cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A cannabinoid receptor 1 mutation proximal to the DRY motif results in constitutive activity and reveals intramolecular interactions involved in receptor activation

Activation of a G-protein-coupled receptor involves changes in specific microdomain interactions within the transmembrane region of the receptor. Here, we have focused on the role of L207, proximal to the DRY motif of the human cannabinoid receptor 1 in the interconversion of the receptor resting and active states. Ligand binding analysis of the mutant receptor L207A revealed an enhanced affinity for agonists (three- to six-fold) and a diminished affinity for inverse agonists (19- to 35-fold) compared to the wild-type receptor, properties characteristic of constitutive activity. To further examine whether this mutant adopts a ligand-independent, active form, treatment with GTPgammaS was used to inhibit G protein coupling. Under these conditions, the L207A receptor exhibited a 10-fold increase in affinity for the inverse agonist SR141716A, consistent with a shift away from an enhanced precoupled state. Analysis of the cellular activity of the L207A receptor showed elevated basal cyclic AMP accumulation relative to the wild type that is inhibited by SR141716A, consistent with receptor-mediated Gs precoupling. Using toxins to selectively abrogate Gs or Gi coupling, we found that CP55940 nonetheless induced only a Gi response suggesting a strong preference of this ligand-bound form for Gi in this system. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal that the single residue change of L207A impacts the association of TM3 and TM6 in the receptor by altering hydrophobic interactions involving L207, the salt bridge involving the Arg of the DRY motif, and the helical structure of TM6, consistent with events leading to activation. The structural alterations parallel those observed in models of a mutant CB(1) receptor T210I, with established constitutive activity (D'Antona, A.M., Ahn, K.H. and Kendall, D.A., 2006. Mutations of CB1 T210 produce active and inactive receptor forms: correlations with ligand affinity, receptor stability, and cellular localization. Biochemistry, 45, 5606-5617).
Disturbance rejection: A polynomial approach

A detailed analysis of the disturbance rejection problem in single-input single-output linear systems is presented. The analysis is based on an external polynomial model and employs the algebra of polynomials. All solutions are expressed in a parametric form and solvability conditions are given for a number of constraints including those of internal stability and arbitrary pole placement. Measurable and unmeasurable disturbances are distinguished, and the effect of output feedback is investigated. A simple design procedure is then proposed, which provides a stable dynamical solution and which can be extended so as to minimize its order. The procedure consists of solving two linear polynomial equations and yields the compensator in a compact form suitable for direct realization.
Behavior therapy and psychotherapy.

Weitzman’s article is notable because it represents an early effort on the part of a sophisticated psychologist to reconcile the therapeutic results of systematic desensitization not only with classical psychoanalytic theory; but also with Jungian theory, interpersonal theory; and cognitive decision theory. After effectively demolishing Eysenck’s tendency to talk of “learning theory” as though there were a single theory of learning, when in fact there are many—a point previously made by Estes et al. in 1954 and by Breger and McGaugh in 1965—Weitzman goes on to demonstrate how much more complex Wolpe’s technique of systematic desensitization actually is as compared with the rather simplistic explanation that is usually given (i.e., reduction of anxiety by reciprocal inhibition due to muscular relaxation). In actuality, “a wealth of dynamically rich” fantasy material that has been essentially ignored is conjured up by patients during the silent periods of “relaxation.” Weitzman appropriately insists that the existence of these central processes in behavior therapy must not be ignored, and should be incorporated into a comprehensive theory of the behavioral therapeutic process. He chides dynamic psychotherapists for ignoring this challenge and offers some ingenious explanations of how such a theory might be formulated within the framework of a number of diverse theories. He also presents some tentative examples of how systematic desensitization can be utilized within a framework of dynamic understanding in psychotherapy—techniques that subsequent authors have been able to carry further (see Section III of this volume).
On the ring of hurwitz series

This paper introduces the ring of Hurwitz series over a commu- tative ring with identity, and examines its structure and applications, especially to the study of differential algebra. In particular, we see that rings of Hurwitz series bear a resemblance to rings of formal power se- ries, and that for rings of positive characteristic, the structure of the ring of Hurwitz series closely mirrors that of the ground ring.
Bacterial pore-forming hemolysins and their use in the cytosolic delivery of macromolecules

Advances in our understanding of fundamental cell biological processes have facilitated an expansion of therapeutic approaches to altering cellular physiology and phenotype. As many of these methods involve macromolecular agents that act on targets within the nucleus or cytoplasm, achieving their full potential ultimately requires the efficient delivery of these agents across the cell membrane barrier into the cytosol. Various strategies have been employed to enhance cytosolic delivery. These include either directly penetrating the plasma membrane, or avoiding degradation within the hydrolytic environment of the endosomal/lysosomal pathway after endocytic uptake. Some of the more promising methods in this regard have exploited the mechanisms utilized by certain viruses and bacteria for escaping into their host cell's cytosol. In this review, we will discuss some of these methods with an emphasis on the use of pore-forming proteins from bacteria. Particular attention will be drawn to the pH-sensitive endosomolytic bacterial hemolysins, such as listeriolysin O, and the potentiol for their use in cytosolic drug delivery systems.
Persistent measles virus genome in autoimmune chronic active hepatitis: cause or coincidence?

