cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transforming MOFs for Energy Applications Using the Guest@MOF Concept.

As the world transitions from fossil fuels to clean energy sources in the coming decades, many technological challenges will require chemists and material scientists to develop new materials for applications related to energy conversion, storage, and efficiency. Because of their unprecedented adaptability, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) will factor strongly in this portfolio. By utilizing the broad synthetic toolkit provided by the fields of organic and inorganic chemistry, MOF pores can be customized to suit a particular application. Of particular importance is the ability to tune the strength of the interaction between the MOF pores and guest molecules. By cleverly controlling these MOF–guest interactions, the chemist may impart new function into the Guest@MOF materials otherwise lacking in vacant MOF. Herein, we highlight the concept of the Guest@MOF as it relates to our efforts to develop these materials for energy-related applicatons. Our work in the areas of H2 and noble gas storage, hydrogenolysis...
Crohn’s disease of the esophagus

In this report we describe the case of a 50-year-old woman with Crohn’s disease of the esophagus. She had severe distal stricture that necessitated distal esophagectomy, with esophagogastric anastomosis and Nissen fundoplication. Surgical treatment of esophageal Crohn’s disease is associated with a number of complications; however, on the basis of our experience and a literature review, pyloroplasty and Nissen fundoplication in addition to surgical resection seems to be associated with fewer postoperative complications.
Evidence of intrinsic feedback in the photocurrent response of a P-I-N diode incorporating narrow asymmetric coupled quantum wells

It is known that asymmetric coupled quantum wells (ACQW's) can exhibit peculiar nonlinearities, such as a third-order nonlinearity,1 and nonlinear photoluminescence.2 Here we report the large optical nonlinearity in the photocurrent response of narrow ACQW structures. The ACQW sample (see Fig. 1) was grown by molecular-beam expitaxy on a Si-doped (100) n+ GaAs substrate. It has 25 ACQW periods, each of which consists of two GaAs quantum wells (QW's) with thicknesses of 18 A and 32 A, separated by a 15-A Al0.4Ga0.6As barrier. Thick barriers of 100 A isolate the coupled QW's from each other. Two 3000-A undoped Al0.4 Ga0.45Ga0.55As layers have been incorporated into the structure designed for the waveguiding experiments, but we found that they are important even in the case of transverse light propagation.
Boronic Acid Matrices for the Affinity Purification of Glycoproteins and Enzymes

Boronic acids immobilized on insoluble matrices have been used for over a decade to purify proteins and enzymes (1,2). Boronic acid matrices have been used to purify: 1. Glycoproteins, 2. Enzymes for which a boronic acid moiety is an inhibitor, and 3. Enzymes that bind to specific dial-containing cofactors (such as UTP or NADP(+)).
Validating the transmission-line based material property extraction procedure including surface roughness for multilayer PCBs using simulations

Accurate frequency-dependent dielectric properties are important for accurate modeling of signal and power integrity problems. One method for extracting dielectric properties from fabricated multilayer printed circuit boards is based on the measured electrical property of fabricated transmission lines, denoted the “Root-omega” method. In this paper, the “Root-omega” method applied to the cases with smooth and rough conductors is validated using simulations. Potential errors in the procedure are discussed.
Horses to Horse Power: The Development of Street Sweeping Practices

Much of what we know of the history of human Settlements comes from archaeological excavations of occupation sites and particularly the examination of garbage deposited in middens. These archaeological ruins, often in the form of mounds or tells, contain the refuse of human activities that have accumulated in urban landscapes over many years. In some parts of the Middle East, for example, many of the tells that dot the landscape are topographic highs visible for miles. The tell deposits consist of a variety of urban debris including old building materials, ceramic vessels, and tiles in a matrix of dust and fine debris. How did these areas develop so that they grew vertically with time? Was it a conscious decision or was it just the nature of the development?
Autism spectrum disorder detection from semi-structured and unstructured medical data

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder that significantly impairs patients’ ability to perform normal social interaction and communication. Moreover, the diagnosis procedure of ASD is highly time-consuming, labor-intensive, and requires extensive expertise. Although there exists no known cure for ASD, there is consensus among clinicians regarding the importance of early intervention for the recovery of ASD patients. Therefore, to benefit autism patients by enhancing their access to treatments such as early intervention, we aim to develop a robust machine learning-based system for autism detection by using Natural Language Processing techniques based on information extracted from medical forms of potential ASD patients. Our detecting framework involves converting semi-structured and unstructured medical forms into digital format, preprocessing, learning document representation, and finally, classification. Testing results are evaluated against the ground truth set by expert clinicians and the proposed system achieve a 83.4% accuracy and 91.1% recall, which is very promising. The proposed ASD detection framework could significantly simplify and shorten the procedure of ASD diagnosis.
The Diurnal Cycle of Tropical Cloudiness and Rainfall Associated with the Madden–Julian Oscillation

