cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Latitudinal trends and temporal shifts in the catch composition of bottom trawls conducted on the eastern Bering Sea shelf

Abstract Latitudinal species diversity gradients are well known in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems throughout the world. However, trends in relative abundance and other shifts in community structure with latitude, which can be more sensitive to environmental shifts such as climate change, have received less attention. Here we investigate latitudinal trends in the seafloor community of the eastern Bering Sea using catches of fishes and epibenthic invertebrates in bottom trawl surveys conducted from 1982 to 2010. Our results indicate that the overall biomass of the epibenthic community declines with increasing latitude in the eastern Bering Sea. This latitudinal trend is primarily driven by declining fish catches in the northern Bering Sea, which in turn reflects changes in the structure of the fish community. The fish fauna in northern latitudes is increasingly dominated by gadids, though the species composition of the gadid fauna also changes with latitude, with smaller species becoming more common in the north. The biomass of the invertebrate megafauna remains relatively consistent throughout the eastern Bering Sea, but invertebrates make up a larger proportion of the catch in bottom trawls conducted at higher latitudes. The epibenthic invertebrate megafauna in the eastern Bering Sea is composed primarily of sea stars (Asteriidae) and oregoniid crabs (Chionoecetes and Hyas), though no clear latitudinal trends in the invertebrate community are evident. Limited trawl data from the eastern Chukchi Sea indicate that the fish community farther north is even more heavily dominated by gadids, and the epibenthic invertebrate community is dominated by asteriid sea stars. Temperature data from bottom trawl surveys in the southeastern Bering Sea over the past decade indicate that there was a distinct temperature shift around 2005, and the relatively warm years of 2001–2005 were followed by five relatively cold years. This shift in the summer temperature regime of the Bering Sea has resulted in lower fish catches, particularly in the “cold pool” region (58–61°N), and a higher proportion of epibenthic invertebrates in the bottom trawl catches of the past 5 years.
a Circularly Symmetric Primitive-Equation Model of Tropical Cyclones and its Response to Artificial Enhancement of the Convective Heating Functions

Abstract Simulations of the natural (unmodified) evolution of tropical cyclones with a circularly symmetric model suggest that seeding of hurricanes with silver iodide at radii greater than that of the surface wind maximum might be more effective in decreasing the surface wind maximum than seedings at or within the wind maximum. Seeding simulations with the model strongly suggest that the model storm responds in the sense anticipated. On the other hand, simulated seedings at radii less than that of the surface wind maximum produce temporary increases in the strength of the maximum. However, termination of the seeding is followed by a rapid recovery of the modified storm to a state close to that of the control.
EFFECT OF THREATENING FEEDBACK ON EXPECTED GRADE, SELF-EFFICACY, AND MOTIVATION

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of perceived threat on expecred course grade, self-efficacy, and motivation. The study required college students to decide whether they perceived their most recent examination grade in a statistics course to be threatening to achievement of their over-all expected course grade and, based on that assessment of threat, subsequently place themselves into one of three feedback categories (positive nonthreatening, negative nonthreatening, or negative outcome-threatening). Expected course grade, self-efficacy, and motivation (intended effort) were assessed before the examination and after feedback had been delivered. Ratings of expected course grade, self-efficacy, and motivation significantly changed from pre- to posttest for subjects who perceived that their goals were threatened.
Minimized open-circuit voltage reduction in GaAs/InGaAs quantum well solar cells with bandgap-engineered graded quantum well depths

The use of InGaAs quantum wells with composition graded across the intrinsic region to increase open-circuit voltage in p-i-n GaAs/InGaAs quantum well solar cells is demonstrated and analyzed. By engineering the band-edge energy profile to reduce photo-generated carrier concentration in the quantum wells at high forward bias, simultaneous increases in both open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current density are achieved, compared to those for a structure with the same average In concentration, but constant rather than graded quantum well composition across the intrinsic region. This approach is combined with light trapping to further increase short-circuit current density.
Loss of calpastatin contributes to ischemia/reperfusion injury to mouse livers

Introduction: Autophagy is a major catabolic process in the liver that removes abnormal or damaged cellular constituents and organelles. Hence, defective or insufficient autophagy can lead to liver failure. Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) is a key pathological event in liver transplantation, hepatectomy and hemorrhagic shock. We have shown that I/R activates calpains, which subsequently hydrolyzes autophagy-related proteins (Atg), impairs autophagy andmitochondrial bioenergetics, and ultimately causes hepatocellular death. Calpastatin is an endogenous calpain inhibitor. How I/R affects calpastatin in the liver is unknown. Methods: Hepatocytes and livers from male C57/BL6 mice were subjected to simulated and in vivo I/R, respectively. Cell death, calpain activity, calpastatin and Atg expression, autophagic flux and mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) were assessed after I/R. To overexpress calpastatin, some hepatocytes and livers were treated with an adenovirus encoding calpastatin prior to onset of ischemia. Results: After I/R, calpastatin was reduced to undetectable levels, hepatocytes lost autophagic flux, and subsequently underwent onset of theMPT and cell death, which was, however, substantially suppressed by calpastatin overexpression. We also observed that calpastatin overexpression itself increased the basal autophagy, suggesting that calpastatin not only inhibits calpains but also intrinsically enhances autophagy. Conclusion: Loss of calpastatin contributes to calpain activation, impaired autophagy, mitochondrial dysfunction, and hepatocyte death after I/R. Furthermore, calpastatin is likely to regulate the basal autophagy.
Comparison of TNT removal from seawater by three marine macroalgae.

