cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Identification of Bacterial Species That Can Utilize Fructose-Asparagine

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium is the only organism demonstrated to utilize fructose-asparagine (F-Asn) as a source of carbon and nitrogen. In this report, we first used a bioinformatics approach to identify other microorganisms that encode homologs of the Salmonella F-Asn utilization enzymes FraB (deglycase), FraD (kinase), and FraE (asparaginase). These candidate organisms were then tested with up to four different methods to confirm their ability to utilize F-Asn. The easiest and most broadly applicable method utilized a biological toxicity assay, which is based on the observation that F-Asn is toxic to a Salmonella fraB mutant. Candidate organisms were grown in a rich medium containing F-Asn, and depletion of F-Asn from the medium was inferred by the growth of a Salmonella fraB mutant in that same medium. For select organisms, the toxicity assay was cross-validated by direct mass spectrometry-aided measurement of F-Asn in the spent-culture media and through demonstration of FraB and FraD enzyme activity in cellular extracts. For prototrophs, F-Asn utilization was additionally confirmed by growth in a minimal medium containing F-Asn as the sole carbon source. Collectively, these studies established that Clostridiumbolteae, Clostridium acetobutylicum, and Clostridium clostridioforme can utilize F-Asn, but Clostridium difficile cannot; Klebsiella oxytoca and some Klebsiella pneumoniae subspecies can utilize F-Asn; and some Citrobacter rodentium and Citrobacter freundii strains can also utilize F-Asn. Within Salmonella enterica, the host-adapted serovars Typhi and Paratyphi A have lost the ability to utilize F-Asn.IMPORTANCE Fructose-asparagine (F-Asn) is a precursor to acrylamide that is found in human foods, and it is also a nutrient source for Salmonella enterica, a foodborne pathogen. Here, we determined that among the normal intestinal microbiota, there are species of Clostridium that encode the enzymes required for F-Asn utilization. Using complementary experimental approaches, we have confirmed that three members of Clostridium, two members of Klebsiella, and two members of Citrobacter can indeed utilize F-Asn. The Clostridium spp. likely compete with Salmonella for F-Asn in the gut and contribute to competitive exclusion. FraB, one of the enzymes in the F-Asn utilization pathway, is a potential drug target because inhibition of this enzyme leads to the accumulation of a toxic metabolite that inhibits the growth of Salmonella species. This study identifies the potential off-target organisms that need to be considered when developing therapeutics directed at FraB.
Direct ion generation from swabs.

Abstract Medical swabs are used for biofluid and tissue sampling in clinical applications. The use of medical swabs as electrospray ionization probes for direct mass spectrometric analysis is a novel and potentially widely applicable development. Here we discuss ion generation, characterize ionization behavior via microscopic videography and describe some illustrative examples of applications.
Somatosensory Evoked Potentials (SEPs) in Spinal Cord Injury

Cortical somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) were described in 1947 by Dawson. Recorded from scalp and activated by peripheral nerve stimulation, SEPs are non-invasive, robust, and reliable measures of somatosensory function in patients (Allison 1962, 1982; Allison and Hume 1981; Arezzo et al. 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982; Desmedt and Cheron 1982; Larson et al. 1966; Nakanishi et al. 1978; Perot 1973; Perot and Vera 1982). They have been extensively used in spinal cord injury (SCI) (Croft et al. 1972; Cusick et al. 1979; D’Angelo et al. 1973 Dimitrijevic et al. 1978; Dorfman et al. 1978, 1980; Dorfman 1977; Donaghy and Numoto 1969; Ducker et al. 1978; Eisen and Nudleman 1979; Engler et al. 1978; Ertekin 1978; Jones 1977, 1982; Jones and Small 1978; Katz et al. 1978a,b; Larson et al. 1966; Martin and Bloedel 1973; Martin et al. 1980; Nakanishi et al. 1974, 1978; Perot 1973; Perot and Vera 1982; Rowed et al. 1978; Schramm et al. 1979; Shimoji et al. 1979; Singer et al. 1970; Tsumoto et al. 1972; Young 1982; Young et al. 1982) to supplement neurological examination, to assess spinal function in comatose or anesthetized patients, and to detect sensory changes in animal experiments. Although recent advances allow direct recording of subcortical or spinal SEP components (Anziska and Cracco 1980, 1981a, b; Anziska et al. 1978; Arezzo and Vaughan 1982; Arezzo et al. 1981; Beall et al. 1977; Burke et al. 1981; Chiappa et al. 1980; Cracco 1972a,b, 1973; Cracco et al. 1975, 1982; Cracco and Cracco 1976; Desmedt and Cheron 1980, 1982; Dimitrijevic et al. 1978; Ertekin 1978; Jones 1977, 1982; Jones and Small 1978; Kritchevsky and Wiederholt 1978; Pratt et al. 1979; Rossini et al. 1981; Shimoji et al. 1979; Vas et al. 1981; Vasiri et al. 1981; Wiederholt et al. 1982; Yamada et al. 1980), the ease with which cortical SEP can be recorded has made this the most popular spinal cord monitoring technique today.
Sustainable growth in agricultural production: the links between production, resources, and research