AbstractThis study examines the diurnal cycle of rainfall and cloudiness associated with the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) using TRMM rainfall rate and ISCCP multilevel cloud fraction data. There are statistically significant differences in diurnal cycle amplitude and phase between suppressed and enhanced envelopes of MJO convection. The amplitude of the diurnal rainfall rate and middle–deep cloudiness increases within enhanced MJO convection, especially over the ocean. However, the differences in diurnal cycle amplitude between enhanced and suppressed MJO are generally smaller than the differences in daily mean values, so that its relative contribution to total rainfall or cloudiness variance within enhanced MJO convection becomes smaller. Near the coastlines of islands within the Maritime Continent, the diurnal cycle amplitude tends to increase 5–10 days prior to the arrival of the peak enhanced MJO convection, but this relationship is weaker over the interior areas of larger islands where the climato...
Evolving paradigm of treatment for autoimmune hepatitis.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Current medications for autoimmune hepatitis have broad anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive actions, and their effects are short-lived and inconsistent. The goals of this review were to describe the actions and shortcomings of these medications, indicate the key pathogenic mechanisms that might be targeted by site-directed interventions, and present the pivotal studies supporting development of these alternative agents.Areas covered: Abstracts cited in PubMed from April 1964 to February 2017 were identified using the search words ‘treatment of autoimmune hepatitis’. A secondary bibliography was developed from the references cited in selected articles, and additional searches were performed to expand the concepts developed in these articles. The number of abstracts reviewed exceeded 1000, and the number of full-length articles reviewed exceeded 100.Expert commentary: Molecular, cellular, and pharmacological interventions that target key pathogenic pathways promise to change the cu...
Streaming Graph Sampling with Size Restrictions

Many graph datasets originating from online social network, financial or biological sources are too large to store or analyze. The analysis of such networks may be made more tractable if they are reduced to smaller subgraphs via sampling. While most of the known graph sampling methods are designed with static graphs in mind, many real datasets are massive and rapidly growing, making streaming methods necessary. We present two new techniques, Randomly Induced Edge Sampling (RIES) and Weighted Edge Sampling (WES). Both methods sample a stream of edges in a single pass, without the need to know future properties of the stream. In contrast to previous work that focused on limiting only the number of vertices, our methods restrict the number of edges, thus truly limiting the size of the sampled subgraph. We compare the performance of RIES and WES against the previously known streaming Random Edge (RE) method on eight social network datasets. Using four structural graph properties, we find that both RIES and WES produce subgraphs that are more structurally similar to the original graph than are the subgraphs produced by streaming RE. We also examine the sensitivity of the two algorithms with respect to their parameters. The parameters of WES affect its performance in a more predictable manner and are easier to set. Both new algorithms represent an improvement in the available streaming graph analysis toolkit.
Extracting Arterial Access Density Impacts on Safety Performance Based on Clustering and Computational Analysis

AbstractAccess density is defined as the number of accesses per unit length along an arterial. Numerous studies conducted in various regions have indicated that access density has a significant inf...
Collective Memory from a Psychological Perspective

Social scientists have studied collective memory for almost a century, but psychological analyses have only recently emerged. Although no singular approach to the psychological study of collective memory exists, research has largely: (i) explored the social representations of history, including generational differences; (ii) probed for the underlying cognitive processes leading to the formation of collective memories, adopting either a top-down or bottom-up approach; and (iii) explored how people live in history and transmit personal memories of historical importance across generations. Here, we discuss these different approaches and highlight commonalities and connections between them.
Abstract WP24: Improvement In Collateral Score And Level Of Occlusion Are Early Angiographic Indicators Of The Degree of Infarction In Acute Ischemic Stroke

INTRODUCTION: Brain parenchyma contrast staining on CT after recanalization therapy and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) in large vessel occlusion acute ischemic stroke (LVO-AIS) patients has been demonstrated to be a marker for significant brain injury, possibly indicating blood brain barrier breakdown or no-reflow phenomena at the capillary level. Most often stained parenchyma undergoes infarction. We evaluated several DSA parameters in order to determine if findings on DSA at the time of LVO-AIS intervention can predict postintervention parenchymal contrast staining on CT and, thus, serve as early prognostic factors for brain infarction. HYPOTHESIS: Point of cerebral arterial occlusion, TICI score, and degree of pial collateraliation correlate with presence of parenchymal contrast staining on post-intervention CT in LVO-AIS patients. METHODS: Our institution’s CHR approved this analysis of imaging and patient charts. We reviewed 17 years of LVO-AIS intervention at our institution, and 67 patients met inclusion criteria. Angiograms were evaluated for level of occlusion, TICI scores before and after intervention, and level of collateralization before and after intervention. Statistical analysis was performed using Fisher’s exact test and ANOVA. RESULTS: More proximal sites of cerebral arterial occlusion were more likely patients to have post-intervention staining (p=0.08). Preprocedure TICI, postprocedure TICI and improvement in TICI score did not predict contrast staining on post procedure CT (p=0.34, 0.54, and 0.52). Preprocedure collateral score, post procedure collateral score were similarly not predictive (p=0.28 and 0.93). Decreasing collateral score (i.e., increased antegrade flow with decreased need for collateral supply) was predictive of contrast staining (p=0.09). CONCLUSION: Improvement in pial collateral score was more predictive of postprocedure contrast staining than was change in TICI grade, and thus may serve as a complement to TICI in the assessment of revascularization efficacy at the time of stroke intervention.
Ion assisted deposition of thin layers

