cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hypoxia induces expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme II in alveolar epithelial cells: Implications for the pathogenesis of acute lung injury in COVID-19.

SARS-CoV-2 uptake by lung epithelial cells is a critical step in the pathogenesis of COVID-19. Viral entry is dependent on the binding of the viral spike protein to the angiotensin converting enzyme II protein (ACE2) on the host cell surface, followed by proteolytic cleavage by a host serine protease such as TMPRSS2. Infection of alveolar epithelial cells (AEC) in the distal lung is a key feature in progression to the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We hypothesized that AEC expression of ACE2 is induced by hypoxia. In a murine model of hypoxic stress (12% FiO2), the total lung Ace2 mRNA and protein expression was significantly increased after 24 hours in hypoxia compared to normoxia (21% FiO2). In experiments with primary murine type II AEC, we found that exposure to hypoxia either in vivo (prior to isolation) or in vitro resulted in greatly increased AEC expression of both Ace2 (mRNA and protein) and of Tmprss2. However, when isolated type II AEC were maintained in culture over 5 days, with loss of type II cell characteristics and induction of type I cell features, Ace2 expression was greatly reduced, suggesting that this expression was a feature of only this subset of AEC. Finally, in primary human small airway epithelial cells (SAEC), ACE2 mRNA and protein expression were also induced by hypoxia, as was binding to purified spike protein. Hypoxia-induced increase in ACE2 expression in type II AEC may provide an explanation of the extended temporal course of human patients who develop ARDS in COVID-19.
Perceptual Quality of Nonesterified Fatty Acids Varies with Fatty Acid Chain Length

Nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) are effective taste stimuli. The quality they impart has not been well characterized. Sourness, and "fattiness" have been reported, but an irritation component has also been described and how these transition with gradations of aliphatic chain length has not been systematically studied. This study examined intensity and quality ratings of NEFA ranging from C2 to C18. Oral sites and the time course of sensations were also monitored. Given all NEFA contain carboxylic acid moieties capable of donating hydrogen ions, the primary stimulus for sour taste, testing was conducted with and without sour adaptation to explore the contribution of sour taste across the range of NEFA. Short-chain NEFA (C2-C6) were rated as predominantly sour, and this was diminished in C2 and C4 by sour adaptation. Medium-chain NEFA (C8-C12) were rated as mainly irritating with long-chain NEFA (C18) described mostly as bitter. The latter may reflect the lack of "fatty" lexicon to describe the sensation. Short-chain NEFA were mostly localized to the anterior tongue and were of rapid onset. The sensation from medium-chain NEFA was attributed to the lateral tongue, whereas medium- and long-chain NEFA sensations were predominantly localized to the back of the tongue and throat and had a longer lag time. The findings indicate there is a systematic transition of NEFA taste quality and irritation with increments in chain length and this is consistent with multiple modes of transduction.
Bridging the gap between Kok-type and kinetic models of photosynthetic electron transport within Photosystem II.

Historically, two modeling approaches have been developed independently to describe photosynthetic electron transport (PET) from water to plastoquinone within Photosystem II (PSII): Markov models account for losses from finite redox transition probabilities but predict no reaction kinetics, and ordinary differential equation (ODE) models account for kinetics but not for redox inefficiencies. We have developed an ODE mathematical framework to calculate Markov inefficiencies of transition probabilities as defined in Joliot–Kok-type catalytic cycles. We adapted a previously published ODE model for PET within PSII that accounts for 238 individual steps to enable calculation of the four photochemical inefficiency parameters (miss, double hit, inactivation, backward transition) and the four redox accumulation states (S-states) that are predicted by the most advanced of the Joliot–Kok-type models (VZAD). Using only reaction kinetic parameters without other assumptions, the RODE-calculated time-averaged (e.g., equilibrium) inefficiency parameters and equilibrium S-state populations agree with those calculated by time-independent Joliot–Kok models. RODE also predicts their time-dependent values during transient photochemical steps for all 96 microstates involving PSII redox cofactors. We illustrate applications to two cyanobacteria, Arthrospira maxima and Synechococcus sp. 7002, where experimental data exists for the inefficiency parameters and the S-state populations, and historical data for plant chloroplasts as benchmarks. Significant findings: RODE predicts the microstates responsible for period-4 and period-2 oscillations of O2 and fluorescence yields and the four inefficiency parameters; the latter parameters are not constant for each S state nor in time, in contrast to predictions from Joliot–Kok models; some of the recombination pathways that contribute to the backward transition parameter are identified and found to contribute when their rates exceed the oxidation rate of the terminal acceptor pool (PQH2); prior reports based on the assumptions of Joliot–Kok parameters may require reinterpretation.
Evaluation of the Caregiver Preparedness Scale in African American and White Caregivers of Persons With Dementia During Post-Hospitalization Transition.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The Preparedness for Caregiving Scale (PCS) is a widely used instrument to measure caregiver preparedness. The purpose was to evaluate the PCS in African American and White caregivers of patients with dementia upon discharge from the hospital. METHODS Factor structure, measurement invariance, and predictive validity of the PCS were assessed in a sample of 292 family caregivers/patient dyads. RESULTS One-factor structure of the PCS and measurement invariance by race was fully supported. Predicative validity revealed significant association between the PCS and anxiety (β = -.41, t = -7.61(287), p < .001), depression (β = -.44, t = -8.39(287), p < .001), and strain (β = -.48, t = -9.29(287), p < .001). CONCLUSION The PCS is a valid and meaningful tool to measure preparedness in African American and White family caregivers of persons with dementia during post-hospitalization transition.
Singular Perurbations in Stable Feedback Control of Distributed Parameter Systems

