cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Functional characterization of the modified melanocortin peptides responsible for ligand selectivity at the human melanocortin receptors

Abstract The melanocortin system plays an important role in energy homeostasis as well as skin pigmentation, steroidogenesis and exocrine gland function. In this study, we examined eight Ac-His-Phe-Arg-Trp-NH 2 tetrapeptides that were modified at the Phe position and pharmacologically characterized their activities at the human MCR wild-types and their mutants. Our results indicate that at the hMC1R, all D stereochemical modified residues at the Phe position of peptides increase cAMP production in a dose-dependent manner. At the hMC3R, the DPhe peptide dose dependently increases cAMP production but all other three tetrapeptides were not. At the hMC4R, both the DPhe and DNal(1′) peptides induce cAMP production. However, both DTyr and DNal(2′) were not able to induce cAMP production. Further studies indicated that at the hMC1R M128L mutant receptor, the all D-configured tetrapeptides reduce their potencies as compared to that of hMC1R wild-type. However, at the hMC3R and hMC4R L165M and L133M mutant receptors, the DNal(2′) and DTyr tetrapeptides possess agonist activity. These findings indicate that DPhe in tetrapeptide plays an important role in ligand selectivity and specific residue TM3 of the melanocortin receptors is crucial for ligand selectivity.
Quantitative Muscle Biopsy Analysis

Muscle biopsy is an important tool in the diagnosis and study of neuromuscular disease. Modern histo-chemical techniques produce specimens in which the "fast" and "slow" fibers appear visibly different in color. Certain neuromuscular diseases cause the sizes and relative numbers of each fiber type to change. Neurologists use these changes to diagnose the type and severity of disease. This analysis can be either subjective, and hence of limited accuracy, or quantitative and painstakingly tedious. Working in collaboration with the University of Southern California Neurology Department, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory is developing a compact computer system to perform quantitative muscle biopsy analysis quickly and accurately. The system feeds the microscope image into the computer which then isolates and counts the fibers and measures their size. It then prints out graphs showing the size distribution for each type fiber. This information will assist physicians in diagnosing and treating muscle disease and will facilitate research aimed at understanding human muscle disease processes.
The effect of leadership training on child care program quality

Twenty-two individuals participated in a 16-month Early Childhood Leadership Training Program. The content of the training covered all components of the child care center director's role: personal and professional self-knowledge; child development and early childhood programming; organizational theory, leadership style, legal and fiscal issues; parent and community relations/public policy and advocacy; and research and technology. This article documents training outcomes in three areas: (1) participants' level of perceived competence; (2) the quality of classroom teaching practices; and (3) the quality of work life for the staff at their programs. Self-report feedback from participants indicated a statistically significant increase in their perceived level of knowledge and skill in all five task performance areas. Posttest observations of classroom quality revealed a significant improvement in the quality of classroom teaching practices compared to a comparison group not receiving training. A pretest-posttest comparison of organizational climate showed a significant improvement in clarity of program policies, degree of program innovativeness, opportunities for professional growth, and staff's level of perceived decision-making influence.
A depleted, destabilized continental lithosphere near the Rio Grande rift

Abstract Seismic waveform diffraction patterns reveal a 120 km thick slab-like anomaly with about 4% increases in both compressional and shear wave speed, extending down to nearly 600 km between the Rio Grande Rift and the western Great Plains in the southwestern United States. Monte Carlo simulations suggest that the most probable interpretation is a temperature anomaly of about − 400 K with additions of olivine (11%), orthopyroxene (12%) and losses of clinopyroxene (− 14%), garnet (− 9%) relative to the adjoining mantle asthenosphere beneath the Rio Grande Rift. This sesimic anomaly, probably continental lithosphere, is cold and is as depleted as the Archean continental lithosphere. It was likely formed in the Proterozoic age but destabilized during the Cenozoic rifting of the Rio Grande Rift.
Protein adsorption on titanium surfaces and their effect on osteoblast attachment

The objective of this study was to investigate the adsorption of albumin and fibronectin on titanium (Ti) surfaces and the effect of preadsorbed albumin and fibronectin on osteoblast attachment in vitro. Bovine serum albumin and bovine fibronectin were used in this study. Maximum adsorption of bovine serum albumin and fibronectin on Ti surfaces was observed to occur after 180-min incubation. In the presence of preadsorbed proteins, osteoblast attachment on Ti surfaces was observed to be enhanced compared to control Ti surfaces. However, cell attachment was affected by the types of protein adsorbed. Preadsorbed albumin was observed to have no significant effect on the amount of osteoblast cells attached. In comparison to control Ti surface and Ti surfaces preadsorbed with albumin, Ti surfaces preadsorbed with fibronectin for 15 min was observed to significantly increase osteoblast cell attachment, whereas Ti surfaces preadsorbed with fibronectin for 180 min did not affect cell attachment. In addition, cell morphology of the attached cells on protein preadsorbed Ti surfaces was not affected by the type of protein used in this study. It was concluded from this study that the concentration of fibronectin adsorbed on Ti surfaces was higher compared to albumin. In addition, it was also concluded that the concentration of fibronectin on Ti surfaces plays a role in governing cell attachment.
Evaluation of types of interactions in subunit association in Bacillus subtilis adenylosuccinate lyase.

