cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
17β-Estradiol attenuates oxidative impairment of synaptic Na+/K+-ATPase activity, glucose transport, and glutamate transport induced by amyloid β-peptide and iron

Synapse loss, deposits of amyloid beta-peptide (Abeta), impaired energy metabolism, and cognitive deficits are defining features of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Estrogen replacement therapy reduces the risk of developing AD in postmenopausal women. Because synapses are likely sites for initiation of neurodegenerative cascades in AD, we tested the hypothesis that estrogens act directly on synapses to suppress oxidative impairment of membrane transport systems. Exposure of rat cortical synaptosomes to Abeta25-35 (Abeta) and FeSO4 induced membrane lipid peroxidation and impaired the function of the plasma membrane Na+/K+-ATPase, glutamate transporter, and glucose transporter. Pretreatment of synaptosomes with 17beta-estradiol or estriol largely prevented impairment of Na+/K+-ATPase activity, glutamate transport, and glucose transport; other steroids were relatively ineffective. 17Beta-estradiol suppressed membrane lipid peroxidation induced by Abeta and FeSO4, but did not prevent impairment of membrane transport systems by 4-hydroxynonenal (a toxic lipid peroxidation product), suggesting that an antioxidant property of 17beta-estradiol was responsible for its protective effects. By suppressing membrane lipid peroxidation in synaptic membranes, estrogens may prevent impairment of transport systems that maintain ion homeostasis and energy metabolism, and thereby forestall excitotoxic synaptic degeneration and neuronal loss in disorders such as AD and ischemic stroke.
Mathematical Modeling Analysis of Regenerative Solid Oxide Fuel Cells in Switching Mode Conditions

A 2D transient mathematical model is developed for regenerative solid oxide cells operated in both SOFC mode and SOEC mode. The steady state performance of the model is validated using experimental results of in-house prepared NiO–YSZ/YSZ/LSM cell under different operating temperatures. The model is employed to investigate complicated multi-physics processes during the transient process of mode switching. Simulation results indicate that the trend of internal parameter distributions, including H2/O2/H2O and ionic potentials, flip when the operating cell is switched from one mode to another. However, the electronic potential shows different behaviors. At H2 electrode, electronic potential keeps at zero voltage level, while at O2 electrode, it increases from a relatively low level in SOFC mode to a relatively high level in SOEC mode. Transient results also show that an overshooting phenomenon occurs for mass fraction distribution of water vapor at H2 side when the operating cell switches from SOFC mode to SOEC mode. The mass fractions of O2 and H2 as well as charge (electrons and ions) potentials may quickly follow the operating mode changes without over-shootings. The simulation results facilitate the internal mechanism understanding for regenerative SOFCs.
Maximal performance on divergent thinking tests by gifted, talented, and nongifted children

Explicit instructions to “be creative” often are used to estimate the role of task-perception in divergent thinking test performance; however, previous research on this topic has employed only nongifted individuals. The present investigation compared gifted (n = 97), talented (n = 53), and nongifted (n = 90) intermediate school children in terms of divergent thinking fluency, flexibility, and originality scores elicted by standard and explicit instructions. Results indicated that the scores of all groups were significantly different in the two instructional conditions. More importantly, there was a significant interaction between this instructional effect and children's level of ability. The explicit instructions enhanced the originality scores of the talented and nongifted children more than those of the gifted children; and the same instructions inhibited the fluency and flexibility scores of the gifted children more than those of the talented and nongifted children. These results have important implications for testing creativity and for our understanding of giftedness.
Influence of Mabs on PrPSc Formation Using In Vitro and Cell-Free Systems

PrPSc is believed to serve as a template for the conversion of PrPC to the abnormal isoform. This process requires contact between the two proteins and implies that there may be critical contact sites that are important for conversion. We hypothesized that antibodies binding to either PrPcor PrPSc would hinder or prevent the formation of the PrPC–PrPSc complex and thus slow down or prevent the conversion process. Two systems were used to analyze the effect of different antibodies on PrPSc formation: (i) neuroblastoma cells persistently infected with the 22L mouse-adapted scrapie stain, and (ii) protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA), which uses PrPSc as a template or seed, and a series of incubations and sonications, to convert PrPC to PrPSc. The two systems yielded similar results, in most cases, and demonstrate that PrP-specific monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) vary in their ability to inhibit the PrPC–PrPSc conversion process. Based on the numerous and varied Mabs analyzed, the inhibitory effect does not appear to be epitope specific, related to PrPC conformation, or to cell membrane localization, but is influenced by the targeted PrP region (amino vs carboxy).
ATRIOPEPTINS: NATRIURESIS OCCURS INDEPENDENT OF VASCULAR EFFECTS

