cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hydroxychloroquine: An old drug with new tricks

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is widely used in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The drug’s origins lie in the preparation of the cinchona bark, which was used for centuries to treat febrile maladies. HCQ is still classified as an antimalarial, though it is rarely used for that purpose1. In the present era, with many new therapeutics showing promise for improving outcomes in SLE, HCQ nevertheless has retained its central role in treatment, and is recommended for all patients with SLE whenever there are no contraindications to its use. In clinical practice, HCQ is also often used in patients who have some features of SLE but who do not satisfy classification criteria for SLE. The SLE spectrum is now recognized to extend into early stages of disease that are characterized by the presence of autoantibodies and cytokines along with symptoms such as joint pain or skin rashes2,3. Some of these patients are designated as having incomplete lupus erythematosus (ILE), with antinuclear antibody (ANA) positivity and other clinical or laboratory findings suggestive of SLE that are not present in sufficient number to satisfy classification criteria. The patients with ILE include a subset at increased risk for transition to classifiable SLE4,5. Factors contributing to risk of progression include female sex, younger age, and germline genetic variation5,6. One retrospective study has shown that starting treatment with HCQ in ILE patients delays the onset of SLE7, a finding that has generated interest in the idea that this medication may modify early disease stages and have long-term effects to reduce the severity of subsequent disease. The mechanisms by which HCQ exerts its therapeutic effects on the spectrum of SLE disease are only partially understood, despite the many years of clinical … Address correspondence to Dr. N.J. Olsen, Penn State MS Hershey Medical Center, 500 University Drive, Hershey, PA 17033-0850, USA. Email: nolsen{at}pennstatehealth.psu.edu.
An Energy Efficient RF Backscatter Modulator for IoT Applications

This paper presents a compact backscatter modulator tag operating at 1.76 GHz. The modulator is composed of a series combination of a variable resistor and a varactor. These components modulate the backscatter signal by adjusting the input impedance or input reflection coefficient. A gallium nitride (GaN) on silicon carbide (SiC) high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) is adopted to implement the variable resistor. The modulator can support a variety of modulation schemes without increasing the size and design complexity. The tag can be continuously powered through ambient RF energy in the 2.45 GHz frequency band. A differential rectifier harvests RF energy to power a microcontroller eliminating the need for a battery. Experimental results show that the modulator can support 16-QAM with an error vector magnitude (EVM) of 1.73%. The measured RF to DC power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the energy harvester is 57.1% at a received power of 1.7 dBm.
Data driven course scheduling to ensure timely graduation

With progressively decreasing state funding in the last two decades, timely graduation has become an imperative yet challenging problem for many public universities. Our research empirically studie...
Abstract 2331: Metabolic evasion of mCRPC immunotherapy by ACOD1 production of itaconate

The use of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapies in the form of αPD-1 & αCTLA-4 monoclonal antibodies (mAb) have made great strides in the battle against melanoma, lung, and breast cancers. However, these strategies are not universally effective. Roadblocks occur as certain cancers cannot be targeted by these therapies or may develop resistance to ICB. How resistance to ICB therapy arises represents a crucial barrier to more effective use of these therapies. Recent studies have demonstrated that the metabolic milieu of the tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a role in regulating the anti-tumor immune response. However, the specific mechanisms by which cancer cell secreted metabolites in the TME impact the responsiveness of cancer cells to ICB remain poorly understood. In order to better understand the factors that influence the effectiveness of ICB, we utilized a mouse model (Smad4-/-/Pten-/-/Trp53-/-) of male castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) that is responsive to αCTLA-4 and αPD-1 ICB. Using serial culture and injection of residual tumor cells that survive ICB, we generated cell lines that had developed resistance to ICB. Unbiased metabolomic screening of these cell lines revealed a stark increase in the production of the anti-inflammatory metabolite itaconate in the resistant cell lines. This observation was supported by the increased abundance of the enzyme responsible for itaconate production, aconitate decarboxylase 1 (ACOD1) among the resistant lines. Reduction of this enzyme through shRNA compromises the viability of ICB resistant cells but not sensitive cells. Interestingly, conditioned media from the resistant cell lines restricts the in vitro activation of naive CD8+ T cells. Furthermore, the reduction of ACOD1 among the resistant population results in increased activation of CD8+ T cells when treated with conditioned media from these resistant cells. These observations also extend to other, more established cell lines like the Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC). Taken together, these results indicate that cancerous epithelial cell production of itaconate, through the activity of ACOD1, may represent a mechanism that antagonizes T cell activation and thus promotes ICB evasion. Citation Format: James H. Schofield, Mark A. Hawk, Sharif Rahmy, Ryan D. Sheldon, Casey Leimbach, Seunghoon Sun, Xin Lu, Russell G. Jones, Zachary T. Schafer. Metabolic evasion of mCRPC immunotherapy by ACOD1 production of itaconate [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 2331.
A review of existing deep decarbonization models and their potential in policymaking

