cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Age-Related Changes in Mineral Metabolism

Publisher Summary Mineral metabolism is regulated primarily by parathyroid hormone (PTH) and vitamin D but with significant ancillary roles played by the sex steroids, growth hormone (GH), and the insulin-like growth factors (IGF-I, -II). Through the actions of these hormones on the intestine, kidney, and bone, a delicate balance is maintained between Ca and P absorption in the intestine, storage in the bone, and excretion from the kidney. With advancing age, mineral balance gradually becomes negative, excretion exceeds absorption, and skeletal mass diminishes. Osteopenia develops as a consequence of an imbalance in mineral metabolism. Aging stems from a time-dependent change in somatic cell function. Proliferative potential diminishes, and cell metabolic activity is altered. As a consequence, mineral metabolism is similarly altered in men and women. Changes in parathyroid gland responsiveness to Ca and diminished bioavailability of Ca brought about by reduced dietary intake and impaired intestinal absorption stimulate PTH secretion. Diminished vitamin D production in the skin reduces substrate (25-OH-D) availability to the renal 1-hydroxylase and limits analogue effects of 25-OH-D on PTH secretion and intestinal Ca absorption.
The Stable/Unstable Manifold Theorem

The main goal of this chapter is to prove the Stable/Unstable Manifold Theorem for a Morse Function (Theorem 4.2). To do this, we first show that a non-degenerate critical point of a smooth function f : M → ℝ on a finite dimensional smooth Riemannian manifold (M, g) is a hyperbolic fixed point of the diffeomorphism φ t coming from the gradient flow (for any fixed t ≠ 0). This is accomplished by computing local formulas for ∇f, d∇f| p ,and dφ t | p with respect to the Riemannian metric g on M (Lemmas 4.3, 4.4, and 4.5).
Increasing accuracy of genomic selection in presence of high density marker panels through the prioritization of relevant polymorphisms

It becomes clear that the increase in the density of marker panels and even the use of sequence data didn’t result in any meaningful increase in the accuracy of genomic selection (GS) using either regression (RM) or variance component (VC) approaches. This is in part due to the limitations of current methods. Association model are well over-parameterized and suffer from severe co-linearity and lack of statistical power. Even when the variant effects are not directly estimated using VC based approaches, the genomic relationships didn’t improve after the marker density exceeded a certain threshold. SNP prioritization-based fixation index (FST) scores were used to track the majority of significant QTL and to reduce the dimensionality of the association model. Two populations with average LD between adjacent markers of 0.3 (P1) and 0.7 (P2) were simulated. In both populations, the genomic data consisted of 400 K SNP markers distributed on 10 chromosomes. The density of simulated genomic data mimics roughly 1.2 million SNP markers in the bovine genome. The genomic relationship matrix (G) was calculated for each set of selected SNPs based on their FST score and similar numbers of SNPs were selected randomly for comparison. Using all 400 K SNPs, 46% of the off-diagonal elements (OD) were between − 0.01 and 0.01. The same portion was 31, 23 and 16% when 80 K, 40 K and 20 K SNPs were selected based on FST scores. For randomly selected 20 K SNP subsets, around 33% of the OD fell within the same range. Genomic similarity computed using SNPs selected based on FST scores was always higher than using the same number of SNPs selected randomly. Maximum accuracies of 0.741 and 0.828 were achieved when 20 and 10 K SNPs were selected based on FST scores in P1 and P2, respectively. Genomic similarity could be maximized by the decrease in the number of selected SNPs, but it also leads to a decrease in the percentage of genetic variation explained by the selected markers. Finding the balance between these two parameters could optimize the accuracy of GS in the presence of high density marker panels.
Isolated SEPIC Converter with a novel Voltage Clamp Circuit

In this paper, a novel isolated SEPIC topology is proposed to address the problems associated with conventional isolated SEPIC. A conventional isolated SEPIC uses RCD clamp or an active switch based capacitive clamp circuits to avert the damage of semiconductor devices from inherent voltage spikes induced by the transformer non-idealities. The former method turns impractical when the leakage inductance is significant, also the losses in the resistor in turn lower the efficiency of the system. Whereas the latter method demands additional control circuitry and increases the complexity of control, while occupying more board space and involves additional cost. Proposed topology uses a lossless passive CD (Capacitor-Diode) clamp circuit to minimize excess voltage stress across the switch, while retaining the fundamental features of conventional isolated SEPIC in all operating modes. The energy stored in the clamp capacitor is not dissipated like in the case of a typical RCD clamp proposed in prior arts, instead the clamp capacitor energy is utilized in conjunction with the coupling capacitor of SEPIC converter thereby resulting in a loss less clamp. Furthermore, the efficiency of the converter is increased due to the reduced switching loss, when compared with conventional isolated SEPIC. To validate the analysis, experimental testing is performed for a 34W isolated DCM SEPIC LED driver.
Spatial variability of saturated hydraulic conductivity and measurement-based intensity-duration thresholds for slope stability, Santa Ynez Valley, CA

