cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Envelope Protein Glycosylation Mediates Zika Virus Pathogenesis.

Zika virus (ZIKV) is an emerging mosquito-borne flavivirus. Recent ZIKV outbreaks have produced serious human disease, including neurodevelopmental malformations (congenital Zika syndrome) and Guillain-Barre syndrome. These outcomes were not associated with ZIKV infection prior to 2013, raising the possibility that viral genetic changes could contribute to new clinical manifestations. All contemporary ZIKV isolates encode an N-linked glycosylation site in the envelope (E) protein (N154), but this glycosylation site is absent in many historical ZIKV isolates. Here, we investigated the role of E protein glycosylation in ZIKV pathogenesis using two contemporary Asian-lineage strains (H/PF/2013 and PRVABC59) and the historical African-lineage strain (MR766). We found that glycosylated viruses were highly pathogenic in Ifnar1-/- mice. In contrast, nonglycosylated viruses were attenuated, producing lower viral loads in the serum and brain when inoculated subcutaneously but remaining neurovirulent when inoculated intracranially. These results suggest that E glycosylation is advantageous in the periphery but not within the brain. Accordingly, we found that glycosylation facilitated infection of cells expressing the lectins dendritic cell-specific intercellular adhesion molecule-3-grabbing nonintegrin (DC-SIGN) or DC-SIGN-related (DC-SIGNR), suggesting that inefficient infection of lectin-expressing leukocytes could contribute to the attenuation of nonglycosylated ZIKV in mice.IMPORTANCE It is unclear why the ability of Zika virus (ZIKV) to cause serious disease, including Guillain-Barre syndrome and birth defects, was not recognized until recent outbreaks. One contributing factor could be genetic differences between contemporary ZIKV strains and historical ZIKV strains. All isolates from recent outbreaks encode a viral envelope protein that is glycosylated, whereas many historical ZIKV strains lack this glycosylation. We generated nonglycosylated ZIKV mutants from contemporary and historical strains and evaluated their virulence in mice. We found that nonglycosylated viruses were attenuated and produced lower viral loads in serum and brains. Our studies suggest that envelope protein glycosylation contributes to ZIKV pathogenesis, possibly by facilitating attachment to and infection of lectin-expressing leukocytes.
The MitoNEET Ligand NL-1 Mediates Antileukemic Activity in Drug-Resistant B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Disease relapse in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), either due to development of acquired resistance after therapy or because of de novo resistance, remains a therapeutic challenge. In the present study, we have developed a cytarabine (Ara-C)-resistant REH cell line (REH/Ara-C) as a chemoresistance model. REH/Ara-C 1) was not crossresistant to vincristine or methotrexate; 2) showed a similar proliferation rate and cell surface marker expression as parental REH; 3) demonstrated decreased chemotaxis toward bone marrow stromal cells; and 4) expressed higher transcript levels of cytidine deaminase (CDA) and mitoNEET (CISD1) than the parental REH cell line. Based on these findings, we tested NL-1, a mitoNEET inhibitor, which induced a concentration-dependent decrease in cell viability with a comparable IC50 value in REH and REH/Ara-C. Furthermore, NL-1 decreased cell viability in six different ALL cell lines and showed inhibitory activity in a hemosphere assay. NL-1 also impaired the migratory ability of leukemic cells, irrespective of the chemoattractant used, in a chemotaxis assay. More importantly, NL-1 showed specific activity in inducing death in a drug-resistant population of leukemic cells within a coculture model that mimicked the acquired resistance and de novo resistance observed in the bone marrow of relapsed patients. Subsequent studies indicated that NL-1 mediates autophagy, and inhibition of autophagy partially decreased NL-1-induced tumor cell death. Finally, NL-1 showed antileukemic activity in an in vivo mouse ALL model. Taken together, our study demonstrates that mitoNEET has potential as a novel antileukemic drug target in treatment refractory or relapsed ALL.
Hospital Data Interpretation: A Self-Organizing Map Approach.

It is not feasible to attempt to interpret complex health care data with large dimensions using typical 2D or 3D charts, diagrams, or graphs. It is helpful to be able to correlate the dimensions against one another to discover new patterns and obtain fresh knowledge. Effective interpretation of the statistical data, collected from health care centers, helps physicians and clinicians to improve their efficiency and the quality of care. This work has used different types of Self-Organizing Maps (SOM) in order to provide visual interpretability of the collected data to the hospital administration. Using the approach presented in this work, existing correlations among different attributes of collected data can be discovered and utilized to uncover hidden patterns. We illustrate how Self-Organizing Maps can be effectively used in interpretation of health care and similar data.
Benchmarking analysis of a novel thermocline hybrid thermal energy storage system using steelmaking slag pebbles as packed-bed filler material for central receiver applications

