cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
TFPIβ is the GPI-anchored TFPI isoform on human endothelial cells and placental microsomes

Tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) produces factor Xa-dependent feedback inhibition of factor VIIa/tissue factor-induced coagulation. Messages for 2 isoforms of TFPI have been identified. TFPIα mRNA encodes a protein with an acidic N-terminus, 3 Kunitz-type protease inhibitor domains and a basic C-terminus that has been purified from plasma and culture media. TFPIβ mRNA encodes a form in which the Kunitz-3 and C-terminal domains of TFPIα are replaced with an alternative C-terminus that directs the attachment of a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor, but whether TFPIβ protein is actually expressed is not clear. Moreover, previous studies have suggested that the predominant form of TFPI released from cells by phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PIPLC) treatment is TFPIα, implying it is bound at cell surfaces to a separate GPI-anchored coreceptor. Our studies show that the form of TFPI released by PIPLC treatment of cultured endothelial cells and placental microsomes is actually TFPIβ based on (1) migration on SDS-PAGE before and after deglycosylation, (2) the lack of a Kunitz-3 domain, and (3) it contains a GPI anchor. Immunoassays demonstrate that, although endothelial cells secrete TFPIα, greater than 95% of the TFPI released by PIPLC treatment from the surface of endothelial cells and from placental microsomes is TFPIβ.
Existence of nonatomic core-walras allocations

Abstract We prove the existence of Walras allocations, where allocations are understood as measures on a nonatomic Boolean algebra. The algebra need not be a σ-algebra, as usually assumed, and the measures need not be countably additive and need not have densities with respect to the endowment allocation. Except for a strengthening of the continuity hypothesis, this is the framework we used earlier to prove the equivalence of core and Walras allocations. Our proof rests on two propositions of special interest in their own right: one asserts extensibility of coalition preferences, and the other characterizes coalition preferences.
Comment on ``Spin and statistics in nonrelativistic quantum mechanics: The spin-zero case''

We emphasize that there is no spin-statistics connection in nonrelativistic quantum mechanics. In several recent papers [including Phys. Rev. A 67, 042102 (2003)], quantum mechanics is modified so as to force a spin-statistics connection, but the resulting theory is quite different from standard physics.
Targeting telomerase: T-cell friendly fire.

In this issue of Blood, Ugel and colleagues provide evidence that, in murine models, telomerase is an efficient target for adoptive cell therapy against a variety of cancer cells, but also can elicit an autoimmune response against B cells.1
Dependence of Escherichia coli pyridine nucleotide transhydrogenase on phospholipids and its sensitivity.

Abstract A partially purified preparation of pyridine nucleotide transhydrogenase (E.C. 1.6.1.1.) (energy-independent) has been obtained from membranes of Escherichia coli by means of deoxycholate extraction and DEAE-cellulose chromatography in the presence of Triton X-100. The enzyme was lipid-depleted by treating with cholate and ammonium sulfate. The preparation was reactivated by various phospholipids, in particular, bacterial cardiolipin and phosphatidyl glycerol. Phosphatidyl ethanolamine, the major phospholipid in the outer membrane of E. coli , was relatively ineffective in stimulating activity. The membrane-bound pyridine nucleotide transhydrogenase is slowly inhibited by N-ethylmaleimide. Protection against inhibition was achieved with NAD+ and NADP+, but NADPH served to accelerate the rate of inhibition.
Weak Convergence and Fluid Limits in Optimal Time-to-Empty Queueing Control Problems

We consider a class of controlled queue length processes, in which the control allocates each server’s effort among the several classes of customers requiring its service. Served customers are routed through the network according to (prescribed) routing probabilities. In the fluid rescaling, $X^{n}(t)=\frac{1}{n} X(nt)$ , we consider the optimal control problem of minimizing the integral of an undiscounted positive running cost until the first time that X n =0. Our main result uses weak convergence ideas to show that the optimal value functions V n of the stochastic control problems for X n (t) converge (as n→∞) to the optimal value V of a control problem for the limiting fluid process. This requires certain equicontinuity and boundedness hypotheses on {V n }. We observe that these are essentially the same hypotheses that would be needed for the Barles-Perthame approach in terms of semicontinuous viscosity solutions. Sufficient conditions for these equicontinuity and boundedness properties are briefly discussed.
Indexing for the humanities

Humanists use a wide variety of textual, graphic, and aural materials in their research. Each type of material presents special indexing challenges. Research into the nature of these materials and humanists' information seeking behaviors indicate that indexing and surrogation models from the sciences are no longer adequate to meet the humanist's information access needs. New controlled vocabularies and indexing frameworks that reflect the nature of humanistic scholarship are needed. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Exciton-polariton propagation in AlGaN/GaN quantum-well waveguides probe by time-resolved photoluminescence

