cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Plasma Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein Levels Differ Along the Spectra of Amyloid Burden and Clinical Disease Stage

BACKGROUND Measuring plasma glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) alongside cortical amyloid-β (Aβ) may shed light on astrocytic changes in aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD). OBJECTIVE To examine associations between plasma GFAP and cortical Aβ deposition in older adults across the typical aging-to-AD dementia spectrum. METHODS We studied two independent samples from UCSF (Cohort 1, N = 50; Cohort 2, N = 37) covering the spectra of clinical severity (CDR Sum of Boxes; CDR-SB) and Aβ-PET burden. Aβ-PET was completed with either florbetapir or Pittsburgh Compound B and standardized uptake value ratios were converted to the Centiloid (CL) scale for analyses. All participants with CDR-SB > 0 were Aβ-PET positive, while clinically normal participants (CDR-SB = 0) were a mix of Aβ-PET positive and negative. Regression analyses evaluated main effect and interaction associations between plasma GFAP, Aβ-PET, and clinical severity. RESULTS In both cohorts, plasma GFAP increased linearly with Aβ-PET CLs in clinically normal older adults. In Cohort 2, which included participants with more severe clinical dysfunction and Aβ-PET burden, the association between Aβ and GFAP became curvilinear (inverted U-shape; quadratic model R2 change = 0.165, p = 0.009), and Aβ-PET interacted with CDR-SB (R2 change = 0.164, p = 0.007): older adults with intermediate functional impairment (CDR-SB = 0.5-4.0) showed a weak (negative) association between Aβ-PET CLs and plasma GFAP, while older adults with dementia (CDR-SB > 4.0) showed a strong, negative association of higher Aβ-PET CLs with lower plasma GFAP. CONCLUSION The relationship between astrocytic integrity and cortical Aβ may be highly dynamic, with linear, positive associations early in disease that diverge in more severe disease stages.
Collaborative Validation of Public-Key Certificates for IoT by Distributed Caching

Public-key certificate validation is an important building block for various security protocols for IoT devices, such as secure channel establishment, handshaking, and verifying sensing data authenticity from cloud storage. However, certification validation incurs non-trivial overhead on resource-constrained IoT devices, because it either brings long latency or large cache space. This work proposes to utilize the power of distributed caching and explores the feasibility of using the cache spaces on all IoT devices as a large pool to store validated certificates. We design a Collaborative Certificate Validation (CCV) protocol including a memory-efficient and fast locator for certificate holders, a trust model to evaluate the trustworthiness of devices, and a protocol suite for dynamic update and certificate revocation. Evaluation results show that CCV only uses less than 25% validation time and reduces >90% decryption operations on each device, compared to a recent method. Malicious devices that conduct dishonest validations can be detected by the network using the proposed trust model.
Genetic Manipulation of Ticks: A Paradigm Shift in Tick and Tick-Borne Diseases Research.

Ticks are obligate hematophagous arthropods that are distributed worldwide and are one of the most important vectors of pathogens affecting humans and animals. Despite the growing burden of tick-borne diseases, research on ticks has lagged behind other arthropod vectors, such as mosquitoes. This is largely because of challenges in applying functional genomics and genetic tools to the idiosyncrasies unique to tick biology, particularly techniques for stable genetic transformations. CRISPR-Cas9 is transforming non-model organism research; however, successful germline editing has yet to be accomplished in ticks. Here, we review the ancillary methods needed for transgenic tick development and the use of CRISPR/Cas9, the most promising gene-editing approach, for tick genetic transformation.
Analysis of Non-Battle Deaths Among U.S. Service Members in the Deployed Environment

OBJECTIVE Describe etiologies and trends in non-battle deaths (NBD) among deployed U.S. service members to identify areas for prevention. BACKGROUND Injuries in combat are categorized as battle (result of hostile action) or nonbattle related. Previous work found that one-third of injured US military personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan had nonbattle injuries and emphasized prevention. NBD have not yet been characterized. METHODS U.S. military casualty data for Iraq and Afghanistan from 2001 to 2014 were obtained from the Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) and the Department of Defense Trauma Registry (DoDTR). Two databases were used because DoDTR does not capture prehospital deaths, while DCAS does not contain clinical details. Nonbattle injuries and NBD were identified, etiologies classified, and NBD trends were assessed using a weighted moving average and time-series analysis with autoregressive integrated moving average. Future NBD rates were forecast. RESULTS DCAS recorded 59,799 casualties; 21.0% (n = 1431) of all deaths (n = 6745) were NBD. DoDTR recorded 29,958 casualties; 11.5% (n = 206) of all deaths (n = 1788) were NBD. After early fluctuations, NBD rates for both Iraq and Afghanistan stabilized at approximately 21%. Leading causes of NBD were gunshot wounds and vehicle accidents, accounting for 66%. Approximately 25% was self-inflicted. A 24% NBD rate was forecasted from 2015 through 2025. CONCLUSIONS Approximately 1 in 5 deaths were NBD. The majority were potentially preventable, including a significant proportion of self-inflicted injuries. A single comprehensive data repository would facilitate future mortality monitoring and performance improvement. These data may assist military leaders with implementing targeted safety strategies.
Teaching Adults Democratically

