cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Direct Rel/NF-κB inhibitors: structural basis for mechanism of action

The Rel/NF-κB transcription factors have emerged as novel therapeutic targets for a variety of human diseases and pathological conditions, including inflammation, autoimmune diseases, cancer, ischemic injury, osteoporosis, transplant rejection and neurodegeneration. Several US FDA-approved drugs may, in part, attribute their therapeutic effects to the inhibition of the Rel/NF-κB pathway. Strategies for blocking the Rel/NF-κB signaling pathway have inspired the pharmaceutical industry to develop inhibitors for I-κB kinase, however, this article focuses instead on identifying natural compounds that directly target and inhibit DNA binding and transcription activity of Rel/NF-κB. These include compounds containing a quinone core, an α,β unsaturated carbonyl and a benzene diamine. By investigating the mechanisms of action of existing natural inhibitors, novel strategies and synthetic approaches can be devised that will facilitate the development of novel and selective Rel/NF-κB inhibitors with better safety profiles.
Ultrasonographic findings (CNS, thorax, abdomen) in infants undergoing extracorporeal oxygenation therapy.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been performed on 45 neonates at the Children's Hospital of Michigan in a 39-month period. Ultrasound evaluation of these patients prior to and during ECMO therapy has demonstrated abnormalities in the central nervous system including intracranial hemorrhage (21), extra-axial fluid collections (5), and ventricular enlargement (2). Ultrasonic evaluation of the thoracic cavity in 12 infants revealed pleural fluid in 8. There were seven children with varying types of peritoneal fluid. Two children had visceral abnormalities — 1 with liver hemorrhage and 1 with hydronephrosis found prior to ECMO. Most of these findings could not have been diagnosed without ultrasound and may lead directly to alterations in clinical management. Ultrasound is an extension of physical examination which is important in hour-by-hour clinical care of patients on ECMO.
A striking nitrogen isotope anomaly in the Bencubbin and Weatherford meteorites

The stony-iron meteorites Bencubbin and Weatherford contain nitrogen with a ratio of nitrogen-15 to nitrogen-14 larger than normal by as much as a factor of 2. The excess nitrogen-15 may be due either to a nucleosynthetic origin or to extreme isotopic fractionation. In the former case, it may reflect failure to homogenize nitrogen-15 produced in nova explosions. In the latter case, it may reflect chemical processing at temperatures below 40 K in a presolar molecular cloud.
Stability of Magnetically Supported Disks

Cold, magnetically supported disklike clouds are evolutionary precursors of protostars. Magnetic tension balances self-gravity in these systems, so the magnetic field lines kink as they cross the disk. Despite this strong magnetic curvature, these disks turn out to be marginally stable to self-gravitating perturbations which preserve the plane of the disk.
Bovine Mastitis: A Review

Summary The principal organisms associated with mastitis are Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus uberis, and Micrococcus pyogenes . These organisms usually cause a chronic mastitis and a loss in milk yield with or without the appearance of clinical symptoms. Mastitis due to other organisms is not common, but may be a serious problem in an occasional herd, especially following udder infusions improperly administered. When cultural tests are made on incubated milk, the leucocyte count must be used in interpreting the results, and when made on fresh milk, consideration must be given to the number and kinds of organisms present. S. agalactiae can be eradicated from most herds by good sanitation combined with frequent cultural tests and treatment of all infected quarters. The sanitary measures now in general use are inadequate to prevent new and reinfection with M. pyogenes and S. uberis . Thus, treatment of infected quarters is of limited value. Degree of exposure to infection, natural resistance of individuals, age, stage of lactation, and prolonged milking duration influence the rate of udder infections. Abusive machine milking, especially prolonged milking and use of worn or poorly designed teat cup liners, tends to increase the rate of clinical mastitis in infected quarters.
The sampling distribution of the W estimator of the number of valid signatures on a petition

AbstractA new non linear estimator, W, for the number of valid, unique signatures on a petition has been shown better, for the cases enumerated and with certain restrictions, than a popular Goodman-type statistic, G. This article extends those results with relaxed conditions by developing the exact probability mass function and mean of W and a close approximation of the variance (Var(W)). If the proportion of valid signatures among unique and duplicated signatures is the same, then Var(W) is approximately a function of the means and variances of the two sample statistics. Using the delta method, we estimate Var(W), with the resulting approximation shown to be good, even when the condition of equal proportions does not hold. We compare W to G and establish which estimator is preferred for different intervals of the design parameters. Data from a Washington State petition illustrate the findings.
Dynamics of nanoscale droplets

Several aspects of the dynamical behavior of nanometer-sized liquid drops have been investigated using molecular dynamics computer simulations. The liquids consist of chains of lengths 2--100 with Lennard-Jones and nonlinear elastic interactions, comprising drops made of $O(100000)$ atoms with radius $O(10 \mathrm{nm}),$ placed on an atomistic substrate. We simulate the solidification of a liquid drop on a substrate as the latter is cooled, and observe a smooth contraction and smoothing process but no dimple formation. If instead we simulate heating of the substrate, the drop evaporates, and we find a decrease on contact angle in the partially wetting case, in accord with recent predictions. Last, we consider the coalescence of two such droplets, either spontaneously or when pushed together, to study shape evolution scaling laws and to document a rapid internal structural reequilibration. Aside from the intrinsic novelty associated with the small scale of these systems, the results illustrate the relation between atomic scale interactions and macroscopic continuum properties of materials.
Corrigendum to "Statistical Mechanics of Monod-Wyman-Changeux" (J Mol Biol 425 (9) (May 13 2013) 1433-1460)