Abstract Axenic plantlets derived from three species of marine macroalgae, the temperate green alga Acrosiphonia coalita , the temperate red alga Porphyra yezoensis , and the tropical red alga Portieria hornemannii , all possessed a similar metabolic route to remove the explosive compound 2,4,6-trinitrotolune (TNT) from seawater. At a biomass density of 1.2 g l −1 and initial TNT concentrations of 10 mg l −1 or less, TNT removal from seawater was 100% within 72 h for P. hornemannii and P. yezoensis . Specific rate constants for TNT uptake were 0.016–0.018 l g −1 FW h −1 for A. coalita filaments, 0.047–0.062 l g −1 FW h −1 for P. yezoensis blades, and 0.037–0.049 l g −1 FW h −1 for P. hornemannii microplantlets. Only trace amounts of TNT were found within the biomass. All species reduced TNT to 2-amino-4,6-dinitrotoluene and 4-amino-2,6-dintrotoluene, but these products never accounted for more than 20% of the initial TNT.
Nanocomposite pastes for thermal and mechanical bonding

Heat dissipation is a major challenge in high performance electronic devices. Current thermal interface materials (TIMs) have either low conductivity, such as conventional thermal greases, or high costs, such as solder materials and indium metals. [1-2] We address TIM challenges by integrating silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and copper micropowders (CuMPs) in a resin-free TIM paste. The nanocomposite TIMs optimize both the bulk and interfacial thermal performances: CuMPs with a particle size of 1-10 μm offer the promise of high bulk thermal conductivity, while AgNPs with a diameter of 3-8 nm provide the flexibility in interfacial engineering. The assembling temperature can be varied from 125 to 200 °C, due to the low sintering temperature of AgNPs. Fused AgNPs in the TIMs can form strong metallic bonds with CuMPs and the substrates, resulting in low interfacial thermal resistance and high mechanical bond strength. Morphological and compositional analyses have shown percolated network structures in the sintered TIM pastes, which are responsible for high thermomechanical reliability. Hybrid TIMs bonded between two metal substrates, such as a copper foil and an invar foil, with their linear coefficients of thermal expansion (CTEs) difference exceeding 15 ppm/ °C, have gone through more than 1000 cycles of thermal shocks between -50 and 150 °C without failure. The studies have shown promises of the hybrid TIMs for broader applications of thermal, electrical and mechanical performance in electronics packaging.
Production of narrow electron beams using glass optics

Transmission of 300-1000 eV electrons through a single cylindrically-shaped glass capillary was studied. Transmitted electron intensities revealed three distinct regions with different characteristics depending on the mechanism of electron transmission.
γ-Glutamyl transpeptidase and glutathione in aging IMR-90 fibroblasts and in differentiating 3T3 L1 preadipocytes

Abstract γ-Glutamyl transpeptidase, glutathionase, and phosphate-independent glutaminase activities, and glutathione contents were measured in IMR-90 cells, human embryonic lung diploid fibroblasts, “aging” in culture, and in cultures of 3T3 L1 mouse preadipocytes differentiating to adipocytes. γ-Glutamyl transpeptidase, glutathionase, and phosphateindependent glutaminase activities in IMR-90 cells were about 8-, 8-, and 7-fold higher in “old” cells as compared to the activities in “young” cells. Total and reduced glutathione contents, expressed in relation to either cell number or DNA content, of IMR-90 cells were 3- and 12-fold higher in “young” cells (population doubling level 22) as compared to “old” cells (population doubling level 49). The ratio of reduced to oxidized glutathione was relatively constant in “young” cells over a range of population doubling levels 18–25; however, relative to the “young” cells, the ratio was decreased in “old” cells over a range of population doubling levels 49–55. γ-Glutamyl transpeptidase, glutathionase, and phosphate-independent glutaminase activities in 3T3 L1 cells were about 4-, 5-, and 5-fold higher in differentiating cells as compared to the activities in undifferentiating cells. Total glutathione contents in 3T3 L1 cells differentiating to adipocytes were similar to glutathione contents in undifferentiating cells. As the culture differentiated to the extent of 50%, almost all of the glutathione was present as oxidized glutathione. These results suggest that the several enzymatic activities and glutathione contents may be used as markers for aging or differentiation in cells. In the course of these studies, a sensitive fluorometric assay was developed, using l -γ-glutamyl-4-methoxy-2-naphthylamide as substrate.
Spin and charge correlations around an Anderson magnetic impurity