Abstract Shallow landslides are commonly triggered by positive pore-fluid pressures generated at the soil-bedrock interface and are linked to heavy rainfall. In this study, in situ measurements of saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) were performed at three historic landslide sites to determine its variability and implications on predicting rainfall-rate thresholds for shallow landslides in the Santa Ynez Valley, CA. Falling head tests were performed in the soil column and at the soil-bedrock interface to estimate Ksat. It was found that overlying soils from the A and B horizons exhibited higher infiltration rates ranging from 37 to 138 mm/h and 24 to 77 mm/h, respectively, whereas the failure plane (coincident with the soil-bedrock interface) exhibited Ksat values ranging from 4 to 33 mm/h. Below the soil-bedrock interface, Ksat ranged from 5 to 123 mm/h, signifying a pattern of fast-slow-fast infiltration. Measurements of grain size distributions and bulk density do not provide insight into the cause of low-conductivity at the soil-bedrock interface. Rather, field observations suggest that the infilling of fractures and pore spaces with fine-grained particles and caliche are a possible cause of the low-conductivity layer. Measurements of soil mechanical and hydrologic properties were used in a finite slope-stability model as well as a simple 1-D flow model to predict intensity-duration (I-D) thresholds for shallow landsliding in this area. Results of this analysis indicate rainfall intensities >20–30 mm/h that are sustained for >2–4 h are capable of triggering widespread shallow landsliding. This study also suggests that the variability in Ksat at the failure plane can produce significant changes in I-D thresholds for failure and is an important factor in predicting slope stability over any spatial scale.
Improved durable responses regardless of age following cytoreduction and "no-tourniquet" hyperthermic isolated limb chemotherapy for in transit melanoma of the extremity.

Abstract Background In-transit metastatic melanoma of the extremity is a clinically aggressive disease. For patients with disease confined to the limb, regional chemotherapy remains an effective option. However, no studies thus far have included cytoreduction or perfusion/infusion without using a limb tourniquet as part of the operative procedure. We hypothesize that combining cytoreduction with no-tourniquet HILP/HILI is safe in patients of all ages and results in durable responses. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed of a prospectively collected database of patients with in-transit malignant melanoma who underwent cytoreduction and HILP/HILI between 2013 and 2017. The primary endpoint was RECIST response at 3–12 months. Secondary endpoints included length of hospital stay, adverse effects, overall survival, and time to recurrence. A subgroup analysis was performed in patients ≥80 years old. Results HILP patients had significantly higher disease burdens than HILI patients. Complete response rates for HILP and HILI were 95% and 75%, respectively at 3 months and 47% and 50%, respectively at 1 year (50% for patients >80) with 100% 1-year survival rates for both HILP and HILI patients. Three-year survival rates were 57% (HILP), 52% (HILI) and 68% (patients >80 years old). The average length of stay for all patients was 3.6 ± 1.4 days. Conclusion Combining cytoreduction with no-tourniquet HILP/HILI for in-transit metastatic melanoma of the extremity resulted in 100% survival regardless of age at 1 year and 68% 3-year survival in patients over 80 without any increase in adverse events.
Topological transformation of spirally polarized vector fields

We characterize the streamline morphologies of spirally polarized vector beams and its transformation by polarization optical systems. The streamlines of the output field exhibit spirals, saddles, nodes, ellipses, and stars.
Introduction (Part 2 of 2): Basic Prevention Concepts

This chapter presents the introduction to the fundamentals of product fraud prevention and the application to food fraud. To start, the basic concepts are reviewed, then the risks or vulnerabilities, and finally the difficulties and issues that have hindered the focus on prevention. The interdisciplinary nature of prevention is reviewed by considering how the fraud opportunity is created and the many academic disciplines that help understand the optimal countermeasures and control systems.
Parallel Direct Domain Decomposition Methods (D 3 M) for Finite Elements

A parallel direct solution approach based on domain decomposition method (DDM) and directed acyclic graph (DAG) scheduling is outlined. Computations are represented as a sequence of small tasks that operate on domains of DDM or dense matrix blocks of a reduced matrix. These tasks can be statically scheduled for parallel execution using their DAG dependencies and weights that depend on estimates of computation and communication costs. Performance comparison with MUMPS 5.1.2 on electrically large problems suggest up to 20% better parallel efficiency, 30% less memory and slightly faster in runtime, while maintaining the same accuracy.
Embedded optical nanosensors for monitoring the processing and performance of polymer matrix composites

The performance of polymer matrix composite (PMC) materials relies on the history of chemical and physical environments to which they have been subjected. The understanding of a PMC's current state is crucial in order to optimize processing parameters and thereby maximize material performance. Nanoscale embedded sensors (such as colloidal nanoparticles, quantum dots, and molecular compounds) provide a non-destructive, in situ platform to monitor material properties through the utilization of the nanosensors' optical response and corresponding modulation thereof through interactions with the environment. This review summarizes the current state of embedded plasmonic and photoluminescent optical sensing pertaining to local chemical environment, temperature, viscosity and stress/strain as applicable to PMCs. We highlight important scientific advances that have enabled new sensing approaches and emphasize promising directions where advances are still required.
Combine-and-forward: A linear cooperative multi-level communication strategy for distributed MIMO relays

