cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The basis for selective E1-E2 interactions in the ISG15 conjugation system

E1 and E2 enzymes coordinate the first steps in conjugation of ubiquitin (Ub) and ubiquitin-like proteins (Ubls). ISG15 is an interferon-α/β-induced Ubl, and the E1 and E2 enzymes for ISG15 conjugation are Ube1L and UbcH8, respectively. UbcH7 is the most closely related E2 to UbcH8, yet it does not function in ISG15 conjugation in vivo, while both UbcH7 and UbcH8 have been reported to function in Ub conjugation. Kinetic analyses of wild-type and chimeric E2s were performed to determine the basis for preferential activation of UbcH8 by Ube1L and to determine whether UbcH8 is activated equally well by Ube1L and E1Ub (Ube1). Km determinations confirmed the strong preference of Ube1L for UbcH8 over UbcH7 (a 29-fold Km difference), similar to the preference of E1Ub for UbcH7 over UbcH8 (a 36-fold Km difference). Thioester assays of chimeric E2s identified two structural elements within residues 1–39 of UbcH8 that play a major role in defining Ube1L-UbcH8 specificity: the α1-helix and the β1-β2 region. The C-terminal ubiquitin fold domain (UFD) of Ube1L was required for transfer of ISG15 to UbcH8 and for binding of Ube1L to UbcH8. Replacement of the Ube1L UFD with that from E1Ub resulted in preferential transfer of ISG15 to UbcH7. Together, these results indicate that Ube1L discriminates between UbcH8 and closely related Ub E2s based on specific interactions between the Ube1L UFD and determinants within the N-terminal region of UbcH8.
Complexes of Li atoms with formaldehyde (LiOCH2) and formaldimine (LiNHCH2): stability via electrostatic and charge transfer interactions.

The Li atom adducts of formaldehyde (LiOCH2) and formaldimine (LiNHCH2) are produced in the gas phase by neutralization of the corresponding cations. Subsequent reionization, ca. 0.3 μs later, shows that the nominally hypervalent complexes LiXCH2 (X=O or NH) are stable, residing in potential energy minima. In the time span between the neutralization and reionization events, the LiXCH2 molecules dissociate partly into their constituents, Li + XCH2, the fragmentation extent of LiNHCH2 being more extensive. Ab initio calculations reveal three bound states for both Li atom complexes. Two (states A and B) resemble C-centered radicals carrying an ion pair, Li+·−X-CH2., and can be viewed as lithiated derivatives of the hydroxymethyl (HOCH2.) or aminomethyl (H2NCH2.) radical; the third state (C) represents a conventional, electrostatically bonded Li-X=CH2 complex with an essentially intact X=C double bond and the unpaired electron located at the metal atom. States A and B are bound more strongly than state C for LiOCH2; the opposite is true for LiNHCH2, where C is the most stable arrangement and B only marginally bound. The larger degree of dissociation observed for LiNHCH2 vis a vis LiOCH2 upon neutralization-reionization points out that the experiment samples a considerable amount of state B which is barely bound for LiNHCH2.
Hippocampal unit activity to tonal stimuli during arousal from sleep and in awake rats

Abstract Single cell activity was recorded from electrodes chronically implanted in fascia dentata and the CA-1 field of dorsal hippocampus in unrestrained rats during presentations of tonal stimuli. In the first experiment 32% of the cells showed reliable decreases in activity to the tonal stimuli and 26% showed reliable increases. Most of these cells (73%) habituated under rapid tone presentation. The second experiment showed that tonal stimuli caused changes in activity in more cells when the tones aroused the animal from sleep (75% affected) than when the tone was presented to an awake animal (18% affected). In both experiments all affected fascia dentata cells were inhibited. However, 36% of the affected CA-1 cells were augmented. The data indicate that the hippocampus undergoes dramatic changes during arousal from sleep, and that previously found changes in hippocampal activity during conditioning might be due to conditioned changes in the capability of stimuli to arouse the animal from sleep.
Diffuse large B-cell lymphomas with plasmablastic differentiation

Recent evidence suggests that diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) with plasmablastic differentiation represents a clinically heterogeneous spectrum with different clinicopathologic characteristics representing distinct entities. Subtypes of DLBCL with plasmablastic features and terminal B-cell differentiation include plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) of oral mucosa type; PBL with plasmacytic differentiation; primary effusion lymphoma (PEL); KSHV-positive solid lymphoma/extracavitary PEL/HHV-8 associated DLBCL; and DLBCL expressing ALK. In contrast, PBL associated with multicentric Castleman disease, DLBCL with secretory differentiation, pyothorax-associated lymphoma, and atypical Burkitt lymphoma with plasmacytoid differentiation have morphologic appearances of plasma cell differentiation but maintain a mature B-cell (CD20 positive) phenotype. These tumors as well as extramedullary plasmablastic tumors secondary to multiple myeloma or plasmacytomas are included in the differential diagnosis. In this review, we discuss recently described clinicopathologic insights, case observations, and recently reported molecules involved in terminal B-cell or plasma cell differentiation and their possible roles in disease pathogenesis.
On the celebration of rationality: Some comments on Boland and Pondy