The propagation properties of light in AlGaN/GaN multiple- quantum-well (MQW) waveguides have been studied by time- resolved photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The waveguides were patterned with fixed width of 0.5micrometers but orientations varying from -30 degree(s) to 60 degree(s) relative to the a-axis of GaN by electron-beam lithography and inductively-coupled plasma (ICP) dry etching. The peak position and line-width of the emission peak were found to vary systematically with orientations of the waveguides and followed the six-fold symmetry of the wurtzite structure. This is explained in terms of anisotropy of the exciton/carrier diffusion coefficient along the different crystal orientations of the semiconductor materials. We also observed a remarkable decrease in the PL intensity as well as increase in time delay of the temporal response as the location of the laser excitation spot on the waveguide is varied. These observations can be understood in terms of exciton- polarization propagation in the waveguides. The speed of generated polaritons with energy corresponding to the well transitions in the waveguides was determined from the time delay of the temporal response to be approximately (1.26+/- 0.16 x 107 m/sec. The optical loss in the waveguides was determined to be about 5-8 cm-1 for different excitation intensities. The implications of these results to waveguiding in optical devices based on the III- nitride semiconductors are discussed.
Classical fear conditioning in the anxiety disorders : a meta-analysis

Fear conditioning represents the process by which a neutral stimulus comes to evoke fear following its repeated pairing with an aversive stimulus. Although fear conditioning has long been considered a central pathogenic mechanism in anxiety disorders, studies employing lab-based conditioning paradigms provide inconsistent support for this idea. A quantitative review of 20 such studies, representing fear-learning scores for 453 anxiety patients and 455 healthy controls, was conducted to verify the aggregated result of this literature and to assess the moderating influences of study characteristics. Results point to modest increases in both acquisition of fear learning and conditioned responding during extinction among anxiety patients. Importantly, these patient-control differences are not apparent when looking at discrimination studies alone and primarily emerge from studies employing simple, single-cue paradigms where only danger cues are presented and no inhibition of fear to safety cues is required.
Biological comparison of two species of Eucelatoria parasitic in Heliothis spp.

The tachinid species with a relatively short life cycle and poorly developed host preference that was introduced into Hawaii from California in the early 1940’s and that was identified as Eucelatoria armigera (Coquillett) differs biologically from the Euceilatoria sp. indigenous in Arizona and West Texas. The duration of the immature stages at 15° and 30°C is as much as 10 and 1.5 days shorter, respectively. Also, the Hawaiian species readily attacks a variety of lepidopterous species including the beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Hubner); the Arizona species attacks Heliothis spp. most readily and the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (Hubner), only rarely. Attempts to interbreed the 2 species were not successful. In the laboratory, in the beet armyworm the total time required for E. armigera to develop varied from 35.8±2.2 days at 15°C to 9.1±0.4 days at 30°C.
591 IS ABROMONAS HYDROPHILA A COMMON CAUSE OF DIARRHEA IN CHILDREN

Recent reports of Aeromonas hydrophila as a cause of gastroenteritis in other areas of the world and its increased isolation during the summer months prompted us to investigate the frequency of recovery of this organism in pediatric patients with diarrhea in the Chicago area. A commercially available (Remel, Lexena, KS) selective MacConkey agar plate containing 1% Tween 80 and 10 μg/ml ampicillin for the isolation of Aeromonas hydrophila was used to screen inpatient and outpatient stool cultures routinely submitted to the clinical microbiology laboratory from June 1, 1984, to September 30, 1984. These plates were shown to enable detection of a 10−6 dilution of a McFarlane 1 standard broth growth of a stock strain of A. hydrophila, as well as detection of a 10−5 dilution when mixed with normal stool. Of 500 surveyed stool specimens, nine (1.8%) from eight individuals yielded A. hydrophila. These included seven children with acute gastroenteritis and one asymptomatic mother of a child with salmonellosis. During the same period, 40 salmonella, 25 shigella, 15 campylobacter, and 1 yersinia isolates were recovered in this laboratory from children with diarrhea. Because of reported asymptomatic carriage rates as high as 3%, we conclude that A. hydrophila does not appear to be a major gastrointestinal pathogen in children in metropolitan Chicago during summer but that it may be associated with sporadic cases of diarrhea.
The Half-Told Lie

The half-told lie is perhaps the most common kind of message on social networking sites. The Web extra at http://youtu.be/PSWttU9iSfY is a video in which author David Alan Grier provides an audio recording of the Errant Hashtag column, in which he discusses how the half-told lie is perhaps the most common kind of message on social networking sites.
The optimality of radial flight

A target makes a loud noise which can be detected at a great distance and then the target becomes quiet. A potential pursuer who may have heard the noise will be assumed to head directly toward the position of the loud noise. The target will have no knowledge of the initial bearing to the pursuer. Given a constant speed strategy for the target what path should the target take to minimize the chance that he is redetected by the pursuer after he has ceased making the noise? Let C"1 be the tactic of a straight line flight from the initial source of noise. Let C"2 be any other constant speed tactic taken by the target. The minimal distance between the target and the pursuer for each tactic C"i is a random variable X"i dependent on the initial heading of the target. Let F"X"""i be the distribution function for the random variable X"i. We will prove that F"X"""2 (x) >= F"X"""1 (x) for all x. Thus, for any distance x, there is a larger probability for the target to come within x miles of the pursuer if the target follows any non-radial flight strategy than if he follows a radial flight strategy. Note that the pursuer need not travel at a constant speed. Finally we will drop the restriction of constant speed from the target.
Tanning in body dysmorphic disorder.

