cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ancient origin of the new developmental superfamily DANGER

Developmental proteins play a pivotal role in the origin of animal complexity and diversity. We report here the identification of a highly divergent developmental protein superfamily (DANGER), which originated before the emergence of animals (approximately 850 million years ago) and experienced major expansion-contraction events during metazoan evolution. Sequence analysis demonstrates that DANGER proteins diverged via multiple mechanisms, including amino acid substitution, intron gain and/or loss, and recombination. Divergence for DANGER proteins is substantially greater than for the prototypic member of the superfamily (Mab-21 family) and other developmental protein families (e.g., WNT proteins). DANGER proteins are widely expressed and display species-dependent tissue expression patterns, with many members having roles in development. DANGER1A, which regulates the inositol trisphosphate receptor, promotes the differentiation and outgrowth of neuronal processes. Regulation of development may be a universal function of DANGER family members. This family provides a model system to investigate how rapid protein divergence contributes to morphological complexity.
Effect of freestream noise on roughness-induced transition for a slender cone

The effect of freestream noise on roughness-induced transition was studied on a blunt 7 deg half-angle cone in the Boeing and U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research Mach-6 Quiet Tunnel. Temperature-sensitive paints were used to visualize the wake of an isolated roughness element at 0 and 6 deg angles of attack. Transition onset was determined from the rise in centerline temperature downstream of the roughness. Transition was always delayed under quiet flow compared with noisy flow. For example, at 0 deg angle of attack, transition was up to 6.3 times further downstream from the trip location. The difference in transition location between quiet and noisy flow conditions was significantly reduced when an effective trip height was reached. However, quiet flow still delayed transition by a factor of 2.4 in those cases. Because quietflowdelays transition behind a roughness element, the height of trips sized in a conventional noisy tunnel should be increased for quiet flightlike conditions. On the other hand, any naturally occurring roughness that causes transition under noisy flow might not cause transition in a quiet environment.
Changes in weather persistence: Insight from Inuit knowledge

Abstract Since the 1990s, local residents from around the Arctic have reported changes in weather predictability. Examination of environmental measurements have not, until now, helped describe what the local inhabitants have been reporting, in part because prior studies did not focus directly on the persistence aspect of weather. Here we show that there is evidence of changes in persistence in weather over the last two decades for Baker Lake, Nunavut, Canada. Hourly data indicate that for local spring, the persistence of temperature has changed dramatically in the last 15 years with some years showing a strong drop in day-to-day persistence in the local spring afternoons, somewhat at odds with changes in persistence on a more global scale. Changes in daily persistence may have implications for human health, agriculture, and ecosystems worldwide. More importantly, the approach of merging indigenous knowledge with scientific methods may offer unexpected benefits for both.
The influence of in vitro procedures which diminish NADPH cytochrome c reductase activity on oxidative drug metabolism in lung and liver microsomes

Abstract Rabbit lung and liver microsomes were subjected to three procedures which decreased NADPH cytochrome c reductase activity; flavoprotein antibody, trypsin and subtilisin digestion. The effects on benzphetamine and p-nitroanisode demethylation and amine metabolic-intermediate complex formation were investigated. In general, the proteolytic digestion had a greater inhibitory effect on oxidation reactions for a given loss of NADPH cytochrome c reductase activity than did flavoprotein antibody; and of the two proteases, subtilisin, which also diminises the cytochrome b5 reduction pathway, had a greater inhibitory effect than trypsin. Subtilisin digestion had similar effects in both liver and lung microsomes; a loss of flavoprotein without a loss of cytochrome P-450; but whereas all three oxidative reactions decreased in unison as the flavoprotein was lost in the liver, benzphetamine demethylation was less susceptible to flavoprotein depletion than the other two reactions in lung microsomes. With trypsin digestion flavoprotein was removed without loss of cytochrome P-450 only in lung microsomes; in liver microsomes the cytochrome P-450 was susceptible to tryptic degradation. In lung microsomes, benzphetamine and p-nitroanisole demethylations were less susceptible to flavoprotein loss than metabolic-intermediate complex formation.
Work of fracture of unidirectional metal matrix composites subjected to isothermal exposure

Work of fracture, γF, was measured on as-fabricated and isothermally exposed unidirectional boron fibre reinforced 1100 aluminium composites. Then an analytical study was made to predict γF of unidirectional metal matrix composites with the special emphasis on the thermally degraded composites. In the analytical study the statistical data on the strength of the fibres that were extracted from as-fabricated and thermally exposed composites were used. A good agreement between the experimental and analytical results of γF was obtained for the entire range of exposure time. It was found in this study that the toughness of the thermally exposed composite decreases with the increase in the exposure time.
Ontogeny of Hepatic Energy Metabolism Genes in Mice as Revealed by RNA-Sequencing