Democratic teaching assumes that each learner has some contribution to make and may be able to share in the teaching process. This is a different concept from authoritarian teaching where the teacher is the life or death of group activity
miR-409-3p represses Cited2 at the evolutionary emergence of the callosal and corticospinal projections

Callosal projection neurons are a broad population of interhemispheric projection neurons that extend an axon across the corpus callosum to connect the two cerebral hemispheres. The corticospinal tract, comprised of the axons of corticospinal projection neurons, is unique to mammals, and its full extension to the lumbar segments that control walking is, like the corpus callosum, unique to placental mammals. The emergence of these two distinct axonal tracts is thought to underpin the evolutionary expansion of complex motor and cognitive abilities. The molecular mechanisms regulating the divergence of corticospinal and callosal projection neurons are incompletely understood. Our recent work identifies a genomic cluster of microRNAs (12qF1/Mirg) unique to placental mammals. These clustered miRNAs are specifically expressed by corticospinal vs. callosal projection neurons during the molecular refinement of corticospinal vs. callosal projection neuron fate (1). One of these, miR-409-3p, can convert layer V callosal into corticospinal projection neurons, acting in part through repression of the callosal-expressed transcriptional regulator Lmo4. This conversion is partial, however, suggesting that miR-409-3p represses multiple callosal projection neuron control genes in order to specify corticospinal projection neurons. One potential additional target of miR-409-3p repression is the callosal-expressed transcriptional co-activator Cited2. Cited2 interacts genetically with Lmo4, and Lmo4 can partially functionally compensate for Cited2 in thymus development(2). Further, Cited2 and Lmo4 function as opposing molecular controls over specific areal identity within superficial layer callosal projection neurons of the somatosensory and motor cortices, respectively (3). Cited2 is highly expressed by callosal, relative to corticospinal, projection neurons from the earliest stages of neurogenesis. Cited2 is necessary for the expansion of intermediate progenitor cells (IPCs) in the subventricular zone (SVZ), and the resulting generation of superficial layer callosal projection neurons. Here we show that miR-409-3p and Cited2 interact in IPCs and in corticospinal vs. deep layer callosal projection neuron development. miR-409-3p represses the Cited2 3UTR in luciferase assays. Mirg, which encodes miR-409-3p, and Cited2, are reciprocally expressed in IPCs at e15.5 by qPCR. Furthermore, miR-409-3p gain-of-function results in a phenocopy of established Cited2 loss-of-function in IPCs. Later on, miR-409-3p and Cited2 exert opposing effects on the adoption of corticospinal vs. callosal projection neuron subtype identity. Taken together, our work suggests that miR-409-3p, and possibly other 12qF1 miRNAs, represses Cited2 in IPCs to limit their proliferation, and in developing corticospinal and deep layer callosal projection neurons to favor corticospinal fate.
Wireless information networks: architecture, resource management, and mobile data

Preface. I: Architecture. 1. Issues in Wireless Access Broadband Networks M. Naghshineh, et al. 2. An ATM Based PCS/Cellular Architecture B.T. Doshi, A. Sawkar. 3. A Distributed, Mobile Wireless Infrastructure for Multimedia Applications M. Gerla, et al. 4. Issues in Developing Functional Model(s) for Future Mobile Communication Networks E. Bui, et al. 5. Mobility Support in a Wireless ATM Network R. Yuan, et al. 6. Adaptive Paging Algorithms for Cellular Systems S. Madhavapeddy, et al. II: Radio Resource Management. 7. Distributed Measurement-based Dynamic Channel Assignment for Wireless Personal Communications M.M.-L. Cheng, J.C.-I. Chuang. 8. Distributed Radio Resource Allocation in Highway Microcellular Systems M. Andersin, et al. 9. Handover Performance: Propagation and Traffic Issues G. Senarath, D. Everitt. 10. A Simple Analysis of CDMA Soft Handoff Gain and its Effect on the Cell's Coverage Area P.R. Patel, et al. 11. An Algorithm for Capacity Allocation in Cellular Spread Spectrum Networks with Non-Uniform Traffic Loadings S. Hanly. 12. Uplink Power Control for CDMA Cellular Systems R.D. Yates. 13. A Distributed Power Control Algorithm for Bursty Transmissions on Cellular, Spread Spectrum Wireless Networks D. Mitra, J.A. Morrison. 14. Soft Admission in Cellular PCS with Constrained Power M. Andersin, et al. III: Access. 15. Performance Analysis of Capture-Division Packetized Access (CDPA) for Cellular Systems F. Borgonovo, et al. 16.A Novel Radio Channel Control Method for Improved Multiple Access Schemes Q. Cao, M.K. Gurcan. 17. Successive Interference Cancellation Schemes in Multi-Rate DS/CDMA Systems A.-L. Johansson, A. Svensson. 18. A New Distributed Reservation Multiple Access Scheme for the AVPAC Channel S. Singh, et al. 19. Network Simulations for IS-95 CDMA Systems S.-W. Wang, H.M. Chion. IV: Mobile Data, Mobile Networks. 20. Cellular Wideband Mobile Data Communications Z. Honkasalo, J. Hamalainen. 21. Experimental Results from Internetworking Data Applications Over Various Wireless Networks Using a Single Flexible Error Control Protocol A.J. McAuley, et al. 22. Radio Link Protocols for Cellular Data B.T. Doshi, et al. 23. An Asymmetric Cost Model for Query Processing in Mobile Computing Environments R. Jain, N. Krishnakumar. 24. An Efficient Approach to Updating Replicated Databases in Wireless and Advanced Intelligent Networks K.K. Leung. Index.
Quasiparticle properties of the nonlinear Holstein model at finite doping and temperature