We have studied the correlations between an Anderson magnetic impurity and its surrounding conduction electrons using a Monte Carlo simulation technique. Results for spin and charge correlations for a symmetric Anderson impurity in a free-electron continuum are presented. Our results show the spatial structure of the spin-compensation cloud that forms around the magnetic impurity as the temperature is lowered, and the suppression of the charge-density correlations caused by the Kondo effect.
Utilization of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy for experimental characterization of the diode features of charge recombination in a dye sensitized solar cell

Abstract The anode-electrolyte interface is a primary location for charge recombination in a dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC), and hence acts as a major efficiency-limiting factor of the device. The electrical signature of this recombination effect is similar to that of a semiconductor diode, and at the same time serves as an indicator of the recombination mechanisms. The present work focuses on certain detailed aspects of the experimental detection and analysis of this diode-like behavior of a DSSC. The recombination process is activated in a forward biased dark cell containing a photo-anode of multilayered TiO2 particles. The resulting reaction kinetics are probed with a combination of D.C. voltammetry and strategically designed electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The voltage dependent impedance parameters of the multi-component solar cell are obtained from complex nonlinear least square analysis of the EIS data. Among these parameters, the characteristic frequency and the recombination resistance of charge transfer at the TiO2-electrolyte interface follow the same diode-like voltage dependence as that of the cell's D.C. current. The experimental considerations for analyzing these effects in a quantitative approach are discussed. The ideality factor of the DSSC diode is dictated by charge recombination in the mesoporous TiO2 photo-anode, and emerges with mutually agreeing values from independent D.C. and A.C. measurements. The results illustrate how the component-resolved analytical capability of EIS can be utilized for a detailed evaluation of the electrochemical performance of a DSSC.
Uric acid and urate storage in the larva of Chrysopa carnea Stephens (Neuroptera, Chrysopidae)

Abstract In this study it has been shown that uric acid is stored as one of the excretory products of nitrogenous metabolism in all areas of the fat body of the third instar larva of Chrysopa carnea as either a spherical or an amorphously shaped crystal. Uric acid also appears in the cells of the Malpighian tubules in small amounts, but it does not appear in the proteinaceous adhesive substance which is produced by the tubules. The significance of the presence of uric acid in the tubules is unknown, but it may be that the uric acid is being stored there or that it may play some role in the formation of the adhesive substance.
New Johns Hopkins Ruling Engine

New procedures of lapping and mounting of ruling engine screws are described. An inherently precise method of generating a dividing head with unmeasurable errors is described. A new design of ruling engine with two screws and with the work reciprocating, is described. This engine resembles a planer whereas the Rowland type engines resemble a tool room shaper. Fanned lines are not produced on the new engine. All components are designed for immunity to temperature, friction and wear. Gratings of 21-foot focus are currently being ruled 14,400 lines per inch with 1/10 percent Rowland ghost intensity in the first order. The ruled area is 518×318 in. All gratings show five components of Hg 5461 in the second order. The gratings are ruled in 67 hours. It is envisioned that grating production can be made adequate to satisfy the needs for gratings without recourse to replicas. The new engine is a pilot model for a larger engine planned for the future.
The Restructuring of a College of Education: a case study

Abstract This paper documents the process and the results of restructuring the College of Education at the University of New Mexico. The goal is to inform other colleges and universities of these experiences to assist them to manage change and to anticipate the issues that will arise during the process. Results of the restructuring process are presented with a brief description of the actual implementation plan. Also included is a discussion of the major questions posed by the college as it experienced the restructuring process.
Structural Mechanism of Demethylation and Inactivation of Protein Phosphatase 2A

Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is an important serine/threonine phosphatase that plays a role in many biological processes. Reversible carboxyl methylation of the PP2A catalytic subunit is an essential regulatory mechanism for its function. Demethylation and negative regulation of PP2A is mediated by a PP2A-specific methylesterase PME-1, which is conserved from yeast to humans. However, the underlying mechanism of PME-1 function remains enigmatic. Here we report the crystal structures of PME-1 by itself and in complex with a PP2A heterodimeric core enzyme. The structures reveal that PME-1 directly binds to the active site of PP2A and that this interaction results in the activation of PME-1 by rearranging the catalytic triad into an active conformation. Strikingly, these interactions also lead to inactivation of PP2A by evicting the manganese ions that are required for the phosphatase activity of PP2A. These observations identify a dual role of PME-1 that regulates PP2A activation, methylation, and holoenzyme assembly in cells.
Tumor targeting: Activation of prodrugs by enzyme-monoclonal antibody conjugates

Selective delivery of lethal levels of drugs to tumors, without concomitant damage to normal tissues, is a major challenge in cancer chemotherapy. Prodrugs used in conjunction with enzyme-monoclonal antibody conjugates that can target tumors and convert prodrugs to their active drug forms in situ, offer exceptional promise in achieving this objective. Synthesis of prodrugs, acquisition of appropriate enzymes and monoclonal antibodies, and manufacture of conjugates afford considerable flexibility in experimental design.
Synthesis of oligomeric anilines

Abstract Parent aniline oligomers such as tetramer and “16-mer” have been synthesized by a general method. This method can be used to synthesize other oligomers by selecting appropriate ratios of reactants and appropriate oxidants. The oligomers were characterized by UV/Vis, IR, NMR, mass spectroscopy, GPC and elemental analysis. The conductivities of HCl doped oligomers were lower than that of polyaniline.
Association of adenotonsillectomy with asthma outcomes in children: a longitudinal database analysis.

