cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structure of the Immature Dengue Virus at Low pH Primes Proteolytic Maturation

Intracellular cleavage of immature flaviviruses is a critical step in assembly that generates the membrane fusion potential of the E glycoprotein. With cryo-electron microscopy we show that the immature dengue particles undergo a reversible conformational change at low pH that renders them accessible to furin cleavage. At a pH of 6.0, the E proteins are arranged in a herringbone pattern with the pr peptides docked onto the fusion loops, a configuration similar to that of the mature virion. After cleavage, the dissociation of pr is pH-dependent, suggesting that in the acidic environment of the trans-Golgi network pr is retained on the virion to prevent membrane fusion. These results suggest a mechanism by which flaviviruses are processed and stabilized in the host cell secretory pathway.
Norms of reaction and diversifying selection

The numbers of progeny produced by comparable numbers of female Drosophila melanogaster of 26 geographic strains on nine different culture media are examined in the context of norms of reaction. Having emphasized that diversifying selection is seldom discussed simultaneously with its seemingly related topic, norms of reaction, I present the following argument: diversifying selection has generally been viewed as involving sub-populations inhabiting separate localities and subject to different patterns of selection, norms of reaction as variation whose weighted average determines the relative fitnesses of different genotypes within individual sub-populations. Should environmental challenges frequently involve life or death (including sterility) outcomes, norms of reaction involving components of fitness engender diversifying selection within local populations (demes).
Chemical vapor deposited borides of the form (Ti,Zr)B2 and (Ta,Ti)B2

Abstract ZrB 2 , (Ti,Zr)B 2 , (Ta,Ti)B 2 and Ta 2 B have been synthesized in the temperature range of 1073–1373 K using chemical vapor deposition procedures. The materials were produced as fully dense coatings on graphite using the hydrogen reduction of BCl 3 and the respective metal chloride(s). It was not possible to deposit pure TaB 2 but a phase identified as Ta 2 B was formed when both TiCl 4 and TaCl 5 were present in the reactant gas mixture. Hardness measurements of the various boride phases gave the following VHN 25 values (kg mm -2 ): ZrB 2 , 2200; (Ti,Zr)B 2 , about 3700 (maximum); Ta 2 B, 2430; (Ta 0.75 Ti 0.25 )B 2 , 3100.
Microelectromechanical gyroscope: analysis and simulation using SPICE electronic simulator

Microgyroscope applications are increasing in many fields, creating a need to develop low cost, compact gyroscopes. A full understanding of the operation principles and limitations of a rate gyroscope are essential in creating a small and low-cost device. Currently, there is no simulation tool available that can simulate both the electronic and nonelectronic components of a complete device. The work described in this paper presents a method to simulate a complete comb-drive rate microgyroscope using the SPICE electronic simulation tool. The simulation method given here can be generalized to a wide range of MEMS devices. An equivalent circuit was developed and simulated using SPICE. Results of the frequency response, and transient analysis are given. The results obtained reproduce the reported device operation. A set of important new findings are revealed from the analysis using this new tool. Using the transient analysis, for example, we can see that the requirement of a large quality factor of the sensor causes a very slow (open-loop) response and that a closed-loop operation is essential in this device. In addition, the nonideal factors are described and are analyzed using SPICE.
Restructuring and women's reproductive health: Implications for low birthweight in New York city

Abstract Women's health is influenced not only by behavior and culture, but also by the social, economic and political contexts in which women live. We examine the changing context of women's reproductive health in New York City through an analysis of spatial and temporal trends in low birthweight during the late 1970s and 1980s. Using cartographic and statistical methods, the impacts of political and economic restructuring on women's lives and the linkages with changing patterns of women's reproductive health are addressed. The results show that in the city's low status neighborhoods, increases in low birthweight were related to the decline in women's ability to find paid employment, their decreased utilization of prenatal care, and an increased share of households headed by women. The shifting geographical patterns of reproductive health reflect, in part, women's heightened responsibilities in an era of shrinking resources.
The ion-exchange resin adsorption of thallium(I) and (III)