1 Department of Physics, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-7300, USA 2 Department of Physics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA 3 Department of Applied Physics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA 4 Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA 5 Laboratoire de Physico-Chimie Theorique CNRS/UMR 7083, ESPCI, 75231 Paris Cedex 05, France
A Post-Mortem Study of Student Attrition at the College of Business Administration

The increase in competition for the college-age population and the decline in fiscal support for land-grant institutions have forced universities to consider attrition/retention issues. The College of Business Administration at a metropolitan, commuter university was interested in learning why students in good standing drop out. The findings of a survey study indicated that no single factor appeared to be the critical causal factor and that a number of variables may contribute incrementally to the decision to leave. Important to this study was the finding that a substantial number of the respondents have dropped out previously, suggesting that it may be more accurate to describe these students as stopping out rather than dropping out. Proactive strategies that may be undertaken by the college are discussed.
Mathematical model of a head subjected to an angular acceleration

Abstract The brain is modelled as a spherical viscoelastic medium attached to the inside of a rigid spherical shell. The mechanical wave motion which is generated in the brain when the head is subjected to an angular acceleration of a particular amplitude and duration is calculated and the results are compared with experimental data on monkeys. The experimental data show that the threshold of angular acceleration necessary to cause concussion varies with the duration of the acceleration in a manner predicted approximately by the model. The “two-thirds power scaling law” is directly established for an elastic model but is shown to be deficient for a viscoelastic model of the brain. A value of shear strain of 0·05 in the region of the upper reticular formation is deduced as that necessary to cause concussion. The model predicts that an angular acceleration greater than 3·5 × 10 3 rad/sec 2 is necessary to produce concussion in man.
Injury Prevention in Women’s Gymnastics

The most serious problem faced by contemporary gymnasts is injury. Given that prevention is superior to treatment, can the gymnastics community and the scientific and medical community do a better job at injury prevention? Most research in gymnastics has been descriptive in nature. Injury prevention ultimately requires that one can predict the outcome of certain activities and their injurious nature. Making such predictions requires a knowledge of the scientific and medical aspects of injury, but more than that, one must have an intimate knowledge of the sport. Injury prevention efforts must be firmly grounded in science and medicine while making pragmatic linkages to gymnastics as it exists and is practiced. This article attempts to bridge the gap between the scientific and medical community and what actually happens in gymnastics.
Is Fish Health Food or Poison? Farmed Fish and the Material Production of Un/Healthy Nature*

Abstract: This paper contributes to scholarship on health and environment by focusing on connections between human health and political economy of seafood. The contemporary rise of aquaculture is an effort on the part of the seafood industry to escape the contradictions of capital that create crisis in capture fisheries. Yet intensive aquaculture may also create human health problems that contribute to new crises. Aquaculture practices not only increase production of healthful fish, but also lead to fish burdened with chemical pollutants about which there are a variety of health concerns. These health concerns pose problems for producers who may not be able to sell contaminated seafood. By examining the intertwined biochemical and social processes that produce multiple natures (fish bodies, human bodies and the aquatic environment), the paper shows that concerns about health are not only an outcome of political economic processes, but are also an explanatory factor in these processes.
Abstract 3488: Surveying colorectal cancer genome for clinically actionable genomic amplifications with droplet digital PCR.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC New cancer therapies are increasingly geared towards exploiting critical genetic and genomic features specific to the tumor. These mutations and genomic aberrations are the basis for precision cancer medicine. Thus, rapid molecular characterization of clinical cancer samples has become increasingly important for cancer targeted therapy development. Our study addresses this need by identifying ‘druggable’ gene amplifications in colorectal cancer (CRC). Along these lines, we developed an accurate and rapid droplet-digital PCR (ddPCR) assay to analyze cancer-specific copy number variations (CNV) in 13 genes with oncogenic function that are the targets of specific cancer therapies. These genes were selected based on the availability of approved and early-phase targeted therapeutics that inhibit their oncogenic function. Using TCGA data, we vetted our targets by identifying frequent CRC amplifications and a correlation with gene expression. The ddPCR method involves emulsifying matched-normal cancer sample DNA that provides specific advantages for highly sensitive and specific detection of cancer CNVs. Post-amplification, emulsion droplets are streamed single-file into a capillary that leads past a two-color detector, where the positive droplets for the target and reference genes are “counted” for quantitation. This technology requires nanogram amounts of genomic DNA, thus facilitating the study of clinical cancer samples from small biopsies. It works well with genomic DNA extracted from formalin fixed paraffin embedded tumor samples. Furthermore, we demonstrated high sensitivity for detecting copy number amplifications even in samples containing a prominent fraction of normal tissue. We are extending our analysis to the full 13 “druggable” gene targets and evaluating patterns of mutual exclusivity and co-occurrence among a cohort of over 200 CRC tumors with information on clinical outcome. For example, we have demonstrated FGFR1 amplifications in 5.2% of our CRC tumor population. For ERBB2 variations in the same cohort, we detected amplifications in 3.6% of our population. ERBB2 and FGFR1 amplification events displayed a mutually exclusive pattern of segregation (p value <0.0001 per Chi-squared test with Yates correction). This efficient and inexpensive assay offers a significant potential to extend personalized therapeutic options available to CRC patients. Citation Format: Rowza T. Rumma, Laura Miotke, Lincoln Nadauld, Georges Natsoulis, Michael DiMaio, Moe Jalali, Hanlee Ji. Surveying colorectal cancer genome for clinically actionable genomic amplifications with droplet digital PCR. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3488. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-3488
NMR studies of mononuclear octahedral Ni(II) complexes supported by tris((2-pyridyl)methyl)amine-type ligands.