Background Childhood asthma and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), both disorders of airway inflammation, were associated in recent observational studies. Although childhood OSA is effectively treated by adenotonsillectomy (AT), it remains unclear whether AT also improves childhood asthma. We hypothesized that AT, the first line of therapy for childhood OSA, would be associated with improved asthma outcomes and would reduce the usage of asthma therapies in children. Methods and Findings Using the 2003–2010 MarketScan database, we identified 13,506 children with asthma in the United States who underwent AT. Asthma outcomes during 1 y preceding AT were compared to those during 1 y following AT. In addition, 27,012 age-, sex-, and geographically matched children with asthma without AT were included to examine asthma outcomes among children without known adenotonsillar tissue morbidity. Primary outcomes included the occurrence of a diagnostic code for acute asthma exacerbation (AAE) or acute status asthmaticus (ASA). Secondary outcomes included temporal changes in asthma medication prescriptions, the frequency of asthma-related emergency room visits (ARERs), and asthma-related hospitalizations (ARHs). Comparing the year following AT to the year prior, AT was associated with significant reductions in AAE (30.2%; 95% CI: 25.6%–34.3%; p<0.0001), ASA (37.9%; 95% CI: 29.2%–45.6%; p<0.0001), ARERs (25.6%; 95% CI: 16.9%–33.3%; p<0.0001), and ARHs (35.8%; 95% CI: 19.6%–48.7%; p = 0.02). Moreover, AT was associated with significant reductions in most asthma prescription refills, including bronchodilators (16.7%; 95% CI: 16.1%–17.3%; p<0.001), inhaled corticosteroids (21.5%; 95% CI: 20.7%–22.3%; p<0.001), leukotriene receptor antagonists (13.4%; 95% CI: 12.9%–14.0%; p<0.001), and systemic corticosteroids (23.7%; 95% CI: 20.9%–26.5%; p<0.001). In contrast, there were no significant reductions in these outcomes in children with asthma who did not undergo AT over an overlapping follow-up period. Limitations of the MarketScan database include lack of information on race and obesity status. Also, the MarketScan database does not include information on children with public health insurance (i.e., Medicaid) or uninsured children. Conclusions In a very large sample of privately insured children, AT was associated with significant improvements in several asthma outcomes. Contingent on validation through prospectively designed clinical trials, this study supports the premise that detection and treatment of adenotonsillar tissue morbidity may serve as an important strategy for improving asthma control. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary
The influence of ovulation number and ovarian dimensions on embryo production in superovulated cattle

Abstract Twenty-one cycling Angus heifers and five Holstein cows received a subcutaneous (SC) injection of 50 mg of progesterone (P) in oil for 14 consecutive days. On day 6 of (P) treatment, animals were injected intramuscularly (IM) with 6 mg of estradiol valerate, and on day 13, received an IM injection of 2,000 IU of Pregnant Mare Serum Gonadotropin. Three additional Angus heifers were used as non-hormone treated controls. Seventeen of 21 heifers and 4 of 5 cows (81%) exhibited estrus within 48 to 132 hr following P treatment. Two of the five animals in which estrus was not observed were palpated as pregnant and discarded from the study. Treatment animals showing estrus were randomly assigned either to Group I, animals bred by natural service, or Group II, animals artificially inseminated with two straws of frozen semen at 12-hr intervals for a total of four breedings. Twenty-one animals were slaughtered 2 to 6 days after the onset of estrus, and those animals in which estrus was not detected were slaughtered 10 days after the last P injection. Two of the 24 treated animals had no ovulations. A total of 397 ovulation points ( 397 22 ) were counted for a mean ovulation rate of 18 ovulations per animal. One hundred and fifty-six ova were recovered ( 156 397 ) for a collection rate of 39%. Group I animals had 44 of 66 (67%) of their ova fertilized while 23 of 71 (32%) of the ova in Group II were fertilized. Nineteen unfertilized eggs were collected from the three animals not observed in estrus. No differences in fertilization rates between the Group I and Group II animals were found. Mean ovarian width, length and weight in the treated animals was measured and found to be 3.5 ± 1.1 cm, 4.8 ± 1.4 cm, and 21.7 ± 21.2 gm, respectively. Ovarian width, length and weight were all positively correlated with the number of ovulations per ovary r=.74, r=.74, and r=.55, respectively. No significant correlation existed between ovarian width (r=.16), lenght (r=.21), or weight (r=.13) when compared to ova recovery rate. This result suggests that ovarian size or weight may not be the limiting factor involved in embryo recovery.
Notch pathway activation induces neuroblastoma tumor cell growth arrest

Background Notch pathway signaling has critical roles in differentiation, proliferation and survival, and has oncogenic or tumor suppressor effects in a variety of malignancies. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of Notch activation on human neuroblastoma cells.
Theory of photon echoes and hole burning in low temperature glasses: How good are the standard approximations?