Tanning in body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) has not previously been studied. In this study, 200 subjects with BDD were evaluated with measures to examine the prevalence of BDD-related tanning—i.e., darkening one's skin color by direct exposure to sunlight or artificial light which is motivated by a desire to improve a perceived appearance defect (i.e., a BDD concern). We also examined clinical characteristics of individuals who engaged in BDD-related tanning. 25% (95% CI, 19.0%–31.0%) of subjects reported BDD-related tanning. Among tanners, the skin was the most common body area of concern (84.0%). All tanners experienced functional impairment due to BDD, 26% had attempted suicide, and quality of life was markedly poor. 52% of tanners had received dermatologic treatment, which was usually ineffective for BDD symptoms. Tanners were more likely than non-tanners to compulsively pick their skin. In conclusion, tanning—a behavior with well-known health risks—is a relatively frequent BDD-related behavior.
Analytical prediction of short to long fatigue crack growth rate using small- and large-scale yielding fracture mechanics

Abstract Modifications are introduced to account for the differences in crack growth behavior of long and short cracks, that permit the use of the stress intensity factor. These modifications stem from the principles of fracture mechanics for small- and large-scale yielding. Short cracks can grow well below the long crack fatigue threshold range, because the short crack fatigue threshold range is smaller than that for long cracks as it is dependent on the stress level, and the plastic constraint factor. Analytical expressions are developed for these relationships, and for the fatigue crack growth rates in plane stress and plane strain, for short semi-elliptical cracks including those emanating from notches. Microstructural features are not considered. A linear approximation is used for the gradual transition from plane stress to plane strain. The model is formulated using only the readily available material properties. It is then validated using published experimental data for fatigue crack propagation rates for positive and negative stress ratios down to –2. There is reasonable agreement between the model predictions and the published experimental data for short cracks (from 0.1 to 2 mm) and long cracks.
Theory of ion neutralization at metal surfaces by surface plasmon excitation

Abstract A new mechanism is proposed for electron capture by ions scattered from metal surfaces, wherein a surface plasmon is excited during the capture process. The matrix element for this process and resultant neutral fraction are calculated for a simple model of electron capture to the hydrogen 1s state by a low-energy (few keV) proton incident on jellium. It is found that the transition rate for this capture channel is competitive with those for the previously-considered resonance tunneling and Auger channels. The calculation uses a novel second-quantization representation wherein terms equivalent to orthogonalization of the continuum metal and bound atomic wave functions arise naturally from a canonical transformation. These orthogonalization corrections are found to be important, suggesting that their omission is some previous resonance tunneling and Auger calculations may not be justified.
Clinical strategies for the primary health care professional to minimize prescription opioid abuse.

AbstractPrescription opioid analgesic therapy can be effective in managing chronic noncancer pain in appropriately selected patients. However, the risks and benefits of prescription opioids should be carefully considered when treating this patient population. A dramatic increase in opioid–related morbidity and mortality has been observed in the United States in the past decade. Therefore, health care providers must balance the treatment of chronic pain with the need to minimize the risks of opioid misuse, abuse, addiction, and diversion. Current literature suggests that most patients with chronic pain are managed at the primary care level. However, many of these practitioners are not skilled in risk assessment, stratification, and monitoring. This article reviews strategies and tools that providers may implement to help identify appropriate patients for chronic opioid therapy and recognize signs of drug–related aberrant behaviors and abuse. In addition, the potential role of abuse–deterrent, extended–rele...
Magnetic susceptibility of the mercury-indium liquid alloy system

Abstract The magnetic susceptibility at room temperature, and the temperature dependence of susceptibility of the mercury-indium liquid alloy system, have been measured by the Curie method for In concentrations of up to about 60 at. %. Measurements were made at closely spaced intervals of In concentration in the range 0 to 6 at. %, in which region an unexplained thermopower anomaly had been observed by previous workers. An examination of the deviation from linearity of χ([In]) revealed special regions corresponding to Hg : In atomic ratios of 4 : 1 (12.5 wt. at. % In) and 1 : 1 (36 wt. at. % In) respectively, suggestive of loose atomic associations in the liquid. Alternatively the susceptibility results could be interpreted as lending some support to Mott's recent theory of the electronic structure of amalgams.
Endothelin levels decrease after oral and nonoral estrogen in postmenopausal women with increased cardiovascular risk factors

