cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
OXIDATIVE PHOSPHORYLATION IN STABLE SONIC FRAGMENTS OF RAT-LIVER MITOCHONDRIA.

The preparation of stable sonic fragments of rat-liver mitochondria capable of oxidative phosphorylation is described. These differ from sonic preparations described by others in that they are prepared very vigorous conditions, are unexpectedly stable to freezing and thawing, and show only one phosphorylation site. They rapidly oxidize a variety of substrates to give a PO ratio of approx. 1.0, corresponding to phosphorylation in the cytochrome b region of the respiratory chain. ATPase (EC 3.6.1.4), ATP-P1 exchange, and ATP-ADP exchange reactions can be demonstrated in the particles as in intact mitochondria or digitonin fragments. However, the sonic particles exhibit several unexpected properties among which are: (a) substantial Amytal-insensitive and antimycin A-insensitive respiration, (b) extremely low ATP-Pi exchange rate relative to the rate of oxidative phosphorylation, (c) inhibition of ATPase activity by Amytal or antimycin A but a large stimulation by cyanide, (d) lack of an ATP requirement for succinate oxidation after pre-treatment of the particles with uncoupling agents, (e) failure to catalyze net reduction of NAD+ or acetoacetate by succinate in the presence of ATP.
Malic acid production from thin stillage by Aspergillus species.

The ability of Aspergillus strains to utilize thin stillage to produce malic acid was compared. The highest malic acid was produced by Aspergillusniger ATCC 9142 at 17 g l−1. Biomass production from thin stillage was similar with all strains but ATCC 10577 was the highest at 19 g l−1. The highest malic acid yield (0.8 g g−1) was with A. niger ATCC 9142 and ATCC 10577 on the stillage. Thus, thin stillage has the potential to act as a substrate for the commercial production of food-grade malic acid by the A. niger strains.
ATP-released large subunits participate in the assembly of RuBP carboxylase.

Preincubation of 35S-methionine-labeled chloroplast extracts with ATP at 0 degree C potentiates the subsequent assembly of labeled large subunits into RuBPCase . This is correlated with the dissociation of newly synthesized large subunits from the 29S large subunit binding protein complex. These released large subunits then assemble into RuBPCase in a second, nucleotide-stimulated reaction. The data demonstrate that the 29S complex can play an active role in the assembly of RuBPCase .
Dynamic topology aware load balancing algorithms for molecular dynamics applications

Molecular Dynamics applications enhance our understanding of biological phenomena through bio-molecular simulations. Large-scale parallelization of MD simulations is challenging because of the small number of atoms and small time scales involved. Load balancing in parallel MD programs is crucial for good performance on large parallel machines. This paper discusses load balancing algorithms deployed in a MD code called NAMD. It focuses on new schemes deployed in the load balancers and provides an analysis of the performance benefits achieved. Specifically, the paper presents the technique of topology-aware mapping on 3D mesh and torus architectures, used to improve scalability and performance. These techniques have a wide applicability for latency intolerant applications.
2-thienyl(cyano)copper lithium. A lower order, stable “cuprate in a bottle” precursor to higher order reagents

Abstract The lower order mixed cuprate derived from CuCN and 2-lithiothiophene (i.e., 2-ThCu(CN)Li) is found to have excellent shelf life, thereby providing an easily formed yet itself unreactive precursor to higher order mixed organocuprates.
Exercise training, indomethacin, and isoproterenol-induced myocardial necrosis in the rat.

It was hypothesized that endurance exercise training would attenuate isoproterenol-induced myocardial necrosis in the rat by increasing the concentration of prostacyclin in the myocardial vasculature. Rats were randomly assigned to exercise and control groups. Exercisers ran on a motorized treadmill 1 h.d-1, 5 d.week-1 for 14 weeks. Immediately following the training program subgroups of rats were injected with 4 mg.kg-1 indomethacin or saline. One day later, all rats were given a subcutaneous injection of isoproterenol (20 mg.kg-1); after another 24 h they were sacrificed. A decrease of myocardial creatine kinase (CK) activity was used as a marker for myocardial necrosis. Endurance exercise training attenuated the isoproterenol-induced decrease in myocardial CK relative to control by approximately 37% (exercise: 16.4 +/- 0.6 U.mg-1 protein; control: 10.5 +/- 0.6 U.mg-1 protein; p less than 0.05). Pretreatment with indomethacin decreased myocardial CK in the exercise-trained rats (indomethacin: 15.4 +/- 0.8 U.mg-1 protein; saline: 17.7 +/- 0.7 U.mg-1 protein; p less than 0.05), but not in the controls (indomethacin: 10.3 +/- 1.0 U.mg-1 protein; saline: 10.8 +/- 0.6 U.mg-1 protein; p greater than 0.05). The concentration of myocardial 6-keto-PGF1 alpha, a marker for prostacyclin, was not altered by exercise but, as expected, was reduced by indomethacin pretreatment (p less than 0.05). Thus, exercise training reduces myocardial damage caused by isoproterenol, but the evidence does not support the hypothesis that prostacyclin mediated this effect of training. Further research is needed to determine the extent to which exercise training-induced alterations in sensitivity to PGI2 or TXA2 affect myocardial damage from isoproterenol.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Variability of Mechanical Torque‐Limiting Devices in Clinical Service at a US Dental School