The liver plays a central role in metabolic homeostasis by coordinating synthesis, storage, breakdown, and redistribution of nutrients. Hepatic energy metabolism is dynamically regulated throughout different life stages due to different demands for energy during growth and development. However, changes in gene expression patterns throughout ontogeny for factors important in hepatic energy metabolism are not well understood. We performed detailed transcript analysis of energy metabolism genes during various stages of liver development in mice. Livers from male C57BL/6J mice were collected at twelve ages, including perinatal and postnatal time points (n = 3/age). The mRNA was quantified by RNA-Sequencing, with transcript abundance estimated by Cufflinks. One thousand sixty energy metabolism genes were examined; 794 were above detection, of which 627 were significantly changed during at least one developmental age compared to adult liver. Two-way hierarchical clustering revealed three major clusters dependent on age: GD17.5–Day 5 (perinatal-enriched), Day 10–Day 20 (pre-weaning-enriched), and Day 25–Day 60 (adolescence/adulthood-enriched). Clustering analysis of cumulative mRNA expression values for individual pathways of energy metabolism revealed three patterns of enrichment: glycolysis, ketogenesis, and glycogenesis were all perinatally-enriched; glycogenolysis was the only pathway enriched during pre-weaning ages; whereas lipid droplet metabolism, cholesterol and bile acid metabolism, gluconeogenesis, and lipid metabolism were all enriched in adolescence/adulthood. This study reveals novel findings such as the divergent expression of the fatty acid β-oxidation enzymes Acyl-CoA oxidase 1 and Carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1a, indicating a switch from mitochondrial to peroxisomal β-oxidation after weaning; as well as the dynamic ontogeny of genes implicated in obesity such as Stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 and Elongation of very long chain fatty acids-like 3. These data shed new light on the ontogeny of homeostatic regulation of hepatic energy metabolism, which could ultimately provide new therapeutic targets for metabolic diseases.
Combined gene therapy and ionizing radiation is a novel approach to treat human esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Background The ability to infect tumor cells limits the antitumor effects of gene therapy. The addition of radiotherapy to treatment with Ad.Egr.TNF.11D, a replication-deficient adenovirus containing a radiation-inducible promoter, early growth response-1, and the tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) complementary DNA may enhance the therapeutic ratio.
Comment on "Pharmacologic ascorbate synergizes with gemcitabine in preclinical models of pancreatic cancer," i.e., all we are saying is, give C a chance.

The paper in this issue of Free Radical Biology and Medicine titled “Pharmacologic ascorbate synergizes with gemcitabine in pre-clinical models of pancreatic cancer” by Michael G. Espey and colleagues presents a compelling case for the addition of pharmacological, i.e. high-dose, intravenous ascorbate (vitamin C, AscH−) to the standard of care for treatment of pancreatic cancer, which currently is gemcitabine at many institutions [1].
Semantics synchronous understanding for robust spoken language applications

In this paper, we describe our recent effort in combining speech recognition and understanding into a single pass decoding process. The goal is to utilize the semantic structure not only to better handle disfluencies and improve the overall understanding accuracy, but also to shorten the response time and achieve higher interactivity. Three related techniques are instrumental in our approach. First, we employ the unified language model (ULM) to incorporate semantic schema into the recognition language model, and extend the search process from word synchronous to semantic object synchronous (SOS) decoding. Finally, we utilize sequential detection to defer, reject, or accept semantic hypotheses and execute consequent dialog actions while the user's utterance is ongoing. We incorporated these methods into SALT and HTML and conducted comparative user studies based on the MiPad scenarios. The experimental results show the system can gracefully cope with spontaneous speech and the users prefer the highly interactive nature of such systems even though there are no significant differences in the task completion rate and the understanding accuracy. However, the interactive interface does allow a more effective visual prompting strategy that contributes to the significantly lower out of grammar utterances.
Electrodeposition of Al-Mo Alloys from the Lewis Acidic Aluminum Chloride-1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium Chloride Molten Salt

The electrochemistry of Zr(IV) and Zr(II) and the electrodeposition of Al-Zr alloys were examined in the Lewis acidic 66.7-33.3 mol % aluminum chloride-1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride molten salt at 353 K. The electrochemical reduction of Zr(lV) to Zr(II) is complicated by the precipitation of ZrCl 3 ; however, solutions of Zr(II) can be prepared by reducing Zr(IV) with Al wire. Al-Zr alloys can be electrodeposited from plating baths containing either Zr(IV) or Zr(II), but for a given concentration and current density, baths containing Zr(IV) lead to Al-Zr alloys with the higher Zr content. This result was traced to the diminutive concentration-dependent diffusion coefficient for Zr(II). It was possible to prepare Al-Zr alloys containing up to ∼17% atomic fraction (atom %) Zr. The structure of these deposits depended on the Zr content. Alloys containing less than 5 atom % Zr could be indexed to a disordered face-centered cubic structure similar to pure Al, whereas alloys containing ∼17 atom % Zr were completely amorphous (metallic glass). The chloride pitting potentials of alloys with more than 8 atom % Zr were approximately +0.3 V relative to pure Al.
Diagnosis of Placenta Previa by Transvaginal Sonography