This paper outlines some conceptual issues concerning the sustainability of agricultural production, and surveys the emerging natural resource management issues. It examines the implications for agricultural research, which is probably the most critical factor in determining whether sustainable growth in agricultural production will be maintained.
The Organization of Red Cell Differentiation

In this Paper I concentrate primarily on the molecular events involved in the transition from a non-hemoglobin(Hb)-producing precursor cell to a Hb-producing red blood cell. Available evidence will be presented which indicates that this transition requires the “exposure” of the globin genes so that they become available for binding by RNA polymerase. Additional experiments will show that the proper rate of DNA chain elongation is required for the acquisition of the capacity to synthesize Hb and several related observations concerning the properties of the chromosome at the growing fork for DNA replication will be discussed. Lastly, a detailed analysis of the effects of the thymidine analogue, BUdR, will be presented. This analysis may provide an insight into the way the erythropoietic program is organized at the genetic level. Since space is limited, many related topics must, unfortunately, be neglected1.
A Short History of Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria: How We Came To Understand Its Natural History

The history of the development of the understanding of the natural history of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) illustrates the interaction between basic science and clinical problems. Through application of the knowledge obtained in the laboratory, a better understanding of the clinical problems has been achieved.
Code Switch Point Detection in Arabic

This paper introduces a dual-mode stochastic system to automatically identify linguistic code switch points in Arabic. The first of these modes determines the most likely word tag (i.e. dialect or modern standard Arabic) by choosing the sequence of Arabic word tags with maximum marginal probability via lattice search and 5-gram probability estimation. When words are out of vocabulary, the system switches to the second mode which uses a dialectal Arabic (DA) and modern standard Arabic (MSA) morphological analyzer. If the OOV word is analyzable using the DA morphological analyzer only, it is tagged as “DA”, if it is analyzable using the “MSA” morphological analyzer only, it is tagged as MSA, otherwise if analyzable using both of them, then it is tagged as “both”. The system yields an F β = 1 score of 76.9% on the development dataset and 76.5% on the held-out test dataset, both judged against human-annotated Egyptian forum data.
Beginning and expert supervisors’ descriptions of effective and less effective supervision

ABSTRACTIn this study, we explored beginning, expert academic, and expert sitesupervisors’ descriptions of effective and less effective supervision sessions via a mixed-methods design. Content analysis revealed eight themes of supervisors’ descriptions (e.g., supervisee’s traits and experience, supervisor’s self-awareness/self-reflectivity on similarities and differences, supervisory relationship). Chi-square analysis yielded frequency differences among effectiveness categories (i.e., effective, less effective) and supervisor profiles (i.e., beginning, expert academic, and expert site). We discuss the results and provide research, practice, and training implications.
Gastrointestinal iron excretion and reversal of iron excess in a mouse model of inherited iron excess

The current paradigm in the field of mammalian iron biology states that body iron levels are determined by dietary iron absorption, not by iron excretion. Iron absorption is a highly regulated process influenced by iron levels and other factors. Iron excretion is believed to occur at a basal rate irrespective of iron levels and is associated with processes such as turnover of intestinal epithelium, blood loss, and exfoliation of dead skin. Here we explore iron excretion in a mouse model of iron excess due to inherited transferrin deficiency. Iron excess in this model is attributed to impaired regulation of iron absorption leading to excessive dietary iron uptake. Pharmacological correction of transferrin deficiency not only normalized iron absorption rates and halted progression of iron excess but also reversed body iron excess. Transferrin treatment did not alter the half-life of 59Fe in mutant mice. 59Fe-based studies indicated that most iron was excreted via the gastrointestinal tract and suggested that iron-loaded mutant mice had increased rates of iron excretion. Direct measurement of urinary iron levels agreed with 59Fe-based predictions that urinary iron levels were increased in untreated mutant mice. Fecal ferritin levels were also increased in mutant mice relative to wild-type mice. Overall, these data suggest that mice have a significant capacity for iron excretion. We propose that further investigation into iron excretion is warranted in this and other models of perturbed iron homeostasis, as pharmacological targeting of iron excretion may represent a novel means of treatment for diseases of iron excess.
Functions and Regulation of Cell Surface Receptors in Cultured Leydig Tumor Cells