Objective To establish levels of plasma endothelin-1 in postmenopausal women with increased CV risk as compared with healthy premenopausal women and to measure the effects of different forms of estrogen replacement on plasma endothelin-1. Design Prospective randomized study. Setting University of Southern California Medical Center. Patient(s) We studied 18 postmenopausal women (mean age 53.4 ± 4.9 years) with total cholesterol levels > 240 mg/dL divided into those with and without hypertension as well as in 10 healthy premenopausal women. Intervention(s) The postmenopausal women were randomized to receive oral estrone sulfate, transdermal E 2 , or placebo for 30 days. Main Outcome Measure(s) We measured the endothelin-1 levels and total cholesterol at baseline and after 30 days of estrogen treatment. Result(s) In the postmenopausal women, endothelin-1 was higher (4.58 ± 0.46 pg/mL) compared with premenopausal levels (2.80 ± 0.46 pg/mL). In hypertensive postmenopausal women, endothelin-1 was 5.56 ± 0.44 pg/mL. After estrogen, plasma endothelin-1 values decreased from 5.38 ± 0.66 to 4.82 ± 0.9 pg/mL with oral estrone sulfate, 4.84 ± 0.25 to 4.54 ± 0.49 pg/mL with transdermal E 2 , and did not change after placebo 4.76 ± 0.71 to 4.81 ± 0.46 pg/mL. In evaluating hypertensive women alone with estrogen therapy, plasma endothelin-1 showed the greatest decrement from 5.39 ± 0.49 to 4.4 ± 0.59 pg/mL (18.4%). The decrease in endothelin1 with estrogen, which was statistically significant for the entire group, did appear to be influenced by the route of administration. Baseline plasma endothelin-1 levels were correlated positively to plasma cholesterol levels with a correlation coefficient of 0.632. Conclusion(s) These data provide another potential mechanism explaining the cardioprotective effects of hormone replacement therapy. Fertil Steril ® 1997;67:273-7
HPA-axis abnormalities in psychiatrically well controls

The considerable divergence in the literature describing dexamethasone suppression test (DST) nonsuppression rates among psychiatrically well controls led the authors to explore screening procedures as a possible source of variance. Using what they judged to be a typical screening procedure, the authors eliminated 69 of 128 subjects responding to an advertisement seeking psychiatrically and physically healthy subjects. Structured interviews for Axis I and II disorders then revealed that 36% of the remaining 59 subjects nevertheless had historical evidence of psychiatric illness; the 38 who passed all phases of screening underwent three monthly DSTs, which demonstrated the stability over time of both normal and abnormal results. Moreover, a family study revealed that relatives of nonsuppressors had a significantly higher morbid risk of affective disorder (20.5% vs. 8.8%), particularly mania and hypomania.
Investigation of Abnormal Left Temporal Functioning in Dyslexia Through rCBF, Auditory Evoked Potentials, and Positron Emisson Tomography

The proposed left hemisphere dysfunction in dyslexia was investigated in a review of four studies using regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF; N=152) and combined auditory evoked responses (AERs) with positron emission tomography (PET) (N=20). In contrast to the positive relation that was found between temporal rCBF and orthographic task accuracy, an inverse correlation was found phonemic in normals between task accuracy and left temporal rCBF activation, near Heschl's gyrus. Dyslexics, by contrast, showed a positive correlation between Heschl's gyrus activation (by PET and rCBF) and phonemic processing accuracy. The AER's at C3 for an early positive component (P1) showed that these relationships were true both on hit trials and correct rejection trials, indicating that the perceptual rather than motoric or selective attention aspects of the task were being measured. Methodological issues were emphasized, including the difficulty of interpreting mean differences in brain activity at a given site without considering the separate multivariate structures that might exist in the two populations.
Product and Process Tolerance Allocation in Multistation Compliant Assembly Using Analytical Target Cascading

Tolerance allocation is the process of determining allowable dimensional variations in products (parts and subassemblies) and processes (fixtures and tools) in order to meet final assembly quality and cost targets. Traditionally, tolerance allocation is conducted by solving a single optimization problem. This “all-in-one” (AIO) approach may not be desirable or applicable for various reasons: the assembler of the final product may not have access to models and∕or data to compute appropriate tolerance values for all subassemblies and parts in the case of outsourcing; optimization algorithms may face numerical difficulties when solving very large-scale, simulation-based nonlinear problems; interactions are often obscured in AIO models and trade-offs may not be quantifiable readily. This paper models multistation compliant assembly as a hierarchical multilevel process and proposes the application of analytical target cascading for formulating and solving the tolerance allocation problem. Final product quality and cost targets are translated into tolerance specifications for incoming parts, subassemblies, and station fixtures. The proposed methodology is demonstrated using a vehicle side frame assembly example. Both quality- and cost-driven tolerance allocation problems are formulated. A parametric study with respect to budget is conducted to quantify the cost-quality trade-off. We believe that the proposed multilevel optimization methodology constitutes a valuable new paradigm for tolerance design in multistation assembly involving a large number of parts and stations, and creates research opportunities in this area.
Developing Collective Classroom Efficacy: The Teacher's Role as Community Organizer

Collective efficacy reveals how well group members relate to one another while working toward common goals. It also reveals group resilience and the willingness of group members to continue working through difficult situations. The purpose of this study is to explore collective efficacy at the classroom level, using Vygotsky’s view of individual and collective development to examine how it could be developed and facilitated by fifth-grade classroom participants. By examining collective efficacy in this way, the authors offer a sense of what teachers can do to promote collective classroom efficacy through their instructional practice. Results indicate that the sense of collective classroom efficacy developed by the fifth graders was initiated and nurtured by the teacher in the role of classroom community organizer.
Intraislet somatostatin inhibits insulin (via a subtype-2 somatostatin receptor) but not islet amyloid polypeptide secretion in the isolated perfused human pancreas☆☆☆