Atriopeptins I and II (AP-I, AP-II), 2 low mol. wt. peptides isolated from rat atria, cause specific relaxation of only intestinal smooth muscle (the 21-amino acid peptide AP-I) or both intestinal and vascular smooth muscle (the 23-AA peptide AP-II). Renal arterial injection of AP-II, but not AP-I, produces renal vasodilation. Both substances, as well as a high mol. wt. precursor, cause dose-related natriuresis and general increases in GFR when injected IV into anesthetized rats. The data below compare control (C) and experimental (E) periods of 10 min. Partial purification of rabbit atrial homogenate yields high and low mol.wt. peptides which cause natriuresis. Low dose trypsin (lU/ml) activation of HMW produces a substance which is spasmolytic and natriuretic but does not increase GFR. The data suggest that the atriopeptins exert a direct effect on the kidney tubule in addition to the vasodilatory effects.
Drive the PMSM motor using Hexagram Converter

In this paper, a simple speed control system for a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) based on the newly reported hexagram inverter is presented. The PMSM with six terminals is controlled by the rotor flux oriented vector control to achieve the adjustable speed drive. The hexagram inverter topology is based on combining six standard three-phase modules to achieve low component voltage stress and automatic power sharing suitable for high power motor applications. The whole system can be implemented by using one PWM controller; as a result, there is no need to use several DSPs for the whole system. Finally, analysis, implementation and experimental results are illustrated to verify the attractive features.
COEXISTENCE OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AND SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS IN FOUR PATIENTS

The classic skin and internal organ system manifestations of systemic sclerosis developed in 4 individuals, each with an erosive, destructive chronic polyarthritis characteristic of rheumatoid arthritis. All had serum rheumatoid factors, anti-nuclear antibodies, hypergammaglobulinemia and circulating immune complexes. Each of the 4 has been resistant to treatment. The features of these patients, together with an analysis of this unusual coexistence of two connective tissue disorders, are presented.
How to Count Patents and Value Intellectual Property: The Uses of Patent Renewal and Application Data

Patent counts are very imperfect measures of innovative output. This paper discusses how additional data-the number of years a patent is renewed and the number of countries in which protection for the same invention is sought--can be used to improve on counts in studies that require a measure of the extent of innovation. Simple weighting schemes are proposed, which may remove half of the noise in patent counts as a measure of innovative output. We describe models of the patent application and renewal processes whose parameter estimates can be used to assess the value of the proprietary rights created by the patent laws. We illustrate their use with estimates of how the value of patent protection would vary under alternative legal rules and renewal fees and with estimates of the international flows of returns from the patent system. Recent progress in the development of databases has increased the potential for this type of analysis.
Estimating error diffusion kernel from error diffused images

The problem of estimating the error diffusion kernel from error diffused images is considered. We first suggest a method for estimating an error diffusion kernel using a gray scale image and its error diffused version. The task is cast as a system identification problem and is solved using techniques from adaptive signal processing. Specifically, we define an error criterion between the error diffusion system with the true but unknown kernel, and one with an estimate of the true kernel. The estimate is then adjusted using a gradient descend type algorithm so that the error criterion is minimized. This algorithm is then combined with a projection algorithm for inverse halftoning to iteratively estimate the kernel from only an error diffused halftone. >
Modern Goniosynechialysis for the Treatment of Synechial Angle-closure Glaucoma

A new and successful technique for goniosynechialysis is described. The essentials of the technique include: (1) use of the chamber deepening procedure to provide a wide, safe entrance to the angle; (2) use of sodium hyaluronate to hold the deepened configuration and to stop and localize bleeding, thus maintaining visibility; (3) use of an irrigating cyclodialysis spatula to hold the deepened chamber, to stop bleeding and to perform the lysis; and (4) direct visualization of the angle. Four cases with severe synechial angle closure of one year's duration or less were cured. An additional case of longer duration was significantly improved. The procedure should be considered for those patients who have developed significant synechial angle closure and high pressure, and in whom the synechiae have not been present for a prolonged period of time.
Large-amplitude internal solitary waves in a two-fluid model

We compute solitary wave solutions of a Hamiltonian model for large-amplitude long internal waves in a two-layer stratification. Computations are performed for values of the density and depth ratios close to oceanic conditions, and comparisons are made with solutions of both weakly and fully nonlinear models. It is shown that characteristic features of highly nonlinear solitary waves such as broadening are reproduced well by the present model. To cite this article: Ph. Guyenne, C. R. Mecanique 334 (2006).
Some Reliability Fault-Testing Models

This paper presents several fault-testing models. Our system is composed of n components that either work or fail. The systems treated are the k-out-of-n type k/n. This system works if and only if k or more of its components work, making the series n/n and parallel 1/n systems special cases. Components can be individually tested and tests give perfect information. Each test has a time to complete it and testing procedures are judged by the expected cumulative testing time they require. In the first model, the components are assumed to function or fail independently of each other. A feasible test procedure must determine as if the system is working or has failed. This is solved for the series and parallel systems and, under a possibly restrictive hypothesis, for the general k/n system. In another model, the components are assumed to be nominally independent conditioned on the system being failed. Here a feasible test procedure must locate all failed components. This problem is solved for the general k/n system.
Bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the Hispanic vs the non-Hispanic populations☆☆☆★

