cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multiple forms of type I glycogen storage disease: underlying mechanisms

Abstract Three variants of Type I glycogen storage disease have been identified and their underlying biochemistry determined. All are characterized by a much diminished or absent function of glucose-6-phosphatase. The current concept is that Type Ia glycogenosis results from the congenital absence of the catalytic unit of glucose-6-phosphatase. With Types Ib and Ic, the catalytic unit remains intact, but the microsomal membrane transport function specific for glucose 6-phosphate is absent in Type Ib, and aberrant function of a second transporter specific for orthophosphate, inorganic pyrophosphate and carbamyl-phosphate is involved in the Type Ic condition.
A Punch to the Gut: IL-9 Promotes Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD) are the two most common forms of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). IBD patients often posses abnormalities in adaptive immunity, particularly in CD4+ T helper (TH) cells, although evidence has suggested that different subsets of TH cells may be preferentially involved in the pathogenesis of UC and CD. Gerlach et al. have demonstrated in a recent paper that a subset of TH cells, interleukin-9 (IL-9)–producing TH9 cells, contributed specifically to the disease development in UC. The authors first found that both IL-9 message and IL-9–producing CD4+ cells were significantly up-regulated in the lamina propria of UC patients but not in those of CD patients or healthy subjects. Furthermore, UC patients had higher numbers of CD4+ cells expressing PU.1, a critical transcription factor for the development of TH9 cells and elevated IL-9 receptor expression on intestinal epithelial cells. To study the function of IL-9 in UC, the authors used a mouse oxazolone-induced colitis model and found that IL-9 was mainly produced by mucosal lymphocytes in this model. Importantly, IL-9–deficient mice or mice treated with an IL-9–neutralizing antibody had more greatly reduced colitis than their controls, suggesting that IL-9 is a key factor contributing to disease development in UC. Using a series of elegant in vivo and in vitro experiments, the authors went on to demonstrate that IL-9 promoted colitis through its effects on the amplification of mucosal inflammation and the regulation of intestinal barrier function. Strikingly, the authors also showed that IL-9 was of critical relevance in the settings of chronic intestinal diseases because the blockade of IL-9 function reduced disease severity in two mouse models of chronic colitis. These findings have identified IL-9 as a pathogenic factor in UC and thus have greatly improved our understanding on the molecular etiology of UC. It will be informative in the future to determine whether the levels of IL-9 or TH9 cells in UC patients positively correlate with their clinical scores in larger scale of clinical studies. Nevertheless, the results in this paper promise to open the door to new UC therapeutics targeting the IL-9 pathway. K. Gerlach et al. , TH9 cells that express the transcription factor PU.1 drive T cell–mediated colitis via IL-9 receptor signaling in intestinal epithelial cells. Nat. Immunol. , published online 8 June 2014 (10.1038/ni.2920). [[PubMed]][1] [1]: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24908389
Willingness to pay for a quality-adjusted life year: implications for societal health care resource allocation.

Background. Health-state preferences can be combined with willingness-to-pay (WTP) data to calculate WTP per qualityadjusted life year (QALY). The WTP/QALY ratios provide insight into societal valuations of expenditures for medical interventions. Methods. The authors measured preferences for current health in 3 patient populations (N = 391) using standard gamble, time trade-off, visual analog scale, and WTP, then they calculated WTP/QALY ratios. The ratios were comparedwithseveralproposedcost/QALYcost-effectivenessratio thresholds, the value-of-life literature, and with WTP/ QALY ratios derived from published preference research.Results. Mean WTP/QALY ratios ranged from $12,500 to $32,200 (2003 $US). All values were below most published cost-effectivenessratiothresholds,belowtheratiofromaprototypic medical treatment covered by Medicare (i.e., renal dialysis), and below ratios from the value-of-life literature. The WTP/QALY ratios were similar to those calculated from published preference data for patients with symptomatic menopause, dentofacial deformities, asthma, or dermatologic disorders. Conclusions. WTP/QALY ratios calculated using preference data collected from diverse populations are lower thanmostproposedthresholdsfordeterminingwhatis“costeffective.” Current proposed cost-effectiveness ratio thresholds may overestimate the willingness of society to pay for medical interventions. Key words: cost-effectiveness analysis; preferences; QALYs; utility; willingness to pay. (Med Decis Making 2005;25:667–677)
A Nonwounding Greenhouse Screening Protocol for Prediction of Field Resistance of Hybrid Poplar to Septoria Canker.