The evolution of the sonographic diagnosis of placenta previa is reviewed with special emphasis on transvaginal sonography (TVS), which has been proved accurate at diagnosing different degrees of placenta previa, such as complete, partial, marginal and low-lying. Bleeding tendency and the need for Caesarean delivery increases when the placental edge is within 3 cm of the internal os. There is no association between bleeding and use of transvaginal probes. The early diagnosis of addition abnormalities of implantation (e.g. placenta accreta) using transvaginal colour flow Doppler widens the prospects for carefully planned patient management. In conclusion, TVS should be the principal diagnostic modality used in the work-up of an obstetric patient with vaginal bleeding. The ease of performance and the clarity and accuracy of method and the additional information about implantation that it can provide will soon make TVS the 'golden standard' in the diagnostic process of placenta previa.
Frequency agile microstrip patch antenna using ferroelectric thin film varactor technology

This work demonstrates a useful application of the ferroelectric thin film varactor technology in the design of reconfigurable microstrip patch antennas. Results show that the resonant frequency of the microstrip patch antenna can be tuned by varying the applied DC voltages on the ferroelectric varactor. A resonance frequency shift from 12.4 GHz to 13.8 GHz was observed for a small dc bias voltage of only 2.5 V.
Effects of Information Disclosure Under First-and Second-Price Auctions in a Supply Chain Setting

We study a supply chain where an upstream supplier auctions his inventory or capacity as a bundle. The importance of this setting is twofold: From a practical point of view, there are several examples, both in manufacturing (e.g., auctioning the capacity of a wafer fabrication facility) and service industries (e.g., auctioning the sponsorship of a website), where a supplier's capacity is sold as a single piece; from a theoretical side, it highlights the information asymmetry introduced on the downstream supply chain parties when the auction result is disclosed. We formulate the problem as a two-stage supply chain comprising a single supplier and two resellers. Each reseller receives a signal of the consumer demand and bids for the capacity of the supplier. The supplier announces the winner as well as the auction price. Both resellers can get additional units in a procurement market and then engage in Cournot competition in the consumer market. We analyze the impact of the information elicited by the supplier in the early stage of the game. We characterize sufficient conditions for the existence of equilibrium behavior, derive the equilibrium bidding functions under both first-and second-price auctions, and show that the bidding functions are lower than the corresponding ones for a single-shot auction without resale. Our computational experiments indicate that both the supplier and resellers are better off running a second-price auction and that consumers benefit if the resellers have very different signals on the total demand. Overall, our results suggest that traditional auctions may have a profound impact in the context of a supply chain because of the information disclosure in the upstream stages.
Questioning the Capetians, 1180–1328

The sharp ascent of Capetian power between the reigns of Philip II Augustus (r. 1180–1223) and Philip IV the Fair (r. 1285–1314) is an axiom of medieval French history. In the mid-20th century, French and American institutional historians focused on governmental developments in analyzing the means by which the Capetian kings increased their real authority. But because Capetian power was also understood to have rested as much on ideological claims as on brute force, 20th century historians from Marc Bloch to Joseph Strayer already recognized cultural components as crucial to this story. Consequently, later 20th century turns toward cultural history and post-structural theory did not so much undermine as open up new possibilities for this established narrative. Most recently, a sophisticated new brand of institutional history has emerged to further invigorate a thriving field, which defines Capetian power in ways that necessitate the inclusion of ideology, art, sanctity, gender, crusade, persecution, and intellectual authority in an overarching conceptualization of the period's political history.
Healing of voids in the aluminum metallization of integrated circuit chips

A thermal treatment for healing voids in the aluminum metallization of integrated circuit (IC) chips has been discovered. The aluminum metallization is alloyed with nominally 1 wt.% of silicon. This discovery arose from efforts to cause further growth of preexisting voids in IC RAMs intended for long-term unattended spacecraft applications. The experimental effort was intended to cause further void propagation for the purpose of establishing a time/temperature propagation relationship, but it resulted instead in a healing of the voids. The thermal treatment consisted of heating IC chips with voids in the aluminum/silicon metallization to temperatures in excess of 200 degrees C, followed by quick immersion into liquid nitrogen. The thermal treatment is described, and a theory based on silicon solubility and migration in aluminum is advanced to explain both the formation and the healing of voids in the aluminum metallization of IC chips. >
Nonparametric Bayesian Policy Priors for Reinforcement Learning

We consider reinforcement learning in partially observable domains where the agent can query an expert for demonstrations. Our nonparametric Bayesian approach combines model knowledge, inferred from expert information and independent exploration, with policy knowledge inferred from expert trajectories. We introduce priors that bias the agent towards models with both simple representations and simple policies, resulting in improved policy and model learning.
Environmental Nonhuman Sources of Leprosy