Study Objective: The aim of this study is to compare rates of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for Hispanic and non-Hispanic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OOHCA) victims in Arizona. Methods: This is a secondary analysis of consecutive OOHCA victims prospectively enrolled into our statewide OOHCA quality improvement database between November 2004 and November 2006. Continuous data are presented as means ± SDs and analyzed using t tests; categorical data are presented as frequency of occurrence and analyzed using χ 2 . The primary outcome was whether bystander CPR rates were different for Hispanic vs non-Hispanic OOHCA victims. Secondary comparisons were initial cardiac rhythms and survival to hospital discharge. Results: There were 2411 OOHCA victims during the period of analysis. A total of 952 arrests were excluded because ethnicity was not documented; 80 arrests were excluded because they were traumatic. A total of 1379 arrests were included for analysis, of which 273 (19.8%) were Hispanic. Hispanics were less likely to receive bystander CPR than non-Hispanics (32.2% vs 41.5%; P b .0001). Hispanics and non-Hispanics were dissimilar with respect to age (53.2 ± 25 vs 64.5 ± 19.3 years; P = .0001), paramedic response time (5.1 vs 5.5 minutes; P = .0006), initial rhythm asystole (53.8% vs 44.5%; P = .005), and initial rhythm ventricular fibrillation (20.5% vs 26.7%; P = .036). Survival to hospital discharge (8.1% vs 7.1%) was not statistically different. Conclusion: In the state of Arizona, significantly fewer Hispanic OOHCA victims receive bystander CPR than non-Hispanics.
Monte Carlo simulations of the diffuse backscattering Mueller matrix for highly scattering media

We have developed a Monte Carlo algorithm that computes all two-dimensional elements of the diffuse backscattering Mueller matrix for highly scattering media. Using the Stokes-Mueller formalism and scattering amplitudes calculated with Mie theory, we are able to consider polarization-dependent photon propagation in highly scattering media, including linearly and circularly polarized light. The numerically determined matrix elements are compared with experimental data for different particle sizes and show good agreement in both azimuthal and radial direction.
Synthesis of Highly pH‐Responsive Glucose Poly(orthoester)

pH-Responsive polymers have great potential in biomedical applications, including the selective delivery of preloaded drugs to tissues with low pH values. These polymers usually contain acid-labile linkages such as esters and acetals/ketals. However, these linkages are only mildly pH-responsive with relatively long half-lives (t1/2). Orthoester linkages are more acid-labile, but current methods suffer from synthetic challenges and are limited to the availability of monomers. To address these limitations, a sugar poly(orthoester) was synthesized as a highly pH-responsive polymer. The synthesis was achieved by using 2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-α-D-glucopyranosyl bromide as a difunctional AB monomer and tetra-n-butylammonium iodide (TBAI) as an effective promoter. Under optimal conditions, polymers with molecular weights of 6.9 kDa were synthesized in a polycondensation manner. The synthesized glucose poly(orthoester), wherein all sugar units were connected through orthoester linkages, was highly pH-responsive with a half-life of 0.9, 0.6, and 0.2 hours at pH 6, 5, and 4, respectively.
Opportunities and Challenges in the Terrestrial DTV Transition in US - From Consumers' Perspective

Digital television (DTV) can offer consumers with more programming choices and far superior image quality than analog television. However, the free over the-air (OTA) DTV broadcasting can suffer from certain reception degradation. The possible causes range from loss of video frame data (buffer overflow)due to the self-similarity in MPEG2 video, mismatched impedance, signal attenuation, multipaths, Radio frequency Interference (RFI), etc. Some of the problems are caused by the limitations in the video coding method, MPEG2, which is adopted in the ATSC standard for OTA DTV broadcasting. Generally, these types of issues can only be resolved by equipment vendors with the application of new technologies.However, certain issues, such as mismatched impedance, signal attenuation, multipaths, and Ri can be overcome by consumers when some techniques are employed. In this paper, the possible causes for reception degradation are probed and certain techniques, such as Spatial Diversity Technique are introduced to provide possible solutions.
Examining the Moderating Role of Perceived School Climate in Early Adolescent Adjustment.