A radiolabelled 50-base oligonucleotide complementary with the measles virus gene encoding the nucleocapsid was used as a probe to identify persistent measles virus genome in the lymphocytes from patients with autoimmune chronic active hepatitis (AICAH). Positive hybrids were found in 12 of 18 patients, and correlated strongly with high antibody titers to measles. Among the 45 controls, positive hybrids were found in one patient with measles, 1 of 3 patients with lupus erythematosis and 2 of 4 patients with cryptogenic cirrhosis. Persistence of part of the measles virus genome in AICAH may have important implications in the pathogenesis of the liver disease, and possibly in other disorders such as systemic lupus erythematosis, multiple sclerosis and Paget's disease where an abnormal immune response to measles has been observed.
U.S. Military expenditure and the dollar: Another look

This paper re‐examines the relationship between U.S. defense spending and the dollar‐mark exchange rate during the 1960:1 to 1990:4 period. Previous work, under the guise of the “safe haven” argument, finds a cointegrating relationship between real military expenditures, real output and the real dollar‐mark exchange rate. Here, we examine the dynamic time series properties of a cointegrated vector autoregression under a more traditional real exchange rate specification. Through various restrictions placed upon the estimated cointegrating vector, we test specific hypotheses about the long‐run relationships between the variables. Our results reveal that previous work suggesting that military expenditures may significantly affect the real dollar exchange rate value may be misleading.
Flexible Fiber Optics Transmission Evaluation

The sole purpose of a flexible incoherent fiber optic bundle is to transmit light from point A to point B; and the major utility of such a bundle lies simply in the freedom allowed the designer when choosing the path connecting A to B. Therefore, one of the primary parameters to be considered in the evaluation of such a bundle is the efficiency with which it transmits. That is, with a given input, what output may be expected for a given length of material? This efficiency determines the sophistication required of the illuminating and/or sensing components employed for a particular application, and t us substantially directs the ultimate cost of the total system.© (1968) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Relationship of ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) home range size to landscape characteristics

Abstract We investigated how size and spatial arrangement of landscape-level habitat types influenced home range size of ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) in Virginia. Grouse home ranges were overlaid onto a GIS database derived from Landsat TM imagery (30-m pixel scale) and landscape metrics were calculated for 22 habitat types. We used multiple regression to relate home range size to landscape metrics. The amount of core area within the habitat patches in a bird's home range, number of different habitat types, mean shape index of the habitat patches (all positive relations), and amount of high contrast edge (negative relation) predicted home range size (Radj2 = 0.617, P < 0.01). Our results suggested that landscapes containing small (0.5–5 ha), regularly shaped (e.g., square) patches with high interspersion of preferred habitat types and an extensive amount of high contrast edge will decrease ruffed grouse home range size and movement. Such landscapes may contain ruffed grouse habitat requirements within ...
The unique protonated conformation of poly D (G−C) as detected by circular dichroism studies

Several recent studies indicate that conformational changes other than the helix-coil transition take place in the DNA molecule even at temperatures and pH values far removed from those needed to cause the denaturation process [l-4] . These are mainly attributed to the modifications of the helical parameters of the double stranded molecule [5,6]. Such changes are predicted to take place even at physiological conditions inside the cell, prior to transcription and replication processes [7]. The utilization of the synthetic polymers of known base sequences, to study such conformational changes will be very valuable in understanding these phenomena. In this context, we have initiated studies on several synthetic double stranded DNA polymers. Since circular dichroic techniques (CD) are very sensitive in detecting tine structural alterations in a molecule [8,9] , we have utilized this technique, besides the ultraviolet (UV) spectrophotometric studies, to investigate the conformational changes in the polymers poly d (G-C) and poly dG:poly dC.
Alien taxa in the North American shrub-steppe four decades after cessation of livestock grazing and cultivation agriculture