Abstract Energy systems models are used to analyze long-term policies and pathways for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A subset of these models is bottom-up, engineering-economic models that minimize the costs of achieving exogenously specified annual reductions in GHG emissions to limit increases in global average temperature. Referred to as deep decarbonization models (DDM), their outputs include the levels and timing of energy investments that satisfy future energy demand projections across all energy sectors over multiple decades. This paper conducts an epistemological review of 42 articles on DDMs published in the last ten years. In its two-part review of the DDM literature, this paper first identifies the mathematical formulations, underlying assumptions, and constraints of the modeling framework that impact their outcomes. Next, it tabulates and discusses the possible limitations in assessing such models in terms of their epistemic values, i.e., creating new knowledge beyond common sense in capturing the possible realities; and non-epistemic values, i.e., policy relevance and usefulness of the modeling framework. This paper suggests the need for more studies and continued discussion on the potential strengths, usefulness, and limitations of the DDM framework. DDMs might be useful in identifying multiple pathways towards deep decarbonization of future energy systems, but there will always be a need to proceed with caution, strive for better models, and be more circumspect with respect to the associated policy conclusions.
Metabolomic Approaches to Investigate the Effect of Metformin: An Overview

Metformin is the first-line antidiabetic drug that is widely used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Even though the various therapeutic potential of metformin treatment has been reported, as well as the improvement of insulin sensitivity and glucose homeostasis, the mechanisms underlying those benefits are still not fully understood. In order to explain the beneficial effects on metformin treatment, various metabolomics analyses have been applied to investigate the metabolic alterations in response to metformin treatment, and significant systemic metabolome changes were observed in biofluid, tissues, and cells. In this review, we compare the latest metabolomic research including clinical trials, animal models, and in vitro studies comprehensively to understand the overall changes of metabolome on metformin treatment.
Selective culling of high avidity antigen‐specific CD4+ T cells after virulent Salmonella infection

Typhoid fever is a persistent infection caused by host-adapted Salmonella strains adept at circumventing immune-mediated host defences. Given the importance of T cells in protection, the culling of activated CD4+ T cells after primary infection has been proposed as a potential immune evasion strategy used by this pathogen. We demonstrate that the purging of activated antigen-specific CD4+ T cells after virulent Salmonella infection requires SPI-2 encoded virulence determinants, and is not restricted only to cells with specificity to Salmonella-expressed antigens, but extends to CD4+ T cells primed to expand by co-infection with recombinant Listeria monocytogenes. Unexpectedly, however, the loss of activated CD4+ T cells during Salmonella infection demonstrated using a monoclonal population of adoptively transferred CD4+ T cells was not reproduced among the endogenous repertoire of antigen-specific CD4+ T cells identified with MHC class II tetramer. Analysis of T-cell receptor variable segment usage revealed the selective loss and reciprocal enrichment of defined CD4+ T-cell subsets after Salmonella co-infection that is associated with the purging of antigen-specific cells with the highest intensity of tetramer staining. Hence, virulent Salmonella triggers the selective culling of high avidity activated CD4+ T-cell subsets, which re-shapes the repertoire of antigen-specific T cells that persist later after infection.
Thermal drawdown and late-stage seismic-slip fault reactivation in enhanced geothermal reservoirs

Late-stage seismic slip in geothermal reservoirs has been shown as a potential mechanism for inducing seismic events of magnitudes to ~2.6 as late as two decades into production. We investigate the propagation of fluid pressures and thermal stresses in a prototypical geothermal reservoir containing a centrally located critically stressed fault from a doublet injector and withdrawal well to define the likelihood, timing, and magnitude of events triggered by both fluid pressures and thermal stresses. We define two bounding modes of fluid production from the reservoir. For injection at a given temperature, these bounding modes relate to either low- or high-relative flow rates. At low relative dimensionless flow rates the pressure pulse travels slowly, the pressure-driven changes in effective stress are muted, but thermal drawdown propagates through the reservoir as a distinct front. This results in the lowest likelihood of pressure-triggered events but the largest likelihood of late-stage thermally triggered events. Conversely, at high relative non-dimensional flow rates the propagating pressure pulse is larger and migrates more quickly through the reservoir but the thermal drawdown is uniform across the reservoir and without the presence of a distinct thermal front, and less capable of triggering late-stage seismicity. We evaluate the uniformity of thermal drawdown as a function of a dimensionless flow rate QD that scales with fracture spacing s (m), injection rate q (kg/s), and the distance between the injector and the target point L∗ (QD ∝ qs2/L∗). This parameter enables the reservoir characteristics to be connected with the thermal drawdown response around the fault and from that the corresponding magnitude and timing of seismicity to be determined. These results illustrate that the dimensionless temperature gradient adjacent to the fault dTD/dxD is exclusively controlled by the factor QD. More significantly, this temperature gradient correlates directly with both the likelihood and severity of triggered events, enabling the direct scaling of likely magnitudes and timing to be determined a priori and directly related to the characteristics of the reservoir. This dimensionless scaling facilitates design for an optimum QD value to yield both significant heat recovery and longevity of geothermal reservoirs while minimizing associated induced seismicity.
Effect of Aerosol Age on the Infectivity of Airborne Pasteurella tularensis for Macaca mulatta and Man