The theory of optical photon echo and hole burning spectroscopies in low temperature glasses is discussed within the framework of the tunneling two-level system and stochastic sudden jump models. Exact results for the relevant theoretical quantities involve certain averages over the distributions of the two-level system energies and relaxation rates. The standard approximations for these averages are critically examined, for experimentally realistic parameters, via comparison to numerically exact calculations. The general conclusion is that the standard approximations are often used under conditions where they are not expected to be quantitatively accurate.
The Development of Uniform Titles for Choreographic Works

In 1994, the Library of Congress issued a rule interpretation to AACR2 detailing how uniform titles for choreographic works should be established. The value of the rule interpretation is discussed, and it is contrasted with prior practices. The origins of the concept behind the rule are traced back to the New York Public Library in the mid-twentieth century, and its evolution into the current guidelines is delineated.
Reexamination of the multiphase equilibria of the system carbon dioxide+n-butylbenzene+n-eicosane

Abstract In a previous study, Zarah et al. (1974) reported on the three-phase liquid—liquid—vapor phase equilibria of the ternary mixture CO 2 +n -butylbenzene+n-eicosane, using a combination of stoichiometric and sampling experiments. In addition to identifying some of the boundaries of the three-phase surface and measuring the selectivity of the hydrocarbons between the two liquid phases, they reported the rather unusual phenomenon of density inversion of the two liquid phases at ambient temperatures for systems rich in n-butylbenzene vis-a-vis n-eicosane. In this present study, performed using only stoichiometric means but with visual cell pressure discrimination of ± 70 Pa, achieved by coupling a dead weight gauge to a differential pressure transducer, we (1) complete the identification of all the boundaries of the three-phase surface extending from the CO 2 +n-eicosane binary liquid—liquid—vapor locus, (2) report the liquid phase compositions of all the components, not just the hydrocarbon liquid—liquid selectivity, and (3) show that the apparent “density inversion” is instead a switch of the system from one type of consolute point locus to another, these loci being separated by a lower critical end point (LCEP).
Tracking blood flow and tissue motion using optical correlation

Optical correlation systems can be used to measure blood flow and tissue motion in any direction in the plane of an ultrasound image. A detailed description of a joint transform correlator (JTC) used to track the movement of speckle is presented. The JTC system required placing a filter at the Fourier plane to enable accurate tracking. Results obtained from this system demonstrate that optical correlation can measure the speckle movement with an accuracy comparable to that of digital methods currently being used. Moreover, optical methods have potential advantages in speed, size, and power consumption. In addition, results from measuring the velocity of blood flow and tissue motion are presented.
A non-uniform DFT-based batch acquisition method for enhanced DME (eDME) Carrier Phase: Concept, simulations, and flight test results

This paper proposes a novel batch acquisition method for eDME Carrier Phase based on non-uniform DFT. The theoretical false acquisition, failed acquisition, and wrong acquisition upper bounds are derived analytically and validated by Monte Carlo simulations. Actual flight test data recordings suggest the existence of substantial RF interference. Two algorithms are proposed to mitigate this interference. The resulting acquisition performance shows zero false and wrong acquisition and a very acceptable failed acquisition rate for the entire flight test.
Dobutamine-induced Intraventricular ObstructionA “Dagger” to the Anesthetized Heart?

URING dobutamine stress echocardiography, Doppler recordings across the left ventricular outflow tract are obtained both at rest and with stress if the sonographer notes hyperdynamic function or systolic anterior motion of the anterior mitral valve leaflet. Figure A demonstrates a normal continuous-wave Doppler recording through the left ventricular outflow tract at rest. The velocity begins to rise after aortic valve opening and peaks at 1.9 m/s in early systole. In both parts of the figure, an asterisk marks the peak velocity, and an arrow identifies the point in the electrocardiogram waveform that temporally coincides with the peak velocity. The pressure gradient (∆ P) is calculated using the modified Bernoulli equation where ∆ P = 4 × (peak velocity). 2 In figure B, continuous-wave Doppler interrogation during dobutamine stress reveals significant dynamic left ventricular outflow tract obstruction with the characteristic “dagger-shaped” Doppler spectrum traced in red. This velocity peaks at 5.9 m/s in mid-to-late systole, as drag forces and the Venturi effect culminate in mitral leaflet-septal contact.
Ein Molybdän-Eisen-Schwefel-Cluster mit Strukturelementen des Nitrogenase-P-Clusters

