cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Vitamin D metabolism and action in human marrow stromal cells: Effects of chronic kidney disease

Abstract Human marrow stromal cells (hMSCs) are targets of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1α,25(OH) 2 D 3 ] action to promote their differentiation to osteoblasts, but they also participate in vitamin D metabolism by converting 25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 [25(OH)D 3 ] to 1α,25(OH) 2 D 3 by 1α-hydroxylase (CYP27B1). Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with impaired renal biosynthesis of 1α,25(OH) 2 D, low bone mass, and increased fracture risk. We tested whether CKD influences hMSCs’ responses to vitamin D 3 metabolites. The hMSCs were obtained from tissues discarded during arthroplasty for hip osteoarthrosis, including a subject who had been undergoing hemodialysis for 2+ years. There was a significant positive correlation between in vitro stimulation of osteoblastogenesis (alkaline phosphatase activity) by 1α,25(OH) 2 D 3 and subjects’ estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR, r = 0.47, p = 0.015, n = 26, 56–83 years of age). Osteoblastogenesis was stimulated in hMSCs from both the hemodialysis and control subjects by 1α,25(OH) 2 D 3 (10 μM), 25(OH)D 3 (100 μM), or D 3 (1000 μM). Thus, vitamin D metabolism may play an autocrine/paracrine role in osteoblast differentiation of hMSCs. These findings suggest that in CKD patients 25(OH)D-sufficiency may play an important role in skeletal health; osteoblastic bone formation in CKD patients may not be optimal unless there is sufficient serum 25(OH)D substrate for the MSCs to synthesize and respond to local 1α,25(OH) 2 D. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled ‘Vitamin D Workshop’.
Effects of cluster light exposure on 3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine accumulation and degradation patterns in red wine grapes ( Vitis vinifera L. Cv. Cabernet Franc).

The effects of light exposure on 3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine (IBMP) accumulation and degradation in Vitis vinifera L. cv. Cabernet Franc berries were assessed by comparison of shaded and exposed clusters within the same vine throughout a growing season. Twenty-seven vines were shoot-thinned to create regions of high and low cluster-light exposure within each vine. Samples were collected at 10 time points starting from 5 to 130 days postbloom. The experimental design allowed for intravine comparison of IBMP levels between treatments at each time. Vine-to-vine variability of IBMP and the correlation of IBMP to malic acid were also evaluated. Cluster exposure reduced accumulation of IBMP at all preveraison time points by 21−44%, but did not increase postveraison degradation. Significant vine-to-vine variability in IBMP content was observed, with the highest level of IBMP in shaded berries in the most vigorous block of vines. Although IBMP concentration by weight decreased significantly due to dilution just ...
A Note on Infinitesimal Generators of Semigroups on H2/φH2

Abstract Let φ be an inner function on the unit disc D . Let A (φ) be the commutant of the compression of the standard unilateral shift onto H2/φH2. Necessary and sufficient conditions for a complex number to be in the resolvent Set of the infinitesimal generator of a C0 semigroup of operators in A (φ) are given. In this case, the resolvents of the infinitesimal generator are obtained by solving a corona problem for unbounded functions whose real part is bounded above.
Imaging genetic influences in human brain function

The association between genes and brain function using functional brain imaging techniques is an emerging and promising area of research that will help to better characterize the influence of genes on cognition and behavior as well as the link between genetic susceptibility and neuropsychiatric disorders. Neurophysiological imaging provides information regarding the effect of genes on brain function at the level of information processing, and neurochemical imaging provides information on the intrinsic mechanisms on how these genes affect the brain response. In this review, we highlight recent studies that have begun to explore the influence of genetic mutations on brain function with these techniques. The results, even from these few studies, illustrate the potential of these techniques to provide a more sensitive assay than behavioral measures used alone. The results also show that neuroimaging techniques can elucidate the influence of genes on brain function in relatively small sample populations, sometimes even in the absence of significant differences in behavioral measures.
A response time theory of separability and integrality in speeded classification

Abstract A theoretical framework is developed for the speeded classification tests of perceptual separability and integrality, which were popularized by Garner (1974, The processing of information and structure, New York: Wiley). The theory generalizes general recognition theory (Ashby & Townsend, 1986, Psychological Review 93, 154-179) by incorporating the assumption that response time decreases with the distance between the perceptual representation of a stimulus and the decision bound. We show that if decisional separability holds and if there are no stimulus context effects, then the filtering and redundancy tasks provide good tests of separability and integrality. However, if the subject responds optimally then redundancy gains are likely, regardless of whether the dimensions are integral or separable. Context effects also may invalidate both tests. Finally, we propose a new test of separability that can be performed on data collected in the filtering task, which is not susceptible to context effects or to changes in the subject's decision strategy.
Beyond Correctness: Development and Validation of Concept-Based Categorical Scoring Rubrics for Diagnostic Purposes.

