cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Some effects of hormones and l-aspartate on the activity and distribution of aspartate aminotransferase activity in rat liver

Abstract 1. 1. Six daily injections of 12.5 mg of cortisone to male rats resulted in a doubling of homogenate aspartate aminotransferase specific activity. The supernatant fraction isozyme increased 300 per cent, but the mitochondrial fraction isozyme only to a small extent. Increases in female rats were only one-half those in males. Cortisol had no effect, but ACTH increased activity in both male and female rats to a lesser extent than cortisone. The duration of the increase with cortisone was between 5 and 7 days. Adrenalectomy did not affect enzyme activity. 2. 2. Thyroxine, growth hormone, estradiol and testosterone did not significantly change aspartate aminotransferase activity in homogenate or subcellular fractions of normal rat liver. 3. 3. Six daily injections of 75 mg of l -aspartate led to a modest increase in aspartate aminotransferase activity in homogenate and all the subcellular fractions of normal rat liver. The duration of the increase was between 3 and 5 days. 4. 4. Actinomycin did not significantly affect the induction of aspartate aminotransferase activity by cortisone, but did abolish induction by aspartate. Puromycin prevented induction of enzyme activity by cortisone to the extent of about 70–80 per cent and completely abolished enzyme induction by aspartate. 5. 5. Neither cortisone nor aspartate induced aspartate aminotransferase activity in the Dunning, Novikoff or Morris 5123-D hepatomas. Embryonic liver was also not affected, but regenerating liver gave the same response as normal liver.
On the So-Called Paradox of Einstein, Podolsky and Rosen

It is shown that the well-known experiment discussed by Einstein, Podolsky and Rosen (1935) does not furnish a prediction or a measurement, as has always been held, but only an inference. The later discussions by Bohm and others are shown to contain unveriuable and therefore inadmissible statements involving several components of the same angular momentum vector. In either case there is no paradox.
Simulation of rapid heating in fusion reactor first walls using the Green's function approach

The solution of the heat conduction problem in moving boundary conditions is very important in predicting accurate thermal behavior of materials when very high energy deposition is expected. Such high fluxes are encountered on first wall materials nd other components in fusion reactors. A numerical method has been developed to solve this problem by the use of the Green's function. A comparison is made between this method and a finite difference one. The comparison in the finite difference method is made with and without the variation of the thermophysical properties with temperature. The agreement between Green's function and the finite difference method is found to be very good. The advantages and disadvantages of using the Green's function method and the importance of the variation of material thermal properties with temperature are discussed.
The evolution of a laser artist

Washington D.C. artist Rockne Krebs pioneered the use of lasers as an art form. Here is the story of his passion for color and light.
Exchange Rate Effects on Domestic Prices in Bulgaria and Poland: Progress in Making Markets?

Abstract The economic liberalization which has occurred in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) over the past 15 years generally has involved establishing domestic markets and privatizing state‐owned firms, both with the intention of integrating the CEE economies into the global economy and allowing the benefits of competition to be realized. We explore how well this has been accomplished in two countries, Poland and Bulgaria, and the domestic conditions that contribute to its accomplishment. The sensitivity of domestic markets to international shocks, as reflected in exchange rate effects on domestic prices, may be viewed as an indicator of how integrated a country’s markets are into the global economy, and a proxy for competition in those markets. In explaining variation in exchange‐rate pass‐through, we examine the impact of market structure, economic liberalization and infrastructure as factors contributing to the development of competitive markets. We find that although integration into global markets ca...
Atomistically Tuning Lubricant Adhesion on Carbon Overcoat Surface

The critical issue facing head-disk interface (HDI) design is determining the optimal combination of lubricant and overcoat materials. A high performing lubricant should have sufficient adhesion to the carbon overcoat (COC) layer to prevent spin-off, while the COC material protects the magnetic media from corrosion and tribological damage. In this paper, we examine at the atomistic level COC material performance by calculating the adhesive interactions between various types of model perfluoropolyether (PFPE) functional lubricants and COC. The COC materials we investigated include industry standard diamond-like carbon (DLC), composed of graphitic (sp2 bonded) and diamond (sp3 bonded) type carbon. In addition, we investigated the atomically thin graphene and pure diamond COCs to determine the effect of carbon structure on PFPE adhesion. These pure diamond and graphene results support the observation that the PFPE interacts more strongly with the graphitic content in DLC. The difference between the results for diamond and graphene are due to the sp2 bonding in graphene with delocalized electrons in the aromatic ring, whereas in the diamond structure, electrons are bound by the extra C-H bond. Our density functional theory study of PFPE interaction with these three COC materials shows that Ztetraol has the strongest adhesion on all of the COCs investigated. Based on our investigation, we would conclude that an ideal COC material should have high graphitic content to promote strong PFPE adhesion. We also evaluated the feasibility of pure graphene to promote PFPE adhesion. We extend our analysis to explore dimensional crossover to gauge the effect of COC thickness on adhesion.
Subband structure of n-type accumulation and inversion layers in GaAs-Ge heterojunctions.