Eisen-Molybdan-CofaktorundP-Cluster sind zwei essentielle Komponenten in Fe-Mo-Nitrogenasen. Erstmals gelang die Synthese eines Clusters, dessen Fragmente wesentliche Strukturmerkmale des Nitrogenase-P-Clusters aufweisen. Die im Bild gezeigte Verbindung, ein Cluster der Zusammensetzung Mo6Fe20S30, wurde durch Einkristall-Rontgenstrukturanalyse und 57Fe-Mosbauer-Spektroskopie charakterisiert.
In silico screening of carbon-capture materials

One of the main bottlenecks to deploying large-scale carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) in power plants is the energy required to separate the CO(2) from flue gas. For example, near-term CCS technology applied to coal-fired power plants is projected to reduce the net output of the plant by some 30% and to increase the cost of electricity by 60-80%. Developing capture materials and processes that reduce the parasitic energy imposed by CCS is therefore an important area of research. We have developed a computational approach to rank adsorbents for their performance in CCS. Using this analysis, we have screened hundreds of thousands of zeolite and zeolitic imidazolate framework structures and identified many different structures that have the potential to reduce the parasitic energy of CCS by 30-40% compared with near-term technologies.
Regulatory B cells control T-cell autoimmunity through IL-21-dependent cognate interactions

IL-21- and CD40-dependent cognate interactions with T cells are identified as key drivers for the generation of IL-10-producing regulatory B cells, which can protect against autoimmune disease. Subsets of regulatory B cells have been identified in both mice and humans, including the regulatory B10 cell subset that produces the inhibitory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10). B-cell derived IL-10 can protect against autoimmune disease in mice. Here, Thomas Tedder and colleagues identify IL-21- and CD-40-dependent cognate interactions with T cells as key drivers for the generation of IL-10-producing CD5+ regulatory B cells. Transfer of in vitro-expanded regulatory B cells is shown to suppress signs of disease in the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis mouse model of multiple sclerosis. This work suggests a novel strategy for the treatment of severe autoimmune diseases for which effective therapies are not available. B cells regulate immune responses by producing antigen-specific antibodies1. However, specific B-cell subsets can also negatively regulate T-cell immune responses, and have been termed regulatory B cells2,3,4. Human and mouse regulatory B cells (B10 cells) with the ability to express the inhibitory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) have been identified2,3,4,5. Although rare, B10 cells are potent negative regulators of antigen-specific inflammation and T-cell-dependent autoimmune diseases in mice5,6,7. How B10-cell IL-10 production and regulation of antigen-specific immune responses are controlled in vivo without inducing systemic immunosuppression is unknown. Using a mouse model for multiple sclerosis, here we show that B10-cell maturation into functional IL-10-secreting effector cells that inhibit in vivo autoimmune disease requires IL-21 and CD40-dependent cognate interactions with T cells. Moreover, the ex vivo provision of CD40 and IL-21 receptor signals can drive B10-cell development and expansion by four-million-fold, and generate B10 effector cells producing IL-10 that markedly inhibit disease symptoms when transferred into mice with established autoimmune disease. The ex vivo expansion and reinfusion of autologous B10 cells may provide a novel and effective in vivo treatment for severe autoimmune diseases that are resistant to current therapies.
Enzymatic characterization of c-Met receptor tyrosine kinase oncogenic mutants and kinetic studies with aminopyridine and triazolopyrazine inhibitors.

The c-Met receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) is a key regulator in cancer, in part, through oncogenic mutations. Eight clinically relevant mutants were characterized by biochemical, biophysical, and cellular methods. The c-Met catalytic domain was highly active in the unphosphorylated state (kcat = 1.0 s−1) and achieved 160-fold enhanced catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) upon activation to 425000 s−1 M−1. c-Met mutants had 2−10-fold higher basal enzymatic activity (kcat) but achieved maximal activities similar to those of wild-type c-Met, except for Y1235D, which underwent a reduction in maximal activity. Small enhancements of basal activity were shown to have profound effects on the acquisition of full enzymatic activity achieved through accelerating rates of autophosphorylation. Biophysical analysis of c-Met mutants revealed minimal melting temperature differences indicating that the mutations did not alter protein stability. A model of RTK activation is proposed to describe how a RTK response may be matched t...
Dietary Intake and Eating Behaviors of Young Adults Differ According to Student Status and Residence

Text: Few U.S. young adults consume diets consistent with current recommendations for health and little data are available to guide interventions for this diverse population. This study aimed to describe dietary intakes and eating behaviors of young adults according to postsecondary student status and residence. The sample consisted of 428 two-year college students, 587 four-year college students, and 649 nonstudents enrolled in a population-based study (Project EAT-II). Participants (44% male, mean age 20.5 years) completed surveys and food frequency questionnaires by mail in 2003-2004. Linear regression models adjusted for demographics were used to examine group differences. Differences according to student status were found for intakes of dark-green/orange vegetables, whole grains, soft drinks, saturated fat, and breakfast frequency. In general, male and female four-year students reported a more healthful dietary pattern compared to two-year students and non-students. Within categories of student status, differences were also found according to residence. Among twoyear students and non-students, males who lived with their parents generally reported more healthful patterns (e.g., less fast food, more frequent breakfast meals) in comparison to those who rented their residence. Among four-year students, females who lived on campus generally reported more healthful patterns (e.g., higher intakes of fruit and calcium) in comparison to those who rented their residence or lived with their parents. The results suggest a great need for nutrition interventions for young adults who are two-year college students and non-students. Interventions will need to be designed to support the unique needs and challenges of those living in different residential situations.
Structural organization of the N-terminal domain of apolipoprotein A-I: studies of tryptophan mutants.