Ion beam assisted deposition, the bombardment of thin films with a beam of energetic particles has become a highly developed tool for the preparation of thin films. This technique provides thin films and coatings with modified microstructure and properties. In this paper three examples are presented for the modifying the structure: in-situ modification of the texture during the ion assisted film growth, evolution of the intrinsic stress during film growth and the ion beam enhanced epitaxy.
Effects of linear periodization versus daily undulating periodization on neuromuscular performance and activities of daily living in an elderly population.

Abstract Background Periodization is a systematic training calendar designed to provide variations in performance targeting, while maximizing results and reducing the potential for overtraining. When provided across multiple weeks, termed a mesocycle, it may also incorporate active recovery periods using specified drills designed to translate neuromuscular gains into targeted functional abilities. There are a number of models that can be used when applying periodization to resistance training (RT). Among the most common are the linear (LP) and daily fixed non-linear (NLP) models. It is currently unknown whether an optimal periodization strategy exists that will maximize benefits for older adults; therefore, we compared the impact of these two periodization models on neuromuscular and functional measures in a group of older persons living independently in the community. Methods Thirty-six older adults, 58–80 years of age, were randomly assigned to either a LP (n = 16; 69.3 ± 4.6 y) or NLP (n = 14; 68.9 ± 6.7 y) group. The LP group performed 12 weeks of training comprised of separate 4-week strength and power training cycles, each followed by a 2-week recovery period incorporating translational exercises. The NLP group performed the strength, power, and translational training on three separate days during the week. Neuromuscular testing included seated chest press and leg press strength and power tests, while physical function testing included the gallon jug shelf test, laundry transfer test, floor stand-up, chair-to-stand test, and 8 foot timed up-and-go. Results 3 (time) × 2 (sex) × 2 (group) repeated measures ANOVA revealed both periodization strategies were equally effective at inducing neuromuscular and functional improvements and that men generally produced more strength and power than women. Conclusions Both LP and NLP can be used to improve strength, power, and functional performance in healthy untrained older adults when strength, power and functional training cycles are involved. Therefore, personal preference and variety should be considered when deciding which approach to use, provided high-speed power and translational recovery components are included.
Genomic correlates of response to immune checkpoint blockade

Despite impressive durable responses, immune checkpoint inhibitors do not provide a long-term benefit to the majority of patients with cancer. Understanding genomic correlates of response and resistance to checkpoint blockade may enhance benefits for patients with cancer by elucidating biomarkers for patient stratification and resistance mechanisms for therapeutic targeting. Here we review emerging genomic markers of checkpoint blockade response, including those related to neoantigens, antigen presentation, DNA repair, and oncogenic pathways. Compelling evidence also points to a role for T cell functionality, checkpoint regulators, chromatin modifiers, and copy-number alterations in mediating selective response to immune checkpoint blockade. Ultimately, efforts to contextualize genomic correlates of response into the larger understanding of tumor immune biology will build a foundation for the development of novel biomarkers and therapies to overcome resistance to checkpoint blockade.
Modeling postharvest loss and water and energy use in Florida tomato operations

Abstract With a growing worldwide population, feeding 10 billion people by the year 2050 is the next global challenge. Fresh produce systems account for a significant fraction of total food and resource consumption due to their perishable nature, with postharvest quality being a key challenge. Production models for fresh produce are widely used and well adapted, whereas postharvest operations (PO) models have only recently been developed. The overarching goal is to quantify interactions of food quality, water and energy use in PO. In this study, an existing PO model was enhanced and implemented for a field grown tomato operation in Florida. Model estimates were compared with data from a representative operation, and were upscaled to obtain statewide estimates. The enhanced model was found to be the most sensitive to harvest frequency, quantity shipped to customer, and quantity harvested. At maximum grower profit, the model estimated water and energy quantities roughly 20% lower for each operation. The representative operation exceeded optimal water and energy usage because the farmers, despite having efficient production, commonly ”over-produce” far beyond optimal levels for reasons including risk of loss, tradition, low market prices, and large fixed costs of operation. Postharvest loss estimated by the model was 22% of quantity harvested for the representative operation. The upscaled regional postharvest losses were at 16% for the state of Florida. Operation-specific water and energy use from the case study were upscaled to give regional monthly estimates of 50.3 million liters and 28.3 million kWh, respectively. Such interactions provide insights into postharvest decisions made by commercial operations and impacts of these decisions on the food, water and energy system. The integrated modeling framework in this study can be extended to other crops and quantify interactions of water, energy and, postharvest losses to optimize efficient management practices.
Cold Tolerance of Shade Tree Species and Cultivars in the Upper Midwest

Evaluation of shade tree species and cultivars for adaptability to Minnesota climatic conditions was initiated in 1978. Evaluation includes cultivars of Acer platanoides, Acer rubrum, Acer sacchari...
The Empirical Examination of the Social Process of Genetic Enhancement, Objectification, and Maltreatment.