Abstract Populus spp. and their hybrids are short-rotation woody crops which supply fiber to a diversity of industries in North America. The potential of hybrid poplar trees has been limited by the fungal pathogen Septoria musiva, the cause of leaf spot and stem canker of Populus spp. An inoculation protocol that does not rely on stem wounding to achieve infection was recently developed to screen poplar clones for resistance to Septoria canker. Prior to this study, the relationship between results obtained using this inoculation protocol and long-term field resistance of clones was unknown. Young ramets of 14 clones of hybrid poplar that were previously assigned to long-term canker damage categories (low, intermediate, and high) were inoculated with a conidial suspension of three isolates of S. musiva under greenhouse conditions. Three weeks post inoculation, lesion number, lesions per centimeter of stem length, area of stem that was necrotic, and proportion of stem area that was necrotic were measured. L...
Multiple Gaussian Targets: The Track-on-Jam Problem

When a radar with amplitude comparison monopulse arithmetic encounters signals from multiple Gaussian sources it will "point" to the centroid of the incident radiation. The probability density function (pdf) of the monopulse ratio when N independent samples of difference and sum signals are processed in a maximum likelihood receiver is derived. For finite jam-to-noise ratio the estimate has a bias which is independent of N. The variance in the estimate does however depend upon N. Central moments of order less than or equal 2N - 2 exist and are given by a simple formula. Plots of the pdf and its bias and variance for various jam-to-noise ratios, locations of the centroid with respect to the boresight direction, and number of samples processed are presented in the accompanying figures.
Classification of mass customisation: a Socio-Technical System perspective

Mass customisation from Socio-Technical System (STS) perspective provides an integrative view that corrects the imbalance stemming from over-emphasising the role of particular functions (e.g., marketing, operations and/or strategy). Building on some seminal articles in this area, we have endeavoured to generate a classification model that implies effective management of work-related and organisational factors for mass customisation. In doing so, this paper expands STS-related mass customisation literature and provides a possible direction for future empirical study. Managerial implication for managing mass customisation is also provided.
Response to ‘Biodiversity “surpluses” and “deficits” are not novel issues’: We agree

Extinction and immigration events set in motion by environmental change can take a long time to play out, leading to transient extinction debts and immigration credits for particular communities, landscapes or regions [1]. When we prepared our article discussing these phenomena [1], we were unaware of Dr. Nagelkerke's book chapter [2], and regret our oversight. As Dr. Nagelkerke points out in his commentary, that chapter develops a concept of colonization credit that is parallel to our concept of immigration credit.
Application of Dynamic State Variable Models for Multiple-Generation Product Lines With Cannibalization Across Generations

Multiple-generation product strategy is favored in a variety of markets. Instead of introducing a single product to the market, companies incline to introduce a line of multiple-generation products to the market to better utilize technology assets and resources in an elongated time span. For such product development and launch scenarios, cannibalization can occur however. That is, when a new product generation comes to the market, the current generation is not withdrawn from the market but remains in the market to compete with the new one. In this research, we propose a new framework to predict the sales and introduction timing for every product generation in a multiple-generation product line. Based on historical sales trend from a similar product of an existing and mature market, the proposed framework can effectively predict the performance of the entire product line over its lifecycle. In this study, we demonstrate a case study implementing the proposed framework on Apple Incorporation’s iPhone product line. The result shows that the forecast performance of the model is very close to real data.
Unique characteristics of rat spleen lymphocyte, l1210 lymphoma and hela cells in glutathione biosynthesis from sulfur-containing amino acids.

Suspensions of rat spleen lymphocyte, murine L1210 lymphoma and HeLa cells were partially depleted of glutathione (GSH) with diethyl maleate and allowed to utilize either [35S]methionine, [35S]cystine or [35S]-cysteine for GSH synthesis. Lymphocytes preferentially utilize cysteine, compared to cystine, at a ratio of about 30 to 1, which was not related to differences in the extent of amino acid uptake. Only HeLa cells displayed a slight utilization of methionine via the cystathionine pathways for cysteine and GSH biosynthesis. HeLa and L1210 cells readily utilized either cystine or cysteine for GSH synthesis. The three cell types accumulated detectable levels of intracellular cysteine glutathione mixed disulfide when incubated in a medium containing a high concentration of cystine. Various enzyme activities were measured including γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, GSH S-transferase and γ-cystathionase. These results support the concept of a dynamic interorgan relationship of GSH to plasma cyst(e)ine that may have importance for growth of various cell types in vivo.
Self-generation of organized waves in an impinging turbulent jet at low Mach number