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to measure the variability of torque produced by a population of mechanical torque-limiting devices in clinical service in a US dental school. The torque-limiting devices were divided into two categories according to their mode of action: toggle-type and beam wrenches. Proper action of these devices is essential for calibrated delivery of preload to implant prosthetic screws. Materials and Methods: Seventeen torque-limiting devices (35 Ncm) were obtained from graduate prosthodontic, predoctoral, and faculty practice clinics. Nine of these were toggle-type devices, and eight were beam-type wrenches. Torque from each wrench was measured using an MGT electronic torque meter. Wrenches were tested in two modes, slow (over 4 seconds) and fast (over 1 second). Results: Toggle-type torque wrenches produced a mean (± SD) torque of 38.1 ± 16.0 Ncm; beam-type wrenches produced 32.8 ± 1.1 Ncm. These results were not significantly different. When tested in fast mode (1 second), toggle-type wrenches produced 28.0 ± 9.6 Ncm; in the slow mode (4 seconds) they produced significantly more force, 36.6 ± 14.0 Ncm (p < 0.001). Beam-type wrenches produced 33.2 ± 1.1 Ncm and 32.8 ± 1.1 Ncm in fast and slow modes, respectively. Conclusions: Both types of wrenches tested were capable of producing accurate torque values; however, variability was higher in the toggle-type group. Some toggle-type torque wrenches in clinical service delivered unacceptably high torque values. It is recommended that clinicians calibrate toggle-type wrenches frequently. Torque wrenches should be activated slowly, over 4 seconds, when using a correctly calibrated toggle-type wrench.
1022 A LYMPHOBLASTOID B-CELL LINE (LBL) DERIVED FROM A 12-YEAR-OLD BOY WITH SEVERE COMBINED IMMUNODEFICIENCY (SCID)

We describe the phenotypic and functional characteristics of an LBL derived from the bone marrow of a patient who died with an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) related lymphoreticular malignancy 4 months after bone marrow transplantation for SCID. This LBL, designated DV-1, arose spontaneously 2–3 weeks after explantation and while initially dependent on autologous fibroblasts, subsequently has been maintained in standard suspension cultures. The B-cellorigin is suggested by the absence of T-cell markers and the presence of DR and Blantigen on 80–90%, surface IgM on 20–30%, and IgD on 20–30% of the cells. The predominant light chain type is κ (72%) with a small percentage of cells expressing λ. The cells show a norma 146XY karyotype and the host's HLA phenotype. Greater than 90% of the cells are positive for EBV nuclear antigen and show the typical appearance and growth characteristics of EBV transformed LBL. Phytohemagglutinin inhibited (12–39%), pokeweed mitogen had no effect on, goat anti-μ chain antiserum stimulated (57%), and staphylococcus aureus Cowan strain A inhibited (20–80%) thymidine incorporation by DV-l in a dose related manner. These characteristics are similar to those described for other EBV derived LBL's reported in the literature and to an independently derived LBL (LA350) to which we compared DV-1. This line holds useful potential for future functional and morphological studies on B-cell lines derived from immunodeficient patients.
Autophagy - the friendly fire in endothelial cell regeneration. Focus on “Autophagy in endothelial progenitor cells is cytoprotective in hypoxic conditions”

cardiovascular disease remains the number one killer in the Western world and is growing rapidly in developing countries in Asia and South America (4). While significant progress has been made in understanding the pathogenic process responsible for acute ischemic events such as myocardial infarction and stroke, the cellular response mechanism to hypoxia has remained largely elusive despite extensive investigations in the past three decades. In this issue, Wang et al. (11) identified an essential role of autophagy to protect the survival of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) undergoing hypoxia, raising the prospect that modulation of autophagic response in EPCs may provide significant therapeutic advantage following EPCs transplantation.
Agreement in Diagnosis: Clinical Assessment and Behavior Rating Scales for Pervasively Disturbed Children

Abstract Clinical research in child psychiatry requires operationally defined, reliable, and valid diagnostic criteria. We studied the relationships between diagnostic assessment procedures, using three different methods of evaluation for a group of 27 pervasively disturbed children with childhood autism, aphasia, psychosis, and mental retardation. Ratings based on detailed clinical evaluation were in high agreement with a structured method of direct behavioral observation. A parent symptom checklist diagnosed 2 children as having classical autism (Kanner's syndrome) out of 13 children diagnosed as primary autistic by the other two methods. Each system of diagnosis may have different advantages for treatment planning, evaluation, and biological correlations.
The pyramidal cell and its local-circuit interneurons: A hypothetical unit of the mammalian cerebral cortex

