cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phosphorylation and activation of a transducible recombinant form of human HSP20 in Escherichia coli

Protein-based cellular therapeutics have been limited by getting molecules into cells and the fact that many proteins require post-translational modifications for activation. Protein transduction domains (PTDs), including that from the HIV TAT protein (TAT), are small arginine rich peptides that carry molecules across the cell membrane. We have shown that the heat shock-related protein, HSP20 is a downstream-mediator of cyclic nucleotide-dependent relaxation of vascular smooth muscle and is activated by phosphorylation. In this study, we co-expressed in Escherichia coli the cDNAs encoding the catalytic subunit of protein kinase G and a TAT-HSP20 fusion protein composed of the TAT PTD (-YGRKKRRQRRR-) fused to the N-terminus of human HSP20. Immunoblot and HPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis of the purified TAT-HSP20 demonstrated that it was phosphorylated at serine 40 (equivalent to serine 16 in wild-type human HSP20). This phosphorylated TAT-HSP20 was physiologically active in intact smooth muscles in that it inhibited 5-hydroxytryptamine-induced contractions by 57% ± 4.5. The recombinant phosphorylated protein also led to changes in actin cytoskeletal morphology in 3T3 cells. These results delineate strategies for the expression and activation of therapeutic molecules for intracellular protein based therapeutics.
Determination of the spin of7Liλ from final-state nuclear interactions

The decay7Liλ→ π + N +6Li may be strongly affected by a sharp 5/2- resonance in the final-state N+6Li system. Theoretical estimates of the effect of this resonance upon distributions, in angle and energy, of the decay products are given. These estimates are based upon the assumption that a complex square-well potential can be used to represent the N+6Li reaction at the resonance energy. It is found that the decay-energy spectra differ substantially for the two possible assignmentsJ=1/2 andJ= 3/2 for the7Liλ spin; the angular distributions also differ according to the choice of the7Liλ spin.
The trichostrongylid egg output during spring in feedlot cattle

Abstract Larval cultures prepared from faeces collected at two-week intervals from feeder cattle originating from Michigan, Oklahoma and Kentucky, and kept in a feedlot in Michigan, were examined during the winter and spring of 1979. The animals received anthelmintic treatment shortly after entering the feedlot. The larval output, consisting mainly of Ostertagia larvae, was less than 20 larvae per g, but did show a seasonal increase during spring in the cattle originating from Kentucky and Michigan. This “spring rise” was not observed in the animals originating from Oklahoma which is thought to be related to a difference in transmission pattern of Ostertagia in the southwest as compared to the eastern and midwestern parts of the U.S.A.
Failure to define level 1 care

This observational prevalence study applies three definitions of level 1 care to a hospital-wide cohort of adult patients in a university hospital and a district general hospital, to test the validity of measures to define at-risk patients outwith critical care. This report provides a first look at the university arm of the study. The importance of correctly applying an acceptable definition is twofold. Firstly, an individual at risk of deterioration may be highlighted to critical care outreach services (CCOS). Secondly, a population of at-risk patients may identify an unmet resource need. The three common definitions are: Intensive Care Society (ICS) [1], Department of Health: Comprehensive Critical Care (CCC) [2] and Association of UK University Hospitals (AUKUH) [3]. The earliest definition of a level 1 patient by CCC identifies recent critical care discharges and/or deteriorating patients needing CCOS [1]. The ICS definition adds detail to this by scoping the options for monitoring or clinical intervention [2]. The AUKUH identifies two subgroups within level 1: acutely ill or deteriorating patients, and stable patients with greater nursing dependency [3].
Optical writing and reading with bilayer assemblies of photosensitive and fluorescent films

We have identified an efficient photochemical transformation involving the reaction of a [1,3]oxazine with tertiary amines. In aerated acetonitrile, the process is accompanied by the appearance of an intense absorption in the visible region. The irreversible formation of 4-nitrophenolate chromophores is responsible for the development of this band. The photogenerated absorption persists indefinitely upon storage in the dark or even under visible illumination. Furthermore, the process is particularly efficient when the [1,3]oxazine is reacted with triethylamine. The corresponding quantum yield is ca. 0.6. Their photoinduced reaction occurs also in poly(methylmethacrylate) matrices. Once again, the process is accompanied by the appearance of an intense absorption and induces pronounced changes in the refractive index of the dye–polymer composite. The irreversible absorption changes associated with these photosensitive materials can be exploited, in principle at least, to write information optically. The stored data can also be read optically relying on fluorescence measurements. Indeed, we have assembled a bilayer structure consisting of a photosensitive film overlaid on a poly(methylmethacrylate) film doped with naphthalene. The fluorescent dopant in the bottom layer emits light in a wavelength range where only the photogenerated state of the top layer absorbs. Thus, the emission coming from one component can be re-absorbed and filtered only by one of the two states of the other. On the basis of this mechanism, a simple fluorescence measurement can read the state of the photosensitive layer, which can, in turn, be written with an optical stimulation.
Prediction of the relative passive-transfer rates of short-chain fatty acids across lipid membranes.