Self-generation of highly organized waves in a nominally turbulent jet at very low Mach number can arise from its impingement upon the downstream orifice of an axisymmetric cavity, having an impingement length much shorter than the corresponding acoustic wavelength. The oscillation frequencies are compatible with the resonant modes of a long pipe located upstream of the cavity and with jet-instability frequencies based on the column mode (0·3 [siml ] SD [siml ] 0·6), as well as the near-field shear layer mode (0·016 [siml ] Sθ0 [siml ] 0·03). Moreover, the frequency of the organized wave is constant from separation to impingement; consequently vortex pairing does not occur.Within the cavity, the pressure amplitude associated with the organized wave is directly related to the phase difference between the organized velocity fluctuations at separation and impingement. Maximum pressure amplitude occurs when this phase difference, measured along the cavity (i.e. jet) centre-line, is 2nπ. Streamwise amplitude and phase distributions of the organized wave cannot be explained from purely hydrodynamic considerations; however, they can be effectively modelled by superposing contributions from hydrodynamic and acoustic waves. This aspect has important consequences for externally excited jets as well.
Basic Biological Sciences Augmentation of Rat Mandibular Ridge with Demineralized Bone Implants

Demineralized bone implants were placed as onlays in submucosal pockets on the edentulous segment of the rat mandible, between the incisor and posterior teeth. These implants, predictably, induced osteogenesis. The mass of induced bone and implant was united to the ridge by two weeks, and there was little or no resorption over a six-month follow-up period. This study suggests that demineralized bone implants may be useful for mandibular ridge augmentation.
Experiences porting Pascal source from a micro computer to a Vax

In March 1984, I ported a good sized Pascal project from an Intel 8086-based micro computer to a Vax11/780. The Pascal compilers on both systems had been implemented long before the Pascal standard [2] was accepted in 1983; consequently neither compiler adheres exactly to the standard. The "Pascal-86" compiler on the Intel micro computer is a user friendly, multipass implementation with various extensions over the standard. Tne Vax Pascal compiler is the Berkeley "PC" implementation running under Unix, version 4.2.I anticipated this task with great pleasure, because I expected that I would be replacing a slow development machine with a fast runner. Also this was an opportunity to test my main design goal which was the writing of software that can be rehosted and retargeted with no effort. By "no effort", I mean that the software can be reconstructed from existing programs with less than 1% of the time of rewriting it altogether.My main goal was successful. In this article, I describe the porting project and list a few surprises encountered along the way. This report was inspired by Sites, who describes a rehosting effort similar to mine in [1].
Magnetic clouds, geomagnetic disturbances, and cosmic ray decreases

Nineteen magnetic clouds are identified in the years from 1978 through 1982 and studied using superposed epoch analysis. The magnetic-field intensity, proton density and proton temperature are enhanced ahead of magnetic clouds that are preceded by shock, while strong magnetic-field intensity and low proton temperature are observed within the clouds. A relatively large (about 2.5 percent) decrease in cosmic-ray intensity is associated with magnetic clouds that are preceded by a shock, perhaps caused by the turbulent sheath behind an interplanetary shock ahead of the magnetic cloud, whereas only a small (0.5 percent) decrease in intensity is associated with the magnetic cloud itself. Magnetic clouds can produce geomagnetic activity with a decrease in Dst index of the order 100 gamma. The magnitude of the change in the Dst index for the case when southward fields arrive first is comparable to that for the case when northward fields arrive first, and the phase is such that geomagnetic activity is associated with southward fields.
RELATIVE BRAIN SIZE AND FEEDING STRATEGIES IN THE CHIROPTERA.

Pirlot and Stephan (1970) demonstrated that the relative brain size varied greatly when nine families of Chiroptera were compared. Some 51 species were studied and an average index of encephalization for each family was calculated. They pointed out that the Pteropidae, Desmodontinae, and Noctilionidae had the highest indices of encephalization for their sample. Stephan and Pirlot (1970) expanded the above observations by comparing the relative volumes of 11 brain structures for 18 species drawn from eight families. These volumes were then compared with equivalent volumes derived for a series of "basal" insectivores (Suncus, Sorex, Tenrec, Hemicentetes). Although specific brain structures evolve at different rates within each family with some structures declining in relative size and others increasing, a generalized correlation of brain size with feeding habits could be made. The relative size of the neocortex showed a strong positive correlation with the degree of encephalization. This correlation in turn could be related to dietary specializations. They proposed that the Noctilionidae, Desmodontinae, and Pteropidae showed the highest development of the neocortex, but were broadly overlapped by certain species of the Phyllostomatidae. The order Chiroptera includes two distinct lineages which have been separated since the Eocene: the Pteropidae or Megachiroptera and the Microchiroptera. The ancestral Pteropidae may have attained the capacity for flight after diverging from a flightless common ancestor which in turn gave rise to the ancestral microchiropteran. The species of the microchiropteran family Phyllostomatidae are rather unified morphologically, but their origins are somewhat obscure (Smith, 1976). No doubt they separated from ancestral microchiropterans before the Oligocene and radiated in the Neotropics without competition from the Megachiroptera. In their exploitation of feeding niches in the Neotropics through adaptive radiation, the phyllostomatid bats exhibit the principle of complementarity (Darlington, 1957) in that they parallel the niche subdivision seen in the radiation of the Megachiroptera in the Palaeotropics. We measured the cranial capacities of 225 species of bats from 14 families including all families and genera previously studied by Stephan and Pirlot (1970). We wished to confirm their conclusions about encephalization and refine their first order correlation with dietary specializations. We did not use actual brain weights but estimated brain volume from a measurement of cranial capacity, using lead shot and volumetric correction constants.
Comparative study of the protein kinase associated with animal viruses.