Abstract The adsorption of small concentrations of radiothallium(III) on the cation-exchange resin Amberlite IR-120(H) begins to decrease at 8 and 32°C when the concentrations of hydrochloric and hydrobromic acids in the solution are about 10−3 and 10−2 and 10−4 and 10−3 M respectively. The adsorption of tracer thallium at 25°C on the anion-exchange resin Dowex 1-X8 is at a maximum when the concentration of hydrochloric acid in the solution is about 10−1 and 1 M for the (III) and (I) oxidation states respectively. The presence of perchloric acid depresses markedly the adsorption of tracer thallium(III) on Dowex-1 from hydrochloric acid media.
Thimerosal induces TH2 responses via influencing cytokine secretion by human dendritic cells

Thimerosal is an organic mercury compound that is used as a preservative in vaccines and pharmaceutical products. Recent studies have shown a TH2-skewing effect of mercury, although the underlying mechanisms have not been identified. In this study, we investigated whether thimerosal can exercise a TH2-promoting effect through modulation of functions of dendritic cells (DC). Thimerosal, in a concentration-dependent manner, inhibited the secretion of LPS-induced proinflammatory cytokines TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-12p70 from human monocyte-derived DC. However, the secretion of IL-10 from DC was not affected. These thimerosal-exposed DC induced increased TH2 (IL-5 and IL-13) and decreased TH1 (IFN-gamma) cytokine secretion from the T cells in the absence of additional thimerosal added to the coculture. Thimerosal exposure of DC led to the depletion of intracellular glutathione (GSH), and addition of exogenous GSH to DC abolished the TH2-promoting effect of thimerosal-treated DC, restoring secretion of TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-12p70 by DC and IFN-gamma secretion by T cells. These data suggest that modulation of TH2 responses by mercury and thimerosal, in particular, is through depletion of GSH in DC.
Physicochemical characterization of nedocromil bivalent metal salt hydrates. 1. Nedocromil magnesium

Salts are usually considered as alternatives for drug delivery when the physicochemical characteristics of the acidic or basic parent drug are unsuitable or inadequate for a satisfactory formulation. The physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of nedocromil sodium, which is used in the treatment of reversible obstructive airways diseases such as asthma, can be altered by its conversion to other salt forms. Nedocromil zinc (NZ), a bivalent metal salt, was found to exist in several hydration states, an octahydrate, a heptahydrate, and a pentahydrate, which itself exists in two modifications, designated as A and B. The relationships between these NZ hydrates and the nature of the water interactions in the solid phases were studied through characterization by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Karl Fischer titrimetry (KFT), hot-stage microscopy (HSM), ambient- or variable-temperature powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (SSNMR) spectroscopy, environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), water uptake at various relative humidities (RH), intrinsic dissolution rate (IDR), and solubility measurements. The integral water stoichiometries of the NZ hydrates were deduced from KFT and TGA and were confirmed by elemental analysis. For the heptahydrate, the loss of 1 mol of water at a higher temperature than for the others is attributed to an identifiable water molecule that is linked directly to the zinc and to two carboxylate oxygen atoms but not to the other water molecules, as deduced from the crystal structure previously determined. Similarly, for both pentahydrate modifications, 1 mol of water was also lost at a higher temperature than the others. Results from studies using DSC, TGA, HSM, PXRD, SSNMR, and FTIR suggested that the octahydrate contains loosely bound water in its structure and is partially amorphous. The course of the dehydration processes depended on the water vapor pressure and temperature. The octahydrate and heptahydrate underwent an apparently irreversible phase transformation to the pentahydrate at an elevated temperature and water vapor pressure. Pentahydrate modifications A and B differ in their long-range order (deduced from differences in their PXRD pattern and their thermal analytical behavior), but their short-range order (i.e., molecular environments) are identical (deduced by identical SSNMR spectra). The rank order of both IDR and solubility in water at 25 °C was octahydrate > heptahydrate > pentahydrate modification A ≈ pentahydrate modification B, corresponding to the rank order of free energy with respect to the aqueous solution and the order of preparation according to Ostwald's rule of stages.
Policy Values and Culture Change in Long-Term Care- The Role of State Government in Catalyzing Change

SUMMARY Despite some improvements that can be attributed to the provisions of OBRA '87, the quality of care in nursing homes remains far from optimal. Excessive reliance on a medical model of care fails to address residents' desire to be treated with kindness, courtesy and consideration. In addition, the issue of improving quality of care is linked to addressing growing concerns about nursing home staffing. One solution is for government to play a role in catalyzing a change in the organizational culture of nursing homes to address the concerns that both residents and staff have with the existing culture. A number of states are providing grants to nursing homes to implement culture change. This has included New York State which has emphasized culture change in its Dementia Grant Program.
GIFTS INTERCEPTED: Biopolitics and Spirit Debt