Site-directed mutagenesis and detailed fluorescence studies were used to study the structure and dynamics of recombinant human proapolipoprotein (proapo) A-I in the lipid free state and in reconsti...
The Greek Hyperinflation and Stabilization of 1943–1946: A Reply

Karatzas finds fault with four aspects of my paper. I list these in order and show that where his claims are to the point they are based on an incomplete reading of his references and that the empirical evidence offered is not relevant to the issue raised. First, I state that the Greek hyperinflation was caused by an overreliance on the inflation tax-an overreliance due either to choice or necessity, as the puppet government did not tax sufficiently to cover its expenditures. Karatzas contends that the puppet government did enact a number of taxes, collected others in kind, and tightened expenditures. He says, however, that revenue fell because evasion was widespread and effective. Interesting though this may be, it does not contradict my view that insufficient revenue from explicit taxes was responsible for an overreliance on the inflation tax that caused the hyperinflation. Second, I state that the first stabilization plan was prepared in haste and note a number of conditions that militated against its success-essentially an overdependence on revenue from the sale of aid goods. Because of the high distribution cost of the aid goods and the decision to price them so as to effect a redistribution of income, they actually yielded no net revenue in 1945. Karatzas does not dispute that the plan was prepared in haste or that the reliance of revenue on the sale of aid goods was excessive. Rather, he argues, the stabilization plan was doomed from the start because the Americans and the Swedes refused to consent to the Greek government's proposed selling of war relief supplies for revenue. The source for Karatzas's claim is Harold Macmillan's The Blast of War.I I do not believe he has interpreted his source correctly. Macmillan's discussion of the nature of the American objection is unclear, but it was easily resolved: "We managed to laugh this off somehow."2 There is no doubt that the Swedish objection was also resolved before the stabilization plan was put into effect. It is worth quoting the relevant passage:
Phylogeny of Actinobacteria Small Subunit (SSU) rRNA Gene Clones Recovered From Marine Bacterioplankton

Summary Recent analyses of PCR-generated SSU rRNA gene clone libraries have revealed the presence of previously unidentified members of the class Actinobacteria (high G+C Gram positive bacteria) in a diverse array of natural environments. From terrestrial soil samples, Actinobacteria-related gene clones form several phylogenetic clusters, distantly related to their nearest cultivated relatives. Actinobacteria-related clones have also been discovered in SSU rRNA gene clone libraries from sea water, though a lack of representative clones with complete sequences has lead to uncertainties regarding their potential affiliation with terrestrial soil environmental gene clones, as well as uncertain phylogenetic relationships with reference strains from the class Actinobacteria . Herein, we show the phylogenetic position of PCR-generated SSU rRNA gene clones related to the class Actinobacteria recovered from three diverse populations of marine bacterioplankton, including a sample from a depth of 80 m in the Sargasso Sea and samples from a depth of 10 m over the eastern and western continental shelves of the United States. Employing phylogenetic methods which take into consideration potential bias due to unequal nucleotide frequencies between taxa, the nearly complete SSU rRNA gene sequence data presented here place the closely related marine clones (>97.4% similar) as deep branching members of the class Actinobacteria , distantly related to their nearest cultivated relatives. In addition, the clade of marine Actinobacteria gene clones did not demonstrate phylogenetically robust affiliations with any environmental gene clone sequences from terrestrial soil habitats. Based on their early divergence from the base of the Actinobacteria radiation and phylogenetic distance from other members of this class, microorganisms which possess SSU rRNA genes belonging to the marine Actinobacteria clade probably represent a previously unidentified subclass or order within the class Actinobacteria .
Reputation in the Simultaneous Play of Multiple Opponents

Reputation in the Simultaneous Play of Multiple OpponentsAuthor(s): Drew Fudenberg and David M. KrepsSource: The Review of Economic Studies, Vol. 54, No. 4 (Oct., 1987), pp. 541-568Published by: The Review of Economic Studies Ltd.Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2297482Accessed: 08/12/2010 01:55
Effects of high sound levels on responses to the vowel /ε/ in cat auditory nerve

