cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Panobinostat (LBH589)-induced acetylation of tubulin impairs megakaryocyte maturation and platelet formation

Drug-induced thrombocytopenia often results from dysregulation of normal megakaryocytopoiesis. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms responsible for thrombocytopenia associated with the use of Panobinostat (LBH589), a histone deacetylase inhibitor with promising anti-cancer activities. The effects of LBH589 were tested on the cellular and molecular aspects of megakaryocytopoiesis by utilizing an ex vivo system in which mature megakaryocytes (MK) and platelets were generated from human primary CD34 + cells. We demonstrated that LBH589 did not affect MK proliferation or lineage commitment but inhibited MK maturation and platelet formation. Although LBH589 treatment of primary MK resulted in hyperacetylation of histones, it did not interfere with the expression of genes that play important roles during megakaryocytopoiesis. Instead, we found that LBH589 induced post-translational modifications of tubulin, a nonhistone protein that is the major component of the microtubule cytoskeleton. We then demonstrated that LBH589 treatment induced hyperacetylation of tubulin and alteration of microtubule dynamics and organization required for proper MK maturation and platelet formation. This study provides new insights into the mechanisms underlying LBH589-induced thrombocytopenia and provides a rationale for using tubulin as a target for selective histone deacetylase inhibitor therapies to treat thrombocytosis in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms.
Prime-boost vaccination using chemokine-fused gp120 DNA and HIV envelope peptides activates both immediate and long-term memory cellular responses in rhesus macaques

HIV vaccine candidates with improved immunogenicity and induction of mucosal T-cell immunity are needed. A prime-boost strategy using a novel HIV glycoprotein 120 DNA vaccine was employed to immunize rhesus macaques. The DNA vaccine encoded a chimeric gp120 protein in fusion with monocyte chemoattractant protein-3, which was hypothesized to improve the ability of antigen-presenting cells to capture viral antigen through chemokine receptor-mediated endocytosis. DNA vaccination induced virus-reactive T cells in peripheral blood, detectable by T cell proliferation, INFgamma ELISPOT and sustained IL-6 production, without humoral responses. With a peptide-cocktail vaccine containing a set of conserved polypeptides of HIV-1 envelope protein, given by nasogastric administration, primed T-cell immunity was significantly boosted. Surprisingly, long-term and peptide-specific mucosal memory T-cell immunity was detected in both vaccinated macaques after one year. Therefore, data from this investigation offer proof-of-principle for potential effectiveness of the prime-boost strategy with a chemokine-fused gp120 DNA and warrant further testing in the nonhuman primate models for developing as a potential HIV vaccine candidate in humans.
Vascular abnormalities of the extremities: clinical findings and management.

A retrospective review identified 41 patients with angiodysplastic lesions of the extremities. Twenty-two patients had a mass, 11 had limb length discrepancy and/or hemihypertrophy, and two had recurrent joint effusions. Enhanced computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were most valuable for both diagnosis and preoperative planning. Many patients were diagnosed clinically and treated symptomatically. Twenty-nine patients (71%) required operation. Descriptive pathology and histologic diagnosis were not determinants of clinical outcome, whereas anatomic location and overall size were predictive of symptomatology
Elastic properties of thin fcc films

We report the results of molecular-dynamics simulations on oriented fcc thin films. For thin films of (001) orientation we found that independent of the potential, the intrinsic structural instability of these films governed their elastic properties. All of the in-plane elastic constants increase with decreasing film thickness for thin (111) films modeled with use of embedded-atom-method potentials, whereas (111) films modeled with use of a Lennard-Jones potential gave entirely opposite results.
Productivity and Quality of Recombinant Proteins Produced by Stable CHO Cell Clones can be Predicted by Transient Expression in HEK Cells

Selection of lead candidates in drug discovery is a complex and time-consuming process. Here, we describe an approach that allows prediction of the productivity and quality of recombinant proteins by stable producer cell clones with the help of transient transfection studies. This is exemplified for three distinct bispecific T cell engager (BiTE®)—a new class of single-chain antibody-based therapeutics showing very promising results in the treatment of cancer. BiTE® titers of transiently transfected HEK cells showed a striking correlation with titers of selected stable CHO cell clones. Likewise, the percentage of the monomeric BiTE® fraction in cell culture supernatants correlated well between transiently expressing HEK and stably expressing CHO cell clones. This validates the use of transient transfection studies for the selection of biopharmaceutical lead candidates with desired pharmaceutical properties.
Candy and the brain: neural response to candy gains and losses