The recent discovery of acireductone dioxygenase (ARD), a metalloenzyme containing a mononuclear octahedral Ni(II) center, necessitates the development of model systems for evaluating the role of t...
Small bowel transplantation in the mouse: development of a model.

The rat has been used as a model to study the significance of graft and host interactions in small bowel transplantation (SBTX). A mouse model of SBTX would allow investigators to apply the knowledge of the well-defined genetics in the mouse to this field of study. Therefore, we have developed a mouse model of heterotopic SBTX using syngeneic C57BL6/J mice. Animals were anesthetized with a combination of ketamine and xylazine. Donor animals underwent midline laparotomy, with isolation of a segment of bowel as an isograft for transplantation to a recipient animal. The bowel was flushed in situ prior to removal of the graft with a Carrel patch of aorta and portal vein. The recipient animal underwent midline laparotomy and preparation of its infrarenal aorta and inferior vena cava for end-to-side anastomosis of the graft with 10-0 nylon. After vascular reperfusion of the graft the ends of the isografted bowel were brought out as stomata. Successful grafts were later assessed for viability by laparotomy or histological examination at the time of sacrifice. Areas of technical difficulty in this model and issues that might improve the experimental results are discussed. This model should allow investigators to apply the well-defined genetics of the mouse to probe the challenging field of intestinal transplantation. © Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Editorial: JCCAP: past, present, and future.

Thanks to the outstanding work of its past editors, including most recently Paul Frick, Wendy Silverman, and Tom Ollendick, and their teams of associate and consulting editors, the Journal of Clini...
Magnesium and bupivacaine-induced convulsions in awake pregnant rats

Background: Magnesium sulfate (MgSO 4 ) is widely used for the treatment and prevention of convulsions associated with preeclampsia. The aim of this study was to determine whether it alters the dose of bupivacaine required to produce convulsions in awake pregnant rats. Method: Twelve pregnant rats were pretreated with an intravenous infusion of either MgSO 4 or saline. Following 2 h of the pretreatment, bupivacaine was concomitantly infused in all animals until the onset of convulsions. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) were monitored throughout. Serial arterial samples were obtained during the infusion. At the onset of convulsions, fetuses were delivered and maternal and fetal blood, as well as various tissue samples, were obtained. All samples were assayed for bupivacaine and magnesium concentrations. Results: Maternal MAP and HR decreased significantly shortly after the initiation of MgSO 4 , while saline did not affect these measurements. Baseline concentrations of magnesium in plasma were similar in both MgSO 4 and saline groups; magnesium increased significantly during the infusion of MgSO 4 . The dose (mean±SD) of bupivacaine required to produce convulsions in the animals receiving MgSO 4 was significantly larger (10.2±1.9 mg/kg) than that in the saline group (5.9±1.0 mg/kg) ( P 4 (16.0±8.4 and 18.2±4.3 μg/g wet weight, respectively) than in those given saline (12.1±2.2 and 9.9±2.0 μg/g wet weight, respectively). Fetal bupivacaine concentrations at the onset of convulsions in the MgSO 4 group were also higher than those in saline group. However, the rate of placental transfer of this drug was similar between MgSO 4 and saline animals. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that the clinically used concentration of magnesium sulfate increased the threshold of bupivacaine-induced convulsions in awake rats.
Structure in the L I I , I I I Absorption of Aluminum and its Oxides