Abstract Because of its use as a nuclear materials production area, the 800-km 2 sagebrush steppe of the Columbia River Plain in Washington State has functioned as a quasi-natural area protected from livestock grazing and agricultural development since 1944. Alien vegetation and animals have invaded the eastern Washington region in the past century and are currently represented in the Columbia River Plain. Investigations were undertaken to evaluate the distribution of alien species, particularly vegetation, and their relationships to other flora and fauna in this region. Recently disturbed areas were dominated by the alien annuals Russian thistle Salsola kali , tumble mustard Sisymbrium altissimum , prickly lettuce Lactuca serriola , and bur ragweed Ambrosia acanthicarpa . Old-field habitats were composed almost entirely of the alien annual cheatgrass Bromus tectorum . Alien vegetation also comprised a portion of the flora in habitats that had not been disturbed or grazed by cattle in the past. Cheatgrass and spring whitlow-grass Draba verna were able to set seed in undisturbed habitats, whereas Russian thistle and tumble mustard seldom did. These two species continue as components of undisturbed habitat primarily through seed dispersal from disturbed sites. Old-field habitats support a depauperate fauna compared to undisturbed sagebrush steppe vegetation. Shrub-nesting birds such as the sage sparrow Amphispiza belli were absent from old fields, and even ground-nesting species were found in abnormally low densities. Old fields supported relatively few mammal species, in part as a result of poor food supplies. Alien birds, the rock dove Columba livia and the European starling Sturnus vulgaris , visited undisturbed habitat, but did not nest there. No alien mammals were found in undisturbed sagebrush steppe vegetation; the only alien mammals found in the area, the house mouse Mus musculus and Norway rat Rattus norvegicus , being limited to riparian areas and the vicinity of buildings. Alien taxa are likely to remain a component of any quasi-natural area in the sagebrush steppe ecoregion. Human disturbance need not be spatially extensive to maintain alien plants within undisturbed communities. Successional patterns after land disturbance produce conditions unfavorable for native fauna, but have not enhanced the distribution of alien fauna.
Effects of catalysts on the internal structures of carbon nanotubes and corresponding electron field-emission properties

Using a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method, multi-walled carbon nanotubes with uniform diameters of approximately 10 nm were synthesized on silicon substrates by the decomposition of acetylene using Fe, Co and Ni as the catalysts. Catalyst effects on the internal structures of the carbon nanotubes were evident in the Fe, Co and Ni catalyzed nanotubes. Although these nanotubes demonstrated similar morphologies, due to the variety of internal structures, the nanotubes synthesized from different catalysts demonstrated various electron field-emission characteristics including turn-on field, threshold field and field enhancement factor. Compared with carbon nanotubes from Ni catalyst, nanotubes from Fe and Co with the same diameters have better field-emission properties. Graphite layers in nanotubes from Fe and Co are much straighter and more parallel to the tube axis with fewer defects. For instance, the turn-on field and threshold field for nanotubes from Ni are 5 V/μm and 9 V/μm, respectively. These electric fields are much higher than those for nanotubes from Fe, which are 0.35 V/μm and 2.8 V/μm, respectively. This could be due to the effect of catalysts on the work function of nanotubes, since the catalyst particle usually terminates the free end of the nanotube, and the influence of internal structure on electron transportation along the nanotube axis. Therefore, this study suggests that besides a small diameter, good graphitization (crystallization) is an important prerequisite for a good carbon nanotube emitter.
A Unique Support Model for Dementia Patients and Their Families in a Tertiary Hospital Setting: Description and Preliminary Data

Dementia is a disease of great concern, as the deficit in memory and other cognitive functions that characterize this condition leads to a loss of independent function, which in turn has serious impact on individuals, families, and health care systems. Hospitals and clinics in general do not have “support” programs to assist dementia patients and their families. The day-to-day coping with the disease, care planning, and safety of dementia patients is often left to the families or other support networks, with minimal professional assistance. This article profiles the rationale, emergence, and process of a unique dementia support program based on a continuum of care model, started at Stanford University Medical Center under the Aging Adult Services Program. Each patient and family/caregiver is offered (a) comprehensive information, (b) identification of problem areas, (c) discussion about symptom management and interventions via home visits or family meetings, and (d) linkages to resources, legal/financial ...
The single-nucleotide addition cycle in transcription : a biophysical and biochemical perspective

It is useful to view the mechanisms and regulation of RNA transcript ion at different levels of resolution. Each view stresses different aspects of the structure and behavior of the DNA-dependent RNA polymerase, which is the enzyme that catalyzes specific gene transcription. We review here the mechanism of transcription as catalyzed by the RNA polymerase of Escherichia coli, which is by far the best understood member of this class of enzymes.
Inhibitors of metalloendoprotease activity prevent K+-stimulated neurotransmitter release from the retina of Xenopus laevis