A pyramidal cell with five of its local-circuit interneurons (Cajal--Retzius, Martinotti, Cajal double-bouquet, basket, and chandelier cells), constitutes a distinct structural/functional assemblage of the mammalian neocortex. This pyramidal/local-circuit neuronal assemblage is proposed herein as a basic neocortical unit. This unit is shared by all mammals, embodies both specific structural as well as functional elements, and constitutes an essential developmental building block of the neocortex. In the model, the pyramidal cell represents a distinct, stable, projective, excitatory neuron that has remained essentially unchanged in the course of mammalian phylogeny. On the other hand, its local-circuit interneurons are more likely to be inhibitory and less stable, designed perhaps to adapt, and modify in response to environmental needs. The proposed model infers that the number of pyramidal cells contacted by each local-circuit interneuron as well as the number of synaptic contacts established with each one are elements acquired post-natally in response to individual needs. Thereby, the overall three-dimensional distribution and extent of these pyramidal/local-circuit neuronal assemblages should be species-specific, variable among individual of the same species, and able to adapt in response to environmental needs. The model introduces a different approach, perhaps a new vantage point, for the study of the basic structural organization of the mammalian cerebral cortex. Relationships of the proposed model to cortical function in general and to learning behavior in particular are discussed.
CSpy: finding the best quality channel without probing

Wireless performance depends directly on the quality of the channel. A wireless transmitter can improve its performance by estimating and transmitting on only the strongest channel, which can be of significantly higher quality than a weak channel (yielding up to 100% rate improvement). It is considered impossible to predict the quality of the unseen channels. Thus, the only way to identify the strongest channel is by probing each channel individually, incurring large over- heads. The key contribution of this paper is a discovery of previously unobserved properties of the wireless channel that makes it possible to predict the the strongest of a set of channels from the measurements collected only on a single channel. We confirm the properties through measurements and present a theoretical analysis that explains their nature. Our proposed system, CSpy, utilizes these observations to predict the strongest channel. CSpy is the first to reliably estimate the strongest channel by utilizing channel responses extracted from off-the-shelf wireless chipsets, without probing any additional channels. By tracking the strongest channel, CSpy improves performance by up to 100% in comparison to channel agnostic schemes.
264 Semi-Structured Interviews with Grieving Parents After the Death of Their Newborn Infant in the Intensive Care Unit

264 Semi-Structured Interviews with Grieving Parents After the Death of Their Newborn Infant in the Intensive Care Unit
An interior point method for a semidefinite relaxation based equalizer incorporating prior information

The problem of maximum likelihood estimation of digital data transmitted over an intersymbol interference channel may be cast as a quadratically constrained quadratic program (QCQP). This problem may be solved approximately but efficiently using a semidefinite relaxation (SDR) technique in which the quadratic objective and constraints are converted into linear functions of a matrix variable. Recently the authors extended the basic SDR technique using maximum a posteriori probability (MAP) estimation to incorporate prior probabilities on the bits. The resulting estimator is a soft-input soft-output equalizer that can be used in iterative (turbo) equalization in situations where true optimal MAP equalization (implemented via the BCJR algorithm) is impractical because of its exponential complexity. This paper develops a custom interior point algorithm using the barrier method to solve the extended SDR problem which is convex. This custom solver is more computationally efficient than a general purpose solver because it can exploit the structure inherent in the equalization problem. Simulation experiments are provided that compare the running times of the new algorithm and a general purpose code (CVX). The new algorithm is more computationally efficient than the more general purpose solver and delivers results with equal accuracy. Refinements in initialization strategies and stopping criteria can improve the computational efficiency of the new algorithm.
Multivariate Phase–Amplitude Cross-Frequency Coupling in Neurophysiological Signals

Phase-amplitude cross-frequency coupling (CFC)-where the phase of a low-frequency signal modulates the amplitude or power of a high-frequency signal-is a topic of increasing interest in neuroscience. However, existing methods of assessing CFC are inherently bivariate and cannot estimate CFC between more than two signals at a time. Given the increase in multielectrode recordings, this is a strong limitation. Furthermore, the phase coupling between multiple low-frequency signals is likely to produce a high rate of false positives when CFC is evaluated using bivariate methods. Here, we present a novel method for estimating the statistical dependence between one high-frequency signal and N low-frequency signals, termed multivariate phase-coupling estimation (PCE). Compared to bivariate methods, the PCE produces sparser estimates of CFC and can distinguish between direct and indirect coupling between neurophysiological signals-critical for accurately estimating coupling within multiscale brain networks.
Quinone reduction via secondary B-branch electron transfer in mutant bacterial reaction centers