The ${L}_{\mathrm{I}\mathrm{I},\mathrm{I}\mathrm{I}\mathrm{I}}$ region of absorption has been observed for thin films of evaporated aluminum, for amorphous (anodized) ${\mathrm{Al}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$, and for crystalline ($\ensuremath{\gamma}$-alumina) ${\mathrm{Al}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$. The spectra were obtained in high resolution (0.06 \AA{}), using the NBS 180-MeV electron synchrotron as a background source. The ${L}_{\mathrm{I}\mathrm{I},\mathrm{I}\mathrm{I}\mathrm{I}}$ absorption edges of Al are located with improved accuracy at 169.49\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.05 \AA{} and 170.49\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.05 \AA{}. This new value for the ${L}_{\mathrm{III}}$ edge can be combined with recent accurate determinations of the $K{\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{1}$ emission line to locate also the $K$ absorption edge of aluminum with a significant improvement in accuracy. Structure on the high-energy side of the ${L}_{\mathrm{I}\mathrm{I},\mathrm{I}\mathrm{I}\mathrm{I}}$ edges is compatible with other recent observations. The $L$ absorption edge of Al in ${\mathrm{Al}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ is not split in high resolution, and is located at 162.11\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.15 \AA{} for the amorphous form and 160.15\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.15 \AA{} for the $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-alumina. Both forms show considerable structure on the high-energy side of the edge. That observed for the amorphous form is in agreement with other recent observations, while the absorption structure in $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-alumina (with maxima at 78.0, 78.6, 79.5, 84, and 99 eV) is reported here for the first time.
RESPONSE TO COMMENT

S ince it first appeared in 1979, my article on associations among Dominicans and Colombians in New York City has raised several issues among scholars, Its republication, along with Georges’ comments, offers an occasion to respond. There are two lines of criticism. One holds that new information showing Dominican immigrants to be largely urban in origin invalidates the key variable in my analysis, disparity between places of origin and destination. The other criticism is specific to Georges and based on her later research in the same Dominican immigrant community in New York City, where I found a predominance of noninstrumental associations. I shall comment on each point separately.
Modern methods for the utilization of spent sulfuric acid from alkylation processes

The spent acid is burned in the presence of hydrogen sulfide to form sulfur dioxide, which is subsequently oxidized to sulfur trioxide that is then absorbed by sulfuric acid. Suggests that a major economic advantage can be obtained by the use of spent sulfuric acid in agriculture, the oil producing industry, and hydrometallurgy. Points out that in highcapacity units, it is desirable to combine the processes of alkylation and regeneration of sulfuric acid. Notes the possibilities for the replacement of fresh acid by spent acid in the recovery of nonferrous metals from ore deposits that cannot be mined economically by other methods.
The Utility of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Patients with Ductal Carcinoma In Situ Suspicious for Microinvasion on Core Biopsy

When microinvasion cannot be ruled out on core needle biopsy (CNB) in the setting of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), the surgeon must decide whether to perform a sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) at the time of surgery. Up to 10 % of patients with T1mi have nodal disease, but the utility of SLNB in DCIS suspicious for microinvasion (Smic) is unclear. The University of Chicago pathology database was queried for a diagnosis of Smic or definite microinvasion (Mic) on CNB from 2000 to 2014. We analyzed histology, imaging, core needle size, and the use of myoepithelial immunohistochemistry (IHC) markers. We identified 103 women, 72 with Smic and 31 with Mic on CNB. After surgery, 32 % of Smic patients had infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC). Seventy-two percent of Smic patients underwent SLNB, with 67 % performed at the initial surgery. SLNB was positive in 6 % and 10 % of Smic and Mic patients, respectively (p = 0.66). Excluding N1mic, the incidence of macrometastatic nodal disease was 1.9 % for Smic patients and 3.3 % for Mic patients (p = 1.00). For Smic patients, IDC was associated with a larger lesion size and smaller CNB needle. In the setting of Smic, grade, necrosis, or presence of a mass did not increase the risk of IDC. In patients with Smic on CNB, the incidence of macrometastatic nodal disease after SLNB is rare. Surgeons may consider omitting SLNB until IDC is definitively confirmed, especially in patients with Smic apart from other high-risk features.
AMPK regulates NADPH homeostasis to promote tumour cell survival during energy stress

Overcoming metabolic stress is a critical step for solid tumour growth. However, the underlying mechanisms of cell death and survival under metabolic stress are not well understood. A key signalling pathway involved in metabolic adaptation is the liver kinase B1 (LKB1)-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway. Energy stress conditions that decrease intracellular ATP levels below a certain level promote AMPK activation by LKB1. Previous studies showed that LKB1-deficient or AMPK-deficient cells are resistant to oncogenic transformation and tumorigenesis, possibly because of the function of AMPK in metabolic adaptation. However, the mechanisms by which AMPK promotes metabolic adaptation in tumour cells are not fully understood. Here we show that AMPK activation, during energy stress, prolongs cell survival by redox regulation. Under these conditions, NADPH generation by the pentose phosphate pathway is impaired, but AMPK induces alternative routes to maintain NADPH and inhibit cell death. The inhibition of the acetyl-CoA carboxylases ACC1 and ACC2 by AMPK maintains NADPH levels by decreasing NADPH consumption in fatty-acid synthesis and increasing NADPH generation by means of fatty-acid oxidation. Knockdown of either ACC1 or ACC2 compensates for AMPK activation and facilitates anchorage-independent growth and solid tumour formation in vivo, whereas the activation of ACC1 or ACC2 attenuates these processes. Thus AMPK, in addition to its function in ATP homeostasis, has a key function in NADPH maintenance, which is critical for cancer cell survival under energy stress conditions, such as glucose limitations, anchorage-independent growth and solid tumour formation in vivo.
The Year-Two Decline: Exploring the Incremental Experiences of a 1:1 Technology Initiative