A VAST quantity of literature has accumulated concerning the mechanism of lipid transfer across the intestinal wall, yet the process still remains largely unclear1. One point which seems definitely established is the difference between the transfer of short-chain fatty acids, which appear free in the liver portal blood, and the long-chain acids (>C10), which appear mainly in lymph in the form of triglycerides2. Whereas the latter transfer system is complex, involving emulsification, micelle formation and enzymatic esterification, the former may be relatively simple, involving a combination of a fatty acid permease and passive penetration. Smyth3 and Barry and Smyth4 have demonstrated that fatty acids containing from two to six carbons are actively transported from the mucosal to the serosal side of intestinal sacs in vitro. Higher concentrations of fatty acids suppress in vitro active transport, the suppression being more pronounced with increasing chain length, but this inhibition does not seem to influence the rate of disappearance of fatty acids from inside the intestine in vivo4. The possible contribution of passive transport is therefore of some interest.
Contemporary treatment with radiosurgery for spine metastasis and spinal cord compression in 2015

With the progress of image-guided localization, body immobilization system, and computerized delivery of intensity-modulated radiation delivery, it became possible to perform spine radiosurgery. The next question is how to translate the high technology treatment to the clinical application. Clinical trials have been performed to demonstrate the feasibility of spine radiosurgery and efficacy of the treatment in the setting of spine metastasis, leading to the randomized trials by a cooperative group. Radiosurgery has also demonstrated its efficacy to decompress the spinal cord compression in selected group of patients. The experience indicates that spine radiosurgery has a potential to change the clinical practice in the management of spine metastasis and spinal cord compression.
Microstructural Characterization of Colloid-Derived Bimetallic Pd-Cu Nanocatalysts Supported on γ-Al2O3 for Nitrate Reduction

Palladium-based catalysts hold tremendous promise for their ability to destroy a variety of drinking water contaminants including nitrates, which causes “blue-baby” syndrome and is a suspected carcinogen. Fundamental understanding of the reactivity for the entire catalytic cycle of reduction/fouling/ regeneration is needed to develop heterogeneous catalysts as a viable water purification method. The rates of nitrate and nitrite reduction to nitrogen are very sensitive to the type and amount of metal combined with Pd, the Pd/M synthesis technique and the catalyst support.[1-2] In particular, Pd-Cu bimetallic catalysts show effective reduction of nitrate in aqueous solutions with hydrogen at room temperature and with selectivity for dinitrogen.[3-6] Essential to the understanding of the fundamental chemistry is knowledge of the structure of the catalytic materials. Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) methodologies and high-resolution electron microscopy (HREM) can provide both structural and elemental information for individual nanoparticles as well as their distribution. In order to better understand the relationship between the microstructures of the bimetallic catalysts and their reactivity for nitrate reduction, the bimetallic Pd-Cu/Al2O3 nanocatalysts with varying Pd:Cu ratios have been synthesized and examined by several complementary techniques, including transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy-dispersed x-ray analysis (EDS). Nanoparticle Pd/Cu/PVP catalysts were synthesized by reducing Pd(OAc)2 and Cu(OAc)2 in 2ethoxyethanol in the presence of a protecting polymer polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). By supporting the Pd-Cu nanoparticles on powdered γ-alumina support, the resulting materials were treated at 400 o C for 3 hours in flowing air (calcined) after which the materials were reduced with flowing hydrogen at 400 o C for one hour. Colloid derived nanoparticle Pd-Cu/Al2O3 catalysts with varying Pd:Cu ratios at 50:50 to 100:0 have been synthesized and their microstructure were characterized. Previous work has shown that the Pd/Cu/PVP nanoparticles have average particle diameters of 3-5 nm, as shown in Fig. 1 a and b The size of Pd-Cu nanoparticles supported on γ-Al2O3 are about two times of the size of the raw colloids in the range of 6-10 nm. SAED (define acronyms the first time they are used) patterns show the possible ordered fcc phase, possible lattice shift with the Cu substitute of Pd with increasing copper content. EDS spectra as shown in Fig. 2 reveal the intensity increase and decrease for the Cu K edge peak and Pd L edge peak, respectively. TEM and HREM analysis show the possible relatively homogenous Pd-Cu solid solution structure corresponding to the SAED and XRD analysis shown in Fig. 3. Further analysis of those and additional results will be presented and discussed with respect to the catalysts’ structures related to the catalytic properties, effectiveness, and the proposed reduction pathway. References
Mössbauer effect following coulomb excitation measurements of electric quadrupole moment ratios in the first excited 2+ states of 182,4,6W

Abstract The following ratios of quadrupole moments in the first excited 2+ state of 182,4,6W have been measured simultaneously using the Mossbauer effect following Coulomb excitation: 1:(0.930±0.016) : (0.908±0.024). Single crystals of WS2 have been used as the absorbers. These results are compared with the rotational model and the calculations of Kumar and Baranger.
Effects of clomiphene citrate on cytosolic estradiol and progesterone receptor concentrations in secretory endometrium