Publisher Summary This chapter explains the functions and regulation of the receptors for three distinct regulatory ligands: human choriogonadotropin (hCG), mouse epidermal growth factor (mEGF), and low-density lipoprotein in a single cell type. Upon binding to its cell-surface receptors, hCG stimulates progesterone biosynthesis, while bound to the cell surface, by activating the adenylate cyclase-protein kinase pathway. The surface-bound hCG is quickly internalized into endocytic vesicles, which deliver the intact hormone–receptor complex to the lysosomes. Once in the lysosomes, the hCG–receptor complex dissociates and both the subunits of the free hormone are eventually degraded to single amino acids that are released into the medium. This process also results in the accumulation of the hCG receptor in the lysosomes. Although it is not known with certainty if the receptor is degraded, the results suggest that this is the case and that the ability of hCG to down-regulate its own receptors is because of an increase in the rate of internalization and degradation of the receptor. mEGF that binds to its own surface receptors also affects the differentiated function of MA-10 cells. Upon binding to the cells, mEGF is rapidly internalized and degraded and its surface receptors are down-regulated. Cells pretreated with mEGF have a normal steroidogenic response to compounds that do not act through the hCG receptor because their cholesterol stores are normal.
Abstract 3223: Overcome LKB1 mutated cancer resistance to anti-PD1 treatment

KRAS/STK11 (LKB1) mutant lung cancers are a subtype of cancer that respond poorly in the clinic to immunotherapies with shorter progression-free survival and overall survival comparing with other KRAS mutant lung cancer patients. Interestingly, this group of patients have high tumor mutational burden (TMB) comparable with other KRAS mutant lung cancers, which usually is an indicator for better response to anti-PD1 treatment. By using genetically engineered mouse model (GEMMs), we found that LKB1 loss of function can cause high level of nonsynonymous mutations, as a consequence of both replication dependent and independent DNA repair machinery dysfunctions. This LKB1 mutant dependent increased mutational load might further synergize with smoking mutagen exposures. When LKB1 function is defective, the neoantigens are not properly presented to T cells, which is required for proper T cell activation and effector T cells expansion. This will lead to insensitivity to anti-PD1 antibodies in high TMB tumors and tolerance to neoantigens produced by cancer cells. We further demonstrated that using a small molecule drug that impacts on the LKB1 downstream effector pathway, we can reverse this process through activating innate immunity in tumors, which will restore the antigen presentation functions. Combinational treatment of this small molecule with anti-PD1 can reverse the tumor progression in vivo, through releasing the suppressive tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in LKB1 mutant lung cancers. Our study not only helps to further our understanding of the mechanism that contributes to immune evasion in high TMB tumors, but also provides a potential solution for LKB1 mutant cancers to overcome resistance to anti-PD1 treatment in the clinic. Citation Format: Jiehui Deng, Aatish Thennavan, Yuanwang Pan, Igor Dolgalev, Ting Chen, Heather Silver, Matthew Harris, Val Pyon, Fei Li, Chelsea Lee, Aristotelis Tsirigos, Eli Rothenberg, Charles M. Perou, Kwok-Kin Wong. Overcome LKB1 mutated cancer resistance to anti-PD1 treatment [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3223.
Activity Monitor Gaming and the Next Generation Science Standards: Students Engaging with Data, Measurement Limitations, and Personal Relevance

This paper connects the technological practice of activity monitor gaming to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) science and engineering practice of “analyzing and interpreting data,” and to the foundational constructionist idea of personal meaning. In our larger study, eighth-grade students, ages 12–14, wore physical activity monitor devices for approximately four months, encountered their own and peers’ data on device displays and dashboards, and played a game designed by the project team that converted their device data into game bonuses and player actions. The analysis for this article examined focus groups and individual interviews with students from the project to determine alignment between students’ thinking and the NGSS “analyzing and interpreting data” practices for grades 6–8: considering limitations related to measurement accuracy and error, measurement tools, and appropriateness of the data collection model. The analysis also identified what types of student experiences and reflections could be characterized as constructionist components of knowledge generation and knowledge reformulation, both of which are key to NGSS recommendations around finding “relevance” in data. Findings revealed that while students engaged in all three types of consideration, as well as creating meaningful interpretations of pattern identification and reasoning from evidence, their reflections and insights did not, for the most part, lead to actionable understandings. Our results have implications for implementing activity monitor technologies and practices in science education, particularly in regard to student meaning and motivation.
Self-Help Skills

Self-help skills have been a foundational aspect of training in the field of intellectual disabilities (ID) for decades. The primary method of treatment has been variations of applied behavior analysis (ABA). Training strategies such as breaking skills into steps, using least prompt strategies (i.e., verbal, social), and modeling strategies are common and have been used effectively for many years. Some of the topics addressed include self-protection, eating, purchasing items, dressing, safety, telephone use, and hygiene, among others. This chapter provides an overview of treatment in these and related areas for persons with ID.
Religion, cognitive style, and rational thinking

Recent research has reported strong correlations among trait measures of religious belief, social conservatism (as a political ideology), deontological reasoning about morality, and (negatively) measures of rational cognitive style. I suggest many modern societies are divided between two cultural groups who think differently and have different beliefs, with one group being influenced by the Enlightenment and the other still accepting older beliefs and ways of thinking, often based on religious traditions. A plausible alternative account of many results is that individual differences in cognitive style affect the course of individual development, and actively open-minded thinking may lead to abandonment of religion. Here, I review some of the recent research on these correlations.
COMPARATIVE RADIATION EXPOSURE TO INTERVENTIONAL ECHOCARDIOGRAPHERS DURING PERCUTANEOUS MITRAL VALVE REPAIR AND LEFT ATRIAL APPENDAGE CLOSURE