Leprosy has been considered to occur only after exposure to a human case. However, evidence has been accumulating that this conventional view is wrong and that an environmental nonhuman source is critical to some human infections with Mycobacterium leprae. Observations, some of which date back to the nineteenth century, support soil, vegetation, water, arthropods, and armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) as environmental sources of leprosy. Disparate clinical, epidemiologic, and microbiologic evidence has been critically reviewed in light of the fact that 50%-70% of sporadic cases of leprosy in well-studied populations occur in persons who have had no known contact with human leprosy. Historical data and current information alike substantiate the concept of nonhuman sources of the disease; recent observations with monoclonal antibody have shown that phenolic glycolipid-I antigen, which is unique to the M. leprae cell wall, is present in soil. In the absence of a technique for in vitro cultivation, indirect methods and the body of observations reviewed here persuasively favor but do not prove the existence of environmental nonhuman sources of M. leprae.
Hierarchical analysis of mtDNA variation and the use of mtDNA for isopod (Crustacea: Peracarida: Isopoda) systematics

Carefully collected molecular data and rigorous analyses are revolutionizing today's phylogenetic studies. Although molecular data have been used to estimate various invertebrate phylogenies for more than a decade, this study is the first survey of different regions of mitochondrial DNA in isopod crustaceans assessing sequence divergence and hence the usefulness of these regions to infer phylogeny at different hierarchical levels. I evaluate three loci from the mitochondrial genome (two ribosomal RNAs (12S, 16S) and one protein-coding (COI)) for their appropriateness in inferring isopod phylogeny at the suborder level and below. The patterns are similar for all three loci with the most speciose suborders of isopods also having the most divergent mitochondrial nucleotide sequences. Recommendations for designing an or­ der- or suborder-leve l molecular study in previously unstudied groups of Crustacea would include: (1) collecting a minimum of two-four species or genera thought to be most divergent, (2) sampling across the group of interest as equally as possible in terms of taxonomic representation and the distribution of species, (3) surveying several genes, and (4) carrying out preliminary alignments, checking data for nucleotide bias, transition/ transversion ratios, and saturation levels before committing to a large-scale sequencing effort.
Measles: lessons from an outbreak.

Abstract Background: Measles outbreaks continue to be a problem for infection control in hospitals—patients, personnel, and employee health service. Guidelines for measles outbreaks are not clear for medical personnel in the hospital. Methods: Outbreak investigation in a university-affiliated teaching hospital. Methods: Outbreak investigation in a university-affiliated teaching hospital. Results: Four primary cases resulted in 607 staff exposures and two secondary cases. Forty-seven medical personnel were furloughed and 88 were vaccinated for measles. Minimal serologic criteria for immunity were found to be inadequate in the outbreak setting. Conclusions: We found that serologic guidelines for assessing immunity to measles are inadequate. During the outbreak, we arbitrarily doubled the acceptable enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay titers that we would consider protective, ≥2, to decrease the possibility of further secondary cases. Employees with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay measles titers less than 2 and without a definite history of natural measles were revaccinated with a measles vaccine. This strategy takes advantage of the anamnestic response that revaccination would confer in persons with low antibody titer.
Dust aerosol impact on North Africa climate: a GCM investigation of aerosol-cloud-radiation interactions using A-Train satellite data

Abstract. The climatic effects of dust aerosols in North Africa have been investigated using the atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) developed at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). The model includes an efficient and physically based radiation parameterization scheme developed specifically for application to clouds and aerosols. Parameterization of the effective ice particle size in association with the aerosol first indirect effect based on ice cloud and aerosol data retrieved from A-Train satellite observations have been employed in climate model simulations. Offline simulations reveal that the direct solar, IR, and net forcings by dust aerosols at the top of the atmosphere (TOA) generally increase with increasing aerosol optical depth. When the dust semi-direct effect is included with the presence of ice clouds, positive IR radiative forcing is enhanced since ice clouds trap substantial IR radiation, while the positive solar forcing with dust aerosols alone has been changed to negative values due to the strong reflection of solar radiation by clouds, indicating that cloud forcing associated with aerosol semi-direct effect could exceed direct aerosol forcing. With the aerosol first indirect effect, the net cloud forcing is generally reduced in the case for an ice water path (IWP) larger than 20 g m−2. The magnitude of the reduction increases with IWP. AGCM simulations show that the reduced ice crystal mean effective size due to the aerosol first indirect effect results in less OLR and net solar flux at TOA over the cloudy area of the North Africa region because ice clouds with smaller size trap more IR radiation and reflect more solar radiation. The precipitation in the same area, however, increases due to the aerosol indirect effect on ice clouds, corresponding to the enhanced convection as indicated by reduced OLR. Adding the aerosol direct effect into the model simulation reduces the precipitation in the normal rainfall band over North Africa, where precipitation is shifted to the south and the northeast produced by the absorption of sunlight and the subsequent heating of the air column by dust particles. As a result, rainfall is drawn further inland to the northeast. This study represents the first attempt to quantify the climate impact of the aerosol indirect effect using a GCM in connection with A-Train satellite data. The parameterization for the aerosol first indirect effect developed in this study can be readily employed for application to other GCMs.
Functional Selectivity of NK1 Receptor Signaling: Peptide Agonists Can Preferentially Produce Receptor Activation or Desensitization

