is applied to the important case of distributed EV charging scheduling, where its performance is demonstrated by simulation results.
Stylistic Reformulation: Theoretical Premises and Practical Applications.

writing across disciplines now informing the curricular approach of many different university departments, it is becoming quite common in foreign language programs for teachers to focus more conscientiously than in the past on the writing skills of their students. To this end, some foreign language faculty are now using classroom methods traditionally found in, and heretofore limited to, English composition programs, and with positive results (1; 9; 14; 17; 18). Taking their cue from current composition research, language teachers are shifting the focus of evaluative criteria for a student paper from grammar as the exclusive basis for grading to content, organization, and style (1; 9; 13; 17; 18). In other words, grammatical accuracy is no longer considered the sole basis for an "A" on a student's foreign language paper. Rather, greater attention is being devoted to composition criteria other than grammar. What is said (the ideas) and how it is said (organization and style) are becoming important factors in composition assessment. Yet despite general acknowledgement that all four aspects of composition (content, organization, style, and grammar) play essential roles in determining effective writing, research reveals that many teachers, both of English and of foreign language, favor style (sentence complexity and syntax) over content and organization (2; 6; 11; 12; 14; 15). Although sentence complexity cannot be automatically associated with effective style (6; 11), research suggests that teachers generally perceive a paper written in a syntactically more complex style as superior-even in the nonstylistic categories of content and organization-to a
Inhibition of nitric oxide formation does not protect murine cortical cell cultures from N-methyl-D-aspartate neurotoxicity

We examined the role of nitric oxide in N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-mediated neurotoxicity in rat and mouse primary cortical cell cultures. In rat and mouse cultures, the NO synthase inhibitor, NG-Nitro-l-arginine, blocked cGMP formation but not neuronal cell death following a 5–10 min exposure to 300–500 μM NMDA. NG-Monomethyl-l-arginine was also unable to prevent neuronal death. In contrast, the non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist, dextrophan, prevented both cGMP formation and cell death. While other data suggest that the synthesis of nitric oxide can mediate NMDA receptor-mediated neurotoxicity, present results suggest that such synthesis is not necessarily required.
The Conformational States of Macromolecules Adsorbed at Solid–Liquid Interfaces

Abstract The adsorption isotherms and adsorbate layer thicknesses of about 20 different, dilute, polymeric systems were determined. With very few exceptions, all were found to form monolayers, which in the majority, consisted of individual macromolecules. This conclusion stems from the observation that the layer thicknesses vary with the square root of the molecular weight and, if the supernatant changes, change in the same way as the intrinsic viscosity. It follows further that the macromolecules are held, by relatively few attachments, as solvent pervaded coils of dimensions similar to those of coils that are free in solution. This is true for organic and aqueous solutions, and polar and nonpolar adsorbants and adsorbates. Polyelectrolytes of high group density may be pulled entirely onto the surface by salt formations; stiff or oligomeric molecules with reactive end groups may become anchored at one end only, or lie flat on the surfaces. Peptides and proteins exhibit the same pattern of behavior.
Bounded and Inhomogeneous Ising Models. I. Specific-Heat Anomaly of a Finite Lattice

The critical-point anomaly of a plane square $m\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}n$ Ising lattice with periodic boundary conditions (a torus) is analyzed asymptotically in the limit $n\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\infty}$ with $\ensuremath{\xi}=\frac{m}{n}$ fixed. Among other results, it is shown that for fixed $\ensuremath{\tau}=\frac{n(T\ensuremath{-}{T}_{c})}{{T}_{c}}$, the specific heat per spin of a large lattice is given by $\frac{{C}_{\mathrm{mn}}(T)}{{k}_{\mathrm{B}}\mathrm{mn}}={A}_{0}\mathrm{ln}n+B(\ensuremath{\tau}, \ensuremath{\xi})+{B}_{1}(\ensuremath{\tau})\frac{(\mathrm{ln}n)}{n}+\frac{{B}_{2}(\ensuremath{\tau}, \ensuremath{\xi})}{n}+O[\frac{{(\mathrm{ln}n)}^{3}}{{n}^{2}}],$ where explicit expressions can be given for ${A}_{0}$ and for the functions $B$, ${B}_{1}$, and ${B}_{2}$. It follows that the specific-heat peak of the finite lattice is rounded on a scale $\ensuremath{\delta}=\frac{\ensuremath{\Delta}T}{{T}_{c}}\ensuremath{\sim}\frac{1}{n}$, while the maximum in ${C}_{\mathrm{mn}}(T)$ is displaced from ${T}_{c}$ by $\ensuremath{\epsilon}=\frac{({T}_{c}\ensuremath{-}{T}_{max})}{{T}_{c}}\ensuremath{\sim}\frac{1}{n}$. For ${\ensuremath{\xi}}_{0}g\ensuremath{\xi}g{{\ensuremath{\xi}}_{0}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, where ${\ensuremath{\xi}}_{0}=3.13927\ensuremath{\cdots}$, the maximum lies above ${T}_{c}$; but for $\ensuremath{\xi}g{\ensuremath{\xi}}_{0}$ or $\ensuremath{\xi}l{{\ensuremath{\xi}}_{0}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, the maximum is depressed below ${T}_{c}$; when $\ensuremath{\xi}=\ensuremath{\infty}, {\ensuremath{\xi}}_{0}, or {{\ensuremath{\xi}}_{0}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, the relative shift in the maximum from ${T}_{c}$ is only of order $\frac{(\mathrm{ln}n)}{{n}^{2}}$. Detailed graphs and numerical data are presented, and the results are compared with some for lattices with free edges. Some heuristic arguments are developed which indicate the possible nature of finite-size critical-point effects in more general systems.
A unified model for joint throughput-overhead analysis of mobile ad hoc networks