Metalloendoprotease activity was identified in retinal homogenates using a synthetic fluorogenic metalloendoprotease substrate and specific metalloendoprotease inhibitors. The requirement of metalloendoprotease activity in neurotransmitter release was examined during the depolarization-induced release of [3H]glycine from the retina of Xenopus laevis. Neurons with high affinity uptake and calcium- dependent, K+-stimulated release of glycine have been described previously in this retina. When isolated retinas preloaded with [3H]glycine are depolarized by 22 mM K+, the usual efflux of [3H]glycine is completely abolished by the metalloendoprotease inhibitor, 1,10-phenanthroline (100 micrograms/ml). The inhibition of [3H]glycine release by 1,10-phenanthroline is dose dependent; furthermore, 1,10-phenanthroline blocks release by chelating metal and not Ca2+, since addition of equimolar calcium does not alter the inhibition. The metalloendoprotease inhibitor, carbobenzoxy (CBZ)-L- phenylalanine, also prevents release, whereas the amino acid, L- phenylalanine, has no effect. Synthetic carbobenzoxy dipeptide amides which are metalloendoprotease substrates (e.g., CBZ-Gly-Leu-amide, CBZ- Ser-Leu-amide, and CBZ-Gly-Phe-amide) also prevent [3H]glycine release in a dose-dependent and reversible manner. The synthetic dipeptide CBZ- Gly-Gly-amide, however, is not a metalloendoprotease substrate and has no effect on release. The ability of synthetic dipeptides to inhibit neurotransmitter release is amino acid specific, dose dependent, reversible, and matches their ability to interact with characterized metalloendoproteases. Depolarization-stimulated transmitter release may therefore require the activity of a metalloendoprotease.
The Role of the Community College in Community Development.

Abstract Multipurpose community colleges have a special opportunity for distinction through one of their missions—community development. One southern community college has assessed the similarities and differences of the perceptions of selected community leaders and of the college professional staff concerning the role of the college in community development. The opinions of both groups were very similar, but the community leaders showed more variation in perceptions. Both groups believed the college should be involved in community development activities, but that the college could meet the needs of individuals better than it could meet community-wide needs. The college professional staff was more opposed to granting academic credit for community development activities such as work experiences of students and continuing education courses than were the community leaders. As a philosophical approach to community development, both groups preferred the college's approaching community improvement through the o...
Topography and refractometry of nanostructures using spatial light interference microscopy

Spatial light interference microscopy (SLIM) is a novel method developed in our laboratory that provides quantitative phase images of transparent structures with a 0.3 nm spatial and 0.03 nm temporal accuracy owing to the white light illumination and its common path interferometric geometry. We exploit these features and demonstrate SLIM's ability to perform topography at a single atomic layer in graphene. Further, using a decoupling procedure that we developed for cylindrical structures, we extract the axially averaged refractive index of semiconductor nanotubes and a neurite of a live hippocampal neuron in culture. We believe that this study will set the basis for novel high-throughput topography and refractometry of man-made and biological nanostructures.
Toward an Earth system model: atmospheric chemistry, coupling, and petascale computing

Atmospheric chemicals and aerosols are interactive components of the Earth system, with implications for climate. As part of the SciDAC climate consortium of labs we have implemented a flexible state-of-the-art atmospheric chemistry and aerosol capability into the Community Climate System Model (CCSM). We have also developed a fast chemistry mechanism that agrees well with observations and is computationally more efficient than our more complex chemistry mechanisms. We are working with other colleagues to couple this capability with the biospheric and aerosol-cloud interaction capabilities that are being developed for the CCSM model to create an Earth system model. However, to realise the potential of this Earth system model will require a move from terascale to petascale computing, and the greatest benefit will come from well balanced computers and a balance between capability and capacity computing.
Aristóteles, santo Tomás y la percepción sensorial en el Quijote

A principios del siglo XIV, un gran vate (algunos le llamarian "el Poeta" por antonomasia) dijo lo siguiente: "Cosiparlar conviensi al vostro ingegno, / pero che solo da sensato apprende / cio che fa poscia d'intelletto degno" (''Asise debe hablar a vuestro ingenio, / pues solo aprende lo que luego es digno / del intelecto, a traves de los sentidos") [Dante, Paradiso, IV: 40-2]. Dante resume asi, en tres densos versos, toda la epistemologia aristotelica que el escolasticismo, y muy especialmente Santo Tomas de Aquino, habia sabido adaptar cristianizandola. La idea es la misma que expresa el dicho latino "nihil est in intellectu, quod priusnon erat in sensu" (Gredt 1: 438).
Degrees of freedom of cooperative interference networks

We study the degrees of freedom (DoF) of a Gaussian interference network with K transmitters and K receivers, where the transmitters are allowed to cooperate (partially) to transmit information to the receivers.
The American College of Surgeons' closed claims study: new insights for improving care.