Incentive processing is a critical component of a host of cognitive processes, including attention, motivation, and learning. Neuroimaging studies have clarified the neural systems underlying processing of primary and secondary rewards in adults. However, current reward paradigms have hindered comparisons across these reward types as well as between age groups. To address methodological issues regarding the timing of incentive delivery (during scan vs. postscan) and the age-appropriateness of the incentive type, we utilized fMRI and a modified version of a card-guessing game (CGG), in which candy pieces delivered postscan served as the reinforcer, to investigate neural responses to incentives. Healthy young adults 22–26 years of age won and lost large and small amounts of candy on the basis of their ability to guess the number on a mystery card. BOLD activity was compared following candy gain (large/small), loss (large/small), and neutral feedback. During candy gains, adults recruited regions typically involved in response to monetary and other rewards, such as the caudate, putamen, and orbitofrontal cortex. During losses, they displayed greater deactivation in the hippocampus than in response to neutral and gain feedback. Additionally, individual-difference analyses suggested a negative relationship between reward sensitivity (assessed by the Behavioral Inhibition/Behavioral Activation Scales) and the difference between high- and low-magnitude losses in the caudate and lateral orbitofrontal cortex. Also within the striatum, greater punishment sensitivity was positively related to the difference in activity following high as compared to low gains. Overall, these results show strong overlap with those from previous monetary versions of the CGG and provide a baseline for future work with developmental populations.
Properties of Phenylalanyl‐tRNA Synthetase and Phenylalanine Ammonia‐lyase of Pine Suspension Cultures

Phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activities were demonstrated in partially purified extracts of pine (Pinus elliottii) suspension cultures. The optimum pH for the phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase reaction was 7.5 and the optimum ATP and Mg2+ concentrations were 1.0 and 15 mM respectively. Pine, calf liver and yeast tRNA were inadequate substitutes for pea tRNA in the synthetase reaction mixtures. The optimum pH for the phenylalanine ammonia-lyase reaction was 9.0. The Km for phenylalanine was approximately 6.6 × 10−5M. The activity of both enzymes in the partially purified extracts was unstable on storage.
Erratum to: Access to Higher Public Education and Location Choices of Undocumented Migrants: An Exploratory Analysis

Many states have experienced a large influx of undocumented migrants in recent years. This phenomenon has created new demands on higher educational systems at the state level. Some states have passed legislation to restrict the access of undocumented migrants to higher public education whereas others provide access in various forms including in-state tuition. Our research examines a related issue that has not been researched much, namely, the impact of educational access on the location decisions of undocumented migrants in the U.S. Undocumented migrants appear to locate in states with high average median real per capita incomes. There is also evidence of clustering of undocumented migrants in states with large migrant networks. The effect of educational access on the percentage of undocumented workers in a state is mixed and small in most specifications, a finding perhaps indicative of a trade-off between competing priorities in the choice of location.
Depressed myosin ATPase activity in hearts of myopathic hamsters: dissociation from neutral protease activity.

Abstract Myosin was isolated from the hearts of 210-day-old genetically myopathic Syrian hamsters (Bio 53:58) and its properties compared to the myosin from random bred controls of the same age. The Ca2+ ATPase was depressed in the myosin from the hearts of myopathic animals. The K+-EDTA ATPase and the total-SH content did not differ significantly in the two groups. Myosin from myopathic animals showed a loss of LC2. Analyses of myofibrils and actomyosin revealed that the LC2 was present in these preparations from the myopathic animals and the loss of LC2 was taking place during the purification of myosin. Despite the presence of LC2 in the myofibrils and actomyosin, the corresponding ATPase activities were depressed in the myopathic hearts. The loss of LC2 in myopathic cardiac myosin was found to be due to high levels of neutral protease activity co-purifying with myosin. The protease fraction from myopathic hearts degraded the cardiac LC2 of control hamster and dog cardiac myosin, however, the Ca2+ ATPase remained unchanged.
Polyvinyl Alcohol Chemical Hydrogel Electrode Binder for Direct Borohydride Fuel Cells

A novel and cost-effective electrode binder consisting of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) chemical hydrogel is reported for direct borohydride fuel cells (DBFCs). In this work, DBFCs have been assembled with Misch-metal-based AB 5 alloy as anode, carbon-supported palladium (Pd/C) as cathode, and PVA hydrogel membrane electrolyte (PHME) as well as Nafion-117 membrane electrolyte (NME) as separators. All the DBFCs reported here were studied using an aqueous alkaline solution of sodium borohydride as fuel and an aqueous acidified solution of hydrogen peroxide as oxidant in passive mode and under ambient conditions of temperature as well as pressure. PVA chemical hydrogel (PCH) binder-based electrodes and MEAs have been fabricated using a novel, simple, and time-effective technique. Effectiveness of PCH as electrode binder in comparison to commercial Nafion electrode binder has been evaluated by studying electrochemical performances of DBFCs employing PCH as well as Nafion as electrode binders. The DBFCs employing PCH binder-based electrodes and PHME as well as NME as electrolytes exhibited peak power density values of about 69 and 75 mW cm ―2 at corresponding current density values of about 71 and 75 mA cm ―2 , respectively. PCH electrode binder is a less expensive alternative to the Nafion electrode binder, which is traditionally used in fuel cells.
Place-Based Geosciences Courses in a Diverse Urban College: Lessons Learned

ABSTRACT Recognizing the need to attract more students, especially those from underrepresented groups, a team of college faculty and experienced New York City Department of Education (DOE) Earth Science Teachers redesigned the two foundational Earth and Environmental Science courses required for all teacher and science major students in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (EES). These two foundation courses have been taught in a survey style with broad, but shallow, content. The redesign team worked together to place greater emphasis on science process skills, technology, and discovery and chose air quality and beach morphodynamics as integrating topics for skill and content development throughout the courses. Students conducted long-term, place-based research within the city in ways that allowed them to apply the scientific method and develop skills necessary for practicing geoscientists, which included conducting online data searches, performing statistical analyses, graphing, using geogr...
Dynamic model of piezoelectric actuator-driven thin plates