Symmetry-related branches of electron-transfer cofactors-initiating with a primary electron donor (P) and terminating in quinone acceptors (Q)-are common features of photosynthetic reaction centers (RC). Experimental observations show activity of only one of them-the A branch-in wild-type bacterial RCs. In a mutant RC, we now demonstrate that electron transfer can occur along the entire, normally inactive B-branch pathway to reduce the terminal acceptor Q(B) on the time scale of nanoseconds. The transmembrane charge-separated state P(+)Q(B)(-) is created in this manner in a Rhodobacter capsulatus RC containing the F(L181)Y-Y(M208)F-L(M212)H-W(M250)V mutations (YFHV). The W(M250)V mutation quantitatively blocks binding of Q(A), thereby eliminating Q(B) reduction via the normal A-branch pathway. Full occupancy of the Q(B) site by the native UQ(10) is ensured (without the necessity of reconstitution by exogenous quinone) by purification of RCs with the mild detergent, Deriphat 160-C. The lifetime of P(+)Q(B)(-) in the YFHV mutant RC is >6 s (at pH 8.0, 298 K). This charge-separated state is not formed upon addition of competitive inhibitors of Q(B) binding (terbutryn or stigmatellin). Furthermore, this lifetime is much longer than the value of approximately 1-1.5 s found when P(+)Q(B)(-) is produced in the wild-type RC by A-side activity alone. Collectively, these results demonstrate that P(+)Q(B)(-) is formed solely by activity of the B-branch carriers in the YFHV RC. In comparison, P(+)Q(B)(-) can form by either the A or B branches in the YFH RC, as indicated by the biexponential lifetimes of approximately 1 and approximately 6-10 s. These findings suggest that P(+)Q(B)(-) states formed via the two branches are distinct and that P(+)Q(B)(-) formed by the B side does not decay via the normal (indirect) pathway that utilizes the A-side cofactors when present. These differences may report on structural and energetic factors that further distinguish the functional asymmetry of the two cofactor branches.
A comparison of attitudes and knowledge of Ghanaian college students relative to the mentally retarded

Attitudes toward the disabled in Ghana were evaluated among college students majoring in general education (experimental group, special education, administration, and medicine). Eight questions were asked on a general questionnaire that pertained to attitudes, contact and knowledge about the handicapped. The findings revealed a negative correlation between greater knowledge and attitudes toward the mentally retarded. Students responded more favorable than nonstudents to statements emphasizing the value of educating the disabled. Students were less likely to blame the disabled or his/her family for the presence of a disability. Neither students nor nonstudents favored social interaction with the disabled. All scores fell within or above the moderately positive range. However, analysis of data revealed an inconsistency between the cognitive and affective attitude components. These findings suggest the influence of traditional beliefs on attitudes toward the disabled. They must, however, be interpreted within the context of a sociocultural and socioeconomic milieu which is in a state of transition. Implications of the findings are discussed.
The Novelty Impact: The Politics of Trailblazing Women in Gubernatorial Elections

Although women candidates for public office have experienced greater success recently, women candidates for executive offices are still considered to be a novelty in much of the country. This study examines the electoral impact of novelty status for female gubernatorial candidates. We propose that the novelty of female gubernatorial candidates negatively affects the level of support women candidates receive from voters and their likelihood of winning the gubernatorial election. We develop the concept of novelty status and test its impact on female gubernatorial candidates by examining female-male gubernatorial elections from 1980 to 2006. Our findings suggest that novelty status negatively impacts the success of women candidates for governor. These results are important as we continue to develop our understanding of the barriers women face when they seek elective office and how this situation might change when a woman's candidacy is no longer considered a novel event.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN DNA BASE PAIR STACKING ENERGIES ARE CONSERVED OVER A WIDE RANGE OF IONIC CONDITIONS

Base pair stacking free energy parameters in a low ionic strength solvent were determined from an analysis of DNA fragments using temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE). Transition midpoint temperatures (Tu) were determined for the first melting domain (52 +/- 4 bp) of 16, 339 bp DNAs that differed from each other by single base pair substitutions. The data were combined with previously obtained Tu data from 17 similar DNAs that had single base pair changes at different sites [Ke, S. H., and Wartell, R. M. (1995) Biochemistry 34, 4593-4599]. The Tu values were used to evaluate free energy differences (deltaDeltaG) between 31 pairs of DNAs. Linear equations relating the deltaDeltaG values to changes in base pair stacking were analyzed by singular value decomposition (SVD) to determine the 10 nearest neighbor free energy parameters. The order of stability of the parameters, TA < AT < AA < AG < GT approximately TC approximately TG < CC < GC approximately CG, was essentially the same as the hierarchy determined in 1 M Na+ [Allawi, H. T., and SantaLucia, J., Jr. (1997) Biochemistry 36, 10581-10594]. The experimental free energy differences were in good agreement with predictions made using nearest-neighbor parameters determined from several previous studies conducted in medium or high salt concentrations. Conversely the parameters determined in the current study produced good predictions of free energy differences previously determined from 59 DNA oligomers in 1 M Na+. The results indicate that differences between base pair stacking energies are conserved across a wide range of ionic conditions, and in both oligomer and polymer DNA contexts.
Parametric finite element investigation of the critical load capacity of elastomeric strip bearings