Abstract The properties of the protein kinase associated with vesicular stomatitis, rabies, Semliki Forest, Sindbis, Sendai, viper, vaccinia, pseudorabies and frog viruses are compared. In a cell-free system, virus-associated enzyme activity is stimulated by treatment with detergent but not by the presence of cyclic nucleotides. Phosvitin is the most efficient phosphate acceptor protein for assaying the protein kinase activity of most of the virus tested and increases the sensitivity of the assay from 18- to 1,700-fold. The optimum temperature for demonstrating the virus-associated protein kinase activity varied from 19–40°.
Increasing viscosity of E. coli chromatin with increasing shear

We have observed that the viscosity of a solution of E. coli chromatin increases as the shear to which the solution is subjected is suddenly increased. This dilatant effect is opposite to the usual thixotropic non-Newtonian effects that are observed in DNA solutions. We suggest that the observed dilatancy may be explained in terms of shear-induced aggregation of large DNA molecules. Conditions for aggregation are discussed in the context of the “cluster theory” of condensation.
Biochemical Evidence for an Interaction of Ethanol and Stress: Preliminary Studies

Studies were carried out to examine the interaction of stress and ethanol. Ethanol (0.5 g/kg)-treated, stressed (electric foot shocks) rats exhibited less marked elevations in plasma levels of nonesterified fatty acids and of corticosterone compared to saline-treated stressed subjects. Stress alone markedly elevated these two parameters in plasma. Ethanol treatment alone also resulted in small elevations in both parameters. Results provide support for a significant interaction of ethanol and stress, and might provide some basis for the purported stress-relieving effect of low doses of ethanol.
Predisposing, Enabling, and Need Predictors of Community versus Institutional Long-Term Care

Abstract This research explored characteristics of the elderly that are associated with the use of long-term care services. Using the 1999 National Long Term Care Survey, logistic regression was employed to examine the relationship of race with the use of formal and informal long-term care. This study also examined the relationship of health insurance with the use of formal and informal long-term care. The Andersen Model on health services utilization was used as the theoretical framework. The findings indicated that race was not associated with the use of long-term care but rather with predisposing, enabling, and need variables. Health insurance was found to be associated with the use of long-term care even after controlling for predisposing enabling and need variables.
Electronic Roundup: Invisible Web

When using general search engines, such as Google, Yahoo!, or MSN, few Web users will question what has been excluded from a search result. Yet, these and other general search engines are unable to...
Quality of life in adults with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: baseline data from the nonalcoholic steatohepatitis clinical research network.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease in the United States. The association between NAFLD and quality of life (QOL) remains unclear. These data are important to estimate the burden of illness in NAFLD. The aim was to report QOL scores of adults with NAFLD and examine the association between NAFLD severity and QOL. QOL data were collected from adults with NAFLD enrolled in the Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Clinical Research Network using the Short Form 36 (SF-36) survey, and scores were compared with normative U.S. population scores. Liver biopsy histology was reviewed by a central pathology committee. A total of 713 subjects with NAFLD (male = 269, female = 444) were included. Mean age of subjects was 48.3 years; 61% had definite nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and 28% had bridging fibrosis or cirrhosis. Diabetes was present in 27% of subjects. Subjects with NAFLD had worse physical (mean, 45.2) and mental health scores (mean, 47.6) compared with the U.S. population with (mean, 50) and without (physical, 55.8; mental, 52.5) chronic illness. Subjects with NASH reported lower physical health compared with subjects with fatty liver disease without NASH (44.5 versus 47.1, P = 0.02). Subjects with cirrhosis had significantly (P < 0.001) poorer physical health scores (38.4) than subjects with no (47.6), mild (46.2), moderate (44.6), or bridging fibrosis (44.6). Cirrhosis was associated with poorer physical health after adjusting for potential confounders. Mental health scores did not differ between participants with and without NASH or by degree of fibrosis. Conclusion: Adults with NAFLD have a significant decrement in QOL. Treatment of NAFLD should incorporate strategies to improve QOL, especially physical health. (HEPATOLOGY 2009.)
Automated synthesis of macro/behavioral models for mixed analog/digital circuits, including complete power supply effects