Boland & Pondy provide an interesting and useful discussion, with many striking examples, of the interplay between accounting categories, with their rationalized structure and ongoing life in the two educational organizations. Such organizations are in some ways especially interesting, since they represent a relatively unrationalized social domain (with little by way of clear technologies or stably measured outputs) brought under the jurisdiction of modern rational organizational structure. The gaps between the rationalized accounts and the structure of ongoing activity are extreme, but are a reflection of post-industrial society: the “service sector” subjects many odd aspects of life to similar organizational structures, and brings many unruly elements into what was once a simpler world of production (e.g., personnel departments, research departments, all sorts of managerial structures such elements make up most of a modern firm even in what was once “the economy”). Accounting systems are rational depictions of life in an organization. They describe a set of steps by which measured purposes are achieved in a reasonably closed system. They are organized at a very general level, giving a rational account of the organization as a whole, to itself and to controlling environmental bodies. In accounting language, the whole organization is depicted as a much simpli-fied means-ends chain (or sometimes a few such chains integrated by an overarching account), with inputs marching inevitably along through procedures to benefits. Maintaining a clear rational accounting, in any organization, involves a great many fictions. Maintaining such an. accounting in a decentralized and chaotic schooling organization involves many greater fictions: for such an organization, a unified rational depiction is far removed from work activity. Why does it arise, survive and expand?
A comparative study of carbon dioxide degassing in river- and marine-dominated estuaries

The partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2), concentration of total dissolved inorganic carbon, and total alkalinity were measured at both high tide and low tide in the surface water of three Georgia estuaries from September 2002 to May 2004. Of the three estuaries, Sapelo and Doboy Sounds are marine-dominated estuaries, while Altamaha Sound is a river-dominated estuary. During all sampling months, the three estuaries were supersaturated in CO2 with respect to the atmosphere (39.5–342.5 Pa, or 390–3380 matm) because of CO2 inputs from within the estuarine zone (mainly intertidal marshes) and the river. Overall, pCO2 in the river-dominated estuary is much higher than that in the marine-dominated estuaries. The calculated annual air–water CO2 flux in Altamaha Sound (69.3 mmol m22 d21) is 2.4 times those of Sapelo and Doboy Sounds (28.7–29.4 mmol m22 d21). The higher CO2 degassing in the river-dominated estuary is fueled largely by CO2 loading from the river. Because of the substantial differences between river- and marine-dominated estuaries, current estimates of air–water CO2 fluxes in global estuaries (which are based almost entirely on river-dominated estuaries) could be overestimated.
“Most Girls Want to be Skinny” Body (Dis)Satisfaction Among Ethnically Diverse Women

In this article, I present the findings from an ethnographic study of 18 women college students living in the northeastern United States. I examine how ethnically diverse women dealt with the messages of the dominant White society’s obsession with thinness, and whether it affected their perceptions of an ideal body image. From the analysis of the interviews, I identified and extracted several themes related to ethnicity, aesthetic body ideals, body dissatisfaction, and disturbed eating. Grounded in the women’s narratives, I found that ethnically diverse women coming of age in American society experience anxieties and emotional stress as they related to others in their daily lives. Their stories shed light on how the body is a vehicle for social mobility and is used by women from marginalized identities to strategically negotiate social inequalities embedded in daily social relationships and interactions that more privileged women do not encounter.
Micromachined reconfigurable out-of-plane microstrip patch antenna using plastic deformation magnetic actuation

A new reconfigurable out-of-plane microstrip patch antenna is presented. Using micromachining processes, a microstrip antenna designed for operation around 26 GHz is covered with a thin layer of magnetic material and released from the substrate. Application of an external DC magnetic field causes plastic deformation of the antenna at the boundary point where it is attached to the microstrip feed line, resulting in a patch positioned at an angle over the substrate. Frequency and pattern reconfigurability are demonstrated with measurements. Results indicate that versions of this structure may be used to expand or enhance the capabilities of traditional planar arrays.
Peso acceptance patterns in el paso

This paper examines the acceptance of peso payments, or currency substitution reverse dollarization, by U.S retail firms near the international border with Mexico. Survey data are drawn from a stratified random sample of 586 retailers located in El Paso, Texas, situated across the border from Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico. Approximately 13 percent of the participant firms accept Mexican pesos in exchange for goods and services. Empirical results indicate that factors such as a firm’s percentage of Spanish speaking employees and distance to the nearest international bridge significantly influence the decision to accept or reject Mexican pesos.
Nonclassical Pharmacology of the Dopamine Transporter: Atypical Inhibitors, Allosteric Modulators, and Partial Substrates