AbstractDiagnostic assessment approaches intend to provide fine-grained reports of what students know and can do, focusing on their areas of strengths and weaknesses. However, current application of such diagnostic approaches is limited by the scoring method for item responses; important diagnostic information, such as type of errors and strategy use is lost or neglected when item-level responses are scored only for correctness. The purpose of this paper is to introduce a scoring method that classifies responses into concept-based nominal categories. In this paper, we describe the methodology of developing concept-based rubrics, and present an empirical examination of the construct validity of the scores in comparison to the scores based on conventional correctness rubrics. Utilising Multiple Correspondence Analysis, the results show that the categorical scores do not only reflect what the correctness scores capture, but also provide additional information that communicates aspects of student performance ...
Renal ischemia/reperfusion and ATP depletion/repletion in LLC-PK1 cells result in phosphorylation of FKHR and FKHRL1

Renal ischemia/reperfusion and ATP depletion/repletion in LLC-PK 1 cells result in phosphorylation of FKHR and FKHRL1. Background Cell death and survival pathways are critical determinants of epithelial cell fate after ischemia. Forkhead proteins have been implicated in the regulation of cellular survival. Methods and Results We have found that none of the forkhead family of proteins, FKHR, is phosphorylated after ischemia/reperfusion in the rat kidney. The time course of phosphorylation is similar to the time course of activation of the forkhead protein kinase Akt/protein kinase B (PKB), with maximal phosphorylation at 24 to 48 hours postreperfusion when the process of regeneration peaks. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 activation has also been implicated as prosurvival in the injured kidney. ERK1/2 were phosphorylated in postischemic kidneys at 5, 30, and 90 minutes of reperfusion, with phosphorylation decreased by 24 and 48 hours. Immunocytochemical analysis revealed increased phospho-ERK1/2 in the thick ascending limb and isolated cells of the S3 segment, which have lost apical actin staining. To understand the relationship between forkhead phosphorylation, Akt, and ERK1/2, an in vitro model of injury was employed. After 40 minutes of chemical anoxia followed by dextrose addition for 20 minutes to replete adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels, FKHR and FKHRL1 are phosphorylated. The levels of phospho-Akt are increased for at least 120 minutes after dextrose addition with a maximum at 20 minutes. Phosphorylation of Akt, FKHR, and FKHRL1 are phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) dependent since phosphorylation is reduced by the PI 3-kinase inhibitors, wortmannin, or LY294002. Inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/ERK kinase (MEK1/2), the upstream activator of ERK1/2, has no effect on forkhead protein phosphorylation after chemical anoxia/dextrose addition. Conclusion We conclude that PI 3-kinase and Akt are activated after renal ischemia/reperfusion and that Akt phosphorylation leads to phosphorylation of FKHR and FKHRL1, which may affect epithelial cell fate in acute renal failure.
Opportunistic sensing: Unattended acoustic sensor selection using crowdsourcing models

Unattended wireless sensor networks have been widely used in many applications. This paper proposes automatic sensor selection methods based on crowdsourcing models in the Opportunistic Sensing framework, with applications to unattended acoustic sensor selection. Precisely, we propose two sensor selection criteria and solve them via greedy algorithm and quadratic assignment. Our proposed method achieves, on average, 5.64% higher accuracy than the traditional approach under sparse reliability conditions.
Loss-of-stability induced progressive collapse modes in 3D steel moment frames

This paper deals with the progressive collapse analysis of a tall steel frame following the removal of a corner column according to the alternate load path approach. Several analysis techniques are considered (eigenvalue, material nonlinearities, material and geometric nonlinearities), as well as 2D and 3D modelling of the structural system. It is determined that the collapse mechanism is a loss-of-stability-induced one that can be identified by combining a 3D structural model with an analysis involving both material and geometric nonlinearities. The progressive collapse analysis reveals that after the initial removal of a corner column, its two adjacent columns fail from elastic flexural-torsional buckling at a load lower than the design load. The failure of these two columns is immediately followed by the failure of the next two adjacent columns from elastic flexural–torsional buckling. After the failure of these five columns, the entire structure collapses without the occurrence of any significant plas...
W.B. Yeats's economies of sacrifice: war, rebellion, and ‘wasteful virtue’

The First World War and the Easter Rebellion of 1916 both posed problems of ethnicity, class, and national allegiance for W.B. Yeats. These anxieties of allegiance manifest themselves in the paradoxical tensions of Yeats's commemorative verses for the middle-class, Catholic Easter rebels and for the Anglo-aristocratic Major Robert Gregory, who died as an airman in the First World War. In this essay, I focus on the brief allegory ‘The Rose Tree’ and the canonical ‘An Irish Airman Foresees his Death’ to demonstrate how ethnicity informed Yeats's evaluation of bodily sacrifice. Although both poems seem initially to glorify death as a means of escaping closed economic or evaluative systems, Yeats ultimately privileges the airman's sacrifice above the rebels' precisely because, in its radical negation of pragmatism, it is more wasteful, and thus more virtuous.
Metal plasmon-coupled fluorescence imaging and label free coenzyme detection in cells

Flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) is a key metabolite in cellular energy conversion. Flavin can also bind with some enzymes in the metabolic pathway and the binding sites may be changed due to the disease progression. Thus, there is interest on studying its expression level, distribution, and redox state within the cells. FAD is naturally fluorescent, but it has a modest extinction coefficient and quantum yield. Hence the intrinsic emission from FAD is generally too weak to be isolated distinctly from the cellular backgrounds in fluorescence cell imaging. In this article, the metal nanostructures on the glass coverslips were used as substrates to measure FAD in cells. Particulate silver films were fabricated with an optical resonance near the absorption and the emission wavelengths of FAD which can lead to efficient coupling interactions. As a result, the emission intensity and quantum yield by FAD were greatly increased and the lifetime was dramatically shortened resulting in less interference from the longer lived cellular background. This feature may overcome the technical limits that hinder the direct observation of intrinsically fluorescent coenzymes in the cells by fluorescence microscopy. Fluorescence cell imaging on the metallic particle substrates may provide a non-invasive strategy for collecting the information of coenzymes in cells.
Across the Great Divide: Knowledge Creation and Transfer Between Practitioners and Academics

Observers have long noted a considerable gap between organizational research findings and management practices. Although volumes have been written about the probable causes and consequences of this gap, surprisingly little empirical evidence exists concerning the various viewpoints. The articles in this forum provide data on the role of academic-practitioner relationships in both generating and disseminating knowledge across boundaries. The contributions of each article are summarized in light of recent theories of knowledge creation, and suggestions are made for increasing the value and relevance of future research to both academics and practitioners.
Regional development of orchardgrass choke and estimation of seed yield loss

A survey for choke, caused by Epichloe typhina, in orchardgrass seed-production fields in Oregon was conducted annually from 1998 to 2003. In all, 99 fields were inspected, 57 in more than 1 year, to produce a set of 217 observations on disease incidence. There was a significant increase in disease incidence in 38% of the revisited fields, and a significant reduction of incidence in 3%. Yearly increases in disease incidence were as high as 29% in individual fields, but the average yearly increase from 1999 to 2003 was 5 to 8%. In 1998, 60% of all surveyed fields were infested with choke and, by 2003, 90% were infested. Average disease incidence in fields in their first year of production was <2%, and average disease incidence in older fields was approximately 10%, in 2003. Seed yield loss was equal to disease incidence (percentage of tillers diseased), and we found no significant yield compensation in diseased stands. An observed correlation of disease incidence with disease prevalence (proportion of sampled sites infested within a field) may permit simple estimation of incidence and, thus, of potential economic loss in an affected field. We estimate regional loss to the 2004 orchardgrass seed crop due to choke to be approximately $0.8 million.
Commentary on the denominator recursion for Burg's block algorithm

An order-recursive form for the denominator in the equation for the reflection coefficients in Burg's block algorithm was originally presented by N. Andersen in 1978, although its derivation was not given. This recursion was later repeated in a tutorial paper by Kay and Marple, also without derivation, but with data and error indexing defined differently. This letter shows a derivation of the denominator recursion using the notation defined in the latter work and demonstrates that the recursion given there is incorrect. A computer program written in the C language is also presented which implements Burg's algorithm, and includes references to specific equations from the latter work.
The Relative Difficulty Ratio--A Test and Item Index.

The Relative Difficulty Ratio (RDR) was developed as an index of test or item difficulty for use in situations in which raw score means or item p-values are not directly comparable because of chance score differences. Computational RDR are described. Data from the literature are used to illustrate applications of the RDR at both the test and item level.
Synthesis and Characterization of Organotin Polyesters Derived from 3,5-Pyridinedicarboxylic Acid

Organotin polyesters were synthesized from the interfacial condensation of organotin dihalides and salts of 3,5-pyridinedicarboxylic acid. The polymers are synthesized in moderate to high yields and are moderate to high polymers. MALDI MS, IR spectral, and NMR spectral results are consistent with the proposed structure. The Sn–O stretching band is found at about 1,028 cm−1. Infrared spectra are consistent with majority of the products having a non-bridged structure about the tin. All of the polymers exhibit some inhibition of two pancreatic cancer cell lines. The dibutyltin and dicyclohexyltin products show sufficiently good inhibition of both cell lines as to merit further testing.
Chronic ethanol consumption depresses hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function in aged rats.