The authors describe a system for automated generation of macro/behavioral models for SPICE-based simulation. These tools facilitate the generation of parametric models incorporating fixed and/or variable topologies for a wide range of analog and digital blocks. The macro/behavioral models can operate at several levels of complexity. The highest level models accurately emulate model parametric variation with power supply, transient supply currents, and supply interference effects. Two methodologies are available for defining behavioral models for logic blocks. An even-driven native logic simulator, FLOGIC, has been developed to seamlessly interact with the SPICE engine. FLOGIC provides a systematic and convenient method to create behavioral functions. These functions provide higher accuracy by including second-order effects such as dependencies of propagation delay and thresholds on input signals. >
Use of cisterns during antiquity in the Mediterranean region for water resources sustainability

From the early civilizations people in arid and semi-arid regions have relied on collecting or ‘harvesting’ surface water from rainfall and storing the water in human-made reservoirs or ‘cisterns.’ The storage of rainwater runoff has been constructed in the entire region around the Mediterranean and the Near East since the 3rd millennium bc. Not only were cisterns used to store rainfall runoff they were also used to store aqueduct water to allow for seasonal variations in the supply. Cisterns during ancient times ranged from the construction of irregular shaped holes (tanks) dug out of sand and loose rock, and then lined with plaster (stucco) water proofing, to the construction of rather sophisticated structures such as those built by the Romans and Byzantines. The primary objective herein is to provide a review of the use of cisterns by ancient civilizations in the Mediterranean region, and to relate the use of these cisterns to water resources sustainability of the past and the present, outlining the lessons learned.
Acetylation of a Conserved Lysine Residue in the ATP Binding Pocket of p38 Augments Its Kinase Activity during Hypertrophy of Cardiomyocytes

Like phosphorylation, acetylation of lysine residues within a protein is considered a biologically relevant modification that controls the activity of target proteins. During stress of cells, massive protein acetylation takes place. Here, we show that p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), which controls many biological functions during stress, is reversibly acetylated by PCAF/p300 and HDAC3. We identified two acetylated lysine residues, K152 and K53, located in the substrate binding domain and in the ATP-binding pocket of p38, respectively. Acetylation of lysine 53 enhanced the activity of p38 by increasing its affinity for ATP binding. The enhanced acetylation and activation of p38 were found to be in parallel with reduced intracellular ATP levels in cardiomyocytes under stress, as well as in vivo models of cardiac hypertrophy. Thus, our data show, for the first time, that p38 activity is critically regulated by, in addition to phosphorylation, reversible acetylation of a lysine residue, which is conserved in other kinases, implying the possibility of a similar mechanism regulating their activity.
A Process Model of Individual Career Decision Making

A theoretical process model of career decision making is presented. The model draws on research in career theory as well as other areas of decision making. The complex interaction of roles, role expectations, search, and evaluation procedures with the environment is reviewed and integrated in the model. The model and its propositions provide a theoretical framework by which future research may be guided.
Remotely measuring a thin dielectric coating on a metallic cylinder

A laser optical metrology system is described that remotely measures at high rate the presence and thickness of a thin-film lubricant on metallic cylinders with diameters on the order of 0.5 mm. Applications include remote measurement of hypodermic needle dielectric coating thickness in a clean room environment. High accuracy computer simulation of the electric field scattered from a coated cylinder by an incident laser beam is demonstrated using the condition numbers of the matrices defined by the boundary value matching equations derived from the eigenfunction expansion of the exact solution to Maxwell’s equations. Dielectric coatings from 1 μmto 50 μm are seen to be readily observed and accurately measured using a remotely placed CMOS array. Distinctive signatures are shown for film thicknesses in the range from 0 to 10 μm, and an appropriate location for CMOS detector placement is determined from the scattering patterns.
Protection of Rotating A-C Machines Against Traveling Wave Voltages Due to Lightning

The problem of providing protection for rotating a-c machines against lightning overvoltages has two parts: 1. The protection of insulation to ground, which is mainly a question of the magnitude of the overvoltage, and 2. The protection of turn insulation, which is primarily a matter of wave front. To meet the first requirement, the overvoltage to ground must be limited to a safe value. This is assumed to be approximately equal to the crest value of the 60-cycle high potential test. To fulfill the second requirement, the turn voltage gradient must be limited to conform to the turn insulation. To secure these results, a protective scheme is proposed, which includes arresters 2,000 feet and 500 feet out on the line, or other means, to limit the incoming voltage to 2.5 times the crest value of the terminal arrester rating, a special arrester at the machine terminal to limit the voltage to the crest value of the machine high potential test, and a capacitor at the machine terminal to slope the wave front, thus limiting the turn-to-turn stresses. The capacitor also serves to limit internal overvoltages due to reflection at the neutral. For neutral grounded solidly or through resistance equal to or less than the combined surge impedance of the machine windings 0.1, ?f capacitance is sufficient; while for isolated neutral, capacitance up to 0.5 ?f may be necessary. Ground wires over the line for the initial 2,000 feet are recommended to protect against direct strokes.
Vertebrate retina and hypothalamus development