Abstract This work analyzes cooperative networks in which a single source message is retransmitted by multiple levels of relays that are equipped with multiple antennas. In the considered scheme, each relay linearly combines its receptions from multiple antennas and multiple levels before adjusting its power and forwarding it. The proposed scheme outperforms the previously proposed methods that are based on decoding and forwarding in the low SNR regime. The contributions of this paper are two-fold: (i) it provides an analytical framework for the statistics of the accumulated signal and the accumulated noise as functions of network parameters such as noise level, power level, number of antennas, and multi-hop diversity for dense networks; (ii) it shows that the performance of multi-level networks can be improved simply by combining the receptions from the previous levels and multiple antennas in a linear fashion.
Peptide ligand structure and I-Aq binding avidity influence T cell signaling pathway utilization

Abstract Factors that drive T cells to signal through differing pathways remain unclear. We have shown that an altered peptide ligand (A9) activates T cells to utilize an alternate signaling pathway which is dependent upon FcRγ and Syk. However, it remains unknown whether the affinity of peptide binding to MHC drives this selection. To answer this question we developed a panel of peptides designed so that amino acids interacting with the p6 and p9 predicted MHC binding pockets were altered. Analogs were tested for binding to I-A q using a competitive binding assay and selected analogs were administered to arthritic mice. Using the collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model, arthritis severity was correlated with T cell cytokine production and molecular T cell signaling responses. We establish that reduced affinity of interaction with the MHC correlates with T cell signaling through the alternative pathway, leading ultimately to secretion of suppressive cytokines and attenuation of arthritis.
Occult lymph node metastasis in radiologic stage I non-small cell lung cancer: The role of endobronchial ultrasound.

RATIONALE The use of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is currently recommended for staging non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in centrally located tumors, tumors >3 cm, or with radiologic evidence of lymph node (LN) metastasis. Current guidelines do not recommend staging EBUS-TBNA in patients with stage I NSCLC who do not have any of the aforementioned conditions. OBJECTIVE We hypothesize that using EBUS-TBNA is useful for detecting occult metastasis in radiologic stage I NSCLC. METHODS In this single-center, retrospective study, charts of patients ≥18 years old who underwent staging EBUS-TBNA from January 2005 to May 2019 were reviewed. Only patients with combined positron-emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT) scans consistent with radiologic stage I NSCLC were included. Identified variables included: age, gender, personal history of any cancer, smoking history, tumor location, tumor centrality, tumor size, tumor PET activity, histopathologic type of NSCLC, and LN biopsy results. Patients whose LN samples showed a diagnosis other than NSCLC were excluded. The association between LN positivity, and each of the variables was assessed using Pearson's correlation for categorical variables, and logistic regression analysis for continuous variables. RESULTS From the 2,892 initially screened patients, 188 were included. Of those, 13 (6.9%; 95% CI, 4%-11%) had a malignancy-positive LN biopsy. The number needed to test (NNT) in order to detect one case of any occult metastasis was 15. Among the included variables, a significant association was found between LN positivity and tumor centrality, with central tumors found in 61.5% of patients with positive LN (n = 8) (p < 0.01). This association stayed significant after adjusting for age, gender, smoking history, tumor size, tumor location, and PET activity (p = 0.015). Among patients with malignancy-positive LN biopsies, five (38.5%; 95% CI, 17.6%-64.6%) were upstaged to N1, and eight (61.5%; 95% CI, 35.4%-82.4%) were upstaged to N2, with NNT of 23 to detect one case of occult N2 metastasis. Subgroup analysis comparing LN-positive patients based on their N stage did not show statistically significant association with any of the variables. CONCLUSION Based on our results and along with the existing evidence, EBUS-TBNA should be recommended as part of the routine staging in all patients with radiologic stage I NSCLC.
A Can’t-Miss Diagnosis at an Unusual Age: An Adolescent with Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis

Case Description: A 16-year-old previously healthy male presented with acute onset, right-sided pleuritic chest pain. The pain was preceded by two days of non-productive cough, two weeks of night sweats, and an 18-pound weight loss in one year. He denied fevers but admitted to vaping tobacco and THC. He denied sick contacts and travel but had been living in a group home for three years. On arrival, he was tachycardic and tachypneic but afebrile. He was diaphoretic and breathing shallowly. On auscultation, …
Metabolic Plasticity of Neutrophils: Relevance to Pathogen Responses and Cancer

Neutrophils, the most abundant leukocyte population in humans, constantly patrol the body for foreign cells, including pathogens and cancer cells. Once neutrophils are activated, they engage distinct metabolic pathways to fulfill their specialized antipathogen functions. In this review, we examine current research on the metabolism of neutrophil differentiation and antipathogen responses. We also discuss how tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs) can be educated by cytokines and by the nutrient-restrictive milieu of the tumor microenvironment (TME) to suppress antitumor immunity, promote cancer progression, and contribute to biological heterogeneity among tumors. Last, we discuss the clinical implications of circulating neutrophils and infiltrating TANs and consider how targeting TAN metabolism may synergize with cancer immunotherapy.
Foreign Direct Investment and Global Legal Structures