It is our hypothesis that intraislet somatostatin regulates beta cell secretion in the isolated perfused human pancreas. The present study was designed to determine the relative influence of intraislet somatostation on the regulation of islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) and insulin secretion, and to determine the effect of specific somatostatin receptor (SSTR) agonists on beta cell secretion during immunoneutralization of endogenous somatostatin in the isolated perfused human pancreas. Single-pass perfusion was performed in pancreata obtained from seven cadaveric organ donors using a modified Krebs medium with 3.9 mmol/L glucose. Sequential test periods were separated by basal periods and experiments were performed by infusion of any of the following: (1) somatostatin monoclonal antibody (S-Ab); (2) S-Ab+SSTR2 agonist (DC32-87); or (3) S-Ab+SSTR5 agonist (DC32-92). The changes in insulin and IAPP secretion from basal levels during each stimulation were calculated. Infusion of S-Ab resulted in a significant increase in insulin secretion (2033±429 pmol/L;P<0.05) but not IAPP. In the presence of S-Ab, infusion of the SSTR2 agonist resulted in a significant inhibition of insulin secretion (−1128±457 pmol/L;P<0.05) but not IAPP. In the presence of S-Ab, infusion of the SSTR5 agonist had no significant effect on insulin or IAPP secretion. We conclude that intraislet somatostatin inhibits insulin secretion via SSTR2, but not IAPP secretion, in the isolated perfused human pancreas model and that this effect occurs via SSTR2. These results also suggest that insulin and IAPP secretion are regulated by different mechanisms despite being co-localized to the beta cell.
Identification of a key residue in Kv7.1 potassium channel essential for sensing external potassium ions.

Kv7.1 voltage-gated K+ (Kv) channels are present in the apical membranes of marginal cells of the stria vascularis of the inner ear, where they mediate K+ efflux into the scala media (cochlear duct) of the cochlea. As such, they are exposed to the K+-rich (∼150 mM of external K+ (K+e)) environment of the endolymph. Previous studies have shown that Kv7.1 currents are substantially suppressed by high K+e (independent of the effects of altering the electrochemical gradient). However, the molecular basis for this inhibition, which is believed to involve stabilization of an inactivated state, remains unclear. Using sequence alignment of S5-pore linkers of several Kv channels, we identified a key residue, E290, found in only a few Kv channels including Kv7.1. We used substituted cysteine accessibility methods and patch-clamp analysis to provide evidence that the ability of Kv7.1 to sense K+e depends on E290, and that the charge at this position is essential for Kv7.1’s K+e sensitivity. We propose that Kv7.1 may use this feedback mechanism to maintain the magnitude of the endocochlear potential, which boosts the driving force to generate the receptor potential of hair cells. The implications of our findings transcend the auditory system; mutations at this position also result in long QT syndrome in the heart.
Thermoregulatory manifestations of systemic inflammation: lessons from vagotomy

Abstract The multiple effects of vagotomy on the thermoregulatory response to systemic inflammation are reviewed (primarily, for the model of intravenous lipopolysaccharide administration in the rat). The following conclusions are drawn. (1) Vagotomy-associated thermoeffector insufficiency is likely to account for the attenuation of the fever response observed in some — but not all — studies; such an insufficiency is, however, preventable by postoperative care, including the use of a liquid diet. (2) The febrile response to low doses of lipopolysaccharide (monophasic fever) is mediated by the hepatic (but not gastric or celiac) vagal fibers, presumably afferent; the same fibers are likely to be involved in the development of tolerance to low doses of circulating endotoxins. (3) Phase 1 of the polyphasic febrile response to moderate doses of lipopolysaccharide involves capsaicin-sensitive afferents (either nonvagal only or both nonvagal and vagal), does not involve cholecystokinin A-receptors, and may involve peripheral prostaglandins. (4) Febrile phase 2 does not require the integrity of abdominal nerve fibers, either vagal or nonvagal, at least in the rat. (5) Phase 3 of the febrile response to intravenous lipopolysaccharide (and perhaps the response to intraperitoneal lipopolysaccharide) involves capsaicin-insensitive vagal fibers, presumably efferent; the involvement of these fibers in febrigenic mechanisms is strongly modulated by an unknown factor. (6) A hepatoceliac vagal, presumably efferent, mechanism (‘an anti-inflammatory pathway’) counteracts the development of lipopolysaccharide-induced hypothermia and shock.
A Study of the Epoxidation of Cycloolefins by the t-BuOH Copper−Permanganate System

Evidence is presented that Cu(MnO4)2 effectively epoxidizes trisubstituted steroid olefins by a nonconcerted pathway.
The Smooth Muscle γ-Actin Gene Promoter Is a Molecular Target for the Mouse bagpipe Homologue, mNkx3-1, and Serum Response Factor *