In this lecture we use a singular perturbation formulation of linear time-invariant distributed parameter systems to develop a method to design finite-dimensional feedback compensators of any fixed order which will stabilize the infinite-dimensional distributed parameter system. The synthesis conditions are given entirely in terms of a finite-dimensional reduced-order model; the stability results depend on an infinite-dimensional version of the Klimushchev-Krasovskii lemma also presented here. This lecture summarizes our work on singular perturbations for stable distributed parameter system control in [9]–[10] and[24].
History of peripheral nerve stimulation.

Peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) is an established neuromodulation approach that has been successfully used for the treatment of various painful conditions since the early 1960s. This review provide
Flow Cytometric Analysis and Sorting of Chromosomes

For analysis by flow cytometry, metaphase chromosomes are isolated from mitotic cells, and then stained while in suspension with one or more usually two, DNA-specific fluorescent dyes. The chromosomes are then processed one at a time through a flow cytometer or sorter where their dye content is measured at high speed and with high precision. In the work described here, dual staining is used since bivariate analysis affords better discrimination among chromosomal types: two dyes commonly used are Hoechst 33258, which binds preferentially to AT-rich DNA, and chromomycin A3, which bind preferentially to GC-rich DNA. For bivariate flow studies the chromosomes pass sequentially through 2 laser beams; the wavelength of one laser beam is adjusted to match the absorption maximum of one dye, and the wavelength of the other laser beam is adjusted to match the absorption maximum of the other dye. Thus each chromosome emits two fluorescent signals which give information on its DNA content and base composition. In typical measurements lasting a few minutes, about 10/sup 5/ chromosomes are analyzed. The bivariate fluorescence distribution accumulated by the electric processing units contains quantitative information about the chromosome population in the form of peaks produced by one or more chromosomalmore » types. This distribution is called a flow karyotype, in analogy to the standard karyotype obtained by the cytogeneticist via banding techniques. In a flow sorter, the two fluorescent signals generated by each chromosome are used to trigger sorting of specific chromosomal types. This report reviews the current work in this area at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, including the work on the detection of chromosomal aberrations and on chromosome purification by sorting. 28 refs., 9 figs., 1 tab.« less
Interferon-γ Increases Expression of Chemokine Receptors CCR1, CCR3, and CCR5, But Not CXCR4 in Monocytoid U937 Cells

Chemokine receptors (CR), which can mediate migration of immune cells to the site of inflammation, also function as coreceptors for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) entry into CD4+ T lymphocytes and antigen-presenting cells. We demonstrate here that interferon-γ (IFN-γ) increases the expression of chemokine receptors CCR1, CCR3, and CCR5 in monocytoid U937 cells as detected by cell surface molecule labeling and mRNA expression, as well as by intracellular calcium mobilization and cell migration in response to specific ligands. The increased expression of these chemokine receptors also results in an enhanced HIV-1 entry into cells. Our data provide evidence for a relationship of cellular pathways that are induced by IFN-γ with those that regulate chemokine receptor expression.
Import prices, export prices and the current account: An asymmetry

Abstract We demonstrate that there is an important asymmetry between the effects of temporary import and export price shocks on the current account that is ignored in theoretical and empirical work. This asymmetry is found to hold for U.S. and U.K. data.
Socio-demographic differences in opinions about 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) and seasonal influenza vaccination and disease among adults during the 2009-2010 influenza season.

Background In April 2009, a novel influenza A virus emerged in the United States. By the end of July, influenza A (H1N1) 2009 monovalent (2009 H1N1) vaccine had been developed, licensed, and recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Initial target groups for vaccination were identified and the first vaccine was publicly available in early October 2009. Objective This study examines socio-demographic differences in opinions about 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) (pH1N1) and seasonal influenza disease and vaccines and the association with receipt of influenza vaccinations during the 2009–2010 influenza season. Changes in opinions over the course of the pH1N1 pandemic were also examined. Methods Data from the 2009 National H1N1 Flu Survey (NHFS) were analyzed. The NHFS was a CDC-sponsored telephone survey initiated in response to the 2009 pH1N1 pandemic to obtain weekly within-season estimates of vaccination coverage, opinions, and other information. Results Opinions about influenza vaccine and disease varied significantly by race/ethnicity, income, and education level. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, adjusted 2009 H1N1 vaccination coverage was most strongly associated with opinions about the effectiveness of the vaccine and personal risk of disease, varying from 7 to 11% among adults who believed the vaccine to have low effectiveness and themselves at low risk of influenza, to 50–53% among those who thought vaccine effectiveness to be high and themselves at high risk of influenza. Conclusion Improving communication about personal risk and the effectiveness of influenza vaccines may improve vaccination coverage. The findings of difference in opinions could be used to target communication.
Manipulation of a sliding object