The vertebrate retina and hypothalamus, which emerge from adjacent regions of the ventral diencephalon, provide accessible experimental systems for analysis of the molecular mechanisms by which neuronal subtype diversity is specified, and how this neuronal subtype diversity regulates perception and behavior. Although the retina emerges as a lateral extension of the hypothalamus prior to the onset of neurogenesis, the retina and hypothalamus go on to eventually be comprised of almost entirely different cell types, and differ extensively in the spatial organization, function, and connectivity of these cells. Despite these differences in cell composition, there are a number of mechanistic and molecular similarities in the process of cell fate specification in both organs, including a stereotyped temporal sequence in which major cell types are generated. Although a handful of genes have been identified in both systems that direct cell fate specification, many more remain to be characterized, and large numbers of candidate genes have been identified in recent high-throughput screens, particularly in retina. Experimental challenges for the near future include functional analysis of the genes identified so far, and the use of the molecular pathways gained from analysis of the development of specific neuronal lineages to study the contribution of these cells to perception and behavior.
Development of novel drug delivery vehicles.

Nanovectors, which are nanoparticles capable of transporting and delivering one or more bioactive molecules, are an emerging class of drug delivery platforms [1–3]. Nanoparticles are defined as having one dimension between 1 and 100 nm. Nanovectors have high surface areas, allowing for efficient drug loading, and these particles are small enough to cross biological barriers and transport their cargo into cells. Nanovectors are commonly functionalized with an external shell of polyethylene glycol as this amphiphilic polymer serves to mask the vehicle from the reticuloendothelial system and allows prolonged circulation. The ultimate goal is to achieve selective drug action where it is needed, sparing the rest of the body from side effects. It is anticipated in the near-term that nanovectors will enable the delivery of new classes of therapeutics, particularly RNAand DNA-based therapies, and that these therapeutics will be more actively and efficiently targeted to their desired site of action. Over a longer period of time, the nanovectors themselves will be designed to possess their own therapeutic activity that will work s ynergistically with the drug being delivered.
Slavery in colonial New York City

Manhattan's landscape contains few material reminders of its colonial past. Traces of the Native Americans who frequented the island, the Dutch who planted New Amsterdam at its tip and the various European and African peoples who populated the city renamed New York by the English in 1664 are few and far between. Though the obliteration of the tangible remains of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century city dwellers speeded the transformation of Manhattan into a vibrant twentieth-century metropolis, the dearth of visible signs of this era has complicated historians' efforts to fabricate enduring images of the men and women of this early urban society. Their stories, though dutifully rehearsed by schoolbook writers and museum curators, have rarely become etched in memory.
Structural and thermodynamic encoding in the sequence of rat microsomal cytochrome b5

The water-soluble domain of rat microsomal cytochrome b5 is a convenient protein with which to inspect the connection between amino acid sequence and thermodynamic properties. In the absence of its single heme cofactor, cytochrome b5 contains a partially folded stretch of ˜30 residues. This region is recognized as prone to disorder by programs that analyze primary structures for such intrinsic features. The cytochrome was subjected to amino acid replacements in the folded core (I12A), in the portion that refolds only when in contact with the heme group (N57P), and in both (F35H/H39A/L46Y). Despite the difficulties associated with measuring thermodynamic quantities for the heme-bound species, it was possible to rationalize the energetic consequences of both types of replacements and test a simple equation relating apoprotein and holoprotein stability. In addition, a phenomenological relationship between the change in Tm (the temperature at the midpoint of the thermal transition) and the change in thermodynamic stability determined by chemical denaturation was observed that could be used to extend the interpretation of incomplete holoprotein stability data. Structural information was obtained by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy toward an atomic-level analysis of the effects. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 89: 428–442, 2008. This article was originally published online as an accepted preprint. The “Published Online” date corresponds to the preprint version. You can request a copy of the preprint by emailing the Biopolymers editorial office at biopolymers@wiley.com
Invasive California poppies (Eschscholzia californica Cham.) grow larger than native individuals under reduced competition

Invasive plants can be larger and more fecund in their invasive range than in their native range, although it is unknown how often this is a result of a genetically controlled shift in traits, a plastic response to a favourable environment, or a combination thereof. Here we present data from common garden experiments that compare the size and fecundity of native and invasive California poppies, Eschscholzia californica Cham. Individuals from 20 populations, half from California (native) and half from Chile (invasive), were grown both with and without competition from other plants in a container experiment and at two field locations. There were no differences in survival between native and invasive plants at any location. We found significant increases in size and fecundity in invasive populations at two of three locations when poppies were grown without competition from other plants. Our results indicate that genetic shifts in traits have occurred in invasive populations, and that the invasive plants are better at maximizing growth and reproduction in open environments.
A matrix method for determining the imaginary axis eigenvalues of a delay system