An evolutionarily conserved vertebrate homologue of the Drosophila NK-3 homeodomain genebagpipe, Nkx3-1, is expressed in vascular and visceral mesoderm-derived muscle tissues and may influence smooth muscle cell differentiation. Nkx3-1 was evaluated for mediating smooth muscle γ-actin (SMGA) gene activity, a specific marker of smooth muscle differentiation. Expression of mNkx3-1 in heterologous CV-1 fibroblasts was unable to elicit SMGA promoter activity but required the coexpression of serum response factor (SRF) to activate robust SMGA transcription. A novel complex element containing a juxtaposed Nkx-binding site (NKE) and an SRF-binding element (SRE) in the proximal promoter region was found to be necessary for the Nkx3-1/SRF coactivation of SMGA transcription. Furthermore, Nkx3-1 and SRF associate through protein-protein interactions and the homeodomain region of Nkx3-1 facilitated SRF binding to the complex NKE·SRE. Mutagenesis of Nkx3-1 revealed an inhibitory domain within its C-terminal segment. In addition, mNkx3-1/SRF cooperative activity required an intact Nkx3-1 homeodomain along with the MADS box of SRF, which contains DNA binding and dimerization structural domains, and the contiguous C-terminal SRF activation domain. Thus, SMGA is a novel target for Nkx3-1, and the activity of Nkx3-1 on the SMGA promoter is dependent upon SRF.
Citizen coping with community notification of released sex offenders.

The current study investigated citizen reactions to notifications of sex offenders in the neighborhood, in an effort to determine whether sex offender notification laws are accomplishing their goal of increased protective actions against sex offenses. Lazarus's stress and coping theory provided the theoretical framework for the study. Telephone surveys were conducted with 250 Alabama residents who were notified of an offender in the neighborhood. Questions were posed regarding notification importance, fear of crime, coping, and locus of control. Notification importance predicted fear of crime, which, in turn, predicted coping. Fear of crime did not mediate the relation between notification importance and coping, however. Finally, situational locus of control did not moderate the relation between fear of crime and coping strategy. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Inhibition of Monoacylglycerol Lipase Prevents Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy-like Neuropathology in a Mouse Model of Repetitive Mild Closed Head Injury

Emerging evidence suggests that the risk of developing chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive neurodegenerative disease, is significantly increased in military personnel and contact sports players who have been exposed to repetitive trauma brain injury (TBI). Unfortunately there are no effective medications currently available for prevention and treatment of CTE. Here we demonstrate that inhibition of monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL), the key enzyme that metabolizes the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) in the brain, significantly reduced CTE-like neuropathologic changes in a mouse model of repetitive mild closed head injury (rmCHI). Inhibition of 2-AG metabolism promoted neurologic recovery following rmCHI and reduced proinflammatory cytokines, astroglial reactivity, expression of amyloid precursor protein and the enzymes that make Aβ, as well as formation of Aβ. Importantly, neurodegeneration, TDP-43 protein aggregation, and tau phosphorylation, which are the neuropathologic hallmarks of CTE, were significantly suppressed by MAGL inactivation. Furthermore, alterations in expression of glutamate receptor subunits and impairments in basal synaptic transmission, long-term synaptic plasticity, and spatial learning and memory were recovered by inhibition of 2-AG metabolism in animals exposed to rmCHI. Our results suggest that MAGL inhibition, which boosts 2-AG and reduces 2-AG metabolites prostaglandins in the brain, may lead to a new therapy for CTE.
Complex atomic spectra

The long history of the theory of complex atomic spectra, as distinct from series spectra, is reviewed from the period of the 1930s, when quantum mechanics was rapidly applied to solve a variety of problems, to the present day, when, at a single stroke, elaborate computer programs are used to fit many hundreds of atomic energy levels to theoretical models. Emphasis is placed on the use of of annihilation and creation operators. With their help, the role that Lie groups play in atomic spectra can be described in analogy to SO(3), the special orthogonal group corresponding to rotations in ordinary three-dimensional space. Configuration interaction is represented by effective operators that act within the states of the unperturbed configuration under study. These effective operators are also usefully constructed from annihilation and creation operators. A table is given in which the least-squares fits to the levels of atomic configurations comprising at least three electrons (or electron holes and electrons) are listed.
Sibling rivalry: The emergence of competition among the baby bells

The Modification of Final Judgment (MFJ) prohibits the seven regional Bell operating companies (RBOCs) spun off by AT&T from competing with one another in various markets ‘adjacent’ to the local telephone exchange. I have examined the competitiveness of three of these adjacent markets (cellular telephone, paging services, and yellow pages publishing) since divestiture in order to assess the likelihood of collusion among the RBOCs. On the basis of a decade of post-divestiture experience, I find the prospect of collusion to be remote and, hence, the probability of anticompetitive effects from lifting the MFJ to be vanishingly small.
Spin squeezing via ladder operations on an atomic coherent state

We study the generation of spin squeezing by the repeated action of the angular momentum (Dicke) lowering operator on an atomic coherent state prepared for a collection of $N$ two-level atoms or ions. The atoms or ions of the atomic coherent state are not entangled, but the action of the lowering operator (or similarly of the raising operator) generates entanglement among the atoms, and spin squeezing occurs for some ranges of the relevant parameter. Spin squeezing in a collection of two-level atoms or ions is of importance for precision spectroscopy. We discuss methods by which our spin-squeezed states could be generated in the contexts of cavity QED and trapped ions.
Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors as Influenced by Race and Ethnic Background

