cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Folding of immunogenic peptide fragments of proteins in water solution: II. The nascent helix

1H nuclear magnetic resonance experiments indicate formation of secondary structures in water solutions of a synthetic immunogenic peptide of sequence EVVPHKKMHKDFLEKIGGL corresponding to the C-helix (residues 69 to 87) of myohemerythrin. The conformational ensemble consists of a set of turn-like structures, distributed over the C-terminal half of the peptide and rapidly interconverting by way of unfolded states. These structures, termed nascent helix, are stabilized into helical structure with long-range order in water/trifluorethanol mixtures. Circular dichroism measurements confirm the presence of 50% helix in water/trifluoroethanol but show no evidence of helicity in water solutions of the peptide. It is apparent that no one member of the transient set of helical conformations which constitutes the nascent helix is sufficiently long to be detectable by circular dichroism experiments. No preferred conformations could be detected by nuclear magnetic resonance in the N-terminal half of the peptide, either in water or water/trifluoroethanol mixtures. This region of the peptide is stabilized in helix by long-range interactions in the folded protein. The possible role of nascent secondary structure in induction of antipeptide antibodies and in initiation of protein folding is discussed.
Nongravitational forces on comets: the first fifteen years.

The recent and current situation with regard to our analysis and understanding of the nongravitational effects in cometary motions is reviewed. Comets can be categorized according to the different physical situations that may exist in their nuclei. Further experimentation with theoretical models and empirical fits to observations is encouraged.
A novel fusion approach to space power and propulsion

A novel fusion scheme that combines the favorable aspects of magnetic and inertial fusion is examined as a potential advanced propulsion scheme that might be utilized for deep space missions and interplanetary travel in the early part of the next century. It makes use of the energy generated by a hot fusion plasma located inside a spherical metallic shell created by ablation of the target inner surface by a laser beam that enters the pellet through a hole. For a deuterium-tritium plasma that is allowed to expand adiabatically at the end of the burn into an expansion chamber and then exhaust through a magnetic nozzle, it is shown that specific impulses exceeding 10/sup 4/ and jet powers in the tens of megawatts can be achieved at modest laser input energies of tens of kilojoules. It is shown that such a propulsion system, when applied to a rocket vehicle with dry mass of several hundred metric tons, allows a round trip to Mars to be undertaken in less than two months. >
Is quinine a suitable probe to assess the hepatic drug-metabolizing enzyme CYP3A4?

Aims To evaluate the antimalarial agent quinine as a potential in vivo probe for hepatic cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4 activity. Methods Ten healthy adult volunteers received, by randomized crossover design, either a single oral dose of quinine sulphate (600 mg) alone, or quinine sulphate (600 mg) plus the CYP3A4 inhibitor troleandomycin (TAO; 500 mg every 8 h). Plasma and urine samples were collected before quinine administration, and up to 48 h thereafter, then analysed by h.p.l.c. for both quinine and its CYP3A4-generated metabolite, 3-hydroxyquinine. During both phases, the erythromycin breath test (ERMBT) was administered at specific times to assess hepatic CYP3A4 activity. Results Compared with control, TAO treatment significantly decreased the mean time-averaged ERMBT result by 77% (95% CI, 68, 85%), the mean apparent oral clearance of quinine (CL/F ) by 45% (95% CI, 39, 52%), and the mean apparent formation clearance of 3-hydroxyquinine (CL3-OH) by 81% (95% CI, 76, 87%). There was no correlation between the TAO-mediated percent decrease in the time-averaged ERMBT result and the percent decrease in CL/F or in CL3-OH. When TAO and control treatments were analysed separately, there were no significant correlations between the time-averaged ERMBT result and CL/F, CL3-OH, or single plasma quinine concentration at 12, 24, and 48 h. Conclusions Quinine may be a useful probe to detect inhibition of liver CYP3A4 activity within an individual. Further studies are needed to determine whether it can provide a quantitative measure of CYP3A4 activity suitable for intersubject comparison.
Rape as Spectator Sport and Creepshot Entertainment: Social Media and the Valorization of Lack of Consent

Lack of consent is valorized within popular culture to the point that sexual assault has become a spectator sport and creepshot entertainment on social media. Indeed, the valorization of nonconsensual sex has reached the extreme where sex with unconscious girls, especially accompanied by photographs as trophies, has become a goal of some boys and men.
Molecular Orbital Theory