Abstract Cytosolic estradiol and progesterone receptor concentrations were measured in luteal phase andometrial biopsy samples obtained from 12 anovulatory or oligoovulatory women on clomiphene citrate therapy and from 40 normal control subjects. Clomiphene citrate treatment (250 to 750 mg per cycle) decreased both endometrial estradiol and progesterone receptor concentrations. Estradiol receptor levels were nondetectable in seven tissue samples and progesterone receptor levels in four samples from the 12 subjects given clomiphene citrate compared to nondetectable estradiol receptor concentrations in one tissue sample and progesterone receptor concentrations in two samples from the 40 normal control subjects. In histologically dated endometrium, mean estradiol receptor concentrations on days 20 to 23 and progesterone receptor levels on days to 24 to 27 were lower than the values observed in the comparable dated endometrium of normal ovulatory women. Steroid receptor concentrations correlated negatively with the duration of clomiphene citrate therapy, which implies a time-dependent suppressive effect of clomiphene citrate on measurable cytosolic estradiol and progesterone receptor concentrations during the luteal phase of the cycle.
Hydrophobicity - Shake Flasks, Protein Folding and Drug Discovery

Hydrophobic interactions are some of the most important interactions in nature. They are the primary driving force in a number of phenomena. This is mostly an entropic effect and can account for a number of biophysical events such as protein-protein or protein-ligand binding that are of immense importance in drug design. The earliest studies on this phenomenon can be dated back to the end of the 19(th) century when Meyer and Overton independently correlated the hydrophobic nature of gases to their anesthetic potency. Since then, significant progress has been made in this realm of science. This review briefly traces the history of hydrophobicity research along with the theoretical estimation of partition coefficients. Finally, the application of hydrophobicity estimation methods in the field of drug design and protein folding is discussed.
Methylcobalamin methylation of chloroplatinate: Bound chloride, valence state, and relative mutagenicity

Abstract A methyl‐Pt compound formed by incubating K2PtCl6 with methylcobalamin (MeB‐12) is further characterized with respect to its chloride content, its Pt oxidation state, and its electro‐phoretic mobility. The complexed chloride has been determined from nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra of the Cl displaced by competing thiocyanate (SCN ) anions. Release of 3 chlorides per Pt combined with a Me/Pt ratio of 1.0 indicates a metal coordination number of 4. This is in agreement with X‐ray photoelectron spectra (ESCA) which show that the majority of the Me‐Pt product contains Pt in the +2 valence state. Based on this data and the anionic nature of the product at pHs from 2.5–7.5 it 2‐is presently represented as MePtCl3. In comparison to the closely related complexes K2PtCl4 and K2PtCl6, MePtCl3 ‐2 is slightly less cytotoxic to an auxotrdphic Chinese hamster ovary cell line (CHO AUXB1). All three of these chloro‐Pt compounds at concentrations of 15–70 μ? induce a 6–10 fold increase in the frequency o...
Tidal Creek Surface Film Structural and Metabolic Dynamics

Surface films on marsh creeks form water-air interfaces of high biological activity. The development, movement, deposition, and breakup of the tidal creek surface film in a naturalSpartima alterniflora-dominated salt marsh in Delaware were followed seasonally over tidal cycles. The metabolic activity, i.e., photosynthesis and respiration, of the surface film and underlying water were determined in the field at the time of peak film formation, just prior to high tide, and the particulate material and chlorophylla were quantified over the tidal cycles. The quantities of organic and inorganic components of the particulate material were all significantly higher in the surface film than in the underlying water (on a volume basis). Numbers of algal cells and quantities of chlorophyll were orders of magnitude greater in the surface film than in the water column. Photosynthesis and respiration were significantly higher in the surface film than in the underlying water. The spectrum of fatty acids was more diverse and their total content was significantly greater in the surface film than in the water column, indicating a concentrated food source contributed by the film as well as a biological richness of the film. When water in the creek flooded the marsh plain at high tide, film deposition was greatest on simulated creek bankS. alterniflora stems, compared to stems along rivulets in the marsh and those in the marsh plain. Using surface film dry weight measurements on an areal basis and film velocity in the creek, both measured throughout a tidal cycle during the summer, it was determined that approximately 12 kg (dry weight) of particulate material moved on the creek surface (2 m wide) past a given point on the flood tide, and 14 kg moved in the opposite direction on the ebb tide. The biological and physical data collected in this study illuminate the contribution of the surface film to the biological (food web) and physical (sediment transport and deposition) functions of a salt marsh.
Validation and comparison of ActiGraph activity monitors.