Abstract The aim of this research is to provide the techno-economic and benchmarking analysis of a 100 MWe class molten salt central receiver system using a thermocline hybrid thermal energy storage (TES) system versus conventional two-tank storage. The techno-economic analysis used has been carried out by means of specifically developed transient simulation models to find out a robust comparison between technologies. Thermal energy from storage, annual net electricity production and Levelized Cost of Electricity are the concise and comprehensive figures of merit of this study. An exhaustive effort has been made in order to achieve a well-founded comparison between concentrated solar power plants with equivalent storage system designs in terms of capacity factor and performance. Finally, this research demonstrates that the thermocline hybrid TES system provides a reliable cost effective storage solution that achieves the same Levelized Cost of Electricity as state-of-the-art technology. This is achieved due to the competitive price of the steelmaking slag pebbles versus molten salts, a revalorized processed steel by-product waste from the metallurgical industry used as packed-bed solid filler material for thermocline tanks. The results of this research open an attractive potential for cost reduction in the concentrated solar power sector, a key competitive value for a new market opportunity.
Collision-Induced Unfolding Studies of Proteins and Protein Complexes using Drift Tube Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometer

Elucidating the structures and stabilities of proteins and their complexes is paramount to understanding their biological functions in cellular processes. Native mass spectrometry (MS) coupled with ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) is emerging as an important biophysical technique owing to its high sensitivity, rapid analysis time, and ability to interrogate sample complexity or heterogeneity and the ability to probe protein structure dynamics. Here, a commercial IMS-MS platform has been modified for static native ESI emitters and an extended mass-to-charge range (20 kDa m/z) and its performance capabilities and limits were explored for a range of protein and protein complexes. The results show new potential for this instrument platform for studies of large protein and protein complexes and provides a roadmap for extending the performance metrics for studies of even larger, more complex systems, namely, membrane protein complexes and their interactions with ligands.
Ingestible Sensors and Medication Adherence: Focus on Use in Serious Mental Illness.

Background Poor medication adherence is a major public health concern. Patients living with a serious mental illness (SMI) commonly present with non-adherence to their medication regimen, which can lead to relapse and hospitalizations. The high rates of antipsychotic non-adherence continue to persist despite several interventions and medication advances. This review evaluates the possible role of the ingestible sensor technology for medication adherence in different conditions, with a focus on use in the SMI schizophrenia. Methods Literature searches were conducted in July 2019 in the PubMed database. Results In small studies of ingestible sensor use, the average adherence ranged from 73.9% to 88.6% for SMI and ≥ 80% for cardiac and transplant (99.4%) patients. In SMI studies, patients were clinically stable, and the majority had a clinical global impression severity of "mild disease". Patients generally experienced relatively minor dermatological adverse effects related to wearable sensor use. Conclusions A medication with an ingestible sensor may help provide real-time objective medication-taking adherence information for clinicians. However, further studies are needed to understand the impact of use on adherence and improvement on treatment outcomes with the ingestible sensor technology.
The anticipatory politics of dispossession in a Senegalese mining negotiation

The concept of accumulation by dispossession is often mobilized in political ecological and geographical literature, to explain the ways that capitalist accumulation depends on the violent and extra-economic seizure of land and resources. Yet dispossession is also mobilized as a fear about the future, as a way of articulating historical and non-capitalist motivations for land expropriation, and as an avenue for political action. Amid negotiations for a heavy mineral sands mine in the Casamance region of Senegal, narratives of dispossession circulated frequently, even though no mining had yet taken place. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork and qualitative interviews, this article examines the contentious politics around the proposed mine, which mobilize multiple timescales. In this context, activists and village residents have engaged in an anticipatory politics that is influenced by past and present processes of land occupancy, environmental change, and state disinvestment, and is aimed at contesting potential dispossessions to come, making claims to resources, and securing a place in the imagined future. At the same time, state and corporate actors have engaged in their own anticipatory actions, through environmental impact assessments and other technologies of prediction that minimize, invalidate, or circumvent anti-dispossession movements. This article argues that experiences of and resistances to dispossession are mediated by the folding together of temporal frames and diverse displacements. In particular, it attends to anticipation as a key temporal mechanism through which dispossession is both enacted and contested. As such, it contributes to political ecology by combining materialist conceptions of dispossession and displacement with theorizations of anticipation and the future. Keywords : accumulation by dispossession, anticipatory politics, mining, Senegal
Financial Analytics Toolkit: Financial Statement Forecasting