This entry outlines the development of theoretical chemistry from its origins to the present highlighting important several theories, techniques, and applications to inorganic chemistry. The field has evolved from the series of postulates that provide the framework for quantum mechanics and which culminated in the Schrodinger equation proposed in 1926. Soon thereafter, the application to chemical systems began. Valence Bond Theory (VBT) and Molecular Orbital (MO) Theory were initial techniques for explaining what for chemists was of critical importance, that is, the nature of the chemical bond in molecules. Each approach is still useful today. Molecular Orbital Theory, however, has enjoyed wider applicability owing to being much more easily handled quantitatively. The explosive growth of digital computing capabilities over the last half-century can no doubt be traced in part to the intensive number crunching requirements of this type. The article reviews the early work of VBT and MO theory, and the treatment of H2, homonuclear, and heteronuclear diatomic molecules in some detail. Sections concerning the important application of mathematical group theory conventions and several techniques that use the self-consistent field approach define much of the terminology that is commonly used in the field. An up-to-date list of references and related articles provided interested readers with much more detail on the techniques and applications in this enormous field. Keywords: molecular orbital theory; valence bond theory; hybridization; valence-shell electron pair repulsion theory (VSEPR); Hartree-Fock; extended Huckel theory; group theory wavefunction; self-consistent field
Economies of scale in transmission refurbishment and maintenance

In the ever-changing landscape of transmission, whether the option is an RTO or the world of a private transmission company, the rules are always changing and the challenge to make the right decision is harder everyday. We live in a world were decision should be made on facts and numbers but the truth is the facts and numbers cannot dry on the paper before the next wave of change comes into play. One area that is always being discussed and strategies being formulated revolves around capital refurbishment's and maintenance activities to maintain an acceptable level of reliability to the transmission grid. The efforts are to balance the two. Take out of the picture today who is going to pay for improvements to the system and a discussion will start to revolve around out-sourcing vs. in-sourcing of the work that needs to be performed. These discussion will lead you down the road of just how big can the RTO be and capture the economies of scale when it comes to labor and equipment. The real discussions will begin when you start talking about out-sourcing the work to an outside contractor and what kinds of flexibility that will bring to the transmission entity. This, like other views on RTOs and ISO, will bring as many opinions out as there are people in the discussion.
Allozyme Variation in Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (Hemiptera: Adelgidae) from the United States and China

The hemlock woolly adelgid, Adelges tsugae Annand (Hemiptera: Adelgidae), is a major introduced pest of eastern hemlock, Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carriere. Hemlock woolly adelgid in the United States is anholocyclic and an obligate parthenogen, because no suitable primary host (on which sexual reproduction occurs in Asia) is reported for this adelgid in the United States. Allozyme analyses were conducted to assess the relatedness between three hemlock woolly adelgid populations in the eastern United States (Connecticut, New Jersey, and Virginia) and to compare them with adelgids from the western United States (Washington) and China. Significant hemlock woolly adelgid allozyme variation was found between nonadjacent trees within a site in the eastern United States. There was a small difference between the two northern and the southern populations despite the relative genetic uniformity between the sites across the allozyme loci evaluated. There were low numbers of protein alleles in the eastern populations, whereas the western and Chinese populations had additional alleles not found in the eastern populations. Both heterozygote excesses and deficits were detected as would be expected in populations that are not randomly mating. There were only a few abundant genotypes and they tended to be more homozygous than the rarer genotypes. The hemlock woolly adelgid population from China that is cyclically parthenogenic was more genetically diverse than the other hemlock woolly adelgid populations that are presumed to be obligately parthenogenic. Allozymes provide some useful information about genetic variation in hemlock woolly adelgid but seem to be less suited to assess actual genetic diversity and structure of populations because of the small size of the hemlock woolly adelgid.
Microbial Diversity: A Journey through Carl Woese’s Tree of Life

Review of : Microbial Diversity ; James W. Brown; (2015). American Society for Microbiology Press, Washington, DC. 416 pages.
Modeling and generating realistic streaming media server workloads

Currently, Internet hosting centers and content distribution networks leverage statistical multiplexing to meet the performance requirements of a number of competing hosted network services. Developing efficient resource allocation mechanisms for such services requires an understanding of both the short-term and long-term behavior of client access patterns to these competing services. At the same time, streaming media services are becoming increasingly popular, presenting new challenges for designers of shared hosting services. These new challenges result from fundamentally new characteristics of streaming media relative to traditional web objects, principally different client access patterns and significantly larger computational and bandwidth overhead associated with a streaming request. To understand the characteristics of these new workloads we use two long-term traces of streaming media services to develop MediSyn, a publicly available streaming media workload generator. In summary, this paper makes the following contributions: (i) we propose a framework for modeling long-term behavior of network services by capturing the process of file introduction, non-stationary popularity of media accesses, file duration, encoding bit rate, and session duration. (ii) We propose a variety of practical models based on the study of the two workloads. (iii) We develop an open-source synthetic streaming service workload generator to demonstrate the capability of our framework to capture the models.
Modeling of piezo-flexural nanopositioning systems subjected to rate-varying inputs