Background All physicians must be vigilant in the pursuit of safe care for patients. While problems in care are identified, education that provides an understanding of these problems and guidelines for improvement can enhance patient safety. Our objective was to determine problematic aspects of surgical care, including care provided by surgeons before, during, after, and instead of surgery, that negatively affect patient safety. Study Design Four hundred sixty malpractice claims against general surgeons were reviewed by surgeons (FACS). All claims were closed in 2003 or 2004. The data collection was completed at five medical liability companies representing a nationwide distribution of surgeons. Surgeons also dictated or wrote narratives for each case. The quantitative data and narratives were later analyzed to determine events responsible for unsafe care. Results Surgeon-reviewers identified deficiencies in care that fell below accepted standards more often before and after operations than during them. These deficiencies were often the result of a failure to recognize surgical injuries, and many of these deficiencies were preventable. The quality of surgical care was satisfactorily met in 36% of cases. The most common procedures involving patient safety concerns were those involving the biliary tract, intestines, hernias, vascular system, esophagus, and stomach. The most frequent events leading to claims included delayed diagnosis, failure to diagnose, failure to order diagnostic tests, technical misadventure, delayed treatment, and failure to treat. Complications occurring most frequently were organ injuries, adult respiratory distress syndrome, and infection. Conclusions Closed claims reviews provide valuable data that may enhance provider performance through heightened awareness of common unsafe practices. Specifically, opportunities exist to improve surgical care provided during the preoperative and postoperative phases of treatment through continuing medical education to improve patient safety.
Predictors of Treatment Completion in a Sample of Youth Who Have Experienced Physical or Sexual Trauma

Despite significant advances in knowledge and availability of evidence-based models for child traumatic stress, many children simply do not complete treatment. There remain notable gaps in the services research literature about treatment completion among youth, particularly those who have experienced trauma and related sequelae. This study investigated the linkages among child physical and sexual trauma, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology, and treatment completion utilizing a clinical sample drawn from a large database from community treatment centers across the United States specializing in childhood trauma. Results from regression analyses indicated that neither the experience of sexual nor physical trauma directly predicted successful treatment completion. The links between sexual trauma and treatment completion, however, were mediated by PTSD avoidance symptoms. Children and youth experiencing sexual trauma reported higher levels of avoidance symptoms that were, in turn, significantly associated with a lower likelihood of completing trauma-focused mental health treatment. Practice implications are discussed and include strategies for clinicians to intervene during pivotal points of treatment to improve rates of service utilization and treatment completion.
Comparison of hemoglobin A1c goal achievement with the addition of pioglitazone to maximal/highest tolerated doses of sulfonylurea and metformin combination therapy.

AbstractObjectives:It has been proposed that the combination of thiazolidinedione (TZD) therapy to metformin and sulfonylurea is beneficial due to each medication having a unique mechanism of action. Within the Veterans Affairs Hospital, specific criteria of use define when TZD therapy can be initiated. Most patients who receive TZD therapy have failed other medications prior to use. The primary objective of this study was to determine the percentage of patients achieving the American Diabetes Association (ADA) goal hemoglobin A1c (A1c) of less than 7% with the addition of pioglitazone to the maximal/highest tolerated doses of sulfonylurea and metformin combination therapy.Methods:This was a six healthcare system retrospective, descriptive, analysis of type 2 diabetic patients (DM-2). Patients must have received the maximal/highest tolerated doses of sulfonylurea and metformin combination therapy and have been TZD naive or off TZD therapy for a minimum of 6 months, a baseline A1c greater than 7%, a repeat...
John Laragh: scientific pioneer.

Although I did not have the privilege of working with John Laragh in the laboratory or in the clinic, his visionary research has inspired me and many others interested in the problem of hypertension. John led the charge that opened up the modern phase of hypertension management in which physicians began to recognize the importance of tailoring therapy to the needs of the individual patient. He pioneered in the field of “personalized” medicine and relentlessly pursued its refinement in hypertension practice long before the term became popular among investigators interested in molecular biology and genomics. He also pioneered in the research and clinical use of renin-angiotensin inhibitors at a time when others doubted the importance of this system in essential hypertension and remained wedded to the idea of using diuretics as initial antihypertensive therapy in virtually all patients. He pioneered in “translational research” years before others began using this term to describe the integration of laboratory research, patient-oriented research, and population-based research aimed at improving the health of individuals and the public. Today, many scientists and clinicians take these approaches to hypertension research and treatment for granted. Many have not learned about, or have forgotten, the personal and scientific struggles involved in bringing these concepts to the fore. John often remarks that scientists are quick to forget the details of what has been said and done in the past. But long after the details and history of the scientific discoveries and debates are forgotten, I will remember how his pioneering efforts advanced the discipline and stimulated the minds of a multitude of basic science and clinical investigators around the world.
Everyday Routines in Free Spaces: Explaining the Persistence of The Zapatistas in Los Angeles

