cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Some Ruminations on Australopith Diets

There are few data regarding hominin diets prior to 3.6 Ma, and thus we have only vague notions about the role of diet in early human evolution. We do know that the australopith masticatory package (e.g., robust mandibles, thick enamel, megadont molars) is evident in an incipient state over 4 Ma, and that these features are consistent with a diet of hard and/or abrasive foods. Nonetheless, recent studies found great similarities in the dental microwear of Australopithecus afarensis and extant African apes, especially the gorilla, and no evidence for the consumption of hard foods. This may indicate that these hominins consumed diets qualitatively similar to those of gorillas and chimpanzees during much of the year, but then utilized harder and/or more abrasive fallback foods when preferred resources (probably fleshy fruits) were scarce (the “fallback hypothesis”). We might speculate by analogy that the earliest East African hominins had large home ranges when in savanna woodlands much like extant chimpanzees, as such environments make it necessary to range widely to obtain sufficient preferred “forest” resources. South African australopiths, in contrast, more regularly consumed significant quantities of hard foods and C4 resources which would have enabled them to utilize savanna woodlands more efficiently. This might have led to reduced home ranges and increased population densities, which might have redounded to their locomotor adaptations. However, the idea that australopith diets largely differed from those of extant African apes in their fallback foods has significant weaknesses, and recent studies suggest the possibility that extant ape and East African australopith diets differed profoundly. Thus, formulation of competitors to the fallback hypothesis is warranted.
Modulation of RNA-dependent Interactions in Stress Granules Prevents Persistent TPD-43 accumulation in ALS/FTD

Author(s): Fang, Mark Yang | Advisor(s): Yeo, Gene W. | Abstract: Stress granules (SG) form during cellular stress and have been linked to neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia (ALS/FTD). Strategies to modulate SGs have the potential to yield insights into their role in pathophysiology. We performed a high-content screen to identify small molecules that alter SG properties in proliferative cells and iPSC-derived motor neurons (iPS-MNs). One major class of hit compounds are nucleic acid intercalating molecules that disrupt recruitment of ALS-associated RNA-binding proteins (RBPs), such as TDP-43 and FUS/TLS, into SGs and reduce accumulation of cytoplasmic TDP-43 in iPS-MNs from ALS patients. These findings corroborate our biochemical results indicating that SGs accumulate ALS-associated RBPs in their shells in an RNA-dependent manner. Thus, SGs contribute to persistent accumulation of TDP-43, and nucleic acid intercalating compounds represent a promising new therapeutic approach for treating ALS/FTD.
Compresso: pragmatic main memory compression

Today, larger memory capacity and higher memory bandwidth are required for better performance and energy efficiency for many important client and datacenter applications. Hardware memory compression provides a promising direction to achieve this without increasing system cost. Unfortunately, current memory compression solutions face two significant challenges. First, keeping memory compressed requires additional memory accesses, sometimes on the critical path, which can cause performance overheads. Second, they require changing the operating system to take advantage of the increased capacity, and to handle incompressible data, which delays deployment. We propose Compresso, a hardware memory compression architecture that minimizes memory overheads due to compression, with no changes to the OS. We identify new data-movement trade-offs and propose optimizations that reduce additional memory movement to improve system efficiency. We propose a holistic evaluation for compressed systems. Our results show that Compresso achieves a 1.85x compression for main memory on average, with a 24% speedup over a competitive hardware compressed system for single-core systems and 27% for multi-core systems. As compared to competitive compressed systems, Compresso not only reduces performance overhead of compression, but also increases performance gain from higher memory capacity.
Does the condylar lift-off method or the separation method better detect loss of contact between tibial and femoral implants based on analysis of single-plane radiographs following total knee arthroplasty?

Abstract Background Loss of contact between the femoral and tibial implants following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has been related to accelerated polyethylene wear and other complications. Two methods have been used to detect loss of contact in single-plane fluoroscopy, the condylar lift-off method and the separation method. The objectives were to assess the ability of each method to detect loss of contact. Methods TKA was performed on ten cadaveric knee specimens. Tibial force was measured in each compartment as specimens were flexed from 0° to 90° while internal-external and varus-valgus moments were applied. Single-plane radiographs taken simultaneously with tibial force were analyzed for loss of contact using the two methods. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and optimum threshold distances were determined. Results For the lift-off method and the separation method, the areas under the ROC curves were 0.89 vs 0.60 for the lateral compartment only and 0.81 vs 0.70 for the medial compartment only, respectively. For the lift-off method, the optimum threshold distances were 0.7 mm in the lateral compartment only and 0.1 mm in the medial compartment only but the false positive rate for the medial compartment only almost doubled. For both compartments jointly, the areas under the ROC curves decreased to 0.70 and 0.59 for the lift-off and separation methods, respectively. Conclusion When detecting loss of contact using single-plane fluoroscopy, the lift-off method is useful for the lateral compartment only but not for the medial compartment only and not for both compartments jointly. The separation method is not useful.
Insulin-induced de novo lipid synthesis occurs mainly via mTOR-dependent regulation of proteostasis of SREBP-1c