Abstract The vowel /e/ was used to study auditory-nerve responses at high sound levels (60–110 dB). By changing the playback sampling rate of the stimulus, the second formant (F2) frequency was set at best frequency (BF) for fibers with BFs between 1 and 3 kHz. For vowel stimuli, auditory-nerve fibers tend to phase-lock to the formant component nearest the fiber's BF. The responses of fibers with BFs near F2 are captured by the F2 component, meaning that fibers respond as if the stimulus consisted only of the F2 component. These narrowband responses are seen up to levels of 80–100 dB, above which a response to F1 emerges. The F1 response grows, at the expense of the F2 response, and is dominant at the highest levels. The level at which the F1 response appears is BF dependent and is higher at lower BFs. This effect appears to be suppression of the F2 response by F1. At levels near 100 dB, a component 1/component 2 transition is observed. All components of the vowel undergo the transition simultaneously, as judged by the 180° phase inversion that occurs at the C2 transition. Above the C2 threshold, a broadband response to many components of the vowel is observed. These results demonstrate that the neural representation of speech in normal ears is degraded at high sound levels, such as those used in hearing aids.
Nutrient Restriction In Utero Induces Remodeling of the Vascular Extracellular Matrix in Rat Offspring

The uterine environment may influence the development of chronic diseases later in life. The authors hypothesized that maternal nutritional restriction prenatally induces remodeling of offspring blood vessels such that they become stiff and contribute to the development of adult hypertension. To test this hypothesis, the authors studied the blood vessels of offspring of dams that were exposed to 50% maternal food restriction (MFR) from e10 to term as compared to age-matched controls. In aortas of MFR offspring, there was a significant increase in elastin and glycosaminoglycans (GAG) at 1 day of age. By 2 months of life, there was a significant increase in collagen and a decrease in GAG in MFR offspring aortas. A redistribution of elastin was also noted in MFR offspring, with a significant decrease in the interelastin laminae at both 1 day and 2 months. In mesenteric arterioles of MFR offspring, there was a decrease in GAG in 1-day-old and 2-month-old MFR offspring. There were no changes in elastin in both age groups in mesenteric arterioles, and by 2 months of life, collagen deposition was also found in these resistance vessels. There was a significant increase in expression of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) mRNA in 1-day-old MFR aortas, while both MMP-9 and MMP-2 expression was increased in the 4-month-old MFR aortas. These results indicate a significant remodeling of the extracellular matrix occurs in both conduit and resistance vessels. By 2 months of life, the compositions of both vessel types are consistent with stiff vessels, a contributing factor to hypertension.
Effects of several schedules of knowledge of results on mathematics achievement.

Sunzmory.-Four forms o€ a program in mathematics, each varying in rhe amount of confirmation provided, were utilized in an investigation of scheduling knowledge of results for learners. The schedules were unrelated to achievemenr. In general, investigato~s in the area of programmed instruction have interpreted the findings concerning knowledge of results (KR) as support for providing S with specific and immediate KR of the correctness of his response. Because of the format of tr~e linear program, a format in which each frame of information is accompanied by a question to which the learner must respond overtly, KR seems to play an i~nportant role. Whether the correct response must be provided is of importance not only as a learning variable but also in the design and manufacture of programmed materials. Recent studies suggest that presenting 100% KR may not produce the most efficient learning. Moore and Smich (1961) and Moore and Smith (1962) found that providing Ss with knowledge of the correct response did not facilitate learning of spelling or of psychology; in fact, the groups which did not have KR in the form of the confirming response did as well or better on the criterion measures. Holland ( 1960 ) compared post-rest scores of groups receiving continuo~is KR and no KR to frames in the Holland-Skinner program and found no differences. Hough and Revsin (1963) found no differences between a teaching machine group receiving 100% KR and two programmed text groups, one receiving 100% KR and the ocher no KR. Whatever else these findings signify, they certainly challenge the necessity of providing KR in programmed units. This suggests either that some parcial schedule of KR would be more efficient or that KR in the form of the correct answer does not have the reinforcing properties chat Skinner and othcrs have attributed to it. In the area of programmed instruction, the initial investigarion of parcial KR was conducted by Krumboltz and Weisman (1962), who employed several schedi~les of KR by omitting the answers to certain frames. They used six schedules of KR: 100% KR, no KR, 33% KR in a fixed and in a variable pattern, and 66% KR in a fixed and in a variable pattern. They found that achievement on the criterion test was not related to the amount of KR utilized. It must be noted that there were several variables in their design which may have reduced differences. First, Krumboltz and Weisman point out chat in order
Precocity predicts shorter life for major league baseball players: confirmation of McCann's precocity-longevity hypothesis.

We tested McCann's precocity-longevity hypothesis, which proposes that early career achievement is related to premature death, for Major League baseball players (N = 3,760). Age at debut was the definition for precocity. We controlled for possible artifacts of life expectancy selection, the “healthy worker” effect, player position, and body-mass index. Statistically significant Pearson correlations occurred between precocity and longevity, and remained significant when adjusted for artifacts. In a hierarchical multiple regression, every year a baseball player debuted before the average age of 23.6 years was associated with life span being shortened by 0.24 years. The results support the hypothesis that earlier achievement is associated with earlier death.