This paper presents the theoretical development and the experimental verification of a dynamic model of distributed piezoelectric (PZT) actuators locally coupled with 2D structures. The model includes the dynamic interaction between PZT actuators and their host structures. An analytical solution of the moment (or force) outputs of the PZT patch actuators has been developed based upon the input impedance of the piezoelectric actuator and the mechanical impedance of host structures. A simply-supported thin plate with surface-bonded PZT patches was built and tested so that the ability of the impedance approach to predict the dynamic performance of the actuator and intelligent structures has been verified. When compared with conventional static models or quasi-static models, the impedance modeling method offers insight into the dynamics and electromechanical coupling of the integrated PZT/substrate systems and more accurately predicts the actuation of induced-strain actuators.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Intraspecific sperm competition genes enforce post-mating species barriers in Drosophila

Sexual selection and sexual conflict are considered important drivers of speciation, based on both theoretical models and empirical correlations between sexually selected traits and diversification. However, whether reproductive isolation between species evolves directly as a consequence of intrapopulation sexual dynamics remains empirically unresolved, in part because knowledge of the genetic mechanisms (if any) connecting these processes is limited. Here, we provide evidence of a direct mechanistic link between intraspecies sexual selection and reproductive isolation. We examined genes with known roles in intraspecific sperm competition (ISC) in D. melanogaster and assayed their impact on conspecific sperm precedence (CSP). We found that two such genes ( Acp36DE and CG9997 ) contribute to both offensive sperm competition and CSP; null/knockdown lines both had lower competitive ability against D. melanogaster conspecifics and were no longer able to displace heterospecific D. simulans sperm in competitive matings. In comparison, Sex Peptide ( Acp70A )—another locus essential for ISC—does not contribute to CSP. These data indicate that two loci important for sperm competitive interactions have an additional role in similar interactions that enforce post-mating reproductive isolation between species, and show that sexual selection and sexual isolation can act on the same molecular targets in a gene-specific manner.
A self-folding metallocavitand.

The synthesis and characterization of novel metallocavitand 6 are described. This is a covalent hybrid of a deepened, self-folding cavity and a Zn−phenanthroline fragment. Host 6 features a large molecular cavity of ∼8 × 10 A dimensions, and the metal binding site is directed in toward the cavity. Binding abilities of the metallocavitand in solution was demonstrated for quinuclidine 11 and Dabco 12 using UV−vis and 1H NMR spectroscopy. Intramolecular hydrogen bonds at the upper rims of cavitand 6 resist the unfolding of the inner cavities and thereby increase the energetic barrier to guest exchange. The exchange is slow on the NMR time scale (at ambient temperatures, CD2Cl2), and kinetically stable complexes result. Both the polyaromatic cavity and metallosite participate simultaneously in the binding event. Zinc-containing deep cavities may be attractive as catalytic chambers for hydrolysis and esterification.
Sulfide as a phytotoxin to the tropical seagrass Thalassia testudinum: interactions with light, salinity and temperature

Over the last several decades, sulfides have been identified as a potent phytotoxin. However, little is known about the effects of sulfide on Thalassia testudinum, a dominant tropical seagrass, or other seagrass species. It has been hypothesized that high sulfide exposure is a major contributor to T. testudinum “die-back” in the large subtropical lagoon of South Florida, Florida Bay. Three experiments were conducted to pursue the mechanism by which T. testudinum was resilient to sulfide exposure in our previous experiment and to investigate the levels of sulfide that cause T. testudinum mortality. Two low-light (∼150 μmol PAR m−2 s−1) experiments were conducted to evaluate the role of light and photosynthesis on sulfide toxicity. Secondly, we tested the effects of high salinity (HS) and high temperature (HT) on sulfide tolerance to determine if these interactions could synergistically create a “die-back” response. Leaf elongation rates were not significantly affected by below-ground sulfide exposure in the range of 1–10 mM when incubated at subsaturating light and ambient sediment pH (7.0). Leaf O2 production rates were also unaffected by sulfide exposure. In fact, all plants post-treatment possessed rhizome-extractable O2 concentrations greater than 30%. When sulfide treatments (6 mM) were combined with HS and HT treatments, however, we observed our first “die-back” response. Shoots exposed to 6.0 mM sulfide under HS and HT had 50% and 33% mortality rates, and those in the HT+HS treatment had 100% mortality. Interestingly, no mortality was seen in the HS or HT treatments without sulfides added. The first two experiments in this study and our previous experiment clearly suggest that T. testudinum may be tolerant to short-term (<28 days) below-ground tissue exposure to high sulfide concentrations. An important caveat appears to be, however, when sulfide exposure is combined with other stressors common in Florida Bay and other tropical/subtropical lagoons and estuaries. These results point to the importance of examining multiple interactive stressors when elucidating the factors causing “die-back” in seagrasses.
Adjoint model enhanced plume reconstruction from tomographic remote sensing measurements