Insulin stimulates de novo lipid synthesis in the liver and in cultured hepatocytes via its ability to activate sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c). Although PI3K-AKT-mTORC1-p70S6K-signaling kinases are known to drive feed-forward expression of SREBP-1c, the identity of the phosphorylated amino acid residue(s) putatively involved in insulin-stimulated de novo lipogenesis remains elusive. We obtained in silico and mass spectrometry evidence, that was combined with siRNA strategies, to discover that insulin-induced phosphorylation of serine 418, serine 419, and serine 422 in rat SREBP-1c was most likely mediated by p70S6 kinase. Here, for the first time, we show that insulin-induced phosphorylation of these 3 serine residues mainly impinged on the mechanisms of proteostasis of both full-length and mature SREBP-1c in the McArdle-RH7777 hepatoma cells. Consistent with this conclusion, nascent SREBP-1c, substituted with phosphomimetic aspartic acid residues at these 3 sites, was resistant to proteasomal degradation. As a consequence, endoplasmic reticulum to Golgi migration and proteolytic maturation of pSREBP-1c was significantly enhanced which led to increased accumulation of mature nSREBP-1c, even in the absence of insulin. Remarkably, aspartic acid substitutions at S418, S419 and S422 also protected the nascent SREBP-1c from ubiquitin-mediated proteasome degradation thus increasing its steady-state levels and transactivation potential in the nucleus. These complementary effects of p70S6K-mediated phosphorylation on proteostasis of pSREBP-1c were necessary and sufficient to account for insulin's ability to enhance transcription of genes controlling de novo lipogenesis in hepatocytes.
Single arm retrospective study of bioresorbable vascular scaffolds to treat patients with severe infrapopliteal arterial disease

Objectives To assess the safety and efficacy of the Absorb bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) in complex, infrapopliteal lesions for the management of chronic limb ischemia. Background The interventional management of infrapopliteal PAD remains challenging due to high restenosis rates with metallic drug-eluting stents and balloon angioplasty. Metallic stents are associated with impaired vessel vasomotor tone, remodeling, autoregulation, and long-term inflammation. BVSs are biodegradable scaffolds that provide short-term vascular support before degrading to allow restoration of vasomotor tone and endothelial function. A recent trial reported excellent 12-month vessel patency rates in simple infrapopliteal arterial lesions treated with Absorb BVS. Methods This single-center, retrospective study evaluated the use of the Absorb BVS (everolimus impregnated poly-L-lactic scaffold) in patients with infrapopliteal PAD with respect to safety (thrombosis and TIMI bleeding), technical success, and clinically driven target vessel failure (CD-TVF) at 12 months. Results Thirty-one patients (51.6% male) with a median age of 67 years with advanced infrapopliteal disease were treated with 49 BVS in 41 vessels. The mean stenosis was 94% (80-100), with 49% of lesions being CTOs. No scaffold thrombosis or periprocedural bleeding was observed. Procedural success was achieved in all patients. Freedom from CD-TVF was 95.1% at 12 months driven by one revascularization and one amputation. Primary patency was 96.7% at 12 months. All patients were alive at 12 months, and 96.8% of patients improved their Rutherford-Becker classification. Conclusions At 12 months, our study found that patients with advanced infrapopliteal PAD who were treated with Absorb BVS reported improved clinical status and a low rate of CD-TVF.
Chemoprevention in Oral Cancer

Though many agents have been identified as potential chemoprevention strategies against oral cancer, the availability of high-quality evidence supporting their use in clinical practice remains limited. In this chapter, we discuss the concept of chemoprevention of oral cancer, review the evidence of several chemoprevention agents that have undergone clinical studies, and conclude with the challenges that prevent the use of these agents in general clinical practice. We suggest that molecular identification of markers that can be measured and can correlate with disease risk and progression may aid in selecting high-risk populations and therapeutics suitable for future clinical investigation.
Marker-assisted transfer of acylsugar-mediated pest resistance from the wild tomato, Lycopersicon pennellii, to the cultivated tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum

Acylsugars exuded from type IV trichomes mediate the multiple pest resistance found in the wild tomato species, Lycopersicon pennellii. A marker-assisted selection breeding program was used to attempt the transfer of the ability to accumulate acylsugars to cultivated tomato. RFLP and PCR-based markers were used through three backcross generations to select plants containing 5 target regions associated by QTL analysis with acylsugar accumulation. The BC1F1 plant selected possessed all 5 target regions and accumulated acylsugars at a moderate level similar to that of the interspecific F1 control. The BC2F1 and BC3F1 selections contained complementary subsets of the 5 target regions and did not accumulate acylsugars. BC3F1 plants with complementary subsets of the 5 target regions were intermated to produce populations segregating for the 5 target regions. From 1000 BC3F1-intermated plants, three plants were found which accumulated acylsugars at low levels and contained 3 to 5 of the target regions. The recovery of acylsugar accumulation in progeny of the intermated BC3F1 plants supports the involvement of at least some of the 5 target regions in acylsugar biosynthesis. However, since the levels of acylsugars accumulated by these plants were lower than that of the interspecific F1, it is likely that another, as of yet unidentified, region is necessary for accumulation of higher levels of acylsugars.
Volatile and Non-Volatile Organic Compounds Stimulate Oviposition by Aphidophagous Predators.