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the USA accounting for 32 % of all deaths (Prev Chron Dis 11:1302507, 2014). Those with diabetes (DM) are two times more likely to experience a CVD event and have a two to fourfold greater mortality rate from a CVD event as compared to those without DM (Diabetes Care 35, 2012). Ethnic minorities have higher incidence of DM; whereas only 7.1 % of non-Hispanic Whites (NHW) have diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2), it is present in 8.4 % of Asian Americans, 11.8 % of Hispanics, and 12.6 % of non-Hispanic Blacks (NHB) (Cardiorenal Med 4:1–11, 2014). African Americans (NHB) are twice as likely to develop DM2 as compared to NHW and have higher rates of retinopathy, hypertension (HTN) and renal disease (PLoS ONE 7(3):e32840, 2012). American Indian (AI) adults are three times more likely to have diabetes than the general adult US population and have higher rates of hypertension, lower leg amputations, cerebrovascular disease, obesity, and mortality from diabetes than do NHW (Diabetes Care 33(7), 2010). Mexican Americans (MA) have an odds ratio of developing diabetes that is 2.33 times higher than NHW (Diabetes Care 35, 2012). Latinos have higher rates of retinopathy, renal disease, coronary heart disease, and poorly controlled diabetes as compared to NHW (Diabetes Care 35, 2012). Asians have either greater or lower rates of CVD risk factors compared to NHW depending of the subgroup of Asian background; however, Asians develop DM at a lower BMI than many other ethnicities (Cardiorenal Med 4:1–11, 2014). Education, income, health insurance status, and length of residence in host country also influence DM prevalence and CVD risk factors.
Ceramide lances the lungs.

Ceramide may mediate several causes of acute lung injury and provide the basis for new therapeutic approaches for this severe, hard-to-treat condition ( pages 155–160 ).
Variscan basic dykes in the Pelagonian (Northern Greece and south FYROM): Geodynamic significance based on petrological, geochemical and geochronological studies

Abstract Dolerite dykes intruding Variscan plutonites were studied in terms of mineralogy, petrology, geochemistry and geochronology. The main mineral constituents were studied and the sequence of crystallization has been derived. The geochemical characteristic indicate mantle origin of the dolerites and magma sources different from the hosting granitoids. From SHRIMP analyses of five spots on four different zircon crystals, resulted a 292.0±4.1 Ma age that is interpreted as the time of crystallization of the dolerite. The hosting granitoids are probably the result of mixing between two possible end-members: enriched mantle and acid metaigneous or lower crustal metasediments. The Variscan age of the dolerites, in combination with the geochemical characteristics, indicated that the enriched mantle basaltic material should be the source of the dolerite veins. These mantle-derived basaltic melts may represent the underplated material, which probably provided the necessary thermal input to the dehydration melting in the lower crust. The dolerites should have intruded the newly formed batholiths before or at the first stages of their uplift, recording the last events of the Variscan subduction.
Inverse transport calculations in optical imaging with subspace optimization algorithms

Inverse boundary value problems for the radiative transport equation play an important role in optics-based medical imaging techniques such as diffuse optical tomography (DOT) and fluorescence optical tomography (FOT). Despite the rapid progress in the mathematical theory and numerical computation of these inverse problems in recent years, developing robust and efficient reconstruction algorithms remains a challenging task and an active research topic. We propose here a robust reconstruction method that is based on subspace minimization techniques. The method splits the unknown transport solution (or a functional of it) into low-frequency and high-frequency components, and uses singular value decomposition to analytically recover part of low-frequency information. Minimization is then applied to recover part of the high-frequency components of the unknowns. We present some numerical simulations with synthetic data to demonstrate the performance of the proposed algorithm.
Building better fibrin knob mimics: an investigation of synthetic fibrin knob peptide structures in solution and their dynamic binding with fibrinogen/fibrin holes.

Fibrin polymerizes via noncovalent and dynamic association of thrombin-exposed “knobs” with complementary “holes.” Synthetic knob peptides have received significant interest as a means for understanding fibrin assembly mechanisms and inhibiting fibrin polymerization. Nevertheless, the inability to crystallize short peptides significantly limits our understanding of knob peptide structural features that regulate dynamic knob:hole interactions. In this study, we used molecular simulations to generate the first predicted structure(s) of synthetic knobs in solution before fibrin hole engagement. Combining surface plasmon resonance (SPR), we explored the role of structural and electrostatic properties of knob “A” mimics in regulating knob:hole binding kinetics. SPR results showed that association rates were most profoundly affected by the presence of both additional prolines as well as charged residues in the sixth to seventh positions. Importantly, analyzing the structural dynamics of the peptides through simulation indicated that the 3Arg side chain orientation and peptide backbone stability each contribute significantly to functional binding. These findings provide insights into early fibrin protofibril assembly dynamics as well as establishing essential design parameters for high-affinity knob mimics that more efficiently compete for hole occupancy, parameters realized here through a novel knob mimic displaying a 10-fold higher association rate than current mimics.
Identification and Characterization of Human Rhinovirus-14 3C Protease Deamidation Isoform