Abstract Elastomeric bearings are used in non-seismic bridge applications and for seismic isolation of structures. These bearings consist of a number of elastomeric (rubber) layers bonded to intermediate steel shim plates. For seismic isolation, the total thickness of rubber provides a low horizontal stiffness, whereas the close spacing of the intermediate shim plates provides a high vertical stiffness, relative to the horizontal, for a given bonded rubber area and shear modulus. During earthquake ground shaking, large lateral displacements will develop across the isolation interface and the individual bearings. The design of elastomeric bearings for seismic isolation requires that the stability of the individual bearings be demonstrated at the maximum bearing displacement. A component of the stability assessment is the determination of the critical load of the bearing at a given lateral displacement. Currently, the critical load is estimated using an approach whereby a ratio, that of the overlapping area between the top and bottom bearing endplates to the bonded rubber area, is used to reduce the critical load at zero lateral displacement, referred to herein as the overlapping area method. This study verifies the finite element method for predicting critical loads in elastomeric bearings, and uses the finite element method to investigate the dependency of the critical load on the bearing geometry. The results of the parametric study were also used to evaluate the predictive capabilities of the overlapping area procedure.
MOS Device modeling for circuit simulation

This paper reviews the current status of MOS device modeling for circuit simulation. Some important areas for future research are identified. The models covered include those for the drain current, intrinsic device capacitances, and hot-electron effects. For digital applications, only minor modifications are necessary to improve the present drain-current models to cover the submicron regime. For analog applications, however, they are not adequate even at the long-channel level. With the recent introduction of high-precision capacitance measurement techniques, it is anticipated that capacitance models will improve significantly in the near future in terms of both accuracy and computational efficiency. Hot-electron substrate-current models are gradually being used as a first order estimation of hot-electron problems in a VLSI environment. However, it might be still be quite sometime before one can simulate long-term performance degradation of circuits and systems with reasonable accuracy.
Low-bit rate motion JPEG using differential encoding

Motion JPEG (MJPEG) can be simply defined as a compression scheme in which each frame in a video sequence is JPEG compressed. This method though simple and intuitive has the disadvantages of high bandwidth requirements for transmission and low resilience to errors due to missing frames. In this paper, we present a modification to the MJPEG compression called MJPEG with differential pulse code modulation (MJPEG-DPCM) where differential encoding between coefficients of adjacent frames is carried out The modification provides higher compression, maintains perceptual visual quality and reduces video degradation due to missing frames or missing packets.
Clinical and MR correlates in children with extrapyramidal cerebral palsy.

PURPOSE To identify the characteristic MR findings in extrapyramidal cerebral palsy. METHOD Six patients who had suffered intrapartum asphyxia and who subsequently developed extrapyramidal cerebral palsy were identified. Asphyxia was evidenced by severe neonatal systemic acidosis as documented by a venous cord pH of less than 7.0 whenever available, or acidosis in subsequent arterial blood gas samples, and clinical signs of an acute hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy during the neonatal period. In addition, 1- and 5-minute Apgar scores were 3 or less, and there had been need for intubation or vigorous resuscitation in the delivery room. There were three boys and three girls, all born at term, with birth weight appropriate for gestational age, and without a history of bilirubin levels above 15 mg/dL. MR imaging at 1.5 T was performed between 1 and 19 years of age. RESULTS In all subjects focal high signal abnormality was demonstrated in the posterior putamen and the anterior or posterior thalamus. There were no other findings in most cases. CONCLUSION MR demonstrated lesions in the putamen and thalamus in all of our six patients with severe extrapyramidal cerebral palsy who had suffered intrapartum asphyxia.
Dose- and time-dependent binding and kinetics of pindolol in patients with congestive heart failure.

Dose- and time-dependent pharmacokinetics and plasma protein binding of pindolol were studied in patients with idiopathic cardiomyopathy who had mild to moderate congestive heart failure. The binding and plasma concentrations of pindolol at various times following the oral administration of single 5- and 10-mg doses and multiple 10-mg doses were determined. The binding of pindolol to plasma protein was time-dependent, increasing from 26% on the first day to 31% during the third day of treatment (P less than .05); this was probably due to increased alpha-1-acid glycoprotein concentration. Analysis of the plasma concentration-time data indicated dose-independent pharmacokinetics. Pindolol pharmacokinetics were time-dependent in one patient. Absorption and elimination half-lives ranged between 0.05 to 0.6 and 1.6 to 7.2 hours, respectively.
Heterozygous DNA mismatch repair gene PMS2-knockout mice are susceptible to intestinal tumor induction with N-methyl-N-nitrosourea.