A general modeling scheme is proposed for precision positioning of piezoelectrically-driven flexural systems. To describe the nonlinear behavior of the structure while also considering the system dynamics, a second order linear dynamic model subjected to nonlinear hysteretic input is first adopted. Using the memory-dependent properties of hysteresis nonlinearity, a new mathematical framework is then proposed for describing this phenomenon. More specifically, a nonlinear mapping strategy is proposed for the approximation of each of the ascending and descending multiple-loop hysteresis curves based on the shape of hysteresis reference curves. The trace of internal hysteresis trajectory is, however, obtained based on the locations of the past turning points, corresponding to the input extrema. Experimental tests are carried out on a dual-axis piezoelectrically-driven flexural stage to demonstrate the contribution of dynamic and hysteresis models, individually and combined together, on the improvement of the model response. Results indicate that the proposed hysteresis model can effectively predict the nonlinear response of the system, while the influence of dynamic model is more apparent for high rate inputs.
Entrepreneurship in the USA: architecture, market structure and incentives

The purpose of this paper is threefold: to add to the description of the architecture of the US entrepreneurial system originally charted by Schramm (2004), discuss the link between market structure and innovation and stress the significance of incentives for invention and innovation. It is stated that entrepreneurship in the USA is governed by five factors: (1) venture funding, as well as personal savings and capital democratisation, (2) established large firms, (3) government, (4) universities and (5) ecosystems. In turn, the paper reexamines, theoretically, the assertions that (a) although less competitive firms can realise significant profits from innovations, they bring them to market late and (b) more competitive firms are more likely to pursue cost-reducing process innovation. Finally, the paper focuses on society's motivation to grant patents, copyrights and trademarks as incentives for inventive and innovative activity. Although the paper adds to the architecture mentioned above, its contribution is mostly pedagogical in nature; it is hoped that it would be of some value to students in business and economics, as well as to entrepreneurs, business managers and governmental agents who are in charge of business and economic development.
Follow-up study in rheumatic subjects previously treated with prophylactic sulfanilamide

Summary 1. The course in fifty-five rheumatic subjects who had remained free of rheumatic activity while taking prophylactic sulfanilamide for one to three years has been observed after this therapy was stopped throughout one to five years, for a total of 174 patient-years. 2. The recurrence rate of active rheumatic fever was 9.7 per cent during the follow-up period. Patients who remained inactive and those who developed activity are analyzed in respect to length of treatment and data relevant to susceptibility factors. 3. In this group, there was no evidence of increased susceptibility to streptococcal infections and rheumatic activity at the time sulfanilamide was withdrawn. 4. Suggestions are made as to the types of patients probably best treated and the length of time treatment may be advisable in the various types.
A parametric study of slow shock Rankine‐Hugoniot solutions and critical Mach numbers

The relationship between Rankine-Hugoniot solutions and critical Mach numbers is studied. The range of upstream parameters for which the resistivity or thermal conduction provide all the dissipation required by the slow shock Rankine-Hugoniot relations are evaluated. The calculation of the critical Mach number by analyzing the flux of shock catching ions is examined. It is observed that the properties of slow shocks depend on shock normal angle, and the ratio of the sound and Alfven speeds upstream. The Rankine-Hugoniot solutions are applicable to the analysis of spacecraft observations of slow shocks.
Statistical Analysis and Simulation of Pentad Distributions of Stereoblock Polypropylenes

A method for simulating the microstructure of atacticisotactic stereoblock polypropylene is presented. This method uses a computer program to generate stereosequences based on alternating blocks of isotactic and atactic stereosequences. Trends in observable stereochemical pentad distributions are examined, revealing that the pentad distributions become invariant above block lengths of 50 monomer units. These simulations reveal that two polymers with identical observable isotactic pentad distributions may have very different microstructures and thus different physical properties. The spectrum of an actual polymer is compared to the simulations, and it is revealed that many possible block lengths give reasonable fits but that similar values for weight fractions are obtained for each fit.
The Communication of Meaning across Generations

The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of differences in age on the communication of meaning in dyads. In addition, the investigation probed the effects on communication of perceived versus actual similarity and dissimilarity of age and past experience. The results support the hypothesis that dyads of the same generation communicate meaning more effectively than dyads of different generations. The results did not support the hypothesis that people who perceive each other as similar communicate more effectively than those who perceive themselves as dissimilar to each other.
Rabies pre-exposure prophylaxis using intradermal human diploid cell vaccine: immunologic efficacy and cost-effectiveness in a university medical center and a review of selected literature.