Introduction: Evidence that volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and non-VOCs stimulate oviposition by aphidophagous predators is scattered throughout the literature. The objectives of this review are to (1) compile records indicating that VOCs and non-VOCs are responsible for oviposition stimulation, (2) calculate an egg production ratio (EPR) for stimulated predators, and (3) determine if EPR is correlated with vapor pressure and molecular weight of active compounds. Methods: The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture), National Agricultural Library, online digital catalog system was used to retrieve abstracts, then the full text of manuscripts on oviposition stimulants for predators. Oviposition-stimulating VOCs and non-VOCS were tabulated with molecular weights and vapor pressure estimates. EPRs were calculated for stimulated coccinellids, syrphids, and chrysopids. Results: Both VOCs and non-VOCs stimulated oviposition behavior by coccinellids and syrphids, but not chrysopids. EPR was greatest for syrphids. Two VOCs, (E)-β-farnesene and 3-methyl-2-butenal, stimulated very high EPR values by the syrphid Episyrphusbalteatus. Regardless of predator taxa, EPR was negatively and positively correlated with molecular weight and vapor pressure, respectively. Conclusions: Syrphids (rather than coccinellids or chrysopids) produce more eggs in response to VOCs. Organic compounds with low-to-moderate molecular weights and moderate-to-high vapor pressures might be most effective oviposition stimulants for aphidophagous predators.
Application of free-listing in identifying desirable foods and their accessibility in an urban nonprofit supermarket

There is a gap in the literature regarding the specific methods used by supermarkets to engage community members in operations and decision-making processes. Free-listing is an engagement method that allows individuals to list all possible items associated with a particular topic or domain. This study explores the application of free-listing as a method to assess the availability and affordability of food items at DMG Foods, a nonprofit super­market in Baltimore, Maryland, to assist with mak­ing stocking decisions and increasing store use. Twenty residents in central northeast Baltimore participated in free-listing desirable foods and frequented supermarkets. All selected participants were over 18 years of age, Black, and regularly shopped in the central northeast region of Balti­more. We calculated the saliency of food items and stores based on an item’s frequency and order of mention in the free-listing. We then conducted store observations of the top salient stores three times at three-week intervals to identify the availa­bility and accessibility of the top salient food items. Fifteen items had saliency scores greater than 0.1 and were retained for observation. Five stores had saliency scores greater than 0.1 and were within a five-mile (8-km) radius from DMG Foods. Larger supermarkets carried the widest variety of salient items, and the prices of items varied between stores, highlighting the importance of community-driven stocking for smaller supermarkets. Free-listing is a simple engagement method that store managers with limited research experience can use to identify foods that are desirable to residents of the community, ultimately leading to improved community food environments and increased store success.
Redox Metabolism Measurement in Mammalian Cells and Tissues by LC-MS.

Cellular redox state is highly dynamic and delicately balanced between constant production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and neutralization by endogenous antioxidants, such as glutathione. Physiologic ROS levels can function as signal transduction messengers, while high levels of ROS can react with and damage various molecules eliciting cellular toxicity. The redox state is reflective of the cell’s metabolic status and can inform on regulated cell-state transitions or various pathologies including aging and cancer. Therefore, methods that enable reliable, quantitative readout of the cellular redox state are imperative for scientists from multiple fields. Liquid-chromatography mass-spectrometry (LC-MS) based methods to detect small molecules that reflect the redox balance in the cell such as glutathione, NADH, and NADPH, have been developed and applied successfully, but because redox metabolites are very labile, these methods are not easily standardized or consolidated. Here, we report a robust LC-MS method for the simultaneous detection of several redox-reactive metabolites that is compatible with parallel global metabolic profiling in mammalian cells. We performed a comprehensive comparison between three commercial hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) columns, and we describe the application of our method in mammalian cells and tissues. The presented method is easily applicable and will enable the study of ROS function and oxidative stress in mammalian cells by researchers from various fields.
Regulation of the Assembly and Expression of Immunoglobulin Genes: Variable Region Assembly and Heavy Chain Class Switching

To elucidate further the general mechanisms which control the assembly and expression of Immunoglobulin variable region gene segments and heavy-chain class switching, we have exploited Abelson murine leukemia virus (A-MuLV) transformed pre-B cells as a model system. The Abelson virus is a replication defective retrovirus which is unique in its capacity to transform very early B-lineage cells in vitro (1). A-MuLV transformants generated from murine fetal liver or adult bone marrow have provided both a static representation of various pre-B cell differentiation stages, as well as a dynamic view of pre-B cell immunodifferentiation events (2,3). Our analyses of these lines have provided a variety of new and sometimes surprising findings regarding the early stages of B cell differentiation; and importantly, all of these novel aspects first observed in A-MuLV transformants were found to reflect events that occur early in normal B lineage cells in vitro. Furthermore, we have utilized gene transfer technology to gain additional insight into the molecular events involved with the regulation of immunogloblin and T cell receptor variable region (V) gene assembly (3).
Chapter 9 – Conclusion