We develop an analytical framework to study the throughput and routing overhead for proactive and reactive routing strategies in random access mobile ad hoc networks. To characterize the coexistence of the routing control traffic and data traffic, we model the interaction as a multi-class queue model at each node, where the aggregate control traffic and data traffic are two different classes of customers of the queue. We investigate the scaling property of the throughput, maximum mobility degree supported by the network and mobility-induced throughput deficiencies, under both classes of routing strategies. The proposed analytical model can be extended to incorporate various optimization techniques in routing. We present one exemplary technique and discuss its impacts on the scaling properties of throughput and routing overhead. The connection between the derived throughput result and some well-known network throughput capacity results in the literature is also addressed.
Generators and relations for Coxeter groups

In this chapter we assume that the reader is familiar with the elementary theory of free groups (see [20], pp. 91–94, for example). Readers familiar with generators and relations may wish to proceed immediately to page 85.
Is There aBrachyury the Second?Analysis of a Transgenic Mutation Involved in Notochord Maintenance in Mice

Abstract A new phenotype mapping to thet-complex, which is designatedBrachyury the Second(T2), is characterized by a slightly shortened tail in heterozygotes and homozygous failure to form an organized notochord with subsequent abnormal development of posterior somites and neural tube. The phenotype ofT2superficially resembles that ofBrachyury;however, there are several important differences.Brachyuryhomozygotes fail to make posterior somites, notochord, floor plate, and a placental connection, resulting in death by 10.5 days of development. In contrast,T2homozygotes make posterior somites, scattered notochord cells, and floorplate and achieve an allantoic connection. However, despite making a maternal connection,T2homozygotes cease development at E11.5 and die soon after. We have cloned and analyzed the transgene insertion site, which maps within 100 kb of theBrachyurygene, but does not seem to physically interrupt nor affect transcription from that locus. The existence of a second gene mapping nearBrachyuryand affecting the same developmental processes was alluded to over 50 years ago and has been debated ever since. An embryological description ofT2is presented, as is a discussion of the implications of a single, largerBrachyurylocus versus two closely linked genes coordinately regulating axial development.
Hirano bodies contain tau protein

Hirano bodies are intraneuronal inclusions whose frequency increases with age and Alzheimer's disease. These paracrystalline inclusions have been shown previously using immunocytochemistry to share epitopes with actin, tropomyosin, alpha-actinin and vinculin. Hirano bodies have not previously been demonstrated to share components with neurofibrillary tangles, another intraneuronal inclusion characteristic of Alzheimer's disease. In this study, we show that Hirano bodies bind antibodies to the microtubule-associated protein tau, a component of Alzheimer neurofibrillary tangles.
Coexistence of gapless excitations and commensurate charge-density wave in the 2H transition metal dichalcogenides.