Adenylosuccinate lyase (ASL) of Bacillus subtilis is a homotetramer in which three subunits contribute to each of four active sites. We sought to evaluate the types of interactions responsible for subunit association by studying the enzyme’s oligomeric structure at low temperatures as compared to 25 °C, in the presence of KBr and after mutagenesis. Analytical ultracentrifugation data reveal that at 25 °C ASL is active and exists as 100% tetramer, while at 8 and 4 °C, as hydrophobic interactions are weakened, the catalytic activity decreases strikingly and the enzyme dissociates to a mixture of monomer–dimer–trimer, with small amounts of tetramer. In the presence of increasing concentrations of KBr (0.1–2.5 M), which disrupts electrostatic interactions, ASL is dissociated initially to monomer–dimer, with small amounts of trimer−tetramer, and then the monomer species predominates along with small amounts of trimer−tetramer. Very low enzymatic activity was found under these conditions. Accordingly, we postul...
HIV-1 Tat Can Substantially Enhance the Capacity of NIK to Induce IκB Degradation

Abstract The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Tat is a virally encoded protein that dramatically up-regulates viral replication through interactions with the HIV-1 5′ long terminal repeat (LTR) and cellular transcription factors. The HIV-1 LTR is divided into three major regions: modulatory, core and TAR. The modulatory region contains numerous cis-acting sequences for the binding of transcription factors including NF-κB, NF-AT, and AP-1. In several reports, Tat has been found to induce NF-κB activation of the HIV-1 LTR, while in other studies Tat has been reported to have no effect on activation of NF-κB. These discrepancies may arise from differences in experimental conditions such as the source of Tat (exogenous versus endogenous), the detection methods for NF-κB activation (DNA binding capability versus IκB degradation), and the types of reporters used (HIV-1 versus non-HIV-1 derived). To reconcile these differences we examined the effect of endogenous Tat on NF-κB activation, on IκB degradation and its interaction with upstream MAP3Ks. We demonstrate that although an 80% reduction in Tat-induced HIV-1 LTR activity can be detected if the κB binding sites are mutated, surprisingly endogenous Tat (expressed intracellularly by transfection) lacks direct effect on IκB degradation. Further analysis demonstrates that although Tat alone lacks direct effect on IκBα degradation or dissociation from NF-κB, Tat can substantially enhance the capacity of NF-κB-inducing kinase (NIK), but not MEKK1, to accelerate degradation of IκB. We propose a model to explain these collective experimental findings.
Body composition measurement in severe obesity

Purpose of reviewSevere obesity is accompanied by large increases in fat mass and alterations in the composition of fat free mass, in particular total body water and its extracellular compartment. The physical size limitations imposed by severe obesity, and variations in body composition from that o
Quantitative Stereochemical Analysis of a Reagent That Exhibits Asymmetric Amplification, B-Chlorodiisopinocampheylborane (Dip-Cl)

We show that complexation of B-chlorodiisopinocampheylborane (Dip-Cl) with 8-hydroxyquinoline results in an air- and moisture-stable complex. Using enantiomerically pure (+)-α-pinene, the (+,+)-Dip-quinoline complex, [(+)-C10H17]2B(η2-N,O-C10H6NO), was isolated and characterized by spectroscopic and crystallographic methods. When Dip-Cl is prepared from enantiomerically impure (+)-α-pinene a mixture of heterochiral, (+,−)-Dip-Cl, and homochiral, (+,+)-Dip-Cl and (−,−)-Dip-Cl, stereoisomers are formed. We have developed the 8-hydroxyquinoline complexation method for quantification of these stereoisomers by chiral HPLC. Since this is the first quantitative analysis of a reagent that exhibits asymmetric amplification, it enables us to verify part of Kagan's model for this phenomenon and evaluate the terms β and K which are measures of the relative amounts of stereoisomers. Our analysis shows that there is a preference for the formation of the heterochiral (+,−)-Dip-Cl isomer; therefore, the stereoisomers are...
Neural Networks and Fuzzy Systems for Nonlinear Applications

Nonlinear processes are difficult to control because there can be so many variations of the nonlinear behavior. The issue becomes more complicated if a nonlinear characteristic of the system changes with time and there is a need for an adaptive change of the nonlinear behavior. These adaptive systems are best handled with methods of computational intelligence such as neural networks and fuzzy systems. The problem is that development of neural or fuzzy systems is not trivial. Advantages and disadvantages of fuzzy systems will be presented and compared, including Mamdani, Takagi-Sugeno and other approaches. In the conclusion, advantages and disadvantages of neural and fuzzy approaches are discussed with a reference to their hardware implementation.
Reconstructing the Engram: Simultaneous, Multisite, Many Single Neuron Recordings