Planning manipulation of an object free to slide on a surface is an important problem in many robotic applications. Physical analysis of the object's motion is made difficult by the absence of information about the distribution of support of the object on the surface, and of the resulting frictional forces. Here we describe a new approach to the analysis of sliding motion. We present results for the locus of centers of rotation for all possibie distributions of support. In one application to robotic manipulation, bounds on the distance an object must be pushed to come into alignment with a robot finger or a fence are determined.
After the end of art : contemporary art and the pale of history

List of Illustrations ix Foreword to the Princeton Classics Edition xi Preface xvii Acknowledgments xxi CHAPTER ONE Introduction: Modern, Postmodern, and Contemporary 3 CHAPTER TWO Three Decades after the End of Art 21 CHAPTER THREE Master Narratives and Critical Principles 41 CHAPTER FOUR Modernism and the Critique of Pure Art: The Historical Vision of Clement Greenberg 61 CHAPTER FIVE From Aesthetics to Art Criticism 81 CHAPTER SIX Painting and the Pale of History: The Passing of the Pure 101 CHAPTER SEVEN Pop Art and Past Futures 117 CHAPTER EIGHT Painting, Politics, and Post-Hisotrical Art 135 CHAPTER NINE The Historical Museum of Monochrome Art 153 CHAPTER TEN Museums and the Thirsting Millions 175 CHAPTER ELEVEN Modalities of History: Possibility and Comedy 193 Index 221
Time dependence of viscosity of dilute polyisobutylene solutions

Shearing at constant gradient of polyisobutylene (PIB) solutions in viscous polybutene oils results in time dependent changes of their viscosities. Two PIB fractions (M=8·106 and 3.8·106) have been studied in a variety of solvents, covering the viscosity range from 5 to 0.5·10−2 poise. The overall phenomenon is similar to that already observed for polymethylmethacrylate, polystyrene, and polyethylene oxide solutions in Aroclor.
IN VITRO GROWTH OF THE BACTERIAL KIDNEY DISEASE ORGANISM RENIBACTERIUM SALMONINARUM ON A NONSERUM, NONCHARCOAL-BASED “HOMOSPECIES-METABOLITE” MEDIUM

Laboratory and field trials were conducted to evaluate in vitro growth of Renibacterium salmoninarum in media without serum or charcoal. Growth of this bacterium, the cause of bacterial kidney disease (BKD) in salmonids, is accelerated by addition of a growth enhancing "metabolite" of unknown composition to KDM2 medium, the medium commonly used for isolation of R. salmoninarum. KDM2 medium supplemented with greater than 1% (v/v) metabolite enhanced growth even without addition of either serum or charcoal. Medium containing 5% metabolite (denoted Five-M) allowed optimal growth in laboratory studies and was further evaluated as a primary plating medium for recovery of the bacterium isolated from chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) exhibiting clinical BKD. Recovery rates of R. salmoninarum using Five-M medium were 4% and 36% higher, respectively, than comparable rates using a serum-based medium for the two salmon populations evaluated. Five-M medium is an effective, inexpensive alternative to serum-based or charcoal-based media.
Solderability testing of Sn-Ag-XCu Pb-free solders on copper and Au-Ni-plated kovar substrates

Solderability was evaluated for four Pb-free alloys: 95.5Sn-4.3Ag-0.2Cu (wt.%), 95.5Sn-4.0Ag-0.5Cu, 95.5Sn-3.9Ag-0.6Cu, and 95.5Sn-3.8Ag-0.7Cu on oxygen-free electronic grade (OFE) Cu and Au-Ni plated Kovar substrates. The solderability metric was the contact angle, θc, as determined by the meniscometer/wetting balance technique. Tests were performed at 230°C, 245°C, and 260°C using rosin-based, mildly activated (RMA) flux, a rosin-based (R) flux, and a low-solids (LS) flux. The Pb-free solders exhibited acceptable to poor solderability (35°<θc<60°) on Cu with the RMA flux. Nonwetting occurred in most tests using the R flux. Wetting was observed with the LS flux, but only at 245°C and 260°C and with high contact angles. The solderability of the Pb-free solders improved at all test temperatures on the Au-Ni plated Kovar substrate when using the RMA flux (30°<θc<50°). Wetting was observed with the R flux (35°<θc<60°) and LS flux (50°<θc<85°) for all temperatures. The Pb-free solders had generally lower wetting rates and longer wetting times on Cu than the 63Sn-37Pb solder. The wetting rate and wetting time data were superior on the Au-Ni plated Kovar substrates. In general, solderability, as measured by θc along with the wetting rate and wetting time, did not exhibit a consistent dependence on the composition of the Sn-Ag-XCu (X=0.2, 0.5, 0.6, and 0.7) alloys. The better performers were 95.5Sn-3.9Ag-0.6Cu alloy with the RMA flux (both Cu and Au-Ni plated Kovar) and 95.5Sn-3.8Ag-0.7Cu with the R and LS fluxes (Au-Ni-Kovar, only). The solder-flux interfacial tension, γLF, had a significant impact on the θc values. The magnitudes of the contact angle θc suggested that the four Pb-free solders would experience higher solderability defect counts at the printed wiring assembly level.
Detection of Helminthosporium solani from soil and plant tissue with species-specific PCR primers