Publisher Summary This chapter provides a model explanation for the various features of fear and anxiety. An underlying premise of the origins model is that fear and anxiety are functionally separable states characterized by different response profiles that are most adaptive for different stages of threat imminence. Fear is elicited once threat is certain or detected, with certainty ranging from contextual cues in close proximity to threat cues, to explicit threat cues associated with aversive events, to the aversive events themselves. Anxious worry, on the other hand, is elicited by undetected or uncertain threat, as would occur in response to contextual cues more distally associated with threat or even in the absence of any specific cues. To facilitate immediate action needed for self-preservation, fear is characterized by progressively increasing sympathetic autonomic nervous system activation and cortical or cognitive inhibition.
Income, Taxes and the Constitution: Why the D.C. Court of Appeals Got it Right in Murphy

In August 2006, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals decided Murphy v. Internal Revenue Service and held that § 104(a)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code was unconstitutional because it excluded from gross income awards for compensatory damages on account of physical personal injuries, but included awards for such damages on account of nonphysical personal injuries. The decision was widely criticized by academics and tax professionals, and the I.R.S. promptly filed a petition for a rehearing en banc. The D.C. Circuit ultimately dismissed the petition as moot, however, because the original three-judge panel, in a surprising move, vacated its decision on its own motion and scheduled a rehearing of the case. As of this writing, the ultimate outcome of the case is unknown. The panel's original opinion in Murphy, though vacated, merits discussion because there the court asked a question that goes to the very foundation of our income tax laws, namely: "What does the government tax when it purports to tax income?" This article will attempt to answer that question. Part I of this article will briefly summarize the D.C. Circuit's opinion in Murphy and present the issues raised by the decision. Part II will analyze the D.C. Circuit's opinion and argue that the court ultimately decided Murphy correctly, despite some errors in its analysis. This Part will then develop a rule for courts to apply to determine whether a transaction results in an "accession to wealth" within the framework provided by the Supreme Court in Commissioner v. Glenshaw Glass Co., and revisit Murphy within the context of this rule. This Part will demonstrate that Congress designed the income tax to operate as a tax on net incomes, and not on gross receipts. Part III will examine and refute the claim that Murphy would undermine the very foundation of the income tax and consequently prohibit the taxation of wages. This Part addresses the most common arguments made by "tax protestors" - taxpayers who cite to various constitutional objections to paying income taxes - and explain why Murphy adds nothing to their arguments. Part III will next apply the accession to wealth rule to examine how Congress taxes wages under the income tax. Part IV then argues that Congress should adopt a "wage expenditure basis" to calculate the proportion of wages that constitutes gross income to wage earners.
Studies on Phosphomutases: II. EFFECTS OF 1,3-DIPHOSPHOGLYCERATE ON PHOSPHOGLUCOMUTASE

Abstract Low concentrations of 1,3-diphosphoglyceric acid (1,3-di-PGA) stimulated phosphoglucomutase in the reaction without added glucose 1,6-diphosphate. The concentration for half-maximal stimulation was about 5 x 10-6 m. The response to 1,3-di-PGA passed through a maximum value at 1 x 10-5 m. Low concentrations of glucose-1,6-di-P showed stimulatory effects additive with the effects of low concentrations of 1,3-di-PGA. With glucose-1,6-di-P near or above its Km, 1,3-di-PGA above 2 x 10-7 m was inhibitory. The inhibition by 1,3-di-PGA appeared competitive with glucose-1,6-di-P when glucose 1-phosphate was 3.3 mm; the Ki was about 5 x 10-6 m. The stimulatory influence of 1,3-di-PGA has tentatively been attributed to its overcoming of glucose-1-P inhibition and to the likelihood that it phosphorylates dephosphoenzyme. 1,3-Di-PGA generated in situ or added as a purified reactant in the presence of glucose monophosphate and phosphoglucomutase promoted production of glucose-1,6-di-P that did not parallel the over-all mutase reaction. Glucose-1,6-di-P therefore did not accumulate merely as a function of increased mutase turnover, but presumably owing to displacement from the enzyme by 1,3-di-PGA. Hydroxylamine markedly inhibited glucose-1,6-di-P production. Commercial preparations of yeast 3-phosphoglycerate kinase (PGA-kinase) used for generating 1,3-di-PGA in situ contained phosphoglucomutase as a contaminant. After PGA-kinase was freed of phosphoglucomutase by gel filtration, glucose-1,6-di-P production was totally dependent on separately added phosphoglucomutase. 2,3-Diphosphoglyceric acid and 3-phosphoglyceric acid inhibited the mutase reaction competitively with glucose-1,6-di-P. The Ki values were about 5 x 10-5 m and 5 x 10-4 m, respectively.
DermRx: An experiment in computerizing information on dermatologic therapy