Managers need to be comfortable with financial statement forecasting. Forecasts allow managers to plan properly by weighing consequences and preparing for outcomes. A less-recognized but equally important benefit is that the act of forecasting forces managers to make explicit the many links that exist between decisions, possibly drawing attention to constraints that otherwise might have been overlooked. This is particularly important since financial statements integrate the financial and operating decisions of a firm. This note focuses on forecasting in the context of decision-making. Aspects of forecasting explored include: revenue growth estimates, sources of error, assumptions, typical ratios, and the T-account approach. It also includes a detailed example of a typical financial forecast. The concepts are applied to the hypothetical firm Morgan Industries, a setting that has been integrated across all the Financial Analytics Toolkit series of technical notes.While this note focuses on financial statements, the forecasting techniques described herein are readily transferred to related contexts, such as building cash-flow forecasts and using ratios to evaluate financial performance. Excerpt UVA-F-1928 Dec. 4, 2019 Financial Analytics Toolkit: Financial Statement Forecasting Managers need to be comfortable with financial statement forecasting. Forecasts allow managers to plan properly by weighing consequences and preparing for outcomes. A less-recognized but equally important benefit is that the act of forecasting forces managers to make explicit the many links that exist between decisions, possibly drawing attention to constraints that otherwise might have been overlooked. This is particularly important since financial statements integrate the financial and operating decisions of a firm. While this note focuses on financial statements, the forecasting techniques described herein are readily transferred to related contexts, such as building cash-flow forecasts and using ratios to evaluate financial performance. Furthermore, while forecasts can be generated for many reasons, this note will focus on the use of forecasting in the context of decision-making. Thus the two most important criteria for forecasts are that they be unbiased (neither optimistic nor pessimistic) and consistent (rationally constructed from all the available information). The need to be unbiased follows directly from the role of financial statements in decision-making: biased forecasts lead to biased decisions. Consistency is the ultimate measure of forecast quality. Growth Estimates and Consistency . . .
Medial Apophysitis in Adolescent Throwers

Adolescent overhead throwing athletes repeatedly place supra-physiologic strain on the immature humeral medial epicondyle. This overload can lead to medial epicondyle apophysitis—often referred to as “Little Leaguer’s Elbow.” Medial epicondyle apophysitis denotes an inflammation of the physis due to repeated distal tugging from the contracting forearm common flexor-pronator mass and ulnar collateral ligament (UCL). Valgus stress during the pitching motion peaks in the late cocking and early acceleration phase of throwing and can lead to the widening of the physis, bone marrow edema, and in more severe cases, fragmentation of the apophysis. These pathologies cause medial elbow pain in young throwers, which becomes aggravated while throwing and generally dissipates with rest. Medial epicondyle apophysitis lies within the same spectrum of youth throwing-related injuries as medial epicondyle avulsion fractures, capitellar osteochondritis dissecans, and posteromedial impingement, among others. These injuries can cause deterioration of performance and loss-of-play in a throwing athlete. Though long-term data are lacking, experts widely agree that with appropriate first-line non-operative treatment in the form of an extended period of rest, symptoms will resolve, and play can resume.
Predicting Fiscal Crises: A Machine Learning Approach

In this paper I assess the ability of econometric and machine learning techniques to predict fiscal crises out of sample. I show that the econometric approaches used in many policy applications cannot outperform a simple heuristic rule of thumb. Machine learning techniques (elastic net, random forest, gradient boosted trees) deliver significant improvements in accuracy. Performance of machine learning techniques improves further, particularly for developing countries, when I expand the set of potential predictors and make use of algorithmic selection techniques instead of relying on a small set of variables deemed important by the literature. There is considerable agreement across learning algorithms in the set of selected predictors: Results confirm the importance of external sector stock and flow variables found in the literature but also point to demographics and the quality of governance as important predictors of fiscal crises. Fiscal variables appear to have less predictive value, and public debt matters only to the extent that it is owed to external creditors.
Scalable and Compact 3D Tensorized Photonic Neural Networks

We propose a scalable and compact 3D tensorized photonic neural network with high-radix (1024×1024) synaptic interconnections implemented by cascaded small-radix (10×10) photonic tensor-train cores. Our architecture exhibits 171.8-dB lower insertion loss and 582× fewer MZIs.
An Economic Analysis of Poaching: Linking with Village Characteristics surrounding A Protected Area

Poaching represents one of the most important issues in wildlife management and biodiversity conservation. In this paper, we analyzed effects of socioeconomic, institutional, and locational charact...
Stromal remodeling regulates dendritic cell abundance and activity in the tumor microenvironment

Stimulatory dendritic cells (SDC), enriched within Batf3-DC (cDC1), engage in productive interactions with CD8+ effectors along tumor-stroma boundaries. The paradoxical accumulation of "poised" cross-presenting Batf3-DC within stromal sheets, distal to tumoral nests, is unlikely to simply reflect passive exclusion away from immunosuppressive tumor cores. Drawing parallels with embryonic morphogenesis, we hypothesized that invasive margin stromal remodeling may generate developmentally conserved cell-fate cues that regulate Batf3-DC behavior. We find that CD8+ T-cells massively infiltrate tumor matrices undergoing proteoglycan versican (VCAN) proteolysis, an essential organ-sculpting modification in development and adult tissue-plane forging. VCAN proteolysis releases a bioactive fragment (matrikine), versikine, that is necessary and sufficient for Batf3-DC accumulation. Versikine does not influence tumor-seeding pre-DC differentiation; rather, it orchestrates a distinctive activation program conferring exquisite sensitivity to DNA-sensing, coupled with survival support from atypical innate lymphoid cells. Thus, homeostatic signals from stroma invasion regulate SDC survival and activity to promote T-cell inflammation. HIGHLIGHTSO_LITumor stroma remodeling generates cross-presenting DC survival and activation cues. C_LIO_LIStromal-activated Batf3-DC are hypersensitive to dsDNA-sensing. C_LIO_LIStromal signals promote atypical innate lymphoid cells (GM-CSFhi/ IFN{gamma}lo). C_LIO_LIT-cell repriming by stroma-licensed Batf3-DC may overcome exclusion at tumor margins. C_LI
Intuitions About Lagrangian Optimization