An unexpected feature common to 2H transition metal dichalcogenides (2H TMDs) is revealed with a first-principles Wannier function analysis of the electronic structure of the prototype 2H TaSe2: The lowenergy Ta ‘‘5dz2’’ bands governing the physics of a charge-density wave (CDW) is dominated by hopping between next-nearest neighbors. With this motivation we develop a minimal effective model for the CDW formation, in which the unusual form of the hopping leads to an approximate decoupling of the three sublattices. In the CDW phase one sublattice remains undistorted, leaving the bands associated with it ungapped everywhere in the Fermi surface, resolving the long-standing puzzle of the coexistence of gapless excitations and commensurate CDW in the 2H TMDs. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.96.026406
Genetic contributions to age-related decline in executive function: a 10-year longitudinal study of COMT and BDNF polymorphisms

Genetic variability in the dopaminergic and neurotrophic systems could contribute to age-related impairments in executive control and memory function. In this study we examined whether genetic polymorphisms for catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were related to the trajectory of cognitive decline occurring over a 10-year period in older adults. A single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the COMT (Val158/108Met) gene affects the concentration of dopamine in the prefrontal cortex. In addition, a Val/Met substitution in the pro-domain for BDNF (Val66Met) affects the regulated secretion and trafficking of BDNF with Met carriers showing reduced secretion and poorer cognitive function. We found that impairments over the 10-year span on a task-switching paradigm did not vary as a function of the COMT polymorphism. However, for the BDNF polymorphism the Met carriers performed worse than Val homozygotes at the first testing session but only the Val homozygotes demonstrated a significant reduction in performance over the 10-year span. Our results argue that the COMT polymorphism does not affect the trajectory of age-related executive control decline, whereas the Val/Val polymorphism for BDNF may promote faster rates of cognitive decay in old age. These results are discussed in relation to the role of BDNF in senescence and the transforming impact of the Met allele on cognitive function in old age.
Testing for local dependency in dichotomous and polytomous item response models

Researchers studying item response models are often interested in examining the effects of local dependency on the validity of the resulting conclusion from statistical inference. This paper focuses on the detection of local dependency. We provide a framework for viewing local dependency within dichotomous and polytomous items that are clustered by design, and present a testing procedure that allows researchers to specifically identify individual item pairs that exhibit local dependency, while controlling for false positive rate. Simulation results from the study indicate that the proposed method is effective. In addition, a discussion of its relation to other existing methods is provided.
TACE and other ADAM proteases as targets for drug discovery

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-converting enzyme (TACE) and other ADAM proteases (those that contain a disintegrin and a metalloprotease domain) have emerged as potential therapeutic targets in the areas of arthritis, cancer, diabetes and HIV cachexia. TACE is the first ADAM protease to process the known physiological substrate and inflammatory cytokine, membrane-bound precursor-TNF-alpha, to its mature soluble form. Subsequently, TACE was shown to be required for several different processing events such as tumor growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) precursor and amyloid precursor protein (APP) cleavage. With the recent discoveries of the proteolytic specificities of other ADAM family members, the information surrounding these metalloproteases is expanding at an exponential rate. This review focuses on TACE and other family members with known proteolytic function as well as the inhibitors of this class of enzyme.
Pyruvate Kinase M2 Is a PHD3-Stimulated Coactivator for Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1

The pyruvate kinase isoforms PKM1 and PKM2 are alternatively spliced products of the PKM2 gene. PKM2, but not PKM1, alters glucose metabolism in cancer cells and contributes to tumorigenesis by mechanisms that are not explained by its known biochemical activity. We show that PKM2 gene transcription is activated by hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1). PKM2 interacts directly with the HIF-1α subunit and promotes transactivation of HIF-1 target genes by enhancing HIF-1 binding and p300 recruitment to hypoxia response elements, whereas PKM1 fails to regulate HIF-1 activity. Interaction of PKM2 with prolyl hydroxylase 3 (PHD3) enhances PKM2 binding to HIF-1α and PKM2 coactivator function. Mass spectrometry and anti-hydroxyproline antibody assays demonstrate PKM2 hydroxylation on proline-403/408. PHD3 knockdown inhibits PKM2 coactivator function, reduces glucose uptake and lactate production, and increases O2 consumption in cancer cells. Thus, PKM2 participates in a positive feedback loop that promotes HIF-1 transactivation and reprograms glucose metabolism in cancer cells.
Partial purification and characterization of the enzyme which converts precursor liver protein to factor X.