Interventional echocardiographers are at risk for considerable radiation exposure while performing transesophageal echocardiography during structural heart interventions. The risk posed by different types of structural heart interventions to interventional echocardiographers remains unknown. This
Localization Economies and Firm Productivity: Evidence from Football Teams in Sao Paulo, Brazil

Agglomeration economies affect urban economic outcomes. We analyze variation in sports team productivity and localization of teams across divisions and cities in Campeonato Paulista an annual football competition in Sao Paulo state, Brazil, exploiting plausibly exogenous variation in localization generated by a promotion and relegation system in this league. Results show that both urbanization, proxied by population, and localization affects short and long run team productivity. These results provide new evidence on the importance of localization economies in the urban economy in developing countries and shed light on why sports teams in larger cities enjoy more success than those in smaller cities.
Proton Transfer Dynamics in the Aprotic Proton Accepting Solvent 1-Methylimidazole

The dynamics of proton transfer to the aprotic solvent 1-methylimidazole (MeIm, proton acceptor) from the photoacid 8-hydroxypyrene-1,3,6-trisulfonic acid trisodium salt (HPTS) was investigated using fast fluorescence measurements. The closely related molecule, 8-methoxypyrene-1,3,6-trisulfonic acid trisodium salt (MPTS), which is not a photoacid, was also studied for comparison. Following optical excitation, the wavelength-dependent population dynamics of HPTS in MeIm resulting from the deprotonation process were collected over the entire fluorescence emission window. Analysis of the time-dependent fluorescence spectra revealed four distinct fluorescence bands that appear and decay on different time scales. We label these four states as protonated (P), associated I (AI), associated II (AII), and deprotonated (D). We find that the simple kinetic scheme of P → AI → AII → D is not consistent with the data. Instead, the kinetic scheme that describes the data has P decaying into AI, which mainly goes on to deprotonation (D), but AI can also feed into AII. AII can return to AI or decay to the ground state, but does not deprotonate within experimental error. Quantum chemistry and excited state QM/MM Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics simulations indicate that AI and AII are two H-bonding conformations of MeIm to the HPTS hydroxyl, axial, and equatorial, respectively.
Sulfonated nickel phthalocyanine redox flow cell for high-performance electrochemical water desalination

Abstract With clean water availability raising a great technological and social challenge, saltwater desalination has become a key strategic solution. Herein, we report a nickel phthalocyanine tetrasulfonic acid tetrasodium salt (NiPcTATS)-based redox flow desalination cell (RFDC) that allows safe, efficient and continuous water-salt separation. With the new, water-soluble NiPcTATS/NiPcTATS+ redox couple as electrolyte, the RFDC effectively desalinates saltwater and achieves a high average salt removal rate of 3.11 gNaCl/(molNiPcTATS·h) and a low energy consumption of 15.0 kJ/molNaCl at 0.5 V cell voltage. The cell exhibits excellent reversibility and durability for long-term operation, benefiting from the fast-redox kinetics and chemical stability of the redox couple. Efficient solar-driven RFDC for water desalination is demonstrated by powering the cell with a solar panel. This RFDC method provides a low-cost, efficient and safe strategy to purify saltwater, and the findings with NiPcTATS-based redox couple offer new opportunities of utilizing metal phthalocyanines and derivatives in water desalination research.
LCC-based framework for building envelope and structure co-design considering energy efficiency and natural hazard performance

Abstract This paper presents a life-cycle cost (LCC) informed co-design framework for building structures and envelope systems, holistically considering the influences of energy and natural hazard performance. The proposed method is consisted of a two-stage design and decision-making process, aiming to provide a quantitative guideline for building's structural and envelope co-design based on the its geographic locations. First, the building's structural configuration and envelope type are selected based on the life cycle cost. Then, the long-term cost effectiveness of various energy-saving building envelope options (e.g., high-performance glazing and insulation) is evaluated to refine the envelope design. The proposed co-design framework was demonstrated through the case study of a medium-size office building archetype in three locations with distinct climate conditions and seismic activities (i.e., Los Angeles, Memphis, and Boston). The results highlighted the interplay between building's structural (seismic) performance and the cost-effectiveness of energy-saving design options – e.g., for buildings located in high-seismic regions, seismic enhancing designs greatly reduce the paybak period of high performance building envelope by reducing the seismic loss; whereas for buildings located in regions with cold climate and low seismic risk such as Boston, spatial frame with high insulation building envelope shows the lowest LCC.
Polaron-formation revealed by transient XUV imaginary refractive index changes in different iron compounds