The Task Force for Creating a Biomedical Communications System for Dermatology was commissioned by the American Academy of Dermatology to develop an experimental segment of a computerized data bank on dermatologic therapy. The Task Force has completed such a "first generation" system and has named it DermRx. Its data bank carries the following information on each entry: the name of the disease; topical, systemic, physical, and other kinds of treatment; caveats; references to the literature; and the date and reviewer(s). The DermLit and DermRx programs are two components of a projected broader concept of an eventual comprehensive Biomedical Communications System for Dermatology. Such a system is envisaged as a means of making available to dermatologists diverse data relevant to practice, teaching, research, and business aspects of the specialty. At the moment, access to the stored information on dermatologic literature and therapy is by telephone call to, or by correspondence with, the central computer facility at Northwestern University. Eventually it is projected to be accessible by dedicated microcomputers housed in the physician's office. This preliminary report on DermRx is presented to review the progress of the project to date and to elicit comment upon its structure and value.
tensor categories from quantum groups

In a recent paper [Ki], Kirillov, Jr., defined a *-operation on the morphisms of the representation category of a quantum group Uqg, with lql = 1, using constructions going back to Andersen, Kashiwara and Lusztig. He then conjectured that for any two morphisms f,g: V -* W, the form (f, g) = Trq(g*f) is positive semidefinite for certain roots of unity q, where Trq is the categorical q-trace. As a consequence, the morphisms in a certain quotient category, usually referred to as fusion category, become Hilbert spaces, and one obtains C* categories. We prove this conjecture in this paper for all Lie types. In particular, one obtains for any object in the fusion category a subfactor whose index is the square of its categorical dimension. If the object is simple, the corresponding subfactor is irreducible. We consider the tensor category T of tilting modules of a quantum group Uqg, where g is a simple Lie algebra and q = eri/Id , with d c {1, 2, 3} being the ratio of the square lengths of a long and a short root and 1 being larger than the dual Coxeter number of g. Here, and in the following, we use the notations of Lusztig's book [Lu]. It is shown in [A], [AP] that T contains a semisimple quotient category F whose simple objects are labelled by the dominant weights A which satisfy 0 (A + p) 0 for any morphism f in F. Kirillov defined a *-operation which is functorial; the remaining problem is to prove positivity. The approach in this paper can be sketched in the following way: Assume that we have bases of W1 and W2 with respect to which the generators of the quantum group act via matrices whose coefficients are polynomials in q. Moreover, assume that we can find an idempotent p whose coefficients depend continuously on q such that p(q) commutes with Uqg for q in a neighborhood of 1 containing qo = eri/dl and such that p(qo) projects onto CW1?,W2, with kernel C' oW *. Moreover, assume we have defined a Hermitian form on W = WI X4 W2 also depending continuously on q which is nondegenerate on p(q)W for all q near 1, and such that it is positive definite on p(1)W. Then it follows by continuity that it has to be positive definite
Prophetic models in Islamic and Christian spirituality in the thought of Ibn Arabī and Meister Eckhart

A comparative study of Moses, Jesus and Muhammad in Christianity and Islam reveals common background, basic similarities, and differences. Ibn Arabī (d. 1240) and Meister Eckhart (d. 1327) regard Moses and Jesus not only as prophetic models but also as mystical examples for the Mūsāwī type of saints and ‘Jesus‐like’ (‘Īsāwī) saints in both traditions. However, the two experts understandably differ with regard to the divine nature of Jesus. Eckhart considers Christ as the image of God (imago Dei), ‘the Only‐Begotten Son of God’, while Ibn Arabī perceives Jesus as having both a human nature (nāsūt) and a divine nature (lāhūt). Eckhart sees Jesus as the best model, but Ibn Arabī sees the best model as Muhammad. Eckhart regards Jesus as the source of existence, whereas Ibn Arabī perceives Muhammad as the source of the chain of prophecy and sainthood, wihc derives from the Muhammadan reality (aqīqa Muammadiyya).
Regulation of p53 during senescence in normal human keratinocytes

p53, the guardian of the genome, is a tumor suppressor protein and critical for the genomic integrity of the cells. Many studies have shown that intracellular level of p53 is enhanced during replicative senescence in normal fibroblasts, and the enhanced level of p53 is viewed as the cause of senescence. Here, we report that, unlike in normal fibroblasts, the level of intracellular p53 reduces during replicative senescence and oncogene-induced senescence (OIS) in normal human keratinocytes (NHKs). We found that the intracellular p53 level was also decreased in age-dependent manner in normal human epithelial tissues. Senescent NHKs exhibited an enhanced level of p16(INK4A) , induced G2 cell cycle arrest, and lowered the p53 expression and transactivation activity. We found that low level of p53 in senescent NHKs was due to reduced transcription of p53. The methylation status at the p53 promoter was not altered during senescence, but senescent NHKs exhibited notably lower level of acetylated histone 3 (H3) at the p53 promoter in comparison with rapidly proliferating cells. Moreover, p53 knockdown in rapidly proliferating NHKs resulted in the disruption of fidelity in repaired DNA. Taken together, our study demonstrates that p53 level is diminished during replicative senescence and OIS and that such diminution is associated with H3 deacetylation at the p53 promoter. The reduced intracellular p53 level in keratinocytes of the elderly could be a contributing factor for more frequent development of epithelial cancer in the elderly because of the loss of genomic integrity of cells.
EM propagation through the loss substrate interconnect