In “Yesterday’s Child,” Rob Sparrow argues that genetically enhanced children will be considered to be obsolescent when the next improvement in genetic technology occurs, and that this will have ne...
A Novel Recombinant Eklf-GATA1 Fusion Protein Reduces Sickling of Erythrocytes Cultured from CD34+ Cells with Sickle Cell Disease

Abstract Current gene therapy approaches for treatment of hemoglobinopathies involve viral transduction of hematopoietic stem cells with antisickling globin genes. Hemoglobin A2 (HA2, α2δ2), expressed at a low level due to the lack of Eklf binding motif in its promoter region, is fully functional and could be a valid anti-sickling agent in sickle cell disease, as well as a substitute of hemoglobin A in β-thalassemia. We had previously demonstrated that two Eklf-GATA1 fusion proteins could significantly activate δ-globin expression in CD34+ cells from healthy and sickle trait donor’s blood. Here we report the effects of Eklf-GATA1 on hemoglobin expression and phenotypic correction using erythrocytes cultured from CD34+ cells with sickle cell disease. We found that enforced expression of Eklf-GATA1 fusion protein enhanced globin gene expression in the erythrocytesas compared with vector control. The long-form Eklf-GATA1 up-regulated β-globin gene expression 2.0-fold, δ-globin gene expression 4.3-fold, and γ-globin gene expression 2.6-fold. The medium-form EKLF-GATA1 up-regulated δ-globin gene expression 2.3-fold and γ-globin 1.3-fold, but had no significant effect on β-globin gene expression. HPLC revealed a percentage of HA2+HbF was increased from 8.1 % in vector-transduced cells to 19.7% in medium-form Eklf-GATA-transduced-cells (p Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Epilogue: What Have We Learned?

This chapter summarizes the conclusions from the prior chapters and weaves them into a coherent economic perspective on the goals and effects of criminal punishment. The discussion not only emphasizes the ability of economic theory to describe the structure and function of legal institutions as well as the decisions of rational offenders, but also cautions that an economic approach to criminal justice is dependent on the values that a given society seeks to pursue, which is ultimately a question of philosophy and politics.
Fundamental Evaluation of Data Clustering Approaches for Driving Cycle-Based Machine Design Optimization

This article presents a fundamental evaluation of different clustering methods for analyzing driving cycles toward the efficient design of electric machines. It uses clusters of operating points to identify representative points (RPs) and the related optimization weights to design electric machines with optimal efficiency in the specific operating range. Typically, the design optimization of machines is carried out for one or a few speed–torque points. This article shows that for a predictable driving cycle or a specific set of operating points on the torque–speed plot, cluster analysis can be used to determine the representative operating points, which can be utilized in the optimization process to improve the overall efficiency for the considered driving cycle or operation profile. Furthermore, if multiphysics design is considered, the machine performance metrics can be guaranteed in multiple domains. This article presents a review of data clustering methods and their application in machine design optimization, where the pros and cons of the methods are weighed up. Further, X-Means method is proposed as an automated approach for cluster analysis and identification of RPs. In order to assess the effectiveness of the proposed method, a case study is carried out for the electromagnetic design of an interior permanent magnet (IPM) machine for the Worldwide harmonized Light vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) driving cycle.
Thiamine mimetics sulbutiamine and benfotiamine as a nutraceutical approach to anticancer therapy

Malignant cells frequently demonstrate an oncogenic-driven reliance on glycolytic metabolism to support their highly proliferative nature. Overexpression of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK) may promote this unique metabolic signature of tumor cells by inhibiting mitochondrial function. PDKs function to phosphorylate and inhibit pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) activity. Silencing of PDK expression has previously been shown to restore mitochondrial function and reduce tumor cell proliferation. High dose Vitamin B1, or thiamine, possesses antitumor properties related to its capacity to reduce PDH phosphorylation and promote its enzymatic activity, presumably through PDK inhibition. Though a promising nutraceutical approach for cancer therapy, thiamine's low bioavailability may limit clinical effectiveness. Here, we have demonstrated exploiting the commercially available lipophilic thiamine analogs sulbutiamine and benfotiamine increases thiamine's anti-cancer effect in vitro. Determined by crystal violet proliferation assays, both sulbutiamine and benfotiamine reduced thiamine's millimolar IC50 value to micromolar equivalents. HPLC analysis revealed that sulbutiamine and benfotiamine significantly increased intracellular thiamine and TPP concentrations in vitro, corresponding with reduced levels of PDH phosphorylation. Through an ex vitro kinase screen, thiamine's activated cofactor form thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP) was found to inhibit the function of multiple PDK isoforms. Attempts to maximize intracellular TPP by exploiting thiamine homeostasis gene expression resulted in enhanced apoptosis in tumor cells. Based on our in vitro evaluations, we conclude that TPP serves as the active species mediating thiamine's inhibitory effect on tumor cell proliferation. Pharmacologic administration of benfotiamine, but not sulbutiamine, reduced tumor growth in a subcutaneous xenograft mouse model. It remains unclear if benfotiamine's effects in vivo are associated with PDK inhibition or through an alternative mechanism of action. Future work will aim to define the action of lipophilic thiamine mimetics in vivo in order to translate their clinical usefulness as anticancer strategies.
Internalization mechanisms of brain-derived tau oligomers from patients with Alzheimer’s disease, progressive supranuclear palsy and dementia with Lewy bodies