We use transient extreme ultraviolet (XUV) reflection absorption spectroscopy to study polaron formation on hematite and akaganeite surfaces. We observed a reduction in the offset of the imaginary refractive index (κoffset) that was attributed to the photoemission cross-section. The difference in the κoffset reduction indicated that deeper-trapped polarons were formed in hematite than in akaganeite.
Employer Perceptions of the Academic Preparation of Entry-Level Certified Athletic Trainers

Objective: To determine employers' (clinic based ATs) perceived satisfaction of the academic preparation of entry-level ATs, and to identify perceived inadequacies of the (ATEP) curriculum. Design ...
Astrobiology - The Case for Venus

The scientific discipline of astrobiology addresses one of the most fundamental unanswered questions of science: are we alone? Is there life elsewhere in the universe, or is life unique to Earth? The field of astrobiology includes the study of the chemical precursors for life in the solar system; it also includes the search for both presently existing life and fossil signs of previously existing life elsewhere in our own solar system, as well as the search for life outside the solar system. Two of the promising environments within the solar system being currently considered are the surface of the planet Mars, and the hypothesized oceans underneath the ice covering the moon Europa. Both of these environments differ in several key ways from the environments where life is found on Earth; the Mars environment in most places too cold and at too low pressure for liquid water to be stable, and the sub-ice environment of Europa lacking an abundance of free energy in the form of sunlight. The only place in the solar system where we know that life exists today is the Earth. To look for life elsewhere in the solar system, one promising search strategy would be to find and study the environment in the solar system with conditions that are most similar to the environmental conditions where life thrives on the Earth. Specifically, we would like to study a location in the solar system with atmospheric pressure near one bar; temperature in the range where water is liquid, 0 to 100 C; abundant solar energy; and with the primary materials required for life, carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen, present. Other than the surface of the Earth, the only other place where these conditions exist is the atmosphere of Venus, at an altitude of about fifty kilometers above the surface.
Packet-Rate Adaptive Receivers for Mobile Communications

In this chapter we consider the problem of designing short-data-record (packet-rate) adaptive receivers for mobile communications. A complete adaptive antenna-array DS-CDMA receiver structure is developed and used as an illustration throughout our presentation. Receiver performance is measured in terms of output signal-to-interference-plus-noise-ratio and bit-error-rate, as well as packet error rate and normalized packet throughput under slotted ALOHA accessing with or without forward error correction. Keywords: auxiliary-vector filters; MMSE filters; MVDR filters; filter estimation with short data records; biased estimators; small-sample-support estimates; Wiener filters; antenna arrays; smart antennas; adaptive filters; code-division-multiple-access; cross-validation; interference suppression; iterative methods; J-divergence; least mean square methods; fading channels
Issues and Challenges in the Establishment of Continuous Improvement in Vietnam

A better understanding of Vietnamese management is important for both practitioners and academics because of the huge and continuing growth of business activity in Vietnam. In particular, information about the Vietnamese use of continuous improvement (CI) practices is valuable because these have underpinned the success of both western and Asian companies in recent decades. Using the case-study method based on over 60 in-depth interviews with executives, managers, supervisors, and employees of nine leading companies in Vietnam and information gathered from discussions with 440 business and non-business leaders, practitioners, and academics, this paper shows that Vietnamese organizations face numerous challenges when implementing and sustaining CI practices. The findings highlight the tendency of Vietnamese organizations to pursue “shortcut” strategies that prevent them from competing higher up the value-added chain. Maintaining “face” is vital to the Vietnamese and this is a major cultural challenge for organizations in their CI efforts. The paper recommends that Vietnamese organizations address these challenges by pursuing CI more aggressively and investing in human resource development to build capabilities for the future. The Vietnamese government, which is the main engine of change in the country, should promote the use of CI by funding education and training in its methods.
Dynamic global patterns of nitrate, phosphate, silicate, and iron availability and phytoplankton community composition from remote sensing data

[1] Satellites routinely provide frequent, large-scale, near-surface views of many oceanographic variables pertinent to plankton ecology, but nutrient fertility remains problematic. A recently derived set of nitrate (N), phosphate (P), and silicate (S) nutrient depletion temperatures (NDT) were subtracted from AVHRR-derived sea surface temperatures for March 1999 through June 2000 to determine eight categories of temporally varying N, P, and S presence/absence in the world ocean. Complementary midmonth, aerosol optical thickness (70°N to 70°S) and precipitation (40°N to 40°S), obtained from the AVHRR Pathfinder effort and the TRMM microwave imager, respectively, represented iron (F) presence (>10%)/absence (<10%) in the world ocean as dry and wet (40°N to 40°S) or just dry (40°N–70°N and 40°S–70°S) deposition of atmospheric dust. The resulting 16 N, P, S, and F presence/absence categories provided a dynamic view of seasonal and interannual nutrient variability in the world ocean. SeaWiFS chlorophyll a maps for April, July, and October 1999 and January 2000 were compared to the N, P, S, and F categories from these months. Phytoplankton cell size and taxonomic composition categories linked to each of the 16 nutrient availability categories translated the nutrient associations with chlorophyll a into an inferred phytoplankton community structure. Consideration of additional bottom-up (like solar irradiance exposure) and top-down (like grazing by zooplankton) influences on size and species/class specific net phytoplankton growth can improve the assignment of inferred phytoplankton community structure. The proposed dynamic approach toward monitoring nutrient availability can contribute to refined estimates of biogeochemical fluxes in the world ocean.
The Fascination of Car Body Manufacture: Requirements for Car Body Manufacture from Viewpoint of Production