PMS2-deficient (PMS2(-/-)) mice are hypersensitive to N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU)-induced thymic lymphomas based on the failure to initiate mismatch repair (MMR) at O(6)-methylguanine:T mismatches formed after MNU exposure. However, heterozygous PMS2 knockout (PMS2(+/-)) mice do not develop spontaneous tumors, suggesting that they have sufficient MMR function to prevent genomic instability. We hypothesized that in PMS2(+/-) mice, exogenous carcinogens may either mutationally knockout the remaining normal allele leading cells to develop tumors or introduce sufficient DNA adducts and mismatches to overload the lower capacity for MMR, leading in either case to an increased rate of tumor production. In the present study, PMS2(+/-) mice and their littermate PMS2(+/+) mice were monitored for tumor incidence following MNU treatment. Mice were given 50 mg MNU/kg i.p. when 5 weeks old. They demonstrated a similar incidence of thymic lymphomas, suggesting that expression of the single normal PMS2 allele is sufficient to protect the thymus and implying that a single dose of MNU may not efficiently knock out the remaining PMS2 allele in the thymus. Surprisingly, PMS2(+/-) mice were significantly more likely to develop intestinal tumors-both adenomas and adenocarcinomas-after MNU than were PMS2(+/+) mice (2.34 +/- 0.34 tumors per mouse versus 1.34 +/- 0.25 tumors per mouse; P < 0.05). The intestinal tumors were located mainly in the small intestine. However, these tumors in both the PMS2(+/-) mice and PMS2(+/+) mice did not show microsatellite instability characteristic of loss of MMR. These results suggest that a single normal PMS2 allele can protect thymus but not intestine from MNU carcinogenesis. Organ-specific factors might influence MMR- mediated resistance to methylating agents. Heterozygous PMS2 knockout mice may be used as a promising animal model for intestinal tumorigenesis studies involving environmental carcinogens.
Temporally Staggered Glomerulus Development in the Moth Manduca sexta

Glomeruli, neuropilar structures composed of olfactory receptor neuron (ORN) axon terminals and central neuron dendrites, are a common feature of olfactory systems. Typically, ORN axons segregate into glomeruli based on odor specificity, making glomeruli the basic unit for initial processing of odorant information. Developmentally, glomeruli arise from protoglomeruli, loose clusters of ORN axons that gradually synapse onto dendrites. Previous work in the moth Manduca sexta demonstrated that protoglomeruli develop in a wave across the antennal lobe (AL) during stage 5 of the 18 stages of metamorphic adult development. However, ORN axons from the distal segments of the antenna arrive at the AL for several more days. We report that protoglomeruli present at stage 5 account for only approximately two or three of adult glomeruli with the number of structures increasing over subsequent stages. How do these later arriving axons incorporate into glomeruli? Examining the dendritic projections of a unique serotonin-containing neuron into glomeruli at later stages revealed glomeruli with immature dendritic arbors intermingled among more mature glomeruli. Labeling ORN axons that originate in proximal segments of the antenna suggested that early-arriving axons target a limited number of glomeruli. We conclude that AL glomeruli form over an extended time period, possibly as a result of ORNs expressing new odorant receptors arriving from distal antennal segments.
Construction algorithms for k-connected m-dominating sets in wireless sensor networks

A Connected Dominating Set (CDS) working as a virtual backbone is an effective way to decrease the overhead of routing in a wireless sensor network. Furthermore, a k-Connected m-Dominating Set (kmCDS) is necessary for fault tolerance and routing flexibility. Some approximation algorithms have been proposed to construct a kmCDS. However, most of them only consider some special cases where k = 1,2 or k ≤ m, or are not easy to implement, or have high message complexity. In this paper, we propose a novel distributed algorithm LDA with low message complexity to construct a kmCDS for general k and m whose size is guaranteed to be within a small constant factor of the optimal solution when the maximum node degree is a constant. We also propose one centralized algorithm ICGA with a constant performance ratio to construct a kmCDS. Theoretical analysis as well as simulation results are shown to evaluate the proposed algorithms.
An improved algorithm for the regular expression constrained multiple sequence alignment problem

Constrained sequence alignment has been proposed as a way for incorporating biologists' knowledge about common structures or functions into the alignment process. For alignment of protein sequences, several studies have suggested taking into account the motifs (a restricted regular expression) from the PROSITE database to guide alignments. The regular expression constrained sequence alignment has been introduced for this purpose. An alignment satisfies the constraint if part of it matches a given regular expression in each dimension (i.e. in each sequence aligned). There is a method that rewards the alignments that include a region matching the given regular expression. This method does not always guarantee the satisfaction of the constraint. Another method constructs a weighted finite automaton from the given regular expression, and presents a dynamic programming solution that simulates copies of this automaton to find an alignment with maximum score satisfying the regular expression constraint. We propose a new algorithm for the regular expression constrained multiple sequence alignment problem. Our algorithm considers two layers each of which corresponds to part of the dynamic programming matrix for the alignment of the given sequences. We compute each layer differently using dynamic programming. We propose the following modification in the definition of the problem: the region satisfying the constraint does not contribute to the total score. This modification is not necessary for the correctness and the performance in certain cases such as the constraint involves only one motif or motif-matching regions span short distance in each sequence but we believe that with this modification we achieve the same goal by doing less work in practice. Our algorithm is much more efficient than a previously proposed algorithm that uses weighted automata, and its performance in practice is comparable to (and under certain conditions even better than) that of the ordinary (unconstrained) multiple sequence alignment algorithm. Our experiments on real biological sequences, and regular expressions each composed of a sequence of motifs verify this
Community composition and diversity of riparian forests regulate decomposition of leaf litter in stream ecosystems.