Tau aggregates propagate in brain cells and transmit to neighboring cells as well as anatomically connected brain regions by prion-like mechanisms. Soluble tau aggregates (tau oligomers) are the most toxic species that initiate neurodegeneration in tauopathies, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Exogenous tau aggregates have been shown to be internalized by brain cells; however, the precise cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie the internalization of tau oligomers (TauO) remain elusive. Using brain-derived tau oligomers (BDTOs) from AD, PSP, and DLB patients, we investigated neuronal internalization mechanisms of BDTOs, including the heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG)-mediated pathway, clathrin-mediated pathway, and caveolae-mediated pathway. Here, we demonstrated that the HSPG-mediated pathway regulates internalization of BDTOs from AD and DLB, while HSPG-mediated and other alternative pathways are involved in the internalization of PSP-derived tau oligomers. HSPG antagonism significantly reduced the internalization of TauO, prevented tau translocation to the endosomal–lysosomal system, and decreased levels of hyperphosphorylated tau in neurons, the well-known contributor for neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) accumulation, degeneration of neurons, and cognitive decline. Furthermore, siRNA-mediated silencing of heparan sulfate (HS)-synthesizing enzyme, exostosin-2, leads to decreased internalization of BDTOs, prevented tau-induced autophagy–lysosomal pathway impairment, and decreased hyperphosphorylated tau levels. Collectively, these findings suggest that HSPG-mediated endocytosis and exostsin-2 are involved in neuronal internalization of TauO and subsequent tau-dependent neuropathology in AD and DLB.
ALANET: Adaptive Latent Attention Network for Joint Video Deblurring and Interpolation

Existing works address the problem of generating high frame-rate sharp videos by separately learning the frame deblurring and frame interpolation modules. Most of these approaches have a strong prior assumption that all the input frames are blurry whereas in a real-world setting, the quality of frames varies. Moreover, such approaches are trained to perform either of the two tasks - deblurring or interpolation - in isolation, while many practical situations call for both. Different from these works, we address a more realistic problem of high frame-rate sharp video synthesis with no prior assumption that input is always blurry. We introduce a novel architecture, Adaptive Latent Attention Network (ALANET), which synthesizes sharp high frame-rate videos with no prior knowledge of input frames being blurry or not, thereby performing the task of both deblurring and interpolation. We hypothesize that information from the latent representation of the consecutive frames can be utilized to generate optimized representations for both frame deblurring and frame interpolation. Specifically, we employ combination of self-attention and cross-attention module between consecutive frames in the latent space to generate optimized representation for each frame. The optimized representation learnt using these attention modules help the model to generate and interpolate sharp frames. Extensive experiments on standard datasets demonstrate that our method performs favorably against various state-of-the-art approaches, even though we tackle a much more difficult problem. The project page is available at https://agupt013.github.io/ALANET.html.
The Milton Friedman Constraint: A Proposal for Improving Corporate Governance

This paper presents a proposal for improving corporate governance. It is designed to increase incentives for corporations and their leaders to adhere to the constraint that Milton Friedman laid out in his 1970 New York Times article, “The Social Responsibility of Business Is to Increase Its Profits.” The constraint, which I call the Friedman Constraint, is that in conducting its business the firm should conform to the “basic rules of the society, both those embodied in law and those embodied in ethical custom.” The increased incentives are established by creating an entity that has a board seat and is thus a corporate insider. The entity has significant financial incentives to minimize corporate fines for wrongdoings, but receives none of the potential benefits of any bad conduct.
Leadership During Crisis: An Examination of Supervisory Leadership Behavior and Gender During COVID-19

Due to major work disruptions caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, supervisors in organizations are facing leadership challenges as they attempt to manage “work from home” arrangements, t...
The impact of SST and PV interneurons on nonlinear synaptic integration in the neocortex.