Stories of emigrants from Laos and Cambodia living in the United States are charged with an awareness of material indebtedness to the dead, especially those who died violent or inadequately attended deaths during wartime. At stake in this indebtedness is a sociality of living and dead that involves ongoing responsibility and care. Lao, Khmer, Kmhmu, and Hmong emigrants address both wartime violence, and the structural violence of minoritization and poverty in the United States through a reciprocity of living and dead. This reciprocity is intercepted by the biopolitical protocol of hospitals and funeral homes, which negates the social existence of the dead in ways that echo violations of the dead during wartime. In the United States, violation of the dead is linked not just to sciences of sanitation and death causation, but to latent theological presumptions about body and spirit. The presumption of a radical rupture between corpse and spirit enables the treatment of the corpse as inert matter with a purely symbolic relationship to the social person. The separation of matter and spirit that organizes the biopolitical management of death is also linked to mourning practices that emphasize memorialization over a bodily intimacy with the dead as social beings. Furthermore, current critiques of biopolitics following Agamben, although useful for addressing the devaluation of the living, prove inadequate to address socialities of living and dead. It is through their concrete participation in social encounters with the dead that emigrants respond to the material reverberations of past violence in the present.
Refactoring the Ethernet layer 1 architecture and layer 2 interface to facilitate efficient Real Time Ethernet implementations

This paper proposes the refactoring of the current Ethernet 802.3u layer 1 architecture and its interface to layer 2 to better accommodate the requirements of real-time-Ethernet (RTE) communication systems as used in factory automation. The paper supports this proposal by reviewing the relevant characteristics of RTE protocols, issues encountered whilst implementing RTE nodes and the innovation potential unlocked where these proposals to be adopted. Work in progress is described.
In vitro anticryptosporidial activity of dinitroaniline herbicides

Despite the evaluation of over 100 antimicrobial drugs, the diarrheal disease cryptosporidiosis has remained refractory to treatment. We report the evaluation of five dinitroaniline herbicides including trifluralin, profluralin, nitralin, pendimethalin, and fluchloralin for anticryptosporidial activity in an in vitro cultivation model of Cryptosporidium parvum. All five compounds exhibited significant anticryptosporidial activities with no corresponding evidence of toxicity. The most active compound was pendimethalin with an IC50 of 0.19 μM while nitralin was the least active with an IC50 of 4.5 μM. These compounds should be evaluated further in an animal model of cryptosporidiosis.
Evaluation of Commercially Available Carbon Fibers, Fabrics, and Papers for Potential Use in Multifunctional Energy Storage Applications

Many carbon materials have desirable electrochemical, mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties that make them ideal candidates for dual-use energy-storage devices integrated into fiber-matrix composites or textiles. Commercial fabrics are cost-effective, scalable materials that are often fabricated specifically for composite applications. However, the electrochemical properties of these commercial materials are largely unknown. This study focuses on the properties of unmodified commercial carbon fabric materials for use in electrochemical devices such as lithium-ion batteries. Electrochemical capacity was evaluated for carbon fibers derived from a wide variety of grades of fabrics based on polyacrylonitrile (PAN), pitch, or activated carbon, and carbon papers made from carbon nanotubes or nanofoams. Double-layer capacitances were also measured for potential application to supercapacitors. The fiber microstructures were analyzed via X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. Nanofoam papers demonstrated the best overall electrochemical performance, with capacities consistently achieving 135 mAh/g after 50 cycles and capacitances of 5-7 F/g, but the mechanical properties were poor. IM7 and T300 PAN-based woven fabrics demonstrated the best potential for multifunctional use, with reversible-discharge electrochemical capacities as high as 158 mAh/g after 50 cycles and tensile strengths of 3-5 GPa. Removing the polymer sizing from PAN-based fibers did not appear to improve performance.
Strategies for Analyzing Neuronal Progenitor Development and Neuronal Migration in the Developing Cerebral Cortex