We expose a weakness in an intuitive description popularly associated with the method of Lagrange multipliers and propose an alternative intuition. According to the deficient intuition, the Lagrange technique transforms a constrained optimization problem into an unconstrained optimization problem. This is both mathematically incorrect, and in some contexts contrary to a basic understanding of economic principles. In fact, as is probably understood by most instructors, solutions to the Lagrange conditions for a constrained optimization problem are generally saddle points, an observation typically included in advanced treatments of mathematical economics. At the introductory level, however, instructors often ‘cut corners’ and emphasize that the first-order conditions associated with the method of Lagrange multipliers are essentially the same as for an unconstrained optimization problem, hence leading to an incorrect intuition. We propose an alternative intuition that introduces the Lagrangian function as a perturbation of the original objective function. We characterize a constrained optimum as a point at which all the derivatives of a suitable perturbation must vanish. The paper is both useful for instructors of introductory courses in mathematical methods for economics and also can be used to provide enrichment to students for this very important mathematical technique.
Spatial patterns of climate and irrigation in Pakistan: A multivariate statistical approach

Drawing upon a new bank of climatic data for Pakistan a number of spatial relations are presented. Climatic regionalization using cluster analysis clearly defines the existing climatic patterns to provide a multilevel classification of utilitarian value. Some explanation of the patterns derived through cluster analysis is obtained using factor analysis. This indicates that spatial variations are largely explained by thermal differences while precipitation patterns are secondary in importance. The resulting spatial structure of climate is used to assess climate-irrigation relationships in Pakistan; it is found that explanation of the density of irrigation activity requires inputs other than accumulated climatic data.
Genomic Instability in Cancer

Solid tumours have abnormal, deficient vascular and lymphatic systems. As a result, perfusion within these malignancies is inadequate and chaotic, and the cancers contain regions that are transiently and chronically exposed to low pH, severe hypoxia and nutrient deprivation. These microenvironmental inadequacies are present from the earliest point in the development of solid tumours, and are fully established while the neoplasms are still microscopic. Exposures to acidic and hypoxic environments have been shown to produce a wide range of cytogenetic changes. These include increases in mutation frequencies; deficits in DNA repair; DNA overreplication and gene amplification; the induction of chromosomal fragile sites, triggering genomic rearrangements; and changes in gene expression. Moreover, exposure of cells to adverse microenvironments such as those in solid tumours selects for cells which have defects in the structure or expression of the genes that normally regulate cell proliferation. The genetic changes and selection pressures induced by hypoxia may be critical in causing the development of the genomic instability and genetic heterogeneity which is characteristic of solid tumours and in fostering the evolution of relatively benign cell populations in solid tumours to increasingly malignant, increasingly aggressive phenotypes.
Physiology of Extreme Altitude

The sections in this article are: 1 Barometric Pressure 2 Pulmonary Gas Exchange 2.1 Alveolar Gas Composition 2.2 Blood Gases and Acid-Base Status 3 Maximal Oxygen Consumption 4 Cardiovascular System 5 Other Features 5.1 Central Nervous System 5.2 Sleep 5.3 Metabolic Changes
Actin and myosin in Gregarina polymorpha.

Actin and two class XIV unconventional myosins have been cloned from Gregarina polymorpha, a large protozoan parasite inhabiting the gut of the mealworm Tenebrio molitor. These proteins were most similar to their homologues expressed in the coccidian and haemosporidian Apicomplexa such as Toxoplasma and Plasmodium despite the significant morphological differences among these parasites. Both actin and G. polymorpha myosin A (GpMyoA), a 92.6-kDa protein characterized by a canonical myosin head domain and short, highly basic tail, localized to both the longitudinally-disposed surface membrane folds (epicytic folds) of the parasite as well as to the subjacent rib-like myonemes that gird the parasite cortex. G. polymorpha myosin B (GpMyoB), a 96.3-kDa myosin, localized exclusively to the epicytic folds of the parasite. Both myosins were tightly associated with the cortical cytoskeleton and were solubilized only with a combination of high salt and detergent. Both GpMyoA and GpMyoB could bind to actin in an ATP-sensitive fashion. The distribution of actin and the unconventional myosins in G. polymorpha was consistent with their proposed participation in both the rapid (1–10 μm/sec) gliding motility exhibited by the gregarines as well as the myoneme-mediated bending motions that have been observed in these parasites. Cell Motil. Cytoskeleton 58:83–95, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Guidelines for the Initial Management of Metastatic Brain Tumors: Role of Surgery, Radiosurgery, and Radiation Therapy