Excitatory synaptic inputs arriving at the dendrites of a neuron can engage active mechanisms that nonlinearly amplify the depolarizing currents. This supralinear synaptic integration is subject to modulation by inhibition. However, the specific rules by which different subtypes of interneurons affect the modulation have remained largely elusive. To examine how inhibition influences active synaptic integration, we optogenetically manipulated the activity of the following two subtypes of interneurons: dendrite-targeting somatostatin-expressing (SST) interneurons; and perisomatic-targeting parvalbumin-expressing (PV) interneurons. In acute slices of mouse primary visual cortex, electrical stimulation evoked nonlinear synaptic integration that depended on NMDA receptors. Optogenetic activation of SST interneurons in conjunction with electrical stimulation resulted in predominantly divisive inhibitory gain control, reducing the magnitude of the supralinear response without affecting its threshold. PV interneuron activation, on the other hand, had a minimal effect on the supralinear response. Together, these results delineate the roles for SST and PV neurons in active synaptic integration. Differential effects of inhibition by SST and PV interneurons likely increase the computational capacity of the pyramidal neurons in modulating the nonlinear integration of synaptic output.
The Mutant β E202K Sliding Clamp Protein Impairs DNA Polymerase III Replication Activity

Expression of the Escherichia coli dnaN-encoded β clamp at ≥10-fold higher than chromosomally expressed levels impedes growth by interfering with DNA replication. We hypothesized that the excess β clamp sequesters the replicative DNA polymerase III (Pol III) to inhibit replication. As a test of this hypothesis, we obtained eight mutant clamps with an inability to impede growth and measured their ability to stimulate Pol III replication in vitro. Compared with the wild-type clamp, seven of the mutants were defective, consistent with their elevated cellular levels failing to sequester Pol III. However, the βE202K mutant that bears a glutamic acid-to-lysine substitution at residue 202 displayed an increased affinity for Pol IIIα and Pol III core (Pol IIIαeθ), suggesting that it could still sequester Pol III effectively. Of interest, βE202K supported in vitro DNA replication by Pol II and Pol IV but was defective with Pol III. Genetic experiments indicated that the dnaNE202K strain remained proficient in DNA damage-induced mutagenesis but was induced modestly for SOS and displayed sensitivity to UV light and methyl methanesulfonate. These results correlate an impaired ability of the mutant βE202K clamp to support Pol III replication in vivo with its in vitro defect in DNA replication. Taken together, our results (i) support the model that sequestration of Pol III contributes to growth inhibition, (ii) argue for the existence of an additional mechanism that contributes to lethality, and (iii) suggest that physical and functional interactions of the β clamp with Pol III are more extensive than appreciated currently. IMPORTANCE The β clamp plays critically important roles in managing the actions of multiple proteins at the replication fork. However, we lack a molecular understanding of both how the clamp interacts with these different partners and the mechanisms by which it manages their respective actions. We previously exploited the finding that an elevated cellular level of the β clamp impedes Escherichia coli growth by interfering with DNA replication. Using a genetic selection method, we obtained novel mutant β clamps that fail to inhibit growth. Their analysis revealed that βE202K is unique among them. Our work offers new insights into how the β clamp interacts with and manages the actions of E. coli DNA polymerases II, III, and IV.
Moderate blood alcohol and brain neurovulnerability: Selective depletion of calcium-independent phospholipase A2, omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid, and its synaptamide derivative as a potential harbinger of deficits in anti-inflammatory reserve.

Background Repetitive, highly elevated blood alcohol (ethanol) concentrations (BACs) of 350-450 mg/dl over several days cause brain neurodegeneration and coincident neuroinflammation in adult rats that is localized in hippocampus (HC), temporal cortex (esp. entorhinal cortex; ECX), and olfactory bulb (OB). The profuse neuroinflammation involves microgliosis, increased pro-inflammatory cytokines, and elevations of Ca+2 -dependent phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) and secretory PLA2 (sPLA2) that both mobilize pro-inflammatory ω-6 arachidonic acid (ARA). In contrast, Ca+2 -independent PLA2 (iPLA2) and anti-inflammatory ω-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a polyunsaturated fatty acid believed to be primarily regulated by iPLA2, are diminished. Furthermore, supplemented DHA exerts neuroprotection. Given uncertainties about possible effects of relatively common lower circulating levels during short term binges, we examined how moderate BACs affected the above inflammatory events, and the impact of supplemented DHA. Methods and results Young adult male rats sustaining upper-moderate BACs (~150 mg/dl) from once-daily alcohol intubations were sacrificed with appropriate controls after one week. The HC, ECX and OB were quantitatively examined using immunoblotting, neurodegeneration staining, and lipidomics assays. Whereas neurodegeneration, increases in cPLA2 IVA, sPLA2 IIA and ARA, and microglial activation were not detected, the HC and ECX regions demonstrated significantly reduced iPLA2 levels. Levels of DHA and synaptamide, its anti-inflammatory N-docosahexaenoylethanolamide derivative, also were lower in HC, and DHA supplementation prevented the iPLA2 decrements in HC. Additionally, adult mice maintaining upper-moderate BACs from limited alcohol binges had reduced midbrain iPLA2 levels. Conclusions The apparently selective depletion by moderate BACs of the metabolically-linked anti-inflammatory triad of hippocampal iPLA2, DHA and synaptamide, as well as of iPLA2 in the ECX, potentially indicates an unrecognized deficit in brain anti-inflammatory reserve that may be a harbinger of regional neurovulnerability.
The immunoglobulin hinge (Interdomain) region