Summary In separate experiments, nine (n-20) and fifteen (n-12) month old rats were treated with either 6% ethanol or 12% sucrose (to balance caloric intake) in the drinking water to examine the effect of chronic ethanol consumption on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis of aged rats. Rats were maintained on these treatment regimens for thirty days and were killed by decapitation. Blood was collected and plasma concentrations of adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and corticosterone were determined by radioimmunoassay. Adrenal glands were cleaned, quartered and used to test in vitro responsiveness to ACTH. Anterior pituitary glands from all 15 month old rats and one half of the nine month old rats were collected, frozen and extracted for measurement of tissue ACTH concentration. The remaining anterior pituitary glands from the nine month old rats were challenged with corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) to test in vitro responsiveness. In nine month old rats, chronic ethanol consumption decreased plasma ACTH and corticosterone (P,0.05). Pituitary ACTH concentrations were unchanged in treated nine month old rats, but the amount of pituitary ACTH released in response to CRH was decreased (P,0.05) in rats consuming ethanol. In vitro responsiveness of the adrenal gland to ACTH in nine month old rats consuming ethanol was unchanged (P,0.05). Plasma ACTH and corticosterone concentrations were also decreased in 15 month old rats chronically consuming ethanol (P~0.05). No differences were noted in responsiveness of the adrenal gland or in the amount of pituitary ACTH due to ethanol consumption in 15 month old rats (!)>0.05). The results of these experiments indicate that chronic ethanol consumption decreases hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function in aged rats. Alcohol abuse and dependence are serious health problems that affect approximately 10% of the adult population in the United States and contribute to at least 3% of all deaths annually (1). A recent report indicated that a history of heavy alcohol consumption was a predictor of impaired physical, psychological and social health, as well as social functioning in elderly men (2). Studies examining the effect of chronic ethanol consumption in laboratory animals have largely been limited to mature animals but have not examined the effect of chronic ethanol consumption in the aged (9 to 15 month) rat. For example, the following studies have been conducted in rats of 3 to 6 months of age. Chronic exposure to ethanol has been shown to result in elevated concentrations of ACTH due to increased CRH secretion (3) and to increase sensitivity of the anterior pituitary gland to CRH (4,5). Other researchers have shown depressed hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) function in response to chronic ethanol consumption. Dave and coworkers (6) found that long term consumption of ethanol decreased pituitary CRH receptor number, pituitary adenyl cyclase activity and anterior pituitary proopiomelanocortin levels. Rivier et ai. (7) recently reported that basal ACTH and corticosterone
Evaluation of direct sampling method for trace elements analysis in Chinese rice wine by ICP–OES

A direct sampling method by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry was evaluated for determining trace elements (Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Se and Zn) in Chinese rice wine. The parameters of ICP (plasma power, nebulizer pressure and sampling speed) were optimized considering the complicated matrix. Both the nebulizer pressure and the sampling speed were kept low, and plasma power was set at a high value of 1.35 kW. The good accuracy was confirmed by the recovery test (>95 %). The relative standard deviation was less than 5 %. Comparing with the dry ashing and wet ashing method, direct sampling showed to be fast, reliable and simple. The data of trace metals in Chinese rice wine were obtained: Co (0.088–0.106 mg/L), Cr (0.097–0.164 mg/L), Cu (0.085–0.126 mg/L), Fe (0.181–0.308 mg/L), Mg (0.179–0.311 mg/L), Mn (0.102–0.184 mg/L), Se (0.219–0.349) mg/L), and Zn (0.090–0.139 mg/L).
Distribution patterns and conservation of eastern Brazilian coastal forest tree species

The distributions of 127 tree species, each with at least part of their range in the moist coastal forest of eastern Brazil, are analyzed. Of these, 53.5% are endemic to the coastal forest, 11.8% endemic to the coastal forest plus some part of the Planalto of Brazil, 7.8% disjunct with the Amazonian hylaea, and 26% widespread. This high endemism in the coastal forest of eastern Brazil, in view of its rapid destruction, emphasizes the need for increased preservation of the few remaining natural areas. In addition, this study supports the theory that there are at least two centers of endemism in the coastal forests, one centering around Rio de Janeiro and one in southern Bahia/Rio Doce, Espirito Santo. In order to protect the diverse flora of the coastal forests, preservation areas should be established intermittently along their entire length and especially in the centers of endemism.
Hypothermic circulatory arrest and the management of giant and large cerebral aneurysms

The surgical adjuncts of hypothermic circulatory arrest, exsanguination, and barbiturate cerebral protection were evaluated in nine cases of cerebral aneurysms felt unapproachable by conventional surgery. These techniques were used in seven posterior circulation aneurysms, two of which were giant and two giant anterior circulation aneurysms originating at the middle cerebral artery bifurcation. Four patients had excellent outcomes, two had a fair result, one had a poor result, and two died. The outcome of surgery reflected that of the management of patients with unruptured or ruptured aneurysms. Three of the four patients who did well had unruptured aneurysms, and all three of the cases in which death or a poor outcome resulted occurred in patients presenting with subarachnoid hemorrhage. The rationale for the use of hypothermic circulatory arrest is discussed, and the surgical indications, techniques, and anesthetic considerations are also reviewed.
Ultrasound Strain Imaging of Altered Myocardial Stiffness Stunned Versus Infarcted Reperfused Myocardium