The density-functional method is used to calculate subband energies and densities for electrons in accumulation and inversion layers in GaAs-Ge heterojunctions. We investigate the (100), (110), and (111) orientations of the Ge surface and present our results as a function of dopant concentrations in the bulk semiconductors.
Quantum and classical dynamics of HCl+/MgO(001) photodissociation

The photodissociation dynamics of a molecular ion (HCl+) adsorbed on a single crystal insulator surface (MgO(001)) is investigated theoretically in a 2D dimensional model. Both quantum and classical methods have been used to study the dynamics. The structureless absorption spectra of the adsorbate are found to shift relative to their gas phase counterparts, due to the (de)stabilization of the excited states. The angular distributions of the desorbed hydrogen fragments are highly structured, in sharp contrast to the smooth, gaussian-like distributions obtained for the corresponding gas phase dissociation. A classical deflection function is introduced to illustrate the influence of rainbow scattering on the final hydrogen angular distributions.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The Clinical Bias in the Career Plans of Undergraduates and Its Impact on Students and the Profession.

(1981). The Clinical Bias in the Career Plans of Undergraduates and Its Impact on Students and the Profession. Teaching of Psychology: Vol. 8, No. 3, pp. 149-152.
Emerging Adult Siblings' Use of Verbally Aggressive Messages as Hurtful Messages

The purpose of this study was to identify the specific types of verbally aggressive messages emerging adult siblings use with each other and to determine whether these types of verbally aggressive messages differ in perceived hurtfulness, intensity, and intent. Participants were 115 individuals who identified a verbally aggressive message recently used by a sibling. Results indicated that siblings use seven types of verbally aggressive messages (i.e., name calling, insults, withdrawal, physical acts or threats, repudiating the relationship, negative affect, unfair comparison), and the seven types of verbally aggressive messages do not differ in their perceived hurtfulness, intensity, and intent.
Directed Evolution of a Small-Molecule-Triggered Intein with Improved Splicing Properties in Mammalian Cells

Laboratory-created small-molecule-dependent inteins enable protein structure and function to be controlled posttranslationally in living cells. Previously we evolved inteins that splice efficiently in Saccharomyces cerevisiae only in the presence of the cell-permeable small molecule 4-hydroxytamoxifen (4-HT). In mammalian cells, however, these inteins exhibited lower splicing efficiencies and slower splicing in the presence of 4-HT, as well as higher background splicing in the absence of 4-HT. Here we further evolved ligand-dependent inteins in yeast at 30°C and 37°C. The resulting second-generation evolved inteins exhibit substantially improved splicing yields and kinetics. The improvements carried over to mammalian cells, in which the newly evolved inteins spliced with substantially greater (∼2- to 8-fold) efficiency while maintaining low background splicing levels. These second-generation inteins augment the promise of ligand-dependent protein splicing for probing protein function in mammalian cells.
Phosphoglycosylation: A new structural class of glycosylation?

There are a number of different glycoproteins that have been identified relatively recently which contain oligosaccharides linked to serine or threonine in a peptide backbone via phosphodiesters. It is possible that these glycoproteins may form an alternative structural class of glycosylation. This modification has been referred to as phosphoglycosylation (Mehta et al., 1996; J. Biol. Chem., 271, 10897-10903), and has been reported in slime molds and several unicellular parasites. In this review, examples of phosphoglycosylation from different biological sources are discussed. Those which are well characterized have been found to be highly variable with respect to the glycan moiety, while sharing some common features. An experimental approach detailing how to determine whether a protein is phosphoglycosylated is also presented.
Amplified warming projections for high altitude regions of the northern hemisphere mid-latitudes from CMIP5 models

We use output from global climate models available from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) for three different greenhouse gas emission scenarios to investigate whether the projected warming in mountains by the end of the 21st century is significantly different from that in low elevation regions. To remove the effects of latitudinal variation in warming rates, we focus on seasonal changes in the mid-latitude band of the northern hemisphere between 27.5 N and 40 N, where the two major mountain systems are the Tibetan Plateau/Himalayas in Asia and the Rocky Mountains in the United States. Results from the multi-model ensemble indicate that warming rates in mountains will be enhanced relative to non-mountain regions at the same latitude, particularly during the cold season. The strongest correlations of enhanced warming with elevation are obtained for the daily minimum temperature during winter, with the largest increases found for the Tibetan Plateau/Himalayas. The model projections indicate that this occurs, in part, because of proportionally greater increases in downward longwave radiation at higher elevations in response to increases in water vapor. The mechanisms for enhanced increases in winter and spring maximum temperatures in the Rockies appear to be influenced more by increases in surface absorption of solar radiation owing to a reduced snow cover. Furthermore, the amplification of warming with elevation is greater for a higher greenhouse gas emission scenario.
Detecting coevolving amino acid sites using Bayesian mutational mapping