AbstractReports on one-to-one (1:1) technology initiatives emphasize overall favorable results; however, comprehensive multiyear studies looked at understate the progressive experiences of teachers and students. A small body of research suggested the second year of 1:1 technology programs manifested difficulties and struggles which significantly contrasted with the first year of implementation. The purpose of this case study was to discover any negative experiences of participants during the second year of a 1:1 technology initiative, and understand how those experiences influenced the success and sustainability of the program. Data suggest that participants felt the goals of the initiative were not being met, evidenced by a significant decrease in desired teaching and learning outcomes.
Hybrid control of orbit normal and along-track two-craft Coulomb tethers

The dynamics and stability of a charged two craft formation with nominal fixed separation distance (Coulomb tethers) is studied where the cluster is aligned with either the along-track or orbit normal direction. Unlike the charged two-craft formation scenario aligned along the orbit radial direction, a feedback control law using inter-spacecraft electrostatic Coulomb forces and the differential gravitational accelerations is not sufficient to stabilize the Coulomb tether length and the formation attitude. Therefore, a hybrid feedback control law is presented which combines conventional thrusters and Coulomb forces. The Coulomb force feedback requires measurements of separation distance error and error rate, while the thruster feedback is in terms of Euler angles and their rates. This hybrid feedback control is designed to asymptotically stabilize the satellite formation shape and attitude while avoiding plume impingement issues. The effects of differential solar drag on the formation and the ability of the controller to withstand this disturbance is also studied.
A Model of Choice for Public Policy

Punctuated equilibrium is supposed to be a viable alternative to incrementalism, and, indeed, the authors of the model have sometimes made such claims. But punctuated equilibrium was developed to explain change in policy subsystems and does not serve as a complete model of policy choice in the same way that incrementalism has served. This article develops a full-blown and viable model of choice for public policy based on disproportionate information processing. Its dynamics are based in the allocation of political attention to policy topics and the manner in which political systems process information. The model leads directly to outcomes that are consistent with punctuated equilibrium and are not generally consistent with incrementalism. Incrementalism, however, may be deduced from the model as a special case. The model is best tested using stochastic process approaches. Incrementalism logically must yield a normal distribution of outcomes, but disproportionate information processing yields leptokurtic outcomes. Adding institutional constraints only makes the stochastic process implications more severe. To support our arguments, we present both static and dynamic simulations of these processes. We also show that these simulations are consistent with observations of U.S. government budgets. Incrementalism implies that policy choice at a particular time is a marginal adjustment from a previous policy choice. The model has been thoroughly discredited by theoretical, methodological, and empirical critiques, but it survives because no convincing alternative has been offered. It is the purpose of this article to offer such an alternative, one that shows how incrementalism is a special case of a generalized updating model we term disproportionate information processing. It is also the foundation for punctuated equilibrium, so it unifies incrementalism and punctuated equilibrium within a single decision-making model. Incrementalism failed because it had no underlying theory of information processing; once one is specified, the rest is easy. Models of policy choice are best tested using stochastic process methods that focus on full distributions of choices rather than single choices. We examine the stochastic process implications of disproportionate information processing and compare these implications to This article expands on material in Jones and Baumgartner (2005). We gratefully acknowledge Jim Stimson for his insight and programming skills that allowed us to produce the dynamic simulations presented here. Address correspondence to Bryan D. Jones at bdjones@u.washington.edu. doi:10.1093/jopart/mui018 Advance Access publication on December 16, 2004 Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, Vol. 15, no. 3 a 2005 Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, Inc.; all rights reserved. JPART 15:325–351
Study of the extracellular polysaccharides produced by a blue-green alga, Anabaena flos-aquae A-37.

Two types of polysaccharides were separated from the extracellular polysaccharide produced by Anabaena flos-aquae A-37 by ion exchange chromatography. The neutral polysaccharide is composed of mainly glucose with minor amounts of xylose in a molar ratio of 8:1. Glucose is believed to constitute the polysaccharide core to which xylose is attached. The acidic polysaccharide is composed of glucose and uronic acid as the major monomers with equal amounts of xylose and ribose as the minor constituents. The molar ratio of the monomers found in the acidic polymer is 6:1:1:10 as glucose: xylose: ribose: uronic acid. Chemical analyses showed that the extracellular polysaccharide consists of more neutral polymer (62%) than the acidic polymer (38%).
A picture regression scale for adults

Abstract The “Pictorial Regression Scale for Adults (PRSA)” was constructed in order to obtain a more objective rating of regressive expression in the graphic work done by adult patients. There are 18 paired, mutually exclusive categories of assessment within the formal components of Content, Form, and Style. They are divided into two groups, one set under the heading “Regression,” and their paired opposites, under “Organization.” Each category under Regression is defined and summarized, followed by the meaning of its paired opposite. A comparison of the total scores of both columns indicates whether the trend is toward Regressive or Organized, and the ratio figure shows to what degree.
Synthesis and properties of bulk metallic glasses in Pd-Ni-P and Pd-Cu-P alloys