The hinge region is a flexible amino acid stretch in the central part of the heavy chains of the IgG and IgA immunoglobulin classes, which links these 2 chains by disulfide bonds. It is rich in cysteine and proline amino acids, extremely variable in amino acid sequence, and has no resemblance to any other immunoglobulin region. The hinges in these 2 classes are compared and contrasted. Such a distinct molecular structure does not exist around the inter-heavy disulfide bonds of the other Ig classes, but a portion of the IgM heavy chain has similar properties to the gamma hinge. This similarity suggests one hypothesis for the genetic origin of the hinge region; data supporting 2 other hypotheses are also presented.
Issues Pertaining to Monitoring the Abuse of Amphetamines in Workplace Drug Testing.

Literature pertaining to three potential problematic areas in forensic drug urinalysis of amphetamines is reviewed. The first topic involves analytical artifacts causing false positive results for methamphetamine, as well as approaches to instrumental and chemical resolutions. The second topic addresses enantiomeric compositions, including sources, analytical approaches, metabolic mechanisms, and interpretation criteria. The third topic is concerned with legal and illicit drugs that may produce amphetamine or methamphetamine as metabolites, and relevant information regarding interpretation of these results.
Some Observations on the Effect of l-Tri-Iodothyronine on Acne Vulgaris *

Although the cutaneous changes of myxedema and Grave's disease have been well documented, little is known of the role of the thyroid hormone in the physiology of the pilosebaceous apparatus. Our attention was focused on this problem by observations in five patients, aged 15 to 28, with Grave's disease (1). In these individuals, the first appearance of acne vulgaris or striking exacerbation of a previously mild acne occurred 1 to 4 months following induction of eumetabolism by anti-thyroid drugs. Bauer and Goodwin (2) in 1951 similarly reported the transient appearance of acne in a series of male patients with Grave's disease following therapy with carrier-free I131. In recent years, 3-5-3'-triiodothyronine (T-3),a naturally occurring thyroid hormone of greater activity and more rapid action than thyroxine, has become available. The ability of this hormone to induce acute alterations in metabolism has prompted further inquiry into the effect of thyroid hormone on acne. The results obtained with T-3 during the fall and winter months of 1957-59 in eleven intensively studied female patients with acne vulgaris form the basis of this preliminary report.
The Undeserving Poor?: Welfare, Tax Policy, and Political Discourse

Low-income taxpayers are politically unpopular these days. Last summer's child tax rebates were not sent to 12 million low-income families and beginning this year, low-income taxpayers will have to prove their eligibility for tax benefits before receiving them. This Article argues that low-income taxpayers are politically unpopular because of the perceptions held about them. Low-income taxpayers are perceived to be disproportionately Black by both politicians and academics. Politicians recently played the "race card" by analogizing low-income taxpayer rebates to welfare. Academics simply stated that low-income taxpayers who are eligible for the earned income tax credit were Black and disproportionately benefited from the credit. This Article provides the first comprehensive analysis of low-income taxpayers and shows that twice as many Whites as Blacks are eligible for the earned income tax credit. This Article also shows that the tax benefits available to low-income taxpayers disadvantage low-income Black families when compared with the tax benefits available to middle-income families. This Article concludes by suggesting areas for tax reform that would treat low-income families like their middle-income counterparts.
Betrayed by Batteries

The Electric Vehicle and the Burden of History. David A. Kirsch. Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick, NJ, 2000. 307 pp. $52. ISBN 0-8135-2808-9; Paper, $20. ISBN 0-8135-2809-7. Exploring the early 20th century rise and fall of electric vehicles, Kirsch explains the abandonment of electric vehicles in terms of the business strategies of their manufacturers and electric utilities as well as the expectations and choices of consumers.
Collecting, Auctions, and the Book Trade

Every public talk has an assigned name and a secret name—just as T. S. Eliot’s cats all had secret names. The secret title of this talk is: “The Rare Book Community: 1 Nun, 2 Jakes, and the Reign of Terry.” Let’s start with the Nun. She was Mother Katharine Drexel, the second American-born saint. When her banker father died in 1885, she inherited about $5 million, which would be about $80 million today. She became a nun, and by 1891 she had founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament for Indians and Colored People. By the time of her . . .
An intervention to enhance Alzheimer's disease clinical research participation among older African Americans.