The dopamine transporter (DAT) is a sodium-coupled symporter protein responsible for modulating the concentration of extraneuronal dopamine in the brain. The DAT is a principle target of various psychostimulant, nootropic, and antidepressant drugs, as well as certain drugs used recreationally, including the notoriously addictive stimulant cocaine. DAT ligands have traditionally been divided into two categories: cocaine-like inhibitors and amphetamine-like substrates. Whereas inhibitors block monoamine uptake by the DAT but are not translocated across the membrane, substrates are actively translocated and trigger DAT-mediated release of dopamine by reversal of the translocation cycle. Because both inhibitors and substrates increase extraneuronal dopamine levels, it is often assumed that all DAT ligands possess an addictive liability equivalent to that of cocaine. However, certain recently developed ligands, such as atypical benztropine-like DAT inhibitors with reduced or even a complete lack of cocaine-like rewarding effects, suggest that addictiveness is not a constant property of DAT-affecting compounds. These atypical ligands do not conform to the classic preconception that all DAT inhibitors (or substrates) are functionally and mechanistically alike. Instead, they suggest the possibility that the DAT exhibits some of the ligand-specific pleiotropic functional qualities inherent to G-protein–coupled receptors. That is, ligands with different chemical structures induce specific conformational changes in the transporter protein that can be differentially transduced by the cell, ultimately eliciting unique behavioral and psychological effects. The present overview discusses compounds with conformation-specific activity, useful not only as tools for studying the mechanics of dopamine transport, but also as leads for medication development in addictive disorders.
Physical and chemical methods for the characterization of hazardous wastes

Numerous test methods have been proposed and developed to evaluate the hazards associated with handling and disposal of wastes in landfills. The major concern is the leaching of toxic constituents from the wastes. The fate of hazardous constituents in landfilled wastes is highly dependent on the physical and chemical characteristics of the waste. Thus, the primary objective in the selection of waste characterization procedures should be focused on those methods that gauge the fate of the waste's hazardous constituents in a specific landfill environment. Waste characterization in the United States has centered around the characteristics of ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, and toxicity. The strategy employed in the development of most regulatory waste characterization procedures has been a pass or fail approach, usually tied to some form of a mismanagement scenario for that waste. For example, USEPA has chosen the disposal of a waste in a municipal waste landfill as a mismanagement scenario for the development of the waste leaching tests to determine the toxicity characteristic. Many wastes, such as large-volume utility wastes or mining wastes, are not disposed of in municipal waste landfills. As a consequence, more effort is needed in the development of waste leaching tests that determine the long-term leaching characteristics of that waste in the landfill environment in which the waste is to be disposed. Waste leaching models also need to be developed and tested as to their ability to simulate actual disposal environments. These models need to be compared with laboratory leaching tests, and, if practical, coupled with groundwater transport models.
Staining the fibrin network in blood smears.

The following procedure is described: Prepare smears of fresh blood on clean slides and place them immediately in a moist chamber to prevent them from drying. Permit them to remain in the chamber long enough for the blood to coagulate – 6 to 10 minutes. Transfer the slides to distilled water to hemolyze the red blood corpuscles, leaving them in the water until all traces of the red color have disappeared from the smear, when the fibrin network appears as a whitish film on the slide. Stain the network for about 8 minutes in carbol crystal violet (dissolve 0.4 g. of crystal violet in 10 ml. of 95% ethyl alcohol and mix with 100 ml. of distilled water in which is dissolved 1 g. of phenol). Thoroughly dehydrate and clear die fibrin network by passing the slides through three changes of pure dioxane. Mount in euparal and cover with a cover glass.
Patterns and significance of CD44 expression in lung allografts.

Abstract Background Lung allograft rejection involves the interplay of multiple cellular populations, soluble mediators, and extracellular matrix proteins. The CD44 family of cell surface glycoproteins mediates a variety of cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions including lymphocyte homing to sites of antigenic challenge and fibroblast migration and invasion into extracellular matrix, processes integral to lung allograft rejection. Methods We performed immunohistochemical staining for CD44 on biopsies from allograft recipients with differing rejection experiences: Group 1 ( n = 5 patients/10 biopsies) never exceeded Grade A1 or B2 acute rejection (AR); Group 2 ( n = 7 patients/26 biopsies) had 2 or more episodes of Grade A2 or higher AR and no obliterative bronchiolitis (OB); Group 3 ( n = 6 patients/17 biopsies) had clinical and pathologic OB. Nine infected allograft biopsies, 8 near-normal lung sections (non-transplant controls), and 13 non-transplant biopsies showing bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP), organizing diffuse alveolar damage (DAD), or usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) were also studied. Results Allograft biopsies demonstrated significantly more CD44 staining among lymphocytes, macrophages, Type II pneumocytes, and respiratory epithelial cells than non-transplant controls, while staining of lymphocytes, macrophages, and Type II pneumocytes did not differ significantly between allograft groups. Fibroblast CD44 staining in Group 3 biopsies significantly exceeded that of controls and Groups 1 and 2, and biopsies with AR and/or OB showed more fibroblast staining than biopsies with BOOP, organizing DAD, or UIP. Alveolar CD44-positive fibroblasts did not predict development of OB, while bronchial CD44-positive fibroblasts were followed in one case by OB. Conclusions These findings suggest that CD44 expression is characteristic of graft-infiltrating inflammatory cells and resident parenchymal cells, and may be related to the initiation and evolution of AR and OB.
The Hydrological Cycle over a Wide Range of Climates Simulated with an Idealized GCM