Motivation: The evolution of protein sequences is constrained by complex interactions between amino acid residues. Because harmful substitutions may be compensated for by other substitutions at neighboring sites, residues can coevolve. We describe a Bayesian phylogenetic approach to the detection of coevolving residues in protein families. This method, Bayesian mutational mapping (BMM), assigns mutations to the branches of the evolutionary tree stochastically, and then test statistics are calculated to determine whether a coevolutionary signal exists in the mapping. Posterior predictive P-values provide an estimate of significance, and specificity is maintained by integrating over uncertainty in the estimation of the tree topology, branch lengths and substitution rates. A coevolutionary Markov model for codon substitution is also described, and this model is used as the basis of several test statistics. Results: Results on simulated coevolutionary data indicate that the BMM method can successfully detect nearly all coevolving sites when the model has been correctly specified, and that non-parametric statistics such as mutual information are generally less powerful than parametric statistics. On a dataset of eukaryotic proteins from the phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) family, interdomain site contacts yield a significantly greater coevolutionary signal than interdomain non-contacts, an indication that the method provides information about interacting sites. Failure to account for the heterogeneity in rates across sites in PGK resulted in a less discriminating test, yielding a marked increase in the number of reported positives at both contact and non-contact sites. Contact: [email protected] Supplementary information: http://www.dimmic.net/supplement/
Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Followed by Aggressive Surgical Consolidation for Metastatic Penile Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Purpose: Combination chemotherapy for advanced penile cancer can produce partial response rates of up to 64%. Complete responses are rare, suggesting a need for adjunct therapies to facilitate cure. We evaluated patients with metastases who underwent surgical consolidation after responding to chemotherapy.Materials and Methods: We reviewed the records of 59 patients with advanced penile carcinoma treated from 1985 to 2000 and identified 10 treated with surgical consolidation after demonstrating a stable, partial or complete response to chemotherapy. Presenting tumor burden included pelvic and inguinal metastases. Surgical outcomes and survival were assessed.Results: After chemotherapy 4 patients had a complete response, 1 had a partial response and 5 had stable disease. Three major perioperative complications, including postoperative bleeding, an episode of acute renal failure and deep venous thrombosis in 1 patient each, and 4 minor complications, including skin breakdowns in 3 and wound seroma in 1, occ...
Genomic identification of regulatory elements by evolutionary sequence comparison and functional analysis

Despite remarkable recent advances in genomics that have enabled us to identify most of the genes in the human genome, comparable efforts to define transcriptional cis-regulatory elements that control gene expression are lagging behind. The difficulty of this task stems from two equally important problems: our knowledge of how regulatory elements are encoded in genomes remains elementary, and there is a vast genomic search space for regulatory elements, since most of mammalian genomes are noncoding. Comparative genomic approaches are having a remarkable impact on the study of transcriptional regulation in eukaryotes and currently represent the most efficient and reliable methods of predicting noncoding sequences likely to control the patterns of gene expression. By subjecting eukaryotic genomic sequences to computational comparisons and subsequent experimentation, we are inching our way toward a more comprehensive catalog of common regulatory motifs that lie behind fundamental biological processes. We are still far from comprehending how the transcriptional regulatory code is encrypted in the human genome and providing an initial global view of regulatory gene networks, but collectively, the continued development of comparative and experimental approaches will rapidly expand our knowledge of the transcriptional regulome.
Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein is required for regulatory T cell homeostasis

Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASp) is essential for optimal T cell activation. Patients with WAS exhibit both immunodeficiency and a marked susceptibility to systemic autoimmunity. We investigated whether alterations in Treg function might explain these paradoxical observations. While WASp-deficient (WASp(-/-)) mice exhibited normal thymic Treg generation, the competitive fitness of peripheral Tregs was severely compromised. The total percentage of forkhead box P3-positive (Foxp3(+)) Tregs among CD4(+) T cells was reduced, and WASp(-/-) Tregs were rapidly outcompeted by WASp(+) Tregs in vivo. These findings correlated with reduced expression of markers associated with self-antigen-driven peripheral Treg activation and homing to inflamed tissue. Consistent with these findings, WASp(-/-) Tregs showed a reduced ability to control aberrant T cell activation and autoimmune pathology in Foxp3(-/-)Scurfy (sf) mice. Finally, WASp(+) Tregs exhibited a marked selective advantage in vivo in a WAS patient with a spontaneous revertant mutation, indicating that altered Treg fitness likely explains the autoimmune features in human WAS.
In vivo consequences of deleting EGF repeats 8–12 including the ligand binding domain of mouse Notch1