A purified recombinant human rhinovirus-14 3C protease preparation contained only approximately 50% active enzyme as titrated using specifically designed irreversible 3C protease inhibitors. Analysis of the purified 3C protein by isoelectric focusing showed differently charged 3C isoforms that had isoelectric points (pI) of 8.3 (55%) and 9.0 (45%), with the latter one being consistent with the predicted pI of the human rhinovirus-14 3C protein. Further analysis indicated that the pI 8.3 protein was the deamidated form of 3C, and it displayed approximately 10-fold reduced cleavage activity relative to the original 3C protease sample. Peptide mapping followed by sequence analysis revealed that a single asparagine, Asn-164, was deamidated to aspartic acid in the pI 8.3 isoform. Converting Asn-164 to Asp by site-directed mutagenesis resulted in a mutated 3C protease with extremely low activity, as seen with the pI 8.3 isoform, indicating a role of Asn-164 in substrate recognition and binding. In addition, the deamidated 3C protease was found to be present in vivo, and its abundance was related to the viral replication cycle. Moreover, mutant virus carrying Asp-164 showed reduced viability in infected cells. Taken together, our data suggest that 3C protein deamidation plays a role in the regulation of its enzymatic activity.
Elastic and inelastic scattering of 11.8 MEV polarized deuterons from 34S

Abstract The elastic and inelastic scattering of 11.8 MeV vector polarized deuterons from 34 S has been studied. Angular distributions of the cross section σ(θ) and vector analyzing power iT 11 ( θ ) have been measured for the ground state and the first three excited states in 34 S. Optical model parameters were first obtained by fitting the elastic deuteron scattering data alone. DWBA calculations with a collective model form factor were performed for the inelastic scattering to the excited states. Coupled-channels calculations were also done both for the one-phonon and the two-phonon excited states. The optical model parameters were suitably modified to obtain simultaneous fit to elastic and inelastic data when channel coupling was introduced. The values of the vibrational parameter β 2 for one- and two-phonon states are discussed and compared with those obtained from γ-decay width studies.
Austin Flint Murmur

A55-year-old man complained of dyspnea on exertion. On examination, he had a loud parasternal diastolic murmur indicative of aortic valve regurgitation and an apical middiastolic and presystolic rumble (Austin Flint murmur). The patient was referred for a cardiac MRI examination to quantify aortic regurgitation and determine ventricular volumes. A horizontal long-axis imaging plane through the aortic valve and the apex of the heart was used. Sixteen ECG-gated gradient-echo (bright-blood) images were obtained at equally spaced time points over the cardiac cycle. An early-systolic image shows the mitral valve leaflets closed and aortic valve open in a normal fashion (Figure 1⇓). An early-diastolic image shows a dark regurgitant jet of …
The caustic fields of offset ellipsoidal reflectors: a comparative study

The conditions under which the GTD (geometrical theory of diffraction) and Gaussian beam solutions are able to specify the phase and magnitude of the fields around the caustics of offset ellipsoidal reflectors are examined. This is done through the comparison of these methods with the near-field physical optics solution (PO). It is shown that the Gaussian beam results are relatively accurate down to a reflector diameter of the order of 30 lambda , provided that the feed edge taper is at least of the order of 25 dB. As the size of the reflector gets smaller, the maximum field strength predicted by PO becomes lower than that predicted by the Gaussian beam solution. Further, the location of the maximum field strength moves closer to the reflector. The phase at the focal point remains accurate even though the magnitude at the focal point is in error. The GTD solution remains accurate for the magnitude of the fields for distances greater than about 10 lambda from the focus. However, the phase of the fields is in error until a distance of about 30 lambda from the focal point. The results are discussed in connection with high-power microwave applications. >
Hemoglobin and Hematocrit Values of Adolescents: Nutritional Survey of Low Income Groups

Using height-weight and hemoglobin-hematocrit values to estimate nutritional status, 268 consecutive adolescent patients from low-income families were evaluated at the adolescent clinic of the University of Alabama Medical Center. Only four of the 123 boys and six of the 145 had hemoglobin values less than 11 Gm./100 ml. of blood, and in only one patient was the anemia due solely to iron deficiency. White boys and girls had higher hemoglobin and. hematocrit values than Negro boys and girls. The mean hemoglobin values from this group of low-income adolescents were similar to those from surveys of Minnesota farm boys and girls and caf adolescents attending a high-income private school in New York City.A number of other observations of practical clinical value are discussed in the text.
A novel position sensor elimination technique for the interior permanent-magnet synchronous motor drive

An approach to the position sensor elimination of an interior permanent magnet (IPM) synchronous motor drive is proposed. The phase inductance of an IPM synchronous motor varies appreciably as a function of the rotor position. This feature is utilized to get an estimate of the rotor position. Analytical equations are developed for the calculation of the phase inductance of an IPM motor driven by a current-controlled PWM power converter with a hysteresis controller. The calculated phase inductance is used to estimate the position of the rotor. To obtain an unambiguous relation between the phase inductance and the rotor position, the phase inductance of phases a, b, and c is calculated during different segments of each electrical cycle. A direct approach to inductance calculation is proposed. Simulation results show the effectiveness of the controller. The position error is very small for speed control applications. A current regulator using constant-frequency switching is analyzed in order to avoid the random switching of the hysteresis current controller. >