cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Developmental differences in microglia morphology and gene expression during normal brain development and in response to hypoxia-ischemia.

Abstract Background Neuroinflammation plays an important role in ischemic brain injury and recovery, however the interplay between brain development and the neuroinflammatory response is poorly understood. We previously described age-dependent differences in the microglial response and the effect of microglial inhibition. Here we investigate whether age-dependent microglial responses may be related to pre-injury developmental differences in microglial phenotype. Methods Measures of microglia morphology were quantified using semi-automated software analysis of immunostained sections from postnatal day 2 (P2), P9, P30 and P60 mice using IMARIS. Microglia were isolated from P2, P9, P30 and P60 mice, and expression of markers of classical and alternative microglial activation was assessed, as well as transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) receptor, Serpine1, Mer Tyrosine Kinase (MerTK), and the suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS3). Hypoxia-ischemia (HI) was induced in P9 and P30 mice using unilateral carotid artery ligation and exposure to 10% oxygen for 50 min. Microglia morphology and microglial expression of genes in the TGF-β and MerTK pathways were determined in ipsilateral and contralateral hippocampus. Results A progressive and significant increase in microglia branching morphology was seen in all brain regions from P2 to P30. No consistent classical or alternative activation profile was seen in isolated microglia. A clear transition to increased expression of TGF-β and its downstream effector serpine1 was seen between P9 and P30. A similar increase in expression was seen in MerTK and its downstream effector SOCS3. HI resulted in a significant decrease in branching morphology only in the P9 mice, and expression of TGF-β receptor, Serpine1, MerTK, and SOCS3 were elevated in P30 mice compared to P9 post-HI. Conclusion: Microglia maturation is associated with changes in morphology and gene expression, and microglial responses to ischemia in the developing brain differ based on the age at which injury occurs.
Abstract 707: Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Tfeb Deletion Promotes Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

Rationale: Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a vascular disease with a very high mortality rate in the case of rupture. Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) are crucial to maintaining vascular int...
Degenerative Mitral Valve Repair Restores Life Expectancy.

Background Mitral valve repair (MVr) for severe, degenerative mitral regurgitation is the gold standard, because medical management carries poor prognosis. However, despite clear benefit of MVr, many eligible patients are untreated. This study investigated whether MVr restores patients to normal life expectancy, at any age of operation, by comparing long-term survival of patients after MVr with the life expectancy of the general United States population. Methods This retrospective study investigated 1011 patients with degenerative mitral regurgitation who underwent isolated MVr between 2003 and 2017. Parametric distribution analysis was applied to long-term post-MVr mortality data, and Weibull probability plots provided the best-fit distribution by Anderson-Darling Goodness-of-Fit testing. Confidence intervals of the estimated distribution were used to compare additional life expectancy after MVr to the general US population across multiple decades of life. Patients after MVr were categorized by age into decade (range, 20-89 years). Results The life expectancy of patients after MVr matched the life expectancy of the general US population at any age between 40 and 89 years. Lower-bound one-sided 95% confidence intervals for additional life expectancy were not appreciably different from corresponding median additional life expectancy of the general population. There were few deaths in the 20- to 39-year-old group, limiting predictability, but survival also appeared normative. Conclusions These findings suggest that degenerative MVr restores anticipated life expectancy to that of the general population, regardless of age. Although our findings underscore the importance of repair for degenerative mitral disease, larger studies with longer term follow-up are needed to reinforce this finding, particularly for younger patients.
Scaling of the Nonlocal Spin and Baseline Resistances in Graphene Lateral Spin Valves

Graphene lateral spin valves (LSVs) are promising devices for future memory and magnetic field sensing applications. In this article, we study the dependence of the nonlocal spin resistance, $\Delta {R}_{{\text {NL}}}$ , and the baseline resistance, ${R}_{{\text {BS}}}$ , as a function of the graphene channel width, ${W}$ . The scaling trend is quantitatively assessed by using graphene deposited by chemical vapor deposition, which provides a large number of devices with consistent performance. As ${W}$ is scaled from 10 to $0.5~\mu \text{m}$ , the change in $\Delta {R}_{{\text {NL}}}$ matches the theory of contact-induced spin relaxation with a current spin polarization of 3%–5% and a spin diffusion length of $\lambda _{s} = 1.5$ – $2.5~\mu \text{m}$ . We also observe a systematic and dramatic decrease in ${R}_{{\text {BS}}}$ , which we attribute to the reduction in charge current spreading. However, we find in the narrowest devices that a small ${R}_{{\text {BS}}}$ remains that arises due to thermoelectric effects, and this trend is confirmed using gate voltage- and charge current-dependent analyses. Finally, we introduce a nonideality factor, ${m} = \vert {R}_{{\text {BS}}} / \Delta {R}_{{\text {NL}}}\vert $ , as a figure of merit to describe the suppression of the baseline relative to the spin signal. In an LSV with ${L} = {1.5}\,\,\mu \text{m}$ , ${W} = {0.5}\,\,\mu \text{m}$ , and n-type conduction, the nonideality factor is as low as ${m} = {0.0252}\,\,\pm \,\,0.0202$ at room temperature showing that nearly ideal bipolar and symmetric spin signals can be achieved in graphene LSVs.
Cellular interactions for the in vitro production of anti-chromatin autoantibodies in MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr mice.