Notch signaling is highly conserved in the metazoa and is critical for many cell fate decisions. Notch activation occurs following ligand binding to Notch extracellular domain. In vitro binding assays have identified epidermal growth factor (EGF) repeats 11 and 12 as the ligand binding domain of Drosophila Notch. Here we show that an internal deletion in mouse Notch1 of EGF repeats 8–12, including the putative ligand binding domain (lbd), is an inactivating mutation in vivo. We also show that maternal and zygotic Notch1lbd/lbdmutant embryos develop through gastrulation to mid-gestation. Notch1lbd/lbdembryos died at mid-gestation with a phenotype indistinguishable from Notch1 null mutants. In embryonic stem (ES) cells, Notch1lbd was expressed on the cell surface at levels equivalent to wild type Notch1, but Delta1 binding was reduced to the same level as in Notch1 null cells. In an ES cell co-culture assay, Notch signaling induced by Jagged1 or Delta1 was reduced to a similar level in Notch1 lbd and Notch1 null cells. However, the Notch1lbd/lbdallele was expressed similarly to wild type Notch1 in Notch1lbd/lbdES cells and embryos at E8.75, indicating that Notch1 signaling is not essential for the Notch1 gene to be expressed. In addition, maternal and zygotic Notch1 mutant blastocysts developed through gastrulation. Mouse Notch1 lacking the ligand binding domain is expressed at the cell surface but does not signal in response to the canonical Notch ligands Delta1 and Jagged1. Homozygous Notch1lbd/lbdmutant embryos die at ~E10 similar to Notch1 null embryos. While Notch1 is expressed in oocytes and blastocysts, Notch1 signaling via canonical ligands is dispensable during oogenesis, blastogenesis, implantation and gastrulation.
On the Reversible Abrupt Structural Changes in Nerve Fibers Underlying Their Excitation and Conduction Processes

The cortical gel layer of nerve fibers has the properties of a cation-exchanger. Hence, this layer can, and actually does, undergo a reversible abrupt structural change when monovalent cations (e.g. Na$+$) are substituted for the divalent counter-ions (e.g. Ca$2+$). This structural change brings about a sudden rise in the water content of the layer which in turn produces a large enhancement of cation mobilities accompanied by a shift of ion-selectivity in favor of hydrophilic cations. Based on these grounds, it is argued that the electrophysiological processes known as “nerve excitation and conduction” are, basically, manifestations of abrupt structural changes in the cortical gel layer. In recent studies, we have shown that several aspects of the excitation phenomena can actually be reproduced by using synthetic polyanionic hydrogels in place of living nervous tissues. It is noted that these studies of synthetic model systems lead us to a better understanding of the process of divalent-monovalent cation-exchange in natural and artificial polyanionic gels.
RAMPRF: a program for synchronous acceleration

A family of standard FORTRAN programs that calculate bucket-related quantities as a function of time during acceleration, assuming it is adiabatic, is described. The members of the family are distinguished by the type of input: one family member takes energy and total peak voltage as a function of time, another takes momentum and bucket area as a function of time, etc. The input is in free-format tabular form. The output is in standard ASCII form, in multicolumn tables and x-y listings appropriate for plotting. Bunch-related quantities such as energy spread and space-charge tune spread are also calculated assuming that the bunches have a specified longitudinal emittance, and are small and matched to the bucket. Sample excitation curves for the Superconducting Super Collider's low energy booster are presented. >
Optimal realization of arbitrary forces in a magnetic stereotaxis system

Very small implanted permanent magnets guided by large electromagnetic coils have been proposed previously as a method for delivering hyperthermia to or guiding catheters through brain tissue. This procedure is termed "magnetic stereotaxis". Early efforts employed a single coil on a movable boom, a design that proved logistically difficult to use on human patients. The present work deals instead with a design where several stationary coils are employed to develop a force on the implanted magnet. The coil current-to-force relationship is developed for this type of machine, and several optimal solutions for realizing an arbitrary static force are presented for various constraints on the orientation of the implanted permanent magnet. Costs of the different solutions are compared in several examples using a mathematical model based on the Magnetic Stereotaxis System (MSS) developed by Stereotaxis, Inc., the University of Virginia, and Wang NMR.
Survey of intermediate filament proteins in optic nerve and spinal cord: evidence for differential expression.

: The distribution of intermediate filament proteins in optic nerve and spinal cord from rat, hamster, goldfish, frog, and newt were analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. General as well as specific monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies were reacted against putative intermediate filament proteins. In vitro incubations of excised optic nerve in the presence of [35S]methionine distinguished between neuronal and nonneuronal intermediate filament proteins. The proteins of the intermediate filament complex in the two tissues for rat and hamster were similar. The typical neurofilament triplet and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) were observed. Vimentin was more concentrated in the optic nerve than in the spinal cord. The goldfish, newt, and frog contained neurofilament proteins in the 145–150K range and in the 70–85K range. In addition, predominant neurofilament proteins in the 58–62K molecular-weight range were found in all three species. In contrast to mammalian species, the goldfish, newt, and frog displayed extensive heterogeneity between optic nerve and spinal cord in the expression of both neuronal and nonneuronal intermediate filament proteins. The distinctive presence of low-molecular-weight intermediate filament proteins and their high concentration in the optic nerve and spinal cord of these nonmammalian vertebrates is discussed in terms of neuronal development and regeneration.
Identification of information requirements using simulation for supporiting construction productivity assessment