A wide range of hydrological cycles and general circulations was simulated with an idealized general circulation model (GCM) by varying the optical thickness of the longwave absorber. While the idealized GCM does not capture the full complexity of the hydrological cycle, the wide range of climates simulated allows the systematic development and testing of theories of how precipitation and moisture transport change as the climate changes. The simulations show that the character of the response of the hydrological cycle to variations in longwave optical thickness differs in different climate regimes. The global-mean precipitation increases linearly with surface temperature for colder climates, but it asymptotically approaches a maximum at higher surface temperatures. The basic features of the precipitation–temperature relation, including the rate of increase in the linear regime, are reproduced in radiative– convective equilibrium simulations. Energy constraints partially account for the precipitation–temperature relation but are not quantitatively accurate. Large-scale condensation is most important in the midlatitude storm tracks, and its behavior is accounted for using a stochastic model of moisture advection and condensation. The precipitation associated with large-scale condensation does not scale with mean specific humidity, partly because the condensation region moves upward and meridionally as the climate warms, and partly because the mean condensation rate depends on isentropic specific humidity gradients, which do not scale with the specific humidity itself. The local water vapor budget relates local precipitation to evaporation and meridional moisture fluxes, whose scaling in the subtropics and extratropics is examined. A delicate balance between opposing changes in evaporation and moisture flux divergence holds in the subtropical dry zones. The extratropical precipitation maximum follows the storm track in warm climates but lies equatorward of the storm track in cold climates.
Free radicals and ocular disease.

The eye is a unique organ in that its very reason for existence, to capture photons, exposes it to the harmful effects of a number of light-induced processes. The high levels of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and prodigious utilization of oxygen by the retina make this tissue especially vulnerable to the consequences of free radical induced lipid peroxidation. This chapter will briefly review evidence for lipid peroxidation in several ocular disorders.
From Network Microeconomics to Network Infrastructure Emergence

This paper suggests that evolutionary models of network infrastructure in market economy can be derived from the underlying selfish behavior of users and providers of network services in the same way as non-equilibrium thermodynamics is derived from the underlying statistical physics of interacting particles. This approach may be useful for overcoming restrictions of existing models failing to account for the effect of the details of user/provider selfish behavior on the infrastructure evolutionary path. Network security considerations may be a part of this user/provider behavior. Our main assumption is that "almost perfect competition" keeps the system close to the "social optimum".
Isolation and characterization of four CSF-1-dependent placental macrophage cell lines.

By selection and cloning in the presence of colony-stimulating factor 1 (CSF-1), we have obtained from separate explants of individual 12- or 13-day mouse placentas four clonal cell lines dependent on CSF-1 for survival and growth in culture. All four cell lines show characteristics consistent with their derivation from placental macrophages. We describe the effects of CSF-1 on growth, morphology, and CSF-1 receptor phosphoryla- tion. One cell line, JPL2A, which shows relatively com- plete growth arrest in the absence of CSF-1, was charac- terized in detail with respect to the effects of CSF-1 on DNA synthesis and protein turnover and its response to the duration of CSF-1 stimulation. In contrast to previous studies, our results suggest that extended stimulation leads to continuous recruitment of cells competent to reenter the cell cycle. These findings are discussed in terms of growth factor effects on the cell cycle and the use- fulness of these cell lines for further study of growth factor signal transduction in macrophages. J. Leukoc. Biol. 51: 535-545; 1992.
Status of the rf BPM upgrade at the Advanced Photon Source

The Advanced Photon Source (APS),a third-generation synchrotron light source, has been in operation for eleven years. The monopulse radio frequency (rf) beam position monitor (BPM) is one of three BPM types now employed in the storage ring at the APS. It is a broadband (10 MHz) system designed to measure single-turn and multi-turn beam positions, but it suffers from an aging data acquisition system. The replacement BPM system retains the existing monopulse receivers and replaces the data acquisition system with high-speed analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) and a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) that performs the signal processing. A first-article system has been constructed and is currently being evaluated. This paper presents the results of testing of the first-article system as well as the progress made in other areas of this upgrade effort.
Effects of body position on thermal, cardiorespiratory and metabolic activity in low birth weight infants.