The emergence of functional neuronal connectivity in the developing cerebral cortex depends on 1) neural progenitor differentiation, which leads to the generation of appropriate number and types of neurons, and 2) neuronal migration, which enables the appropriate positioning of neurons so that the correct patterns of functional synaptic connectivity between neurons can emerge. In this review, we discuss 1) currently available methods to study neural progenitor development and differentiation in the developing cerebral cortex and emerging technologies in this regard, 2) assays to study the migration of descendents of progenitors (i.e., neurons) in vitro and in vivo, and 3) the use of these assays to probe the molecular control of these events in the developing brain and evaluation of gene functions disrupted in human neurodevelopmental disorders.
Clinical Significance of the Clopidogrel–Proton Pump Inhibitor Interaction After Peripheral Endovascular Intervention for Claudication

Objective: Despite numerous studies in the cardiology literature, the clinical impact of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) administration on the antiplatelet effect of clopidogrel remains controversial. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of concurrent PPI and clopidogrel administration on outcomes after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting (PTAS concurrent PPI use (+PPI) was ident...
Limited redundancy in genes regulated by Cyclin T2 and Cyclin T1

The elongation phase, like other steps of transcription by RNA Polymerase II, is subject to regulation. The positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb) complex allows for the transition of mRNA synthesis to the productive elongation phase. P-TEFb contains Cdk9 (Cyclin-dependent kinase 9) as its catalytic subunit and is regulated by its Cyclin partners, Cyclin T1 and Cyclin T2. The HIV-1 Tat transactivator protein enhances viral gene expression by exclusively recruiting the Cdk9-Cyclin T1 P-TEFb complex to a RNA element in nascent viral transcripts called TAR. The expression patterns of Cyclin T1 and Cyclin T2 in primary monocytes and CD4+ T cells suggests that Cyclin T2 may be generally involved in expression of constitutively expressed genes in quiescent cells, while Cyclin T1 may be involved in expression of genes up-regulated during macrophage differentiation, T cell activation, and conditions of increased metabolic activity To investigate this issue, we wished to identify the sets of genes whose levels are regulated by either Cyclin T2 or Cyclin T1. We used shRNA lentiviral vectors to stably deplete either Cyclin T2 or Cyclin T1 in HeLa cells. Total RNA extracted from these cells was subjected to cDNA microarray analysis. We found that 292 genes were down- regulated by depletion of Cyclin T2 and 631 genes were down-regulated by depletion of Cyclin T1 compared to cells transduced with a control lentivirus. Expression of 100 genes was commonly reduced in either knockdown. Additionally, 111 and 287 genes were up-regulated when either Cyclin T2 or Cyclin T1 was depleted, respectively, with 45 genes in common. These results suggest that there is limited redundancy in genes regulated by Cyclin T1 or Cyclin T2.
WEBGUIDE: Guiding Collaborative Learning on the Web with Perspectives.

Abstract: We are developing a Web-based tool called WebGuide to mediate and structure collaborative learning. This software uses an innovative mechanism to define a flexible system of perspectives on a shared knowledge construction space. WebGuide provides an electronic and persistent workspace for individuals and teams to develop and share distinctive points of view on a topic. We are designing the software and associated usage practices by trying it out in a middle school classroom and an advanced graduate seminar. Our experience in these use situations has raised a range of questions concerning theoretical and practical issues, which are driving our research. This paper is a reflection on what we are learning collaboratively about how software artifacts can mediate learning and shared cognition. Editors: Gary Boyd (Concordia U., CA) Reviewers: Helen Chappel-Hayios (U. Glasgow, UK), Hans van der Meij (U. Twente, NL) Notes: Since publishing this paper, the author has relocated to the German National Research Center for Information Technology (GMD-FIT) in Sankt Augustin, Germany. He can be contacted at Gerry.Stahl@GMD.de
Thermodynamic Principles of Self-Healing Metallic Materials

In this chapter, the thermodynamics of self-healing is considered with an emphasis on metallic materials. All complex biological organisms have the ability to repair minor damage. Incorporating the self-repair function into inorganic systems is of growing interest for materials scientists. So far, most recent studies have concentrated on polymers and ceramics because it is easier to incorporate self-healing in nonmetallic materials than in metallic materials. However, metallic self-healing alloys and composites are of great practical importance. We review the design principles of self-healing materials using the nonequilibrium thermodynamics approach and the concept of hierarchical organization. The generalized thermodynamic force that leads to healing is induced by bringing the system away from thermodynamic equilibrium. We focus on the three major methods of imparting the ability for self-healing in metallic systems: precipitation-induced healing, embedding shape-memory alloys, and embedding a low-melting point alloy in the alloy matrix.
Persistent sexual side effects of finasteride: could they be permanent?