Background— In this study we evaluate the diastolic deformation of ischemic/reperfused myocardium and relate this deformation to tissue elastic properties. Methods and Results— Farm pigs were subjected to left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion followed by reperfusion to create either stunning (n=12) or transmural myocardial infarction (n=12). Ultrasound-derived radial strain rates (SR) and strain were measured in the ischemic and remote walls. Myocardial stiffness was estimated from diastolic pressure–wall thickness relationship obtained from preload alterations. At reperfusion, end-systolic strain (esys) was significantly reduced in both stunned and infarcted walls compared with their remote walls (3±3% versus 26±2% and 1±0% versus 33±5%, respectively; P<0.0001) or baseline values. Diastolic passive deformation (eA) and rates of deformation during early (ESR) and late (ASR) diastole were comparable between stunned and remote walls (eA: 7.3±1.6% versus 7.9±1.9%; ESR: −2.7±0.4 s−1 versus −2.6±0...
Food and gender in America: A review essay

Laura Shapiro. 1986. Perfection Salad: Women and Cooking at the Turn of the Century. New York: Henry Holt and Company, Inc.
CT protocols for acute appendicitis: time for change.

AJR:193, November 2009 optimal for imaging patients with suspected acute appendicitis. This is an important issue because IV contrast administration is associated with increased examination cost; increased patient discomfort; risk of allergic reaction [12]; risk of tissue injury if extravasation occurs [13]; and risk of renal insufficiency [14], which rarely occurs. Positive oral contrast ingestion is inconvenient for the patient and requires a delay to allow the ingested contrast medium to pass into the cecum [15]. During the time interval between the initial clinical evaluation and subsequent CT examination after oral contrast ingestion, patients might be at risk for appendiceal perforation. Furthermore, emergency departments are closely scrutinized to decrease length of stay. Standard-dose CT exposes patients to radiation, which is a concern particularly given that appendicitis is common, with a lifetime risk of 8.6% for men and 6.7% for women [16]; moreover, there is a trend toward increased use of CT [17], and many patients with suspected acute appendicitis are young [16]. If a low-dose protocol without IV or oral contrast material had an accuracy similar to that of the traditional protocol, patients with suspected acute appendicitis would benefit. Recent work highlighted in the AJR from Belgium [18], Korea [19], and the United States [20] provides compelling evidence that a low-radiation-dose protocol without oral or IV contrast material may be adequate for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. The time for change may be upon us. Keyzer et al. [18] randomized patients to ingest or not ingest positive oral contrast medium. Thereafter, all patients underwent both unenhanced and IV contrast-enhanced scanning. CT Protocols for Acute Appendicitis: Time for Change
Structure of beta-ketoacyl-[acyl carrier protein] reductase from Escherichia coli: negative cooperativity and its structural basis.

The structure of beta-ketoacyl-[acyl carrier protein] reductase (FabG) from Escherichia coli was determined via the multiwavelength anomalous diffraction technique using a selenomethionine-labeled crystal containing 88 selenium sites in the asymmetric unit. The comparison of the E. coli FabG structure with the homologous Brassica napus FabG.NADP(+) binary complex reveals that cofactor binding causes a substantial conformational change in the protein. This conformational change puts all three active-site residues (Ser 138, Tyr 151, and Lys 155) into their active configurations and provides a structural mechanism for allosteric communication between the active sites in the homotetramer. FabG exhibits negative cooperative binding of NADPH, and this effect is enhanced by the presence of acyl carrier protein (ACP). NADPH binding also increases the affinity and decreases the maximum binding of ACP to FabG. Thus, unlike other members of the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase superfamily, FabG undergoes a substantial conformational change upon cofactor binding that organizes the active-site triad and alters the affinity of the other substrate-binding sites in the tetrameric enzyme.
Liberal journalism and American education, 1914-1941

This book traces and analyzes the relationships between educational developments and liberal journalism, as represented by The Nation and The New Republic, from 1914 to 1941. James Wallace provides new perspectives on journalists, activists, and educators like Randolph Bourne, John Dewey, Herbert Croly, Walter Lippmann, Oswald Villard, and Agnes de Lima.The first part of the book, covering the 1914-1921 period, interprets the responses of the journals to the "cult of efficiency" in schools, to academic freedom struggles, and to the role of education in the broad reform movement. The second section, on the 1920s, explores the journals' support of the worker education movement and of progressive schools, and critiques the charge of anti-intellectualism that has been leveled at progressive education and particularly at John Dewey. In his analysis of the 1930s, Wallace notes that liberals were now operating in a friendlier political climate, and that this changed their educational interests. Wallace explains the journals' role in the struggle between liberals and radicals for control of the American Federation of Teachers, interprets their treatment of "the revolt of youth," and analyzes their responses to New Deal programs for young people. These chapters place events in the context of the journals' support for the Popular Front with the Communists. In the final section, Wallace analyzes the role of journalism in educational reform and states the need for continued criticism of the kind provided by The Nation and The New Republic.
Stable time-frequency contours for sparse signal representation