Care takers have long noted that low birth weight (LBW) infants seem more comfortable when cared for in the prone position. They also spend more time in quiet sleep (1–3) and often have improvements in ventilation (4) as compared to supine position. These perceptions attracted further interest with the recognition that sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) was related to prone body positioning during sleep [5–10] and decreased with the introduction of public health measures designed to reduce the incidence of prone sleeping [11]. The very fact that supine position protects against SIDS is counterintuitive, but nonetheless true. Numerous physiological differences related to body position have been reported [1–4, 12–23] and reviewed [24], and several hypotheses have been formulated to explain how these differences might render infants more vulnerable to SIDS. One prominent hypothesis relates SIDS to relative increases in body temperature [25–34], thought to be caused by less efficient heat dissipation in the prone position. Evidence consistent with this hypothesis includes the observation that the victims of SIDS are commonly found in unusually warm environments, often feel warm and/or diaphoretic when discovered, and exhibit higher than expected rectal temperatures at examination or autopsy [32,33]. In addition, SIDS victims have often been wrapped tightly in clothing/bedding and/or a history of a recent febrile illness is often elicited [34]. A detailed study of the interactions among body position, sleep states, heat production, surface temperature profiles and surface temperature gradients, and cardiorespiratory activity in LBW infants may provide important information concerning physiological disturbances that predispose to SIDS, a condition to which LBW infants are especially susceptible as they grow to infancy [6]. The primary objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that despite lower metabolic rate (heat production), prone body position during sleep is associated with systematic increases in absolute surface temperatures and reduced surface thermal gradients in growing LBW infants. A secondary objective was to determine whether any observed differences in physiology related to body position would suggest or refine specific testable hypotheses related to thermal balance, cardiorespiratory activity, and cardiorespiratory instability.
Formation of Ni/NiO Nanoparticles in Supermicroporous Silica-Based SiO2-Al2O3-NiO Materials: Structural and Magnetic Studies

Microporous silica-based materials SiO2-Al2O3-NiO with a predominant pore size in the range 8-20 Aring, prepared by the sol-gel method by variation in Ni2+ concentrations from 0 to 30 weight %, have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The nature of the nickel centers has been studied by magnetic susceptibility measurements supported by the XPS and X-ray experiments. It has been shown that these centers represent NiO and Ni0 (observed at high nickel loadings) aggregated into nanoparticles. The Ni0 nanoparticles are responsible for the room-temperature ferromagnetic behavior of the materials prepared with high nickel loadings.
Identification of discrete chromosomal deletion by binary recursive partitioning of microarray differential expression data

DNA copy number abnormalities (CNA) are characteristic of tumours, and are also found in association with congenital anomalies and mental retardation. The ultimate impact of copy number abnormalities is manifested by the altered expression of the encoded genes. We previously developed a statistical method for the detection of simple chromosomal amplification using microarray expression data. In this study, we significantly advanced those analytical techniques to allow detection of localised chromosomal deletions based on differential gene expression data. Using three cell lines with known chromosomal deletions as model system, mRNA expression in those cells was compared with that observed in diploid cell lines of matched tissue origin. Results show that genes from deleted chromosomal regions are substantially over-represented (p<0.000001 by χ2) among genes identified as underexpressed in deletion cell lines relative to normal matching cells. Using a likelihood based statistical model, we were able to identify the breakpoint of the chromosomal deletion and match with the karyotype data in each cell line. In one such cell line, our analyses refined a previously identified 10p chromosomal deletion region. The deletion region was mapped to between 10p14 and 10p12, which was further confirmed by subtelomeric fluorescence in situ hybridisation. These data show that microarray differential expression data can be used to detect and map the boundaries of submicroscopic chromosomal deletions.
Revisiting the Stanford Prison Experiment: Could Participant Self-Selection Have Led to the Cruelty?:

The authors investigated whether students who selectively volunteer for a study of prison life possess dispositions associated with behaving abusively. Students were recruited for a psychological study of prison life using a virtually identical newspaper ad as used in the Stanford Prison Experiment (SPE; Haney, Banks & Zimbardo, 1973) or for a psychological study, an identical ad minus the words of prison life. Volunteers for the prison study scored significantly higher on measures of the abuse-related dispositions of aggressiveness, authoritarianism, Machiavellianism, narcissism, and social dominance and lower on empathy and altruism, two qualities inversely related to aggressive abuse. Although implications for the SPE remain a matter of conjecture, an interpretation in terms of person-situation interactionism rather than a strict situationist account is indicated by these findings. Implications for interpreting the abusiveness of American military guards at Abu Ghraib Prison also are discussed.
High power, repetitively pulsed Cr:LiSAF thin slab zig-zag power oscillator

Summary form only given. We have been developing a high energy per pulse, high power Cr:LiSAF laser for an unconventional imaging application. The final ground based transmitter device is envisioned to consist of three, 30 J beams with a beam quality <1.5 XDL, operating at a wavelength that is matched to the Cs atomic filter line (852 nm), and with a bandwidth of 2 GHz. This device is to operate at repetition rates of at least 5 Hz. A single oscillator-preamplifier subsystem will inject three, multi-stage amplifier chains made up of a number of similar Cr:LiSAF zig-zag laser modules.
A Case of Confirmed Nonbacterial Thrombotic Endocarditis with Correlative Transesophageal Echocardiography Findings