The authors studied the antigenicity of intradermal human diploid cell rabies vaccine administered to 40 laboratory workers considered to be at-risk at the University of Virginia Medical Center. A 1-year postvaccination serology was determined for 20 of those 40, all of whom demonstrated an antirabies titer greater than or equal to 1:50 by the raped fluorescent focus inhibition test. By 2 years' postvaccination, 5 of 40 subjects had "unprotective levels" (less than 1:5), whereas 35 had titers greater than or equal to 1:5, and none had a titer greater than or equal to 1:50. Booster doses given to four subjects whose titers had declined produced a 1-month postvaccination antirabies titer greater than or equal to 1:50 in all cases. Vaccine administration by the intradermal rather than the intramuscular route resulted in a cost savings of $120 (U.S.) per employee. This data indicate that the intradermal administration of human diploid cell vaccine for rabies pre-exposure prophylaxis achieves an immunologic response thought to be protective while providing a substantial cost savings when compared with the intramuscular route of administration. Those who receive primary pre-exposure rabies vaccination should have serologic confirmation of immunologic protection every 2 years with a booster dose given to subjects demonstrating a titer less than 1:5.
The biosynthesis of glycerides and glycerophosphatides by rabbit reticulocytes

Abstract 1. 1. When rabbit reticulocytes were incubated with [1- 14 C]glycerol, radioactivity was incorporated into glycerides and glycerophosphatides but no radioactivity was present in their fatty acid moieties or in cholesterol. 2. 2. Lecithin and ethanolamine phosphatide together contained about 70% and the neutral lipids about 20% of the total radioactivity. The triglyceride, which comprised less than 2% of the lipids, had the highest specific activity of all the lipids. 3. 3. Experiments with other radioactive precursors of the phosphatides gave results which indicate that the minor phosphatides are metabolically much less active than lecithin and that the formation of lecithin from serine phosphatide or ethanol-amine phosphatide is quantitatively unimportant in these cells. 4. 4. Incubation of rabbit reticulocytes with [2- 3 H]inositol resulted in the formation of radioactive phosphoinositides. Most of this radioactivity was present in a monophosphoinositide.
On compressible turbulent-plane Couette flow.

Abstract : Equations describing compressible turbulent plane Couette flow for the case of equal heat transfer at both walls were developed for a perfect gas based on the von Karman mixing length model. This model was selected because of its good agreement with available turbulent plane Couette flow measurements of incompressible flow and furthermore, lacking compressible Couette flow data, it is shown by Spalding and Chi that those theories based on the von Karman model give best agreement with compressible turbulent boundary layer measurements. A sample calculation is given for the heat rate to the inner surface of a rail- guided slipper (representative of slippers supporting rocket boosted sleds) based on the assumption of a small air gap between both surfaces.
Turbulence Measurements in an Ejector Wing Flow Field

Consider the principle of an ejector [1]. In the simplest case, coaxial jets are confined to a duct rather than to a constant pressure atmosphere. For this flow field, the mass flow rate averaged mean axial momentum is not conserved and the static pressure may vary with downstream location. There will be an increase of pressure with increasing downstream position as the jet cores are being consumed by rapid shear layer mixing. In fact, the pressure may also continue to rise in the developing flow zone downstream of the disappearance of the cores. This pressure rise can be considered the source of the pumping effect of the ejector.
Localization of polarons: A calculation in the adiabatic approximation

We have calculated the properties of an extra charge carrier in a polar medium in using a realistic self-consistent tight-binding molecular-dynamics method at finite temperature. This approach permits a quantitative, realistic study of polaron structure at finite temperatures. Using rutile titanium dioxide, as an example, we report numerical data on the participation ratio as a function of temperature. The results are consistent for a transition from a delocalized to a localized polaron at a temperature below about 100 K. We interpret the observed localization as arising from an Anderson-like mechanism in which the disorder associated with the thermal motion of the atoms localizes the electron. We briefly discuss implications for transport. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society.
Treatment of Functional Dyspepsia and Gastroparesis

Functional dyspepsia (FD) and gastroparesis (GP) are the two most prevalent gastric neuromuscular disorders. These disorders are frequently confused, have more similarities than differences, and can be thought of as two ends of a continuous spectrum of gastric neuromuscular disorders (Fig. 1). FD is currently defined by the Rome III criteria; it is now subdivided into a pain-predominant subtype (epigastric pain syndrome) and a meal-associated subtype (post-prandial distress syndrome). GP is defined by symptoms in conjunction with delayed gastric emptying in the absence of mechanical obstruction. Symptoms for both FD and GP are similar and include epigastric pain or discomfort, early satiety, bloating, and post-prandial nausea. Vomiting can occur with either diagnosis; it is typically more common in GP. A patient suspected of having either FD or GP should undergo upper endoscopy. In suspected FD, upper endoscopy is required to exclude an alternative organic cause for the patient’s symptoms; however, most (70 %) patients with dyspeptic symptoms will have FD rather than an organic disorder. In suspected GP, upper endoscopy is required to rule out a mechanical obstruction. A 4-hour solid-phase gastric emptying scan is recommended to confirm the diagnosis of GP; its utility is unclear in patients with FD, as it may not change treatment. Once the diagnosis of FD or GP is made, treatment should focus on the predominant symptom. This is especially true in patients with GP, as accelerating gastric emptying with the use of prokinetics may not necessarily translate into an improvement in symptoms. Unfortunately, no medication is currently approved for the treatment of FD and, thus, technically, all treatment options remain off-label, including medications for visceral pain (e.g., tricyclic antidepressants) and nausea. This review focuses on treatment options for FD and GP with an emphasis on new advances in the field over the last several years.
Interaction between enkephalin and dopamine in the avian retina.