The author considers autonomous neutral or retarded matrix delay differential systems. The imaginary axis eigenvalues of such a system are shown to be contained in the set of generalized eigenvalues of an associated matrix pair. If the system is not a singular neutral system, one can replace generalized eigenvalues by the eigenvalues of a single matrix. We also show in both the neutral and retarded cases that system pure imaginary eigenvalues are limited to the values at which an associated second degree matrix polynomial becomes singular. Associated system eigenvectors are also eigenvectors of this matrix polynomial. Examples are given in which the matrix, the matrix pair, and the matrix polynomial are used for stability analysis.
A Statistical Model of Facial Attractiveness

Previous research has identified facial averageness and sexual dimorphism as important factors in facial attractiveness. The averageness and sexual dimorphism accounts provide important first steps in understanding what makes faces attractive, and should be valued for their parsimony. However, we show that they explain relatively little of the variance in facial attractiveness, particularly for male faces. As an alternative to these accounts, we built a regression model that defines attractiveness as a function of a face's position in a multidimensional face space. The model provides much more predictive power than the averageness and sexual dimorphism accounts and reveals previously unreported components of attractiveness. The model shows that averageness is attractive in some dimensions but not in others and resolves previous contradictory reports about the effects of sexual dimorphism on the attractiveness of male faces.
Computational and experimental study of a microwave electromagnetic bandgap structure with waveguiding defect for potential use as a bandpass wireless interconnect

As clock rates continue to rise, problems with signal integrity, cross-coupling, and radiation may render impractical the baseband metallic interconnects presently used in computers. A potential means to address this problem is to use bandpass wireless interconnects operating at millimeter-wave center frequencies. We have conducted experimental and finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) computational studies scaled to a 10 GHz center frequency of single-row and double-row waveguiding defects within an electromagnetic bandgap structure. Our initial experimental results scaled to 10 GHz have verified the feasibility of achieving an approximately 80% bandwidth with excellent stopband, gain flatness, and matching characteristics. When scaled to millimeter-wave center frequencies above 300 GHz, this technology appears feasible of supporting data rates in the hundreds of Gb/s.
The Determinants of Coparenting in Families with Toddler Boys: Spousal Differences and Daily Hassles

In order to advance understanding of the phenomenon of coparenting, naturalistic observations of firstborn sons were undertaken when they were 15 months of age at a time when both parents were home and family life was demanding. Narrative records of coparenting events were scored to determine the frequency with which parents supported and undermined each other and to test two hypotheses pertaining to individual differences in coparenting: that greater differences between spouses in demographic factors, personality, styles of relatedness and child-rearing attitudes would forecast more unsupportive and less supportive coparenting; and that the adverse effects of such spousal differences would be amplified by high levels of family stress, as indexed by frequency and intensity of daily hassles. Both hypotheses received support and are discussed in turn.
Generation of band-specific painting probes from a single microdissected chromosome

We have developed a modified strategy for the generation of regional probes for human chromosomes by microdissection and degenerate oligonucleotide primed PCR. This modification dramatically increases the efficiency of amplification by pretreatment of the dissected chromatin with topoisomerase I (Topo I) before PCR. This protocol has enabled us to construct region-specific probes for fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) from a single microdissected chromosome. Results are presented which convincingly demonstrate that this new method generates high intensity region-specific FISH probes, while at the same time significantly decreasing the time-consuming and labor-intensive aspects of microdissection. The reduction of the number of copies required to generate a useful probe also significantly decreases the risk of contamination during the microdissection process. We believe this advance will allow microdissection to be more widely used in the cytogenetic analysis of chromosome rearrangements in both cancer and hereditary diseases. In addition, this method now makes it possible to construct a series of non-overlapping band-specific DNA microclone libraries to provide complete coverage of individual chromosomes for physical mapping.
Behavior, Expectations and Status

We predict effects of behavior patterns and status on performance expectations and group inequality using an integrated theory developed by Fisek, Berger and Norman (1991). We next test those predictions using new experimental techniques we developed to control behavior patterns as independent variables. In a 10-condition experiment, predictions accounted for about 72 percent of variance in the data, with closer fit for women than for men. The gender difference may be related to features of the experiment, especially to the experimental design that counters cultural gender prescriptions in some conditions. We suggest ways to improve the experiment by more precisely separating behavior from inferred performance competence in later research. Applications include using behavior to reduce undesirable effects of status generalization.
Computational Approach to Annotating Variants of Unknown Significance in Clinical Next Generation Sequencing