The diagnosis of nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis is rarely made during life. We describe a patient with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with evidence of systemic embolism in which transesophageal echocardiography was useful in establishing the diagnosis. The clinical and echocardiographic features of nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis should be remembered when a valvular mass is seen on echocardiography. (ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Volume 17, January 2000)
MicroRNA-34a suppresses malignant transformation by targeting c-Myc transcriptional complexes in human renal cell carcinoma

We investigated the functional effects of microRNA-34a (miR-34a) on c-Myc transcriptional complexes in renal cell carcinoma. miR-34a down-regulated expression of multiple oncogenes including c-Myc by targeting its 3' untranslated region, which was revealed by luciferase reporter assays. miR-34a was also found to repress RhoA expression by suppressing the c-Myc-Skp2-Miz1 transcriptional complex that activates RhoA. Overexpression of c-Myc reversed miR-34a suppression of RhoA expression and inhibition of cell invasion, suggesting that miR-34a inhibits invasion by suppressing RhoA through c-Myc. miR-34a was also found to repress the c-Myc-P-TEFb transcription elongation complex, indicating one of the mechanisms by which miR-34a has profound effects on cellular functions. Our results demonstrate that miR-34a suppresses assembly and function of the c-Myc complex that activates or elongates transcription, indicating a novel role of miR-34a in the regulation of transcription by c-Myc.
A versatile design method of fast, linear-phase FIR filtering systems for electrocardiogram acquisition and analysis systems

Electrocardiogram signals, particularly those taken in ambulatory settings, are often corrupted by biological and electrical background noise. A fast finite impulse response (FIR) filtering system that can be easily implemented without a digital signal processing (DSP) processor based data-acquisition system can provide a solution to this problem. The filters developed were formed by cascading several moving average filters, and a short corrector filter. An algorithm is described that determines the best linear-phase corrector filter for any given cutoff frequency, sampling frequency, set of tap weights, and lengths of the moving average filters. At observed sampling rates of up to 500 Hz, the filtering systems consisting of the corrector and moving average filters were shorter in length and has less passband ripple than filters designed with the Parks-McClellan, Kaiser, and Hamming methods. >
Increased CSF osmolarity reversibly induces hydrocephalus in the normal rat brain

Background Hydrocephalus is a central nervous system (CNS) disorder characterized by the abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in cerebral ventricles, resulting in their dilatation and associated brain tissue injury. The pathogenesis of hydrocephalus remains unclear; however, recent reports suggest the possible involvement of abnormal osmotic gradients. Here we explore the kinetics associated with manipulating CSF osmolarity on ventricle volume (VV) in the normal rat brain.
Masked Presentations of Emotional Facial Expressions Modulate Amygdala Activity without Explicit Knowledge

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of the human brain was used to study whether the amygdala is activated in response to emotional stimuli, even in the absence of explicit knowledge that such stimuli were presented. Pictures of human faces bearing fearful or happy expressions were presented to 10 normal, healthy subjects by using a backward masking procedure that resulted in 8 of 10 subjects reporting that they had not seen these facial expressions. The backward masking procedure consisted of 33 msec presentations of fearful or happy facial expressions, their offset coincident with the onset of 167 msec presentations of neutral facial expressions. Although subjects reported seeing only neutral faces, blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) fMRI signal in the amygdala was significantly higher during viewing of masked fearful faces than during the viewing of masked happy faces. This difference was composed of significant signal increases in the amygdala to masked fearful faces as well as significant signal decreases to masked happy faces, consistent with the notion that the level of amygdala activation is affected differentially by the emotional valence of external stimuli. In addition, these facial expressions activated the sublenticular substantia innominata (SI), where signal increases were observed to both fearful and happy faces—suggesting a spatial dissociation of territories that respond to emotional valence versus salience or arousal value. This study, using fMRI in conjunction with masked stimulus presentations, represents an initial step toward determining the role of the amygdala in nonconscious processing.
Consumer Ethics of Adolescents

American youth are spending in record numbers, often being characterized as the most materialistic generation in history. Young people are also responsible for a significant portion of retail fraud and theft in America. As yet, research has not examined the link between these trends. This research proposes a theoretical framework for examining adolescent ethical judgment and tests hypotheses with a national sample of 250 parent-child pairs. Results indicate that as adolescents mature, ethical judgment improves. In addition, materialism and love of money negatively affect adolescent ethical judgment. Finally, significant deterrents to unethical behavior are family parenting style and parent’s religiosity.
Dynamics of Fixed Towers in Deep-Water Random Waves

This paper is concerned with the design of offshore, bottom-supported structures which are subject to deflections and stresses due to deep water wave forces. Both periodic and random waves are considered. It is shown that the wave force on the structure can be adequately expressed by the inertia force component and that this linearization of the wave force expression leads to a criterion for the optimum spacing of structural supports which is a function of the random wave spectrum. Equations for the dynamic response of the platform are developed. The theoretical considerations were verified experimentally and the results indicated that for structures designed with optimum support spacing, the magnitude of structural response is relatively insensitive to wave direction.
A Model of Hierarchical Judicial Auditing