One typical way of studying the EM propagation through some medium is treating the transmission medium as the sub-circuit and then using simple circuit theory to do the simulation. Efficient parameter extraction of per-unit length LRCG matrices for multilayer multiconductor transmission interconnects is presented here. Two separate solvers do the extraction. For the LR extraction, the boundary element method is used to solve the full wave integral equations and 2D fast multilayer Green's function is used to capture the substrate coupling and ground plane effects; conduction mode basis functions are used to efficiently capture the skin effect and proximity effect. For the CG extraction. the boundary spectral method is applied to solve the differential equation. The substrate coupling effects that impact on CG are extracted by enforcing continuity conditions across different dielectric interfaces and the voltage condition on conductor surfaces. After frequency-dependent RLCG matrices are extracted, a robust rational function fitting algorithm generate lumped interconnect models via Gaussian quadrature.
Multivariate Charts for Variability

In this article, we discuss two multivariate control charts for monitoring changes in a covariance matrix. The |S| chart is applicable when the subgroup size n is larger than the dimensionality p. The multivariate exponentially weighted moving squared-deviation (MEWMS) chart is specifically designed for the case when n = 1. Examples are given and discussed to demonstrate how each chart can be used in practice. Related issues and potential future research are also discussed. Keywords: covariance matrix; exponentially weighted moving averages; generalized variance; multivariate control charts; phase II control
Dissimilarity cumulation theory in arc-connected spaces

Abstract This paper continues the development of the Dissimilarity Cumulation theory and its main psychological application, Universal Fechnerian Scaling [Dzhafarov, E.N and Colonius, H. (2007). Dissimilarity Cumulation theory and subjective metrics. Journal of Mathematical Psychology, 51, 290–304]. In arc-connected spaces the notion of a chain length (the sum of the dissimilarities between the chain’s successive elements) can be used to define the notion of a path length, as the limit inferior of the lengths of chains converging to the path in some well-defined sense. The class of converging chains is broader than that of converging inscribed chains. Most of the fundamental results of the metric-based path length theory (additivity, lower semicontinuity, etc.) turn out to hold in the general dissimilarity-based path length theory. This shows that the triangle inequality and symmetry are not essential for these results, provided one goes beyond the traditional scheme of approximating paths by inscribed chains. We introduce the notion of a space with intermediate points which generalizes (and specializes to when the dissimilarity is a metric) the notion of a convex space in the sense of Menger. A space is with intermediate points if for any distinct a , b there is a different point m such that D am + D mb ≤ D ab (where D is dissimilarity). In such spaces the metric G induced by D is intrinsic: G ab coincides with the infimum of lengths of all arcs connecting a to b. In Universal Fechnerian Scaling D stands for either of the two canonical psychometric increments ψ ab − ψ aa and ψ ba − ψ aa ( ψ denoting discrimination probability). The choice between the two makes no difference for the notions of arc-connectedness, convergence of chains and paths, intermediate points, and other notions of the Dissimilarity Cumulation theory.
Use of CBM Oral Reading in the General Education Classroom

This study explored the adaptation and impact of curriculum-based measures (CBM) of oral reading in a general education classroom. Using interviews and classroom observations, this study examined one teacher's modification of CBM for use in her fourth-grade general education classroom. The teacher used information from monthly administration of CBM oral reading measures to modify classwide and individual instruction and to inform students and their parents of progress. The interplay of qualitative and quantitative elements of the information was important for the teacher's own use of the assessment, but she appeared to emphasize quantitative elements such as relative standing or progress using numerical scores when interacting with parents and students. Three key elements in this teacher's CBM practice— standardization, reduced time requirements, and qualitative inferences—may provide insight into some of the important assessment needs of general education teachers.
Assessing the Implications of Intellectual Property Rights on Plant and Animal Agriculture

Many readers, over their careers, will have shared my experience of initiating some really "innovative" work, only to learn that it had been done, and done better, thirty years earlier. That is one key attraction of research on intellectual property rights (IPRs) for plants and animals; they are, in the main, very recent, so whatever one does cannot have a direct antecedent. Indeed, to date, little economic research has been completed on the implications of expanding IPR protection for living agricultural inputs. Protection in the United States for asexually propagated plants has been available since 1930 (1990 in Canada), for sexually propagated plants for over twenty-five years, and for patented plants for a dozen years (see below). However, only in the last year has significant acreage of patented bioengineered plants (some 2.5 + million in total) been planted, with higher levels going in the ground in the United States and Canada as this paper is being drafted. Those crops are primarily herbicide-resistant beans, canola, and corn; Bt-producing corn, cotton, and potatoes; and virus-resistant squash (James and Krattiger). Only one livestock application (to my knowledge) has been patented (a pig in Australia with a controllable growth hormone), but as yet it is not a commercial product. What has been explored extensively in the literature are expressed concerns about IPRs on farm structure, ethics, university/industry relationships, information exchange, and related matters (see, e.g., Kloppenburg). Nor is the debate limited to the United States or developed countries. The international enhancement of
Significance of mobile phase composition in enantioseparation of chiral drugs by HPLC on a cellulose‐based chiral stationary phase