Little is known about the physiological principles that govern large-scale neuronal interactions in the mammalian brain. Here, we describe an electrophysiological paradigm capable of simultaneously recording the extracellular activity of large populations of single neurons, distributed across multiple cortical and subcortical structures in behaving and anesthetized animals. Up to 100 neurons were simultaneously recorded after 48 microwires were implanted in the brain stem, thalamus, and somatosensory cortex of rats. Overall, 86% of the implanted microwires yielded single neurons, and an average of 2.3 neurons were discriminated per microwire. Our population recordings remained stable for weeks, demonstrating that this method can be employed to investigate the dynamic and distributed neuronal ensemble interactions that underlie processes such as sensory perception, motor control, and sensorimotor learning in freely behaving animals.
uvby Photometry with a CCD

Initial observations using uvby filters with a CCD detector were completed in June of 1985, using the Cerro Tololo 4m PFCCD system. It has been possible to derive all Stromgren indices (b–y, m1 and c1) for V<18 from frames with acceptable integration times. For fields in the open cluster IC 4651, averages of 2 to 3 frames with exposure times of 15, 20, 40, and 500 seconds for the y, b, v, and u filters, yielded high precision magnitudes and indices for V<15. Exposure times up to 5 times longer were required for the v and u filters in order to derive c1 indices of sufficient precision for stars with V between 15 and 16. One result of our survey is the apparent absence of main sequence stars below V = 15.
Simulation of Crack Propagation in Functionally Graded Materials Under Mixed-Mode and Non-Proportional Loading

Automatic simulation of crack propagation in homogeneous and functionally graded materials is performed by means of a remeshing algorithm in conjunction with the finite element method. The crack propagation is performed under mixed-mode and non-proportional loading. Each step of crack growth simulation consists of calculation of mixed-mode stress intensity factors by means of a novel formulation of the interaction integral method, determination of crack growth direction based on a specific fracture criterion, and local automatic remeshing along the crack path. The present approach requires a user-defined crack increment at the beginning of the simulation. Crack trajectories obtained by the present numerical simulation are compared with available experimental results.
Graphene-modified electrodes for enhancing the performance of microbial fuel cells

Graphene is an emerging material with superior physical and chemical properties, which can benefit the development of microbial fuel cells (MFC) in several aspects. Graphene-based anodes can enhance MFC performance with increased electron transfer efficiency, higher specific surface area and more active microbe-electrode-electrolyte interaction. For cathodic processes, oxygen reduction reaction is effectively catalyzed by graphene-based materials because of a favorable pathway and an increase in active sites and conductivity. Despite challenges, such as complexity in synthesis and property degeneration, graphene-based electrodes will be promising for developing MFCs and other bioelectrochemical systems to achieve sustainable water/wastewater treatment and bioenergy production.
Quantitative theory of hydrophobic effect as a driving force of protein structure.

Various studies suggest that the hydrophobic effect plays a major role in driving the folding of proteins. In the past, however, it has been challenging to translate this understanding into a predictive, quantitative theory of how the full pattern of sequence hydrophobicity in a protein shapes functionally important features of its tertiary structure. Here, we extend and apply such a phenomenological theory of the sequence-structure relationship in globular protein domains, which had previously been applied to the study of allosteric motion. In an effort to optimize parameters for the model, we first analyze the patterns of backbone burial found in single-domain crystal structures, and discover that classic hydrophobicity scales derived from bulk physicochemical properties of amino acids are already nearly optimal for prediction of burial using the model. Subsequently, we apply the model to studying structural fluctuations in proteins and establish a means of identifying ligand-binding and protein–protein interaction sites using this approach.
Determinants of opposition fragmentation: Parliamentary rules and opposition strategies

Whether the opposition in a democratic country is unified or fragmented is an important characteristic that may influence the accountability of government, as a recent study demonstrates that the degree of opposition fragmentation has consequences for the electoral performance of ruling parties. This study explores the determinants of opposition fragmentation using data from 18 advanced democracies. I argue and provide evidence that deliberative parliamentary rules that allow opposition parties to have greater influence in the policymaking process lead to higher levels of opposition fragmentation. Opposition parties deprived of political influence tend to reduce their levels of fragmentation in order to become more competitive. This finding suggests that there may be a trade-off between deliberativeness and competitiveness in democratic politics.
Post-column infusion study of the 'dosing vehicle effect' in the liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometric analysis of discovery pharmacokinetic samples.