Many signals cannot be resolved in time and frequency with a single time-scale of analysis and multi-band representations are needed that can adapt to the local signal content. Using a newly developed contour-based representation of signals, we show that efficient multi-band representations arise when long-range, structurally stable shapes are enhanced relative to background. For the examples provided here, resolution in time and frequency is distributed adaptively so that each component of a signal is represented in its most parsimonious form. The resulting representation is characterized by simple shapes in the time-frequency plane.
Progress and Challenges for the Bottom-Up Synthesis of Carbon Nanotubes with Discrete Chirality.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have emerged as some of the most promising materials for the technologies of the future. One of the most significant limitations to furthering the understanding and application of these fascinating systems is the lack of atomic-level structural control in their syntheses. Current synthetic methods produce mixtures of structures with varying physical properties. In this Letter, we describe the potential advantages, recent advances, and challenges that lie ahead for the bottom-up organic synthesis of homogeneous carbon nanotubes with well-defined structures.
The Kinase Activity of Ataxia-Telangiectasia Mutated Interferes with Adenovirus E4 Mutant DNA Replication

Adenovirus (Ad) mutants that lack early region 4 (E4) are unable to produce the early regulatory proteins that normally inactivate the Mre11/Rad50/Nbs1 (MRN) sensor complex, which is a critical component for the ability of cells to respond to DNA damage. E4 mutant infection therefore activates a DNA damage response, which in turn interferes with a productive viral infection. MRN complex proteins localize to viral DNA replication centers in E4 mutant-infected cells, and this complex is critical for activating the kinases ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) and ATM and Rad3-related (ATR), which phosphorylate numerous substrates important for DNA repair, cell cycle checkpoint activation, and apoptosis. E4 mutant growth defects are substantially rescued in cells lacking an intact MRN complex. We have assessed the role of the downstream ATM and ATR kinases in several MRN-dependent E4 mutant phenotypes. We did not identify a role for either ATM or ATR in "repair" of E4 mutant genomes to form concatemers. ATR was also not observed to contribute to E4 mutant defects in late protein production. In contrast, the kinase activity of ATM was important for preventing efficient E4 mutant DNA replication and late gene expression. Our results suggest that the MRN complex interferes with E4 mutant DNA replication at least in part through its ability to activate ATM.
Effect of resistance training on muscle use during exercise

This study examined the effect of resistance training on exercise-induced contrast shift in magnetic resonance (MR) images. It was hypothesized that a given load could be lifted after training with...
Public Housing Authorities Under Devolution

Problem: Local public housing authorities (PHAs) in the United States face a different set of mandates and opportunities today than they did before 1980; PHA financing and program authority are more flexible, while federal funding has shrunk, and new obligations have arisen. Taken together, these changes in federal policy have so diversified PHAs' responsibilities that they risk organizational incoherence and ineffectiveness in trying to fulfill all their obligations. Purpose: To understand the future prospects for public and assisted housing in the United States, we trace the influence of the last two decades of federal policy on the obligations and discretion of public housing authorities. Methods: We coded the federal policy actions that have affected affordable housing policy since 1980 to identify their likely implications for PHAs' organizational strategies. Our coding distinguished initiatives likely to prompt strategic innovation by PHAs from those likely to prompt a reactive posture or defense of...
Intrinsically Advantageous? Reexamining the Production of Class Advantage in the Case of Home Mortgage Modification*

Social class confers a bundle of capabilities, practices, and beliefs that are conventionally assumed to be hierarchical, rigid, and self-perpetuating. However, this framework often belies the fact that these qualities needn’t be necessarily or exhaustively advantageous. In particular, social change may render obsolete class-linked characteristics that were advantageous in previous periods. Drawing on interviews with homeowners at risk of foreclosure and a yearlong ethnography of a housing counseling organization, I find that although the housing crisis of the “Great Recession” affected both working- and middle-class homeowners alike, the practices of working-class borrowers better positioned them to exploit a number of informational advantages in the rapidly changing mortgage modification setting. My findings are a departure from existing research that treats middle-class capabilities and practices as intrinsically advantageous.
General Equilibrium with Endogenous Uncertainty and Default

We study the introduction of new assets that are defined in expected values rather than state by state. Individual default emerges naturally in an economy where such assets are introduced without completing all contingency markets. We further provide conditions under which individual default is propagated endogenously into a collective risk of widespread default in general equilibrium. We prove existence of a general equilibrium with endogenous uncertainty.
μ-imidazole-bridged dicopper(II) macrocyclic complex: synthesis, structure, stability and Tyr-like activity