Abstract Anti-chromatin autoantibodies are spontaneously produced by autoimmune but not by normal mice. An in vitro system was developed to study the cellular mechanisms of anti-chromatin production in MRL Mp - lpr lpr ( MRL lpr ) mice. In such cultures, spleen cells from MRL lpr mice with active autoimmune disease generated substantial amounts of anti-chromatin, as measured by ELISA of culture supernatants and by ELISA spot assay of anti-chromatin-producing cells. In vitro production of anti-chromatin autoantibodies was independent of T cells, even when spleen cells from animals as young as 1 month were examined. In contrast, anti-Sm production under the same condtions was highly T cell dependent. Macrophages and/or macrophage-derived factors were necessary for the in vitro production of anti-chromatin autoantibodies. The lack of anti-chromatin production by cells from nonautoimmune mice could not be ascribed to the presence of suppressor cells. These studies indicate that individual autoantibodies may arise through distinct cellular mechanisms in systemic lupus erythematosus mice. MRL lpr mice develop global T lymphocyte deficiency along with their autoimmunity. The progressive increase in relatively thymus independent antibodies such as anti-chromatin is consistent with the lack of functional T lymphocytes in aging MRL lpr mice.
Collectibles Tokenization & Optimal Security Design

I develop a model of collectibles tokenization to understand whether recent tokenization efforts create or destroy value. While issuing divisible security tokens against illiquid collectibles lowers transaction costs and facilitates greater portfolio diversification, security design complications arise because ownership rights and viewing rights are necessarily separated. Current efforts squander the viewing rights, likely making tokenization welfare-reducing, thereby explaining limited adoption. Instead, renting the viewing rights would make tokenization welfare-improving. While collectibles rental markets are immature, I show empirically that only modest rental yields are needed to make tokenization welfare-improving, which suggests this security design shortcoming can be resolved.
Health policy and pharmacy

Abstract This chapter introduces health policy in pharmacy in the first section by providing an overview of the policy process and the role of pharmacists within that process. In the second section a case example of pharmacist contribution to health policy is highlighted via history and changing status of pharmacists as vaccination providers that advanced the field of pharmacy. The third section outlines the contemporary health policy landscape for pharmacy-relevant policies related to the mitigation and prevention of substance use disorders (SUDs), while the fourth section then discusses in detail two policy levers that have been implemented for opioid use disorder risk mitigation and prevention as relevant to pharmacists. The near universal adoption of state prescription drug monitoring programs within the previous decade has had a particularly notable impact on the pharmacists’ role in SUD treatment and prevention, and the policies informing pharmacist involvement as provider of care and patient resource continue to evolve.
Clinical characteristics and poor predictors of anti-NXP2 antibody-associated Chinese JDM children

Juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) is a rare and sometimes fatal disease in children. The anti-NXP2 antibody is one of the most common antibodies and muscle ischaemia associated with NXP2 autoantibodies was a severe subtype of JDM. Further information is needed regarding clinical characteristics and factors associated with poor prognosis. But there are no reports about clinical characteristics and high risk factor of poor prognosis. For the first time, we introduced the clinical characteristics and poor predictors of anti-NXP2 antibody-associated juvenile dermatomyositis in Chinese children. Twenty-six patients with anti-NXP2 antibody-related JDM from 85 JDM Chinese patients were diagnosed from January 2016 to November 2019. Logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors for refractory cases and mortality. The ratio of male to female was 1:1.9. The median age of onset was 4.5 (1–13) years. Twenty-four cases (92.3%) had rash and muscle weakness. Treatments included glucocorticoids, immunosuppressive agents, biological agents (7 cases), plasma exchange, Janus kinase inhibitor (7 cases) and autologous stem cell transplant (1 case). Refractory JDM patients (11/26, 42.3%) were associated with edema, skin ulcer, muscle strength 200μg/ml. Among 6 cases (6/26, 23.1%) with severe gastrointestinal involvement, 5 cases died and 1 case survived after autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT). The risk factors for gastrointestinal involvement and mortality were edema, skin ulcer, severe muscle weakness (dysphagia/ hoarseness/ soft voice), BMI < 15 and ANA positive. Edema, skin ulcer and severe muscle weakness predicted refractory disease, GI involvement, and mortality in anti-NXP2 antibody-positive JDM of Chinese children. Decreased CD4/CD8 ratio and high ferritin related with refractory cases, and very low BMI and ANA (+) are probably, associated with gastrointestinal involvement and mortality. http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=49846 .
Emulated order identification for models of big time series data