Sawyer, William D. (U.S. Army Medical Unit, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Md.), Joseph V. Jemski, Arthur L. Hogge, Jr., Henry T. Eigelsbach, Elwood K. Wolfe, Harry G. Dangerfield, William S. Gochenour, Jr., and Dan Crozier. Effect of aerosol age on the infectivity of airborne Pasteurella tularensis for Macaca mulatta and man. J. Bacteriol. 91:2180-2184. 1966.-In aging aerosols of Pasteurella tularensis SCHU-S4, the respiratory infectivity for man and Macaca mulatta decreased more rapidly than the viability of the organisms. Infectivity was diminished after 120 min, and was reduced 10-fold after 180 min. These findings confirmed previous observations made in mice and guinea pigs, and also revealed that smaller losses of infectivity were detectable in the primate hosts.
Theory and analysis of soft x-ray laser experiments

The atomic modeling of soft x-ray laser schemes presents a formidable challenge to the theorists -- a challenge magnified by the recent successful experiments. A complex plasma environment with many ion species present must be simulated. Effects such as turbulence, time dependence, and radiation transport, which are very difficult to model accurately, may be important. We shall describe our efforts to model the recently demonstrated soft x-ray laser in collisionally pumped neon-like selenium, with emphasis on the ionization balance and excited state kinetics. The relative importance of various atomic processes, such as collisional excitation and dielectronic recombination, on the inversion kinetics will be demonstrated. We shall compare our models with experimental results and evaluate the success of this technique in predicting and analyzing the results of x-ray laser experiments.
Large Autonomous Spacecraft Electrical Power System (LASEPS)

NASA - Marshall Space Flight Center is creating a large high voltage electrical power system testbed called LASEPS. This testbed is being developed to simulate an end-to-end power system from power generation and source to loads. When the system is completed it will have several power configurations, which will include several battery configurations. These configurations are: two 120 V batteries, one or two 150 V batteries, and one 250 to 270 V battery. This breadboard encompasses varying levels of autonomy from remote power converters to conventional software control to expert system control of the power system elements. In this paper, the construction and provisions of this breadboard are discussed.
Provision of Incentives for Information Acquisition: Forecast-Based Contracts vs. Menus of Linear Contracts

In the producer–seller relationship, the seller, besides his role of selling, is often in an ideal position to gather useful market information for the producer’s operations planning. Incentive alignment is critical to motivate both information-acquisition and sales efforts. Two popular contract forms are investigated. One is the forecast-based contract (FC) that requires the seller to submit a demand forecast: the seller obtains commissions from the realized sales but is also obliged to pay a penalty for any deviation of the sales from the forecast. The other is the classical menu of linear contracts (MLC), from which the seller can choose a contract that specifies a unique commission rate and a fixed payment. The conventional understanding suggests that the MLC is superior, but it is often assumed that information is exogenously endowed. In contrast, we find that, with an endogenous information-acquisition effort, the MLC may suffer from a conflicted moral hazard effect that creates friction between mot...
Quantitative IgE- and IgG-subclass responses during and after long-term ragweed immunotherapy

Abstract We studied the quantitative responses of short ragweed (RW)-pollen-specific serum antibodies in 22 patients with RW immunotherapy (IT) and in a different set of 31 patients, 16 of whom stopped RW IT after more than 5 years of treatment. Serum was assayed before and after season, 1 year before and 1 and 2 years after starting IT, and 1 year and 2 years after stopping IT. RW pan-IgG, RW IgG1, and RW IgG4 were measured by ELISA, and RW IgE by RAST. Absolute quantities of RW IgG1 and RW IgG4 in reference sera were estimated by least-squares multiple regression analysis of 223 sera with the equation RW pan-IgG = RW IgG1 + RW IgG4. IgG1 is dominant in the early immune response of IT and disappears relatively slowly when IT is stopped. In contrast, IgG4 appears in significant quantities only after prolonged IT and disappears rapidly when IT is stopped. The apparent average half-life of RW IgG4 (9 months) was significantly shorter than that of RW IgG1 (29 months) ( p p r = 0.94 and 0.81; p = 0.0001 and 0.005).
Formation and Schottky behavior of manganese silicides on n‐type silicon

The formation of manganese silicides on Si has been studied by using Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy and glancing‐incidence x‐ray diffraction; electrical properties of these silicides on n‐Si have been studied by current‐voltage measurement of Schottky barrier height and four‐probe measurement of sheet resistivity. Two silicides have been identified: MnSi formed at 400 °C and MnSi1.7 at 500 °C. The former obeys a parabolic growth in layer form with an activation energy of 1.9 eV, yet the latter grows in patches and is governed by a linear growth. The values of Schottky barrier height on n‐type Si of these two silicides are very close: 0.65 and 0.67 eV, respectively, but their sheet resistivities differ significantly: 220 μΩ cm for MnSi and 4100 μΩ cm for MnSi1.7.
Perioperative management in undiagnosed pheochromocytoma