Volume manufacturers like Volkswagen face the challenge of simultaneously building different body structures with the greatest possible flexibility in existing and future body designs and thus creating additional growth potential across the world and even in niche markets. Volkswagen is responding to this challenge with a cross-brand modular strategy. New innovative joining methods in body assembly are the key to future lightweight design concepts, along with consistent implementation of sustained vehicle production. The “Think Blue. Factory.” program combines economic and ecological goals in the factory. The complexity of future production processes in body assembly will also remain manageable for staff as regards demographic aspects. For Volkswagen as a volume producer, the Volkswagen Way will provide the necessary method, building blocks, and elements for this extensive change process. The aims of their 2018 strategy clearly describe the areas of action for body assembly on the way to the company becoming the most innovative volume manufacturer. Keywords: standardization; modular transverse construction (MTC); modular production kit (MPK); Volkswagen production system (VPS); lightweight design; Volkswagen way; demographics in production; learning organization
The enzymology of prephenate dehydrogenase in Bacillus subtilis.

Abstract Prephenate dehydrogenase (prephenate:NAD oxido-reductase (decarboxylating)) was examined in crude extracts of strains 168 and 23 of Bacillus subtilis by using a fluorometric assay procedure. Both strains had prephenate dehydrogenases with similar kinetic and allosteric characteristics. The enzyme had an absolute requirement for NAD as a cofactor. The intrinsic Km for prephenate was 2 mm; for NAD the Km equaled 1 mm. Optimal catalysis of the reaction was achieved at a temperature of 32°, pH 8.4. l-Tyrosine, a competitive inhibitor of prephenate dehydrogenase activity, accentuated strongly the cooperativity of binding of prephenate molecules to the enzyme. l-Tyrosine also protected the enzyme from temperature inactivation. d-Tyrosine and l-phenylalanine were also competitive inhibitors of prephenate dehydrogenase. Inhibitions by l-tryptophan and p-hydroxyphenylpyruvate were mixed with respect to prephenate. Further repression of the synthesis of prephenate dehydrogenase by l-tyrosine beyond the existing level of repression in minimal medium was small in both wild type strains. A 2-fold decrement in specific activity resulted when cells were cultured in broth or in minimal media containing l-tyrosine or combinations of aromatic amino acids. Prephenate dehydrogenase from a regulatory mutant, insensitive to feedback inhibition by l-tyrosine, was also insensitive to inhibition by d-tyrosine, l-phenylalanine, and l-tryptophan.
Can an Intensive Diet and Exercise Program Prevent Knee Pain Among Overweight Adults at High Risk

Background: It is unclear whether an intensive program of weight loss combined with exercise prevents the onset of knee pain among those at high risk. We examined whether an intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI) prevents incident knee pain compared with a diabetes support and education (DSE) comparison group among overweight adults with diabetes. Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of the Action for Health in Diabetes (Look AHEAD) study, which is a randomized intervention trial of adults who were obese and had type 2 diabetes starting in 2001. We studied a sub-cohort of 2889 who reported no knee pain at baseline, but were at high risk due to obesity. Risk ratios (RR) were calculated to examine the association of ILI vs. DSE with incident knee pain at year 1 and 4. All analyses were adjusted for potential confounders. Results: Age, sex, and BMI were similar among ILI and DSE participants with no knee pain at baseline. At year 1, ILI participants were 15% less likely to develop knee pain compared with DSE participants (RR = 0.85, 95% CI [0.74, 0.98]). At year 4, this decreased to 5% and was no longer statistically significant. Conclusions: An intensive lifestyle intervention of diet and exercise may prevent the development of knee pain among those at high risk in the short-term. Health care providers may consider recommending diet and exercise as a means to prevent the development of knee pain among those at high risk. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
PI3K/PTEN signaling in angiogenesis and tumorigenesis

Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) signaling pathway play an important role in multiple cellular functions such as cell metabolism, proliferation, cell-cycle progression, and survival. PI3K is activated by growth factors and angiogenesis inducers such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and angiopoietins. The amplification and mutations of PI3K and the loss of the tumor suppressor PTEN are common in various kinds of human solid tumors. The genetic alterations of upstream and downstream of PI3K signaling molecules such as receptor tyrosine kinases and AKT, respectively, are also frequently altered in human cancer. PI3K signaling regulates tumor growth and angiogenesis by activating AKT and other targets, and by inducing HIF-1 and VEGF expression. Angiogenesis is required for tumor growth and metastasis. In this review, we highlight the recent studies on the roles and mechanisms of PI3K and PTEN in regulating tumorigenesis and angiogenesis, and the roles of the downstream targets of PI3K for transmitting the signals. We also discuss the crosstalk of these signaling molecules and cellular events during tumor growth, metastasis, and tumor angiogenesis. Finally, we summarize the potential applications of PI3K, AKT, and mTOR inhibitors and their outcome in clinical trials for cancer treatment.
The efficiency expert.