Abstract Objective : To compare activity counts from the ActiGraph GT3X to those from the ActiGraph GT1M during treadmill walking/running. A secondary aim was to develop tri-axial vector magnitude (VM3) cut-points to classify physical activity (PA) intensity. Methods : Fifty participants wore the GT3X and the GT1M on the non-dominant hip and exercised at 4 treadmill speeds (4.8, 6.4, 9.7, and 12kmh −1 ). Vertical (VT) and antero-posterior (AP) activity counts (countsmin −1 ) as well as the vector magnitudes of the two axes (VM2) from both monitors were tested for significant differences using two-way ANOVA's. Bland–Altman plots were used to assess agreement between activity counts from the GT3X and GT1M. Linear regression analysis between VM3 countsmin −1 and oxygen consumption data was conducted to develop VM3 cut-points for moderate, hard and very hard PA. Results : There were no significant inter-monitor differences in VT activity counts at any speed. AP and VM2 activity counts from the GT1M were significantly higher ( p −1 . High inter-monitor agreement was found for VT activity counts but not for AP and VM2 activity counts. VM3 cut-points for moderate, hard, and very hard PA intensities were 2690–6166, 6167–9642, >9642countsmin −1 . Conclusion : Due to the lack of congruence between the AP and VM2 activity counts from the GT1M and the GT3X, comparisons of data obtained with these two monitors should be avoided when using more than just the VT axis. VM3 cut-points may be used to classify PA in future studies.
Irradiated digested sewage sludge: Effects on plant-symbiont associations in the field

Abstract Anaerobically digested sewage sludge was irradiated with high energy electrons as a means of disinfestation at Boston's Deer Island Treatment Facility and transported to the Suburban Experiment Station of the University of Massachusetts, at Waltham. In May 1977, it was applied to limed field plots as liquid surface applications. Three plots were given a single application at the rate of 4·7 metric tonnes/ha dried sludge. Three other plots received double this amount (9·4 metric tonnes/ha). Three additional plots served as controls and received 111 kg/ha each of 10-10-10 N, P, K inorganic fertiliser. These applications were repeated with the same plots in May 1978. In both 1977 and 1978 sludge applications at both rates inhibited rhizobial nodulation of bush bean Phaseolus vulgaris L. ‘Contender’ and VA mycorrhizal infection in onion Allium cepa L. ‘Downing Yellow Globe’. Heavy metal accumulation in soil and plant tissue, pH, soluble salt levels and N and P status of sludge and soil were monitored throughout the experiment as possible explanations for these inhibitions. No readily discernible explanation was found.
Community patterns of transdermal nicotine use and provider counseling.

OBJECTIVES: To examine bow transdermal nicotine is prescribed and used in the general population, and to identity variables associated with successful smoking cessation in patch users.
The growth of Fe‐Ti oxides: Phase relations in the Fe‐Ti‐B‐O system

It has become apparent during the last few years that some important aspects of rock magnetism require data that can not be provided by studies of natural Fe-Ti oxides. Accordingly, there have been efforts by several groups to develop techniques to produce synthetic materials suitable for the required studies. This paper presents the preliminary results of an attempt to grow oxides of the magnetite-ulvospinel series using the flux growth technique with a NaBO4 flux. I focus here on the essential first step in the process, which is the establishment of the temperature and oxygen fugacity conditions necessary to grow the desired phases. The results show that the Fe-Ti-B-O system is complicated by the presence of borate phases as well as the expected oxides. The net effect is to place a upper limit on the ulvospinel concentration that can be achieved which varies with temperature from about 10% at 1200°C to around 60% at 1000°C.
Demonstration of endothelium-mediated increase in vascular smooth muscle cGMP, in a flexible coculture model

The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility of applying a novel coculture model for the investigation of endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) as well as exploring its applicability for investigating important cell-to-cell interactions. Bovine aortic endothelial cells (EC) were grown on micropore filters while porcine aortic smooth muscle cells (SMC) were grown separately on plates. When confluent these two cell layers were cocultured such that the EC maintained proper polarity and orientation to the underlying SMC. We found that coculturing EC with SMC for five minutes caused significant increase in SMC cGMP, 43±4 vs 268±13 fmols/well (p<0.0001). This EC-mediated effect was further augmented with EDRF agonists and with L-arginine supplementation, but was inhibited by nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (NAME) and reduced hemoglobin. When the EC were cocultured with subendothelial THP-1 monocytes for three hours prior to the SMC coculture, the EC mediated increase in SMC cGMP, both stimulated and unstimulated, was significantly reduced. We conclude that this flexible coculture model can be used to study EDRF release from EC and can be applied to study important cell-to-cell interactions that have been difficult to address in other models.
A Proposed Template for an Emergency Online School Professional Training Curriculum.

On average, natural disasters directly impact approximately 160 million individuals and cause 90,000 deaths each year. As natural disasters are becoming more familiar, it stands to reason that school personnel, particularly mental health professionals, need to know how to prepare for natural disasters. Current disaster preparation and response models used by mental health professionals in K–12 schools, however, assume physical access to schools immediately or shortly after a disaster, and do not adequately address total or near total destruction of school and community property that would preclude any form of school operations or access for extended periods of time. One means for maintaining school operations after a natural disaster makes school operation and/or access impossible for an extended period of time is to employ an emergency online school plan. Ideally, emergency online schools can offer schooling and support services after a natural disaster incapacitates physical school structures for an extended period of time. This article presents the rationale and general resources necessary for constructing and operating emergency online schools and proposes a template for a graduate-level training curriculum on developing emergency online school plans for school systems.
Safety First: Microsimulation Approach to Assessing Congestion Effects on Risk Experienced by Drivers