A significant development in international law has been the growth of Investor-State arbitration to settle investment disputes, which not only judges business disputed but the legality of government actions, such as those concerning tax regulations or environmental standards. In practically all Investor-State arbitrations, it is the foreign investor who is the claimant and the host nation that is the respondent. These arbitrations have led to the growing negotiation power of foreign investors and imposed hardships on developing nations.
Examining the Impact of Duration, Connection, and Dosage of Domestic Violence Services on Survivor Well-Being

Survivors of domestic violence (DV) have a wide range of needs when they seek help from DV programs. While there is growing evidence that advocacy and other supportive services for DV survivors are helpful for increasing wellbeing, little is known about the mechanisms that best promote these goals. This study sought to further understand the role of survivor advocacy and service duration on survivors’ physical and mental health, safety, and needs. Structured interviews were conducted with a sample of 150 women recruited from 16 DV programs across seven regions in a southwestern state. Independent variables included overall service duration, time with advocate, and feelings of connection with advocate. Bivariate and regression analyses were conducted to test associations of the advocate-survivor relationship and length of time in services with physical, social, and psychological outcomes. The majority (75.8%) of survivors indicated decreases in abuse since obtaining services. Frequent needs included housing, counseling, and safety planning. Regression analysis indicates longer service duration and increased connection with an advocate were significantly associated with a greater number of survivor needs being met. No other independent variables were significant in regression models, but several covariates reached significance. This study adds to the growing and needed body of literature on survivors’ experiences with DV services and associated outcomes. Advocates should prioritize connecting with clients in favor of a priori service goals based on time limits. Further study can be used to better understand health outcomes for survivors.
Skills, support networks, and socialization: Needs of dissertating graduate students

Abstract Graduate students are often thought of as mature researchers capable of figuring things out on their own, but they face special challenges in developing as novice scholars. This study adopts the lens of socialization and uses semi-structured interviews with dissertating graduate students in the humanities and social sciences at a large public research university to investigate how they understand their own practices of skills development, information seeking, networking, and forging a professional identity. It finds that students face considerable ambiguity in terms of expectations for the dissertation and whom they can go to for help, and that many needs are not being met by their home departments. The existence of these unmet needs and variability in where students get help imply that there is a space for librarians to become a part of the developmental support networks of even advanced graduate students.
Novel genomic signature predictive of response to immune checkpoint blockade: A pan-cancer analysis from project Genomics Evidence Neo-plasia Information Exchange (GENIE).

Abstract Background: High tumor mutation burden (TMB) and total mutation count (TMC) can be predictive of better response to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB). Nevertheless, TMB and TMC are limited by variation across cancers and inconsistent definitions due to different profiling methods (targeted vs whole genome sequencing). Our objective was to identify genomic alterations (GAs) associated with ICB response and builds a novel genomic signature predictive of ICB response, independent of TMB/TMC. Methods: This was a pan-cancer next generation sequencing (NGS)-association study using January 2014-May 2016 data from AACR Project Genomics Evidence Neo-plasia Information Exchange (GENIE). Participants included 6619 patients with metastatic or un-resectable cancer across 9 cancer types (including 1572 ICB-treated patients). GA data was collected using next-generation sequencing (NGS) assays and downloaded from cbioportal.org. Predictive analyses for ICB response were performed to develop the signature (ImmGA). Results: GAs in 16 genes were associated with improved OS in ICB-treated patients (p Conclusion: A novel signature predictive of ICB response (ImmGA) was developed from 13 GAs. Further investigation of the utility of ImmGA for treatment and trial selection is warranted.
Urban Social Movements in Venezuela

This chapter will look at social movement organized in the barrios of Caracas, Venezuela. The history of popular organization in the barrios has been an interplay of independent action and linkages with the state, and the fashioning of creative strategies inside, outside, and against the political system. Urban social movements in Caracas are extraordinarily variegated and heterogeneous. There are militant cadre-based groupings that have roots in the guerrilla struggles of the 1960s, as well as collectives that operate through assemblies and mass actions, and cultural groupings based in music, song, and dance. I distinguish urban social movements from political parties and trade unions by their basis in the networks of everyday life, their location in the space of the barrio rather than the party office or union hall, and their attempts to establish independent linkages with the state. While trade unions tend to engage in concerns that are more narrowly economic—such as wages, length of the work week, and benefits—urban social movements see economic inequality as one dimension of the experience of marginality and have tended to couch their actions in cultural-symbolic terms.
Visual Categorization: How the Monkey Brain Does It