While examining the radical potential of “free spaces”—small-scale, grassroots sites for social movements—researchers neglect the daily activities underlying their continued existence. Based on participant observation at Zapatista community centers in Los Angeles, this article argues that everyday routines are important for the persistence of free spaces. Participants spent the majority of their time involved in routines. These were repetitive tasks for maintaining the organization; their focus was practical and immediate, as opposed to theoretical; and the rituals of participatory democracy structured them. At rare times, members reflected on their work, initiating abstract political talk to inspire and unify themselves in response to tedium from mundane activity or a crisis. Yet, reflection also distracted from applied work and even proliferated organizational schism. This suggests that free spaces retain stability by balancing both routine and reflection. Analyses of social movements often focus on the dramatic and sensational—mass mobilizations and campaigns, leadership cadres, and key incidents—and neglect their ongoing, daily work (Rupp and Taylor 1987; Tarrow 1993; Whittier 1995; Polletta 1998; Crossley 2003). Similarly, accounts of the Zapatista movement of Southern Mexico generally consider dramatic events and the message of Marcos, their charismatic spokesperson. This is ironic, as arguably the main activity of the Zapatistas is long-term, deliberately leaderless, grassroots community organizing that comes out of “free spaces”—local places where social movement culture is developed, practiced, and passed on between generations of participants (Allen 1973; Evans 1979; Evans and Boyte 1986; Polletta 1999; Futrell and Simi 2004). Based on ethnographic data collected at two storefront groups in Los Angeles, this article considers the persistence of Zapatista free spaces. I argue that everyday routines—mundane, regular, repetitive tasks—are an important yet underanalyzed aspect of free spaces, central to explaining their ongoing existence. To do this, I make two central claims. First, contrary to previous accounts of free spaces, a collective unity through oppositional politics and their shared deliberation did not predominate within the Zapatistas in Los Angeles. Instead, the daily experience of members more often involved creating and carrying out practical, ritualized, repetitive, and largely unreflective maintenance activities. Second, these groups shifted between times of everyday routine and less frequent times when they engaged in shared political reflection. By disrupting routines, political reflection both threatened and reaffirmed organizational stability. Reflective talk unified participants, confirming their principles and purpose when they were unsure of themselves. Yet, reflection also distracted from maintenance work, and it could lead to conflict. This suggests that everyday routines, as well as shifts to political reflection, are important for sustaining free spaces over years and even decades.
Amphipathic Helices-Wedge? Or Nae Nae?

Large-scale deformation of lipid membranes is essential to many cellular processes, including vesicular trafficking, organelle formation, and maintenance, and viral entry and exit. These processes are difficult to model, as they are inherently multiscale—i.e., molecular scale interactions manifest as membrane deformations with 100-nm lengthscales. A major challenge is therefore to determine the essential molecular details, so that more coarse-grained approaches (whether continuum- or particle-based) capture the correct biophysics.
The Role of Fertilizer Management in Mitigating Nitrous Oxide Emissions

Fertilizer N use in agriculture is the major source of direct and indirect N2O emissions. The loss of N not only increases emissions, but also decreases water quality and decrease N use efficiency (NUE) and cause economic loss. Improving NUE is desirable for improving crop yields, reducing cost of production, and maintaining environmental quality. Cereals, the largest consumer of fertilizer N has an average NUE of 33%. To improve N efficiency in agriculture, integrated N management strategies that take into consideration the use of improved fertilizers, such as enhanced efficiency fertilizers and stabilized fertilizers, along with soil and crop management practices are necessary. Incorporating livestock production within cropping system offers one of the best opportunities to improve NUE. Synchrony of N supply with crop demand is essential in order to ensure adequate quantity of uptake and utilization and optimum yield. This chapter discusses N dynamics in soil-plant systems, and outlines management options for enhancing N use by crops.
Mormon Mercantile Cooperation in Utah

N THE Westward movement and settlement of the United States the colonization of Utah by the Latter-day Saints, better known as the "Mormons," is in many respects unparalleled in history. This account is devoted to one phase of the accomplishment of this body of pioneers, namely their work in mercantile cooperation. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints was organized on April 6, I830 by Joseph Smith. From its very inception it was an unpopular religion. Persecution followed these people from place to place and reached its peak when Joseph Smith was shot by a mob at Carthage, Illinois on June 27, I844. Following his death Brigham Young was selected as the new leader of the Mormon people. Early in 1847 with a small, select group of sturdy pioneers Brigham Young began his westward trek across the plains to find a haven of rest. They reached the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, I847 and began the settlement of the Utah territory. While this religious sect had left the eastern states in order to gain freedom to worship God as they desired and to be isolated from the rest of the world, they were not long permitted to do so. The discovery of gold in California and the gold rush brought new contacts with the regions from which the Mormons had recently been driven. Many of the gold seekers, upon learning that the hardest part of their journey was ahead, stopped
Lengthscale effects on exchange coupling in Co-Pt L10 + L12 nanochessboards