Riparian forest plantings are a well-established restoration technique commonly used to stabilize banks and intercept nutrient flow from adjacent agricultural fields. Tree species planted for these efforts may not reflect mature forest communities within the same region. Given contemporary research on links between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, we conducted a leaf-litter decomposition study to investigate how mixing of detrital resources that reflect forest community composition would regulate in-stream leaf litter. Leaf litter bags containing material from a mature forest (Liriodendron tulipifera, Acer rubrum, Quercus rubra, full factorial treatments = 7) and a restored riparian forest (Cornus sericea, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Platanus occidentalis, full factorial treatments = 7) were deployed in a stream reach that experienced riparian reforestation in 2004. Litter from the restored riparian community had less mass remaining (45.28 ± 2.27%) than that from the mature riparian community (54.95 ± 2.19%) after 5 weeks. In addition, mixed litter treatments in the restored riparian community had less mass remaining (40.54 ± 2.37%) than single-species treatments (51.80 ± 4.05%), a pattern not observed in the mature forest community. Results highlight the importance of planting mixed-species assemblages as this structure may regulate processes such as decomposition and food-web structure, processes often not targeted in the restoration plans.
Comprehensive analysis of RNA-protein interactions by high-throughput sequencing–RNA affinity profiling

RNA-protein interactions play critical roles in gene regulation, but methods to quantitatively analyze these interactions at a large scale are lacking. We have developed a high-throughput sequencing-RNA affinity profiling (HiTS-RAP) assay by adapting a high-throughput DNA sequencer to quantify the binding of fluorescently labeled protein to millions of RNAs anchored to sequenced cDNA templates. Using HiTS-RAP, we measured the affinity of mutagenized libraries of GFP-binding and NELF-E-binding aptamers to their respective targets and identified critical regions of interaction. Mutations additively affected the affinity of the NELF-E-binding aptamer, whose interaction depended mainly on a single-stranded RNA motif, but not that of the GFP aptamer, whose interaction depended primarily on secondary structure.
Ethical theory as social practice

This article represents a search for a different analytical language through which anthropology can engage with human rights. This effort is intended to contribute to what is an expanding range of ways in which anthropologists conceptualize, advocate for, and critique contemporary human rights. Its central argument is that current ethnographic studies of human rights practices can be used as the basis for making innovative claims within human rights debates that take place outside of anthropology itself. To do this, ethnographic description that captures the contradictions and contingencies at the heart of human rights practices is not enough. What is needed is a different understanding of how the idea of human rights comes to be formed in context. In this article, I suggest several possible ways that an anthropological philosophy of human rights can accomplish this. I conclude by locating this approach in relation to a longer history of anthropological skepticism toward universalist discourses.
Modified reduction genioplasty.

The horizontal osteotomy for genioplasty has been used for correction of vertical and/or anteriorposterior excess1-7; for augmentation of the deficient chin horizontally, vertically, or both simultaneously, and for correction of asymmetry.I,2,4,6,7 Additionally, modifications of the horizontal osteotomy have been described for application in specific circurnstances.v!' The conventional horizontal reduction genioplasty works well in reducing the height of the chin or in repositioning the chin posteriorly when there is normal contour and anterior width. However, when there is deficient anterior mandibular height and width, use of the conventional horizontal reduction genioplasty is limited by the position of the mental foramina, the height of the anterior mandible, and the apices of the teeth. The standard horizontal reduction genioplasty will correct the deep mentallabial fold, but it places the narrow chin into a more posterior position. A modified reduction genioplasty technique is described that reduces the prominent chin, while establishing proper anterior mandibular width and maintaining anterior height. The technique is a modification of the horizontal step osteotomy for advancement genioplasty described by Hinds and Kent.6,7 It is indicated to address macrogenia in the patient with a narrow, pointed chin. It may also be used when the position of the apices of the mandibular anterior teeth, the mental foramina, and a short height of the anterior mandible will produce a compromised result by the standard horizontal reduction technique.
In situ studies on twinning and cracking proximal to insulator–metal transition in self-supported VO2 / Si3N4 membranes

Mechanisms leading to correlation between structural phase transitions in functional oxides and consequent insulator–metal transitions driven by band gap closure are an active area of research. In cases where large volume changes are present, structural stability considerations become important. Here, we present in situ studies of mechanical instability of VO2 grown on self-supported Si3N4 membranes spanning the structural phase transition boundary of vanadium dioxide. We observe film cracking across the phase transition, and the transition-induced cracks correlate with the symmetry change and the corresponding changes in the optical/electrical response arising from the insulator–metal transition. Transmission electron microscopy studies revealed twinned platelets proximal to crack regions. Interestingly, the membranes are mechanically stable until a large fraction of resistance change occurs across the phase transition. The ability to manipulate the stability and controlled rupture of self-supported membranes through temperature or other stimuli could be of interest to microelectromechanical systems and sensor devices.
Eliminating ghosting and exposure artifacts in image mosaics