Brain metastases are an increasingly important determinant of survival and quality of life in patients with cancer. Current approaches to the management of brain metastases are driven by prognostic factors, including the Karnofsky Performance Status, tumor histology, number of metastases, patient age, and status of systemic disease. Most brain metastases are treated with radiosurgery, computer-assisted surgery, or whole brain radiation therapy. Remarkable advances in computer-assisted neuronavigation have made neurosurgical removal of metastases safer, even in eloquent areas of the brain. Computerization also enhances the efficacy and safety of conformal radiosurgery planning using various modern stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) technologies, including newer frameless-based systems. Controversial issues include whether to defer whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) in patients undergoing SRS or image-guided surgery and when to use SRS "boost" in a patient undergoing WBRT. The determination of how best to apply these treatments for individual patients cannot be standardized to a single paradigm, but data from well-controlled studies help physicians make informed decisions about the benefits and risks of each approach.
Maria T. Zuber Receives 2012 Harry H. Hess Medal: Citation

Maria T. Zuber was awarded the 2012 Harry H. Hess Medal at the AGU Fall Meeting Honors Ceremony, held on 5 December 2012 in San Francisco, Calif. The medal is for “outstanding achievements in research on the constitution and evolution of Earth and other planets.”
Purification and enzymological characterization of DNA-dependent ATPase IV from the Novikoff hepatoma

DNA-dependent ATPase IV has been purified to near homogeneity from the Novikoff rat hepatoma. The enzyme is devoid of DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase, exonuclease, endonuclease, phosphomonoesterase, 3'- or 5'-phosphodiesterase, polynucleotide kinase, protein kinase, topoisomerase, helicase or DNA reannealing activities at a detection level of 10(-5) to 10(-7) relative to the ATPase activity. The enzyme is a monomer of Mr 110,000, has a sedimentation coefficient of 5.9 S, a Stokes radius of 40 A and a frictional coefficient of 1.32. In the presence of Mg2+ ion and a polynucleotide effector, ATPase IV hydrolyzes either ATP or dATP to the nucleoside diphosphate plus Pi. Other ribo- or deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates are not substrates. ATPase IV utilizes double-stranded DNA and single-stranded DNA as effector; however, it does not utilize poly(dT). The Km for dsDNA or ssDNA is 2.2 microM (nucleotide). A variety of ATP analogues were found to be competitive inhibitors of ATPase IV.
Overexpression of Constitutively Active PKG‐I Protects Female, But Not Male Mice From Diet‐Induced Obesity

Cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP)–dependent protein kinase I (PKG-I) is a multifunctional protein. The direct effects of PKG-I activation on energy homeostasis and obesity development are not well understood. Herein, we generated transgenic mice with expression of the constitutively active PKG-I in adipose tissue as well as in other tissues. Male and female PKG-I overexpressing mice were fed a low-fat (LF) or high-fat (HF) diet for 16 weeks. HF-fed female PKG-I transgenic mice had decreased body weight gain, lower percentage of body fat, and improved glucose tolerance compared to HF-fed wild-type (WT) controls. In contrast, male transgenic PKG-I mice were not resistant to the development of HF-diet-induced obesity, and exhibited similar levels of adiposity and glucose intolerance as HF-fed WT controls. Furthermore, we found that HF-fed female transgenic PKG-I mice had increased energy expenditure and cold-induced adaptive thermogenesis compared to HF-fed WT controls, which was associated with increased expression of uncoupling protein-1 (UCP1) in brown adipose tissue (BAT). In addition, the rates of lipolysis in white adipose tissue (WAT) were also increased in female transgenic PKG-I mice compared to WT controls due to increased phosphorylation of hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL). However, in male mice, adaptive thermogenesis or WAT lipolysis was similar between transgenic PKG-I mice and WT controls. Together, these data demonstrate sex differences in effects of PKG-I activation on the regulation of adipose tissue function and its contribution to diet induced obesity.
Redox gradients in distribution systems influence water quality, corrosion, and microbial ecology.

Abstract Simulated distribution systems (SDSs) defined the interplay between disinfectant type (free chlorine and chloramines), water age (1–10.2 days), and pipe material (PVC, iron and cement surfaces) on water chemistry, redox zones and infrastructure degradation. Redox gradients developed as a function of water age and pipe material affected the quality of water consumers would receive. Free chlorine was most stable in the presence of PVC while chloramine was most stable in the presence of cement. At a 3.6 day water age the residual in the chlorinated PVC SDS was more than 3.5 times higher than in the chlorinated iron or cement systems. In contrast, the residual in the chloraminated cement SDS was more than 10 times greater than in the chloraminated iron or PVC systems. Near the point of entry to the SDSs where disinfectant residuals were present, free chlorine tended to cause as much as 4 times more iron corrosion when compared to chloramines. Facultative denitrifying bacteria were ubiquitous, and caused complete loss of nitrogen at distal points in systems with iron, and these bacteria co-occurred with very severe pitting attack (1.6–1.9 mm/year) at high water age.
Proximity Effects and Quantum Dissipation in the Chains of YBa2Cu3O6 + x

We argue that the results of recent scanning tunneling microscopy, angle-resolved photoemission, and infrared spectroscopy experiments on the CuO chains of YBa2Cu3O6+x are consistently explained within a proximity model by the interplay of a coherent chain-plane and an incoherent and indirect interchain coupling. We show that the CuO2 planes act as an Ohmic heat bath for the chain fermions and induce a substantial quantum dissipation. Below the planar T(c), charge excitations in the chains acquire a universal superconducting gap.
Three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship study of the inhibition of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase by cardiotonic steroids using comparative molecular field analysis.