Bulk amorphous Pd-Ni-P and Pd-Cu-P alloy rods with diameters 7-25 mm were synthesized over a wide composition range using a fluxing technique. For most bulk amorphous Pd-Ni-P alloys, the difference {Delta}T=T{sub x}-T{sub g} between the crystallization temperature T{sub x} and the glass transition temperature T{sub g} is larger than 90 K, while for bulk amorphous Pd-Cu-P alloys, {Delta}T varies from 27 to 73 K. Pd{sub 40}Ni{sub 40}P{sub 20} has the highest glass formability, and 300-g bulk amorphous cylinders, 25mm dia and 50mm long, can be easily produced. This size is not an upper limit. The paper presents the glass formation ranges for both ternary alloy systems and data on the thermal stability of the amorphous alloys, as well as their specific heat, density, and elastic properties.
The ardiyyahs of Ibn al-Mu‘tazz: Breakthrough into Lyricism

This study presents an analytical review of the genre of the “hunt-poem” (ardiyyah) at the hand of the ‘Abbāsid poet Ibn al-Mu‘tazz (d. 296/908). It is in this period that the genre of the ardiyyah reaches its second apogee after the great pioneering Abū Nuwās. After dealing with issues of genre and prosody (rajaz versus the qaīdah meters), the study focuses its critical attention on Ibn al-Mu‘tazz’s overcoming of the strictly formulaic opening lyrical phrasing of the majority of the ardiyyahs, especially as the genre was formalized by Abū Nuwās. It is in overcoming the limitations of the formulaism of Abū Nuwās, which does not do justice to the genre’s lyrical promise, that Ibn al-Mu‘tazz achieves his breakthrough into lyricism and a reinvigoration of the genre. Through a close reading and translation of the Arabic texts, the study presents a careful identification of the variants of lyricism in Ibn al-Mu‘tazz’s repertory of the ardiyyah genre.
Assembly of the RIG-I 2CARD Signaling Complex

The innate immune system of mammals utilizes pattern-recognition receptors to differentiate between pathogen associated molecular patterns and host molecules. The retinoic acid inducible-gene-I (RIG-I) like receptors (RLRs) bind viral dsRNAs, triggering an innate immune response. RLRs contain two N-terminal caspase activation and recruitment domains (2CARD), a DExD/H-box helicase-like domain, and a C-terminal regulatory domain. In the absence of RNA, the 2CARD region is sequestered by the helicase domains in an autoinhibited state. Upon binding to the 5′-ends of activating viral dsRNAs a conformational change exposes 2CARD. The CARD domains then interact with MAVS, a mitochondrial outer membrane protein, leading to downstream signaling and interferon expression. Signaling is modulated by K63-linked polyubiquitin chains (polyUb). It has been reported that polyUb binding to 2CARD induces formation of 2CARD tetramer. However, the nature of the assembly process is not well understood and we are investigating the thermodynamic linkage between polyUb binding and 2CARD oligomerization using sedimentation velocity analytical ultracentrifugation. 2CARD alone exists as a monomer; however, in the presence of polyUb several high molecular weight complexes are formed. The assembly process is dependent on salt, polyUb concentration, and polyUb chain length.
Accelerated solvent extraction of phenolic compounds from sorghum brans.

Abstract Most phenolic compounds in cereals are bound to cell wall components and thus they are difficult to extract. Finding techniques to enhance polyphenol extraction is important due to their potential health benefits. The objective of this study was to evaluate extractability of sorghum phenolic compounds using solvents under high pressure and temperature conditions. Polyphenols from black and tannin sorghum bran were extracted using an accelerated solvent extractor (ASE) at 60, 120 and 150 °C. ASE at 120 and 150 °C using 50 and 70% ethanol/water (v/v) was efficient in extracting similar amount of phenols (45 mg GAE/g) and 12% more antioxidants (628 μmol TE/g) from black sorghum compared to traditional methods using aqueous acetone and acidified methanol. High pressure and temperature did not improve the extraction of phenols and antioxidants in tannin sorghum as much as in black sorghum. This could be due to differences in grain structure and phenolic profile (different molecular weights) between the two samples. Another reason is that tannins may be interacting with proteins and carbohydrates under heat, thus they could be extracted but not measured. Therefore, there is a potential of using ASE extracts from black sorghum bran to produce beverages and colorants containing high antioxidant content.
Toward the improvement of image-guided interventions for minimally invasive surgery: three factors that affect performance.