We use determinant quantum Monte Carlo to study the single-particle properties of quasiparticles and phonons in a variant of the two-dimensional Holstein model that includes an additional nonlinear electron-phonon (e-ph) interaction. We find that a small positive nonlinear interaction reduces the effective coupling between the electrons and the lattice, suppresses charge-density-wave (CDW) correlations, and hardens the effective phonon frequency. Conversely, a small negative nonlinear interaction can enhance the e-ph coupling resulting in heavier quasiparticles, an increased tendency towards a CDW phase at all fillings, and a softened phonon frequency. An effective linear model with a renormalized interaction strength and phonon frequency can qualitatively capture this physics; however, the quantitative effects of the nonlinearity on both the electronic and phononic degrees of freedom cannot be captured by such a model. These results are significant for typical nonlinear coupling strengths found in real materials, indicating that nonlinearity can have an important influence on the physics of many e-ph coupled systems.
Recombination fraction estimate of zero in the presence of apparent recombinants: Effects of incomplete penetrance and sporadic cases

For a fully penetrant trait, apparent recombinants between the trait and marker loci result in an estimate of the recombination fraction theta > 0. Given allowance for reduced penetrance and/or sporadic cases, this no longer need be true. In this short communication, we describe conditions under which theta is estimated to be zero despite the presence of apparent recombinants. We demonstrate that even if a large proportion of unaffected individuals are apparent recombinants and the penetrance is moderately high, the lod score may be maximized at theta = 0. Despite maximization at theta = 0, presence of apparent recombinants reduces the maximum lod score in comparison to its value if no apparent recombinants are present.
The Political Economy of Institutional Landownership: Neorentier Society and the Financialization of Land

In recent decades a substantial shift in landownership has taken place in rural America as millions of acres of land have come under the ownership and control of various financial institutions. This article outlines a political economic framework for explaining and interpreting the signifi- cance of this proliferation of institutional investments into rural lands. Focus- ing on two of the nation's most important rural land resources—timberland and farmland—I suggest that we are witnessing an unprecedented integration between finance capital and landownership that harkens back to previous eras of rentier control. I further suggest that this increasing tendency to treat land as a financial asset—what I refer to as the "financialization of landownership"—gives rise to a number of contradictions that may have profound effects on rural communities across the United States. I conclude with a discussion of a land bubble and the role of institutional landowners in pushing up land prices in both timberland and farmland markets.
How do Managers Value Stock Options and Restricted Stock

We gather data from 77 current mid-level managers and 111 future entry-level managers, to investigate how they value stock options and restricted stock. We refer to our current and future manager groups collectively as "managers." We supplement our manager data with a dozen field interviews with senior executives. We find that managers, on average, systematically overvalue stock options relative to both the Black-Scholes (B-S) value and fair-value equivalent restricted stock grants. Thus, contrary to conventional economic thinking, many risk-averse agents do not appear to discount B-S values of options. Further, in valuing options, managers value quick vesting and extended expiration. Managers also extrapolate recently rising stock price trends to arrive at their subjective valuations of both options and restricted stock. In general, our results suggest that a combination of economic, behavioral and demographic factors explain managers' subjective valuations of options and restricted stock.
Notes on Entanglement in Abelian Gauge Theories

We streamline and generalize the recent progress in understanding entanglement between spatial regions in Abelian gauge theories. We provide an unambiguous and explicit prescription for calculating entanglement entropy in a ZN lattice gauge theory. The main idea is that the lattice should be split into two disjoint regions of links separated by a buer zone of plaquettes. We show that the previous calculations of the entanglement entropy can be realized as special cases of our setup, and we argue that the ambiguities reported in the previous work can be understood as basis choices for gauge-invariant operators living in the buer zone. The proposed procedure applies to Abelian theories with matter and with continuous symmetry groups, both
Early adversity, neural development, and inflammation

Early adversity is a risk factor for poor mental and physical health. Although altered neural development is believed to be one pathway linking early adversity to psychopathology, it has rarely been considered a pathway linking early adversity to poor physical health. However, this is a viable pathway because the central nervous system is known to interact with the immune system via the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and autonomic nervous system (ANS). In support of this pathway, early adversity has been linked to changes in neural development (particularly of the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex), HPA axis and ANS dysregulation, and higher levels of inflammation. Inflammation, in turn, can be detrimental to physical health when prolonged. In this review, we present these studies and consider how altered neural development may be a pathway by which early adversity increases inflammation and thus risk for adverse physical health outcomes.
Use of Dansyl Derivatives and Mass Spectrometry for Identification of Biogenic Amines