Na+,K+-ATPase is a transmembrane protein that transports sodium and potassium ions across cell membranes during an activity cycle that uses the energy released by ATP hydrolysis. Cardiotonic steroids (digitalis) inhibit this activity and consequently produce a positive inotropic response in the heart. To identify the structural features of the steroids that are important for this inhibition, we have tested the inhibitory properties of 47 cardiotonic and hormonal steroids and developed a three-dimensional quantitative structure−activity relationship (3D-QSAR) model for the inhibition of Na+,K+-ATPase using comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA). We also developed a 3D-QSAR model for the binding of digoxin to the murine anti-digoxin monoclonal antibody (mAb) 26-10 because we have previously shown that the environment of the binding sites of 26-10 and the enzyme are similar (Kasturi et al. (1998) Biochemistry 37, 6658−6666). These statistically predictive 3D-QSAR models indicate that both binding sites...
Hepatic arterial flow becomes the primary supply of sinusoids following partial portal vein ligation in rats

Background and Aim: Partial portal vein ligation (PPVL) is a commonly used procedure to induce prehepatic portal hypertension in animal models. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that the hepatic arterial flow becomes the primary source feeding the sinusoids in the liver after PPVL. Methods: Sprague–Dawley rats underwent either sham operation or partial portal vein ligation (PPVL). The number of vessels in the liver at 2 weeks postoperatively was determined by factor VIII immunolocalization and the gene expression of angiogenic factors was assessed by RT-PCR. The total hepatic arterial supply to the liver was measured using the fluorescent microsphere injection technique. To further test the hypothesis, two additional groups of rats underwent hepatic artery ligation (HAL) or PPVL plus HAL (PPHAL). The integrity of hepatic microcirculation was then evaluated in all four groups by intravital microscopy. Results: At 2 weeks after operation, the number of vessels detected by factor VIII staining was significantly higher in PPVL compared to sham. Densitometric analysis of RT-PCR bands revealed a significant increase of vascular endothelial growth factor gene expression in PPVL compared to sham. Arterial flow to the liver measured by fluorescent microspheres was increased by 190% in PPVL compared to sham. When all four groups were compared, no prominent histological abnormality was observed in sham, HAL, and PPVL groups; however, PPHAL livers showed focal necrosis and inflammatory cell infiltration around the portal triads. Additionally, only the PPHAL livers showed a decreased sinusoidal diameter and significantly lower perfusion index (PPHAL 42.9 ± 6.1; sham 85.7 ± 7.0, PPVL 80.2 ± 6.5, HAL 70.9 ± 4.5). Conclusions: These results suggest that the hepatic artery flow becomes the primary source for the blood supply of sinusoids and the compensatory change in the hepatic arterial system plays a critical role in maintaining microcirculatory perfusion following the restriction of the portal vein flow by PPVL.
Determination of the nutritional value, protein quality and safety of krill protein concentrate isolated using an isoelectric solubilization/precipitation technique

Despite its abundance, krill is not utilized for human consumption due to the lack of proper technology for protein recovery. The objectives of this study were to isolate krill protein concentrate (KPC) and to determine the nutritional value, health benefits, and safety of KPC for human consumption. Proximate analysis of protein recovered by isoelectric solubilzation/precipitation indicated that KPC was composed of approximately 78% protein and 8% fat (dry weight). In vivo analysis of protein quality indicated that protein digestibility corrected for amino acid score and protein efficiency ratio was equal to casein. KPC safety was indicated by the absence of differences in clinical measures of kidney function compared to casein. Fatty acid analysis of KPC showed that approximately 27% were omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFAs). Based on our study, KPC appears to be a promising protein source for human consumption with the advantage of being a rich source of ω-3 PUFAs.
Recent Developments in Late Metal Nitrosyl Chemistry

Driven by its biological importance, the coordination chemistry of nitric oxide (NO) has undergone a renaissance over the past 10 years. This is especially true for the late first row transition metals, including iron, cobalt, nickel, and copper. This article summarizes the literature from 2003 until the present pertaining to the synthesis and reactivity of nitrosyl complexes of these metals. Recent notable advancements in this area include the synthesis of several iron nitroxyl (NO–) complexes, as well as the development of the chemistry of dinitrosyl iron complexes (DNICs) and trinitrosyl iron complexes (TNICs). Additionally, the first structural study of a {Cu(NO)}10 nitrosyl complex was reported, and in the last 10 years several interesting transformations of bound NO involving both three- and five-coordinated nickel nitrosyl complexes have been discovered. Considerable progress has also been made toward our understanding of the redox non-innocence of the nitrosyl ligand. In particular, the electronic...
A review of the predictors, linkages, and biases in IT innovation adoption research