It has become increasingly popular in drug development to conduct discovery pharmacokinetic (PK) studies in order to evaluate important PK parameters of new chemical entities (NCEs) early in the discovery process. In these studies, dosing vehicles are typically employed in high concentrations to dissolve the test compounds in dose formulations. This can pose significant problems for the liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometric (LC/MS/MS) analysis of incurred samples due to potential signal suppression of the analytes caused by the vehicles. In this paper, model test compounds in rat plasma were analyzed using a generic fast gradient LC/MS/MS method. Commonly used dosing vehicles, including poly(ethylene glycol) 400 (PEG 400), polysorbate 80 (Tween 80), hydroxypropyl beta-cyclodextrin, and N,N-dimethylacetamide, were fortified into rat plasma at 5 mg/mL before extraction. Their effects on the sample analysis results were evaluated by the method of post-column infusion. Results thus obtained indicated that polymeric vehicles such as PEG 400 and Tween 80 caused significant suppression (> 50%, compared with results obtained from plasma samples free from vehicles) to certain analytes, when minimum sample cleanup was used and the analytes happened to co-elute with the vehicles. Effective means to minimize this 'dosing vehicle effect' included better chromatographic separations, better sample cleanup, and alternative ionization methods. Finally, a real-world example is given to illustrate the suppression problem posed by high levels of PEG 400 in sample analysis, and to discuss steps taken in overcoming the problem. A simple but effective means of identifying a 'dosing vehicle effect' is also proposed.
Evaluation of myocardial mechanics with three-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography in heart transplant recipients: comparison with two-dimensional speckle tracking and relationship with clinical variables

Aims Two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) is limited by its inability to track tissue motion in three dimensions. This is particularly relevant in heart transplant recipients, in whom marked translational motion of the transplanted heart is present. We aimed to compare 3-dimensional (3D)- and 2D-STE-derived strain parameters, and to identify clinical features associated with myocardial mechanics in transplant recipients. Methods and results In 36 heart transplant recipients, global and regional left-ventricular (LV) longitudinal and circumferential strain (LSt and CSt), and radial displacement (RDisp) were obtained by 3D- and 2D-STE, and their results were compared. 3D-STE deformation from a subset of transplant recipients with preserved ejection fraction was compared with a control group of 25 subjects matched by gender, age, history of hypertension, and ejection fraction. Associations between global LSt and CSt and clinical, echocardiographic, and haemodynamic parameters in transplant recipients were investigated. 3D-STE yielded lower magnitude of global LSt compared with 2D-STE (−13 ± 3 vs. −16 ± 3%, P < 0.001). The inferolateral wall was a source of variation between 3D- and 2D-STE both for LSt and CSt. Inferolateral wall 3D-STE-derived RDisp was greater than that observed in control subjects (7.4 ± 1.2 vs. 6.5 ± 1.7 mm, P = 0.03), while anteroseptal RDisp was lower than controls (4.2 ± 1.0 vs. 7.3 ± 1.6 mm, P < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that 3D-STE-derived LSt was independently associated with NYHA class ( P < 0.001), while 2D-STE-derived LSt was not. Conclusion Examination of LV mechanics by 3D- and 2D-STE deformation parameters in heart transplant recipients yields significantly discordant results. 3D-STE-derived LSt is independently associated with NYHA class, suggesting a clinically important relationship between functional status and myocardial mechanics.
Antiochus IV as the Man Who Will Overflow the Flood and Break Its Arms (Daniel 11.22)

Daniel 10–12 is a historical apocalypse, a vision of the end-time that first describes events of the Hellenistic period before predicting events in the future. Daniel 11.22 describes the accession of Antiochus IV to the Seleucid throne in symbolic terms. A translation of the verse should reflect its meaning and context.
Histidine Uptake in Mutant Strains of Neurospora crassa Via the General Transport System for Amino Acids

A transport double mutant of Neurospora crassa has been isolated that has only one of the three transport systems capable of l-histidine uptake. The substrate specificity of the remaining transport system, termed the general transport system, has been fully characterized with regard to the contributions to binding of the side chain, the α-amino group, and the carboxylate group. The positively charged α-amino group is necessary for binding; the negatively charged carboxylate group is of less importance, since its replacement by a neutral carbonyl functional group does not completely abolish binding. The greatest structural latitude for binding was found in the side chain; affinity for α-amino acids was uniformly high except for l-aspartic and l-glutamic acids, l-asparagine, and l-proline. Thus, this transport system is “general” with these restrictions.
Prostate-specific antigen velocity and survival for patients with hormone-refractory metastatic prostate carcinoma