This interdisciplinary research includes elements of computing, optimization, and statistics for big data Specifically, it addresses model order identification aspects of big time series data Computing and minimizing information criteria, such as BIC, on a grid of integer orders becomes prohibitive for time series recorded at a large number of time points We propose to compute information criteria only for a sample of integer orders and use kriging‐based methods to emulate the information criteria on the rest of the grid Then we use an efficient global optimization (EGO) algorithm to identify the orders The method is applied to both ARMA and ARMA‐GARCH models We simulated times series from each type of model of prespecified orders and applied the method to identify the orders We also used real big time series with tens of thousands of time points to illustrate the method In particular, we used sentiment scores for news headlines on the economy for ARMA models, and the NASDAQ daily returns for ARMA‐GARCH models, from the beginning in 1971 to mid‐April 2020 in the early stages of the COVID‐19 pandemic The proposed method identifies efficiently and accurately the orders of models for big time series data [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Statistical Analysis & Data Mining is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use This abstract may be abridged No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract (Copyright applies to all Abstracts )
Individuals in Default or the System? Race and Ethnicity, Stratification Views on Legal Debt, and Desire for Escalating Punishment:

How do members of racial and ethnic groups explain the origins of unpaid legal debt from monetary sanctions, and how do such attributions undergird group differences in support for policy responses...
Atovaquone Suppresses Triple-Negative Breast Tumor Growth by Reducing Immune-Suppressive Cells

A major contributing factor in triple-negative breast cancer progression is its ability to evade immune surveillance. One mechanism for this immunosuppression is through ribosomal protein S19 (RPS19), which facilitates myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) recruitment in tumors, which generate cytokines TGF-β and IL-10 and induce regulatory T cells (Tregs), all of which are immunosuppressive and enhance tumor progression. Hence, enhancing the immune system in breast tumors could be a strategy for anticancer therapeutics. The present study evaluated the immune response of atovaquone, an antiprotozoal drug, in three independent breast-tumor models. Our results demonstrated that oral administration of atovaquone reduced HCC1806, CI66 and 4T1 paclitaxel-resistant (4T1-PR) breast-tumor growth by 45%, 70% and 42%, respectively. MDSCs, TGF-β, IL-10 and Tregs of blood and tumors were analyzed from all of these in vivo models. Our results demonstrated that atovaquone treatment in mice bearing HCC1806 tumors reduced MDSCs from tumor and blood by 70% and 30%, respectively. We also observed a 25% reduction in tumor MDSCs in atovaquone-treated mice bearing CI66 and 4T1-PR tumors. In addition, a decrease in TGF-β and IL-10 in tumor lysates was observed in atovaquone-treated mice with a reduction in tumor Tregs. Moreover, a significant reduction in the expression of RPS19 was found in tumors treated with atovaquone.
Acoustic Loss in Thin-Film Lithium Niobate: An Experimental Study

This work reports an experimental study of acoustic loss in thin-film lithium niobate (LiNbO3) using acoustic delay lines (ADLs). Unlike prior resonator-based quality factor ( $Q$ ) studies, this approach directly extracts the damping in thin-film LiNbO3, avoiding the influence of other intricate loss mechanisms, e.g., anchor loss and electrode-induced loss. Acoustic attenuation of fundamental symmetric (S0) and shear horizontal (SH0) waves are studied in suspended LiNbO3 thin films of different thicknesses. The attenuation is significantly higher in thinner LiNbO3 films, suggesting the LiNbO3 crystal degradation during the microfabrication as the primary loss origin. Nevertheless, the extracted equivalent $Q$ in thin-film LiNbO3 is still higher than reported values, suggesting that anchor design and electrode quality remain the bottlenecks for higher $Q$ . The proposed loss extraction framework is readily extendable to other acoustic thin-film structures. [2021-0107]
CRISPR-based peptide library display and programmable microarray self-assembly for rapid quantitative protein binding assays.

CRISPR-inspired systems have been extensively developed for applications in genome editing and nucleic acid detection. Here, we introduce a CRISPR-based peptide display technology to facilitate customized, high-throughput in vitro protein interaction studies. We show that bespoke peptide libraries fused to catalytically inactive Cas9 (dCas9) and barcoded with unique single guide RNA (sgRNA) molecules self-assemble from a single mixed pool to programmable positions on a DNA microarray surface for rapid, multiplexed binding assays. We develop dCas9-displayed saturation mutagenesis libraries to characterize antibody-epitope binding for a commercial anti-FLAG monoclonal antibody and human serum antibodies. We also show that our platform can be used for viral epitope mapping and exhibits promise as a multiplexed diagnostics tool. Our CRISPR-based peptide display platform and the principles of complex library self-assembly using dCas9 could be adapted for rapid interrogation of varied customized protein libraries or biological materials assembly using DNA scaffolding.
Towards In-process Prediction of Voids in Laser Powder Bed Fusion