A cascade of events follows binding of an agonist ligand to the tachykinin NK 1 receptor. These events include activation of multiple signal transduction pathways as well as cellular modulation of receptor function by the process of desensitization. This study examines the differences in the abilities of naturally occurring peptide agonist ligands of the tachykinin NK 1 receptor to preferentially direct signaling through the receptor to produce signal activation versus receptor desensitization. The differential effects of tachykinin peptides with respect to ligand competition binding, receptor-G protein coupling, intracellular Ca 2+ elevations, and receptor desensitization have been measured. In relation to its potency in competition binding studies, substance P produces desensitization at lower concentrations, whereas higher concentrations are required to elicit a Ca 2+ response. In contrast to this, a related peptide, ranatachykinin C, is more effective at activating a Ca 2+ response relative to its ability to produce desensitization. This difference in functional selectivity is conserved for an amphibian and two mammalian ortholog tachykinin receptors. The present study demonstrates that peptide agonist ligands of NK 1 receptors can preferentially produce signal activation or desensitization.
Concurrent tutorial and applications

It is pointed out that tutorial programs running side-by-side with application programs provide an effective way to teach many faces of introductory instrumentation and measurements. Side-by-side tutorials have been implemented for teaching use of instrumentation in stand-alone and IEEE-488 controlled situations (using C programs) and display and analysis of data in various application programs. An environment is discussed which permits students to learn how to use instruments manually and under computer control. The method has proven to be efficient because it permits an instructor to focus on students with problems and to let students proceeding well continue at their own pace. It is also an effective method when judged in terms of student learning. >
The Ladder of Jacob

ne of the strangest texts to be included in recent collections of biblical pseudepigrapha is that known as the Ladder of Jacob.l Known only from the Slavonic Tolkovaya Paleya, this text elaborates on the story of Jacob's dream at Bethel in Gen 28:11-22, adding details to the vision described there and containing a prayer and angelic revelation nowhere present in the biblical narrative. It is clear that the Slavonic text is a translation from Greek; it appears likely to me that the Greek is itself a translation from an original Aramaic or Hebrew text dating from, roughly speaking, the Second Temple period.2
Architecture evaluation without an architecture: experience with the smart grid

This paper describes an analysis of some of the challenges facing one portion of the Electrical Smart Grid in the United States - residential Demand Response (DR) systems. The purposes of this paper are twofold: 1) to discover risks to residential DR systems and 2) to illustrate an architecture-based analysis approach to uncovering risks that span a collection of technical and social concerns. The results presented here are specific to residential DR but the approach is general and it could be applied to other systems within the Smart Grid and to other critical infrastructure domains. Our architecture-based analysis is different from most other approaches to analyzing complex systems in that it addresses multiple quality attributes simultaneously (e.g., performance, reliability, security, modifiability, usability, etc.) and it considers the architecture of a complex system from a socio-technical perspective where the actions of the people in the system are as important, from an analysis perspective, as the physical and computational elements of the system. This analysis can be done early in a system's lifetime, before substantial resources have been committed to its construction or procurement, and so it provides extremely cost-effective risk analysis.
A stories-based interactive DVD intended to help people with hypertension achieve blood pressure control through improved communication with their doctors

Abstract Objective Our goal was to develop an interactive DVD to help African American and Caucasian American adults with hypertension learn how to become better communicators during medical interactions. Material was to be presented in several formats, including patients’ narratives (stories). Methods To develop the narratives we recruited members of the target audience and elicited stories and story units in focus groups, interviews, and seminars. Story units were ranked-ordered based on conformance with the theory of planned behavior and narrative qualities and then melded into cohesive stories. The stories were recounted by actors on the DVD. Results 55 adults (84% women; 93% African American) participated in a focus group, interview, or seminar; transcripts yielded 120 story units. The most highly rated units were woven into 11 stories. The six highest rated stories/actor–storytellers were selected for presentation on the DVD. Conclusion We achieved our goal of developing an easy-to-use, story-driven product that may teach adults how to talk effectively with their doctors about hypertension. The DVD's effectiveness should be tested in a randomized trial. Practice implications Behavioral interventions aimed at improving patients’ ability to communicate during doctor visits may be useful adjuncts in the achievement of BP goals.
Highly Organized but Pliant Active Site of DNA Polymerase β: Compensatory Mechanisms in Mutant Enzymes Revealed by Dynamics Simulations and Energy Analyses