Pheochromocytoma which is diagnosed intraoperatively carries a high morbidity and mortality. Successful management of the patient with unsuspected pheochromocytoma requires a high index of suspicion and aggressive pharmacologic intervention.
Depressive symptoms and self-reported fast-food intake in midlife women

Abstract Objective To examine the association between depressive symptoms and fast-food intake in midlife women. Methods Data were analyzed from a cross-sectional study of 626 women aged 45–54 years conducted from 2000 to 2004 in Baltimore, Maryland. The presence of depressive symptoms was measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies — Depression scale and defined as a score of 16 or greater. The frequency of fast-food intake was assessed using self-reported questionnaire data, and was categorized as “at least weekly”, “at least monthly, but less than weekly” and “less than monthly”. Results Approximately 25% of the study sample reported depressive symptoms; 14% consumed fast-food “at least weekly,” and 27% “at least monthly, but less than weekly”. Compared to their counterparts, women with depressive symptoms had significantly greater odds of reporting higher fast-food intake (confounder-adjusted odds ratio: 1.54; 95% confidence interval: 1.06–2.25). Other covariates associated with a higher frequency of fast-food intake included black race and body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m2. Conclusions Findings from this study indicate that the presence of depressive symptoms is positively associated with fast-food intake in midlife women. These results may have important health implications given that both depression and dietary consumption patterns are risk factors for a number of diseases.
A Bayesian approach to the evolution of social learning

There has been much interest in understanding the evolution of social learning. Investigators have tried to understand when natural selection will favor individuals who imitate others, how imitators should deal with the fact that available models may exhibit different behaviors, and how social and individual learning should interact. In all of this work, social learning and individual learning have been treated as alternative, conceptually distinct processes. Here we present a Bayesian model in which both individual and social learning arise from a single inferential process. Individuals use Bayesian inference to combine social and nonsocial cues about the current state of the environment. This model indicates that natural selection favors individuals who place heavy weight on social cues when the environment changes slowly or when its state cannot be well predicted using nonsocial cues. It also indicates that a conformist bias should be a universal aspect of social learning.
A Biological Perspective on Yangshao Kinship

Abstract Multiple secondary burial was a common mortuary practice of the Yangshao people at the fourth millennium B.C. Our study concentrated on the investigation of the social domain corresponding to this spectacular mortuary program from the perspective of biological anthropology. Craniometric data were used for discriminant analyses. It was found that interments were homogeneous within graves and heterogeneous between graves in phenotypic characteristics. The sex ratio of individual graves are heavily biased against females, which suggests that there probably was differential mortuary treatment based on sex. We concluded that brothers and sisters were buried in the same graves and that residency was most likely arranged patrilocally.
Bacterial synergy in pelvic inflammatory disease.

Polymicrobial aerobic and anaerobic flora are responsible for pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). The most frequent pathogens appear to beNeisseria gonorrhoea and anaerobic bacteria (most commonly anaerobic cocci andBacteroides sp.). Recent studies have demonstrated the recovery ofChlamydia trachomatis in up to a third of these infections. AlthoughN. gonorrhoea is frequently recovered from cervical cultures, it is less commonly recovered from intra-abdominal sites. Recent studies have demonstrated the in-vivo synergistic relationship betweenN. gonorrhoeae andBacteroides fragilis. The growth of each component of the mixed infection was enhanced when these were present together in an abscess. Furthermore, the emergence of encapsulated strains was enhanced in these infections. This synergy enables the organisms to cause more severe local and systemic damage to the host. Therapeutic intervention should include the use of antimicrobial agents effective against both the aerobic and anaerobic components of the mixed infection. Unless such therapy is given, the infection may persist. It is also recommended to use antimicrobials that possess synergy between them against the bacterial pathogens. Agents effective against the anaerobic pathogens are metronidazole, clindamycin and cefoxitin. Antimicrobials effective against the Gram-positive aerobic pathogens andN. gonorrhoeae are spiramycin and penicillins. Aminoglycosides or third generation cephalosporins are effective against Gram-negative enterics. The combination of metronidazole and spiramycin has shown to be synergistic against mixed infections ofBacteroides sp. andN. gonorrhoeae.
Obesity in the pediatric patient: cardiovascular complications

The prevalence and severity of obesity are increasing in children and adolescents. This raises concerns about the accompanying cardiovascular complications. Such complications include hypertension, dyslipidemia, type II diabetes which may accelerate vascular disease, left ventricular hypertrophy and pulmonary hypertension due to obstructive sleep apnea. The evaluation of an obese child or adolescent should include careful consideration of these possible cardiovascular complications. If they are present, treatment should be directed at both obesity and the risk factor abnormality. This treatment may be important for prevention of future cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In addition, research is necessary to better understand the mechanisms by which obesity increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Output analysis: analysis of simulation output