In this work, we investigate a framework for collecting, processing, and registering in-process monitoring data from an additive manufacturing build with post-build inspection data obtained from CT scans of the produced samples. In addition to processing and combining the data, we look at a statistical analysis of the combined data streams using machine learning methods to obtain a quantitative prediction of local void probability in the CT data from local feature metrics extracted from the in-process monitoring data. Results show promise when the in-process monitoring data are processed to extract designed features/metrics, rather than using only the raw signals.
GEOTHERMOBAROMETRY OF AL2SIO5-BEARING METAPELITES IN THE ARDARA AUREOLE, NW IRELAND: AN IMPLICATION FOR P-T STABILITY FIELD OF ALUMINIUM SILICATE POLYMORPHS

Andalusite, kyanite and sillimanite occur in well-defined zones in the Ardara aureole, NWIreland. Temperature and pressure conditions of the Al2SiO5-bearing pelites in this aureole wereestimated using ten different calibrations of garnet-biotite thermometry and five calibrations of garnetplagioclase-Al2SiO5-quartz barometry. The different calibrations provide different estimates oftemperature and pressure. However, using the most recent, and the best reversed experimental data givetemperatures varying from 510 to 605 oC, and a pressure of around 4 kbar across the Ardara aureole. Thecalculated temperatures for the analyzed samples are compared with published andalusite=sillimaniteequilibria, and these equilibria are evaluated in the Ardara aureole.
Implementation of a silicon driver for an optically controlled high power switching application

The ever-increasing performance and economic requirements placed on commercial and military aircraft are resulting in the need for very complex avionic systems. To help alleviate some of the design complexity, fiber optic components have been suggested as an enabling technology that could allow the creation of an optical communications network routed throughout the avionic systems of an aircraft. The challenge has been the development of an optoelectronic switching technology that can withstand the high power and harsh environmental conditions common in a flight surface actuation system. Wide bandgap semiconductors such as silicon carbide offer the potential to overcome these operating conditions. Although SiC is not optically active at the near IR wavelengths where communications grade light sources are readily available, we have proposed a hybrid device that combines silicon based photoreceiver module with a SiC power transistor. We present in this paper the design and test results from a silicon driver chip that has recently been fabricated.
Linear phase oversampled filter banks

This paper introduces a factorization for the design of oversampled filter banks with linear phase and complex-valued coefficients. Our approach is based on the design of rectangular paraunitary polyphase matrices and gives a general formulation for perfect reconstruction filter banks with uniform sampling in the subbands, critically sampled or oversampled, and linear phase filters with real- or complex-valued coefficients. By using a framework that is not restricted to modulation of a prototype window, as in oversampled modulated filter banks, we are able to increase the design freedom and to allow the design of non uniform bandwidth oversampled filter banks.
Software Technology Track

This year's Software Track is organized in 8 minitracks which fall in four broad clusters: distributed computing, mobile and wireless computing, computer security and information technology. These minitracks enable strong interaction among small groups of participants. In addition, this year's conference includes a new innovation: autonomously organized workshops and more formal symposia. These forums provide greater organizational flexibility. Most closely related to the Software area are three workshops: Quality of Service in Wireless and Mobile Networks, Computational Bioinformatics, and Next-Generation Software Engineering; and two specialized symposia: Mobile Computing Hardware Architectures and Skilled Human-Intelligent Agent Performance. Finally, the program includes three tutorials which will be of particular interest to researchers in Software Technology: Computer Security, Semantics Web, and Wireless and Pervasive Healthcare. Papers in minitracks undergo a two stage review process ? abstracts are reviewed by the minitrack organizers for suitability and then full papers are invited. These are in turn peer reviewed. The minitracks include 39 papers which were accepted out of a total of 76 full paper submissions (making the acceptance rate about 50%). Some specialized minitracks accepted most submissions, while others had acceptance rates of about 30%. These acceptance rates are in line with the goal of the conference to be open to broader participation and to emphasize new rather than established areas of research. Papers from several of the minitracks, symposia and workshops are expected to be published in special issues of journals.
Simulation Steering with SCIRun in a Distributed Environment

Building systems that alter program behavior during execution based on user-specified criteria (computational steering systems) has been a recent research topic, particularly among the high-performance computing community [1–5]. To enable a computational steering system with powerful visualization capabilities to run in a distributed computational environment, a distributed infrastructure (or runtime system) is required. This infrastructure permits one to harness a variety of machines to collaborate on an interactive simulation. Building such an infrastructure requires devising strategies for coordinating execution across machines (concurrency control mechanisms), mechanisms for fast data transfer between machines, and mechanisms for user manipulation of remote execution.
Sociological Social Psychology and Intersectionality: A Synergistic Relationship

Sociological social psychology developed out of interdisciplinary knowledge growth. Despite this positive progress, critics have argued that sociological social psychologists need to “step up their game”. In this paper, I review the three “faces” of sociological social psychology and propose a potential avenue to address this critique by incorporating ideas from intersectionality research into sociological social psychology's paradigms. To accomplish this integration, I also discuss the background and current debates of intersectionality research. Intersectionality scholarship originated in the gender studies area and has always been multidisciplinary. However, notions from intersectionality have not spread widely within the field of sociological social psychology. I propose a true synergy between sociological social psychology and intersectionality with the hope of advancing both fields.
Acute pancreatitis in gynecologic and obstetric practice.