This note develops a general game-theoretic framework for a model of auditing within a two-tiered judicial hierarchy. Using this framework, I characterize the equilibrium allocation of "real" versus "formal" authority between a lower court and a higher court, when the latter faces costs in reviewing lower court opinions. In particular, I study the equilibrium comparative statics relationship between (1) the costs of reviewing, (2) differences in "ideology" between the lower and higher court, and (3) the magnitude of measurement error within the lower court.
Connect Homes: Modular Housing Patent and Architect Led Business Model

Our mission is to deliver modern homes that are affordable, green and available wherever you are.—Connect Homes mission statementThis dictum is not new. The factory-made house has seduced and evade...
Developing New Managers After Privatization: The Case of MBA Education in Poland

Abstract Privatization and economic reform have significantly altered the Polish economy, which has offered opportunities even in the area of business education. One of the imports within the new economy was the development of MBA programs. This paper investigates the content, context and process of developing MBA education in the Polish economy. It analyzes the development and the curriculum content of five higher educational institutions that have successfully implemented comprehensive MBA programs.
Ab initio and density functional theory study of keto-enol equilibria of deltic acid in gas and aqueous solution phase: a bimolecular proton transfer mechanism.

Keto–enol tautomerism in deltic acid (2,3-dihydroxycycloprop-2-en-1-one) has been studied using ab initio methods and the B3LYP functional of density functional theory, as well as complete basis set (CBS-QB3 and CBS-APNO) and G4 methods. Relative and absolute energies were calculated with each of the methods, whereas computations of geometries and harmonic frequencies for dihydroxycyclopropenone and hydroxycyclopropanedione were computed in the gas phase but were limited to HF, MP2, and the B3LYP functional, in combination with the 6-31++G(3df,3pd) basis set. Using the MP2/6-31++G(3df,3pd) gas phase optimized structure, each species was then optimized fully in aqueous solution by using the polarizable continuum model (PCM) self-consistent reaction field approach, in which HF, MP2, and B3LYP levels of theory were utilized, with the same 6-31++G(3df,3pd) basis set. In both gas and aqueous solution phases, the keto form is higher in energy for all of the model chemistries considered. From the B3LYP/6-31++G(3...
Innovative solutions to sticky situations: Antiadhesive strategies for treating bacterial infections

Bacterial adherence to host tissue is an essential process in pathogenesis, necessary for invasion and colonization and often required for the efficient delivery of toxins and other bacterial effectors. As existing treatment options for common bacterial infections dwindle, we find ourselves rapidly approaching a tipping point in our confrontation with antibiotic-resistant strains and in desperate need of new treatment options. Bacterial strains defective in adherence are typically avirulent and unable to cause infection in animal models. The importance of this initial binding event in the pathogenic cascade highlights its potential as a novel therapeutic target. This article seeks to highlight a variety of strategies being employed to treat and prevent infection by targeting the mechanisms of bacterial adhesion. Advancements in this area include the development of novel antivirulence therapies using small molecules, vaccines, and peptides to target a variety of bacterial infections. These therapies target bacterial adhesion through a number of mechanisms, including inhibition of pathogen receptor biogenesis, competition-based strategies with receptor and adhesin analogs, and the inhibition of binding through neutralizing antibodies. While this article is not an exhaustive description of every advancement in the field, we hope it will highlight several promising examples of the therapeutic potential of antiadhesive strategies.
Axial deformation of soft PSD in the speed punching test of double pulse solid rocket motor

To investigate the axial deformation of soft PSD and pulse II grain in double pulse solid rocket motor during pulse I grain is burning,2D finite element model of the soft PSD and pulse II grain was established,to carry out finite element analysis and extrapolation.The calculation results show that the soft PSD of double pulse solid rocket motor with long end-burning grain has a big axial deformation during the pulse I combustion chamber speeds punching test.A speed punching test of pulse I combustion chamber was designed and carried out.The results show that the axial deformation of soft PSD is indeed large,and the deformation agrees with the finite element analysis and extrapolation.
IFN-alpha-mediated suppression of low-affinity FC(epsilon) receptors on Peyer's patch lymphocytes and augmentation of soluble CD23: implications for IgE responses.

The ability of interleukin (IL)-6 or interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) to regulate expression of low-affinity Fc(epsilon) receptor (CD23) and serum levels of CD23 was studied in benzylpenicilloyl-keyhole limpet hemocyanin-sensitized BALB/c mice at the peak of a hapten-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibody-forming cell (AFC) response. These responses are analogous to those observed in human atopic disease. To induce peak IgE responses, mice were injected intraperitoneally with BPO-KLH (10 micrograms) in aluminum hydroxide gel (alum) on days 0, 21, and 42. On day 44, mice were injected subcutaneously with IL-6 (100-1000 U) or IFN-alpha (1000-10,000 U). On day 46, numbers of CD23+ lymphocytes in Peyer's patches (PP), mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN), and spleen and levels of soluble CD23 in serum were determined (flow microfluorimetry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, confirmed by competition assay). Data are expressed as percent total cells or as optical density at 490 nm. IFN-alpha treatment strongly suppressed (up to 100%) numbers of CD23+ cells exclusively in PP (i.e., numbers of CD23+ cells in MLN and spleen were unchanged) whereas serum levels of soluble CD23 were dramatically increased (60%). IL-6 treatment had no effect on either numbers of CD23+ lymphocytes or on serum levels of soluble CD23. The data suggest that the mechanism(s) by which IFN-alpha, but not IL-6, regulates IgE responses involves suppression of CD23 expression on lymphocytes in PPs and supports a central role for these organs in regulation of IgE responses in vivo.
In Silico Analysis of Genomic Data for Construction of Nuclear Receptor Network