Two PCR primer pairs specific for Helminthosporium solani, which causes silver scurf on potato tubers, were designed from nucleotide sequences of the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer regions of H. solani. Both primer pairs amplified a single product with DNA from 48 North American and European isolates of H. solani, but not with DNA from 42 other fungi. Primers also amplified a single product with DNA extracted from silver scurf lesions on potato tubers and other plant tissue inoculated with spores of H. solani. Detection of the fungus in infested soil was only possible with nested PCR and after processing soil with a bead beater. Specific amplification of H. solani DNA can be used to study the saprophytic and pathogenic activity of this fungus in soil and plant tissue.
Ischemia-Induced Coronary Collateral Growth Is Dependent on Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Nitric Oxide

Background—We hypothesized that ischemia-induced expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the production of NO stimulate coronary collateral growth. Methods and Results—To test this hypothesis, we measured coronary collateral blood flow and VEGF expression in myocardial interstitial fluid in a canine model of repetitive myocardial ischemia under control conditions and during antagonism of NO synthase. Collateralization was induced by multiple (1/h; 8/d), brief (2 minutes) occlusions of the left anterior descending coronary artery for 21 days. In controls, collateral blood flow (microspheres) progressively increased to 89±9 mL · min−1 · 100 g−1 on day 21, which was equivalent to perfusion in the normal zone. Reactive hyperemic responses (a measure of the severity of ischemia) decreased as collateral blood flow increased. In NG-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME)– and L-NAME+nifedipine–treated dogs, to block the production of NO and control hypertension, respectively, collateral blood ...
Micrometeorite craters on lunar glass particles - The relationship between radial fracture zones and spall zones.

Discussion of the microimpact-crater morphology observed by scanning electron microscopy on a glass bead (nearly 580 microns in maximum diameter) recovered from zone A of the Luna 16 sample. The microcrater has a diameter of approximately 200 microns and a centrally located melted region or pit that is slightly elevated above the surrounding area. Around the pit is a radial fracture zone half of which has spalled off. The spall zone is more than half again as large as the radial fracture zone.
Beyond the money: the impact of international migration on children’s life satisfaction: evidence from Ecuador and Albania

Using data from eight focus groups and two household surveys conducted in the cities of Tirana, Albania and Quito, Ecuador, this paper finds that migration from at least one parent has a negative impact on the life satisfaction of children and adolescents left behind relative to that of children and adolescents who live with both parents who have never migrated. The results of this paper suggest that the impact of migration goes beyond traditional ones (e.g. remittances), which is useful for understanding how different components of international migration in general, and parental migration in particular, relate to outcomes that not only affect the full development prospects of children and adolescents, but also have important implications for policy initiatives that seek to address both the positive and negative impacts of migration on sending countries.
A method to measure the strength of multi-unit bursts of action potentials

Abstract Both the numbers of neurons that are active during multi-unit bursts of spikes and the frequencies with which individual neurons fire in these bursts can vary in response to changes in excitation. Here is a digital-filtering method that measures the strength of a burst of spikes by calculating the area of a polygon derived from the squared voltages that record the burst, and dividing this area by the burst's duration. The method was developed in the SigmaPlot © environment, and makes use of the Fast-Fourier Transform functions provided in the SigmaPlot © transform language. To test the method's performance, I constructed multi-unit bursts of spikes with known structure and calculated the strengths of these known bursts. To demonstrate the method's usefulness, I applied it to a train of 23 bursts of spikes in motor axons recorded during a spontaneous bout of patterned motor output. The measured strengths of these bursts varied 30-fold, and were well-correlated with the differences in the original recording. The results demonstrate that the method effectively measures burst strength independent of burst duration.
Complement fixing site of human IgGl

A number of chemical modifications were made to purified human IgGl. The effects of these modifications on the complement activity of the immunoglobulin were studied using aggregation on latex and measuring the consumption of the complement by CH50-quantitation. Tryptophan and tyrosine are implicated in the complement fixing site of this human immunoglobulin, and an arginine moiety probably provides a binding site for the complement.
Probing motions between equivalent RNA domains using magnetic field induced residual dipolar couplings: accounting for correlations between motions and alignment.