We discuss methods for statistically analyzing the output from stochastic discrete-event or Monte Carlo simulations. Both terminating and steady-state simulations are considered.
Quadratic spatial solitons

Abstract Quadratic spatial solitons, beams that propagate unchanged in shape and magnitude, are supported by second order optical nonlinearities and can occur in all wave mixing processes under appropriate conditions. They are multi-component, consisting of all the frequency components that are coupled by a second order nonlinear interaction near a phase-matching condition. They have been observed in a number of bulk crystalline media, in LiNbO 3 slab waveguides and in arrays of parallel, weakly coupled, LiNbO 3 channel waveguides. The properties of the solitons and their excitation will be reviewed. To cite this article: G.I. Stegeman, C. R. Physique 8 (2007).
Theoretical Interpretation of the Polarization Experiment of Wood and Ellett

Effect of a weak magnetic field on the polarization of the fluorescent light from mercury and sodium vapor.---In explanation of the observations of Wood and Ellett, it is suggested that, in accordance with Larmor's principle, the field causes a precession of the electric vibrators with an angular velocity $\frac{1}{2}(\frac{e}{m})H$ and this precession is shown to be quite competent to explain the observation if we assume a proper duration of the excited state or proper damping constant $\ensuremath{\alpha}$. The experimental results for mercury $\ensuremath{\lambda}2536$ give a value for $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ of 1.14\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{7}$ per sec., in good agreement with other values. This classical theory is substantially the same as the classical theory of the Zeeman patterns, and does not account for the behavior of lines showing a more complicated Zeeman pattern such as the sodium lines studied by Wood and Ellett. The fundamental fact of the fluorescent light being plane polarized is hard to reconcile with the assumptions of the quantum theory of atomic radiation.
Competition and competitiveness in the US airline industry

Purpose – This study aims to employ a resource-based lens to explore the competitive implications of firm strategies under conditions of market commonality and shared resource pools. Design/methodology/approach – The firms’ core capabilities in these environments may focus on operational efficiency, as firms seek to compete under significant resource heterogeneity constraints. Findings – Using data from the USA airline industry from 1996-2011, we find that price has a positive relationship with firm performance, whereas quality has a negative relationship. Operational efficiency is a driver of both strategies. Research limitations/implications – The study uses US data. Extending the findings to the global setting may require recognizing other competitive dimensions. Originality/value – Firms that focus on non-core activities perform less well. The results offer insights into an industry that has interested strategy researchers for many years and may suggest an application to other industries with similar ...
Natural History of Focal Moderate Cardiac Allograft Rejection: Is Treatment Warranted?

Background The rate of progression and potential long-term consequences of isolated foci of moderate acute rejection (FMR) on endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) have not been defined; therefore, whether FMR necessitates augmented immunosuppression remains controversial. Methods and Results At our institution, recipients with EMBs having FMR, defined as one or two isolated foci of cellular infiltrates with associated myocyte damage (International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation [ISHLT] grade 2 and a subset of grade 3A), do not routinely receive intensified immunosuppression. Accordingly, to determine the outcome of untreated FMR, we reviewed 4398 EMBs (mean, 4.4 samples each) obtained after orthotopic heart transplantation in 208 consecutive recipients maintained on triple immunosuppressive therapy. The incidence of progression versus resolution of FMR, the time interval after transplantation when FMR was detected, and the relation of untreated FMR to recipient survival were analyzed. FMR categorized as one (n=312) or two (n=89) foci was present in 401 EMBs (9% of total) obtained 10 days to 7.5 years after transplantation from 149 recipients (72%). EMBs with FMR resolved without treatment in 341 of 401 (85%), and only 60 of 401 (15%) progressed to higher grade rejection. EMBs that progressed occurred 7.5±7.9 months (mean±SD) after transplantation compared with 14.0±16.5 months after transplantation for those that resolved ( P <.005). Of the 60 EMBs that progressed, 55% occurred within the first 6 months, 78% within the first year, and 97% within the first 2 years after transplantation. EMBs with two foci of FMR were no more likely to progress than those with one focus. Thirty-nine recipients experienced one (n=25), two (n=9), three (n=3), or four (n=2) episodes of FMR that progressed. One or more episodes of FMR that did not progress occurred in 110 recipients. By Kaplan-Meier analysis, survival at 1 and 5 years was similar in recipients with and those without FMR progression. Conclusions First, untreated FMR consisting of either one or two foci has a low rate of progression. Second, progression of FMR decreases with increasing postoperative interval and becomes rare after 2 years. Last, FMR progression did not identify recipients with decreased survival.
Women on War: Mary McCarthy, Susan Sontag, and Diana Trilling Debate the Vietnam War

The Vietnam War was notable in radicalizing the masses of an American public not given to such protest since the thirties. In the sixties the causes had nothing to do with economics, with hunger, w...
Enzymatic prenylation of isoflavones in white lupin