A useful technic for the isolation, separation, and identification of biogenic amines as fluores ent dansyl derivatives is described. A thin-layer chromatographic system is presented for the separation of the dansyl derivatives of phenethylamines from their corresponding β-hydroxyl derivatives, of primary amines from their corresponding N-alkylated derivatives, and of the components present in an extract of mammalian heart. Mass spectrums of dansyl derivatives of various amines and amino acids are presented to illustrate parent ion mass determination. This technic was applied to the identification of various amines present in mammalian heart. Identification was based on cochromatography and identity of parent ion mass with authentic compounds. Piperidine, dimethylamine, phenethylamine, methylamine, phenethanolamine, putrescine, spermidine, spermine, and tyramine were identified.
Role of p58IPK in Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-associated Apoptosis and Inflammation.

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is an essential site responsible for protein synthesis and maturation. Newly synthesized polypeptide chains enter the ER through a peptide translocon, and undergo maturation processes such as cleavage, glycosylation, disulfide bond formation, folding and assembly. Perturbation of the protein maturation processes, caused by hypoxia, viral and bacterial infections, inhibition of protein glycosylation or disulfide bond formation, results in accumulation of unfolded and misfolded proteins in the lumen of the ER. This condition is known as ER stress. Increased rate of protein synthesis and unbalanced protein folding capacity of the ER can also lead to ER stress. Studies over the past decade have demonstrated that ER stress can be induced in a variety of cells and tissues when exposed to physiological and pathological stresses, and plays an important role in cell injury and disease development in cancer, diabetes, and neurodegenerative and vascular diseases (for review, please see1, 2). To protect ER function and ensure the fidelity of protein folding, eukaryotic cells have evolved an adaptive mechanism named unfolded protein response (UPR). The UPR consists of three branches, which can be activated by any given ER stress event, but timing and sequence of the activation may differ.3,4 Activation of the UPR enhances protein folding capacity and reduces ER stress by inducing ER chaperones. These ER resident molecular chaperones are important for post-translational modification, assembly and quality control of newly synthesized proteins.5-7 In this review, we summarize recent research progress on p58IPK, an ER stress-regulated chaperone, and discuss its role in signaling pathways of ER stress, apoptosis and inflammation.
The effect of curcumin on glutathione-linked enzymes in K562 human leukemia cells

Curcumin, an antioxidant present in the spice turmeric (Curcuma longa), has been shown to inhibit chemical carcinogenesis in animal models and has been shown to be an anti-inflammatory agent. While mechanisms of its biological activities are not understood, previous studies have shown that it modulates glutathione (GSH)-linked detoxification mechanisms in rats. In the present studies, we have examined the effects of curcumin on GSH-linked enzymes in K562 human leukemia cells. One micromolar curcumin in medium (16 h) did not cause any noticeable change in glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activities. Gamma-glutamyl-cysteinyl synthetase activity was induced 1.6-fold accompanied by a 1.2-fold increase in GSH levels. GSH S-transferase (GST) activities towards 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene, and 4-hydroxynonenal (4HNE) were increased in curcumin-treated cells 1.3- and 1.6-fold, respectively (P = 0.05). The GST isozyme composition of K562 cells was determined as follows: 66% of GST Pl-1, 31% of Mu class GST(s), and 3% of an anionic Alpha-class isozyme hGST 5.8, which was immunologically similar to mouse GSTA4-4 and displayed substrate preference for 4HNE. The isozyme hGST 5.8 appeared to be preferentially induced by curcumin, as indicated by a relatively greater increase in activity toward 4HNE. Immunoprecipitation showed that GPx activity expressed by GST 5.8 contributed significantly (approximately 50%) to the total cytosolic GPx activity of K562 cells to lipid hydroperoxides. Taken together, these results suggest that GSTs play a major role in detoxification of lipid peroxidation products in K562 cells, and that these enzymes are modulated by curcumin.
Predicting Continued Participation in Newsgroups

Turnover in online communities is very high, with most people who initially post a message to an online community never contributing again. In this paper, we test whether the responses that newcomers receive to their first posts influence the extent to which they continue to participate. The data come from initial posts made by 2,777 newcomers to six public newsgroups. We coded the content and valence of the initial post and its first response, if it received one, to see if these factors influenced newcomers’ likelihood of posting again. Approximately 61% of newcomers received a reply to their initial post, and those who got a reply were 12% more likely to post to the community again; their probability of posting again increased from 44% to 56%. They were more likely to receive a response if they asked a question or wrote a longer post. Surprisingly, the quality of the response they received—its emotional tone and whether it answered a newcomer’s question—did not influence the likelihood of the newcomer’s posting again.
Polymeric Precursor Synthesis of Ceramic Materials