Approaches developed thus for extracting structural and dynamical information from RDCs have rested on the assumption that motions do not affect molecular alignment. However, it is well established that molecular alignment in ordered media is dependent on conformation, and slowly interconverting conformational substates may exhibit different alignment properties. Neglecting these correlation effects can lead to aberrations in the structural and dynamical analysis of RDCs and diminish the utility of RDCs in probing motions between domains having similar alignment propensities. Here, we introduce a new approach based on measurement of magnetic field induced residual dipolar couplings in nucleic acids which can explicitly take into account such correlations and demonstrate measurements of motions between two “magnetically equivalent” domains in the transactivation response element (TAR) RNA.
Optimal Tax Theory: The Journey from the Negative Income Tax to the Earned Income Tax Credit

What lessons do we learn from optimal tax theory for the design of income redistribution programs? I modify a standard model of optimal nonlinear income taxation with discrete types to consider differences in both earning ability and the disutility of effort. This gives a role for workfare in the optimal tax policy. The existence of screening mechanisms can play a role in explaining nonparticipation in cash and in-kind redistribution programs, including Progresa- Oportunidades, Lifeline Telephone subsidies, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Stigma can increase efficiency of a redistribution program by discouraging participation by individuals near the eligibility thresholds. The Family Assistance Program proposed in the early 1970s lacked adequate stigma for nonworkers, which contributed to a lack of political support. In contrast, the current Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) provides greater benefits to workers than to nonworkers. Thus the EITC does not require any stigma to screen out individuals who do not work from obtaining benefits. Reasons for separate income support programs for nonworkers and for workers are discussed.
Drug counseling by pharmacists: The need for legal recognition

Abstract Pharmacists are increasingly being expected to counsel patients about the proper use of drugs because of their role in the distribution of prescription medications. However, many recent court cases have upheld the view that only physicians may counsel patients about prescription drug therapy because they are “learned intermediaries” between manufacturers and patients. These legal decisions fail to distinguish between risk assessment, or drug choice decisions, and risk management, or drug use decisions. Risk assessment occurs prior to prescribing and is an appropriate function for physicians, while risk management may be performed by both physicians and pharmacists. The legal impact of changes in the standards of practice for the pharmacy profession and the advent of “clinical pharmacy” are explored. Cases involving pharmacists' duty to warn patients are analyzed with particular emphasis on the case of Riff v. Morgan Pharmacy . This decision describes the safety net of overlapping responsibilities of health care providers necessary to provide good patient care.
Buildup factors for point isotropic gamma ray sources in infinite medium of ordinary concrete

Abstract In order to provide more definitive values for buildup factors for point, isotropic gamma ray sources in an infinite medium of ordinary concrete, a Monte Carlo program has been undertaken to make such calculations. Previous approaches to this problem had been through the assumption of a Zeff for concrete and in interpolation in the existing Goldstein-Wilkins results for single elements. In addition to the approximate character of the old procedure, such calculations have been variable because different values of Zeff have been used by different workers. The specific method of Monte Carlo calculation is briefly described, with emphasis on the assumptions, approximations, and sources of data. The resulting data are estimated to have an uncertainty less than 5%. They are compared with results using the Zeff approach, and the asymptotic trends at very small and very large penetration distances are discussed.
Determination of the Three-Parameter Weibull Distribution and Confidence Bands From Experimental Fatigue Strength Data

The S-N curve for the material used to make a pressure vessel is approximate because it is drawn from a limited number of test specimens. The resulting curve may be in error due to a variety of factors including surface condition, size, environment conditions, and stress concentrations. As a result, when the fatigue strength like the endurance limit is determined from the S-N curve by observing a definite break in the curve, it will be subject to error. Because of these uncertainties, it is necessary to use appropriate statistical methods to interpret the test results. In this paper, it is assumed that the percentage of failures for a given service life can be approximated by a three-parameter Weibull distribution. The Weibull distribution is flexible and has been shown to be suitable for structural reliability. The distribution is fitted to experimental data using a least square best fit approach applied to a discrete version of the cumulative probability distribution function, F(x). In practice a point-by-point estimate of the cumulative distribution function is used. As a result, it is necessary to establish confidence bands. The true curve of F(x) lies within these bands for a given probability.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Cosmological limits on computation

A true universal Turing machine can be constructed only if it is possible to actually process and store an infinite number of bits between now and the end of the universe. Conditions on the universe are derived that must hold if such processing and storage is to be possible. In particular, it is shown that it is possible only if the universe is closed and only if its futurec-boundary consists of a single point.
Enzymatic remodeling of heparan sulfate proteoglycans within the tumor microenvironment: growth regulation and the prospect of new cancer therapies.

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs), via their interactions with numerous effector molecules such as FGF-2, IL-8, and VEGF, regulate the biological activity of cells by acting as co-receptors that promote signaling. The extent and nature of their role as co-receptors is often misregulated in cancer as manifested by alterations in HSPG structure and expression level. This misregulation of HSPGs can aid in promoting the malignant phenotype. In addition to expression- related changes in HSPGs, recent discoveries indicate that HSPGs localized within the tumor microenvironment can be attacked by enzymes that alter proteoglycan structure resulting in dramatic effects on tumor growth and metastasis. This review focuses on remodeling of HSPGs by three distinct mechanisms that occur in vivo; (i) shedding of proteoglycan extracellular domains from cell surfaces, (ii) fragmentation of heparan sulfate chains by heparanase, and (iii) removal of sulfates from the 6-O position of heparan sulfate chains by extracellular sulfatases. Assessing or monitoring the remodeling of HSPGs has important implications for tumor diagnosis and patient prognosis while therapeutic manipulation of the remodeling process represents an exciting new possibility for treating cancer. J. Cell. Biochem. 96: 897-905, 2005. 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The specific absorption coefficients of chlorophyllide a and pheophorbide a in 90% acetone, and comments on the fluorometric determination of chlorophyll and pheopigments1

Chromatographically pure chlorophyllide a and pheophorbide a were obtained from cultured algae by thin layer chromatography. After 7–10 cell divisions in the presence of 14C, the cells (and all inclusions) used for the study were uniformally labeled. Measurement of the optical densities and radioactivities of chlorophyll a and these other pigments permits calculation of the specific absorption coefficients for the latter. The specific absorption coefficients measured were: pheophytin a−49.5; chlorophyllide a−128; and pheophorbide a−69.8.
Vibrational cooling dynamics of a [FeFe]-hydrogenase mimic probed by time-resolved infrared spectroscopy.