We present a review and analysis of the rich body of research on the adoption and diffusion of IT-based innovations by individuals and organizations. Our review analyzes 48 empirical studies on individual and 51 studies on organizational IT adoption published between 1992 and 2003. In total, the sample contains 135 independent variables, eight dependent variables, and 505 relationships between independent and dependent variables. Furthermore, our sample includes both quantitative and qualitative studies. We were able to include qualitative studies because of a unique coding scheme, which can easily be replicated in other reviews. We use this sample to assess predictors, linkages, and biases in individual and organizational IT adoption research. The best predictors of individual IT adoption include Perceived Usefulness, Top Management Support, Computer Experience, Behavioral Intention, and User Support. The best predictors of IT adoption by organizations were Top Management Support, External Pressure, Professionalism of the IS Unit, and External Information Sources. At the level of independent variables, Top Management Support stands as the main linkage between individual and organizational IT adoption. But at an aggregate level, two collections of independent variables were good predictors of both individual and organizational IT adoption. These were innovation characteristics and organizational characteristics. Thus, we can consistently say that generic characteristics of the innovation and characteristics of the organization are strong predictors of IT adoption by both individuals and organizations. Based on an assessment of the predictors, linkages, and known biases, we prescribe 10 areas for further exploration.
Distortion-Invariant FOPEN Detection Filter Improvements

Various new improvements to the MINACE distortion-invariant filter are considered. Detection (PD) and false alarms (PFA) improvements obtained are noted. PD improved by approximately equals 25%. Initial ROC data and algorithm fusion results indicate that these new filters can improve the performance obtained by other methods.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A Wnt-CKIε-Rap1 Pathway Regulates Gastrulation by Modulating SIPA1L1, a Rap GTPase Activating Protein

Summary Noncanonical Wnt signals control morphogenetic movements during vertebrate gastrulation. Casein kinase I epsilon (CKIɛ) is a Wnt-regulated kinase that regulates Wnt/β-catenin signaling and has a β-catenin-independent role(s) in morphogenesis that is poorly understood. Here we report the identification of a CKIɛ binding partner, SIPA1L1/E6TP1, a GAP (GTPase activating protein) of the Rap small GTPase family. We show that CKIɛ phosphorylates SIPA1L1 to reduce its stability and thereby increase Rap1 activation. Wnt-8, which activates CKIɛ, enhances the CKIɛ-dependent phosphorylation and degradation of SIPA1L1. In early Xenopus or zebrafish development, inactivation of the Rap1 pathway results in abnormal gastrulation and a shortened anterior-posterior axis. Although CKIɛ also transduces Wnt/β-catenin signaling, inhibition of Rap1 does not alter β-catenin-regulated gene expression. Our data demonstrate a role for CKIɛ in noncanonical Wnt signaling and indicate that Wnt regulates morphogenesis in part through CKIɛ-mediated control of Rap1 signaling.
Systemic Interventions in Substance-Abuse Treatment: Past, Present, and Future

This article presents an historical overview of the systemic treatment of substance abuse in the United States. This article provides various definitions of systemic treatment, as well as trends throughout history. Finally, this article gives an overview of the other articles contained within this special issue.
Are Illegal Drugs Inferior Goods in the US

Using data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, evidence of income inferiority in illegal drug consumption is presented. This is done by estimation of binary choice probit models with endogenous regressors. The endogeneity of income with regard to drug consumption is considered and the more efficient three-stage least squares procedures have been implemented. In general, the results indicate that accounting for endogeneity improves results on income inferiority with regard to drug consumption. An implication of this study is that some form of income distribution policies towards the poor might be more effective in controlling substance abuse. It also points out the regressive nature of the government’s substance abuse program.
Extension of the cumulant definition for low particle number systems

Cumulants are usually interpreted as the connected components of density matrices, but this interpretation fails and practical problems arise when the rank n of cumulants is larger than the number of particles (N) in the system. In that case, cumulants defined in the traditional way become disconnected. To solve this problem, the definition of cumulants is extended by introducing a simple modulation factor. The modified cumulants reduce to the conventional definition, but they vanish when N < n. Using the modified definition also eliminates the error in the approximation of density matrices by low-rank cumulants, when N < n. The problem assumes a slightly different form when we work with active space–based theories, and it can be solved by a similar approach. Another problem with cumulants, due to spin coupling [Herbert, Int J Quantum Chem 2007, 107, 703], can be solved via the introduction of a similar modulation factor. A related yet more serious issue, termed as the local particle number constraint problem, is also discussed. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011
X-Ray Spectral Imaging of Puppis A with Suzaku