Abstract Synthesis, structure and solution chemistry of dicopper(II) macrocyclic complexes which mimic the Tyr-enzyme have been investigated. These complexes are formulated as [BDBPHCu2(II)Br]Br (1), [BDBPHCu2(II)(μ-Im)]Br2 (2) and [BDBPHCu2(II)(μ-mIm)]Br2 (3). (BDBPH=3,6,9,17,20,23-hexaaza-29,30-dihydroxy-13,27-dimethyl-tricyclo[23,3,1,111,15]triacontal-(28),11,13,15(30),25,26,-hexaene; Im denotes imidazole and mIm denotes 2-methyl-imidazole, respectively). Complex 1 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/n, with cell constants a=13.917(8) A, b=15.832(10) A, c=15.390(9) A, α=90°(10), β=110.466(12)°, γ=90°, and Z=4. Elemental analysis, spectra and potentiometric titration indicate that complex 2 and 3 have cyclic structures with μ-Im or mIm as the bridging ligands. Potentiometric titration indicates that mIm bridged dicopper(II) species are dominant in solution over the range of pH 8–12. Binuclear species is the main species in complex 2 and it is the active complex for oxidation of catechol in methanol solution. The observed steady-state for complex 2 shows that the reaction rate is first order in ternary complex 2 and zero order in catechol. UV–Vis spectral and ESR studies support a mechanism that involves Cu(I)O2Cu(I) as the intermediate. Based on these results, the function of the bridged imidazole ligand in the catalytic reaction is illustrated and a novel reaction mechanism is proposed.
Lie algebras in quantum chemistry: Symmetrized orbitals

The application of Lie algebras in quantum chemistry is considered. Particular attention is devoted to their application to high symmetry problems especially where icosahedral symmetry prevails. A general programme for implementing the theory of Lie algebras in the analysis of symmetry problems is outlined.
Modeling of plasma armatures in electromagnetic railguns

Abstract Some discussion of efforts to model plasma arcs used as armatures in electromagnetic railguns is presented. The simplest models discussed are those in which it is assumed that the plasma is steady in a frame of reference that accelerates with the arc. Results of calculations based on that assumption, indicating how various arc properties vary with position, are discussed. Limitations of these models, such as their susceptibility to various types of instabilities and their inability to describe early time behavior of the arc, are pointed out. We then indicate results from some one-dimensional, time-dependent calculations and discuss their purpose. Finally, some discussion of problems worthy of future study is presented.
Crux of drug compatibility and incompatibility

Compatibility and incompatibility of injectable drugs depend on multiple chemical and physical factors of which the crux is classifying organic drugs as either acid cations or base anions according to the three-letter endings of the nondrug ions in the drug salt names, and then avoiding mixtures of
Cten, a COOH-Terminal Tensin-like Protein with Prostate Restricted Expression, Is Down-Regulated in Prostate Cancer

Tensin is a signaling molecule that binds to actin filaments and localizes to focal adhesions. Recently, we have discovered that tensin represents a new gene family with related members that are expressed in a variety of tissues. In this study, we report the identification and characterization of a new COOH-terminal tensin-like molecule, cten. Human cten cDNA encodes a 715 amino acid sequence containing the Src homology 2 and phosphotyrosine-binding domains that are similar to the COOH termini of tensin molecules. Although cten is shorter and does not have the actin-binding domain found in other tensins, analysis of the genomic structure has suggested that cten is related to the tensin gene family. In addition, cten also localizes to focal adhesions. In contrast to other tensin members, cten expression is restricted to prostate and placenta by Northern blot analysis. Furthermore, examination of cten expression in prostate cancer/cell lines has revealed its down-regulation in tumor samples. Our studies have suggested that during evolution, cten has preserved its role in mediating signal transduction at focal adhesions through the Src homology 2 and phosphotyrosine-binding domains but has lost its function in binding to actin filaments. The evolutionary divergence has produced the first focal adhesion protein specifically expressed in the prostate and the placenta, which may be involved in preventing prostate tumor formation.
Feasibility of Placement of an Anterior Cervical Epidural Blood Patch for Spontaneous Intracranial Hypotension

The dorsal epidural blood patch is a commonly used management technique for spontaneous intracranial hypotension from a dural CSF leak, but it may be less efficacious for cervical or ventral leaks. We report the technique of placing an anterior cervical blood patch for a large cervical ventral leak. To our best knowledge, this approach has not been reported. In the appropriately selected patient, an anterior cervical epidural blood patch may be safely used.
Bridge Evaluations Using Nondestructive Techniques