As panoramic photography becomes increasingly popular, there is a greater need for high-quality software to automatically create panoramic images. Existing algorithms either produce a rough "stitch" that cannot deal with common artifacts, or require user input. This paper presents methods for dealing with two artifacts that often occur in practice. Our first contribution is a method for dealing with objects that move between different views of a dynamic scene. If such moving objects are left in, they will appear blurry and "ghosted". Treating such regions as nodes in a graph, we use a vertex cover algorithm to selectively remove all but one instance of each object. Our second contribution is a method for continuously adjusting exposure across multiple images in order to eliminate visible shifts in brightness or hue. We compute exposure corrections on a block-by block basis, then smoothly interpolate the parameters using a spline to get spatially continuous exposure adjustment. Our enhancements, combined with previously published techniques for automatic image stitching, result in a high-quality automated stitcher that exhibits far fewer artifacts than existing software.
The Age‐Associated Increase in Autoreactive Immunoglobulins Reflects a Quantitative Increase in Specificities Detectable at Lower Concentrations in Young Mice

Serum immunoglobulins reactive with several autoantigens have been reported to increase with age. The authors have studied the reactivity of serum immunoglobulins from mice between 2 and 24 months of age with antigens present in lysates of syngeneic tissue extracts from young mice. The profile of immunoglobulin binding with the immunoblots of spleen and brain tissue increased progressively with age, showing only minor differences from mouse to mouse and, with one exception, revealing that the age-associated increase in binding of immunoglobulins occurred with antigens with the same migratory position in the immunoblots detectable, at lower concentration, in sera from young mice. Not all sera from older mice had increased immunoglobulin binding when tested with extracts of skin, muscle and liver but those that did expressed increased binding with antigens in all three lysates and with the same profile shown by sera from young mice. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the age-associated increase in autoreactive immunoglobulins represents a selective increase in autoreactive specificities expressed by serum immunoglobulins from young animals at lower levels.
Circadian Timekeeping in Drosophila

This chapter, written in the spring of 1997, describes the first two clock genes to be characterized in Drosophila.A study of the interactions of period and timeless pointed to a simple mechanism that generates self-sustained molecular oscillations, but that can be reset by exposure to cycles of day and night. Four years later, it is remarkable to see how quickly answers to many of the questions posed in this chapter have emerged. Missing pieces of the clock have been found, and insights from the fruit fly have allowed molecular dissection of human cycles of sleep and wakefulness.
CORONAL PLACES OF ARTICULATION

Publisher Summary This chapter explores a variety of possible coronal places of articulation. It focuses on a traditional place of articulation distinctions and some manner distinctions that are used to make fine place distinctions. The sublaminal retroflexes, attested most clearly for stops, would count as laminal in most feature systems. The other two types of retroflexes are apical, occurring with either domed or flat tongue shapes. Coronals can be defined as segments produced with the blade of the tongue. Among the most recognized coronal places of articulation are dental, alveolar, palate–alveolar, retroflex, and palatal. Coronal articulations extend from the upper lip to the hard palate. The chapter illustrates key divisions along the palate. Behind the upper teeth is the alveolar ridge, a source of some confusion in articulatory descriptions. For phonetic purposes, the alveolar ridge is the entire area from the upper teeth back to the prominence at which the palate starts angling upward toward the roof of the mouth.
Spatial distribution of production in a Marcellus Shale well: Evidence for hydraulic fracture stress interaction

Abstract Detailed examination of the distribution of production along a horizontal, Marcellus Shale gas well shows non-uniformity of production that is not consistent with random variation within each set of 4 perforation clusters that were grouped together as stages during stimulation. Nor is the data indicative of variation that is purely dictated by large scale reservoir variations – i.e. variation with a wavelength on the order of the entire horizontal part of the well. Instead, production is biased toward clusters that were at the heel-ward side of their respective fracturing stage. Production is further biased toward clusters that were in the outer positions within a fracturing stage over those that were in the central positions. These observations are consistent with so-called stress shadow effects wherein growth from toe-ward clusters is suppressed due to the induced stresses from previously-placed hydraulic fractures in prior stages and, furthermore, growth from inner clusters is suppressed due to the elevated compressive stresses in the central part of an array of growing hydraulic fractures.
A Strained 9-1-1 System and Threats to Public Health

The goal of this study was to understand safety climate in the United States (U.S.) fire service, which responded to more than 31 million calls to the 9-1-1 emergency response system in 2013. The majority of those calls (68 %) were for medical assistance, while only 4 % of calls were fire-related, highlighting that the 9-1-1 system serves as a critical public health safety net. We conducted focus groups and interviews with 123 firefighters from 12 fire departments across the United States. Using an iterative analytic approach supported by NVivo 10 software, we developed consensus regarding key themes. Firefighters concurred that the 9-1-1 system is strained and increasingly called upon to deliver Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in the community. Much like the hospital emergency department, EMS frequently assists low-income and elderly populations who have few alternative sources of support. Firefighters highlighted the high volume of low-acuity calls that occupy much of their workload, divert resources from true emergencies, and lead to unwarranted occupational hazards like speeding to respond to non-serious calls. As a result, firefighters reported high occupational stress, low morale, and desensitization to community needs. Firefighters’ called for improvements to the 9-1-1 system—the backbone of emergency response in the U.S.—including better systems of triage, more targeted use of EMS resources, continuing education to align with job demands, and a strengthened social safety net to address the persistent needs of poor and elderly populations.