To link conformational transitions noted for DNA polymerases with kinetic results describing catalytic efficiency and fidelity, we investigate the role of key DNA polymerase β residues on subdomain motion through simulations of five single-residue mutants: Arg-283-Ala, Tyr-271-Ala, Asp-276-Val, Arg-258-Lys, and Arg-258-Ala. Since a movement toward a closed state was only observed for R258A, we suggest that Arg258 is crucial in modulating motion preceding chemistry. Analyses of protein/DNA interactions in the mutant active site indicate distinctive hydrogen bonding and van der Waals patterns arising from compensatory structural adjustments. By comparing closed mutant complexes with the wild-type enzyme, we interpret experimentally derived nucleotide binding affinities in molecular terms: R283A (decreased), Y271A (increased), D276V (increased), and R258A (decreased). Thus, compensatory interactions (e.g., in Y271A with adjacent residues Phe272, Asn279, and Arg283) increase the overall binding affinity for the incoming nucleotide although direct interactions may decrease. Together with energetic analyses, we predict that R258G might increase the rate of nucleotide insertion and maintain enzyme fidelity as R258A; D276L might increase the nucleotide binding affinity more than D276V; and R283A/K280A might decrease the nucleotide binding affinity and increase misinsertion more than R283A. The combined observations regarding key roles of specific residues (e.g., Arg258) and compensatory interactions echo the dual nature of polymerase active site, namely versatility (to accommodate various basepairs) and specificity (for preserving fidelity) and underscore an organized but pliant active site essential to enzyme function.
Hyperlipidemia as an instigator of inflammation: inaugurating new approaches to vascular prevention.

For much of the past quarter century, 2 broadly competing scientific views have dominated translational research concerning atherogenesis and atherothrombosis. On one side has been a predominantly lipid-centric view in which low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, a proven causal factor in
Nonlinear systems with Gaussian inputs: Representation, identification and inverse problems

The following questions are discussed for non-linear systems with input Gaussian processes. How can the system be represented? How can the system be identified from the input and output processes? Does knowledge of the way the system responds to a certain Gaussian input determine the way it will respond to another Gaussian input or to a deterministic input? Does knowledge of the system and the statistics of the output determine the statistics of the input?.
Permeability of Rickettsia prowazekii to NAD

Rickettsia prowazekii accumulated radioactivity from [adenine-2,8-3H]NAD but not from [nicotinamide-4-3H]NAD, which demonstrated that NAD was not taken up intact. Extracellular NAD was hydrolyzed by rickettsiae with the products of hydrolysis, nicotinamide mononucleotide and AMP, appearing in the incubation medium in a time- and temperature-dependent manner. The particulate (membrane) fraction contained 90% of this NAD pyrophosphatase activity. Rickettsiae which had accumulated radiolabel after incubation with [adenine-2,8-3H]NAD were extracted, and the intracellular composition was analyzed by chromatography. The cells contained labeled AMP, ADP, ATP, and NAD. The NAD-derived intracellular AMP was transported via a pathway distinct from and in addition to the previously described AMP translocase. Exogenous AMP (1 mM) inhibited uptake of radioactivity from [adenine-2,8-3H]NAD and hydrolysis of extracellular NAD. AMP increased the percentage of intracellular radiolabel present as NAD. Nicotinamide mononucleotide was not taken up by the rickettsiae, did not inhibit hydrolysis of extracellular NAD, and was not a good inhibitor of the uptake of radiolabel from [adenine-2,8-3H]NAD. Neither AMP nor ATP (both of which are transported) could support the synthesis of intracellular NAD. The presence of intracellular [adenine-2,8-3H]NAD within an organism in which intact NAD could not be transported suggested the resynthesis from AMP of [adenine-2,8-3H]NAD at the locus of NAD hydrolysis and translocation.
COMMUNICATION PROBLEMS BETWEEN RURAL MEXICAN-AMERICAN PATIENTS AND THEIR PHYSICIANS: Description of a Solution

Some of the unique communication problems that occur between rural Mexican-American patients and their private physicians are outlined. The authors discuss the disparity between the types of behavior physicians expect from their patients and the kinds of behavior that Mexican-American patients desire from their physicians. An effective procedure used by a group of physicians in eastern Washington to resolve some of these differences is described.
Identification of post-translational modifications via blind search of mass-spectra

Post-translational modifications (PTMs) are of great biological importance. Most existing approaches perform a restrictive search that can only take into account a few types of PTMs and ignore all others. We describe an unrestrictive PTM search algorithm that searches for all types of PTMs at once in a blind mode, i.e., without knowing which PTMs exist in a sample. The blind PTM identification opens a possibility to study the extent and frequencies of different types of PTMs, still an open problem in proteomics. Using our new algorithm, we were able to construct a two-dimensional PTM frequency matrix that reflects the number of MS/MS spectra in a sample for each putative PTM type and each amino acid. Application of this approach to a large IKKb dataset resulted in the largest set of PTMs reported for a single MS/MS sample so far. We demonstrate an excellent correlation between high values in the PTM frequency matrix and known PTMs thus validating our approach. We further argue that the PTM frequency matrix may reveal some still unknown modifications that warrant further experimental validation.
Application of compressed sensing to the simulation of atomic systems