Availability of genome-wide information in public database provides unprecedented opportunity for developing new strategy to uncover potential interactions of members in large functional family. Here we describe a systematic strategy for constructing and analyzing potential interaction map to uncover novel interaction between nuclear receptors that may play important roles in human disease. This in silico approach can prioritize candidate interactions for further functional validation and assess its clinical relevance.
On the Asymptotic Distribution of a Weighted Least Absolute Deviation Estimate for a Bifurcating Autoregressive Process

This paper introduces a new class of estimates for estimating the parameter vector of a first-order bifurcating autoregressive model. The estimates minimize a sum of weighted absolute deviations where the weights are of the Schweppe variety. Asymptotic linearity properties are derived for the so called WL1-estimate. Based on these properties, the WL1-estimate is shown to be asymptotically normal at rate n1∕2. The results hinge on two new law of large numbers theorems for bifurcating processes. As an application of the theory, some asymptotic relative efficiency comparisons are made.
Chronic post-operative iris prosthesis endophthalmitis in a patient with traumatic aniridia: a case report

Background Post-operative endophthalmitis is a serious complication of intraocular surgery which may present acutely or chronically. Chronic post-operative endophthalmitis is characterized by decreased visual acuity, mild pain, and low-grade uveitis several weeks or months after intraocular surgery which may be responsive to corticosteroids, but recur upon tapering. Low virulence organisms such as Propionibacterium acnes are the most common culprit organisms, and treatment most often consists of both intravitreal antibiotic injections and surgery. Aniridia is a condition defined by total or partial loss of the iris and leads to decreased visual quality marked by glare and photophobia. Treatment of complex or severe cases of traumatic aniridia in which surgical repair is difficult may consist of implantation of iris prostheses, devices designed to reduce symptoms of aniridia. Though chronic, post-operative endophthalmitis has been associated with most intraocular surgeries including intraocular lens implantation after cataract removal, it has never been described in a patient with an iris prosthesis.
The future of microwork

What happens when we algorithmically break complex productivity tasks down into microtasks? At Microsoft Research, the author and her team are accelerating a shift toward microproductivity to make it easy for people to get big things done one small step at a time.
A microstrip line-fed multi-resonant slot antenna in the 4G/LTE band for smartphones

A microstrip line-fed slot antenna is presented in this paper to operate in the entire 4G/LTE band. The slot antenna has the letter ‘L’ shape, and when excited with a transmission line generates multiple modes. These modes are combined to obtain the large bandwidth for covering most of the 4G/LTE band. Several feedlines have been studied to enhance the bandwidth. The slot width is also varied to achieve large impedance bandwidth. The radiation patterns are provided showing the behavior of the antenna. This antenna can be further optimized to provide polarization diversity in the 4G/LTE systems. The slot antenna is located in the upper portion of the ground plane, leaving a large area available for accommodating electronic circuitry for wireless communications or display technology in modern smartphones. This area can also be utilized to incorporate millimeter wave antennas to make the device compatible for future 5G wireless systems.
A third-generation charge optimized many body (COMB3) potential for nitrogen-containing organic molecules

Abstract This work presents a new empirical, variable charge potential for NCOH systems in the third-generation charge-optimized many-body (COMB3) potential framework. The potential parameters were determined by fitting each binary system separately to the experimental enthalpy of formation and geometries for experimentally important molecules. The resulting parameter set reproduces the energetics and geometries of many nitrogen-based organic molecules with a similar average error as other reactive potentials for the same systems.
Stereotypy of group flight in Brazilian free-tailed bats

Many bats form colonies and undergo nightly emergence in dense, fast-moving streams. Although the flight mechanics of individual bats have been well studied, the effect of flying in a group has not been studied with large aggregations under natural conditions. We tested the hypothesis that group size affects flight mechanics and behaviour in Brazilian free-tailed bats, Tadarida brasiliensis . We measured the flight path, flight path time and wing beat rate of individual bats by analysing videos of bats in flight and compared values across different flight group sizes. Flight path, flight speed and wing beat rate of individual bats were all unaffected by group size. Additionally, bats maintained a constant wing beat rate regardless of flight speed. These results suggest that Brazilian free-tailed bats experience neither an aerodynamic benefit nor a cost to travelling in groups.