The current study examined the unique and interactive relations of 4 aspects of student-perceived school climate (cohesion, friction, and competition among students, and overall satisfaction with classes) and adolescent effortful control in the conduct problems and depressive symptoms of 868 ten- to fourteen-year-old adolescents. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that each of the school climate variables was uniquely associated with at least 1 outcome beyond effortful control. Two-way interactions between effortful control and school climate variables showed that among boys low in effortful control, those perceiving high levels of cohesion among students, low levels of friction among students, or high levels of satisfaction with classes reported fewer depressive symptoms. Among females, 2-way interactions indicated that girls low in effortful control reported fewer conduct problems when their perceptions of friction or competition among students were low. Implications for perceptions of good quality school climates are discussed.
W-band frequency synthesis using a Ka-band PLL and two different frequency triplers

Two chips for 96GHz frequency generation incorporating the same Ka-band PLL and (1) an injection-locked frequency tripler (ILFT); (2) a harmonic-based frequency tripler (HBFT) in 0.18µm SiGe BiCMOS are presented. The ILFT and HBFT preceded by the same Kaband PLL achieve measured closed-loop phase noise of −93dBc/Hz and −92dBc/Hz at 1MHz offset, respectively, from a reference frequency of 125MHz. The measured reference spurs are &#60;−52dBc for both prototypes. Both chips have the same power consumption of 140mW from 1.8V/2.5V supplies. To the authors' best knowledge, this work presents the first implementation of an injection-locked-based frequency multiplier in SiGe BiCMOS process and performs a comparative study between two different triplers.
Incremental Adaptive Strategies Over Distributed Networks

An adaptive distributed strategy is developed based on incremental techniques. The proposed scheme addresses the problem of linear estimation in a cooperative fashion, in which nodes equipped with local computing abilities derive local estimates and share them with their predefined neighbors. The resulting algorithm is distributed, cooperative, and able to respond in real time to changes in the environment. Each node is allowed to communicate with its immediate neighbor in order to exploit the spatial dimension while limiting the communications burden at the same time. A spatial-temporal energy conservation argument is used to evaluate the steady-state performance of the individual nodes across the entire network. Computer simulations illustrate the results.
Measures of drug efficacy in treating atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) tends to recur in at least one half of the patients being treated with an antiarrhythmic agent. However, if the patient being treated is appropriately anticoagulated, and if during recurrence the ventricular response rate is controlled, a recurrence rarely requires emergent treatment. Rather, the AF recurrence can most often simply be considered a clinically important nuisance. Therefore, recurrence of AF during antiarrhythmic drug therapy should not be considered drug failure per se. Instead, the frequency and severity of recurrence constitute the measure of efficacy. Occasional recurrence may be clinically acceptable and preferable to persistent AF or frequent episodes of paroxysmal AF. Because occasional recurrence of AF should not be considered failure of drug therapy, simple outpatient cardioversion of the AF with restoration of sinus rhythm is recommended should recurrence occur and the AF persist. Simple therapies, such as acute cardioversion to restore sinus rhythm, should be considered a part of the expected long-term therapy of the patient with AF. Finally, the drug of choice should be one that is well tolerated, easy to take (preferably only once or twice a day), and has the fewest potential side effects, particularly serious adverse effects.
Efficacy and safety of rifampicin for multiple system atrophy: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Summary Background No available treatments slow or halt progression of multiple system atrophy, which is a rare, progressive, fatal neurological disorder. In a mouse model of multiple system atrophy, rifampicin inhibited formation of α-synuclein fibrils, the neuropathological hallmark of the disease. We aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of rifampicin in patients with multiple system atrophy. Methods In this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial we recruited participants aged 30–80 years with possible or probable multiple system atrophy from ten US medical centres. Eligible participants were randomly assigned (1:1) via computer-generated permuted block randomisation to rifampicin 300 mg twice daily or matching placebo (50 mg riboflavin capsules), stratified by subtype (parkinsonian vs cerebellar), with a block size of four. The primary outcome was rate of change (slope analysis) from baseline to 12 months in Unified Multiple System Atrophy Rating Scale (UMSARS) I score, analysed in all participants with at least one post-baseline measurement. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01287221. Findings Between April 22, 2011, and April 19, 2012, we randomly assigned 100 participants (50 to rifampicin and 50 to placebo). Four participants in the rifampicin group and five in the placebo group withdrew from study prematurely. Results of the preplanned interim analysis (n=15 in each group) of the primary endpoint showed that futility criteria had been met, and the trial was stopped (the mean rate of change [slope analysis] of UMSARS I score was 0·62 points [SD 0·85] per month in the rifampicin group vs 0·47 points [0·48] per month in the placebo group; futility p=0·032; efficacy p=0·76). At the time of study termination, 49 participants in the rifampicin group and 50 in the placebo group had follow-up data and were included in the final analysis. The primary endpoint was 0·5 points (SD 0·7) per month for rifampicin and 0·5 points (0·5) per month for placebo (difference 0·0, 95% CI −0·24 to 0·24; p=0·82). Three (6%) of 50 participants in the rifampicin group and 12 (24%) of 50 in the placebo group had one or more serious adverse events; none was thought to be related to treatment. Interpretation Our results show that rifampicin does not slow or halt progression of multiple system atrophy. Despite the negative result, the trial does provide information that could be useful in the design of future studies assessing potential disease modifying therapies in patients with multiple system atrophy. Funding National Institutes of Health, Mayo Clinic Center for Translational Science Activities, and Mayo Funds.
A Stealth Urban Policy in the US? Federal Spending in Five Large Metropolitan Regions, 1984-93