Eight randomly selected pharmaceuticals, which included ibuprofen, ketoprofen, albuterol, acebutolol, propafenone, betaxolol, methylphenidate, and homatropine, were directly separated on a cellulose tris(4-methylbenzoate) chiral stationary phase (CSP) without derivatization via normal phase mode HPLC. Enantioresolution was achieved by the optimization of the type and the ratio of mobile phase modifiers and additives. The modifiers included alcohols; the mobile phase additives were trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) and triethylamine (TEA). It was found that methanol and ethanol were superior to isopropanol as mobile phase modifiers for enhancing chiral separation of some of the chiral drugs. The results also demonstrated that TFA has a dominant effect on chiral separations for both acidic and basic chiral drugs, although for some basic drug such as homatropine, TEA was more beneficial at improving enantioseparation. The separation of acebutolol enantiomers was achieved for the first time by adding both TFA and TEA to the mobile phase. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that the applicability of cellulose based CSPs can be expanded by controlling the mobile phase compositions through the addition of trace amounts of achiral additives and the selection of the appropriate alcoholic modifier.
Single-particle and collective excitations of doped superlattices and d-parameter theory

A theoretical study of the far-infrared optical response of a doped tunneling superlattice using the d-parameter formalism is presented. The d(ω) functions provide position and coupling strengths of the different optical excitation modes in the system. Intra- and interminiband plasma modes are shown to exist in this structure. Modes related to electron density depletion at the end layers of the superlattice are also studied.
Schematic concept formation in relationship to mental ability in adolescents

The relationship between schematic concept formation (SCF) and intelligence was studied with adolescent Ss. Sixty Ss (mean age 16 years) performed a two-schema discrimination task using stimuli generated by the VARGUS 9 computer system. Intelligence quotients of Ss ranged between 70 and 140, as measured by the California Test of Mental Maturity. Positive correlations were found between the SCF test and the CTMM total score (r =.36), CTMM language score (r =.28), and the CTMM nonlanguage score (r =.42). No relationship between SCF and sex was found. Potential utility of the SCF task in studies of individual differences in learning are discussed.
Quantum chemical evaluation of protein control over heme ligation: CO/O2 discrimination in myoglobin.

Control of O 2 versus CO binding in myoglobin (Mb) is tuned by a distal histidine residue through steric and H-bonding interactions. These interactions have been evaluated via Car-Parrinello DFT calculations, whose efficiency allows full quantum mechanical treatment of the 13 closest residues surrounding the heme. The small (8°) deviation of the Fe-C-O bond angle from linearity results from the steric influence of a distal valine residue and not the distal histidine. H-bond energies were evaluated by replacing the distal histidine with the non-H-bonding residue isoleucine. Binding energies for CO and O 2 decreased by 0.8 and 4.1 kcal/ mol for MbCO and MbO 2 , in good agreement with experimental H-bond estimates. Ligand discrimination is dominated by distal histidine H-bonding, which is also found to stabilize a metastable side-on isomer of MbO 2 that may play a key role in MbO 2 photodynamics.
Design, optimization and purity of permanent magnet helical wigglers for free-electron lasers

A helical wiggler field can be produced inside a cylindrical waveguide by properly distributing and orienting an array of permanent magnets within an annular shell surrounding the waveguide. The design and optimization of such wigglers is considered herein, along with assessments of the strength and spectral purity achievable under practical constraints of equally and uniformly magnetized rare-earth cobalt magnets. Starting with the optimum continuum magnetization, a design is derived that differs from Halbach's primarily in that it includes axially directed components of magnetization. A comparison of the two approaches to helical wiggler design is made in terms of the field strength and purity each can achieve under similar constraints. The optimized design is shown to generate stronger and purer helical wiggler fields than Halbach's version for typical parameters. A modified design that uses many small magnets and does not fill the annular space is suggested and evaluated.
Medical Imaging In An Object Oriented Environment

A workstation has been developed to evaluate computed tomographic (CT) image data in 2 and 3 dimensions. The workstation consists of an independent image display station (Independent Viewing and Analysis Station or WAS, International Imaging Systems, Inc., Milpitas, Calif.) and a VAX host computer. The WAS has 1024 X 1024 X 24 bits of image memory plus 4 bits of graphics overlay. An independent VLSI graphics processor and 1024 X 1024 X 4 bit graphics memory, independent of the image memory, are included in the self-contained WAS unit. A local microprocessor host (Motorola 68000 microprocessor) controls the IVAS from directives obtained through a direct memory access channel to the VAX host. This facilitated the creation of an object oriented software enviroment for the IVAS under control of a VAX host program written in the C language. The workstation created has an interactive user interface consisting of a mouse and pull-down menus. The workstation enables loading multiple images, typically 256 x 256 or 512 x 512, into the 1024 X 1024 frame buffer. Once loaded, the images can be manipulated by applying gray scale transforms, editing them and performing 3-D reconstructions from serial sections. Algorithms for three dimensional (3-D) reconstructions were implemented in the VAX/VMS host computer environment and are available on the workstation through special menu functions for handling these reconstructions. The functions interactively combine depth and gradient shading of surfaces to suit specific applications in craniofacial surgical planning or orthopedics. This workstation is user friendly and is very easy to handle. A workstation of this type may become a popular tool for physicians and surgeons in evalution of medical images.
Screening and intervention in elder abuse