BACKGROUND The authors investigated whether prostate-specific antigen (PSA) velocity was associated significantly with the time to death after randomization among patients with hormone-refractory metastatic prostate carcinoma (HRMPC) who were treated with cytotoxic, cytotatic, or combination therapy. METHODS The study cohort included 213 men with HRMPC who were treated on 3 prospective, randomized Phase II studies between February 1996 and October 2001. Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate whether there was a significant association between PSA velocity and the time to death after randomization, controlling for treatment and known prognostic factors. RESULTS Increasing PSA velocity was associated significantly with shorter survival after randomization (P = 0.005) controlling for treatment and known prognostic factors. The adjusted hazard ratio for death was 1.8 (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.3–2.5; P = 0.0004) for men who had a PSA velocity > 0.0 ng/mL per month compared with men who had a PSA velocity ≤ 0.0 ng/mL per month. Estimates of survival 2 years after randomization for these men were 16% (95% CI, 7–25%) and 44% (95% CI, 35–53%), respectively. CONCLUSIONS PSA velocity was associated significantly with the length of survival among men with HRMPC who received cytotoxic, cytostatic, or combination therapy. Cancer 2006. © 2005 American Cancer Society.
Identification of a novel proapoptotic function of resveratrol in fat cells: SIRT1-independent sensitization to TRAIL-induced apoptosis

The phytochemical resveratrol has recently gained attention for its protection against metabolic disease and for extension of life span, which have been linked to its metabolic effects and SIRT1 activation in fat cells. However, little is known about the effect of resveratrol on fat cell apoptosis. Here, we identify a novel, SIRT1-independent mechanism by which resveratrol regulates fat cell numbers. We demonstrate for the first time that resveratrol enhances TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)- or CD95-induced apoptosis of human preadipocytes in a highly synergistic manner (EC50 at 72 h: resveratrol, >300 μM; TRAIL, >100 ng/ml; combination: 30 μM resveratrol and 10 ng/ml TRAIL, combination index 0.4). Similar results in primary human preadipocytes prepared from subcutaneous white adipose tissue and mature human adipocytes underline the relevance to human physiology. Mechanistic studies reveal that resveratrol inhibits PI3K-driven phosphorylation of Akt, leading to increased Bax activation, loss...
Rates and Consequences of Recombination between rRNA Operons

A mutant strain of Escherichia coli was created by inserting a cassette encoding sucrose sensitivity and neomycin resistance (sacB-neo) into the small-subunit rRNA-encoding gene rrs in the rrnB operon. During growth in a complex medium, the cassette was lost from the population, and a complete rrs gene was restored at a rate of 5 × 10−9 per cell division. Repair of this lesion required flanking regions of DNA that were similar to the six remaining intact rRNA operons and reestablished the full complement of seven rRNA operons. The relative fitness of strains with restored rrnB operons was 1 to 2% higher than that of the mutant strain. The rrnB operon normally contains a spacer region between the 16S and 23S rRNA-encoding genes that is similar in length and tRNA gene content to the spacer in rrnC, -E, and -G. In 2 of the 14 strains in which rrnB was restored, the spacer region had the same length as the spacer region in rrnA, -D, and -H. The requirement for flanking regions of nearly identical DNA and the replication of the spacer region from other rRNA operons during the repair of rrnB suggest that the restoration was accomplished via gene conversion. The rate of gene conversion was 10-fold less than the fixation of point mutations in the same region of the chromosome but was apparently sufficient to homogenize the sequences of rRNA genes in E. coli. These findings are discussed in the context of a conceptual model describing the presence of sequence heterogeneity in coevolving rRNA genes.
Reckoning with Homelessness

Reckoning with Homelessness. Kim Hopper. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2003. 271 pp.
CrAsH: a biarsenical multi-use affinity probe with low non-specific fluorescence

CrAsH is a tetracysteine-binding probe which has improved properties in terms of signal-to-noise ratio and pH dependence of fluorescence compared to the parent compound.
Tetra‐μ‐chloro‐chloro(N,N,N′,N′‐tetra­methyl­ethane‐1,2‐di­amine)(1,1,3‐tri­methyl‐2‐imidazolium)­dicopper(I)copper(II)

The title compound, [Cu3Cl5(C6H16N2)(C6H13N2)], was isolated from a reaction between Cu(OH)2, (CF3)3COH, C6H6, [2-(di­methyl­amino)­ethyl]­di­methyl­amine (TMEDA), and tetra­hydro­furan (THF), and contains two inequivalent copper(I) centers as well as a square-pyramidal copper(II) center all linked by μ2-chloro bridges. The 1,1,3-tri­methyl-2-imidazolium cation results from the cyclization of a coord­inated mol­ecule of TMEDA and contains localized C—N and C=N bonds in contrast to the delocalized C=N bonds observed in other coordinated 1,1,3-tri­methyl-2-imidazolium cations.
Multi-settlement systems for electricity markets: zonal aggregation under network uncertainty and market power

We analyze alternative market designs for a multi-settlement system for electricity in which the resolution of the transmission network model is increased as time approaches real-time, and uncertainty about congestion patterns is resolved. Variations of such systems are implemented or have been proposed in California and other parts of the U.S. We aim to compare welfare implications of such market designs against more centralized single-settlement systems, such as those implemented in the Northeastern control areas of the U.S. We model the multi-settlement system as a two period game and compute subgame perfect Cournot-Nash equilibria for the various market designs.
Co-construcciones en español: ¿cooperación por medio de una interrupción?