Abstract A review of acute pancreatitis in gynecologic and obstetric practice is presented. Cognizance is taken of the rarity of the process in this field; however, the importance of the clinician's index of suspicion is emphasized. Three case presentations are given along with a review of historical facts, incidence, etiology, clinical manifestations, laboratory data, pathology, and current therapy of the disease.
Public choice and the Virginia tradition of political economy

This is a preliminary draft of the first of what will be eight chapters in a book titled Politics as a Peculiar Business: Public Choice in a System of Entangled Political Economy. This chapter explores some issues regarding the scholarly location of what is often described as the Virginia tradition in political economy. While the Virginia tradition originated during the neoclassical period and its widespread use of demonstrable reasoning, the home of the tradition resides in the classical tradition and its grounding in plausible reasoning. While the classical-neoclassical divide is commonly based on the explanation of prices and allocations, this is a sensible classificatory scheme only from within the neoclassical tradition. By contrast, scholarship within the spirit of Virginia political economy is more at home with the classical placement of the institutions of human governance and interaction into the analytical foreground, with prices and allocations being relegated to the background. This chapter is followed by an Appendix that contains a preliminary draft of the book’s Preface to provide context for the individual chapters.
The Virtual Sociality of Rights: The Case of "Women's Rights are Human Rights"

This essay traces the relationship between activists and academics involved in the campaign for "women's rights as human rights" as a case study of the relationship between different classes of what I call "knowledge professionals" self-consciously acting in a transnational domain. The puzzle that animates this essay is the following: how was it that at the very moment at which a critique of "rights" and a reimagination of rights as "rights talk" proved to be such fertile ground for academic scholarship did the same "rights" prove to be an equally fertile ground for activist networking and lobbying activities? The paper answers this question with respect to the work of self-reflexivity in creating a "virtual sociality of rights."
The Box: How Shipping Containers Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger – By Marc Levinson

The article reviews the book "The Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger," by Marc Levinson.
The Context of the Nave Elevation of Cluny III

The nave of Cluny III, the largest medieval church in Christendom, was destroyed, and written documentation is limited. The Context of the Nave Elevation of Cluny III studies the physical evidence, piecing together information about its structure, construction, articulation, and decoration. C. Edson Armi uses eighteenth-century depictions of the nave and the surviving Cluny III transept, as well as the priory church at Paray-le-Monial and other related buildings, to identify the artistic strands that the masons of Cluny combined to create the unique achievement of the mother church. Their sources included classical models, the ashlar decoration and apse design associated with the northern French Romanesque, and a strong local tradition of stone architecture, which was based on brick construction.
Hyperglycemic switch from mitochondrial nitric oxide to superoxide production in endothelial cells.

The accumulated ultrastructural and biochemical evidence is highly suggestive of the existence of mitochondrial nitric oxide (NO) synthase (mtNOS), where local production of NO regulates the electr...
ATPase activity of the microvillar 110 kDa polypeptide-calmodulin complex is activated in Mg2+ and inhibited in K+-EDTA by F-actin

Highly purified microvillar 110 kDa polypeptide-calmodulin (110 K-cam) complex was confirmed to have ATPase activities characteristic of a myosin. The effect of F-actin on these activities was investigated. The Mg2+-ATPase is activated about 2-fold by F-actin in a dose-dependent fashion, whereas the K+-EDTA -ATPase is inhibited by > 90% by F-actin. These data provide evidence for a functional relationship between the ATPase activity of 110K-cam and its interaction with F-actin. They also extend the similarities between 110K-cam and myosin. The results suggest that higher cells contain in addition to myosin a second class of myosin-like molecules represented by 110K-cam.
KINETIC MECHANISM OF PYROPHOSPHATE-DEPENDENT PHOSPHOFRUCTOKINASE FROM GIARDIA LAMBLIA