For the past twenty years we have successfully synthesized a wide range of ceramic materials by using organic precursors. The organic precursors are formulated into a glass before pyrolysis. Synthesized compounds include, for example, titanates, zirconates, silicates, chromites, niobates, tantalates, ferrites and molybdates. This preparation technique is based upon having individual cations complexed in separate weak organic acid solutions. The individual solutions are gravimetrically analyzed for the respective cation concentration to a precision of 10–100 ppm. In this way it is possible to precisely control all of the cation concentrations, and to mix the ions on an atomic scale in the liquid state. There is no precipitation in the mixed solution as it is evaporated to the rigid polymeric state-in the form of a uniformly colored transparent glass. The glass retains homogeneity on the atomic scale, and may be calcined at a relatively low temperature of only a few hundred degrees Celsius to the homogeneous single phase of precise cationic stoichiometry and particle size of a few hundred A. The advantage of having such well characterized, thermodynamically defined compounds is illustrated by the resulting understanding of the solid state chemistry of multicomponent compounds that has occurred.
CHES-Casing Hydraulic Expert System

One critical application of expert systems in the drilling industry is the design of casting strings. Tubulars are such a significant expenditure that they demand precise engineering. The availability of powerful PC's has relieved engineers of the drudgery of repetitive and intensive engineering calculations. An important way to decrease drilling costs is to increase the bit penetration rate. The less time spent drilling a hole, the fewer problems that are incurred. Most hole problems develop slowly and become serious considerations only after enough times has passed. Optimizing bit hydraulics to increase drilling rate is an important task facing drilling engineers. Rheology, hydraulics, and bit-nozzle selection are parameters to be considered when optimizing drilling. CHES is written with an expert-system shell (LEVEL-5, from Information Builders Inc.). The backward-chaining rule base interfaces with DB3 (Database 3), numerous FORTRAN programs, and chains from one knowledge base to another. CHES was developed and implemented on an IBM PC AT microcomputer.
A note on determining the range of optimality for decision analysis problems

The method for determining the range over which a state probability may change without affecting the optimal solution is well documented in introductory management science text books for problems in which there are only two states of nature. For more realistic problems in which there are more than two states of nature, the methodology does not work. In this paper, we extend the approach taken for the two state problem to handle n states and present a simple algorithm for determining the range.
The effects of oil, dispersant, and emulsions on the survival and behavior of an estuarine teleost and an intertidal amphipod

Killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) and amphipods (Gammarus oceanicus) were exposed separately to either a No. 2 fuel oil, AP dispersant, or emulsions of the two in a static system. Both species exhibited a concentration-dependent response to all three treatments. However, emulsification of oil with dispersant clearly increased its lethal effect on killifish survival, but did not cause a differential change in behavioral parameters such as schooling, chafing, substrate nipping, activity, or depth preference. Killifish exposed to conditions of thermal or osmotic stress were more sensitive to the lethal effects of emulsions. In contrast, emulsions caused quantitative changes in amphipod activity and precopulatory behavior, but did not increase mortality beyond that caused by exposure to oil alone. Changes in salinity had little effect on amphipod sensitivity to emulsions, but decreasing temperature did result in increased survival.
A distributed learning framework for heterogeneous data sources

We present a probabilistic model-based framework for distributed learning that takes into account privacy restrictions and is applicable to scenarios where the different sites have diverse, possibly overlapping subsets of features. Our framework decouples data privacy issues from knowledge integration issues by requiring the individual sites to share only privacy-safe probabilistic models of the local data, which are then integrated to obtain a global probabilistic model based on the union of the features available at all the sites. We provide a mathematical formulation of the model integration problem using the maximum likelihood and maximum entropy principles and describe iterative algorithms that are guaranteed to converge to the optimal solution. For certain commonly occurring special cases involving hierarchically ordered feature sets or conditional independence, we obtain closed form solutions and use these to propose an efficient alternative scheme by recursive decomposition of the model integration problem. To address interpretability concerns, we also present a modified formulation where the global model is assumed to belong to a specified parametric family. Finally, to highlight the generality of our framework, we provide empirical results for various learning tasks such as clustering and classification on different kinds of datasets consisting of continuous vector, categorical and directional attributes. The results show that high quality global models can be obtained without much loss of privacy.
Selective chemical modification of the active sites of the ketoacyl reductase and enoyl reductase of fatty acid synthetase from lactating rat mammary glands.