Released in 1991, the Australian film The Efficiency Expert tells the story of a business consultant’s efforts to boost productivity at a small 1960s Melbourne moccasin factory. Anthony Hopkins stars as Errol Wallace, an apostle of scientific management who, on visiting the factory for the first time, is appalled by the level of inefficiency he finds. Its eccentric employees spend considerable time throwing parties for one another, taking long lunches, and playing games. The company has been losing money and maintaining its existence by selling off assets. Wallace, armed with stopwatch and clipboard, institutes aggressive reforms intended to boost productivity. These include retraining the workers, aggressively managing productivity, and firing half the workforce. An inspiration for the Wallace character is Frederick Winslow Taylor, the original “efficiency expert.” Taylor was born in Germantown, Pennsylvania, in 1856, to a wealthy family whose ancestors included one of the governors of the Plymouth colony. He received a first-rate education but instead of attending an Ivy League school opted to become a machinist in a factory. After his apprenticeship, he joined steel works, where he was promoted quickly through the ranks. Taylor recognized that the workers were not nearly as productive as they could be. He set about analyzing their work habits and determining how much work could reasonably be expected of each man. Taylor went on to take a degree in me-
The response of the Somali current at 2°S to the southwest monsoon of 1971

Abstract Direct current measurements across the Somali Current ar 2°S during March and April, 1971, indicated that it reversed at least a month before the onset of the southwest monsoon over the northern Indian Ocean. The reversal appeared to be caused by coastal winds and the onset of the southeast monsoon to the south.
Fission gas transport and its interactions with irradiation-induced defects in lanthanum doped ceria

Abstract To help understand the mechanisms of irradiation-induced defect formation and evolution in nuclear fuel, systematic experimental efforts have been carried out. Ceria (CeO 2 ) was selected as a surrogate material for Uranium Dioxide (UO 2 ) due to many similar properties. Lanthanum (La) was chosen as a dopant in CeO 2 to investigate the effect of impurities. The presence of La in the CeO 2 lattice introduces a predictable initial concentration of oxygen vacancies, making it possible to characterize hypostoichiometric effects in CeO 2 . The influence of two La concentrations, 5% and 25%, were examined. In situ Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) experiments were used to study the evolution of defect clusters and the influence of irradiation with two common fission products: Xe and Kr. The irradiations were performed on thin film, single crystal materials. The irradiation damage caused formation of dislocation loopsat 600 °C and defect clusters at room temperature. Dislocation networks form as the result of interactions of defect clusters. The dislocation loops were determined to be mainly of 1/9[1 1 1] interstitial type loops. Quantitative results were obtained to characterize the fluence and temperature effects of irradiation. Slow defect kinetics were found with irradiation on 25% La doped CeO 2 at 600 °C and it is attributed to the higher concentration of oxygen vacancies due to high La dopant level.
Molecular dynamics simulations of Coulomb explosion

Abstract A swift ion creates a track of electronic excitations in the target material. A net repulsion inside the track can cause a “Coulomb explosion” (CE), which can lead to damage and sputtering of the material. Here we report results from molecular dynamics simulations of CEs for cylindrical tracks as a function of charge density and neutralization/quenching time, τ . Screening by the free electrons is accounted for using a screened Coulomb potential for the interaction among charges. The yield exhibits a prompt component from the track core and a component from the heated region produced, which dominates at higher excitation density. For the cases studied, the number of atoms ejected per incident ion, i.e. the sputtering yield Y , is quadratic with charge density along the track as suggested by simple models. Y does not depend greatly on τ for τ ≳ τ D (one Debye period), and even Y ( τ =0.2 τ D ) is still nearly 20% of the yield when there is no neutralization ( τ →∞). The connections between ‘CEs’, thermal spikes and measurements of electronic sputtering are discussed.
Characterization, scaling, and partial representation of neural junctions and coordinated firing patterns by dynamic similarity

This paper presents a dynamic-similarity-based system for mathematically characterizing the functional connectivity and information flow of neural junctions. This approach allows for quantitative comparison of operations of neural junctions across systems, and an interpretation of their connectivity parameters in terms of the flow of multiunit firing patterns. The paper further uses this characterization to show how to rationally construct reduced operational models of neural junctions. Both uniformly proportional scaling and partial fragmentary representations are developed. The uniformly scaled models are better adapted to overall capacities and broader theoretical conceptualizations; the partial representations are better adapted to direct comparison with microelectrode experimentation. The characterization of information flow is based on coordinated multiunit patterns such as synfire chains or sequential configurations. The system can be applied to component parts of large composite networks including junctions with topographical patchiness and other irregularities. The characterization should be of use to anatomists, physiologists, modelers, and theorists. The theory predicts that the necessity for cooperative confluence of synaptic potentials in sending and receiving sequential configurations across topographically constrained projection fields requires the existence of functional `pattern modules' within the topographical synaptology of the junction.
Reparations in Democratic Transitions