Prevailing traffic conditions affect highway safety and the processes by which drivers perceive a stimulus, evaluate it, and execute a corresponding driving maneuver. Several efforts have been made to use microscopic traffic simulation for evaluating highway safety. However, these efforts faced serious challenges because previous acceleration and lane-changing models had been built in an accident-free environment with different layers of safety constraints. A new approach relies on a cognitive risk-based microscopic model to study the relationship between prevailing traffic conditions and the risk experienced by drivers in a traffic stream. The model can consider accidents endogenously through lane-changing logic and provide an indicator of relative roadway safety as experienced by drivers. Six scenarios are simulated. The results show the importance of lane changing to understanding accident and near-accident occurrence in simulation models. A risk value comparison reveals that work zone bottlenecks have...
A multitracer approach to the study of erosion in the northeast equatorial Pacific

Abstract Erosion of sediment at two sites within the siliceous-clay province of the northeast equatorial Pacific is investigated by examining radionuclide, radiolarian and percent smectite profiles of three ☐ cores. A numerical ☐ model of the sediment is presented that examines the effect of various particle rain rates, erosion rates and biological mixing parameters on these profiles. 230 Th, because of its longer half-life, is a more sensitive tracer of erosion than 231 Pa. Because the input of these radionuclides into the sediment is not well defined however, conservative tracers, such as the percent smectite of the clay fraction and fossil radiolarians are used to constrain the rate of sediment recycling. Dissolution of radiolarians though can greatly affect the interpretation of the observed biostratigraphy.
Effects of Floor Versus Cage Rearing and Feeder Space on Growth, Long Bone Development, and Duration of Tonic Immobility in Single Comb White Leghorn Pullets

The effects of feeder space on growth of commercial layer pullets reared in cages or floor pens were examined by allocating 1-d-old chicks to either cages (14 chicks) or floor (119 chicks). Feeder spaces were 5.4, 4.0, and 2.7 cm per pullet and were held constant throughout the growing period, resulting in a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement. Measurements of pullet body weight, feed consumption, skeletal development, and fearfulness were taken through the rearing period to 18 wk. Pullets allowed 5.4 cm of feeder space were heavier (P < .001) (1,329 g at 18 wk of age) than birds allowed either 4.0 or 2.7 cm of feeder space (1,289 and 1,272 g, respectively). Floor-reared pullets weighed significantly more at 12, 16, and 18 wk of age than cage-reared pullets. Feed consumption was not affected by the feeder space, but the floor-reared birds consumed more (P < .001) feed than those in cages (61.2 vs 52.8 g per pullet per d). Mortality, skeletal development, and bone strength were not affected by either feeder space or floor vs cage rearing. Floor-reared pullets had longer (P < .05) duration of tonic immobility (TI) than those reared in cages (519.7 and 471.4 s, respectively, as measured at 18 wk). Feeder space per pullet had no effect on the duration of TI of the pullets. Cage and floor rearing environments are comparable for rearing pullets provided feeder space is not restricted to such an extent as to inhibit BW.
Trifluoromethyl sulfur pentafluoride and its relationship to sulfur hexafluoride and chlorofluorocarbon-12 in the atmosphere near the New York City metropolitan area

Abstract Trifluoromethyl sulfur pentafluoride (SF5CF3), sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) and dichlorodifluoromethane (CCl2F2) (also referred to as CFC-12) were measured simultaneously in the atmosphere at a site 25 km north of New York City over a period of 6 months with continuous measurements every 25 min for 4 months. The SF5CF3 record showed little variability and its concentration appeared close to the remote atmospheric concentration. The concentrations of SF6 and CFC-12 had numerous spikes well in excess of their remote atmospheric concentrations indicating the presence of local sources. The lack of SF5CF3 spikes reveals that the usage of SF6 in the New York metropolitan area does not result in significant production of SF5CF3, and also that there is no significant production by industrial and manufacturing processes in the region.
Activation of the anaphase promoting complex by HTLV-1 tax leads to senescence.

The human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) Tax binds the anaphase promoting complex (APC) and activates it ahead of schedule. Here, we show that APC activation by Tax induces rapid senescence (tax-IRS) independently of p53 and pRB. In response to tax, cyclin A, cyclin B1, securin, and Skp2 becomes polyubiquitinated and degraded starting in S phase. This is followed by a surge in p21CIP1/WAF1 and p27KIP1 in mid to late S and G2/M leading to a permanent G1 arrest. Tax-positive HTLV-1-transformed T-cell lines express elevated levels of p21CIP1/WAF1, but low levels of p27KIP1. Finally, Tax can be stably expressed in p27KIP1-null NIH3T3 cells. These results indicate that APC activation by Tax causes inactivation of SCFSkp2 and stabilization of p21CIP1/WAF1 and p27KIP1. The build-up of p21CIP1/WAF1 and especially p27KIP1 commits cells to senescence. Evading tax-IRS through a loss of p27KIP1 function is likely to be critical for cell transformation by Tax and development of adult T-cell leukemia after HTLV-1 infection. Finally, activation of APC ahead of schedule may be exploited to arrest cancer cell growth.
Optical absorption studies of HgCdTe epitaxial layers for improved infrared detector modeling