Object categorization is a crucial cognitive ability. It has also received much attention in machine vision. However, the computational processes underlying object categorization in cortex are still poorly understood. In this paper we compare data recorded by Freedman et al. from monkeys to that of view-tuned units in our HMAX model of object recognition in cortex [1,2]. We find that the results support a model of object recognition in cortex [3] in which a population of shape-tuned neurons responding to individual exemplars provides a general basis for neurons tuned to different recognition tasks. Simulations further indicate that this strategy of first learning a general but object class-specific representation as input to a classifier simplifies the learning task. Indeed, the physiological data suggest that in the monkey brain, categorization is performed by PFC neurons performing a simple classification based on the thresholding of a linear sum of the inputs from examplar-tuned units. Such a strategy has various computational advantages, especially with respect to transfer across novel recognition tasks.
Kinetics of the Reaction of Iodobenzene and Hydrogen Iodide: The Heat of Formation of the Phenyl Radical and its Implications on the Reactivity of Benzene1a, b)

The kinetics of the reaction of iodobenzene and hydrogen iodide were studied in the gas phase from 375–500°C. The rate data were consistent with the free radical mechanism: and resulted in log k1 (l mol−1 sec−1) = (11.36 ± 0.06) - (28.4 ± 0.2)/θ. The assumption that E2 = 0 ± 1 kcal/mol yields ΔH (ϕ., g) = + 80.0 ± 1 and D H (ϕ - H) = 112.3 ± 1 kcal/mol. This is 5–10 kcal/mol higher than previous literature values, but nevertheless is found to be consistent with kinetic data on the pyrolysis of iodo- and bromobenzene. The discrepancy between this present work and data from radical “abstraction” reactions from benzene cannot be reconciled, indicating that these reactions proceed by a complex mechanism. A mechanism for “abstraction” from benzene is proposed and illustrated for the thermal chlorination and bromination of substituted benzenes. It is shown to be in quantitative, as well as qualitative, agreement with the available data.
From the specter of Mao to the spirit of the law: Labor insurgency in China

Dans cet article, l'A. se penche sur les conditions dramatiques du marche du travail chinois, et pose les caracteristiques de l'entree de l'economie de marche et la mutation ineluctable du regime socialiste qui tente de maintenir l'ordre par l'Etat de droit de l'economie, appliquant ses regles au depend des travailleurs
Insulin Attenuates Cardiac Myocyte Contractility via NADPH Oxidase: Implications for Diabetic Cardiomyopathy

Insulin is known to modulate metabolic responses in cardiac myocytes (CM), yet the role of insulin in regulation of CM contractility is less well understood. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) leads to...
Investigating the Interfacial Interactions Between Organic and Inorganic Phases and Their Influence on the Mechanics of Organic Phase in Natural Bone

Bone is a highly ordered nanocomposite system consisting primarily of organic (collagen) and inorganic (hydroxyapatite(HAP)) phases. The nanocrystals of hydroxyapatite (HAP) mineralize at specific locations in bone. The collagen molecule in bone has C and N terminals which are known as C and N telopeptides. We have performed Molecular Dynamics (MD) and Steered MD (SMD) simulations to study the interface between HAP (mineral) and collagen with N-terminal telopeptides. The force field parameters for HAP were taken from our previous study and the force field parameters for collagen with telopeptides were taken from CHARMm force field. We have investigated the detailed conformation of telopeptides interacting with specific surfaces of mineral and the interface between HAP and collagen. The load-deformation behavior of collagen is obtained with SMD simulations. It has been found that the load deformation behavior of collagen is different when in close proximity of and interacting with HAP.
A hybrid moment method/finite-difference time-domain approach to electromagnetic coupling and aperture penetration into complex geometries

An approach is presented for the direct modeling of electromagnetic penetration problems which involves a hybrid technique combining the frequency-domain method of moments (MM) and the finite-difference time-domain (FD-TD) method. The hybriding is based upon a novel use of a field equivalence theorem due to Schelkunoff, which permits a field penetration problem to be analyzed in steps by treating the relatively simple external region and the relatively complex internal region separately. The method involves first, determination of an equivalent short-circuit current excitation in the aperture regions of the structure using MM for a given external illumination. This equivalent current excitation over the aperture is next used to excite the complex loaded interior region, and the penetrating fields and induced currents are computed by the FD-TD method. A significant advantage of this frequency domain/time domain hybriding is that no Green's function need be calculated for the interior region. This hybrid approach takes advantage of the ability of MM to solve exterior problems using patch models and also takes advantage of the ability of FD-TD to model in great detail localized space regions containing metal structures, dielectrics, permeable media, anisotropic or nonlinear media, as well as wires.
Structural analysis of the fibroin gene at the 5′ end and its surrounding regions