Abstract A rat liver post-microsomal supernatant enzyme, which carries out an epigenetic conversion of a protein contained in liver microsomes to Factor X, has been partially purified 250-fold in 50% yield by a combination of salt fractionation and gel filtration. The crude enzyme is stable to freezing and thawing but unstable at 4°C. However, the partially purified enzyme is more stable at 4°C. It requires Ca2+ and HCO3− for optimum formation of Factor X activity. The supernatant enzyme is vitamin K dependent and exhibits its maximum rate of formation of Factor X between pH 8 and 8.5.
Hypothesis Testing: From p Values to Bayes Factors

(2000). Hypothesis Testing: From p Values to Bayes Factors. Journal of the American Statistical Association: Vol. 95, No. 452, pp. 1316-1320.
ACTIVE-Hand: Automatic Configurable Tactile Interaction in Virtual Environment

We present a novel, low-power and untethered pneumatic haptic device, namely the ACTIVE-Hand, for realistic and real-time 3D gaming experience. Currently, body-motion based 3D gaming systems primarily use visual feedback to provide partly immersive gaming experiences. Tactile feedback systems in Virtual Reality provide immersion with high tactile resolution, but they are expensive and difficult to setup and calibrate. The conceptually economical modular design of the ACTIVE-Hand allows easily configurable tactile feedback as per application requirements. Contrary to commercial systems like Wii™ which provide global vibrations as a proxy for synthetic tactile feed-back, the ACTIVE Hand is comparably lightweight, yet scalable to meet localized tactile resolution requirements. The ACTIVE-Hand provides controllable pulses for dynamic virtual interactions such as pressing virtual buttons and hitting moving virtual balls. We successfully demonstrate the paradigm of dynamic tactile interactions in virtual environments through a 3D Pong game by integrating the ACTIVE-Hand with Kinect™ camera.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
The Ways of the Wise: Hume’s Rules of Causal Reasoning

In their responses to Hume’s account of causal reasoning, Hume’s own contemporaries and many subsequent readers have tended to focus on the skeptical implications of that account. More recent scholarship has emphasized that Hume’s account of causal inference is not purely skeptical, for Hume often suggests that forming a belief through causal inference based on repeated experience is the right way to form beliefs. One less-noticed feature of Hume’s account of causal inference, however, is that Hume links good causal inference with virtue; thinkers who adopt certain methods of causal reasoning and eschew other methods possess the epistemic virtue that he characterizes as “wisdom” or “good sense.” This paper argues that Hume’s account of causal reasoning and his normative claims about belief can fruitfully be interpreted by focusing on what Hume says about such doxastic wisdom: why he thinks it is better to be wise than unwise; what he means when he characterizes certain methods of belief-formation as wise; how the cognitive habits employed by the wise differ from those of the unwise; and how he thinks someone can who lacks the epistemic virtue of wisdom can come to acquire it. Since much of the secondary literature on Humean virtue has focused on the “moral” rather than “intellectual” virtues (EPM App 4.2; SBN 313), attention to Humean doxastic wisdom also helps to provide a more complete picture of his account of virtue.
Three Into Two Won't Go: Heartbeats (2010)

We have all seen enough movies to know that erotic triangles are not all alike. I would say that, in general, there are three ways an erotic triangle can work in a film narrative. First, a story ca...
The systems approach to the human system

Admitting that there are problems with applying systems engineering to human systems, how can we sharply bound these problems so that they can be studied? The approach here taken is to study the relationship of mathematical languages to other language forms in a philosophical argument. The argument concludes that mathematical systems do not refer to human values, that the ordinary language of citizens and clients can do so only under special circumstances, and that coherent literary language employed in dramatic scenarios is the means of providing the tie between abstract systems and the human values of social life. Thus all three sorts of language must be employed in systems analysis applied to human systems.
Feasibility of Producing Porcine Nuclear Transfer Embryos by Using G2/M-Stage Fetal Fibroblasts as Donors

The type of donor cell most suitable for producing cloned animals is one of the topics under debate in the field of nuclear transfer. To provide useful information to answer this question, G2/M- and G0/G1-stage fetal fibroblasts were used as donor cells for nuclear transfer. In vitro-matured oocytes derived from abattoir ovaries were used as recipient cytoplasts. In both groups, nuclear envelope breakdown and premature chromosome condensation were completed within 1-2 h after donor cells were injected into the cytoplasm of oocytes. Microtubules were organized around condensed chromosomes and formed a spindle within 1-1.5 h after activation. Decondensation of chromosomes could be seen within 2-4 h after activation. Reformation of the new nuclear envelope occurred 4-6 h after activation and was followed by nuclear swelling and formation of a pronucleus-like structure (PN) 8-12 h after activation. Most (80.6%) of the reconstructed oocytes derived from G2/M cells extruded polar body-like structures (PB). However, a much lower frequency of PB (21.7%) was observed in the reconstructed oocytes derived from G0/G1 donors. A variety of PN and PB combinations were observed in reconstructed oocytes derived from G2/M-stage donors, including 1PN+0PB, 1PN+1PB, 1PN+2PB, 2PN+0PB, 2PN+1PB, 2PN+2PB, and 3PN+1PB. Chromosomes of most embryos (10/13) derived from G2/M stage were diploid. The percentage of cleavage and blastocysts and the average nuclear number of blastocysts in the G2/M and G0/G1 groups were not different. These results demonstrate that the G2/M stage can be morphologically remodeled by cytoplasm of MII oocytes in pigs. To maintain normal ploidy, the extra chromosomes derived from G2/M-stage cells could be expelled by oocytes as a second polar body. G2/M-stage fibroblast nuclei could direct reconstructed embryos to develop to the blastocyst stage.
Pancortins interact with amyloid precursor protein and modulate cortical cell migration