Project managers need to assess how well construction crews are performing in terms of productivity. This paper presents the preliminary results of an effort carried out by the authors to develop a simulation based framework to support the identification of the information requirements for assessing productivity performance. A prototype to test the proposed framework for the identification of information requirements by studying the assessment of earthmoving productivity is introduced. Based on literature regarding the factors that can affect earthmoving productivity, several scenarios, representing different factors that affect earthmoving productivity, have been created and studied. These scenarios have been simulated to help to identify the information items required for assessing earthmoving productivity, such as hauling distance and loading time. Several potential data capture technologies, such as GPS, RFID and On-Board Instrument can help in acquiring the information items identified in this paper.
Restorative nursing: toward a philosophy of postmodern punishment

Nursing practice in correctional settings is ethically unique. Its premise is the contradiction between causing harm (the purpose of imprisonment) and acting for patients' good (the purpose of health care). I describe three ethical regions in which correctional nurses can practise, based on different philosophies: punishment as retribution, as rationality, and as paradox. Retribution and rationality resolve the ethical contradiction by relegating offenders to intractable otherness. Restorative nursing based on paradox is an oppositional practice that preserves the contradiction, making engagement possible between prisoner and nurse. Endorsement by nursing of one of the three philosophies of punishment could redefine care for the entire profession.
Cyclopropanation of glycals: Application to the synthesis of 2-deoxy-2-vinyl glycosides

Abstract Appropriately protected derivatives of glucal and galactal have been found to undergo efficient Cyclopropanation with ethoxycarbonyl carbene with excellent facial selectivity, while di- O -acetyl-L-rhamnal exhibits lower facial selectivity. The cyclopropano glycals derived from glucal and galactal have been transformed into 2-deoxy-2-vinyl mannosides and galactosides, which are potentially valuable branched-chain sugars.
A Ras GAP is essential for cytokinesis and spatial patterning in Dictyostelium.

stalk cells and very few spores are detected. lacZ reporter studies show that by the mid-finger stage, much of the normal cell-type patterning is lost, indicating that proper DdRasGAP1 function and possibly normal Ras activity are necessary to maintain spatial organization and for induction of prestalk to stalk and prespore to spore cell differentiation. The inability of ddrasgap1 null cells to initiate terminal differentiation and form stalk cells is consistent with a model in which Ras functions as a mediator of inhibitory signals in cell-type differentiation at this stage. Third, DdRasGAP1 and cAMP dependent protein kinase (PKA) interact to control spatial organization within the organism. Overexpression of the PKA catalytic subunit in ddrasgap1 cells yields terminal structures that are multiply branched but lack spores. This suggests that RasGAP and PKA may mediate common pathways that regulate apical tip differentiation and organizer function, which in turn control spatial organization during multicellular development. It also suggests that DdRasGAP1 either lies downstream from PKA in the prespore to spore pathway or in a parallel pathway that is also essential for spore differentiation. Our results indicate that DdRasGAP1 plays an essential role in controlling multiple, potentially novel pathways regulating growth and differentiation in Dictyostelium and suggest a role for Ras in these processes. SUMMARY
Business Process Outsourcing

This article explains “Business Process Outsourcing” (BPO), discusses the decision process for choosing whether or not to outsource an activity, summarizes best practices for managing the service providers, and comments about ORMS research on outsourcing. Keywords: outsourcing; insourcing; offshoring; core competence; make-versus-buy
Characterization of polyisoprenyl phosphate phosphatase activity in rat liver.

Abstract The polyisoprenyl phosphate dephosphorylating activity of rat liver has been investigated with regard to substrate specificity, subcellular distribution, and transmembrane orientation. Total liver microsomes were employed as a source of enzymatic activity against a variety of 32P-labeled substrates. Susceptibility to dephosphorylation followed the order solanesyl phosphate > α-cis-polyprenyl 19-phosphate = α-trans-polyprenyl 19-phosphate = dihydrosolanesyl phosphate > (S)-dolichyl 19-phosphate = (R)-dolichyl 19-phosphate = (R,S)-dolichyl 11-phosphate. There appeared to be no major effect of chain length from 11 to 20 isoprenes. Data obtained from inhibition studies using solanesyl [32P]phosphate as substrate were consistent with the substrate specificity studies and suggested that a single activity is responsible. With dolichyl [32P]phosphate as substrate, the phosphatase specific activity of the subcellular fractions prepared from rat liver was found to follow the sequence Golgi = smooth endoplasmic reticulum > plasma membrane > lysosomes = rough endoplasmic reticulum > nuclei > mitochondria. Transmembrane topography studies, using enzyme latency as a criterion, were consistent with an orientation of the active site facing the cytoplasm.
Monitoring protein kinase and phosphatase reactions with matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry and capillary zone electrophoresis: Comparison of the detection efficiency of peptide‐phosphopeptide mixtures