Next generation sequencing (NGS) has become a common technology in the clinical laboratory, particularly for the analysis of malignant neoplasms. However, most mutations identified by NGS are variants of unknown clinical significance (VOUS). Although the approach to define these variants differs by institution, software algorithms that predict variant effect on protein function may be used. However, these algorithms commonly generate conflicting results, potentially adding uncertainty to interpretation. In this review, we examine several computational tools used to predict whether a variant has clinical significance. In addition to describing the role of these tools in clinical diagnostics, we assess their efficacy in analyzing known pathogenic and benign variants in hematologic malignancies.
Modifying Mixed-Model Assembly Line Sequencing Methods to Consider Weighted Variations for Just-In-Time Production Systems

Mixed-model assembly lines are widely used in just-in-time (JIT) production systems. One of the commonly used goals in sequencing mixed-model assembly lines in JIT production systems is to maintain...
Affirmative action in Brazil: how students’ field of study choice reproduces social inequalities

This paper aims to understand which fields of study affirmative action students graduated at the undergraduate level in public universities in Brazil in 2009 and 2010. Public universities began expanding access for underrepresented groups through racial, economic, and social affirmative action policies in 2001. The existing literature on affirmative action policies in Brazil focuses on the impact of affirmative action on the demographic characteristics of the student body, and on students’ performance. Using the Higher Education National Exam database from 2009 and 2010, this paper makes an important contribution to this literature by demonstrating that affirmative action students from public universities tend to graduate in less prestigious fields of study. This is likely to translate into less eminent occupational opportunities and lower earnings in the labor market. Drawing on Reproduction theory, this paper provides evidence that, despite affirmative action policies, education continues to reproduce s...
FLEXIBLE GROWTH RATES IN FORK-TAILED STORM-PETRELS: A RESPONSE TO ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABILITY

We examined the degree that growth in Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma furcata) chicks varies among individuals and years. Data on wing chord length and body mass were collected on 10 or more chicks per year on the Barren Islands, Alaska, during seven years over two decades. In contrast to the apparently uniform growth rates in other storm-petrels (e.g. Leach's Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma leucorhoa) and British Storm-Petrel (Hydrobates pelagi- cus)), Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel chicks on the Barren Islands displayed a two-fold variation in both wing growth and mass gain. Variation in growth rate was apparent both within and among years. Correlations between wing growth and mass gain were significant in only four of seven years, a finding we interpret as indicative of the importance of changes in food quality and quantity on growth. The decadal changes in growth rate of this species between the 1980s and 1990s are consistent with the regulating role that environmental variation appears to play in the growth and survival of storm-petrels. We suggest that the wide range of observed growth rates among individuals, years, and between decades is a response to environmental variability. Received 7 November 1996, accepted 9 June 1997.
Studies on the characterization of the sodium-potassium transport adenosine triphosphatase. 8. Effects of ligands on fluorescence due to interaction of the enzyme with a fluorescent derivative of hellebrigenin.

The synthesis of the 1,4-sulfonaphthylhydrazone of hellebrigenin (HSNH) from hellebrigenin and 1,4-sulfonaphthylhydrazine is described. This compound is a specific inhibitor of the (Na + + K + )-ATPase and serves as a hydrophobic probe of the enzyme. The effects of various ligands on the fluorescence intensity ( I f ) due to the enzyme-HSNH system were examined, and many of the effects on I f were considered to emanate from the cardiotonic steroid site on the enzyme. Among the monovalent cations only Na + enhanced I f , while other monovalent cations (K + , Rb + , Li + , Cs + , Tl + , and NH 4 + ) suppressed it; the order of effectiveness of the suppressing ions paralleled the order of affinities for the K + site. ATP or Mg ++ plus phosphate markedly diminished I f . The effects of ligands were antagonized by hellibrigenin and were abolished or decreased if the enzyme was minimally denatured. The effects of the above ligands were specific for HSNH, since fluorescence due to 8-anilino-naphthalene-1-sulfonic acid or a biologically inactive analogue of HSNH, the 1,4-sulfonaphthylhydrazone of dianhydrostrophanthidin, was not affected by the cations and the effect of ATP was less.
Successful Percutaneous Management of Renal Abscess

AbstractSix patients with intrarenal and perinephric abscesses underwent successful nonoperative management by percutaneous aspiration and systemic antibiotic therapy. The concept of percutaneous management is discussed with reference to its benefits, risks and technical variations.
“Permanent Hiatus”: The Death of Television Without Pity

This chapter outlines the factors that led to the eventual demise of Television Without Pity. Its vast size, over-management of the message boards, and the takeover by NBC were just part of the reason the site declined. By the end of the study in 2010, the rise of Twitter and other short-form discussion platforms on social media were fast becoming more popular ways to discuss television programs online. Falero chronicles the discussion of the site’s cultural relevance as this pronouncement resulted in a bit of eulogizing from journalists and former fans of the site.