Abstract Biochemical and pharmacological techniques were utilized to investigate the interaction between the enkephalinergic and dopaminergic systems in the chicken retina. Exogenously applied enkephalin and its analogues were observed to inhibit the release of preloaded dopamine from the retina. This inhibition was concentration-dependent and was suppressed by the opiate antagonist, naloxone. The relationship between enkephalinergic and dopaminergic amacrine cells was studied in retinas which were subjected to 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) treatments. 6-OHDA degenerated approximately 80–90% of those cells which exhibit high affinity uptake of [3H]dopamine. In 6-OHDA-treated retinas, the capacity of 3H-labelled [ d -Ala2]methionine enkephalinamide to bind specifically to opiate receptors was substantially reduced (only 70–75% of the control). Scatchard analyses and ligand displacement studies indicated that this decrease in binding was due to a reduction in the number of opiate receptors. Taken together, these observations strongly indicate that a fraction of the opiate receptors in the chicken retina (25–30%) are closely associated with the population of dopaminergic amacrine cells.
An extensive network of coupling among gene expression machines

Gene expression in eukaryotes requires several multi-component cellular machines. Each machine carries out a separate step in the gene expression pathway, which includes transcription, several pre-messenger RNA processing steps and the export of mature mRNA to the cytoplasm. Recent studies lead to the view that, in contrast to a simple linear assembly line, a complex and extensively coupled network has evolved to coordinate the activities of the gene expression machines. The extensive coupling is consistent with a model in which the machines are tethered to each other to form 'gene expression factories' that maximize the efficiency and specificity of each step in gene expression.
Host factors LR1 and Sp1 regulate the Fp promoter of Epstein-Barr virus

Abstract The Epstein-Barr virus EBNA-1 gene product is essential for latent replication of the virus. In transformed cells characterized by the most restricted patterns of viral latent gene expression, EBNA-1 transcription is driven from the Fp promoter. We have used genetic and biochemical techniques to study the promoter-proximal elements that regulate Fp expression in B cells. We show that a 114-bp fragment of DNA spanning the Fp "TATA" box functions as a remarkably active transcriptional regulatory element in B cells. Two host factors, Sp1 and LR1, regulate Fp transcription from the promoter-proximal region. Sp1 binds a single site just downstream of the TATA box, and LR1 binds two sites just upstream of the TATA box. Transcripts from both the viral genome and the minimal promoter initiate at the same unique site, and one function of LR1 at Fp is to direct initiation to this unique start site. In contrast to Sp1, which is ubiquitous, LR1 is present only in activated B cells and may contribute to cell-type-specific transformation by Epstein-Barr virus.
Cell Wall Loosening by Expansins

In his 1881 book, The Power of Movement in Plants , Darwin described a now classic experiment in which he directed a tiny shaft of sunlight onto the tip of a grass seedling. The region below the coleoptile tip subsequently curved toward the light, leading to the notion of a transmissible growth
Quantitative measurements of deep-sea channels on the Cocos Ridge, East Central Pacific

Abstract Precision depth records taken during Criss-Cross Expedition 1963 show deep-sea channels, about 1 km wide, at depths of 1400 to 2800 m on the Cocos submarine ridge. The channels are near the thalwegs of broad (about 30 km wide) submarine valleys, which trend normal to the long axis of the ridge. A closed depression at the landward end of the ridge and a central saddle prevent continental material from being transported by bottom currents into the region of the channels. The currents that produce the channels carry only oceanic sediments. Local turbidity currents, laden with ash, erupted from the numerous submarine volcanoes on the ridge, possibly carve the channels. Hydraulic functions (Leopold and Maddock, 1953) for the channels calculated at bankfall stages are : (1) W = 11·2 Q ·39 ; (2) D = 0·.43 Q 0·32 : and (3) V = o·21 Q 0·29 . The hydraulic functions show that in a downslope direction the channel depth is maintained at the expense of the width, which suggest a cchannel flow that (1) has its sediment load concentrated near the base, but (2) deposits chiefly on its flanks probably by overbank spillage.
Radiative transfer in an isotropically scattering two-region slab with reflecting boundaries

Abstract The problem of radiative heat transfer in an absorbing, emitting, isotropically scattering two-layer slab with diffusely and specularly reflecting boundaries is solved by the FN method and results are presented for the transmissivity and reflectivity of the slab.
Kinetic Dynamcs in an αHl-Based Nanopore DNA Sequencer