Abstract The steady-state kinetics of the reaction catalyzed by inorganic-pyrophosphate-dependent d -fructose-6-phosphate 1-phosphotransferase from Giardia lamblia have been investigated. The reactants for the forward and reverse reactions were the Mg-chelated complexes of pyrophosphate (PPi) and Pi. Uncomplexed ligands were not substrates. In the direction of phosphorylation of fructose-6-phosphate (F6P), initial velocity double-reciprocal plots for both PPi and F6P were intersecting suggesting sequential addition of substrates. Similarly, intersecting patterns were observed in the reverse reaction with either Pi or fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (FBP) as the variable substrate. Although the catalytic constants for the forward and reverse reactions were found to be identical (83 s−1), the k cat K m for PPi is about two orders of magnitude higher than the k cat K m for Pi, indicating that PPi is utilized much more efficiently than Pi. Product inhibition by Pi is competitive vs. PPi and noncompetitive vs. F6P, when the fixed substrate is subsaturating. Product inhibition by FBP was found to be noncompetitive with either PPi or F6P as the variable substrate. These results are consistent with a sequential ordered Bi Bi mechanism with PPi adding first and Pi dissociating last. In the reverse reaction, however, PPi and F6P were found to be noncompetitive with either Pi or FBP. Dead-end inhibition analysis with fructose 2,6-bisphosphate, a competitive substrate analog of FBP, gave uncompetitive inhibition with respect to Pi, indicating that fructose 2,6-bisphosphate (and hence FBP) binds after Pi. This kinetic mechanism is different from that observed with the enzyme from Propionibacterium freudenreichii, Entamoeba histolytica or Mung bean, which were concluded to be rapid equilibrium random mechanism.
Relation of intramyocardial and intracavitary pressure to regional myocardial asynergy in the canine left ventricle.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate the relation between abnormalities of left ventricular (LV) wall thickening during systole in ischemic regions and the interaction of LV pressure and regional intramyocardial pressure. Wall thickness was measured in 10 open-chest dogs with ultrasonic dimension gauges. LV pressure, aortic pressure, and intramyocardial pressure in the subendocardium were measured with catheter-tip micromanometers. Regional ischemia was produced by occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery. During the control period, peak subendocardial pressure exceeded LV pressure by 44 ± 6 mm Hg. With hypokinesia, defined as a 50% to 89% reduction of systolic wall thickening, peak subendocardial pressure exceeded peak LV pressure but to a lesser extent (15 ±1 mm Hg). During akinesia, defined as a 90% to 100% reduction of systolic wall thickening, there was less than 1 mm Hg difference between peak subendocardial pressure and peak LV pressure. During dyskinesia, defined as systolic thinning of the ischemic wall, peak LV pressure exceeded peak subendocardial pressure by 29 ± 6 mm Hg. These observations indicate that regional changes of LV wall thickness characterized by hypokinesia, akinesia, and dyskinesia are associated with pressure gradients between the LV cavity and the LV wall that are compatible with the abnormalities of wall motion.
NO and N2O formation during Char combustion: Is it HCN or surface attached nitrogen?

The paper provides an indirect evidence that HCN is not released during char oxidation since the devolatilization times do not affect the amount of char bound nitrogen converted to NO or N 2 O. Consequently, the nitric and nitrous oxides produced from the combustion of char nitrogen are not formed from the homogeneous oxidation reactions of HCN
Some Contributions of the College Board SAT to Psychometric Theory and Practice.

The author describes the evolution of one of the nation's best-known standardized tests–the Scholastic Aptitude Test. He describes some of the contributions to educational research made by inquiries based on the SAT and gives particular attention to the way scaling and equating procedures for the SAT have evolved over the last half century.
Auxiliary variables in partial correctness programming logics

Abstract Auxiliary variables are added to a program to simplify its proof of correctness but are eliminated before it is implemented. Their role is formalized in the Owicki-Gries logic for proving partial correctness of programs. However, the rule given for eliminating them is unsound. This note describes the problem and discusses possible solutions.
The Smallest Rounded Sets of Binary Matroids

It was proved by Oxley that U2,4 is the only non-trivial 3-connected matroid N such that, whenever a 3-connected matroid M has an N-minor and x and y are elements of M, there is an N-minor of M using {x, y} . This paper establishes the corresponding result for binary matroids by proving that if M and N above must both be binary, then there are exactly two possibilities for N: the rank-three and rank-four wheels.
Epididymal G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR): two hats and a two-piece suit tailored at the GPS motif.

G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs) are involved in cell recognition and signaling and their function has been experimentally determined by ligand activation and site-directed mutagenesis. Structurally, GPCRs consist of an extracellular N-terminus and an intracellular C-terminus separated by seven helical transmembrane domains (TM7). The extracellular region is highly glycosylated. The intracellular region binds to G proteins. An epididymal GPCR, designated HE6 (for human epididymis-specific protein 6), is present in the stereocilia projecting from the apical domain of principal cells into the epididymal lumen. In conceptual terms, HE6 wears two hats: an unusually long extracellular region characteristic of cell adhesion proteins, and an intracellular region with binding affinity to G protein. The binding partner to the long extracellular region has not been identified. HE6 has another remarkable feature comparable to the GPCR calcium-independent receptor of α-latrotoxin, designated CIRL. Both HE6 and CIRL are endogenously cleaved into two pieces at the GPCR proteolytic site (GPS) located adjacent to TM1, the first of the seven transmembrane helices. One fragment of the heterodimer wears the cell adhesion hat; the other retains the typical characteristics of GPCRs. This proteolytic processing may be regarded as a mechanism of molecular compartmentalization of cell adhesion and G protein activation functions. The latter may engage a β-arrestin-driven endocytic trafficking mechanism independent from the adhesive properties of the mucin extracellular domain. It is also conceivable that events taking place in the epididymal lumen can be surveyed by the long adhesive rod and subsequently coupled inside principal cells to a signaling cascade. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 64: 1–3, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Stalin's Wars: From World War to Cold War, 1939–1953 – By Geoffrey Roberts

Joseph Stalin plays an odd role in the historiography of the twentieth century. On the one hand, he is readily included among the century's other monsters: Hitler, Mao, and Mussolini. On the other ...
Ethoxyphosphazene polymers and their hydrolytic behavior