New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, New Orleans and San Francisco are examined using the US Bureau of the Census, Consolidated Federal Funds Reports. These data are examined in terms of the age-adju...
Ethnofederalism and the Mismanagement of Conflicting Nationalisms

Recent discussions of federal solutions to ethnic conflict have focused on ethnofederal arrangements; in these the constituent units are homelands for ethnic minorities. Like autonomy arrangements in non-federal states, these institutional arrangements structure subsequent politics in ways that increase the likelihood of escalating conflict that results in nation-state crises. Tinkering with the institutional details of these arrangements is unlikely to exorcise these problems.
A Dynamic Space Sharing Method for Resource Management

The continuously increasing demand for computation resources is being met by clusters of workstations and servers, as well as distributed or shared memory supercomputers. The usage of this infrastructure must meet a dual objective: optimization of resource utilization, and guarantee of quality of service to users. Batch scheduling methods based on space sharing and static partitioning have limited performance scalability with respect to the number of users.
The Response of Framed Steel Structures to Fire

A combined computational fluid dynamics and structural stress investigation was conducted to study the response of steel structures to fire. The structure was a two-story building with six rooms. The fire was confined to one room on the first floor. The free convection of air and thermal radiation were both included in the analysis. The governing differential equations of flow and energy were solved by FLUENT. The air turbulence was modeled by the standard k-ϵ model, and the radiation was simulated by the Discrete Transfer Radiation Model. The temperature of the beams and columns were subsequently used in the thermal stress analysis to obtain the deflection and total strain using ANSYS. The result of FLUENT analysis indicates that the air velocity was high in the middle of the room above the fire and adjacent to the ceiling. The temperatures of the beams and columns generally decreased away from the center, with a more rapid decrease toward the ends. It was also observed that radiation played an important...
Product Development Decisions: A Review of the Literature

This paper is a review of research in product development, which we define as the transformation of a market opportunity into a product available for sale. Our review is broad, encompassing work in the academic fields of marketing, operations management, and engineering design. The value of this breadth is in conveying the shape of the entire research landscape. We focus on product development projects within a single firm. We also devote our attention to the development of physical goods, although much of the work we describe applies to products of all kinds. We look inside the "black box" of product development at the fundamentaldecisions that are made by intention or default. In doing so, we adopt the perspective of product development as a deliberate business process involving hundreds of decisions, many of which can be usefully supported by knowledge and tools. We contrast this approach to prior reviews of the literature, which tend to examine the importance of environmental and contextual variables, such as market growth rate, the competitive environment, or the level of top-management support.
Sense of place in the practice and assessment of place-based science teaching

We teach earth, ecological, and environmental sciences in and about places imbuedwithmeaningbyhumanexperience.Scientificunderstandingisbutoneofthemany types of meanings that can accrue to a given place. People develop emotional attachments to meaningful places. The sense of place, encompassing the meanings and attachments that places hold for people, has been well characterized in environmental psychology. Its components, place attachment and place meaning, can be measured psychometrically. Place-based science teaching focuses on local and regional environments and synthesizes different ways of knowing them, leveraging the senses of place of students and teachers. Place-based teaching has been advocated for its relevance and potential to attract un- derrepresented groups to science. We posit that sense of place is a measurable learning outcome of place-based science teaching. We developed an Arizona-based, culturally in- clusive, meaning-rich introductory geology course, and used published surveys to assess place attachment and meaning in students who took the course. We observed significant gains in student place attachment and place meaning, indicating that these instruments are generalizable and sensitive enough for use in this context. Sense of place should be en- gaged by teachers of place-based science, and further explored as an assessment measure. C
Reducing Covert Self-Injurious Behavior Maintained by Automatic Reinforcement through a Variable Momentary DRO Procedure.

Covert self-injurious behavior (i.e., behavior that occurs in the absence of other people) can be difficult to treat. Traditional treatments typically have involved sophisticated methods of observation and often have employed positive punishment procedures. The current study evaluated the effectiveness of a variable momentary differential reinforcement contingency in the treatment of covert self-injury. Neither positive punishment nor extinction was required to produce decreased skin picking.
Multi-modal control framework for a semi-autonomous wheelchair using modular sensor designs

This paper presents the hardware and software control framework for a semi-auton omous wheelchair. The hardware design incorporates modular and reconfigurable sensors and corresponding low-level software architecture. Two control schemes are discussed. Assisted control that augments the user inputs by providing functionalities such as obstacle avoidance and wall following. And, semi-autonomous navigation which takes higher level destination goals and executes a simultaneous localization and mapping algorithm. We also propose an adaptive motion control with a online parameter estimation. The paper presents both experimental and simulation results.
A Poincaré–Birkhoff theorem on invariant plane continua