The prospect of DNA sequencing by a nanopore device has received significant attention in the past decade. One suggested approach involves tethering an exonuclease enzyme to an α-hemolysin (αHL) monomer, while the assembled and embedded pore maintains nominal function. In this proposal, processive cleavage of 2’-deoxynucleoside 5’-monophosphates (dNMPs) by the exonuclease enables identification of the cleaved units. This strategy aims to accomplish rapid and robust DNA sequencing by employing time vs. electrical-current recording of individual dNMPs that are sequentially captured at a constriction site located within the nanopore. If achieved, this accomplishment would mark a significant milestone towards the $1000-genome target set by the NIH.Here we present a Brownian dynamics simulation of the αHL nanopore that mimics the proposed conditions for an exonuclease sequencing device. Analyte motion is described by combining diffusion, electrophoretic drift, and electroosmotic flow over relevant distances and kinetic time scales, ranging from nanoseconds to microseconds. By implementing the algorithm on a distributed computer network, we achieve sufficient iterations to explore the impact of variable parameters such as dNMP size, pore geometry, applied electric field strength, the pore's ion selectivity, the analyte's electrophoretic mobility, and the analyte's diffusive behavior inside and outside the pore. We also decouple the driving factors that give rise to analyte translation and detection. The data show that thermal motion typically overwhelms unidirectional forces at nanoscale dimensions. The analysis also suggests ways to potentially improve DNA sequencing fidelity.
CMOS Integrated Nano-Photonics is now a Commercial Technology

Summary form only given. It has become apparent, that silicon technology can provide many of the requirements for nano-photonic integration, including many of the common opto-electronic components. Intel and Luxtera have both recently announced 10 Gb/sec optical modulators, integrated into silicon. Actually, all the other customarily required opto-electronic components are available now in silicon, as well. Continuous wave optical power can be provided from off-chip, just as dc power is currently provided from off-chip. The first commercial applications are emerging, are optical 10 Gb/s Ethernet, and Infiniband, a standard for communicating among multi-processors in an array, and in general, optical substitutes for electrical cables.
Children and Youth in Foster Care

Describes the challenges confronting children and youth in foster care and makes recommendations for working with these children
Dual effect of beta-adrenergic receptors on mitogen-activated protein kinase. Evidence for a beta gamma-dependent activation and a G alpha s-cAMP-mediated inhibition.

The enzymatic activity of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAP kinases) increases in response to agents acting on a variety of cell surface receptors, including receptors linked to heterotrimeric G proteins of the Gi and Gq family. Recently, it has been shown that stimulation of β-adrenergic receptors, which are typical of those that act through Gs to activate adenylyl cyclases, potently activates MAP kinases in the heart, resulting in the hypertrophy of the cardiac muscle (Lazou, A., Bogoyevitch, M. A., Clerk, A., Fuller, S. J., Marshall, C. J., and Sudgen, P. H.(1994) Circ. Res. 75, 938-941). We have observed that exposure of COS-7 cells to a β-adrenergic agonist, isoproterenol, raises intracellular levels of cAMP and effectively activates protein kinase A (PKA) and an epitope-tagged MAP kinase. However, MAP kinase stimulation by isoproterenol was neither mimicked by expression of an activated mutant of Gαs, nor by treatment with PKA-stimulating agents. Moreover, pretreatment of COS-7 with a permeable cAMP analog, 8-Br-cAMP, markedly decreased MAP kinase activation by either isoproterenol or epidermal growth factor. Thus, in COS-7 cells cAMP and PKA do not appear to mediate MAP kinase activation by β-adrenergic receptors. Signaling from β-adrenergic receptors to MAP kinase was inhibited by transfection of a chimeric molecule consisting of the CD8 receptor and the carboxyl terminus of the β-adrenergic receptor kinase, which includes the βγ-binding domain. MAP kinase activation by isoproterenol was not affected by depletion of protein kinase C, but it was completely abolished by expression of Ras-inhibiting molecules. We conclude that signaling from β-adrenergic receptors to MAP kinase involves an activating signal mediated by βγ subunits acting on a Ras-dependent pathway and a Gαs-induced inhibitory signal mediated by cAMP and PKA. The balance between these two opposing mechanisms of regulation would be expected to control the MAP kinase response to β-adrenergic agonists as well as to other biologically active agents known to act on Gs coupled receptors, including a number of hormones, neurotransmitters, and lipid mediators.
Cannabis use and HIV antiretroviral therapy adherence and HIV-related symptoms