ABSTRACT Introduction Finasteride has been associated with sexual side effects that may persist despite discontinuation of the medication. In a clinical series, 20% of subjects with male pattern hair loss reported persistent sexual dysfunction for ≥6 years, suggesting the possibility that the dysfunction may be permanent. These subjects also reported a wide range of symptoms including changes in cognition, ejaculate quality, and genital sensation. Other medications have been associated with irreversible neurological effects, such as phenothiazines with tardive dyskinesias. Aim To prospectively study whether the persistent sexual side effects associated with finasteride resolve or endure over time. Methods Subjects (N = 54) with persistent sexual side effects associated with finasteride were reassessed after 9–16 months (mean 14 months). All subjects were otherwise healthy young men without any baseline sexual dysfunction, medical conditions, psychiatric conditions, or use of oral prescription medications prior to taking finasteride for male pattern hair loss. Main Outcome Measure Scores from the Arizona Sexual Experience Scale (ASEX). Results The participation rate was 81%. At reassessment persistent sexual side effects continued to be present in 96% of subjects. According to the ASEX scores, 89% of subjects met the definition of sexual dysfunction. Neither the length of finasteride use nor the duration of the sexual side effects correlated to changes in scores of sexual dysfunction. Conclusion In most men who developed persistent sexual side effects (≥3 months) despite the discontinuation of finasteride, the sexual dysfunction continued for many months or years. Although several rat studies have shown detrimental changes to erectile function caused by 5 alpha reductase inhibitors, the persistent nature of these changes is an area of active research. Prescribers of finasteride and men contemplating its use should be made aware of the potential adverse medication effects. Irwig MS. Persistent sexual side effects of finasteride: Could they be permanent? J Sex Med 2012;9:2927–2932.
Evaluation of the Double-Deficit Hypothesis in College Students Referred for Learning Difficulties

The present study explored the double-deficit hypothesis (DDH) in a sample of 146 college students with and without reading disabilities (RD). The results indicated that although both phonological awareness (PA) and visual naming speed (VNS) contributed to performance on measures of decoding and comprehension, their relative contribution was influenced both by the nature of the stimulus (word vs. nonword vs. text) and by the conditions of the task (timed vs. untimed). Similar results were obtained using an individual differences approach, or when between-group comparisons were made of individuals with deficits in PA or VNS. The relative representation of DDH subgroups in groups of adults with RD varied based on the classification criteria used to define RD. These results support the DDH, extend its applicability to adults, and have implications for diagnostic decision making.
Associations Among Distorted Cognitions and Hypothetical Parenting Responses Prior to Parenthood

Using path analytic methods, the present study used two social-cognitive models of maladaptive parenting to predict endorsements of child punishment in a sample of 101 young adults who had not yet become parents. Participants completed paper-and-pencil measures of expectations, attributions, current aggression, and responses to vignettes about child rearing and social situations. Results suggest that working models of parent-child relationships are related in predictable ways to endorsements of cognitive and behavioral responses toward children in vignettes, even in adults who are not yet parents. An extended model of maladaptive parenting that included beliefs and behaviors regarding current peer relationships was not validated. Gender moderated the influence of past punishment on level of unrealistic expectations about children and the influence of current peer aggression on endorsements of child punishment. Implications of gender differences in predictors and directions for future research are discussed.
Structure analysis of three T7 late mRNA ribosome binding sites.

Abstract The 5′-terminal regions of the three T7 late RNA species IIIb, IV and V have been characterized. These regions contain the protein synthesis initiation sites for the T7 genes 17, 9 and 10, respectively. Each of these is located between 60 and 90 nucleotides from the 5′ terminus of an in vitro synthesized RNA species. The sequence 5′ A-C-U-U-U-A-A-G-Pu-A-G-Pu, which is common to these ribosome binding regions, contains an impressive stretch of complementarity to the sequence 5′ A-C-C-U-C-C-U-U-A, at the 3′ terminus of 16 S ribosomal RNA. The nuclease mapping technique of Wurst et al. (1978) has been used to probe intramolecular structural interactions involving these initiation regions in the RNA. My results indicate that all three initiation codons, together with other portions of the ribosome binding regions are protected, under non-denaturing conditions, against the actions of both the single-strand-specific nuclease S1 and RNAase T1.