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI MS) and capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) were evaluated for monitoring protein phosphatase and kinase reactions in vitro. Varying concentrations of peptide C (YIHLEKKYVRRDSG), peptide S (YLIEDNEYTARQGA) and kemptide (LARRSALG) mixed with their corresponding phosphorylated peptides, pC, pS and pkemptide, were analyzed. Comparison between the two techniques indicated that MALDI MS was less quantitative than CZE, showing a bias towards detection of the unphosphorylated peptide S and kemptide. In terms of sensitivity, the MALDI MS and CZE techniques are comparable. Protein kinase A phosphorylation of kemptide was monitored with both MALDI MS and CZE, whereas alkaline phosphatase dephosphorylation of pC could only be monitored with MALDI MS. The absence of inhibition with phosphatase or kinase buffers is a significant advantage of MALDI MS. In contrast to CZE, the MALDI spectra allow identification of the species analyzed by virtue of their mass. The results obtained emphasize the advantage of monitoring enzymatic reactions in buffer solutions using MALDI MS compared with CZE.
Complications With Utilization of Positive-Pressure Devices in a Young Man With Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Because of the progressive muscle weakness they experience, patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy frequently utilize positive-pressure devices to maintain adequate bronchial hygiene and ventilation. This case illustrates the course of a 19-y-old male who presented with a perforated right tympanic membrane (TM) following the use of these devices. Perforation of the TM while utilizing positive-pressure devices is a rarely reported event. A challenging aspect in this case was balancing the reduction of pressures and maintaining adequate ventilation while at the same time allowing the TM to heal.
The Production of Legal Identities Proper to States: The Case of the Permanent Family Surname

Les AA. montrent comment la production des identites legales a travers la nomination, et plus particulierement a travers l'attribution de patronymes permanents, est etroitement liee a la formation de l'Etat. Selon les AA., si les pratiques de nomination, qu'elles soient vernaculaires ou etatiques, visent a rendre lisible un paysage humain (et geographique), les techniques de standardisation administrative de l'onomastique - contrairement aux pratiques coutumieres de nomination qui s'inscrivent dans une sphere de connaissance locale -, visent a permettre a des agents etrangers d'identifier clairement les personnes (et les lieux) en dehors des contextes locaux. Les projets de lisibilite de l'Etat se superposent aux pratiques locales et s'inscrivent dans le projet etatique de controle des populations, et notamment de la propriete. Les AA. retracent d'abord l'emergence des patronymes en Europe. Ils decrivent ensuite deux exemples de nomination etatique en contexte colonial : la re-nomination des Amerindiens aux Etats-Unis, et le cas des Inuit au Canada. Finalement ils elargissent le debat aux projets etatiques modernisateurs au-dela des seules frontieres occidentales (Turquie, Chine).
Comparison of Human to Macaque Uterosacral–Cardinal Ligament Complex and Its Relationship to Pelvic Organ Prolapse

The uterosacral–cardinal ligament complex is thought to be the critical structure responsible for uterine and apical vaginal support. It is ill defined and can be difficult to dissect in the cadaver lab and in the operating room. Even less information is available on the analogous structures in the monkey model. We present this report to bring together what little is known to aid in studying this model and pelvic organ prolapse (POP), and to point out the need for critical assessment of this hormone-responsive tissue in the process of drug development.
MECHANISTIC RELATIONSHIPS OF THE DECOMPOSITION PROCESS TO COMBUSTION AND EXPLOSION EVENTS FROM KINETIC DEUTERIUM ISOTOPE EFFECT INVESTIGATIONS

The condensed phase kinetic deuterium isotope effect (KDIE) approach directly determines the overall rate-controlling mechanistic step of an energetic material’s complex thermochemical decomposition process. This second paper discusses extending the KDIE approach into progressively more drastic high temperature/pressure/rate regimes encountered with pyrolytic decomposition/deflagration, combustion, thermal explosion, and detonation incidents in order to determine the rate-controlling step of each. This rate-controlling step provides a common basis for comparing the mechanistic similarities or differences among these high energy incidents; and possible relationships between the thermochemical decomposition process and higher order combustion or explosion incidents are described for HMX, RDX, TATB, and TNT. The KDIE determined rate-controlling step between a pure nitramine compound and a formulated energetic material also is compared.
Endogenous inhibition of red blood cell Na,K-ATPase in essential and pregnancy-induced hypertension.

Digoxin-like inhibitors of Na, K-ATPase have been implicated in the pathophysiology of essential(EH) and pregnancy-induced hypertension(PIH). A technique that enhances dissociation of digoxin from red blood cells(RBC) was used to displace endogenous digoxin-like substances from RBCs. RBC membranes were preincubated in Na and ATP(Release) or Na, K, Mg and ATP (Retention) prior to measuring ATPase activity. Groups studied were: 39 men with EH and 34 controls plus 10 women with PIH and 17 normotensive controls. All displayed similar increases in Na, K-ATPase activity (24.0±7.9%) following Release. Plasma digoxin immunoreactivity(DI) was measured in pregnant women, m= 0.25±0.07 ng/ml. No DI was detected in nonpregnant women, but RBCs from these women demonstrated the same increase in Na, K-ATPase activity after Release. The 24% increase in activity achieved by Na and ATP preincubation can be reversed by adding K and Mg to the Release suspension. However, after RBC-bound digoxin is displaced by Release preincu...
Optically aided reading and writing by using means of an atomic force microscope