We report the detection of X-ray emitting ejecta in the middle-aged Galactic supernova remnant Puppis A from an imaging and spectral survey with the Suzaku Observatory. Energy-selected images from five observations covering the eastern and middle portions of the remnant reveal a region inside the northern apex that is very highly enriched in Si. Regions with lesser enhancements of other elements such as O, Ne, and Mg are also seen, and confirmed by the spectra. The location of the large Si clump is radially outside that of X-ray emitting O ejecta relative to the expansion center, indicating that the explosively synthesized Si ejecta were mixed with and propelled beyond hydrostatically synthesized O ejecta. There appears to be little spatial correlation between the compact ejecta knots seen in O emission in the optical and the large-scale ejecta enhancements seen in X-rays by Suzaku.
Prediction Intervals Using Exceedances for an Additional Third-Stage Sample

Prediction intervals are extended to a third sampling stage involving the distribution of the t-th smallest value in a third-stage sample which exceeds the k-th smallest value in the second sample. Procedures and tables are given for two situations: A) The usual 2-stage prediction interval has been applied, and a third stage is now required; sample sizes are given for this problem. B) We know in advance that three stages will be necessary; the factors are given for the required procedure.
The Influence of Self-Esteem on Smoking among African-American School Children

This study provides some evidence, although not very strong, that self-esteem is associated with the likelihood of smoking among African-American children. In a sample of 1,256 children, those with lowest levels of self-esteem were twice as likely to have ever smoked as those with highest level of self-esteem (95% C.I. = 1.10-7.78). Girls, more so than boys, have an increased risk of smoking at the lowest level of self-esteem. Girls with the lowest level of self-esteem were 2.8 times (95% C.I. = 3.85-16.59) as likely to have smoked when compared to girls with higher self-esteem. The findings suggest preventive interventions that seek to build self-esteem may reduce the likelihood of smoking among girls, although perhaps only modestly. Further study is needed to identify potentially effective methods for reducing the likelihood of smoking among African-American boys.
Transgene-induced gene silencing is not affected by a change in ploidy level.

Author(s): Pignatta, Daniela; Dilkes, Brian; Wroblewski, Tadeusz; Michelmore, Richard W; Comai, Luca | Abstract: BackgroundWhole genome duplication, which results in polyploidy, is a common feature of plant populations and a recurring event in the evolution of flowering plants. Polyploidy can result in changes to gene expression and epigenetic instability. Several epigenetic phenomena, occurring at the transcriptional or post-transcriptional level, have been documented in allopolyploids (polyploids derived from species hybrids) of Arabidopsis thaliana, yet findings in autopolyploids (polyploids derived from the duplication of the genome of a single species) are limited. Here, we tested the hypothesis that an increase in ploidy enhances transgene-induced post-transcriptional gene silencing using autopolyploids of A. thaliana.Methodology/principal findingsDiploid and tetraploid individuals of four independent homozygous transgenic lines of A. thaliana transformed with chalcone synthase (CHS) inverted repeat (hairpin) constructs were generated. For each line diploids and tetraploids were compared for efficiency in post-transcriptional silencing of the endogenous CHS gene. The four lines differed substantially in their silencing efficiency. Yet, diploid and tetraploid plants derived from these plants and containing therefore identical transgene insertions showed no difference in the efficiency silencing CHS as assayed by visual scoring, anthocyanin assays and quantification of CHS mRNA.Conclusions/significanceOur results in A. thaliana indicated that there is no effect of ploidy level on transgene-induced post-transcriptional gene silencing. Our findings that post-transcriptional mechanisms were equally effective in diploids and tetraploids supports the use of transgene-driven post-transcriptional gene silencing as a useful mechanism to modify gene expression in polyploid species.
A chloride dependent K+ flux induced by N-ethylmaleimide in genetically low K+ sheep and goat erythrocytes

In genetically low K+ but not in high K+ red cells of sheep and goat N-ethylmaleimide induced a ouabain insensitive K+ flux as measured by tracer influx or net efflux methods. The augmented K+ flux was observed in Cl− or Br− but not in NO3−, SO42− or PO42− media. The action of N-ethylmaleimide was distinct from that of parachloromercuribenzoate or its sulfonic acid derivative which increased both passive K+ and Na+ movements across the red cell membrane. The instantaneous selective action of N-ethylmaleimide suggests that sulfhydryl groups control a K+Cl− transport system which, associated with the low K+ gene, is apparently functionally silent in adult ruminant red cells.
Age distribution, education and societal structure

Abstract Age distribution, educational distribution and societal structure are interrelated parameters that, in the past, were adjusted to each other in an equilibrium that was only perturbed by rather small and slow changes. Built-in trial and error control mechanisms were evidently capable of containing these minor perturbations without excessive instabilities. Recently, major and fast changes have been occurring in the age distribution through the substantial extension of human life expectancy, and in the educational distribution through the wide availability of educational opportunities. The existing trial and error control mechanisms seem to be inadequate for such major perturbations, and new controls will have to be introduced in order to avoid serious instability and disruption. While the age distribution cannot be controlled through morally acceptable means, ways must be found to control the educational distribution, and to match it to existing societal needs.