This article proposes a normative theory of reparations for political violence from the standpoint of contemporary critical theory debates on recognition and redistribution. I argue that any satisfactory reparations theory should aspire to ‘status parity’, a term coined by Nancy Fraser, and should include symbolic and material components for both individuals and groups. The essay argues that reparations can promote a number of worthy goals, including the reaffirmation of moral respect and dignity of victims.
Medical anthropology: A comment on recent publication

George M. Foster and Barbara G. Anderson. Medical Anthropology. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1978. 302 pp. Bibliography and index. $14.95. Eleanor E. Bauwens, ed. The Anthropology of Health. St. Louis: C. V. Mosby, 1978. 200 pp. Index. $10.50, paper.
Effects of material property and heat treatment on nanomechanical properties of chitosan films.

The influence of degree of deacetylation (DDA), molecular weight (MW), and heat treatment on nanomechanical properties of three different chitosan coatings was assessed. Chitosans (2.5 wt % in 2% acetic acid) were solution cast and bonded to glass slides, subjected to 40, 70, or 90°C heat treatments for 1 h, and then allowed to air dry. Non-heat treated films were used as controls. The nanomechanical and structural properties were evaluated using quasi-static nanoindentation, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Nanoindentation results showed that the coating with the lowest MW and highest DDA (95.6% DDA and MW = 2.43 × 106 Da) had higher reduced modulus of elasticity, (E = 4.02 ± 0.85 GPa) as compared to the other chitosans; 76.1% DDA/MW = 3.20 × 106 Da, E = 3.66 ± 0.68 GPa, and 92.3% DDA/MW = 7.52 × 106 Da, E = 3.56 ± 0.25 GPa; (n = 75, p < 0.05). Crystallinity index, estimated via XRD, ranged from 36.4% ± 1% to 49.7% ± 6.5%. AFM revealed the presence of different crystalline morphologies such as needle-like crystals, sheet-like crystals, and small spherulites. The heat treatments applied during solution casting of the chitosan coatings did not affect morphology or nanomechanical properties. In conclusion, nanomechanical properties of chitosan coatings varied with DDA and MW and may be important to cell/tissue interactions. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2009
Thromboxane stimulation of mesangial cell fibronectin synthesis is signalled by protein kinase C and modulated by cGMP

Thromboxane stimulation of mesangial cell fibronectin synthesis is signalled by protein kinase C and modulated by cGMP. Thromboxane (TX) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of glomerulosclerosis in several models of glomerular injury. In the present study, we examined the role of the protein kinase C (PKC) signalling system in expression of the action of the TXA 2 /PGH 2 analogue U-46619 to stimulate fibronectin (Fn) synthesis in cultured rat mesangial cells (MC), and the influence of cGMP on this MC response. U-46619 activated PKC and enhanced Fn synthesis in MC in a time and concentration dependent fashion. Both responses to U-46619 were blocked by GF 109203X, a selective inhibitor of PKC activity, as well as by calphostin C and staurosporine, PKC inhibitors structurally distinct from GFX. Down-regulation of PKC by prior sustained exposure of MC to 0.5 µM phorbol myristate acetate similarly blocked increases in Fn synthesis induced by U-46619. The TXA 2 /PGH 2 receptor antagonist Sq-29548 also prevented activation of PKC and stimulation of Fn synthesis by U-46619, consistent with transduction of these responses via specific high affinity TXA 2 /PGH 2 receptors on MC. Addition of exogenous 8-Br-cGMP or stimulation of endogenous cGMP generation with atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) suppressed both U-46619 activation of PKC and stimulation of Fn synthesis. cGMP did not alter TXA 2 /PGH 2 receptor number or affinity in MC, but significantly suppressed phorbol ester activation of PKC. Thus, cGMP inhibition of U-46619 actions is expressed at steps distal to TX receptor binding and may involve effects at and proximal to activation of PKC. Interactions between the PKC and cGMP cellular signalling systems may be important determinants of MC matrix protein production in response to TX.
HIV Transmission in Latin America: Comparison with Africa and Policy Implications

In this article I examine the implications of the generalized heterosexual epidemic of AIDS in Africa for Latin America. A dangerous situation exists in “exceptionalizing” the African case. If we assume that Africa has much higher levels of HIV because African behaviour is so different from that of Latin America and Asia then we can conclude that we will not see an “African-level” AIDS epidemic elsewhere in the developing world. But if we look at a wider range of host factors contributing to AIDS in Africa then we must conclude that the possibility exists for much more serious epidemics in Latin America and South Asia than we have seen so far because those same factors are present among poor populations in other world regions. (excerpt)