Objectives: The objectives were to measure the impact of specific features of imaging devices on tasks relevant to minimally invasive surgery (MIS) and to investigate cognitive and perceptual factors in such tasks. Background: Although image-guided interventions used in MIS provide benefits for patients, they pose drawbacks for surgeons, including degraded depth perception and reduced field of view (FOV). It is important to identify design factors that affect performance. Method: In two navigation experiments, observers fed a borescope through an object until it reached a target. Task completion time and object shape judgments were measured. In a motion perception experiment, observers reported the direction of a line that moved behind an aperture. A motion illusion associated with reduced FOV was measured. Results: Navigation through an object was faster when a preview of the object's exterior was provided. Judgments about the object's shape were more accurate with a preview (compared with none) and with...
Resilient and Power-Efficient Multi-Function Channel Buffers in Network-on-Chip Architectures

Network-on-Chips (NoCs) are quickly becoming the standard communication paradigm for the growing number of cores on the chip. While NoCs can deliver sufficient bandwidth and enhance scalability, NoCs suffer from high power consumption due to the router microarchitecture and communication channels that facilitate inter-core communication. As technology keeps scaling down in the nanometer regime, unpredictable device behavior due to aging, infant mortality, design defects, soft errors, aggressive design, and process-voltage-temperature variations, will increase and will result in a significant increase in faults (both permanent and transient) and hardware failures. In this paper, we propose QORE —a fault tolerant NoC architecture with Multi-Function Channel (MFC) buffers. The use of MFC buffers and their associated control (link and fault controllers) enhance fault-tolerance by allowing the NoC to dynamically adapt to faults at the link level and reverse propagation direction to avoid faulty links. Additionally, MFC buffers reduce router power and improve performance by eliminating in-router buffering. We utilize a machine learning technique in our link controllers to predict the direction of traffic flow in order to more efficiently reverse links. Our simulation results using real benchmarks and synthetic traffic mixes show that QORE improves speedup by 1.3 $\times$ and throughput by 2.3 $\times$ when compared to state-of-the art fault tolerant NoCs designs such as Ariadne and Vicis. Moreover, using Synopsys Design Compiler, we also show that network power in QORE is reduced by 21 percent with minimal control overhead.
Identification of the interface of a large protein–protein complex using H/D exchange and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry

An infrared multiphoton dissociation (IRMPD) spectrum, obtained by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICRMS), was used to dissociate and to identify fragment ions from recombinant human interleukin-6 (IL-6; 21 KDa). The entire sequence was assigned by a single IRMPD experiment, and the observed fragment ions reflected the IL-6 secondary structure. This method was combined with H/D off-exchange to identify IL-6 and anti-human IL-6 mouse monoclonal antibody MH166 (150 kDa) binding sites in the IL-6 molecule. To facilitate the data analysis, the protein complex formation and the hydrogen exchange were performed with an immobilized antibody. Quenching of the hydrogen exchange reaction and collection of the deuterated IL-6 were performed by elution under acidic conditions to measure the mass spectrum directly. IL-6 was dissociated by using IRMPD, and the interface of IL-6 bound to anti-IL-6 antibody MH166 was determined to analyze the deuterium incorporation level of each fragment ion. Thus, two discontinuous regions, Leu 126-Lys 131 and Asp 160-Met 184, were identified as the antibody binding sites. These regions are adjacent to each other on the tertiary structures determined by NMR and X-ray analyses.
Monoclonal antibodies made to chick mesencephalic neural crest cells and to ciliary ganglion neurons identify a common antigen on the neurons and a neural crest subpopulation

We previously reported the production of monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) that identified cell surface components of cultured chick and quail ciliary ganglion (CG) neurons and of a subpopulation of neural crest (NC) cells from 31-hr chick embryos (stage 9). Here we demonstrate that another Mab, CG-14, which was prepared to nitrocellulose-immobilized, lightly fixed (0.125% paraformaldehyde) mesencephalic NC cells from 31-hr (stage 9) chick embryos, labels the same antigen(s) recognized by CG-1 and CG-4 on both the CG neurons and the subpopulation of NC cells. All three Mabs label a polypeptide of 75 kD on Western blots of one-dimensional SDS-polyacrylamide gels. CG-14 blocked the binding of CG-1 and/or CG-4 to the 75 kD band on Western blots and blocked the binding of CG-1 and CG-4 to CG and NC cells. CG-1 and/or CG-4 antibodies, in turn, blocked the binding of CG-14 to Western blots, as well as NC and CG cells. We had previously shown that antibodies CG-1 and CG-4 were synergistically cytotoxic for the majority (95%) of cultured CG neurons in vitro in the presence of guinea pig complement. Here we show that the antibodies, which are both of the γ2a subclass, are also cytotoxic for the NC cells that they label in vitro. After the cells are ablated in culture, no other cells bearing the antigen(s) recognized by any of the three Mabs appear over a 2.5-week period. CG-14, however, is not cytotoxic for either the CG or NC cell populations alone or in combinations with CG-1 or CG-4. These results confirm our original observation that cultured CG neurons and NC cells share cell-surface antigen(s). The antigen recognized by all three Mabs appears to be the same whether the immunogen used to produce the antibodies was CG neurons or NC cells. This finding encourages us to continue tests of the hypothesis that the subpopulation of mesencephalic neural crest cells contributes to the formation of the ciliary ganglion in the embryo. Further characterization of the antigen appears in the accompanying paper.
The design and synthesis of a selective inhibitor of fucosyltransferase VI.