Abstract A new mathematical optimization method is presented for reconstructing pollution plume concentrations from tomographic remote sensing measurements on neighborhood scales (about 1 km × 1 km) using Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS). The new method, called CAT–4Dvar, combines Computer Aided Tomography (CAT) and 4D variational (4Dvar) data assimilation. The objective of the method is to produce accurate reconstructions compared to the Algebraic Reconstruction Technique (ART) and other non-variational methods with only a small number of DOAS telescopes. A forward and adjoint 3D grid dispersion model was developed based on advection and diffusion solvers commonly used in air quality modeling. The adjoint model optimizes the model emissions and horizontal diffusion coefficient based on the difference between tomographic DOAS observations and ray path-integrated concentrations predicted by the forward model. It also updates the corresponding error covariances based on the Hessian of the cost function. An enhanced reconstruction is obtained from the forward model with optimized parameter values. In a synthetic experiment involving two hypothetical DOAS instruments, the CAT–4Dvar method yielded excellent results compared to ART, reducing the overall nearness index from 57% to 11%.
Are unions good for productivity

This paper presents a critical view of the thesis, associated with Harvard analysts, that unions ‘cause’ higher productivity. It is argued that the research results of this controversial literature are to be regarded with considerable skepticism, not least because of the limited empirical and theoretical content of the underlying model.
Neural network forecasting of the British Pound/US Dollar exchange rate

Abstract Neural networks have successfully been used for exchange rate forecasting. However, due to a large number of parameters to be estimated empirically, it is not a simple task to select the appropriate neural network architecture for an exchange rate forecasting problem. Researchers often overlook the effect of neural network parameters on the performance of neural network forecasting. This paper examines the effects of the number of input and hidden nodes as well as the size of the training sample on the in-sample and out-of-sample performance. The British pound/US dollar is used for detailed examinations. It is found that neural networks outperform linear models, particularly when the forecast horizon is short. In addition, the number of input nodes has a greater impact on performance than the number of hidden nodes, while a larger number of observations do reduce forecast errors.
Comparative NEXAFS Study on Soot Obtained from an Ethylene/ Air Flame, a Diesel Engine, and Graphite

Microstructure and molecular structure properties of different carbonaceous byproducts from combustion are fundamental to evaluate the radiative properties of such materials when combustion aerosols interact with solar radiation in atmosphere. Carbon near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy is presented as an analytical technique for the carbon-specific characterization of various soot species. Ethylene soot, diesel soot, and carbon black NEXAFS spectra are discussed in relation to graphite as the most genuine model compounds of soot. Characteristic resonances in the spectra allow for the direct molecular speciation of the graphite-like solid core in soot, surface functional groups, and aromatic and aliphatic components, depending on the origin of the soot. Moreover, in the experimental case of ethylene soot samples probed at increasing distances from the burner nozzle, namely, at increasing residence times, NEXAFS experiments lead to the evidence that the soot collected near the no...
Optical Characterization of Electrophoretically Deposited Phosphor

The optical performance of electrophoretically deposited phosphor (ZnS:Ag. P-22) was investigated. Densely packed and homogeneous deposits were made as a function of applied voltage and duration of deposition to give a range of deposit densities. These deposits showed a similar packing structure and cathodoluminescent efficiency. The electrophoretic process itself and conditions shown to enhance phosphor adhesion did not change the intrinsic efficiency of the phosphor under a low excitation voltage of 1-4 kV, applicable to field emission displays.
The structure of turbulence in clouds measured by a high power 94 GHz radar

The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) has recently developed a 3–10 kW average, 80 kW peak power 94 GHz radar with scanning capability, WARLOC (W Band Advanced Radar for Low Observable Control). This radar is powered by a gyroklystron developed by a team led by NRL. One application has been to image clouds. New capabilities of WARLOC include imaging with greatly improved sensitivity and detail as well as the ability to detect much lower cloud returns. At short scale lengths (∼10 m), the cloud reflectivity has a speckle pattern indicating that it is governed at least in part by stochastic processes. Here WARLOC is used to measure correlation functions and turbulence spectra in clouds. In the inertial range, the Kolmogorov prediction for the correlation function index (2/3) agrees well with the data, but the assumption of isotropy does not. Furthermore, for longer scale lengths, the fluctuations appear to be wave like in the vertical direction, but not in the horizontal direction.
Presence of renal 25-hydroxyvitamin-D-1-hydroxylase in species of all vertebrate classes.