A study of optical absorption in HgCdTe layers is presented to provide an improved model for the absorption coefficient. Measurements were performed on samples grown by molecular beam epitaxy using automated compositional control from spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements. Several samples with varying alloy composition and layer thickness were measured at varying temperatures to build an absorption model to represent bandtail and above bandgap absorption. Best-fit parameters for the optical absorption coefficient model are presented as a function of temperature and composition and are compared to previously published models. (© 2004 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Change and Stability in Mental Health Policy The Impact of Two Transformations

This article examines the development of mental health policy in the United States from 1945 to 1985. The mental health system has experienced two major transformations during this period. Data from interviews and records are used to analyze the impact of these changes on the development of policy and on delivery of services at the federal, state, and local levels of government.
Hymenolepis microstoma: effect of the mouse bile duct tapeworm on the metabolic rate of CF-1 mice.

Abstract The metabolic rate of uninfected Mus musculus (CF-1 strain) at 30 C was 1.668 ± 0.032 ccO2/g/hr (mean ± SE, n = 35). At 2 days postinfection (PI)the metabolic rate of infected mice was 2.64 ± 0.15 ccO2/g/hr (n = 6), or 58% higher than that of uninfected control mice. Between 2 and 8 days PI there was a steady decrease in the metabolic rate of infected mice, and by Day 15 PI the metabolic rates of infected and uninfected mice were the same. Since gross histopathological changes (e.g., fibrosis of the bile duct and liver) in infected mice are not evident until Day 4 or 5 PI, the increased metabolic rate during the early stage of infection may be a direct response of the mouse to excretory (secretory) products of the developing parasite.
Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand: a novel mechanism for Bacillus Calmette-Guérin-induced antitumor activity.

Mycobacterium bovis Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) use in the treatment of bladder cancer was first reported in 1976, but the mechanism of the induced antitumor activity has still not been fully explained. BCG is a potent immunostimulant, normally producing a Th1 cytokine response, including IFN. Recent studies have shown CpG oligodeoxynucleotide induce tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) expression via IFN production. Given that Mycobacterial DNA contains high amounts of CpG motifs, we hypothesized that BCG’s antitumor properties are akin to CpG oligodeoxynucleotide, where the cytokine response to BCG induces TRAIL up-regulation. Using ELISA, urine IFN-γ, and TRAIL levels were initially undetectable in BCG therapy patients but were high after later induction treatments. More importantly, patients that responded to BCG therapy had significantly higher urine TRAIL levels, which killed bladder tumor cells in vitro versus nonresponders. Flow cytometry of fresh urine revealed TRAIL-expressing neutrophils. Given these data, we propose TRAIL plays a role in BCG-induced antitumor effects.
A comparison of visual and auditory processing tests on the Woodcock‐Johnson Tests of Cognitive Ability, Revised and the Learning Efficiency Test‐II

A comparison of the visual and auditory processing factors of the WJR Tests of Cognitive Ability and the visual and auditory memory factors of the Learning Efficiency Test, II were examined for 120 undergraduate college students. Repeated measures ANOVAs revealed two significant performance differences: between the WJR COG and LET-II visual processing factors and between the WJR Broad Cognitive Ability index and the LET Global Memory score. Although there was no significant performance difference on the WJR COG and LET-II auditory processing factors, the two measures were independent, accounting for less than 4% shared variance. Similarly, WJR COG and LET-II visual processing factors also were independent. It was hypothesized that differing levels of task complexity, such as order vs. unordered memory retrieval requirements, semantic meaningfulness of the material presented, and rehearsal and/or presence of verbal interference components, represent distinct performance outcome measures of visual and auditory processing by the WJR COG and LET-II. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
STRUCTURE OF THE B-DNA DECAMER C-C-A-A-C-G-T-T-G-G AND COMPARISON WITH ISOMORPHOUS DECAMERS C-C-A-A-G-A-T-T-G-G AND C-C-A-G-G-C-C-T-G-G