The Co-Pt nanochessboard is a quasi-periodic, nanocomposite tiling of L10 and L12 magnetic phases that offers a novel structure for the investigation of exchange coupling, relevant to permanent magnet applications. Periodicity of the tiling is controlled by the rate of cooling through the eutectoid isotherm, resulting in control over the L10-L12 exchange coupling. First order reversal curve analysis reveals a transition from partial coupling to nearly complete exchange-coupling in a Co40.2Pt59.8 nanochessboard structured alloy as the periodicity is reduced below the critical correlation length. Micromagnetic simulations give insights into how exchange coupling manifests in the tiling, and its impact on microscopic magnetization reversal mechanisms.
Doing a Bid The Construction of Time as Punishment

Juxtaposing the sociology of time with the sociological study of punishment, we interviewed 34 former inmates to explore their memories of how they constructed time while “doing a bid.” Prison sent...
The Beta-Rhombohedral Boron Structure

All of the essential features of the structure of beta-rhombohedral boron were described in a recent communication; it is appropriate at mis point to elaborate upon some of the general features of this remarkable and elegant structure. To this end, the somewhat succinct report is reproduced here in full to provide background for the subsequent discussion of alternative descriptions.
An Ultra-High-Speed Test Module and FPGA-Based Development Platform

This paper describes a low-cost extension module used to extend an FPGA-based development platform that enables digital testing up to 40Gbps. This platform typically operates up to 13.1Gbps and can be applied to test current main-stream I/O standards such as PCIE3.0 (8Gbps), USB3.1 (10Gbps) and Thunderbolt (10Gbps). The high bandwidth of an ultra-high-speed test module allows testing capability for future high-speed standards such as PCIE4.0 (32Gbps) and 40G Ethernet. An FPGA main board is built and programmed to control this plugin module for testing at across a wide range of data-rates. Using such "state of the art" FPGAs and careful design strategy of an economical FR4 plugin board, the data rate is extended to 40Gbps. This economical plugin module is implemented by multiplexing four high-speed channels from the FPGA into a single 40Gbps serial bit stream.
Acute Changes of Behavior and Memory

Acute changes of brain physiology present with both mental and neurological symptoms. It is fruitful to assess them separately in the categories symptoms of the mind and symptoms of the brain to have a baseline for treatment. The clinician must remember that a child’s mind responsible for his/her memory and cognitive executive functions matures gradually, at an individual speed, and reaches full maturity in young adulthood. Girls are ahead of boys until adolescence. Chronological age is not always a useful measure when assessing growing children. Cognitive deficits and problematic behavior are easily mistaken as expressions of psychopathology, although they may be normal according to the child’s mental age. A 10-year-old boy with an IQ of 75 has the mental age of 7.5 years and should be assessed as such to avoid mistakes in the evaluation. The pediatric disciplines and child and adolescent psychiatry are closely related. Disorders such as anxiety, dissociative disorders, apathy, somatic symptoms without an obvious somatic disorder, and conversion syndromes have somatic/neurological components of an intrinsic kind which often make the patients seek help at pediatric departments. As children and parents have identified somatic symptoms as a problem and in order to avoid iatrogenic problems, the pediatrician needs to consider the best way to refer to a child and adolescent psychiatric unit when a psychogenic explanation seems to be the cause.
The Assault on Kant in the Fin de Siècle Theological Academies

In this chapter, we confront several different approaches to Kant that emerged at the end of the nineteenth century within the theological academies: a proto-phenomenological one, a neo-Fichtean approach, and an explicitly religious one. Some of these attempted to present Kant’s position in a different light than previously considered in a theological setting.
Metagenomic assessment of adventitious viruses in commercial bovine sera

Animal serum is an essential supplement for cell culture media. Contamination of animal serum with adventitious viruses has led to major regulatory action and product recalls. We used metagenomic methods to detect and characterize viral contaminants in 26 bovine serum samples from 12 manufacturers. Across samples, we detected sequences with homology to 20 viruses at depths of up to 50,000 viral reads per million. The viruses detected represented nine viral families plus four taxonomically unassigned viruses and had both RNA genomes and DNA genomes. Sequences ranged from 28% to 96% similar at the amino acid level to viruses in the GenBank database. The number of viruses varied from zero to 11 among samples and from one to 11 among suppliers, with only one product from one supplier being entirely "clean." For one common adventitious virus, bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), abundance estimates calculated from metagenomic data (viral reads per million) closely corresponded to Ct values from quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rtq-PCR), with metagenomics being approximately as sensitive as rtq-PCR. Metagenomics is useful for detecting taxonomically and genetically diverse adventitious viruses in commercial serum products, and it provides sensitive and quantitative information.
Insurance Receipt and Readiness for Opportunities under the Affordable Care Act: A National Survey of Treatment Providers for Substance Use Disorders