Abstract Hydrolytically sensitive polymers that degrade into benign products are of interest as biomedical materials. The aim of this study was to determine the properties and hydrolytic characteristics of both poly(diethoxyphosphazene) and related derivatives with both ethoxy and hydrophobic co-substituent groups in a near-1:1 M ratio such as 2,2,2-trifluoroethoxy, phenoxy, or p-methylphenoxy units. These hydrophobic cosubstituents served as models for bioactive counterparts. The hydrolytic sensitivity of the ethoxyphosphazene units was so pronounced that even hydrophobic or bulky O-linked co-substituents failed to counteract the hydrolysis behavior during a twelve-week hydrolysis study. This work illustrates a pathway for the development of a new class of useful bioerodible polymers.
Governance, the State, and the Market: What Is Going On?

Analyses of the ‘shrinking state’ tend to focus on the pressures being felt by the welfare state. The ‘state’ is viewed as a provider of social benefits and as redistributing wealth. To the extent these functions are being challenged the state is perceived as being ‘rolled back’ by the forces of the market. Yet the state is also involved in ‘building’ markets. This function, overshadowed in the past, has now become an important state activity. Such activity, however, is carried out by state actors different from those involved in the provision of social benefits and the evolution of the welfare state. Majoritarian institutions are largely responsible for the latter while non-majoritarian institutions oversee theformer. Although the balance of power among different types of state actors has shifted, the power of public authority has not necessarily been ‘rolled back’ by the market.
Reparameterizing, Fitting, and Testing a Simple Growth Model

Abstract If the von Bertalanffy growth model is used to statistically compare the properties of growth in two spatial regions by examination of the estimates of the growth parameter k and the asymptotic length parameter L∞, a possible compound null hypothesis H0, is H0: K1= k2 and L∞1 = L∞ 2 for regions 1 and 2. Since the results of this two-parameter test may be difficult to interpret, an alternative procedure is suggested. In addition, the interpretation of the test must be based upon the nature of the data as well as upon the parameter estimates. A regression fit of the model to real but “inappropriate” data may yield a very “good” statistical fit but unrealistic estimates. The use of a third parameter (for example, t0, the time when length is zero) is necessary to uniquely specify a solution; its inclusion always enhances the statistical fit. Because of the interdependence between parameters k and L∞, we reparameterize the von Bertalanffy model with a new parameter w = k˙L∞. The parameter corresponds ...
Silica-based optical delay lines and switches for phased-array radar control

We report our progress on integrated phosphorus-doped SiO2 optical waveguide delay lines and membrane optical routing switches for phased-array radar control. We have completed the design and layout of the delay lines for the two shortest bits. We have demonstrated the concept of a microelectromechanical membrane optical routing switch with a Mach-Zehnder interferometer and a fixed aluminum thin film. Channel crosstalk values as low as -12.4 dB and -20.3 dB were measured with and without a 3 mm aluminum film, respectively. We have designed the membrane structure for the switch to have better yield, improved reliability, and lower excitation voltage.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Solvent isotope and viscosity effects on the steady-state kinetics of the flavoprotein nitroalkane oxidase

The flavoprotein nitroalkane oxidase catalyzes the oxidative denitrification of a broad range of primary and secondary nitroalkanes to yield the respective aldehydes or ketones, hydrogen peroxide and nitrite. With nitroethane as substrate the D2O(kcat/KM) value is 0.6 and the D2Okcat value is 2.4. The kcat proton inventory is consistent with a single exchangeable proton in flight, while the kcat/KM is consistent with either a single proton in flight in the transition state or a medium effect. Increasing the solvent viscosity did not affect the kcat or kcat/KM value significantly, establishing that nitroethane binding is at equilibrium and that product release does not limit kcat.
A Fifth Mechanism of Lightning Injury

The four classic electrical mechanisms of lightning injury cannot account for all injuries. A fifth mechanism, injury by a weak upward streamer that does not become part of a completed lightning channel, has long been postulated in the engineering literature by lightning researchers. This paper reports a case of death where injury from a weak upward streamer is strongly suspected following forensic investigation. Neither high voltage nor any of the previously accepted mechanisms of lightning injury can explain this incident.
The Franchisor-Franchisee Relationship: Perceptions of Franchisees

Abstract The objective of this exploratory study was to examine the franchisor-franchisee relationship from the franchisees’ perspective. Data were collected using a survey of 307 U.S. franchisees from four different industries. Results of this study suggest that approximately one in four franchisees were dissatisfied with the state of their relationship with their franchisor. The most frequent areas of disagreement were support services and advertising and promotion. Franchisees, as a group, perceive that the franchisor-franchisee relationship could be improved by increasing links between the two parties, particularly in the form of more individual attention and frequent contact. In addition, franchisees feel that increased flexibility and input with respect to both operations and in the area of advertising would help develop more effective franchise relations. Implications for the franchisor-franchisee relationship were discussed.
Los prólogos testimoniales: paratexto, otredad y colonización textual