Abstract 1. 1. Chemical modification of fatty acid synthetase, an enzyme which catalyzes seven different reactions, with phenylglyoxal (an arginine specific reagent) preferentially inhibited the ketoacyi and enoyl reductase activities and consequently the overall activity of the enzyme, 2. 2. NADP and analogs containing the 2'-phosphate protected both reductases and the overall activity of the enzyme from inactivation by phenylglyoxal suggesting that an arginine residue interacts with the 2'-phosphate of NADPH at the active site of the two reductase domains. 3. 3. Pyridoxal-5'-phosphate, by forming a Schiff base with a lysine(s), inactivated the overall activity of fatty acid synthetase by specifically inactivating the enoyl reductase component of the enzyme. 4. 4. Protection of the enzyme activities against Pyridoxal-5'-phosphate inhibition by NADP analogs strongly suggested that in the active site of enoyl reductase the ϵ-amino group of a lysine residue interacts with the pyrophosphoryl bridge of NADPH.
Regulatory factor X2 (RFX2) binds to the H1t/TE1 promoter element and activates Transcription of the testis-specific histone H1t gene

Transcription of the mammalian testis-specific linker histone H1t gene occurs only in pachytene primary spermatocytes during spermatogenesis. Studies of the wild type (Wt) and mutant H1t promoters in transgenic mice show that transcription of the H1t gene is dependent upon the TE promoter element. We purified an 85 kDa protein from rat testis nuclear extracts using the TE1 subelement as an affinity chromatography probe and analysis revealed that the protein was RFX2. The TE1 element is essentially an X-box DNA consensus element and regulatory factor X (RFX) binds specifically to this element. Polyclonal antibodies directed against RFX2 supershift the low mobility testis nuclear protein complex formed in electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA). RFX2 derived from primary spermatocytes, where the transcription factor is relatively abundant, binds with high affinity to the TE1 element. Coexpression of RFX2 together with an H1t promoter/reporter vector activates the H1t promoter in a cultured GC-2spd germinal cell line, but mutation of either the TE1 subelement or the TE2 subelements represses activity. These observations lead us to conclude that the TE1 and TE2 subelements of the testis-specific histone H1t promoter are targets of the transcription factor RFX2 and that this factor plays a key role in activating transcription of the H1t gene in primary spermatocytes. Published 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The Impact of Billboards on Driver Visual Behavior: A Systematic Literature Review

Objective: External distraction appears to affect at least 6–9% of distraction-affected motor vehicle collisions. Billboards may be good models for studying external distraction in general, and it is also desirable to understand billboard-related distraction per se. However, there has not yet been a clear consensus on the scope of billboard-related distraction or its dynamics with respect to characteristics of drivers, billboards, traffic, and the roadway. To narrow these knowledge gaps, a systematic literature review was conducted on billboard-related changes in driver visual behavior.Methods: A systematic literature search yielded 443 results, of which 8 studies met all inclusion criteria. Five studies meeting all inclusion criteria were later identified and added. Results were analyzed in terms of 4 categories of visual behavior: (1) gaze variability (GV), glance pattern activity (GPA), and percentage of time spent glancing at the forward roadway; (2) glances at unexpected drive-relevant stimuli; (3) g...
Rescuing the Rentier — Neoliberalism, Social Imbalance, and the Current Economic Crisis: A Synthesis of Keynes, Galbraith, and Minsky

The current crisis reveals the inadequacy of laissez faire policies of the last 30 years, and the neoliberal theories upon which they rest. The policies directed toward averting depression have largely benefited the corporate rentier and the financial sector they served. Keynes, Minsky, and Galbraith advocated policies to rescue the economy, NOT the rentier. Keynes hoped to make capital sufficiently abundant so as to euthanize the rentier. Minsky attributes their endurance to the public's effort to emulate their consumptive habits. Galbraith points to the use of corporate power to stimulate consumer spending and influence the political process.
A comment on the role of propagule pressure in the establishment success of introduced birds.

In a recent paper, Cassey et al. (Oecologia 175: 417–428, 2014) presented a population model of establishment success among birds introduced to New Zealand. They found that net reproductive rate was more important than propagule pressure in three separate cases involving species that reflect life history type of three avian types. Although Cassey et al. (Oecologia 175: 417–428, 2014) claim this result was unexpected, in fact it supports previous studies that have questioned the role of propagule pressure in determining introduction outcomes.
What precision electroweak physics says about the SU(6)/Sp(6) little Higgs model

We study precision electroweak constraints on the close cousin of the littlest Higgs model, the $\mathrm{SU}(6)/Sp(6)$ model. We identify a near-oblique limit in which the heavy ${W}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ and ${B}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ decouple from the light fermions, and then calculate oblique corrections, including one-loop contributions from the extended top sector and the two Higgs doublets. We find regions of parameter space that give acceptably small precision electroweak corrections and only mild fine-tuning in the Higgs potential, and also find that the mass of the lightest Higgs boson is relatively unconstrained by precision electroweak data. The fermions from the extended top sector can be as light as $\ensuremath{\simeq}1\mathrm{TeV},$ and the ${W}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ can be as light as $\ensuremath{\simeq}1.8\mathrm{TeV}.$ We include an independent breaking scale for the ${B}^{\ensuremath{'}},$ which can still have a mass as low as a few hundred GeV.
Partially specified nearest neighbor searches using k-d trees☆

A partially specified nearest neighbor query is a nearest neighbor search in which only some of the possible keys are specified. An algorithm that uses k-d trees to perform such searching is described. The expected time complexity is O(N1-jk). where k is the total number of keys and j the number of keys specified in the query. Experimental results, which are consistent with the theoretical predictions, are also presented.
Medical student interactions with cancer patients: evaluation with videotaped interviews