Abstract Microsomal preparations of white lupin ( Lupinus albus ) radicles and cell suspension cultures catalyse the prenylation of positions 6, 8 and 3′ of the isoflavones genistein and 2′-hydroxygenistein. Both the substrates and the enzyme reaction products are natural constituents of lupin tissues. Enzymatic prenylation of isoflavones required dimethylallyl pyrophosphate (DMAPP) and 12 mM Mn 2+ with optimum activity at pH 7.5 in Tris-HCl buffer. The apparent K m values for DMAPP and the prenyl acceptors were 4 and 5 μM, respectively. Isopentenyl pyrophosphate was a competitive inhibitor of the prenylation reaction, with an apparent K i of 5 μM. The bulk of enzymatic activity was associated with the membrane fraction and could only be solubilized in the presence of a detergent. The differences observed in prenyltransferase activity ratios, in relation to the source of the enzyme and the type of detergent used, suggest that prenylation at positions 6, 8 and 3′ of isoflavones is catalysed by a number of distinct enzymes.
An Analysis of Baseline Distortion and Offset in NMR Spectra

Abstract Analytic baseline functions are derived which precisely describe baseline distortion and offset in NMR spectra. These artifacts are often caused by inappropriate sampling, discrete Fourier transforms, receiver gating-on delay, or filters in use, but frequently are not adequately corrected. Here, the analysis and accompanying experimental examples show that all the artifacts can be easily avoided in routine NMR experiments by setting the acquisition parameters correctly, without using special software or hardware.
The magnetic susceptibility of hemin 303-4.5 °K

Abstract The magnetic susceptibility of hemin has been measured from 303-4.5 °K. The magnetic moments are in agreement with the predictions of Harris at 273 and 4.5 °K, whereas the value at 4 °K is roughly 9% below the theoretical estimate. The hemin data do not fit the Griffith-Kotani equation, and the interpretation of susceptibility measurements using this equation has not been successful in determining the zero-field splitting parameter, D, for hemins.
RELIABILITY DEPLOYMENT IN DISTRIBUTED MANUFACTURING CHAINS VIA CLOSED-LOOP SIX SIGMA METHODOLOGY

Abstract This paper proposes a Six Sigma based framework to deploy high product reliability commitment in distributed subcontractor manufacturing processes. The study aims to expand the Six Sigma tools in applications, where products are designed and developed under the fast time-to-market requirement. The reliability deployment is driven by two incentives: the customer satisfaction and the reduction of the warranty cost. A closed-loop control mechanism is created between the upper and the lower manufacturing streams to identify and remove the early life failures occurred during the initial system installation. A cross-functional team is formed to implement Six Sigma tools for resolving critical failures arising in the upper manufacturing stream. The ultimate goal is to achieve high product reliability in the shortest time when the product time-to-market is essential for gaining the market share. Finally, the proposed control mechanism is demonstrated on the system designs drawn from the semiconductor testing industry.
The sequential judgment of proportion

Ss gave percentage estimates of proportion, which were revised after each event during the presentation of a sequence of binary events. Responses exhibited constant errors of overestimation of proportions greater than.5 and underestimation of proportions less than.5. Both verbal and nonverbal responses were used, the constant error being somewhat greater for nonverbal responses. There was a tendency for the constant error to decrease as the number of events between revisions was increased.
Characterization of the WW domain of human yes-associated protein and its polyproline-containing ligands

We had previously identified the WW domain as a novel globular domain that is composed of 38–40 semiconserved amino acids and is involved in mediating protein-protein interaction. The WW domain is shared by proteins of diverse functions including structural, regulatory, and signaling proteins in yeast, nematode, and mammals. Functionally it is similar to the Src homology 3 domain in that it binds polyproline ligands. By screening a 16-day mouse embryo expression library, we identified two putative ligands of the WW domain of Yes kinase-associated protein which we named WW domain-binding proteins 1 and 2. These proteins interacted with the WW domain via a short proline-rich motif with the consensus sequence of four consecutive prolines followed by a tyrosine. Herein, we report the cDNA cloning and characterization of the human orthologs of WW domain-binding proteins 1 and 2. The products encoded by these cDNA clones represent novel proteins with no known function. Furthermore, these proteins show no homology to each other except for a proline-rich motif. By fluorescence in situ hybridization on human metaphase chromosomes, we mapped the human genes for WW domain-binding proteins 1 and 2 to chromosomes 2p12 and 17q25, respectively. In addition, using site-directed mutagenesis, we determined which residues in the WW domain of Yes kinase-associated protein are critical for binding. Finally, by synthesizing peptides in which the various positions of the four consecutive proline-tyrosine motif and the five surrounding residues were replaced by all possible amino acid residues, we further elucidated the binding requirements of this motif.
Integration of the Lorentz effective field over an absorption band