Abstract The crystal structure of the DNA decamer C-C-A-A-C-G-T-T-G-G has been solved to a resolution of 1.4 A, and is compared with the 1.3 A structure of C-C-A-A-G-A-T-T-G-G and the 1.6 A structure of C-C-A-G-G-C-C-T-G-G. All three decamers crystallize isomorphously in space group C 2 with five base-pairs per asymmetric unit, and with decamer double helices stacked atop one another along the c axis in a manner that closely approximates a continuous B helix. This efficient stacking probably accounts for the high resolution of the crystal data. Comparison of the three decamers reveals the following. 1. (1) Minor groove width is more variable than heretofore realized. Regions of A · T base-pairs tend to be narrower than average, although two successive A · T base-pairs alone may not be sufficient to produce narrowing. The minor groove is wider in regions where B II phosphate conformations are opposed diagonally across the groove. 2. (2) Narrow regions of minor groove exhibit a zig-zag spine of hydration, as was first seen in C-G-C-G-A-A-T-T-C-G-C-G, whereas wide regions show two ribbons of water molecules down the walls, connecting base edge N or O with sugar O-4′ atoms. Regions of intermediate groove width may accommodate neither pattern of hydration well, and may exhibit a less regular pattern of hydration. 3. (3) Base-pair stacking is virtually identical at equivalent positions in the three decamers. The unconnected step from the top of one decamer helix to the bottom of the next helix is a normal helix step in all respects, except for the absence of connecting phosphate groups. 4. (4) B II phosphate conformations require the unstacking of the two bases linked by the phosphate, but do not necessarily follow as an inevitable consequence of unstacking. They have an influence on minor groove width as noted in point (1) above. 5. (5) Sugar ring pseudorotation P and main-chain torsion angle δ show an excellent correlation as given by the equation: δ = 4 ° cos ( P + 144 °) + 120 °. Although centered around C-2′- endo , the conformations in these B -DNA helices are distributed broadly from C-3′- exo to O-4′- endo , unlike the tighter clustering around C-3′- endo observed in A -DNA oligomer structures.
CURRENT ISSUES IN OUTSOURCING: MIS, AIS AND BEYOND

In recent years, there has been a wave of outsourcing of by Private Equity firms in the U.S. and Europe. No skilled workers (MIS, AIS or others) are spared from this assault. To paraphrase the words of the Roman Emperor, who, in replying to criticism of his proposal to tax the toilets of Rome: "Money has no smell'. So it is the case with the Emperors of Private Equity. When eyeing high any high-paid U.S / European jobs with a view of shipping them abroad, nothing is off the table. The great conceit of AIS and MIS intellectuals and practitioners is their belief that they are exempt from these outsourcing processes. Some believe that that they enjoy a charmed life; that the demand for their services has an Eternal (shelf) life. They take comfort if the thought that increasing their technical mastery will provides a sufficient bulwark against the onslaught of upheavals in labor and product markets. This act of hubris is reminiscent of King Canute hoping the tide will recede.
Unique pharmacist competency program at community-based, teaching hospitals

Background: The pharmacy profession continues to evolve and shape itself with increasing complexity. With this escalating complexity, pharmacist clinical competency needs to be addressed within each healthcare practice setting. The objectives of this study were to describe a unique pharmacist competency program and evaluate its satisfaction at two community hospitals. Methods: Long Beach Memorial and Miller Children’s Hospital of Long Beach are tertiary community hospitals with 308 total beds for Millers Children’s Hospital and 462 total beds for Long Beach Memorial. A unique and intensive pharmacist competency program has been established at these hospitals for over 20 years. The content of this program was assessed and a survey was conducted in March 2011 to ascertain pharmacist satisfaction. Results: The unique pharmacist competency program was structured in the form of age-related, hospital-wide and unit specific modules, pharmacy-regulated therapies (PRT), and a Pharmacy Skills Day that provide updates on PRT and other pharmacy-related topics. Forty-two of 61 (69%) pharmacists responded to the survey. Mean age of pharmacists was 38.8 ± 11.5 years, 36% were male, 86% completed residency training, and 12% were board-certified pharmacotherapy specialists. Over 80% of pharmacists agreed that the program was informative and supportive of their daily patient care activities. Although the program was well-received by the pharmacists, there were facets of the program that needed improvement, including resources for continuing education opportunities and additional modules for competency. Conclusion: A unique pharmacist competency program at two community hospitals was described. The program was well-received by the pharmacists, and, more importantly, ensured continuous professional development in pharmacy practice.
Surface crack subject to mixed mode loading

Stress intensity factor distributions at the edge of semi-circular and semi-elliptical surface cracks are obtained for cracks aligned perpendicular to the surface of a semi-infinite solid subject to remote shear parallel to the plane of the crack. Mixed mode conditions along the crack edge are characterized. Application to fatigue crack thresholds in mixed mode is discussed. # 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Protein synthesis in distal axons is not required for axon growth in the embryonic spinal cord.

It is now well established that new proteins are synthesized in the distal segments of elongating axons, where they may play an essential role in some guidance decisions. It remains unclear, however, whether distal protein synthesis also plays an essential role in axon growth per se. Previous in vitro experiments have shown that blocking protein synthesis in distal axons has no effect on the rate of axonal advance. However, because these experiments were performed in vitro and over a relatively short time period, the role of distal protein synthesis over longer periods and in a native tissue environment remained untested. Here, we tested whether protein synthesis in distal axons plays an essential role in the elongation of descending axons in the embryonic spinal cord. We developed an in situ model of the brainstem-spinal projection of the embryonic chick, and developed a split-chamber method in which inhibitors of proteins synthesis could be applied independently to cell bodies in the brainstem or to distal axons in the spinal cord. When protein synthesis was blocked in distal axons, axon growth remained robust for 2 days, which is the length of the experiment. However, when protein synthesis was blocked only in the brainstem, axonal elongation in the spinal cord ceased within 6 h. These data showed that protein synthesis in the distal axon is not essential to continue the advance of axons. Rather, essential proteins are synthesized more proximally and then transported rapidly to the distal axon. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol, 2007.
DAPK1 Interaction with NMDA Receptor NR2B Subunits Mediates Brain Damage in Stroke