Occasional cannabis use has been associated with increased antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence and relief of HIV symptoms, while heavy use has been associated with low ART adherence and negative psychological symptoms. The purpose of the present study was to investigate differences between non-cannabis use (NC), non-dependent cannabis use (C), and dependent use (CD) in terms of ART adherence and HIV symptoms/ART side effects. A cross-sectional sample of 180 HIV+ individuals (78.3 % male) completed measures of substance use and psychopathology, medication adherence, and HIV symptoms/ART side effects. Adherence was also measured via pill count, viral load, and CD4 count. Results indicated that the CD group reported lower adherence and greater HIV symptoms/ART side effects than the other two groups, with no differences observed between NC and C groups. There is a clinical need to address dependent cannabis use among those prescribed ART. Further examination is needed to ascertain the functions of cannabis use among individuals with HIV.
Recovery of CO2 from flue gas using an electrochemical membrane

A novel process has been designed for the economic production of very pure carbon dioxide from flue gas. Using a molten carbonate fuel cell stack as an electrically-driven membrane concentrator, a portion of the carbon dioxide in the flue gas, along with some oxygen, is emitted as a product stream. The oxygen is recycled to enrich the flue gas entering the concentrator. Preliminary economics appear favorable, with carbon dioxide produced at $21 per ton, this product is, however, in a binary mixture with oxygen and must be separated for final use, this mixture is suitable for standard means of separation. The cost is sensitive to the cost of electricity and the installed cost of the fuel-cell stack, as can be seen in Table 1. The projected cost, however, is significantly below the typical $70 per ton sales price for carbon dioxide, so that the process could be viable at higher electricity and equipment charges.
Tetraalkylphosphonium trihalides. Room temperature ionic liquids as halogenation reagents.

Six room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) comprised of a tetraalkylphosphonium cation (tridecylmethyphosphonium or trihexyltetradecylphosphonium) and a trihalide anion (Br3−, BrCl2−, or ClBr2−) have been prepared and characterized. Their ability to effect halogenation reactions with a variety of substrates has been explored. In general, halogenation reactions of alkenes proceed with high yields and stereo- and regioselectivities, whether performed in the absence or presence of a solvent (chloroform). Reactions of an alkyne and electrophilic substitution on an aromatic ring have been investigated as well. The facile preparation of the salts, their ease of handling, and the simplicity of product isolation should make these RTILs useful additions to the repertoire of halogenation reagents and the reagents of choice for specific transformations.
Continuous backward-wave generation by degenerate four-wave mixing in optical fibers

We report on the observation of cw backward-wave generation using degenerate four-wave mixing in a nonresonant medium. The interaction took place inside a 3-m-long CS2-filled 4-µm i.d. optical fiber. With a pump power of only 6 mW inside the fiber, a backward-wave conversion efficiency of 0.45% has been observed, which is in reasonable agreement with theoretical predictions.
Environmental endocrine disruption: an effects assessment and analysis.

This report is an overview of the current state of the science relative to environmental endocrine disruption in humans, laboratory testing, and wildlife species. Background information is presented on the field of endocrinology, the nature of hormones, and potential sites for endocrine disruption, with specific examples of chemicals affecting these sites. An attempt is made to present objectively the issue of endocrine disruption, consider working hypotheses, offer opposing viewpoints, analyze the available information, and provide a reasonable assessment of the problem. Emphasis is placed on disruption of central nervous system--pituitary integration of hormonal and sexual behavioral activity, female and male reproductive system development and function, and thyroid function. In addition, the potential role of environmental endocrine disruption in the induction of breast, testicular, and prostate cancers, as well as endometriosis, is evaluated. The interrelationship of the endocrine and immune system is documented. With respect to endocrine-related ecological effects, specific case examples from the peer-reviewed literature of marine invertebrates and representatives of the five classes of vertebrates are presented and discussed. The report identifies some data gaps in our understanding of the environmental endocrine disruption issue and recommends a few research needs. Finally, the report states the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Science Policy Council's interim position on endocrine disruption and lists some of the ongoing activities to deal with this matter.
Synthesis of a novel cellulose nanowhisker-based drug delivery system

Recently, cellulose nanowhiskers have attracted attention as a promising material in the biomedical field because of their outstanding properties such as hydrophilicity, biocompatibility, biodegradability, and high surface area. In this work, we prepared a novel nanometric carrier molecule for amine-containing biologically active molecules and drugs employing functionalized cellulose nanowhiskers. The nanowhiskers were grafted with a spacer molecule, gamma aminobutyric acid, using a periodate oxidation and Schiff's base condensation reaction sequence. To achieve controlled and rapid delivery of the targeting moiety, syringyl alcohol, a releasable linker, was then attached to it. All the reactions were carried out in aqueous media and the resulting products were characterized by FT-IR, NMR, XPS, and TEM experiments to evaluate the functional groups, structure, and morphology respectively.
Earthenware production and distribution in the prehispanic Philippine polity of Tanjay: results from laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS)

This paper presents the results of laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) analysis of low-fired earthenware from the prehispanic trading polity of Tanjay (c. A.D. 500–1600) in the central Philippines. The goal of this project was to determine whether or not the compositional analysis of ceramics could be used to examine the organization of pottery production and exchange relationships in the Bais-Tanjay region of Negros Island. Results indicate that at least five distinct groups of ceramics can be differentiated based on elemental compositions and that pottery production was both a part-time, dispersed endeavor and a full-time, likely centralized, craft. In addition, a number of compositional outliers in the ceramic dataset suggest that interregional trade took place, with pottery made outside the Bais-Tanjay region being imported, especially by upland swidden farmers.
Interesting four-quark states besides xi (2220).