Abstract The validity of the Polo—Wilson equation is examined for a pure liquid taking explicit account of the frequency dependence of the refractive index in the region of the absorption band. It is shown that the equation is valid with the usual assumptions regardless of the intensity of the band provided the appropriate refractive index is used.
Inhibition of NF-κB activity and cFLIP expression contribute to viral-induced apoptosis

Virus-induced activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) is required for Type 3 (T3) reovirus-induced apoptosis. We now show that NF-κB is also activated by the prototypic Type 1 reovirus strain Lang (T1L), which induces significantly less apoptosis than T3 viruses, indicating that NF-κB activation alone is not sufficient for apoptosis in reovirus-infected cells. A second phase of virus-induced NF-κB regulation, where NF-κB activation is inhibited at later times following infection with T3 Abney (T3A), is absent in T1L-infected cells. This suggests that inhibition of NF-κB activation at later times post infection also contributes to reovirus-induced apoptosis. Reovirus-induced inhibition of stimulus-induced activation of NF-κB is significantly associated with apoptosis following infection of HEK293 cells with reassortant reoviruses and is determined by the T3 S1 gene segment, which is also the primary determinant of reovirus-induced apoptosis. Inhibition of stimulus-induced activation of NF-κB also occurs following infection of primary cardiac myocytes with apoptotic (8B) but not non-apoptotic (T1L) reoviruses. Expression levels of the NF-κB-regulated cellular FLICE inhibitory protein (cFLIP) reflect NF-κB activation in reovirus-infected cells. Further, inhibition of NF-κB activity and cFLIP expression promote T1L-induced apoptosis. These results demonstrate that inhibition of stimulus-induced activation of NF-κB and the resulting decrease in cFLIP expression promote reovirus-induced apoptosis.
Why hot chips are no longer "cool"

Chip and system designers are battling a two front war -- extracting the last advantages from traditional semiconductor technology scaling on one front, while simultaneously working to contain skyrocketing chip power budgets on the other front. The impacts of this struggle are being felt across market segments far beyond the historic "low power" drivers in mobile consumer products. Today's battle has expanded to include high performance servers, high speed networking products, and highly integrated SoCs driving the latest home media and entertainment systems. This presentation will provide an overview of the business drivers that are forcing these problems to be addressed at all levels of design - process, chip, sub-system, and total system solution - as well as some of the innovative solutions that are being pursued to provide continuing improvements in real-world processor performance.
City of Walls: Crime, Segregation, and Citizenship in São Paulo. Teresa P. R. Caldeira

(2003). City of Walls: Crime, Segregation, and Citizenship in Sao Paulo. Teresa P. R. Caldeira. Urban Geography: Vol. 24, Cities and Citizenship, pp. 183-184.
Surface texture in abrasive waterjet cutting

Abstract When cutting thick material with an abrasive waterjet, the surface area can be characterized by two texture types. At the top of the cut, the surface texture is smooth. At the bottom, the slurry jet exiting the workpiece forms large striations in the surface. An investigation was conducted to experimentally determine the influence of the abrasive waterjet cutting parameters on surface texture. A mathematical model was developed characterizing the correlation between the surface roughness and the abrasive waterjet cutting variables.
How Many Films Noirs are there?: How Statistics can Help Answer this Question

Film noir refers to a body of films made in America from 1940–1959 and which is defined by a characteristic and particular content and style. Although there is agreement as to what constitutes this content and style, there is considerable disagreement as to which films constitute film noir. Appropriate statistical analyses are performed given the constraints imposed by the current method of film scholars of independently deriving their particular lists of films noirs. Much more powerful statistical analyses are discussed. These would facilitate consensus regarding which films are film noir, but would require that all film scholars independently judge the same list of films.
Housing and Planning: A Century of Social Reform and Local Power

Problem: From the antislum crusades of the Progressive Era to the idealistic regional planning and public housing movements of the New Deal, the postwar urban renewal controversies, and recent attempts at integrating suburban America, housing advocates have pressed urban planners to take up the moral challenges of their profession. Many planners, especially since the 1960s, have met the challenges by embracing social goals. Yet, time and again, major efforts for social change have been defeated or diluted, sometimes with the very planning tools that were created for reform purposes. Purpose: I aim to explore the relationship of housing reform to the field of urban and regional planning over the last century and understand why housing and planning reformers have been unable to achieve their goals. Methods: I survey and synthesize secondary and primary sources on the history of housing reform and the planning profession in the United States. Results and conclusions: Over the last century local property owne...
Superfluorescence from optically trapped calcium atoms