We prove that if $F$ is an orientation-preserving homeomorphism of the plane that leaves invariant an irreducible plane separating continuum $\Delta$, then, with the possible exception of three numbers, if $p/q$ is a reduced rational in the interior of the convex hull of the rotation set of $F\vert_{\Delta}$ (with respect to some lift) there are at least two distinct periodic orbits of $F\vert_{\Delta}$ of period $q$ and rotation number $p/q$. This result also applies to certain nonseparating invariant continua.
Regulation of CAX1, an Arabidopsis Ca2+/H+ Antiporter. Identification of an N-Terminal Autoinhibitory Domain

Regulation of Ca2+ transport determines the duration of a Ca2+ signal, and hence, the nature of the biological response. Ca2+/H+ antiporters such as CAX1 (cation exchanger 1), play a key role in determining cytosolic Ca2+ levels. Analysis of a full-length CAX1 clone suggested that the CAX1 open reading frame contains an additional 36 amino acids at the N terminus that were not found in the original clone identified by suppression of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) vacuolar Ca2+ transport mutants. The long CAX1 (lCAX1) could not suppress the yeast Ca2+ transport defects despite localization to the yeast vacuole. Calmodulin could not stimulate lCAX1 Ca2+/H+ transport in yeast; however, minor alterations in the 36-amino acid region restored Ca2+/H+ transport. Sequence analysis suggests that a 36-amino acid N-terminal regulatory domain may be present in all Arabidopsis CAX-like genes. Together, these results suggest a structural feature involved in regulation of Ca2+/H+ antiport.
A framework for computational anatomy

The rapid collection of brain images from healthy and diseased subjects has stimulated the development of pow- erful mathematical algorithms to compare, pool and average brain data across whole populations. Brain structure is so complex and variable that new approaches in computer vi- sion, partial differential equations, and statistical field the- ory are being formulated to detect and visualize disease- specific patterns. We present some novel mathematical strate- gies for computational anatomy, focusing on the creation of population-based brain atlases. These atlases describe how the brain varies with age, gender, genetics, and over time. We review applications in Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia and brain development, outlining some current challenges in the field.
Chapter 14 – Ataxia

This chapter discusses the large variety of diagnoses in childhood where ataxia may be a prominent feature. Ataxia with clumsiness may be nonprogressive in childhood. Acute and subacute ataxias may result from intoxication, infections, inflammatory processes, trauma, or other problems. Chronic progressive ataxias include the autosomal recessive ataxias, ataxia telangiectasia as well as Friedreich’s ataxia, mitochondrial, and autosomal dominant spinocerebellar ataxias, many of which are extremely rare and challenging to diagnose. This chapter provides a systematic approach to diagnosis and management of ataxia in childhood, based on childhood development, epidemiology, primary features, associated symptoms, and understanding of neuroanatomy and pathophysiology.
Methyllysine Recognition by the Royal Family Modules: Chromo, Tudor, MBT, Chromo Barrel, and PWWP Domains

Protein domains of the Royal Family were the first methyllysine binding domains to be discovered. Here, we review what was learned from the structural studies of Royal Family members including chromo, Tudor, MBT, chromo barrel, and PWWP domains. Our main focus is on methyllysine reader domains for which three-dimensional structures are available in the ligand-bound state.
The person as actor, the actor as person: Personality from a dramaturgical perspective

The study of personality has long comprised of the major subfields of psychology. Phrenology provided an early means of assessing the distinctive personalities of people, and it enjoyed some dramatic appeal. Now, the technical capacity to examine brain structure and function by means of fMRI has a similar appeal, with a firmer scientific foundation. The assessment of human personality can be seen as portraiture, as a means of fitting people to the requirements of their roles, as a way of diagnosing psychopathology, or as a technique for describing the essential dimensions of human life. This chapter is a critical examination of this enterprise in terms of dramatic devices, including deception.
Principles of Uncertainty

Although measures of the various types of uncertainty-based information (Table 3.5) are not sufficient in human communication [Cherry, 1957], they are highly effective tools for dealing with systems problems of virtually any kind [Klir, 1985]. For the classical information measures (Hartley function and Shannon entropy), which were originally conceived solely as tools for analyzing and designing telecommunication systems, this broad utility is best demonstrated by Ashby [1958, 1965, 1969, 1972] and Conant [1969, 1974, 1976, 1981].
Roslyn Arlin Mickelson, Stephen Samuel Smith, and Amy Hawn Nelson (Eds.), Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow: School Desegregation and Resegregation in Charlotte (Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press, 2015).

Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow examines the story of desegregation and resegregation in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District (CMS), North Carolina. As its name suggests, it provides a historic...
Reproductive hormones in aging men. III: Basal and LHRH-stimulated serum concentrations of the common alpha-subunit of the glycoprotein hormones.