Este ensayo aborda la definicion y construccion editorial de quien es entrevistado en los prologos de tres testimonios latinoamericanos contemporaneos. La nocion de paratexto de Gerard Genette hace posible analizar la creacion del Otro dentro de un relato contemporaneo de legitimacion nacional en los prologos de Miguel Barnet a "Biografia de un cimarron" (1967), de Berta Ribeiro a "Antes o mundo nao existia" (1980), y de Elizabeth Burgos a "Me llamo Rigoberta Menchu y asi me nacio la conciencia" (1983). Mi acercamiento consiste en analizar estos prologos como estrategias culturales y textuales de objetivacion, subordinacion e inclusion del subalterno en narrativas nacionales e historicas que lo materializan.
Minding the gap: The underground functions of BRCA1 and BRCA2 at stalled replication forks

The hereditary breast and ovarian cancer predisposition genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2, participate in the repair of DNA double strand breaks by homologous recombination. Circumstantial evidence implicates these genes in recombinational responses to DNA polymerase stalling during the S phase of the cell cycle. These responses play a key role in preventing genomic instability and cancer. Here, we review the current literature implicating the BRCA pathway in HR at stalled replication forks and explore the hypothesis that BRCA1 and BRCA2 participate in the recombinational resolution of single stranded DNA lesions termed "daughter strand gaps", generated during replication across a damaged DNA template.
Postnatal development of electrical and enzyme histochemical activity in Purkinje cells.

Abstract Extracellular action potentials were recorded from Purkinje cells of rats, from several hours after birth to adult in age, anesthetized with Nembutal and paralyzed with curare. Lactate and succinate dehydrogenase and γ-amino butyrate-α-ketoglutarate transaminase activities were histochemically determined using tetrazolium reduction techniques. Action potentials were observed as early as several hours after birth with regular sustained spontaneous activity beginning at 1–2 days. There is a sharp increase in activity of all three enzymes between 0 and 3 days restricted in the cerebellar cortex to Purkinje-cell soma. Maximum activities of these enzymes were found at 7 days. Spontaneous climbing-fiber bursts were observed by 7 days. Between 10 and 15 days after birth there occurs an increase in spontaneous firing rates, a decrease in spike duration, and a shift from regular to irregular discharge patterns. There is a simultaneous appearance of histochemical activity in the neuropil of the molecular layer, the glomeruli, and the cerebellar interneurons at this time.
The Design of the Rhode Island School Funding Formula: Developing New Strategies on Equity and Accountability

Reforming the way a state distributes its funding to local school districts is a challenging task. Too often, state leaders embrace major school funding reform only when they are directed by court decisions. In this seemingly contentious policy domain, the Rhode Island General Assembly defied the odds—working in a recessionary climate and in the absence of judicial mandates—and enacted its first major school funding reform in almost 20 years on June 10, 2010. This article examines the Rhode Island school funding reform and how the state's leaders were able to overcome political and fiscal barriers following years of unsuccessful efforts to develop a new funding formula. The article also discusses the design of and the rationale behind the key features of the new formula addressing equity and accountability.
Time-resolved optical emission spectroscopy of pulsed DC magnetron sputtering plasmas

Reactive magnetron sputtering of dielectrics using pulsed DC power in the frequency range between 5–350 kHz provides a deposition process without arcing. We studied the optical emission spectra of aluminium, argon and oxygen during the magnetron sputter deposition of Al in Ar and the reactive sputter deposition of Al2O3 in an Ar/O2 gas mixture using a fast intensified CCD camera. Time-resolved as well as time-averaged optical emission spectroscopic studies were carried out. The time-resolved studies focused on the temporal behaviour of the various emissions during the decay of the plasma after the power is turned off. Decay times ranging from 1 to 4 µs were observed. A detailed analysis of the various processes that contribute to the emission of a particular emission line and its decay was carried out and an attempt was made to relate the various decay times to the dynamics of, respectively, the decay of the fast electrons, the Ar metastables, the Al atoms (metallic mode) and the O atoms (oxide mode).
An ion-exchange method for selective separation of palladium, platinum and rhodium from solutions obtained by leaching automotive catalytic converters

Abstract An ion-exchange method has been developed for the separation of palladium, platinum and rhodium from a solution that is highly acidic and contains a considerable amount of lead, aluminum, iron and cerium, obtained by leaching a used honeycomb type automotive catalytic converter. A column of Amberlite IRA-93 anion-exchange resin was found appropriate to recover platinum metals from the pregnant solution. Selective stripping of these metals from the resin was achieved by eluting rhodium first with 6.0M hydrochloric acid, then palladium with a 1% ammonia solution at ambient temperature, and platinum with 5% of the reagent at elevated temperatures. Optimum conditions for leaching these metals from the catalyst were 5.0M hydrochloric acid and 0.4M sodium chlorate at 70°C. This method can be applied to both analytical as well as large scale operations. It is simple, economical, and relatively safe for human exposure and the environment.