Picosecond time-resolved infrared spectroscopy (TRIR) was performed for the first time on a dithiolate bridged binuclear iron(I) hexacarbonyl complex ([Fe2(μ-bdt)(CO)6], bdt = benzene-1,2-dithiolate) which is a structural mimic of the active site of the [FeFe]-hydrogenase enzyme. As these model active sites are increasingly being studied for their potential in photocatalytic systems for hydrogen production, understanding their excited and ground state dynamics is critical. In n-heptane, absorption of 400 nm light causes carbonyl loss with low quantum yield (<10%), while the majority (ca. 90%) of the parent complex is regenerated with biexponential kinetics (τ1 = 21 ps and τ2 = 134 ps). In order to understand the mechanism of picosecond bleach recovery, a series of UV-pump TRIR experiments were performed in different solvents. The long time decay (τ2) of the transient spectra is seen to change substantially as a function of solvent, from 95 ps in THF to 262 ps in CCl4. Broadband IR-pump TRIR experiments we...
Microfibrillar structure and packing of collagen: Hydrophobic interactions

The nD /11 pseudo-spacing of large hydrophobic amino acids in the collagen sequence, and recent evidence that the (uncoiled) collagen microfibril is a 5 4 helix of collagen molecules, allow the prediction that the molecular axes in the microfibril follow a left-handed supercoil of pitch 20 D /11, where D =234 amino acid residues or 67 nm. At this pitch, the microfibril has 4 1 screw symmetry and hydrophobic residues fall on five sets of four identical edges. The N and C-terminal non-helical ends of the collagen molecule, which are rich in hydrophobic residues, fall on or near one set and may select those regions as intermicrofibrillar interacting faces. The microfibrils would then pack in a tetragonal unit cell of four microfibrils related by 4 3 screw symmetry consistent with X-ray diffraction data. This microfibril structure obeys the rules of rope-building which require opposite handedness at successive levels of coiling.
Message delay analysis of the DQDB subnetwork based on an approximate node model

The analytical evaluation of the message delay in an approximate DQDB network model is investigated. The authors extend the results obtained by C. Bisdikian (1990), which assumes that each network node can queue at most one packet, to the case of node queues each holding an entire message containing l packets, via some unobvious reselection of model definitions. Corresponding to the single-packet waiting time analysis, they obtain an expression for the number of requests queued ahead of an arriving message, from which an expression for the average message delay can be derived. One conclusion drawn from the analysis is that the average steady-state message delay is linear in sufficiently large l. Furthermore, the analytical results can provide an upper bound on the mean message delay for variable message size, and explain some observations of earlier simulation studies. >
Reliable process control with a supervisory expert system

An expert supervisory control system with object-based knowledge representation and rule-based reasoning has been developed such that its general process and control system knowledge forms a core knowledge base which can be used as primitives for rapid prototyping of intelligent control systems for various chemical processes. The expert system assesses process behavior checks for process faults and provides information to the control system for improved process control. An application prototype of the expert system has been developed for retuning of model-based controllers to improve the controlled behavior of a packed-bed chemical reactor system. Specific functions of the MOBECS (model-object-based expert control system) prototype include process fault diagnosis control system performance monitoring and troubleshooting, controller tuning, and control system restructuring. >
Special interest group I: Product reliability assurance: From wafer technology qualification to chip-package-board interaction

State-of-the-art semiconductor technology capability assessments — including those technologies currently under development — are based still to a great extent on the methodology formulated in the JEDEC foundry process qualification guideline [1] that was published in its first version in 2004. Since, it became a quasi-standard in industry, because it incorporates or references test descriptions, test vehicle / structure requirements as well as failure / assessment criteria for commonly associated failure mechanisms [2] in one compact work description. While a semiconductor product designed in a generic silicon based CMOS logic process is considered as qualified when a qualified semiconductor technology and device library qualification plus device qualification and package qualification [3,4] have been successfully completed, this simple methodology is no longer sufficient and already no longer used for modern semiconductor and assembly integration schemes.
Gastrin-releasing peptide messenger ribonucleic acid expression in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus is altered by melanocortin receptor stimulation and food deprivation.

Gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) is a bombesin-like peptide widely distributed in the gastrointestinal tract and central nervous system. In the brain, GRP mRNA is located in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN), a region that receives neural input from the arcuate nucleus and plays a critical role in food intake and energy balance. Because GRP neurons are localized in the vicinity of projection sites in the PVN for peptides that participate in energy homeostasis, we investigated whether GRP mRNA expression in the PVN may be sensitive to challenges imposed by either 38 h food deprivation or stimulation of the melanocortin system by the melanocortin 3/4 receptor agonist, melanotan II (MTII). We found that food deprivation significantly decreased GRP mRNA expression, whereas lateral ventricular MTII administration increased GRP mRNA expression in ad libitum-fed rats 4 h after administration. Furthermore, administration of MTII at a dose that reduces 24 h food intake and body weight prevented the dec...
A small unstructured nucleic acid disrupts a trinucleotide repeat hairpin

A variety of neurodegenerative disorders are associated with the expansion of trinucleotide repeat (TNR) sequences. These repetitive sequences are prone to adopting non-canonical structures, such as intrastrand stem-loop hairpins. Indeed, the formation and persistence of these hairpins during DNA replication and/or repair have been proposed as factors that facilitate TNR expansion. Given this proposed contribution of TNR hairpins to the expansion mechanism, disruption of such structures via strand invasion offers a potential means to negate the disease-initiating expansion. In this work, we investigated the strand invading abilities of a (CTG)3 unstructured nucleic acid on a (CAG)10 TNR hairpin. Using fluorescence, optical, and electrophoretic methods, instantaneous disruption of the (CAG)10 hairpin by (CTG)3 was observed at low temperatures. Additionally, we have identified three distinct duplex-like species that form between (CAG)10 and (CTG)3; these include 1, 2, or 3 (CTG)3 sequences hybridized to (CAG)10. The results presented here showcase (CTG)3 as an invader of a TNR hairpin and suggest that unstructured nucleic acids could serve as a scaffold to design agents to prevent TNR expansion.
Stress gradient balance layers and scale hierarchies in wall-bounded turbulent flows

Steady Couette and pressure-driven turbulent channel flows have large regions in which the gradients of the viscous and Reynolds stresses are approximately in balance (stress gradient balance regions). In the case of Couette flow, this region occupies the entire channel. Moreover, the relevant features of pressure-driven channel flow throughout the channel can be obtained from those of Couette flow by a simple transformation. It is shown that stress gradient balance regions are characterized by an intrinsic hierarchy of 'scaling layers' (analogous to the inner and outer domains), filling out the stress gradient balance region except for locations near the wall. The spatial extent of each scaling layer is found asymptotically to be proportional to its distance from the wall. There is a rigorous connection between the scaling hierarchy and the mean velocity profile. This connection is through a certain function A(y+) defined in terms of the hierarchy, which remains O(1) for all y+. The mean velocity satisfies an exact logarithmic growth law in an interval of the hierarchy if and only if A is constant. Although A is generally not constant in any such interval, it is arguably almost constant under certain circumstances in some regions. These results are obtained completely independently of classical inner/ outer/overlap scaling arguments, which require more restrictive assumptions. The possible physical implications of these theoretical results are discussed. © 2005 Cambridge University Press.
Interpersonal Problem Solving and Creativity in Boys with and Boys without Learning Disabilities

The present study compared the interpersonal problem-solving skills and creativity of 46 boys with (LD) and 46 boys without (NLD) learning disabilities. In addition, it examined the relationships between interpersonal problem solving and creativity. The Test of Interpersonal Problem Solving (TIPS), based on D'Zurilla and Goldfried's (1971) model of the interpersonal problem-solving process, and two measures of creativity — the Alternate Uses Test (AUT) and Eisen's Test of Remoteness (ETR) — were administered individually.LD students had significantly lower scores on Problem Formulation, Consequential Thinking, and Total Problem Solving Ability than their NLD peers. However, no group differences were noted on either the verbal (AUT) or the nonverbal (ETR) measure of creativity. Some significant relationships emerged among interpersonal problem solving and creativity scores.
In Vitro Development of the Sea Urchin Male Pronucleus

Abstract We have developed a cell-free extract from fertilized or unfertilized sea urchin eggs which promotes formation of male pronuclei from exogenously added permeabilized sperm nuclei. Using a buffer to simulate egg cytoplasmic conditions, three states of nuclear condensation can be distinguished: condensed (conical), partially decondensed (conical or ovoid), and decondensed (spherical). The in vitro system meets several in vivo criteria established by microinjection experiments. Decondensation is promoted at elevated pH and in activated egg cytoplasm, but does not require Ca2+. Pronuclear development is supported to >100 male nuclei per egg-equivalents as in vivo. Pronuclear development requires addition of an ATP-generating system and is blocked by two kinase inhibitors (6-DMAP and staurosporine) at the same concentrations effective in vivo. Decondensed nuclei form by 40 min of incubation and acquire a putative nuclear envelope shown by exclusion of 150 kDa FITC-dextran by 1-2 hr. The rates of decondensation and nuclear envelope formation are accelerated by addition of GTP. Protease inhibition experiments suggest a role for nonhistone protein degradation in pronuclear progression. This system should prove useful for investigating mechanisms of the postmeiotic sea urchin male chromatin remodeling which follows fertilization, previously accessible only in vivo.
Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluations of 2,5-Diaryl-2,3-dihydro-1,3,4-oxadiazoline Analogs of Combretastatin-A4