Abstract 1. 1. Renal 25-hydroxycholecalciferol-1-hydroxylase activity was detected in twenty-five of twenty-eight vertebrate species studied. 2. 2. In general activities these were 2–20 pmole/min per g kidney for normal adult animals and 90–520 pmoles/min per g kidney for animals whose vitamin D intake was restricted prior to measurement of enzyme activity. 3. 3. This is the first demonstration of metabolism of vitamin D by fish tissues.
Message estimation for universal steganalysis using multi-classification support vector machine

To prevent misusing of the steganography from the terrorists, effective steganalysis schemes which discriminate the stego-images from suspicious images are necessary. Some steganalysis methods can accurately estimate the length of embedded messages but they are only useful in the pre-defined condition. Active steganalysis methods are powerful in length estimation such as regular singular (RS) and sample pairs analysis (SPA) steganalysis schemes, but they would become invalid in frequency domain. Passive steganalysis methods may discriminate stego-images from suspicious images in spatial and frequency domains such as Lyu and Fraid's steganalysis scheme, but they could not estimate the length of hidden messages. Although length estimation has been discussed in the active steganalysis methods for a while, it is a novel study in passive steganalysis method. We improve the Lyu and Fraid's universal steganalysis scheme and design an efficient length estimation policy in passive steganalysis methods. Experimental results demonstrate the efficiency and practicability of the proposed universal steganalysis scheme.
A chopper converter for electric vehicle propulsion battery charging and propulsion motor field excitation

A dual mode chopper power converter circuit capable of providing the separate functions of on-board propulsion battery charging and propulsion motor field excitation under microcomputer command is described. Normal charge mode delivers 24 A until a predetermined voltage is reached (when connected to an appropriate 115 V service outlet) whereupon current is tapered at constant battery voltage. Underway, the chopper circuitry supplies propulsion motor field current in the range of 2 to 11 A (field weakening). The chopper power circuit employs a fast power Darlington transistor and diode packaged in modular form specifically developed for the electric vehicle application and driven by a special isolated proportional base drive circuit, providing minimum storage time and high efficiency. The power circuit uses two diodes and a field reversing relay to satisfy the topology requirements for both the battery charging and field excitation modes. The selection of modulation schemes and control strategy particular to the present application are discussed.
Seasonal patterns of microbial extracellular enzyme activities in an arctic tundra soil: Identifying direct and indirect effects of long-term summer warming

Abstract Arctic systems, which store ∼50% of global soil carbon, are undergoing rapid climatic warming that may drive significant carbon release to the atmosphere. To better understand how warming impacts arctic decomposition, we characterized the effects of a twenty-two year long tundra greenhouse warming experiment on decomposer-produced extracellular enzymes, nutrients, and microbial biomass across a year. This experiment, which is the longest running tundra ecosystem warming study in existence, was previously shown to have altered the plant and soil communities. The greenhouse treatment has also changed the seasonal soil temperature regime by indirectly increasing winter soil temperature, an effect that was likely facilitated through an increase in snow-trapping shrub biomass. Irrespective of the warming treatment, we observed that peak nutrient pools, microbial biomass, and hydrolytic enzyme activities all occurred from the late winter through thaw. This pattern was decoupled from peak oxidative enzyme activities, which occurred during the summer. The greenhouse treatment amplified the natural seasonal cycle of extracellular enzyme activities, suggesting that tundra decomposer communities maintain a temporal niche space which is critical to understanding how arctic biogeochemical cycling will respond to warming. A spatial separation was also observed; extracellular enzyme activities in the deeper soil horizons were more sensitive to warming than at the surface. Direct greenhouse warming did not strongly stimulate decomposition: only oxidative enzyme activities in the surface horizon increased during the summer. Unexpectedly, the strongest treatment effect observed was a stimulation of hydrolytic enzyme activities at depth in the mineral horizon from the late winter through thaw (which also affected extracellular enzyme stoichiometry, increasing C:N and C:P acquisition activities), before the greenhouse treatment was directly active. This effect declined during senescence and was reversed in early winter, suggesting that negative biotic-abiotic feedbacks may curtail increased decomposer activity in warming arctic systems.
Agency theory as ideology: A comparative analysis based on critical legal theory and radical accounting☆

Abstract This paper explores the similarities in legal and accounting theory with reference to their foundations in neoclassical economics. Neoclassical legal theorists argue that governmental interference in employment should be minimized and that individual contractual arrangements are a superior means of resolving organizational conflict. Similarly, agency-based accounting researchers argue that the demand for accounting reports derives from, and should be based on, the equilibrium set of “free” market-determined contracts. Both critical legal theorists and radical accountants contend that the “market” concept and its theoretical derivatives are ideological constructs which obscure the biases of power inherent in economic organizations. When applied to organizational structure, critical theory and radical accounting mutually enrich the insights of the respective disciplines.
Exploiting domain constraints for exemplar based bus detection for traffic scheduling

The authors describe a computer vision application to adaptive traffic signal control. Adaptive traffic signal control systems allocate green time at an intersection dynamically in response to sensed incoming traffic flows to continually optimize overall throughput. Existing video-based systems are limited to the use of vehicle presence and volume (count) data, and since it is not possible to distinguish between different types of vehicles, optimization opportunities can be missed. The authors propose to detect specific types of vehicles, such as buses, so that they can be assigned higher priority when appropriate and the overall effectiveness of the adaptive signal system can be improved. The authors base the authors system design on current visual recognition technology (HOG SVM) and exploit configuration constraints specific to this application, such as knowledge about the anticipated scale of the vehicles. The challenge is to be robust to varying illumination and weather conditions, occlusions from other vehicles, and large variations in scale while producing recognition results in real-time. The authors show results on challenging data from traffic cameras under different observation conditions and at varying ranges.
Robust solutions to linear multivariable control problems