N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors constitute a major subtype of glutamate receptors at extrasynaptic sites that link multiple intracellular catabolic processes responsible for irreversible neuronal death. Here, we report that cerebral ischemia recruits death-associated protein kinase 1 (DAPK1) into the NMDA receptor NR2B protein complex in the cortex of adult mice. DAPK1 directly binds with the NMDA receptor NR2B C-terminal tail consisting of amino acid 1292-1304 (NR2B(CT)). A constitutively active DAPK1 phosphorylates NR2B subunit at Ser-1303 and in turn enhances the NR1/NR2B receptor channel conductance. Genetic deletion of DAPK1 or administration of NR2B(CT) that uncouples an activated DAPK1 from an NMDA receptor NR2B subunit in vivo in mice blocks injurious Ca(2+) influx through NMDA receptor channels at extrasynaptic sites and protects neurons against cerebral ischemic insults. Thus, DAPK1 physically and functionally interacts with the NMDA receptor NR2B subunit at extrasynaptic sites and this interaction acts as a central mediator for stroke damage.
Approximate analysis of reader and writer access to a shared resource

In this paper we present a queue that has two classes of customers: readers and writers. Readers access the resource concurrently and writers access the resource serially. The queue discipline is FCFS: readers must wait until all writers that arrived earlier have completed service, and vice versa. The approximation can predict both the expected waiting times for readers and writers and the capacity of the queue. The queue can be used for the analysis of operating system and software resources that can be accessed both serially and concurrently, such as shared files. We have used the queue to analyze the performance of concurrent B-tree algorithms.
Using Olfaction to Study Memory

In a series of studies we have been exploring the role of hippocampal function in memory using the model system of olfactory-hippocampal pathways and odor learning in rats. Our experiments show that hippocampus itself is not essential to memory for single odors, but is critical for forming the representations of relations among odor memories, and for the expression of odor memory representations in novel situations. These studies that exploit the exceptional qualities of olfactory learning are helping to clarify the nature of higher order memory processes in all mammals, and extending to declarative memory in humans.
Distributed localization and tracking with coordinated and uncoordinated motion models

This paper introduces the MDL algorithm for distributed localization in a network of mobile agents in Rm, m ≥ 1. The algorithm requires the dynamic agents with unknown locations to lie in the convex hull of at least m + 1 mobile or static anchors that can track their positions over time perfectly. Under minimal assumptions on network connectivity and local triangulation at each agent, we show that the MDL algorithm leads to convergence of the estimated agent locations to the true locations under general deterministic motion models. In addition, MDL exhibits desirable tracking performance in random environments also and we explicitly characterize the steady state tracking error in such environments. A significant feature of the algorithm is its distributed nature, where each agent updates its current location estimate based on its neighbors' estimates and current local barycentric coordinates, computed using only local information. Simulations verify the effectiveness of the approach.
THE SEARCHES FOR HIGGS BOSONS AT LEP

▪ Abstract The legacy of the LEP program encompasses an extensive investigation of the electroweak interaction and the most comprehensive search to date for the origin of spontaneous symmetry breaking. The results comprise a large variety of theoretical models challenged by dedicated searches and a persistent search for the standard-model Higgs boson. The direct search for the standard-model Higgs boson confronted an excess of signal-like events in the final year. This observation reaches a significance of approximately two standard deviations for a Higgs boson mass of 115.6 GeV/c2, a value consistent with the mass range indicated by electroweak precision measurements. The definitive confirmation of the standard-model Higgs boson search and the continued investigation for a Higgs sector at higher masses await new data from the Tevatron and LHC colliders.
Cloning and Sequencing of the cDNA for the Light Subunit of Human Liver γ-Glutamylcysteine Synthetase and Relative RNA Levels for Heavy and Light Subunits in Human Normal Tissues

Abstract We have cloned and sequenced a full length cDNA for the light subunit of human liver γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase (GCS1). The GCS1 cDNA consists of 1628 bp, containing an open reading frame of 822 bp which encodes a protein of 274 amino acids having a calculated Mr of 30,729 Daltons. Human liver GCS1 shares 91% and 96% sequence homology at the nucleotide and amino acid levels, respectively, with its rat counterpart (Huang, Anderson and Meister, J.Biol.Chem. 268:20578-20583, 1993). Transcripts of 1.4 and 4.1 kb in length were detected by Northern blot analysis of mRNA isolated from each of sixteen different human tissues. Relative expression of the two GCS1 RNA transcripts was highly tissue-dependent. High steady-state levels of the smaller transcript were detected in colon, while very high levels of both transcripts were found in skeletal muscle. Expression of mRNA transcripts for the GCS heavy subunit were likewise tissue-dependent, and did not necessarily correlate with the level of GCS1 transcripts in any tissue.