Compressed sensing is a method that allows a significant reduction in the number of samples required for accurate measurements in many applications in experimental sciences and engineering. In this work, we show that compressed sensing can also be used to speed up numerical simulations. We apply compressed sensing to extract information from the real-time simulation of atomic and molecular systems, including electronic and nuclear dynamics. We find that, compared to the standard discrete Fourier transform approach, for the calculation of vibrational and optical spectra the total propagation time, and hence the computational cost, can be reduced by approximately a factor of five.
Carbon Combustion Synthesis and Magnetic Properties of Cobalt Ferrite Nanoparticles

Cobalt ferrite CoFe2O4 crystalline nanoparticles (50-100 nm) were produced by carbon combustion synthesis of oxides (CCSO). In this combustion synthesis process, the exothermic oxidation of carbon generates a thermal reaction wave that propagates through the solid reactants mixture of CoO and Fe2O3 converting it to cobalt ferrite. The extensive emission of CO2 increased the porosity and friability of the product. The quenching front method combined with XRD and VSM characterization revealed that crystalline CoFe2O4 particles formed in the early stage of the combustion, before the temperature reached its maximum. The maximum value of the coercivity of the quenched product within the front region was 940 Oe with a magnetization of 15 emu/g. The as-synthesized ferrites had hard magnetic properties with coercivity of 700 Oe and saturation magnetization of up to 47 emu/g
Force Microscopy of Nonadherent Cells: A Comparison of Leukemia Cell Deformability

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has become an important tool for quantifying mechanical properties of biological materials ranging from single molecules to cells and tissues. Current AFM techniques for measuring elastic and viscoelastic properties of whole cells are based on indentation of cells firmly adhered to a substrate, but these techniques are not appropriate for probing nonadherent cells, such as passive human leukocytes, due to a lateral instability of the cells under load. Here we present a method for characterizing nonadherent cells with AFM by mechanically immobilizing them in microfabricated wells. We apply this technique to compare the deformability of human myeloid and lymphoid leukemia cells and neutrophils at low deformation rates, and we find that the cells are well described by an elastic model based on Hertzian mechanics. Myeloid (HL60) cells were measured to be a factor of 18 times stiffer than lymphoid (Jurkat) cells and six times stiffer than human neutrophils on average (E∞ = 855 ± 670 Pa for HL60 cells, E∞ = 48 ± 35 Pa for Jurkat cells, E∞ = 156 ± 87 for neutrophils, mean ± SD). This work demonstrates a simple method for extending AFM mechanical property measurements to nonadherent cells and characterizes properties of human leukemia cells that may contribute to leukostasis, a complication associated with acute leukemia.
Involvement of Hepatic Mixed Function Oxidase Enzyme System in the Oxidative Metabolism of Methanol

Methanol has been known to be oxidized by liver alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and catalase enzymes. The data presented here indicate that this primary alcohol is also metabolized by rat liver mixed function oxidase (MFO) induced by phenobarbital. Comparative studies on the oxidation of methanol and N-demethylation of benzphetamine by MFO reveal that SKF 525-A inhibits both reactions whereas aminotriazole, a known inhibitor of catalase, abolishes the activity of microsomal methanol oxidase with no effect on N-demethylase. While disulfiram depresses N-demethylase activity, pyrazole and cyanide have little or no effect on the microsomal enzyme activity. Although ethanol appears to be a competitive inhibitor of microsomal methanol oxidase it is a poor inhibitor of this enzyme system.
Section 1201 and Copyright Law

Congress adopted Section 1201 in 1998, as part of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, in order to protect copyrighted works from digital piracy and unauthorized use. The section seeks to achieve that goal by outlawing circumventing technological measures (such as encryption and password protection) that protect copyrighted works and trafficking in means for circumvention. Although its purpose is simple, Section 1201 has three separate rules in two separate subsections, and its text is notoriously impenetrable. Its complexity has allowed litigants plausibly to apply it to control aftermarket commerce in printer toner cartridges and transmitters for garage door openers. This piece explains how Section 1201 is supposed to work, and why only a fraction of courts so far has parsed it properly. The analysis begins with a paradox of sorts: although Section 1201 was designed to protect copyrighted works, it is not part of copyright law. Beginning at that essential point, this piece discusses why Section 1201 has been so problematic, emphasizing the differences between its two key subsections. The piece concludes that copyright defenses like fair use have no application under subsection (a) but (due to differences in explicit text) may have application under subsection (b). It therefore suggests the importance of choosing the right subsection in each case and provides a simple, practical test for doing so. That test may help avoid turning trials under Section 1201 into graduate seminars in computer engineering. Finally, the piece explains why the printer toner case was correctly decided by the Sixth Circuit on appeal, while the Federal Circuit's decision in the garage-door-opener case, although correct in result, contains dangerously misleading extended dictum.
Spray rendering