This study measures the readiness of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment to use opportunities under the Affordable Care Act by examining Medicaid and private insurance acceptance between 2011 and 2013, as well as center characteristics associated with acceptance. Data for this study were from a random sample of SUD treatment centers in the United States. Interviews were conducted on site and face to face, with administrative and clinical directors. We employed logistic regression analyses to examine Medicaid acceptance and private insurance acceptance. We found that 59% of centers accepted Medicaid and 55% accepted private insurance. Accredited centers were more likely to accept Medicaid. A 12-step orientation and greater reliance on female clients were negatively associated with Medicaid acceptance. Larger centers and centers with a greater percentage of counselors with advanced degrees had greater odds of accepting private insurance. Centers that offered residential treatment had lower odds of accepting either Medicaid or private insurance. For private insurance acceptance, having a specific track for homeless patients lowered the odds of acceptance, as did having a greater percentage of Hispanic clients. Newly insured individuals under the ACA may have difficulty finding a program that accepts insurance. Future research should examine effects of Medicaid expansion on SUD treatment delivery.
Nuclear Weapons in a Changing Climate: Probability, Increasing Risks, and Perception

Caters News Agency/Abe Blair Many people tend to think that the outcome of any nuclear weapons use today will result in an escalatory situation with apocalyptic outcomes for the countries involved....
Data Converter Overview

This chapter provides an overview of analog-to-digital and digital-toanalog converters and their applications to audio and video systems design. There are many factors affecting the performance of the converters and these can be minimized if designers understand the converter’s sampling techniques and quantization noise, the necessity of having input and output filters and the proper system design and layout.
A kinase inhibitor library screen identifies novel enzymes involved in ototoxic damage to the murine organ of Corti

Ototoxicity is a significant side effect of a number of drugs, including the aminoglycoside antibiotics and platinum-based chemotherapeutic agents that are used to treat life-threatening illnesses. Although much progress has been made, the mechanisms that lead to ototoxic loss of inner ear sensory hair cells (HCs) remains incompletely understood. Given the critical role of protein phosphorylation in intracellular processes, including both damage and survival signaling, we screened a library of kinase inhibitors targeting members of all the major families in the kinome. Micro-explants from the organ of Corti of mice in which only the sensory cells express GFP were exposed to 200 μM of the ototoxic aminoglycoside gentamicin with or without three dosages of each kinase inhibitor. The loss of sensory cells was compared to that seen with gentamicin alone, or without treatment. Of the 160 inhibitors, 15 exhibited a statistically significant protective effect, while 3 significantly enhanced HC loss. The results confirm some previous studies of kinase involvement in HC damage and survival, and also highlight several novel potential kinase pathway contributions to ototoxicity.
Thermodynamics of Conformational Transitions in a Disordered Protein Backbone Model

Abstract Conformational entropy is expected to contribute significantly to the thermodynamics of structural transitions in intrinsically disordered proteins or regions in response to protein/ligand binding, posttranslational modifications, and environmental changes. We calculated the backbone (dihedral) conformational entropy of oligoglycine ( Gly N ) , a protein backbone mimic and model intrinsically disordered region, as a function of chain length ( N = 3 , 4, 5, 10, and 15) from simulations using three different approaches. The backbone conformational entropy scales linearly with chain length with a slope consistent with the entropy of folding of well-structured proteins. The entropic contributions of second-order dihedral correlations are predominantly through intraresidue ϕ - ψ pairs, suggesting that oligoglycine may be thermodynamically modeled as a system of independent glycine residues. We find the backbone conformational entropy to be largely independent of global structural parameters, like the end-to-end distance and radius of gyration. We introduce a framework referred to herein as "ensemble confinement" to estimate the loss (gain) of conformational free energy and its entropic component when individual residues are constrained to (released from) particular regions of the ϕ - ψ map. Quantitatively, we show that our protein backbone model resists ordering/folding with a significant, unfavorable ensemble confinement free energy because of the loss of a substantial portion of the absolute backbone entropy. Proteins can couple this free-energy reservoir to distal binding events as a regulatory mechanism to promote or suppress binding.
Applying digital library technologies to nuclear forensics

Digital Libraries will enhance the value of forensic endeavors if they provide tools that enable data mining capabilities. In fact, collecting data without such tools can result in investigators becoming overwhelmed. Currently, the quantity of highly dangerous radioactive materials is increasing with the advancement of civilizations' scientific inventions. This creates a demand for an equivalently sophisticated forensics capability that prevents misuse and brings malicious intent to justice. Our forensics approach applies digital library and data mining techniques. Specifically, the forensic investigator will utilize our digital library system which has been enhanced with advanced data mining query tools in order to determine attribution of material to their geographic sources and threat levels, enabling tracing and rating of smuggling activities.