Abstract Using the genomic clones of the fibroin gene with its flanking sequences, a detailed restriction map was prepared with particular attention given to the region neighboring the 5′ end of the gene. About 60% of the fibroin mRNA has a complete cap (m 7 GpppAmUmCXG), and the remaining 40% has an unmethylated cap (GpppAPyXXG). The latter can be radioactively labeled by the use of vaccinia capping enzymes. Using the labeled mRNA, we mapped the 5′ end of the gene by hybridization to restriction enzyme digests. DNA sequencing of this region revealed a sequence ATCAGCATCAG that corresponds to APyXXG in tandem. The 5′ end of mRNA with a complete cap was also located in these 11 nucleotides. Since the second ATCAG region was protected from S1 digestion following hybridization with total fibroin mRNA, we have tentatively assigned it as the sole 5′ end of the transcription unit. About 700 bp were sequenced in the region from −800 to +1700 bp. The region of about 210 bp preceding the 5′ end of the gene which may accommodate a promoter sequence is very AT-rich and contains clusters of A and T residues. This region contains statistically significant dyad symmetries, direct repeats and inverted repeats. At −30 to −24, the sequence TATAAAA was observed, and this is similar to a Pribnow-type sequence (TAT G A ATG). The sequence that codes for the gly-ala repetitious peptide characteristic of fibroin begins somewhere between 1340 and 1600 bp from the 5′ end. An intervening sequence of about 1.1 kb that interrupts the gene about 70 bp from the 5′ end was detected by R loop formation. Structures of the fibroin gene cloned from fibroin producing and nonproducing cells look the same, especially around the 5′ end and the intervening region.
Switching limits in nano-electronic devices

Present day CMOS transistors operate by thermionic emission of electrons over a gate tunable barrier. The fundamental switching energy for each such switching event can be derived from equilibrium thermodynamic considerations. While clever ways can sometimes mitigate the power budget, more often than not, this involves trade-offs with short channel effects (variability), on-off ratio (reliability) and mobility (switching speed). We discuss switching paradigms that venture beyond the near-equilibrium operation of transistors involving the absence or presence of charges as the digital switching bits. To this end, a few case studies are presented. Dipolar switching is invoked as an example to show how gating non-electronic degrees of freedom can reduce the subthreshold swing below the textbook limit by acting as an added cut-off filter on the current. We discuss how new state variables may be engineered into a CMOS platform to enable such non-electronic switching. Another, completely different direction involves non-equilibrium switching, such as a ratchet that allows us to move charges unidirectionally without a drain bias, by using instead an always present AC clock signal adiabatically coupled with the gate.
Moving Faces: Categorization of Dynamic Facial Expressions in American Sign Language by Deaf and Hearing Participants

American Sign Language (ASL) uses the face to express grammar and inflection, in addition to emotion. Research in this area has mostly used photographic stimuli. The purpose of this paper is to present data on how deaf signers and hearing non-signers recognize and categorize a variety of communicative facial expressions in ASL using dynamic stimuli rather than static pictures. Stimuli included six expression types chosen because they share overt similarities but express different content. Hearing participants were more accurate in their categorizations but expressed overall lower confidence regarding their performance.
A psycho-social study of married hemophiliacs and their wives and hemophiliac adolescents and their parents

Abstract Fourteen married hemophiliacs and their wives and twenty adolescent hemophiliacs and their parents were given Rotter's Internal-External Locus of Control Scale (IE), the Maudsley Personality Inventory (MPI), the Adjective Check List (ACL) and the Elias Family Adjustment Test (FAT). Age was not related to responses on the psychological tests or to severity. Pearson Product-Moment correlations showed that married hemophiliacs and their wives were significantly negatively correlated on the Succorance sub-scale of the ACL. Adolescents were significantly negatively related to their fathers on Neuroticism (MPI), and on the Defensiveness, Liability and Succorance sub-scales of the ACL. Adolescents and their mothers were positively related on the FAT, and on the ACL sub-scales, Achievement, Dominance, Endurance, Heterosexuality, Exhibition and Succorance. The mothers and fathers of hemophiliac adolescents were significantly negatively related on Counseling Readlines. Differences between the subject groups on the psychological measures were also found within severity and social class groups. The phenomena of role reversal and role failure and their implications for adolescent and married hemophiliacs were discussed.
A FOCUSED TRANSPORT APPROACH TO THE TIME-DEPENDENT SHOCK ACCELERATION OF SOLAR ENERGETIC PARTICLES AT A FAST TRAVELING SHOCK

Some of the most sophisticated models for solar energetic particle (SEP) acceleration at coronal mass ejection driven shocks are based on standard diffusive shock acceleration theory. However, this theory, which only applies when SEP pitch-angle anisotropies are small, might have difficulty in describing first-order Fermi acceleration or the shock pre-heating and injection of SEPs into first-order Fermi acceleration accurately at lower SEP speeds where SEP pitch-angle anisotropies upstream near the shock can be large. To avoid this problem, we use a time-dependent focused transport model to reinvestigate first-order Fermi acceleration at planar parallel and quasi-parallel spherical traveling shocks between the Sun and Earth with high shock speeds associated with rare extreme gradual SEP events. The focused transport model is also used to investigate and compare three different shock pre-heating mechanisms associated with different aspects of the nonuniform cross-shock solar wind flow, namely, the convergence of the flow (adiabatic compression), the shear tensor of the flow, and the acceleration of the flow, and a fourth shock pre-heating mechanism associated with the cross-shock electric field, to determine which pre-heating mechanism contributes the most to injecting shock pre-heated source particles into the first-order Fermi acceleration process. The effects of variations in traveling shock conditions, such as increasing shock obliquity and shock slowdown, and variations in the SEP source with increasing shock distance from the Sun on the coupled processes of shock pre-heating, injection, and first-order Fermi acceleration are analyzed. Besides the finding that the cross-shock acceleration of the solar wind flow yields the dominant shock pre-heating mechanism at high shock speeds, we find that first-order Fermi acceleration at fast traveling shocks differs in a number of respects from the predictions and assumptions of standard steady-state diffusive shock acceleration theory as is discussed below.
Interaction of Short-Range Repressors with Drosophila CtBP in the Embryo