Background Alzheimer's disease (AD) rates are higher among African Americans than in other racial or ethnic groups. However, Black elders participate in research at lower rates than Whites. Objective The present study aimed to: (1) implement an informational protocol for African Americans elders and their loved ones about the benefits of clinical research and brain donation program participation in AD, and (2) quantitatively assess changes in knowledge, attitudes, and trust. Methods Participants included 52 African American participants from the Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Center research registry (74 ± 8 years, 83% female) and 11 loved ones. Registry participants completed a pre- and post-group survey assessing brain donation knowledge, factors influencing brain donation, attitudes about medical research, and trust in medical researchers. Results There were no significant changes in mean scores between the pre- and post-group surveys. However, post-group outcomes revealed that 69% of participants shared details from the protocol with loved ones, 27% expressed an interest in joining Center-sponsored studies, and 10% indicated an interest in changing their brain donation status. Conclusion The informational protocol implemented in this study is an effective method to encourage family discussions about brain donation and increase interest in other AD research studies. Longitudinal follow-up is necessary to assess the long-term implications of these groups on participation in a brain donation program.
Is group living an antipredator defense in a facultatively communal webspinner (Embiidina: Clothodidae)?

I tested whether predator attack rate is a function of expanse of silk for colonies ofAntipaluria urichi, a facultatively communal webspinner. The avoidance effect hypothesis predicts that the probability of a predator detecting a group does not increase proportionately with an increase in expanse of silk, and therefore, larger groups are relatively less likely to be attacked. I counted the number of holes inflicted on silk over 3 weeks, an indirect measure of predation, for 47 colonies. Supporting the avoidance effect, holes per perimeter of silk accumulated at a rate lower than would be predicted by size alone. Further analysis using predation risk, computed as holes per individual per silk perimeter, revealed that risk was extremely variable for colonies with little silk (<200 cm) but, on average, did not vary as silk expanse increased. Overall, predators of webspinner colonies appear to be influenced by the avoidance effect, but whether the occupants of the silk are safer is unresolved.
QoS mapping algorithm for ETE QoS provisioning

End-to-End (ETE) Quality of Service (QoS) is critical for next generation wireless multimedia communication systems. To meet the ETE QoS requirements, Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) requires not only meeting the 3GPP QoS requirements [1-2] but also mapping external network QoS classes to UMTS QoS classes. There are four Quality of Services (QoS) classes in UMTS; they are Conversational, Streaming, Interactive and Background. There are eight QoS classes for LAN in IEEE 802.1 (one reserved). ATM has four QoS categories. They are Constant Bit Rate (CBR) - highest priority, short queue for strict Cell Delay Variation (CDV), Variable Bit Rate (VBR) - second highest priority, short queues for real time, longer queues for non-real time, Guaranteed Frame Rate (GFR)/ Unspecified Bit Rate (UBR) with Minimum Desired Cell Rate (MDCR) - intermediate priority, dependent on service provider UBR/ Available Bit Rate (ABR) - lowest priority, long queues, large delay variation. DiffServ (DS) has six-bit DS codepoint (DSCP) available to determine the datagram's priority relative to other datagrams and therefore, up to 64 QoS classes are available from the IPv4 and IPv6 DSCP. Different organisations have tried to solve the QoS issues from their own perspective. However, none of them has a full picture for end-to-end QoS classes and how to map them among all QoS classes. Therefore, a universal QoS needs to be created and a new set of QoS classes to enable end-to-end (ETE) QoS provisioning is required. In this paper, a new set of ETE QoS classes is proposed and a mappings algorithm for different QoS classes that are proposed by different organisations is given. With our proposal, ETE QoS mapping and control can be implemented.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The Schooling of the Domestic: the ‘construction’ of a female technical school and its curriculum (1946–70)

ABSTRACT Based on historical research carried out at a female technical school located in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil, this study analyses the process of formation of young women on the industrial and technical courses offered at this school from 1946 (date of the school's foundation) until 1970. The close intermingling of technical training and domestic training is emphasised, with the domestic sphere perceived as the axis articulating the whole educational process. Oral and written documental sources were analysed, using a historical‐sociological perspective. The objective was to understand why and how ‘domestic knowledge’ (the knowledge, skills and attitudes involved in the activities of women in the home) was transposed to the school curriculum.
ETHANOL EXTRACTION OF FREE AMINO ACIDS FROM SOIL

A technique was developed for extracting and analyzing the free amino acid fraction of soil. Ethanol was used as an extracting agent. Ethanolextraction curves showed 20 per cent ethanol was the optimum percentage for extraction. Extraction-time curves indicated 18 to 20 hours of extraction with 20 per cent ethanol produced satisfactory results. The free amino acid fraction of soil was characterized and the limitations of the technique were determined. The naturally occurring amino acids extracted with 20 per cent ethanol were limited to acidic and neutral amino acids; basic amino acids were not extracted in sufficient quantities to permit detection. Based on the percent recovery of amino acids incorporated into soil and extracted with 20 per cent ethanol 90 to 95 per cent of the acidic, 80 to 85 per cent of the neutral and 1 to 5 per cent of the basic amino acids used were recovered with the technique.