A total of 24 novel 2,5-diaryl-1,3,4-oxadiazoline analogs of combretastatin A-4 (CA-4, 1) were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for biological activities. The compounds represent two structural classes; the Type I class has three methoxy groups on the A ring and the Type II class has a single methoxy group on the A ring. Biological evaluations demonstrate that multiple structural features control the biological potency. Four of the compounds, 2-(3′-bromophenyl)-5-(3′′,4′′,5′′-trimethoxyphenyl)-2-acetyl-2,3-dihydro-1,3,4-oxadiazoline (9l), 2-(2′,5′-dimethoxyphenyl)-5-(3′′-methoxyphenyl)-2-acetyl-2,3-dihydro-1,3,4-oxadiazoline (10h), 2-(3′,4′,5′-trimethoxyphenyl)-5-(3′′-methoxyphenyl)-2-acetyl-2,3-dihydro-1,3,4-oxadiazoline (10i), and 2-(3′,5′-dimethoxyphenyl)-5-(3′′-methoxyphenyl)-2-acetyl-2,3-dihydro-1,3,4-oxadiazoline (10j), have potent antiproliferative activities against multiple cancer cell lines. Mechanistic studies indicate that they retain the microtubule disrupting effects of compound 1, inclu...
19F MRI detection of acute allograft rejection with in vivo perfluorocarbon labeling of immune cells.

Current diagnosis of organ rejection following transplantation relies on tissue biopsy, which is not ideal due to sampling limitations and risks associated with the invasive procedure.We have previously shown that cellular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of iron-oxide labeled immune-cell infiltration can provide a noninvasive measure of rejection status by detecting areas of hypointensity on T-weighted images. In this study, we tested the feasibility of using a fluorine-based cellular tracer agent to detect macrophage accumulation in rodent models of acute allograft rejection by fluorine-19 (19F) MRI and magnetic resonance spectroscopy. This study used two rat models of acute rejection, including abdominal heterotopic cardiac transplant and orthotopic kidney transplant models. Following in vivo labeling of monocytes and macrophages with a commercially available agent containing perfluoro-15-crown-5-ether, we observed 19F-signal intensity in the organs experiencing rejection by 19F MRI, and conventional 1H MRI was used for anatomical context. Immunofluorescense and histology confirmed macrophage labeling. These results are consistent with our previous studies and show the complementary nature of the two cellular imaging techniques. With no background signal, 19F MRI/magnetic resonance spectroscopy can provide unambiguous detection of fluorine labeled cells, and may be a useful technique for detecting and quantifying rejection grade in patients. Magn Reson Med, 2011. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Synergistic effects of tethered growth factors and adhesion ligands on DNA synthesis and function of primary hepatocytes cultured on soft synthetic hydrogels

The composition, presentation, and spatial orientation of extracellular matrix molecules and growth factors are key regulators of cell behavior. Here, we used self-assembling peptide nanofiber gels as a modular scaffold to investigate how fibronectin-derived adhesion ligands and different modes of epidermal growth factor (EGF) presentation synergistically regulate multiple facets of primary rat hepatocyte behavior in the context of a soft gel. In the presence of soluble EGF, inclusion of dimeric RGD and the heparin binding domain from fibronectin (HB) increased hepatocyte aggregation, spreading, and metabolic function compared to unmodified gels or gels modified with a single motif, but unlike rigid substrates, gels failed to induce DNA synthesis. Tethered EGF dramatically stimulated cell aggregation and spreading under all adhesive ligand conditions and also preserved metabolic function. Surprisingly, tethered EGF elicited DNA synthesis on gels with RGD and HB. Phenotypic differences between soluble and tethered EGF stimulation of cells on peptide gels are correlated with differences in expression and phosphorylation the EGF receptor and its heterodimerization partner ErbB2, and activation of the downstream signaling node ERK1/2. These modular matrices reveal new facets of hepatocellular biology in culture and may be more broadly useful in culture of other soft tissues.
Crystal structure of the second domain of the human copper chaperone for superoxide dismutase.

The human copper chaperone for superoxide dismutase (hCCS) delivers the essential copper ion cofactor to copper,zinc superoxide dismutase (SOD1), a key enzyme in antioxidant defense. Mutations in S...
ABSOLUTE ELECTRON-NUCLEAR DIFFERENTIAL SCATTERING CROSS SECTIONS AT 1.00 Mev, 1.75 Mev, AND 2.50 Mev. I.

Abstract Monoergic electrons were scattered from thin foils of aluminum, nickel, silver, and gold. The scattered electrons were analyzed by a 90° magnetic spectrometer using a scintillation detector. The absolute cross sections were measured at 30° with an estimated error of 3%, at 60° and 90° with an estimated error of 2%, and at 120° and 150° with an estimated error of 5%. The experimental results were 5% to 10% lower than the values predicted by the Mott theory as evaluated by Doggett and Spencer. When the theory is corrected for the effect of nuclear size and the radiative correction of Schwinger an improved fit results. However, the discrepancy between the corrected Mott theory and the measured cross sections is well outside the experimental error.