Neuronal precursor cell migration in the developing mammalian brain is a complex process requiring the coordinated interaction of numerous proteins. We have recently shown that amyloid precursor protein (APP) plays a role in migration into the cortical plate through its interaction with two cytosolic signaling proteins, disabled 1 (DAB1) and disrupted in schizophrenia 1 (DISC1). In order to identify extracellular factors that may signal through APP to regulate migration, we performed an unbiased mass spectrometry-based screen for factors that bind to the extracellular domain of APP in the rodent brain. Through this screen, we identified an interaction between APP and pancortins, proteins expressed throughout the developing and mature cerebral cortex. Via co-immunoprecipitation, we show that APP interacts with all four of the mammalian pancortin isoforms (AMY, AMZ, BMY, BMZ). We demonstrate that the BMZ and BMY isoforms of pancortin can specifically reduce β-secretase- but not α-secretase-mediated cleavage of endogenous APP in cell culture, suggesting a biochemical consequence of the association between pancortins and APP. Using in utero electroporation to overexpress and knock down specific pancortin isoforms, we reveal a novel role for pancortins in migration into the cortical plate. Interestingly, we observe opposing roles for alternate pancortin isoforms, with AMY overexpression and BMZ knock down both preventing proper migration of neuronal precursor cells. Finally, we show that BMZ can partially rescue a loss of APP expression and that APP can rescue effects of AMY overexpression, suggesting that pancortins act in conjunction with APP to regulate entry into the cortical plate. Taken together, these results suggest a biochemical and functional interaction between APP and pancortins, and reveal a previously unidentified role for pancortins in mammalian cortical development.
Studies of the human testis. XV. Androgen-binding protein and function of Leydig cells and tubules in aged men with prostatic carcinoma.

Further methodology is presented for the determination of human androgen-binding protein (hABP) in human testis using testis tissue obtained from 14 patients, aged 62–82 yr, undergoing orchiectomy for treatment of prostatic carcinoma. Binding of testosterone-estrogen-binding globulin to Concanavalin A-Sepharose (Con A) during affinity chromatography is used to remove possible contaminating plasma testosterone-estrogen-binding globulin from the hABP fraction of testis used for assay. While large pieces of testis tissue (2–3 g) can be freed of plasma contamination by presoaking, the Con A method is used for biopsy-sized pieces(50–100 mg). Two assay techniques (dextran-coated charcoal and steady state polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) produce comparable results for [3H]dihydrotestosterone binding affinity and capacity. Using a Kd of 1.2 nM, a single point assay isused to determine the hABP binding capacity in small amounts of testis after Con A treatment. The results are comparable with those obtained usin...
Error in projection of plane waves using the RWG basis functions

The error in projection of the induced current of a plane wave using the Rao-Wilton-Glisson (RWG) basis functions has been studied numerically. The vector current in a finite area is expanded by full and half RWG basis functions, and the unknown projection coefficients are solved by the Galerkin's method. The error is calculated for different polarizations, different meshes and mesh densities, and different incident angles. It is found that the error in the projection of curl-free vectors is less than that of divergence-free vectors, and the RWG basis has the projection error in range of 10 to 20 percents for the mesh with 10 unknowns per wavelength.
Update on Allergic Rhinitis