In order to evaluate the impact of a block in cancer medicine upon student interactions with cancer patients, a group of 32 students have been videotaped during interviews with simulated and genuine cancer patients before and after the block. The videotapes were scored and analyzed for frequencies and patterns of interactions by the method of Reciprocal Category Analysis. This disclosed significant decreases in purely factual questions by the students, with corresponding increases in discussion of emotional aspects of illness, following the course. The temporal pattern of interaction also changed with less of a tendency to delay or avoid addressing emotional aspects of disease noted. In addition to demonstrating changes in student interactions with cancer patients following a didactic course, this study exemplifies an approach offering more direct assessment of physician-patient interactions than has been practical using questionnaires.
Functional expression cloning and characterization of SFT, a stimulator of Fe transport

A stimulator of Fe transport (SFT) was identified by functional expression cloning in Xenopus oocytes. SFT-mediated transport has properties defined for transferrin-independent Fe uptake, but its cytolocalization in recycling endosomes and the observed stimulation of transferrin-bound Fe assimilation indicate a key role in intracellular Fe membrane transport as well. SFT has six predicted transmembranous domains and a functionally important RExxE motif that resembles domains involved in yeast Fe transport and Fe-binding by ferritin L-chains. The observation that SFT oligomerizes, along with other structural and mechanistic features, suggests it may be a member of either the ATP-binding cassette or cation diffusion facilitator families. The 3′ untranslated region of SFT contains a translation inhibitory element and inhibition of SFT expression in Xenopus oocytes was found to be relieved by coinjection of transcripts from other defined cDNAs that are also described in this report. SFT is the first component of the mammalian Fe membrane transport machinery to be identified.
Deuteromethanes : potential fingerprints of the sources of atmospheric methane

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to suggest that development of analytical techniques to determine the deuterium substitution pattern of 12C- and 13C-methane might lead to better constraints on the apportionment of source strengths among the major methane source categories. Traditional methods of determining the isotopic composition of methane require both combustion of the molecule to CO2 for δ13C analysis and reduction of the concomitant water to H2 for δD analysis. When only δ13C-CH4 and δD-CH4—and even δ14C-CH4—are used, the problem of source attribution is fundamentally underdetermined. There are more source categories than unique tracers for each source category. If isotopic analysis could be accomplished without the combustion step, then there are ten isotopomers (a conjunction of “isotope” and “isomer”) of methane available for fingerprinting the sources of methane in the atmosphere. The tritium content of methane also warrants close examination as another constraint on the apportionment of biogenic and fossil methane.
Diminished sugar cataractogenesis by quercetin.

Abstract Aldose reductase has been implicated in the pathogenesis of sugar cataracts, therefore inhibition of this enzyme may represent a pharmacological approach for the delay and possible prevention of cataractogenesis induced by diabetes or glactosemia. In the neonatal rat, the fused eyelids provide a natural delivery chamber, an orbital pouch, for the daily deposition of an aldose reductase inhibitor. Topical administration of quercetin; a pentahydroxyflavone, to the orbital pouch of the galactosemic neonatal rat diminishes cataractogenesis in the corresponding lens. Comparison with the contralateral lens, indicates that quercetin (1 × 10−5 m ) reduces intracellular edema, prevents extracellular fluid accumulation and maintains cellular interdigitation of the superficial anterior cortical fiber. In addition to preserving fiber integrity, topical application of quercetin maintains lens growth as evidenced by radius and dry weight measurements. In normal neonates, quercetin (1 × 10−5 m ) does not alter fiber structure or development. Dietary administration of quercetin to the galactosemic neonates is also effective in maintaining individual fiber thickness, density and interdigitations. Therapeutically, many ophthalmic compounds are administered in the form of drops or soluble ophthalmic inserts, therefore the preclinical protocol for this study encompasses the basic correlates of clinical use; the neonatal orbital pouch may become a useful model to further investigate the activity and potency of new ophthalmic agents.
Tense and agreement morphemes in the speech of children with specific language impairment during intervention: phase 2.

Purpose The goals of this investigation were to determine whether treatment assists children with specific language impairment (SLI) in the use of grammatical morphemes that mark tense and agreement and whether treatment gains influence the children’s use of other, untreated morphemes. Method Twenty-five children with SLI participated in 96 intervention sessions designed to facilitate the children’s use of third-person singular -s or auxiliary is/are/was. Results The children showed significantly larger gains on the target forms than on control forms (e.g., past tense -ed) that were monitored but not included in intervention. Along with possible treatment-related generalization across morpheme types, there was also evidence of one morpheme type influencing another when neither was the target of intervention. Conclusions Although the results provide clear evidence for intervention effects, it appeared as if maturational factors also played a role. The findings are discussed in terms of their implications f...
Encystation and expression of cyst antigens by Giardia lamblia in vitro