Human CtBP attenuates transcriptional activation and tumorigenesis mediated by the adenovirus E1A protein. The E1A sequence motif that interacts with CtBP, Pro-X-Asp-Leu-Ser-X-Lys (P-DLS-K), is present in the repression domains of two unrelated short-range repressors in Drosophila, Knirps and Snail, and is essential for the interaction of these proteins with Drosophila CtBP (dCtBP). A P-element-induced mutation in dCtBP exhibits gene-dosage interactions with a null mutation in knirps, which is consistent with the occurrence of Knirps-dCtBP interactions in vivo. These observations suggest that CtBP and dCtBP are engaged in an evolutionarily conserved mechanism of transcriptional repression, which is used in both Drosophila and mammals.
1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D-3 destabilizes c-myc mRNA in HL-60 leukemic cells

The differentiation process is accompanied by alterations in the expression of a variety of genes. Monocytic maturation of hematopoietic cells (HL-60) induced by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D-3 (1,25(OH)2D3), results in a decrease in steady state c-myc mRNA levels. To elucidate the mechanism by which 1,25(OH)2D3 regulates c-myc mRNA expression, transcriptional and post-transcriptional modes of regulation were investigated. No transcriptional regulation was identified, however, 1,25(OH)2D3 appeared to decrease steady state c-myc mRNA levels by increasing its turnover rate. Using actinomycin D to block transcription, the half-life of c-myc mRNA was shown to decrease from 20 min in the absence of 1,25(OH)2D3 to 60 min, indicating a translational requirement for the destabilization process. Additionally, the c-myc mRNA instability induced by 1,25(OH)2D3 in HL-60 appears to be a specific result of this agent, as indicated by the inability of other monocytic and granulocytic differentiation inducing agents to destabilize c-myc mRNA.
How Responsive is Higher Education? The Linkages between Higher Education and the Labor Market

Higher education is considered vital for developing a productive and dynamic labour force to meet the demands of the global economy. How effectively does the US higher education sector respond to labour market signals? We match US postsecondary degree completions from 1984 to 2008 with occupational employment statistics and employ an Instrumental Variable (IV) strategy to examine the supply response to changes in occupation specific demand. The supply of educated workers appears weakly responsive to short-term wage signals and moderately responsive to long-term employment conditions. Analysis reveals a sizeable degree of heterogeneity and lag in the responsiveness across specific occupation–degree pairings. Failure to respond rapidly to changes in labour demand may be one factor driving inequality in wages across occupations and in the aggregate economy. We suggest some simple policy measures to help increase the responsiveness of the higher education sector, both in terms of the output of specific degree...
When bad stress goes good: increased threat reactivity predicts improved category learning performance

The way in which we respond to everyday stressors can have a profound impact on cognitive functioning. Maladaptive stress responses in particular are generally associated with impaired cognitive performance. We argue, however, that the cognitive system mediating task performance is also a critical determinant of the stress-cognition relationship. Consistent with this prediction, we observed that stress reactivity consistent with a maladaptive, threat response differentially predicted performance on two categorization tasks. Increased threat reactivity predicted enhanced performance on an information-integration task (i.e., learning is thought to depend upon a procedural-based memory system), and a (nonsignificant) trend for impaired performance on a rule-based task (i.e., learning is thought to depend upon a hypothesis-testing system). These data suggest that it is critical to consider both variability in the stress response and variability in the cognitive system mediating task performance in order to fully understand the stress-cognition relationship.
An EBSP study of isothermally-annealed cold-rolled nickel.

Scanning electron microscopy and electron backscattered patterns, EBSP, have been employed to reveal both the grain structure and texture of 90% cold-rolled polycrystalline nickel after 1-hour anneals at a variety of temperatures. After annealing at either 400 degrees or 500 degrees C, small, cube-oriented, equi-axed grains were produced via primary recrystallization. At 600 degrees C, large [124] oriented grains accounted for an increasing proportion of the microstructure, until at 1000 degrees C only large grains ( approximately 600 microm) and a sharp [124] texture were present. Detailed EBSP analyses of the grain boundaries surrounding the large abnormally grown grains observed at 600 degrees C demonstrated that formation of the secondary recrystallization texture was due to migration of high-mobility, random high-angle boundaries around grains that had a size advantage, consistent with the Abbruzzese-Lucke model.
Structure and entropy for positive-definite Toeplitz kernels on free semigroups