Direct surface modification using atomic force microscopes (AFM) and scanning tunneling microscopes (STM) has been extensively explored over the past several years to write data bits with diameters under 50 nm.1,2 This research has shown the feasibility of reaching a storage density of 1 Tbit/cm2. One problem that these ultrahigh-density memory-storage systems share is a slow access rate. We introduce a new method that can potentially achieve both ultrahigh density and high data throughput by massively parallel optical read and write.
The Design and Application of Software Filters to Improve Lateral Resolution in A B-Mode Ultrasonogram

This study is a small part of a larger study which is evaluating the effects of B-mode processing on ultrasonograms of the abdomen. Since we examine innovative as well as conventional processing algorithms, we have recently studied the effects of lateral beam profile filters on ultrasonograms of objects which simulate the texture found in abdominal scans.
Runtime Value Numbering: A Profiling Technique to Pinpoint Redundant Computations

Redundant computations can severely degrade performance in HPC applications. Redundant computations arise due to various causes such as developers' inattention to performance, inappropriate choice of algorithms, and inefficient code generation, among others. Aliasing, limited optimization scopes, and insensitivity to input and execution contexts act as severe deterrents to static program analysis. Furthermore, static analysis cannot quantify the benefit from redundancy elimination. Consequently, large optimization efforts may yield little or no benefit. To address these limitations, we develop a dynamic profiler to pinpoint and quantify redundant computations in an execution. Our methodology -- Runtime Value Numbering (RVN) -- is based on the classical value numbering technique but works at runtime instead of compile time. RVN works on unmodified, fully-optimized binaries. RVN provides insightful feedback about redundancies and helps developers tune their applications for high performance. Since RVN employs fine-grained instrumentation, it incurs high overhead. We apply several optimizations to reduce the profiling overhead. Guided by the feedback from RVN, we optimize four benchmarks from SPEC CPU2000/2006 suite, the Sweep3D, and NAS Multi Grid (MG). We speed up these programs up to 1.22X. RVN identifies computation redundancies that compilers failed to optimize even with profile guided optimization.
Continued Substance Use Among People Living With HIV–Hepatitis-C Co-Infection and Receiving Antiretroviral Therapy

Background: Co-infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Hepatitis-C virus (HCV) poses a significant threat to personal and public health. Substance use among co-infected persons leads to increased morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this study is to examine the continued substance use of people living with HIV–HCV co-infection and receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART). Methods: Individuals living with HIV infection in Atlanta, GA and currently receiving ART (N = 678) completed audio-computer-assisted self-interviews for demographic, health, and behavior characteristics; unannounced pill counts to assess ART adherence over one month; finger-stick blood specimens collected for HCV antibody testing and urine specimens for drug use screening; and obtained HIV viral load and CD4 cell counts from their medical provider. We performed cross-sectional analyses for behavioral and biological markers of health, health behaviors, and substance use. Results: Among participants, 131 (19%) were HIV–HCV ...
Microdroplet evaporation with a forced pinned contact line.

Experimental and numerical investigations of water microdroplet evaporation on heated, laser patterned polymer substrates are reported. The study is focused on both (i) controlling a droplet’s contact line dynamics during evaporation to identifying how the contact line influences evaporative heat transfer and (ii) validating numerical simulations with experimental data. Droplets are formed on the polymer surface using a bottom-up methodology, where a computer-controlled syringe pump feeds water through a 200 μm diameter fluid channel within the heated polymer substrate. This methodology facilitates precise control of the droplet’s growth rate, size, and inlet temperature. In addition to this microchannel supply line, the substrate surfaces are laser patterned with a moatlike trench around the fluid-channel outlet, adding additional control of the droplet’s contact line motion, area, and contact angle. In comparison to evaporation on a nonpatterned polymer surface, the laser patterned trench increases cont...
Collaborations that promote growth: music student teachers as peer mentors

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this research was to explore the experiences of four music student teachers engaged in peer mentoring. This was an intrinsic case study with a focus on the peer-mentoring programme. Data included reflections on peer-mentoring activities and individual and focus group interviews. Five themes resulted from data analysis: expanding professional knowledge, support, contextual awareness, multiple mentors, and future colleagues. Participants experienced professional growth through sharing ideas with one another. The support received from their peers seemed especially valuable to the student teachers. They became aware of the saliency of context within their teaching situations and appreciated the opportunity to learn from multiple individuals as part of the experience. Participants had different expectations for peer mentoring with future colleagues. Music teacher educators may want to consider promoting collaborative peer relationships through their preparation programmes. Suggestions fo...
On generalized plastic machanics

Where as some scholars commented on the generalized plastic mechanics(GPM) and put forward their doubts and opinions,some further interpretations of GPM were presented and its origin and essential ideas were expatiated clearly.The isotropic hardening model,which was commonly adopted in classical plastic mechanics and GPM,and the physical meaning of yield surface were analyzed deeply.Some problems,such as rate-independent plasticity,Drucker postulate,sign of plastic coefficient,convexity and uniqueness of yield surface and so on,were answered and discussed.
PLASTIC REPAIR OF THE EXTREMITIES BY NON-TUBULATED PEDICLE SKIN FLAPS

An error was made in the paper by Dr. John Marquis Converse, "Plastic Repair of the Extremities by Non-Tubulated Pedicle Skin Flaps," which was published in the January 1948 issue of The Journal. On page 169, the first two lines of the second paragraph should read: "A widely known delayed flap is Gillies's tubed pedicle flap. The disadvantage of the tubed flap is the relatively long time required for its construction and transfer (Table I)."
Exstrophy of the bladder. I. Long-term results in a series of 37 cases treated by ureterosigmoidostomy.