In a previous study, we described unaltered basal serum levels of sex steroids, increased basal luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and diminished and/or delayed gonadotropin responses to exogenous luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) in 69 healthy men, aged 25 to 89 years, in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. Here we report basal and LHRH-stimulated serum concentrations of the common alpha-subunit of the glycoprotein hormones in 53 of these same men, divided into groups: A, 25 to 49 years, (n = 22); B, 50 to 69 years, (n = 18); and C, 70 to 89 years, (n = 13). There were no significant (p greater than .2) age-related alterations in basal serum concentrations of the alpha-subunit. Using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), we found a significant difference between basal levels and peak responses to LHRH for alpha-subunit in each group (p less than .001); however, age per se did not influence the magnitude of this response (p greater than .1). Frequency distribution analysis of the time of the peak alpha-subunit response across age groups demonstrated a significant age-related delay in the timing of the peak alpha response (p less than .03). These data, in conjunction with our prior observations, suggest that in healthy men there may be age-related alterations in the secretion and/or metabolic clearance of pituitary gonadotropins and their component subunits.
Microstructural Quantification and Property Prediction Using Limited X-ray Tomography Data

X-ray tomography has provided a non-destructive means for microstructure characterization in three dimensional (3D) and four dimensional (4D) (i.e., structural evolution over time), in which projections of a material’s structure are typically reconstructed using the filtered-back-projection (FBP) method or algebraic reconstruction techniques. The reconstructed images are typically segmented to conduct microstructural quantification. The process can be quite time consuming and computationally intensive. In this paper, we present an overview of our recent work on utilizing a limited (Nyquist under-sampled) number of unique perspective radiographs for computed tomography reconstruction of heterogeneous material (e.g., composites and alloys) structural quantification, property prediction and microstructural reconstruction in 3D and 4D. The proposed approach is significantly more efficient and computationally less intensive than FBP. We first show that an inverse superposition of properly normalized attenuated intensity along different x-ray paths leads to a probability map for the material system, which provides the probability of finding a particular phase at a point in the imaged sample volume. Spatial correlation functions, which are statistical morphological descriptors of the material, are readily computed from the associated probability map. Using effective medium theory and the computed correlation functions, accurate predictions of physical properties (e.g., elastic moduli and thermal/electrical conductivity) can then be obtained. Finally, we present a stochastic reconstruction procedure that generates an accurate rendition of the 3D microstructure from a reduced number of tomographic projections. This stochastic reconstruction method can be easily adapted to reconstruct 4D structural evolution from a small number of in situ projections.
Simulation of a scintillator-based Compton telescope with micropattern readout

We describe simulations of a Compton telescope gamma-ray detector. The model is based on scintillation detectors and low-mass, photosensitive micro-pattern detectors, particularly the plasma panel sensor. The detector model has ten to twenty layers, to maximize the probability of Compton scattering while minimizing multiple scattering in a single layer. The simulations explore optimizing the micro-pattern detector pixel geometry, the scintillator material, the total detector thickness, and the number of layers. In addition, we explored algorithms for determining the interaction position, total energy and discriminating Compton scattering from other processes. Our initial results indicate that this kind of Compton telescope can be much more efficient that silicon or germanium-based telescopes while providing very good position resolution.
Ribosome Synthesis Compared During Pollen and Pollen Tube Development

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the comparative study of ribosome synthesis, dealing with the other two components, the ribosomal proteins and 5S RNA. Microspores in detached buds were labeled in vitro with 14CO2 at the peak of ribosome synthesis. By contrast, if pollen tubes were labeled with 35S and the ribosomes were extracted, the resulting ribosomal proteins are not radioactive at all nor are the histones. The pollen tube offers a unique system to study different RNA molecules because the noise from ribosome synthesis is shut off. The most interesting finding about tRNA concerns its methylation in the pollen tube when 3H-methyl methionine is used. A finding that was unexpected was that pectin synthesized in pollen tubes can be isolated on a methylated albumin on kieselguhr column just before the tRNA begins to elute with salt.
60. Engineering AAV Vector for the Delivery of Human BuChE to Protect Against Exposure to Organophosphates