In the fall of 2002, I had the privilege of moderating a half-day seminar on nondestructive evaluation (NDE) techniques at ASCE’s 150th Anniversary Conference, in Washington, D.C. Eight speakers addressed a wide range of established and developing technologies that allow us to learn how a building is put together, without taking it apart. At that seminar, Ken Carper, editor of this Journal, suggested devoting one or more special topic issues to NDE techniques and technologies. This is the first of what we hope will be a recurring series of journal issues focused on NDE. The six papers presented here all address the critical issue of bridge evaluation, with particular attention given to the implementation and standardization of NDE techniques. There are more than a half-million bridges in the United States. Many are well-known and receive the special care and attention commensurate with their celebrity status. My esteemed New York neighbor, the Brooklyn Bridge, frequently carries my feet to and from my home across the East River, and is no less inspiring or serviceable than the day it opened more than 120 years ago. The vast majority of our bridges, however, labor in relative obscurity, but have equal importance. On a highway drive of any length we may unknowingly entrust our safety to dozens of utilitarian bridges. Despite their lowly status, these structures perform in an environment far more challenging than most buildings ever experience. In addition to lateral forces (wind and seismic), foundation settlement, and materials deterioration, bridges are subjected to constant dynamic loading and associated fatigue, aggressive erosive forces from flowing water, the corrosive impact of road salts, and cyclic freezing. Sadly, from time to time we have been reminded of the reality of the forces that affect bridge performance. The wind-driven failure of the Tacoma Narrows bridge, an image that often graces the cover of this journal, is the most widely known, but numerous other failures have imparted equally tough lessons to the profession. For example, the 1987 failure of the Schoharie Creek Bridge was one of several caused by scour, but in a broader sense it represented a failure of the inspection and evaluation program. Numerous observations of the bridge before the fatal collapse failed to detect critical weaknesses. Because of the importance of our bridges and the aggressive environments in which they serve, mandatory periodic bridgeinspection programs exist throughout the United States, and indeed throughout much of the world. These programs and the professionals who execute them serve a continuing vital role in protecting the safety and welfare of the public. The work of bridge inspectors has undoubtedly averted countless potential failures. Nevertheless, even an occasional failure is one too many, and we continue to strive to improve the accuracy, consistency, and
“Right-to-Try” Legislation: Progress or Peril?

Since 2014, state legislators have increased their efforts to find a way for terminally ill patients to gain legal access to experimental drugs not yet approvedbytheU.S.FoodandDrugAdministration(FDA).AsofJune1, 2015,40statesandtheDistrictofColumbiahadexaminedorwillexamine this burgeoning issue with bills that have already been filed and 18 signed so-called “Right-to-Try” laws (Table 1). Patients who are terminally ill and who are facing less than 1 year of life expectancy are willing to take greater risks and endure a higher danger of potential adverse effects than other patients, including taking experimental drugs with unknown risk-benefit ratios. For patients who have exhausted existing pharmacotherapy options, there are two conventional ways to access potentially life-prolonging investigational drugs: join a clinical trial if they are well enough to meet rigorous entry criteria or apply for FDA’s “compassionate use” exception. Although the FDA accepted 5,816 of the 5,849 expanded access applications it received in the last 4 years, some argue that the FDA approval process for allowing expanded access to experimental drugs has been slow and cumbersome. Besides, many of the delays in the process occur before submission to FDA when the drug sponsor is deciding whether or not to provide the drug in question. Although the compassionate use of investigational drugs has been a contentious issue, public debate has centered on whether the gain in providing the terminally ill with a slim chance at prolonging life is worth endangering a process designed to ensure the public health and the development of safe, effective medicines.
Valuation Effects of New Securities Issuance by Bank Holding Companies: New Evidence

This study examines the announcement impact of bank holding company (BHC) security offerings on shareholder wealth. The results from this study regarding the effects of preferred stock, convertible debt, and straight debt issuances are largely consistent with previous studies. However, in contrast to previous studies pertaining to both BHCs and nonfinancial firms, this study does not find statistically significant negative announcement effects of common stock issues. This particular finding is consistent with the argument that an increase in the capital ratio may have a positive impact on common stock prices of BHCs under certain circumstances.
A strong loss-of-function mutation in RAN1 results in constitutive activation of the ethylene response pathway as well as a rosette-lethal phenotype

A recessive mutation was identified that constitutively activated the ethylene response pathway in Arabidopsis and resulted in a rosette-lethal phenotype. Positional cloning of the gene corresponding to this mutation revealed that it was allelic to responsive to antagonist1 (ran1), a mutation that causes seedlings to respond in a positive manner to what is normally a competitive inhibitor of ethylene binding. In contrast to the previously identified ran1-1 and ran1-2 alleles that are morphologically indistinguishable from wild-type plants, this ran1-3 allele results in a rosette-lethal phenotype. The predicted protein encoded by the RAN1 gene is similar to the Wilson and Menkes disease proteins and yeast Ccc2 protein, which are integral membrane cation-transporting P-type ATPases involved in copper trafficking. Genetic epistasis analysis indicated that RAN1 acts upstream of mutations in the ethylene receptor gene family. However, the rosette-lethal phenotype of ran1-3 was not suppressed by ethylene-insensitive mutants, suggesting that this mutation also affects a non-ethylene-dependent pathway regulating cell expansion. The phenotype of ran1-3 mutants is similar to loss-of-function ethylene receptor mutants, suggesting that RAN1 may be required to form functional ethylene receptors. Furthermore, these results suggest that copper is required not only for ethylene binding but also for the signaling function of the ethylene receptors.