En este articulo se presenta una revision del fenomeno de co-construccion, entendido como la realizacion de una unidad sintactica a partir de la contribucion de dos hablantes durante una conversacion. Se analizan 81 casos tomados de varias conversaciones espontaneas en Cali, Colombia, donde participan once hablantes. A partir de diferentes explicaciones dadas en cuanto a las causas de este fenomeno, se proponen tres variables que buscan confirmar estas hipotesis sobre las muestras encontradas. Las variables corresponden a: 1) Una perspectiva de la interaccion conversacional, donde se tienen en cuenta modelos cognitivos compartidos por los hablantes (Lerner, 1991). 2) Una aproximacion sintactica, donde se analizan las caracteristicas gramaticales de los componentes (Ford y Thompson, 1996), y 3) Una mirada prosodica, que se centra en las unidades truncadas (Helasvuo, 2004). Se propone que las tesis planteadas frente a las causas de la aparicion de co-construcciones si tienen incidencia en los ejemplos estudiados. Sin embargo, se demuestra que, en general, estas unidades compartidas no son explicadas por una causa aislada, sino que se dan por factores multiples, en los cuales se combina la sintaxis y la prosodia. Finalmente, se propone que lo que a primera vista podria ser considerado un hecho conflictivo de la conversacion, una interrupcion, constituye un acto de cooperacion conversacional.
The Erv41p-Erv46p complex: multiple export signals are required in trans for COPII-dependent transport from the ER.

Erv41p and Erv46p form an integral membrane protein complex that cycles between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and Golgi. Both proteins contain a large lumenal domain and short N- and C-terminal tail sequences exposed to the cytosol. The coat protein complex II (COPII) packages the Erv41p–Erv46p complex into ER-derived vesicles for delivery to the Golgi. We determined signals in the Erv41p–Erv46p complex that are required for COPII-dependent export from the ER. Mutants lacking the Erv41p or Erv46p C-terminus accumulated in the ER and were not packaged efficiently into vesicles. We identified an isoleucine–leucine sequence in the Erv41p tail that was required for COPII binding and inclusion of the complex into vesicles. This signal was sufficient for COPII binding but not for ER export. The Erv46p tail contains a phenylalanine–tyrosine sequence required together with the isoleucine–leucine signal in Erv41p for export of the complex. Surprisingly, Erv41p– Erv46p tail-swapped chimeras were not exported from the ER, indicating that signals in both the Erv41p and the Erv46p tail sequences are required in a specific orientation for efficient packaging of the Erv41p–Erv46p complex.
Electrochemical Behavior of AISI 304SS with Particulate Silica Coating in 0.1 M NaCl

The work was performed under the Corrosion and Materials Performance Cooperative, DOE Cooperative Agreement Number: DE-FC28-04RW12252.
Cholinergic Supersensitivity of the Iris Sphincter in Adie's Tonic Pupil

In patients with unilateral Adie's syndrome, we compared the relative supersensitivity of the tonic pupil to methacholine hydrochloride (Mecholyl 2.5%) and pilocarpine 0.125%. We tested a large series of patients and photographed the pupils before and 30 minutes after the eyedrops. In a group of 36 patients, Mecholyl was positive in 64% of the tests; and in a group of 20 patients, pilocarpine 0.125% was positive in 80% of the tests. Eight patients who failed to show supersensitivity with Mecholyl were tested with pilocarpine and five of the eight were shown to be supersensitive. We concluded that pilocarpine, in this concentration is not only an adequate substitute for Mecholyl 2.5%, but is a more sensitive testing substance in unilateral cases, simply because it has a slightly stronger miotic action.
Diplomat tells climate scientists to speak out

Former Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations Stephen Lewis challenged scientists at a climate change conference to “move from dispassionate observation to passionate advocacy” and make their views on the threat posed by greenhouse warming known to fellow citizens and political leaders. Lewis, who chaired a multinational conference on climate change last June in Toronto, delivered a principal address December 7 in Washington, D.C., to the Second North American Conference on Preparing for Climate Change. The conference was sponsored by the Climate Institute, an international environmental organization composed of scientists and policymakers. After retiring from the Canadian government last summer, Lewis became a special assistant on Africa to the U.N. Secretary-General, Javier Perez de Cuellar.
Teaching Managerial Economics in MBA Programs: A Survey of AACSB Colleges.