In this paper a special case of the Regulator Problem with Internal Stability (RPIS) [1] is studied from the standpoint of obtaining solutions that are insensitive to perturbations in both the system parameters and the controller gains. The ability to include "robustness" into the problem yields new insight into the role played by dynamic compensation in linear control system synthesis.
Trophoblastic Cells of the Hydatidiform Mole Contain a β1-Subtype Adrenergic Receptor*

Both beta 1- and beta 2-adrenergic receptors have been previously described in normal human placental homogenates; the cells upon whose surface membranes these receptors reside have not been identified. In order to show that a beta 1-adrenergic receptor is present on trophoblastic cells, the cells which mediate maternal-fetal transport and produce placental hormones, beta-adrenergic receptors were demonstrated in membrane fractions of human hydatidiform mole. Microscopic sections of the mole samples used demonstrated edematous villi lined by trophoblastic cells with minimal nontrophoblastic (stromal or vascular) contamination compared with placenta. (--)-[3H]Dihydroalprenolol [(--)-[3H]DHA] binding to molar membranes was reversible and saturable to a single class of sites (Kd = 0.97 +/- 0.12 nM; n = 7; maximum binding capacity, 72.9 +/- 6.4 fmol/mg protein). (--)-[3H]DHA binding was associated with catecholamine-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity. Agonist competition for the molar beta-adrenergic receptor showed the order of potency to be (--)isoproterenol much greater than norepinephrine = epinephrine, characteristic of a beta 1-adrenergic receptor subtype. Competition for (--)-[3H]DHA binding to trophoblastic membranes by the beta-adrenergic receptor subtype-specific agents metoprolol (beta 1 selective) and zinterol (beta 2 selective) was also characteristic of a homogeneous subtype of beta 1-adrenergic receptors. Because beta 1-adrenergic receptors alone were seen on trophoblast cells, the beta 2-adrenergic receptor in placenta must reside on nontrophoblastic elements (stromal or vascular endothelium). No differences in beta-adrenergic receptor binding were seen related with ploidy (2 or 3 N), the presence or absence of a fetus, or the progression of the mole to choriocarcinoma. Two choriocarcinoma cell lines, BeWo and JEG-3, however, showed no specific (--)-[3H]DHA binding. Human trophoblast contains beta 1-adrenergic receptors coupled to catecholamine-sensitive adenylate cyclase, supporting a role for catecholamines in the regulation of placental metabolism.
Recombinant interleukin 12 cures mice infected with Leishmania major

Resistant C57BL/6 mice infected with Leishmania major are self-healing, whereas susceptible BALB/c mice fail to contain cutaneous infection and subsequently undergo fatal visceral dissemination. These disparate outcomes are mediated by dissimilar expansions of T helper type 1 (Th1) and Th2 CD4+ T lymphocyte subsets in vivo during cure and progression of disease. Because interleukin 12 (IL-12) has potent T cell growth and interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) stimulatory effects, we studied its effect on CD4+ T cell differentiation during murine leishmaniasis. Treatment with recombinant murine (rMu)IL-12 during the first week of infection cured 89% of normally susceptible BALB/c mice, as defined by decreased size of infected footpads and 1,000-10,000-fold reduced parasite burdens, and provided durable resistance against reinfection. Cure was associated with markedly depressed production of IL-4 by lymph node cells cultured with antigen or mitogen, but preserved or increased production of IFN-gamma relative to untreated mice. IL-4 and IFN-gamma mRNA associated with CD4+ T lymphocytes isolated from infected lymph nodes showed similar reciprocal changes in response to rMuIL-12 therapy. A single injection of anti-IFN-gamma monoclonal antibody abrogated the protective effect of rMuIL-12 therapy and restored Th2 cytokine responses. We conclude that rMuIL-12 prevents deleterious Th2 T cell responses and promotes curative Th1 responses in an IFN-gamma-dependent fashion during murine leishmaniasis. Since BALB/c leishmaniasis cannot be cured with rMuIFN-gamma alone, additional direct effects of IL-12 during T cell subset selection are suggested. Because rMuIL-12 is uniquely protective in this well-characterized model of chronic parasitism, differences in IL-12 production may underlie heterogenous host responses to L. major and other intracellular pathogens.
Role of the fetal and α/β exons in the function of fast skeletal troponin T isoforms : Correlation with altered Ca2+ regulation associated with development