We have studied superfluorescence (SF) under highly unfavorable conditions of rapid collisional and radiative distribution in a Doppler-broadened medium. Nanosecond SF pulses at 5.5 \ensuremath{\mu}m were generated on the Ca $4s4p{}^{1}{P}_{1}--3d4s{}^{1}{D}_{2}$ transition from a column of calcium vapor buffered with Ar by optically pumping the ${4s}^{2}{}^{1}{S}_{0}--4s4p{}^{1}{P}_{1}$ transition. The Rabi frequency associated with the intense pump pulse prevents the occurrence of SF while the pump laser is on. As a result, the predicted scaling laws that describe the properties of SF in a transversely excited system, such as peak heights, pulse widths, and delay times, are shown to apply in our situation in which the conditions resemble swept excitation. The delay times were found to be in agreement with a fully quantum mechanical calculation which describes the initiation of SF. Measurements of the densities of the three levels, the absolute SF photon yield, and the spatial distribution of the excited states indicate that the system has a quantum yield of unity. The SF intensity increases with an increase in Ar pressure due to collisional redistribution until the collisional dephasing rate inhibits SF. The conditions describing the transition of SF to amplified spontaneous emission allow us to measure the collisional broadening rate for the SF transition.
SOMATOMEDINS AND GROWTH HORMONE (GH) SECRETION IN ULLRICH-TURNER SYNDROME (UTS)

In recent time attempts are made to treat short stature in UTS uith GH. What evidence exists for a disturbance of the GH-somatomedin axis causing the growth disorder in UTS ? -- In a total of 56 children and adolescents with UTS (45, X;N=45) the following parameters were measured in a cross-sectional manner: somatomedin activity (Sm; pore.cart.), Sm-C/IGF I (RIA), IGF II (RIA), - GH in response to: arginine, GRF(1-29)NH2, and 5.5 h of sleep (SrGH). -- Normal levels of IGF II and to arginin and GRF were seen. Sm was high before BA 10 yrs., normal later. Sm-C was normal Before BA 10 yrs, low-normal later. In relation to height Sm-C levels are higher than normal before BA 10 yrs., SrGH was declining with age not showing the normal puberty-associated rise. Low doses of estrogens (EE, 100 ng/kg d) and oxandrolone (150 ug/kg d) induced a rise in Sm-C. -- The data provide no evidence for the existence of a genuine disorder of the GH-somatomedin axis. They rather point to a partial resistance to this system, at least before the effects of gonadal dysgenesis emerge. Thus, only supra-substitution doses of GH should be effective in improving grouth in UTS.
Estimation of voltage stability index in a power system with Plug-in Electric Vehicles

A Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) neural network based approach for estimation of the voltage stability L-index in a power system with Plug-in Electric Vehicles (PEVs) is presented. This technique overcomes the limitations of direct calculation of L-index from measurements at a load bus. The L-index calculation is dependent upon the no-load voltage phasor for any given system topology and operating condition. In practice it is difficult to obtain no-load voltage phasor at a bus each time the system topology or operating point changes. An MLP neural network based method capable of estimating voltage stability L-index at a load bus using direct measurements and that does is independent of the no-load voltage phasor of the bus is presented. Results show that the MLP accurately estimates the voltage stability L-index for different cases of system topologies and operating conditions.
Nucleic acids in relation to cell division in Lilium longiflorum

Abstract Methods are described for preparing cell suspensions of Lilium microsporocytes, microspores and pollen grains; for obtaining cell counts of these suspensions; and for their analysis for pentose nucleic acid (PNA) and desoxypentose nucleic acid (DNA). The results of these analyses have been calculated to nucleic acid content in μμg per microsporocyte, microspore or pollen grain, and the results related to logarithm of flower bud length, an index of the developmental status of the cells, and of their temporal relationship to meiosis, microspore mitosis and opening of the flower. DNA content per cell drops sharply at the end of meiosis, with the formation of four microspores from each microsporocyte. It then increases gradually during the microspore interphase between meiosis and the microspore mitosis. At microspore mitosis DNA content doubles rapidly. In the development of the resulting binucleate pollen grain, from microspore mitosis until the opening of the flower, there is a further gradual increase of DNA content. PNA content of these cells follows the same pattern up to microspore mitosis at a level about twice that of DNA, increases sharply at mitosis, and continues to increase rapidly at a rate nine times that for DNA in the maturing pollen grain. The absolute amounts of DNA and PNA are great. At the time of anthesis the two-celled pollen grain contains about 375 μμg of DNA and 1705 μμg of PNA.
Broadening of Infrared Absorption Lines at Reduced Temperatures, II. Carbon Monoxide in an Atmosphere of Carbon Dioxide†

The strengths of the rotational lines in the R branch of the CO fundamental have been determined at temperatures of 298, 202, and 132 K by means of a high-resolution spectrograph. The results can be used to determine line strengths at other temperatures by means of the Herman-Wallis relation or by considerations of the populations of the rotational levels in the ground vibrational state. Parameters describing the self-broadening and carbon dioxide broadening of CO lines have been determined at 298 and 202 K. The results are compared with other recent experimental and theoretical studies.
Control valve noise

Abstract In this review paper, the acoustic aspects of control valves are discussed. Specifically, valve noise generation mechanisms, noise measurement, prediction and reduction techniques will be presented. This paper starts with government noise regulations and requirements, and acoustic terminology, then followed by valve noise generation mechanisms, noise measurement and prediction techniques, and it concludes with noise reduction methods and case studies.