AbstractOf the 37 patients with exstrophy of the bladder in whom ureterosigmoidostomy was selected as the mainstay of treatment 4 died of causes related to the procedure. Faulty judgment and poor followup accounted for these deaths, which might well be preventable today. In 18 survivors, or approximately half of the entire series, the operation has held up well for many years, with no further surgical procedure being required for complications. In 12 patients, or approximately a third of the group, remedial operations for complications attributable to the ureterosigmoidostomy have been required but it was elected to retain this form of diversion. The long-term end result in these patients also remains acceptable. Combining these 2 groups 30 of 37 patients with ureterosigmoidostomy may be considered to have been eventually successful. However, in 7 of 37 patients the method was a frank failure, in that 4 patients died and 3 required substitution of another form of diversion.While all forms of treatment for...
Prevalence and enumeration of Escherichia coli O157 in steers receiving various strains of Lactobacillus-based direct-fed microbials.

The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of daily dietary inclusion of specific strains of Lactobacillus acidophilus on prevalence and concentration of Escherichia coli O157 in harvest-ready feedlot cattle. Five hundred yearling steers were housed in pens of 10 animals each. At arrival, steers were randomly allocated to one of five cohorts. Four of the cohorts were fed various strains and dosages of Lactobacillus-based direct-fed microbials throughout the feeding period. Fecal samples were collected from the rectum of each animal immediately prior to shipment to the abattoir. E. coli O157 was detected using selective enrichment and immunomagnetic separation techniques. For positive samples, E. coli O157 concentration was estimated using a most-probable-number (MPN) technique that included immunomagnetic separation. Prevalence varied among the cohorts (P < 0.01). The prevalence in the controls (26.3%) was greater (P < 0.05) than that in cattle supplemented with L. acidophilus strains NP51,...
Inhibition of cyclin dependent kinase 9 by dinaciclib suppresses cyclin B1 expression and tumor growth in triple negative breast cancer

// Sandeep Rajput 1 , Nimmish Khera 1 , Zhanfang Guo 1 , Jeremy Hoog 1 , Shunqiang Li 1, 2 , Cynthia X. Ma 1, 2 1 Section of Medical Oncology, Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA 2 Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA Correspondence to: Cynthia X. Ma, email: cma@dom.wustl.edu Keywords: dinaciclib, triple negative breast cancer, patient derived xenograft, cyclin B1, cyclin dependent kinase 9 Received: April 08, 2016 Accepted: July 10, 2016 Published: July 28, 2016 ABSTRACT Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are potential cancer therapeutic targets because of their critical role in promoting cell growth. Dinaciclib is a novel CDK inhibitor currently under clinical evaluation for the treatment of advanced malignancies. In this study, we demonstrated the anti-tumor activity of dinaciclib in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) patient derived xenograft (PDX) and cell lines in vitro and in vivo . Treatment with dinaciclib induced cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase and marked apoptosis. These changes were accompanied by reduced phosphorylation of CDK1 and retinoblastoma (Rb) protein and decreased protein levels of cyclin B1, cMYC and survivin. We further demonstrated that siRNA knockdown of CDK9, the kinase subunit of positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb), instead of CDK1 or CDK2, reduced the levels of cyclin B1 and MYC in TNBC cell lines. These data support the importance of CDK9, in addition to CDK1, in mediating the growth inhibitory effect of dinaciclib in TNBC. Further investigation of CDK9 as a therapeutic target in TNBC is needed.
Ultrasonic Tissue Characterization: Review of a Noninvasive Technique for Assessing Myocardial Viability.

The determination of myocardial perfusion and myocardial viability has prognostic and therapeutic implications, particularly in the current era of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty and thrombolytic therapy. Several modes of investigation, including positron emission tomography, thallium-201 scintigraphy, and nuclear magnetic resonance imaging are used to differentiate viable from nonviable myocardium. Though these noninvasive tests are useful diagnostic modalities, they are expensive, time consuming, and too cumbersome to be used in the acute setting. Expeditious distinction between viable and nonviable myocardium, during acute coronary syndromes, is of great importance since reperfusion can minimize the extent ofischemic injury and infarction. An expanding body of evidence confirms that ultrasonic tissue characterization has great potential to become a practical bedside diagnostic tool in the search for salvageable myocardium. Further clinical investigative studies would help accomplish a better understanding of the complex interaction between ultrasound and myocardium.