There is a significant variation in the managerial economics course in terms of the prerequisites, contents and delivery in the MBA programs of AACSB institutions. In order to get detailed information on these aspects, we conducted a survey of 275 AACSB institutions and reported the results. Briefly, the survey indicates that majority of the programs require principles of economics and business statistics as prerequisites among other things. Based on the survey results, the paper strongly recommends a two course sequence in economics, an introduction to economics as a prerequisite and a managerial economics course in the core of the MBA program.
Altered Expression of Small-Conductance Ca2+-Activated K+ (SK3) Channels Modulates Arterial Tone and Blood Pressure

The endothelium is a critical regulator of vascular tone, and dysfunction of the endothelium contributes to numerous cardiovascular pathologies. Recent studies suggest that apamin-sensitive, small-conductance, Ca 2+ -activated K + channels may play an important role in active endothelium-dependent vasodilations, and expression of these channels may be altered in disease states characterized by vascular dysfunction. Here, we used a transgenic mouse (SK3 T/T ) in which SK3 expression levels can be manipulated with dietary doxycycline (DOX) to test the hypothesis that the level of expression of the SK subunit, SK3, in endothelial cells alters arterial function and blood pressure. SK3 protein was elevated in small mesenteric arteries from SK3 T/T mice compared with wild-type mice and was greatly suppressed by dietary DOX. SK3 was detected in the endothelium and not in the smooth muscle by immunohistochemistry. In whole-cell patch-clamp experiments, SK currents in endothelial cells from SK3 T/T mice were almost completely suppressed by dietary DOX. In intact arteries, SK3 channels contributed to sustained hyperpolarization of the endothelial membrane potential, which was communicated to the arterial smooth muscle. Pressure- and phenylephrine-induced constrictions of SK3 T/T arteries were substantially enhanced by treatment with apamin, suppression of SK3 expression with DOX, or removal of the endothelium. In addition, suppression of SK3 expression caused a pronounced and reversible elevation of blood pressure. These results indicate that endothelial SK3 channels exert a profound, tonic, hyperpolarizing influence in resistance arteries and suggest that the level of SK3 channel expression in endothelial cells is a fundamental determinant of vascular tone and blood pressure.
Robust, Digital, Nonlinear Control of Magnetic-Levitation Systems

This paper presents a robust, adaptive, nonlinear controller for a class of magnetic-levitation systems, which includes active-magnetic bearings. The controller is analytically and experimentally shown to be superior to a classical linear control system in stability, control effort, step-response performance, robustness to parameter variations, and force-disturbance rejection performance, Using an adaptive backstepping approach, a Lyapunov function is generated along with an adaptive control law such that the nonlinear, closed-loop, continuous system is shown to guarantee stability of the equilibrium and convergence of the parameter estimates to constant values. The control system error coordinates are proven to be bounded in the presence of a bounded force disturbance input. The novelty of this controller is that it is digitally implemented using Euler integrators with anti-windup limits, it is single-input-single-output requiring only a measurement of the position of the levitating object, and it is designed to adaptively estimate not only the uncertain model parameters, but also the constant forces applied to the levitating object in order to ensure robustness to force disturbances. The experimental study was conducted on a single-axis magnetic-levitation device. The controller is shown to be applicable to active-magnetic bearings, under specific conditions, as well as any magnetic-levitation system that can be represented in output-feedback form.
The integration of new communication technologies to form virtual organizations: a case study of a prison telemedicine program

Videoconferencing technologies can provide healthcare organizations with innovative ways to deliver clinical consultations. The prison environment is one application where telemedicine can create economic efficiencies, Unfortunately, many relationships cannot be built on a technical infrastructure alone. Effective implementation of telemedicine technologies to create virtual clinics requires attention to the development of relationships among members of the telemedicine network. The paper describes some lessons learned from an 18 month case study of the implementation of telemedicine to connect an academic medical center to a prison hospital and a maximum security prison. The paper describes the construct of telecompetence, which is the effective implementation of telecommunications technologies to create virtual connections.
Electroconvulsive therapy in the medically ill.

Three questions face the practitioner who is treating a patient with combined medical and psychiatric illness for whom electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is being considered: 1. Is ECT effective in such patients? 2. Does ECT cause deterioration of the underlying medical condition or significant side effects? 3. Is modification of ECT technique indicated to lessen the risk of adverse outcomes? To answer these questions definitively, prospective trials are needed in which the severity of both the medical and the psychiatric illness are blindly rated in a systematic manner before, during, and after treatment. Such trials are generally lacking. Furthermore, in relying on case reports, one must consider that these publications tend to be biased either in favor of excellent results or unexpectedly poor outcomes; however, a large body of case reports and case series published over several decades do inform the ECT clinician about a reasonable approach to patients with a wide array of medical disorders. This section focuses on medical conditions in which ECT has a direct physiologic effect and therefore places the patient at risk for complications. These include cardiovascular, neurologic, respiratory, and other disorders. In addition, the reader is
Linearized Electromagnetic and Vibration Modeling of Switched Reluctance Motors

Switched reluctance (SR) motors are becoming more and more prominent in both industry and academia due to their simple design characteristics and flexibility [3]. However, the pulsating nature of the torque in this kind of motor tends to generate unwanted accoustical noise and large, undesirable vibrations [2]. Many researchers have conducted complex experimental and finite-element studies to determine the sources of these vibrations, but comparatively little work has been done to analytically model these phenomena using first principles [2] [8] [3]. The goal of this paper then is to derive an anlytical model for the vibrations of an SR motor, and to predict the frequency response of a particular motor configuration. These results will help guide future work to reduce vibrations in these motors, therby making them more industrially viable.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Surgical principles involved in the clinical use of streptokinase and streptodornase.