Spray rendering provides a framework for creating and experimenting with different visualization techniques. The name spray rendering is derived from the metaphor of using a virtual spray can to paint data sets. Varying the type of paint in the can highlights data in different ways. Spray rendering is not limited to the paint metaphor, however. Other useful metaphors include a flashlight and a probe. Thus, spray rendering refers to the localized nature of the visualization algorithms and the manner in which the algorithms are sent to the data sets. We gain several advantages by looking at visualization algorithms in this way, including extensibility, grid independence, and ability to handle large data sets. This article presents the benefits, conceptual design, issues and directions of spray rendering. >
Hysteresis-like behavior of oxygen association-dissociation equilibrium curves of sickle cells determined by a new method.

SummaryAn instrument to determine the oxygen association-dissociation equilibrium of whole blood has been developed. Only one drop of blood sample is required to trace automatically the oxygen-red blood cell equilibrium curve in the direction of deoxygenation and reoxygenation within a total of less than 10 min. The whole blood is suspended in the form of a thin liquid film reenforced by a micromesh. The partial pressure of oxygen is changed continuously with a gas-mixing pump while simultaneously being recorded by polarographic oxygen electrodes. The spectral change of red blood cells is recorded by a dual-beam spec-trophotometer.Using this instrument it is shown that the oxygen equilibrium curve of sickle cells obtained during deoxygenation is shifted to a higher oxygen affinity as compared to those obtained during reoxygenation. This hysteresis-like behavior of equilibrium curves is also reflected in the Hill constant, n, which is greater for deoxygenation than for reoxygenation. On the other hand, if ...
Superconducting Projectile Accelerator

We report results on the design and testing of superconducting projectile accelerators. The barrel of the projectile accelerator is mainly made of Y1 Ba2 Cu3 O7-x superconductors (Tc = 93K), which is mounted on a copper seat cooled with liquid nitrogen (77K). Before acceleration forces are applied, a magnetised projectile is suspended inside of the superconducting barrel, without touching the walls of the barrel. Electromagnetic coils with the pulse power supply are used to accelerate the projectile successively. Due to the contactless motion of the projectile travelling along the barrel, the kinetic energy of the projectile is close to the magnetic energy provided by the power supply. That is, the efficiency of energy-conversion from the magnetic energy to the kinetic energy is about ninety percent or higher. The entire firing process is controlled by a microprocessor. The detailed system will be described. The experimental results will be presented. The applications will also be discussed.
Making Immigrants Visible in Lampedusa: Pope Francis, Migration, and the State

AbstractIn July 2013, the recently elected Pope Francis chose Lampedusa for his first pastoral visit. A tiny island, part of the Sicilian region yet closer to Tunisia than to Italy, Lampedusa has at times become hyper-visible in the media and national discourses surrounding immigration while at other times it is ignored — part of Italy’s geographic and social margins. I trace stories of migration to Lampedusa through the objects and speech employed by Pope Francis. I examine the once discarded wooden migrant boats and their transformation into visible representations of migration. During the papal Mass, these sacred, liturgical objects born from trash became part of Pope Francis’ visual challenge to the invisibility of migrant deaths. I explore the genealogies of the liturgical objects used at Mass, specifically the altar, chalice, ambo, and ferula, to understand how discourses of migration and religion intersect to challenge Italian state practices of migration management.
Intraday Patterns in Natural Gas Futures: Extracting Signals from High-Frequency Trading Data

High Frequency Trading is pervasive across all electronic financial markets. As algorithms replace an increasing number of tasks previously performed by humans, cascading effects similar to the Flash Crash of May 6th 2010 become more likely. In this study, we bring together a number of different data analysis tools to improve our understanding of natural gas futures trading activities. We focus on Fourier analysis and cointegration between weather forecasts and natural gas prices. From the Fourier analysis of Natural Gas futures market, we see strong evidences of High Frequency Trading in the market. The Fourier components corresponding to high frequencies (1) are becoming more prominent in the recent years and (2) are much stronger than could be expected from the overall trading records. Additionally, significant amount of trading activities occur in the first second of every minute, which is a telltale sign of the Time-Weighted Average Price (TWAP) execution algorithms. To illustrate the potential for cascading events, we study how weather forecasts drive natural gas prices. After separating the data according to seasons, the temperature forecast is strongly cointegrated with natural gas price. This splitting of data is necessary because in different seasons the natural gas demand depends on temperature through different mechanisms. We are also able to show that the variations in temperature forecasts contribute to a significant percentage of the average daily price fluctuations, which supports the hypothesis that the variations in temperature dominates the volatility of natural gas trading.