We point out the the four-quark (ss\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}ss\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}) ${0}^{++}$ interpretation of the \ensuremath{\xi}(2220) state anticipates other narrow ${0}^{++}$ states near thresholds for (ss\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}cc\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}), (cc\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}cc\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}), (ss\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}bb\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}), (cc\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}bb\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}), and (bb\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}bb\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}). The most accessible state may be the (cc\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}cc\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}) state near 8 GeV, which can be produced in \ensuremath{\Upsilon}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}${0}^{++}$(cc\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}cc\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{})+\ensuremath{\gamma} with a branching ratio B(\ensuremath{\Upsilon}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}${0}^{++}$+\ensuremath{\gamma}) at the level of 1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}4}$ or a little lower.
On Data-Driven Modeling and Simulation of Aero-Thermo-Mechanically Degrading Nonlinear Continuum Systems

Recent advances on data-driven application systems, sensor and computational technologies as well as long-term needs for efficient and accurate systemic behavior prediction monitoring in the context of realistic system design and maintenance, have brought degrading continuum systems modeling and simulation in the forefront of our activities. This paper outlines the initial steps of a methodology for applying a data-driven inverse-problem approach on the area of modeling mass-conserving degrading thermo-mechanical multi-domain nonlinear continuum structural and material systems. The methodology is applied for composite materials under simultaneous mechanical and thermal multi-field excitation and is based on mechatronic and computational automation. Furthermore, the multi-domain multiphysics modeling necessary for addressing the fluid-structure interaction involved in such systems is also discussed in the context of jet platforms with aerodynamically induced heating. Finally, simulation demonstrations are presented for the F-16 fighter jet and for a sensor-driven data solution reconstruction of an aircraft wing to demonstrate the potential for developing a material and structural health monitoring system based on he concept of dissipated energy density as a material health metric.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Avant-garde videogames

We can identify and critique avant-garde videogames by drawing on the formal and political modes of the historical avant-gardes.
Approximate solutions of viscous incompressible flow around fluid spheres at intermediate reynoldc's numbers

Approximate solutions of viscous incompressible flow around fluid spheres were presented. Expressions for stream functions approximately satisfying equations of motion for both exterior and interior fluid were obtained using Galerkin's method with the inclusion of inertial terms for both equations. The retention of inertial terms of the interior fluid was found to have insignificant effect on the flow behavior of exterior fluid. However, the circulation velocity within the fluid sphere was found to increase with the increase of the internal Reynold's number, which may be of importance to the study of mass transfer within fluid spheres. On a presente des solutions approximatives en rapport avec l'ecoulement visqueux et incompressible autour de spheres fluides. On a etabli des formules pour les fonctions du courant (lesquelles concordent a peu pres avec les equations du mouvement a l'exterieur et a l'interieur d'un fluide), en utilisant la methode Calerkin et y ajoutant des termes d'inertie pour les deux equations. On a trouve que l'emploi des termes d'inertie pour le fluide interieur n'avait aucun effet significatif sur le comportement de l'ecoulement du fluide exterieur. On a toutefois, constate que la velocite de la circulation dans la sphere fluide augmentait avec le nombre de Reynolds interne, ce qui peut avoir de l'importance pour l'etude du transfert de masse dans les spheres fluides.
Impact of adversity on functioning and comorbidity in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

ABSTRACT Objective Prior research on risk factors for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has shown that familial risk factors play a role in the disorder's etiology. This study investigated whether features of the family environment were associated with ADHD. Method One hundred forty children with ADHD and 120 normal control probands were studied. Subjects were Caucasian, non-Hispanic males between the ages of 6 and 17 years. Exposure to parental psychopathology and exposure to parental conflict were used as indicators of adversity, and their impact on ADHD and ADHD-related psychopathology and dysfunction in children was assessed. Results Increased levels of environmental adversity were found among ADHD compared with control probands. The analyses showed significant associations between the index of parental conflict and several of the measures of psychopathology and psychosocial functioning in the children. In contrast, the index of exposure to parental psychopathology had a much narrower impact, affecting primarily the child's use of leisure time and externalizing symptoms. Conclusion A relationship appears to exist between adversity indicators and the risk for ADHD as well as for its associated impairments in multiple domains. These findings confirm previous work and stress the importance of adverse family-environment variables as risk factors for children who have ADHD.