Streptokinase and streptodornase, as adjuncts to surgical intervention, offer the surgeon a new biologic approach to the treatment of certain infections. The compounds are tools for the removal of fibrin and purulent exudates which enhance chemotherapeutic action and the healing of wounds.
Analysis of monitoring results of common food-borne pathogens in Xuzhou

Objective:To understand the local prevalence of pathogens in food pollution,and to provide references for food safety risk assessment,risk warning and targeted control measures.Methods: Samples were detected according to national standards of food microbiology testing and "Handbook for Food-borne pathogens surveillance network".Results: The overall detection rate was 14.26%(95/666).The highest rate of pathogenic bacteria was found in aquatic products(25.96%,28.57% for the fresh and frozen aquatic products,23.64% for raw food/half raw aquatic products),with the highest detection rate in Vibrio parahaemolyticus(22.12%);then the second highest positive rate of pathogenic bacteria was found in meat and meat products(21.28%,raw meat accounted for 31.91%;cooked meats accounted for 10.64%),followed by restaurant food(13.24%),fast-freeze rice and flour food(13.04%),and raw or half cooked vegetables had the lowest detection rate(2.27%).Salmonella in raw meat of poultry and Vibrio parahaemolyticus in aquatic products were high volume.Conclusion: Meat and aquatic products had high food safety risk;restaurant food,fast-freeze rice and flour food were contaminated seriously;baked food,bean products and so on has a certain level of pollution.
Secondary energy transfer and non-participatory Yb3+ ions in high-power Er3+-Yb3+ amplifier fibers

Luminescent decay measurements and modeling of high-power erbium-ytterbium amplifier fibers reveal significant ytterbium to erbium secondary energy transfer plus non-participatory ytterbium ions not coupled to the erbium. Both phenomena will lower efficiencies of erbium-ytterbium amplifiers.
A multi-level analysis of individual and agency effects on implementation of family-centered practice in child welfare

Abstract This study describes factors associated with the implementation of family centered practice (FCP) across a state child welfare system. Using Multi-Level Model (MLM) analysis of self-report data from the child welfare workers and supervisors in one multi-jurisdiction state, individual and organizational factors that may influence successful implementation of innovative practice models are identified. Individual worker's characteristics such as social work degree, training, and age were all associated with higher levels of individual adoption of FCP principles. Organizational culture including innovation and flexibility and outward focus were associated with organization level implementation of FCP principles. Implications for child welfare practice and implementation of FCP are discussed.
Signal Alignment for Secure Underwater Coordinated Multipoint Transmissions

Underwater acoustic networked systems often consist of geographically distributed antenna elements (DAEs) that are connected via cables or high-rate radio links (e.g., bottom-anchored nodes or surface buoys). This paper investigates countermeasures against eavesdropping attack in the coordinated multipoint (CoMP) transmission of DAEs to an underwater legitimate user. Exploiting the low sound speed in water and the spatial diversity of DAEs, we propose signal alignment for transmission secrecy, where a transmission strategy will be judiciously designed such that useful signals will collide at the eavesdropper while stay collision-free at the legitimate user. Specifically, the transmit DAE set, and the transmission schedule and transmission power of each active DAE are jointly optimized with a goal of minimizing the maximal received signal-to-interference-and-noise ratio (SINR) of useful signals at the eavesdropper, under a lower bound constraint of the received signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) at the legitimate user. Taking the orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) as the modulation technique, simulation and emulated experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method significantly degrades the eavesdropper's interception capability. We further investigate the secrecy capacity and the secure degrees of freedom (d.o.f.) of the signal alignment method from an information-theoretic perspective, which reveals that without external helpers, secure d.o.f. greater than 1/2 can be achieved.
Generation of Soybean (Glycine max) Transient Transgenic Roots

Legumes-because of their nitrogen-fixing capacity-have both ecological and agronomic importance, and are also the major plant protein source for animal consumption. The model legume species are Lotus japonicus, Medicago truncatula, and soybean (Glycine max). These species have sequenced genomes and are amenable to genetic manipulation, as well as to various functional genomic and cell biology approaches. Plant transformation mediated by Agrobacterium is one of the most powerful methods in plant biotechnology. Using the traditional Agrobacterium tumefaciens method, stable transgenic plants take 6 to 12 months to create, depending on species. Besides being time consuming, this approach is often quite laborious. Hence, there is a need for more rapid methods to create transgenic tissues. In the case of roots, this can be done using hairy root transformation mediated by Agrobacterium rhizogenes. This protocol describes a method to generate transgenic soybean roots in as little as 3 weeks. © 2016 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.