The cyst form of Giardia lamblia is responsible for transmission of giardiasis, a common waterborne intestinal disease. In these studies, encystation of Giardia lamblia in vitro was demonstrated by morphologic, immunologic, and biochemical criteria. In the suckling mouse model, the jejunum was shown to be a major site of encystation of the parasite. Small intestinal factors were therefore tested as stimuli of encystation. An antiserum that reacted with cysts, but not with cultured trophozoites was raised in rabbits and used as a sensitive probe for differentiation in vitro. Cultured trophozoites that were exposed to bile salts showed a more than 20-fold increase in the number of oval, refractile cells that reacted strongly with anticyst antibodies, and in the expression of major cyst antigens. Exposure to primary bile salts resulted in higher levels of encystation than exposure to secondary bile salts. These studies will aid in understanding the differentiation of an important protozoan pathogen.
Refining the spin Hamiltonian in the spin-1/2 kagome lattice antiferromagnet ZnCu3(OH)6Cl2 using single crystals.

We report thermodynamic measurements of the $S=\frac{1}{2}$ kagome lattice antiferromagnet ${\mathrm{ZnCu}}_{3}(\mathrm{OH}{)}_{6}{\mathrm{Cl}}_{2}$, a promising candidate system with a spin-liquid ground state. Using single crystal samples, the magnetic susceptibility both perpendicular and parallel to the kagome plane has been measured. A small, temperature-dependent anisotropy has been observed, where ${\ensuremath{\chi}}_{z}/{\ensuremath{\chi}}_{p}g1$ at high temperatures and ${\ensuremath{\chi}}_{z}/{\ensuremath{\chi}}_{p}l1$ at low temperatures. Fits of the high-temperature data to a Curie-Weiss model also reveal an anisotropy. By comparing with theoretical calculations, the presence of a small easy-axis exchange anisotropy can be deduced as the primary perturbation to the dominant Heisenberg nearest neighbor interaction. These results have great bearing on the interpretation of theoretical calculations based on the kagome Heisenberg antiferromagnet model to the experiments on ${\mathrm{ZnCu}}_{3}(\mathrm{OH}{)}_{6}{\mathrm{Cl}}_{2}$.
Analysts Get SAD Too: The Effects of Seasonal Affective Disorder on Stock Analysts’ Earnings Estimates

Previous research finds that stock analysts exhibit both optimistic and pessimistic biases in their earnings forecasts, with the net result being a consistent but declining overestimation of forecasted earnings. We extend this research by examining the potential effect of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a documented psychological condition that produces heightened pessimism and risk aversion during the fall and winter months, on stock analysts' earnings estimates. Our results suggest that analysts are generally optimistic in their forecasts but significantly less so during SAD months. We also find this relation to be most pronounced for analysts located in northern states, who should be the ones most impacted by the disorder. We conclude that while the effect of SAD appears to be present, it actually seems to overcome an existing positive bent in earnings forecasts, thereby making estimates more accurate. Our findings add to the existing literature by identifying an additional psychological bias that c...
Ahmed Valve Implantation for Uncontrolled Pediatric Uveitic Glaucoma

Purpose: We sought to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Ahmed valve implantation for the management of glaucoma associated with chronic uveitis in pediatric patients. Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted of 6 pediatric patients (7 eyes) who underwent Ahmed valve implantation because of refractory uveitic glaucoma. Intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction, preoperative and postoperative visual acuities, the number of hypotensive medications required, and complications associated with the operation were evaluated. Results: Mean follow-up was 36.8 months (range, 6–60). At the last visit, all 7 eyes had IOPs between 9 and 18 mm Hg (average, 12.1). IOP reduction averaged 69.6% (P = 0.0005, paired t-test). The number of hypotensive agents was reduced from an average of 3 to an average of 0.71 medicines per eye (P = 0.001). The only complication was hemorrhagic choroidal detachment postoperatively in two eyes; both resolved within one month. Conclusions: For children with good immunomodulatory control of their inflammation and appropriate follow-up, Ahmed valve implantation can be an effective and safe procedure for treating pediatric uveitic glaucoma.
Mid-infrared absorption nanospectroscopy via molecular force detection

We report a highly-sensitive technique to obtain mid-infrared spectra with nanoscale spatial resolution via detecting a mechanical force exerted by vibrating molecules on an atomic force microscope tip. Sub-monolayer sensitivity is demonstrated.
Verification of Superpave Number of Design Gyration Compaction Levels for Georgia

The objective of this project was to evaluate the performance of Georgia's mixes designed by using the Superpave® gyratory compactor. Mixes designed with numbers of design gyrations that are too high would be rut resistant but may be difficult to compact adequately in the field and may lack sufficient durability because of reduced asphalt binder content. The following conclusions were made on the basis of an evaluation of field projects and from laboratory volumetric and performance testing with various aggregate sources and gyration levels: (a) It is unlikely that Superpave mixtures will reach the design air voids of 4.0% during the life of the pavement. After nearly 5 years, the average air voids measured in the wheelpaths were 5.7% for Superpave projects and 3.8% for Marshall projects. On the basis of volumetric comparisons, 66 gyrations with the laboratory-produced mix gave approximately the same density achieved on the Superpave projects in the field. (b) The difference between 4-in.-diameter Marshal...