1. Todd A. Mahr, MD* 2. Ketan Sheth, MD, MBA† 1. *Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin Medical School, Department of Pediatric Allergy/Immunology, Gundersen Clinic, La Crosse, Wisc 2. †Assistant Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Lafayette Allergy & Asthma Clinic, Lafayette, Ind After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Recognize the various signs and symptoms of allergic rhinitis (AR) in children. 2. Understand the impact of AR on pediatric patients. 3. Discuss the treatment of AR in children. 4. Describe the systemic effects of antihistamines in infants and young children. 5. Understand the roles of topical and oral corticosteroids in the treatment of AR. Allergic rhinitis (AR) is the most common chronic disease in children, affecting up to 40%. However, the disease frequently is overlooked and undertreated because it often is mistaken for recurrent upper respiratory tract infections in children who cannot adequately communicate the impact of their symptoms. AR generally is not considered to be a life-threatening disease, yet it is one of the major reasons for visits to pediatricians. In 1998, the Joint Task Force on Practice Parameters in Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology defined rhinitis as “inflammation of the membrane lining the nose, characterized by nasal congestion, rhinorrhea, sneezing, itching of the nose and/or postnasal drainage.” AR is a hypersensitivity reaction to specific allergens occurring in sensitized patients that is mediated by immunoglobulin (Ig)E antibodies and results in inflammation. Traditionally, AR is classified as seasonal or perennial and as either mild, moderate, or severe. Mild AR involves no sleep interruption, no impairment of daily activities, and no troublesome symptoms. Moderate-to-severe AR involves one or more of those factors. A newer classification system specifies that AR be characterized as intermittent or persistent. Intermittent disease involves symptoms for fewer than 4 days per week or for a duration of fewer than 4 weeks. Persistent disease involves symptoms that occur more than 4 days per week and are present for longer than 4 weeks (Bousquet, 2001). Because approximately 50 million Americans have AR, almost all primary care physicians encounter the disease. In one study, 42% …
Narrow-Band Frequency Analysis for White-Light Spectroscopy Diagnostics

Precancerous conditions in tissue are often characterized by a slight increase in the nuclei size of epithelium cells. There has been research in the determination of precancerous tissue using white-light spectroscopy as an optical biopsy. In this paper, we investigate white light scattering off of tissue phantoms, created with polystyrene microspheres. When analyzing scattered white light, it is well known that the size of the scatterer contributes to a specific spatial oscillation pattern as a function of the wavelength. However, when examining a mixture of two or more different sized scatterers, it is difficult to relate this oscillation pattern to the specific scatterer sizes composing the mixture. To overcome this challenge, we convert this spatial oscillation pattern into the Fourier domain, which emphasizes a signature frequency peak for each particular component of the mixture. To improve our results, we use a narrow bandpass optical filter when interrogating the sample. This reduces noise in the frequency domain and isolates a single signature frequency for each scatterer in the mixture.
Feedback control of subsonic cavity flows using reduced-order models

Development, experimental implementation, and the results of reduced-order model based feedback control of subsonic shallow cavity flows are presented and discussed. Particle image velocimetry (PIV) data and the proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) technique are used to extract the most energetic flow features or POD eigenmodes. The Galerkin projection of the Navier-Stokes equations onto these modes is used to derive a set of nonlinear ordinary differential equations, which govern the time evolution of the eigenmodes, for the controller design. Stochastic estimation is used to correlate surface pressure data with flow field data and dynamic surface pressure measurements are used to estimate the state of the flow. Five sets of PIV snapshots of a Mach 0.3 cavity flow with a Reynolds number of 10 5 based on the cavity depth are used to derive five different reduced-order models for the controller design. One model uses only the snapshots from the baseline (unforced) flow while the other four models each uses snapshots from the baseline flow combined with snapshots from an open-loop sinusoidal forcing case. Linear-quadratic optimal controllers based on these models are designed to reduce cavity flow resonance and evaluated experimentally. The results obtained with feedback control show a significant attenuation of the resonant tone and a redistribution of the energy into other modes with smaller energy levels in both the flow and surface pressure spectra. This constitutes a significant improvement in comparison with the results obtained using open-loop forcing. These results affirm that reduced-order model based feedback control represents a formidable alternative to open-loop strategies in cavity flow control problems even in its current state of infancy.
Low energy x-ray response of Ge detectors with amorphous Ge entrance contacts

The low energy X-ray response of Ge detectors with amorphous Ge entrance contacts has been evaluated. The spectral background due to near contact incomplete charge collection was found to consist of two components: a low level component which is insensitive to applied voltage and a high level step-like component which is voltage dependent. At high operating voltages, the high level component can be completely suppressed, resulting in background levels which are much lower than those previously observed using Ge detectors with Pd surface barrier or B ion implanted contacts, and which also compare favorably to those obtained with Si(Li) X-ray detectors. The response of these detectors to /sup 55/Fe and 1.77 keV X-rays is shown. A qualitative explanation of the origins of the observed background components is presented. >