Abstract The incidence of abuse is highest in the elderly population and will become even more prevalent as a record number of Baby Boomers reach age 65 in the year 2010. Home care providers are in a key position to recognize and intervene in cases of abuse because of their frequent contact with elders and their families in the home, where most abuse occurs. This article presents a framework for screening and intervention that can be used by home health providers to recognize actual and potential abuse. Emphasis is placed on determining the profile in abuse. Interventions for actual and potential victims of abuse and the abuser are suggested.
Soft Plate and Impact Tectonics

In the field of tectonics, most of our ideas are published in journals. This is not true of other fields, such as history, in which ideas are primarily published in books. Within my own field of structural geology, I can recall only one book, Strain Fades by E. Hansen (Springer-Verlag, 1971), which presents a new idea in book form. However, even this book is more useful for its philosophical approach and particular methodology of determining directions of folding, than for its overarching idea. Enter Soft Plate and Impact Tectonics, a new book with an interesting hypothesis that has been informally discussed in the geoscience community: A fundamental tenet of plate tectonics is incorrect—namely, that the plates are rigid. This assertion is evident when looking at any mountain range, and is perhaps most clearly stated in Molnar [1988].
Use of NMR binding interaction mapping techniques to examine interactions of chiral molecules with molecular micelles.

NMR spectroscopy was used to investigate the association of four chiral molecules with the molecular micelle poly(sodium N-undecanoyl-l-leucylvalinate) (poly(SULV)). Adding poly(SULV) to the background electrolyte in electrokinetic chromatography (EKC) allows enantiomeric resolution to be achieved because enantiomers interact differentially with the chiral centers on the micelle headgroups as they both move in the electric field. Pulsed field gradient diffusion experiments were used to measure molecular micelle association constants for enantiomers of each analyte. These association constants were consistent with EKC elution order for the compounds 1,1‘-binaphthyl-2,2‘-diyl hydrogen phosphate (BNP), 1,1‘-bi-2-naphthol (BOH), and Troger's base. In addition, nuclear Overhauser enhancement spectroscopy, nuclear Overhauser effect difference, and intermolecular cross relaxation diffusion experiments were used to generate binding interaction maps for each chiral analyte. These maps showed that BNP and BOH inser...
Use of pharmaceuticals 'off-label' in the neonate.

Neonates are frequently not studied in the development of a novel pharmacological agent. With lack of data to support safe and effective use of a new agent in this population, sponsors will not receive approval for labelling the agent for use in this age group from the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA). This causes a significant conundrum for the clinician. Neonates are often precluded the benefits of new pharmaceuticals until investigators begin to report their clinical experience with novel agents. This article provides the clinician with an introductory understanding of the approval process of pharmaceuticals in the United States by USFDA. Models of clinical trial design are noted. Examples of anaesthetic and non-anaesthetic agents and their development and use are discussed as either ‘labelled’ or ‘off-label’ indications.
Eukaryotic initiation factor eIF2

eIF2 plays a central role in the maintenance of what is generally considered a rate-limiting step in mRNA translation. In this step, eIF2 binds GTP and Met-tRNAi and transfers Met-tRNAi to the 40S ribosomal subunit. At the end of the initiation process, GTP bound to eIF2 is hydrolyzed to GDP and the eIF2.GDP complex is released from the ribosome. The exchange of GDP bound to eIF2 for GTP is a prerequisite to binding Met-tRNAi and is mediated by a second initiation factor, eIF2B. In what is probably the best-characterized mechanism for the regulation of mRNA translation, phosphorylation of eIF2 on its smallest, or alpha-, subunit converts eIF2 from a substrate of eIF2B into a competitive inhibitor. Thus, phosphorylation of eIF2 alpha effectively prevents formation of the eIF2.GTP.Met-tRNAi complex and inhibits global protein synthesis. Phosphorylation of eIF2 alpha occurs under a variety of conditions including viral infection, apoptosis, nutrient deprivation, heme-deprivation, and certain stresses.
Coming to terms with the communist past: East Germany in comparative perspective

As so often after the collapse of authoritarian regimes, the post‐communist societies of eastern Europe confront the problem of dealing with alleged regime‐sponsored criminality by their predecessor rulers. This article examines the various approaches taken toward this problem in Czechoslovakia, Poland, Hungary, and (east) Germany, with special emphasis on the anomalies presented by the latter case. It is argued that the different approaches taken in these countries can be explained by a combination of two main factors: the ‘weight of the past’ (the level of development of civil society before 1989) and the ‘politics of the present’.