Human butyrylcholinesterase (hBuChE) is a widely-distributed enzyme that may play a role in nerve conduction, can hydrolyze various toxic esters (e.g., cocaine), and acts as a potent scavenger of organophosphates (OP) including pesticides and chemical warfare agents. Major limitations prohibiting the development of purified hBuChE as a mainstream biologic drug include: limited availability of human plasma, limited scalability of manufacturing, high cost of purified human-derived product, and the need for intravenous administration. In addition, the preventive uses of hBuChE are limited by its relatively short half-life. In an attempt to address some of these limitations, several methods for the production of recombinant hBuChE in vitro (cell lines) and in vivo (transgenic animals, plants) were developed; however, the resulting recombinant proteins presented with unfavorable pharmacokinetic profiles making them unsuitable for preventive uses. Alternatively, adenovirus-mediated delivery of hBuChE is very effective, but is not a candidate for development due to the inherent immunogenicity of the vector. Expression of hBuChE peaks at around 4 days post IV administration of the adenoviral vector, and the peak is followed by a rapid decline, with minimal expression being detectable 10 days post-administration.AAV vectors present a radically different, non-immunogenic hBuChE delivery platform, which is not reliant on protein purification and has the flexibility to deliver the product into both liver and muscle. AAV technology engineers the recipient's own cells to produce sustainable pharmacologic amounts of hBuChE on demand and/or replenish the exhausted scavenger via a single dose of hBuChE-expressing vector under the control of a constitutive promoter. Through the systematic optimization of AAV-hBuChE vectors, we achieved not only rapid onset of hBuChE expression in mice, but also sustainable, long-term expression for at least 2 months with no decline. AAV-hBuChE expressed at 100 units/ml of serum at 24 hours post vector administration into mouse muscle, with steady-state expression levels of up to 30,000 units/ml of serum at 1 month. The optimization parameters included selection of the protein isoform, tetramerization partner, coding sequence, as well as promoters and other regulatory elements. Overall, approximately 40 vectors were evaluated in comparative studies. Based on previous findings, the levels of hBuChE expressed by our platform are predicted to be protective in OP challenges, which we plan to perform in future studies. In the future, the use of our platform can be expanded to include populations that are occupationally exposed to pesticides. This approach may also be applicable for the delivery of other protective human enzymes, such as the use of rhodanese to protect against cyanides or glutathione against 2-chloro-acetophenone.
Near-threshold fatigue crack growth behavior of AISI 316 stainless steel

The near-threshold fatigue behavior of an AISI 316 alloy was characterized using a newly developed, fully automatic fatigue test apparatus. Significant differences in the near-threshold behavior at temperatures of 295 and 4 K are observed. At 295 K, where the operationally defined threshold at 10–10 m/cycle is insensitive to stress ratio and strongly affected by crack closure, the effective threshold stress intensity factor (ΔKTh)eff is about 4.65 MPa•m1/2 at R = 0.1 and R = 0.3. At 4 K, the threshold is higher, crack closure is less pronounced, and there is a stress ratio dependency: (ΔKTh)eff is 5.1 MPa•m1/2 at R = 0.3 and 6.1 MPa•m1/2 at R = 0.1. There is also a significant difference in the form of the da/dN-versus-ΔK curves on log-log coordinates: at 4 K the curve has the expected sigmoidal shape, but at 295 K the trend is linear over the region of da/dN from 10-6 to 10-10 m/cycle. Other results suggest that the near-threshold measurements of a 6.4-mm-thick specimen of this alloy are insensitive to cyclic test frequency below 40 Hz.
Predictors of buprenorphine treatment success of opioid dependence in two Baltimore City grassroots recovery programs.

Abstract Introduction Despite evidence for the efficacy of buprenorphine treatment in primary care, few studies have identified factors associated with treatment success, nor have such factors been evaluated in community settings. Identifying correlates of treatment success can facilitate the development of treatment models tailored for distinct populations, including low-income communities of color. The current study examined client-level socio-demographic factors associated with treatment success in community-based buprenorphine programs serving vulnerable populations. Methods Data were abstracted from client records for participants (N = 445) who met DSM-IV criteria for opioid dependence and sought treatment at one of Behavioral Health Leadership Institute's two community-based recovery programs in Baltimore City from 2010 to 2015. Logistic regression estimated the odds ratios of treatment success (defined as retention in treatment for ≥ 90 days) by sociodemographic predictors including age, race, gender, housing, legal issues and incarceration. Results The odds of being retained in treatment ≥ 90 days increased with age (5% increase with each year of age; p Conclusions In vulnerable populations, the age factor appears sufficiently significant to justify creating models formulated for younger populations. The data also support attention to housing needs for people in treatment. Findings from this paper can inform future research and program development.
Csanky’s Algorithm

In 1976, Csanky gave a parallel algorithm to invert matrices [26]. This was one of the very first NC algorithms. It set the stage for a large body of research in parallel linear algebra that culminated with Mulmuley’s 1986 result that the rank of a matrix over an arbitrary field can be computed in NC [82].
UNIVERSALITY OF THE LAGRANGIAN VELOCITY STRUCTURE FUNCTION CONSTANT (C0) ACROSS DIFFERENT KINDS OF TURBULENCE

In this paper, we evaluate the Lagrangian velocity structure function constant, C0, in the inertial subrange by comparing experimental diffusion data and simulation results obtained with applicable Lagrangian stochastic models. We find in several different flows (grid turbulence, laboratory boundary-layer flow and the atmospheric surface layer under neutral stratification) the value for C0 is 3.0 ± 0.5. We also identify the reasons responsible for earlier studies having not reached the present result.