Inversion of configuration of the C-2′ hydroxyl of methyl N-acetyllactosamine was accomplished by a two-step procedure involving oxidation to a ketone followed by reduction with NaBH4. After deprotection, the resulting derivative 2 was examined as a substrate for α-(2,6)- and α-(2,3)-sialyltransferase and fucosyltransferase III, IV, V and VI. It was found that none of these enzymes could glycosylate 2. However, it showed exquisite selectivity for inhibition of fucosyltransferase VI. The kinetic data support an unusual mechanism in which the inhibitor can bind to the GDP-fucose complex as well as another enzyme form.
Direct analysis of oxidizing agents in aqueous solution with attenuated total reflectance mid-infrared spectroscopy and diamond-like carbon protected waveguides.

A novel approach for the direct detection of oxidizing agents in aqueous solution is presented using diamond-like carbon (DLC) protected waveguides in combination with attenuated total reflectance (ATR) mid-infrared spectroscopy. Pulsed laser deposition was applied to produce high-quality DLC thin films on ZnSe ATR crystals with thicknesses of a few 100 nm. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy has been used to investigate the surface properties of the DLC films including the sp3/sp2 hybridization ratio of the carbon bonds. Beside excellent adhesion of the DLC coatings to ZnSe crystals, these films show high chemical stability against strongly oxidizing agents. IR microscopy was utilized to compare differences in the chemical surface modification of bare and protected ATR waveguides when exposed to hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid, and peroxydisulfuric acid. The feasibility of DLC protected waveguides for real-time concentration monitoring of these oxidizing agents was demonst...
The sliding surface of polytetrafluoroethylene: an investigation with the electron microscope

Abstract Simple sliding experiments with hardened steel sliders on flat polytetrafluoroethylene were carried out. The sliding tracks were examined with the electron microscope by means of surface replicas and thin film extractions. Selected area diffraction (SAD) was used to investigate molecular orientation. Much of the electron micrography was done in stereo. The light microscope was used to verify the reliability of the replication technique used. In the case of steel sliding against PTFE surfaces, thin films of drawn PTFE, their chains oriented along the sliding direction, were observed below the slider. Where two tracks intersected, the SAD pattern was of the top track. The results indicate that sliding against PTFE involves drawing thin, highly-oriented films. It is suggested that the dynamic friction of PTFE is related to this drawing process.
Recruitment Patterns among Local Party Officials: A Model and some Preliminary Findings in Selected Locales

An ongoing political system requires a continuing process of recruitment in order to maintain the small but active cadre of citizens who assume the primary responsibility for the operation of the system. These political activists are involved in recruiting the official leadership, campaigning for their election, and sometimes serve as governors of the system themselves. In American politics, the recruitment of political activists is effected through processes which political scientists have only recently begun to investigate in depth. Most of the studies of recruitment to positions of political activism have investigated the social backgrounds and the patterns of recruitment of public officials.' Not as much attention has been directed toward the personnel who operate the local political party organizations, and the processes of their recruitment.2 Our data add to the litera-
A formation study of N interactions between 1.09 and 3.45 GeV/c (IV) - features of annihilations into KK and π mesons☆

Final state resonance production and single particle momentum spectra are presented for pp annihilations into KK and π's between 1.09 and 3.45 GeV/c. Resonance production generally agrees with the Lamb statistical model. Momentum spectra of K's and π's are independent of incident energy, while the mean multiplicity increases in proportion to the c.m. energy, supporting the annihilation model of Jacob and Nussinov.
Flatness, convexity and notions of freeness in combinatorial geometries

We present a natural notion of generation of a combinatorial geometry and give two definitions of freeness with respect to that notion of generation. We prove equivalence of the two definitions and show flatness to be a limited degree of freeness.
Piercing the Veil: Ethical Issues in Ethnographic Research

It is not unusual for researchers in ethnography (and sometimes Institutional Review Boards) to assume that research of “public” behavior is morally unproblematic. I examine an historical case of ethnographic research and the sustained moral outrage to the research expressed by the subjects of that research. I suggest that the moral outrage was legitimate and articulate some of the ethical issues underlying that outrage. I argue that morally problematic Ethnographic research of public behavior can derive from research practice that includes a tendency to collapse the distinction between harm and moral wrong, a failure to take account of recent work on ethical issues in privacy; failure to appreciate the deception involved in ethnographers’ failure to reveal their role as researchers to subjects and finally a failure to appropriately weigh the moral significance of issues of invasion of privacy and inflicted insight in both the research process and subsequent publication of research.
Planar classical dipolar system on a honeycomb lattice

The behavior of a system of dipoles is presented. Here we study a system of dipoles located on a honeycomb lattice under the mean-field approximation with dipoles confined to rotate in the plane of the lattice. It is found that, in zero external field, the system has a ground state which is continuously degenerate, and the degeneracy persists to T\ensuremath{\ne}0. For nonzero field pointing in an arbitrary direction in the plane, we compute numerically the magnetization, susceptibility, and the specific heat as functions of both the temperature and the field. Our results show the occurrence of cusps in these quantities, indicating the onset of phase transitions. A phase diagram for the system is constructed on the basis of these calculations.