In mammalian fast skeletal muscle, constitutive and alternative splicing from a single troponin T (TnT) gene produce multiple developmentally regulated and tissue specific TnT isoforms. Two exons, α (exon 16) and β (exon 17), located near the 3′ end of the gene and coding for two different 14 amino acid residue peptides are spliced in a mutually exclusive manner giving rise to the adult TnTα and the fetal TnTβ isoforms. In addition, an acidic peptide coded by a fetal (f) exon located between exons 8 and 9 near the 5′ end of the gene, is specifically present in TnTβ and absent in the adult isoforms. To define the functional role of the f and α/β exons, we constructed combinations of TnT cDNAs from a single human fetal fast skeletal TnTβ cDNA clone in order to circumvent the problem of N-terminal sequence heterogeneity present in wild-type TnT isoforms, irrespective of the stage of development. Nucleotide sequences of these constructs, viz. TnTα, TnTα+f, TnTβ-f and TnTβ are identical, except for the presence or absence of the α or β and f exons. Our results, using the recombinant TnT isoforms in different functional in vitro assays, show that the presence of the f peptide in the N-terminal T1 region of TnT, has a strong inhibitory effect on binary interactions between TnT and other thin filament proteins, TnI, TnC and Tm. The presence of the f peptide led to reduced Ca2+-dependent ATPase activity in a reconstituted thin filament, whereas the contribution of the α and β peptides in the biological activity of TnT was primarily modulatory. These results indicate that the f peptide confers an inhibitory effect on the biological function of fast skeletal TnT and this can be correlated with changes in the Ca2+ regulation associated with development in fast skeletal muscle.
Changes in synoptic weather patterns and Greenland precipitation in the 20th and 21st centuries: 1. Evaluation of late 20th century simulations from IPCC models

[1] Using the self-organizing map (SOM) technique, the sea level pressure synoptic climatology and precipitation of 15 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fourth Assessment Report (IPCC AR4) models are compared to that of the ERA-40 reanalysis for the North Atlantic region for the period 1961 to 1999. Three of the models, the CCCMA-CGCM3.1(T63), the MIROC3.2(hires), and the MPI-ECHAM5, best reproduce the ERA-40 synoptic climatology and are chosen for further analysis of precipitation over Greenland. The MIROC3.2(hires) is the best single performing model, in that it best matches ERA-40. Although the three-model ensemble simulates the same mean annual precipitation over Greenland as ERA-40, the ensemble simulates the mean annual precipitation differently than ERA-40. A dry bias in the CCCMA-CGCM3.1(T63) and a wet bias from the MPI-ECHAM5 cancel in the ensemble average. The mean annual precipitation difference between the model ensemble, as well as each individual model, and ERA-40 is then attributed to differences in intrapattern variability and pattern frequency components in the models that make up the ensemble. Pattern frequency differences between the model and ERA-40 indicate a difference in the occurrence of synoptic weather patterns, while intrapattern variability differences denote differences in the amount of precipitation produced when a given synoptic weather pattern occurs. Intrapattern variability differences between the models and ERA-40 are predominantly responsible for Greenland precipitation differences, but pattern frequency (circulation) differences in the models also play a small role. Part 2 of this paper uses this three-model ensemble to analyze and attribute predicted increases in precipitation over the Greenland ice sheet for the 21st century.
The impact of zinc neutralization on the structure and dynamics of precise polyethylene acrylic acid ionomers: A solid-state 13C NMR study

Solid-state 13C NMR experiments were performed on a series of linear poly(ethylene-co-acrylic acid) (E-AA) copolymers with the carboxylic acid group spaced precisely or randomly along the polyethylene backbone in order to determine the impact that molar percent acid content and acid group spacing have on the structure and dynamics of these materials. The impact of Zn-neutralization is investigated in precise E-AA ionomers. 13C cross-polarization (CP) NMR experiments with 1H dipolar or 1H spin-lock filters were utilized to identify the amorphous or crystalline components in the materials. Constraints extracted from the filtering experiments were used to fit quantitative NMR data for samples that contained both crystalline and amorphous regions. All random copolymers contained crystalline phases, while only the precise sample with the longest polyethylene run between acid groups (twenty CH2 groups) contained a crystalline component. The crystalline phase in this precise copolymer decreased with increasing zinc content.
The lexicographically least de Bruijn cycle

Abstract We investigate Ford's method for generating a de Bruijn cycle of degree n . We show that the feedback function which generates the cycle has the minimum possible number of positions equal to 1 and we give an algorithm which finds those positions for all n .
Compact Resistance: Public Powdering and Flânerie in the Modern City

Anna Cohen stands behind the counter under the sign THE BEST SANDWICHES IN NEW YORK. Her feet ache in her pointed shoes with runover heels. “Well I guess they'll begin soon or else we're in for a s...
Detection of hepatitis C virus by a user-developed reverse transcriptase-PCR and use of amplification products for subsequent genotyping.

Abstract Background: Detection, quantitation and genotyping of hepatitis C virus (HCV) are important in selecting appropriate therapy. Current commercially available HCV genotyping kits, including sequencing-based TRUGENE HCV 5′NC and hybridization-based INNO-LiPA HCV II assays, rely on amplification products (amplicons) generated by HCV reverse-transcriptase (RT)-PCR methods such as the Roche AMPLICOR HCV test. Methods: We developed a one-step RT-PCR assay to amplify and detect HCV RNA, and the resulting amplicons were used for HCV genotyping (TRUGENE). A total of 142 clinical samples were used to compare results from the RT-PCR/TRUGENE assay and those generated by the COBAS AMPLICOR and INNO-LiPA tests. Results: Eighty-seven of 108 plasma specimens which were positive by AMPLICOR were also positive by the user-developed RT-PCR, giving a sensitivity of 100.0%. The RT-PCR detected 2 of 21 AMPLICOR-negative specimens and none of 34 HCV-EIA-negative serum specimens, giving a specificity of 96.4%. The 87 amplicons from the RT-PCR yielded HCV genotypes. HCV genotype results from both TRUGENE and INNO-LiPA were all in agreement. The TRUGENE and INNO-LiPA assays identified 69 (79.3%) and 47 (54.0%) specimens, respectively at the subtype level. HCV subtype information agreed by both assays in 34 of 36 (99.4%) specimens. One specimen with HCV genotypes 2 and 4 by INNO-LiPA was classified as a single genotype 2 by TRUGENE. Conclusion: Our data showed that the user-developed RT-PCR has comparable sensitivity and specificity for the detection of HCV in clinical specimens. The amplicons generated by the RT-PCR can be used for HCV genotyping by the sequencing-based TRUGENE assay.
Penetration glands in onchospheres of the chicken tapeworms. Railletina echinobothrida and Rallitetina kashiwarensis.