Abstract In this article, we study the structure of positive-definite Toeplitz kernels on free semigroups (called also multi-Toeplitz) and its implications in noncommutative dilation theory, harmonic analysis on Fock spaces, prediction and interpolation theory for stationary stochastic processes. A parametrization of positive-definite multi-Toeplitz kernels in terms of generalized Schur sequences of contractions is obtained. This leads to explicit minimal Naimark dilations, Cholesky factorizations, Szego type limit theorems, and entropy for positive-definite multi-Toeplitz kernels. Maximal outer factors are associated with positive-definite multi-Toeplitz kernels and are used to obtain inner–outer factorization for operators on Fock spaces with coefficients in Hilbert spaces. The Kolmogorov–Wiener prediction problem for stochastic processes having as covariance kernels positive-definite multi-Toeplitz kernels is considered. The predication-error operator is calculated in terms of Schur parameters (resp., maximal outer factor) associated with the covariance kernel of the process, and a connection with a Szego type infimum problem is established. We solve the Caratheodory interpolation problem for positive-definite multi-Toeplitz kernels, we obtain a parametrization of all solutions in terms of Schur sequences, and we find the maximal entropy solution. The results of this article can be used to develop a theory of stochastic n -linear systems.
Mechanisms in COPD: Differences From Asthma

Although considerable progress has been made in understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms of asthma, much less attention has been paid to COPD. The inflammatory process in COPD is very different from that in asthma, with different inflammatory cells, mediators, inflammatory effects, and response to therapy. Airway inflammation in asthma, characterized by an eosinophilic inflammation affecting all the airways but not lung parenchyma, is linked to airway hyperresponsiveness. In COPD, there is a predominantly neutrophilic inflammation in the airways. Parenchymal destruction is an important irreversible feature and leads to airflow obstruction through dynamic compression. The eosinophilic inflammation in asthma is markedly suppressed by corticosteroids, but they have no appreciable effect on the inflammation in COPD, consistent with a failure of long-term corticosteroids to alter the progression of COPD.
Effects of anticholinergic drugs on Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.

Anticholinergic drugs in a patient with Z-E syndrome were only temporarily successful in suppressing gastric hypersecretion and producing symptomatic relief. After escape from control with propantheline bromide, glycopyrrolate was only partially successful in suppressing basal acid secretion. Eventually, complete escape from anticholinergic control occurred with a recurrence of significant gastric hypersecretion and the development of severe peptic esophagitis, necessitating total gastrectomy.
Berry phase, conductance oscillations and phase breaking in mesoscopic transport

Abstract A novel class of interference phenomena originating from the geometric phase is discussed. Spin-orbit interaction results in the geometric phase and leads to the destructive interference and a phase shift of the Aharonov-Bohm conductance oscillations in ballistic and diffusive rings. In-plane magnetoresistance of rings exhibits abrupt “topological” transitions from destructive to constructive interference. The origin of the phase breaking due to the spin-orbit interaction in the weak localization conductance and in the universal conductance fluctuations is clarified.
Intrinsic properties and regulation of Pannexin 1 channel

Pannexin 1 (Panx1) channels are generally represented as non-selective, large-pore channels that release ATP. Emerging roles have been described for Panx1 in mediating purinergic signaling in the normal nervous, cardiovascular, and immune systems, where they may be activated by mechanical stress, ionotropic and metabotropic receptor signaling, and via proteolytic cleavage of the Panx1 C-terminus. Panx1 channels are widely expressed in various cell types, and it is now thought that targeting these channels therapeutically may be beneficial in a number of pathophysiological contexts, such as asthma, atherosclerosis, hypertension, and ischemic-induced seizures. Even as interest in Panx1 channels is burgeoning, some of their basic properties, mechanisms of modulation, and proposed functions remain controversial, with recent reports challenging some long-held views regarding Panx1 channels. In this brief review, we summarize some well-established features of Panx1 channels; we then address some current confounding issues surrounding Panx1 channels, especially with respect to intrinsic channel properties, in order to raise awareness of these unsettled issues for future research.
Identification of RNA instability elements in Borna disease virus

Genome organization and gene expression of Borna disease virus (BDV) are remarkable for the overlap of open reading frames, transcription units and transcription signals, readthrough of transcription termination signals, differential use of translation initiation codons, and exploitation of the cellular splicing machinery. Here we report an additional control of gene expression at the level of mRNA stability. Levels of BDV proteins in infected cells do not correspond to the transcriptional gradient typically observed in nonsegmented negative-sense RNA viruses. The third transcription unit of BDV's negative-sense RNA genome encodes viral proteins M, G and L. Analysis of the third transcription unit identified RNA-destabilizing domains with the most pronounced activity located in regions spanning nucleotides 2818-2918 (instability domain-1) and 4022-4071 (instability domain-2). Given that one domain maps to intron-2 and is thereby eliminated upon splicing, this represents an intriguing mechanism for regulating transcript levels independent of a transcriptional gradient. The presence of instability domains in introns offers a mechanism to create the observed discontinuous gradient M>L>G, compatible with the non-cytopathic, persistent infection that is characteristic for BDV, and provides a rationale for the use of alternative splicing by this unusual virus.