1. A pair of penetration glands has been demonstrated in the mature onchospheres of the chicken tapeworms, Raillietina echinobothrida and Raillietina kashiwarensis.
“Nimað eow bysne be þyssere Iudith”: Deictic Shifting and Didactic Christian Discourse in Ælfric's Judith

Interest in medieval readers and in the textual traces of such readers grew steadily in the 1990s. Recent scholarship on medieval practices of reading illuminates a wide range of issues such as mon...
Influence of cholinesterase inhibitors on cortical slow-wave activity in aging nonhuman primate

Abstract Substantial evidence has now accumulated suggesting that the cognitive decrements characteristic of Alzheimer's disease and, to a lesser degree, of normal aging, may resukt, at least in part, from degenerative changes in the cholinergic system innervating archiand neocortices. This evidence for cholinergic degeneration in AD has provided the key rationale for many recent clinical trials utilizing cholinergic agents for the purpose of palliating cognitive loss. The basal forebrain cholinergic system plays an important function in electrocortical activation associated with behavioral arousal and cognitive functions. We recorded electrocortical changes from nonhuman primates following administration of potentially clinically useful cholinergic agonists as well as an antagonist. The cholinesterase inhibitors tacrine (THA) and, to a lesser extent, physostigmine (PHYSO) and amodiaquine (AMDQ), caused an upward shift in the frequency of the resting electrocortical activity, although scopolamine significantly slowed the activity below baseline levels. We believe these findings support the concept that the cholinergic system may play an important role in cognitive processes associated with cortical activation.
Are auction revenues affected by rising art buyers' premia? The case of early American art.

The steady rise in the premiums charged to art buyers at auction (above hammer price) has been underway since 1992. This article, using a stable and bounded sample of repeat purchase of American works created before 1950, reveals that this tact has reduced hammer prices for that art. However, renewed and hyper-competitive efforts to bring more and higher quality art to market by the two main houses, Sotheby’s and Christie’s, have resulted in general profitability. Nevertheless, we calculate that a rise in buyers’ premia at Sotheby’s, a publically traded company, has reduced revenues and profits below their potential in the absence of such increases.
Osteopontin Expression in the Brain Triggers Localized Inflammation and Cell Death When Immune Cells Are Activated by Pertussis Toxin

Upregulation of osteopontin (OPN) is a characteristic of central nervous system pathologies. However, the role of OPN in inflammation is still controversial, since it can both prevent cell death and induce the migration of potentially damaging inflammatory cells. To understand the role of OPN in inflammation and cell survival, we expressed OPN, utilizing an adenoviral vector, in the caudoputamen of mice deficient in OPN, using beta-galactosidase- (β-gal-) expressing vector as control. The tissue pathology and the expression of proinflammatory genes were compared in both treatments. Interestingly, inflammatory infiltrate was only found when the OPN-vector was combined with a peripheral treatment with pertussis toxin (Ptx), which activated peripheral cells to express the OPN receptor CD44v6. Relative to β-gal, OPN increased the levels of inflammatory markers, including IL13Rα1, CXCR3, and CD40L. In Ptx-treated OPN KOs, apoptotic TUNEL+ cells surrounding the OPN expression site increased, compared to β-gal. Together, these results show that local OPN expression combined with a peripheral inflammatory stimulus, such as Ptx, may be implicated in the development of brain inflammation and induction of cell death, by driving a molecular pattern characteristic of cytotoxicity. These are characteristics of inflammatory pathologies of the CNS in which OPN upregulation is a hallmark.
Boundary-Induced Vibrational Spectra Broadening in Nanostructures

Vibrational spectra are calculated and analyzed for nanostructures (including thin films, nanowires, and quantum dots) of yttria, an important laser host material. Lattice dynamics results show that vibrational spectra of nanocrystals are distinct from that of the bulk crystal, in the extended tails at low and high frequencies. This broadening of vibrational spectra is found to be resulted from the broadening of atomic spring constants at both surface and interior, especially at the surface. Molecular dynamics simulations are employed to further decompose the contributions of the surface and internal atoms, respectively. The results show explicitly that the surface spectra have evident tails and the interior spectra have moderate tails, confirming the results of lattice dynamics calculations.Copyright © 2007 by ASME