cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Role of Emerging Genomics and Proteomics Technologies in Cancer Drug Target Discovery

Cancer drugs have traditionally been identified in screens designed to produce broad biological end points such as cell death. A serious undesired outcome of drugs discovered in these screens is that the mechanism of drug action is unknown and such drugs often have adverse side effects. Designing cancer drugs that act on specific targets offer the advantage that the mechanism of drug action can be understood and accurately monitored in clinical trials leading to development of better drugs. The pharmacological industry has recently shifted to a target directed drug discovery model. However, until recently potential cancer drug targets comprised of only a small fraction of the human genome. The human genome project and high-throughput structural and functional genomics have dramatically increased the number of cancer drug targets. Deciphering cancer drug targets requires the understanding of biochemical pathways that are affected in the cancer genome. It has been suggested that utilization of Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) will aid in identifying individuals at high risk of developing certain cancers, and will also help in development of tailored medication or identify genetic profiles of specific drug action and toxicity. Achieving successful new cancer drug development schemes will require a merger of research disciplines that include pharmacology, genomics, comparative genomics, functional genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics. In this review the significance and challenges of these rapidly evolving technologies in cancer drug target discovery are discussed.
Developmental patterns of alkaline phosphatase activity in the small intestine of the Syrian hamster

Abstract 1. 1. Alkaline phosphatase activity in the small intestine increases 30–60-fold during the last 4 days of gestation. 2. 2. The preweaning increase in duodenal phosphatase begins earlier and proceeds more gradually than in mice and rats, paralleling early utilization of the adult diet in this 3. 3. The rite of highest activity changes with age: in foetuses and infants up to 12 days of age it is the fourth tenth, from 12 to 35 days the first tenth, and in adults the second tenth (from the pylorus).
Comparison of two multiplicative signal correction strategies for calibration transfer without standards

Abstract Two multiplicative signal correction (MSC) algorithms are compared for the standardization of data from two near-infrared (NIR) spectrometers. Absorbance spectra were measured from 1000-2200 nm for a set of 45 jet fuel samples. Data from one instrument were standardized to match data from a second instrument using windowed MSC (W-MSC) and moving window MSC (MW-MSC). For W-MSC user-defined windows were selected and for MW-MSC the window size was optimized based on a two-step procedure: 1) assigning a cut off window to avoid over-processing and 2) selection of a specific window size based on sample leverage. For reproducibility studies performed over time on a single instrument, data extending through the last day of the study (63 days outside the calibration) required no preprocessing except a peak alignment correction on day 58. For analysis between the two instruments, successful results were obtained using a sub-region of the data from 1000–1700 nm processed by MW-MSC using a 441 point window. A method of selecting an appropriate window size is proposed based on statistical significance testing.
Redox regulation of MAP kinase phosphatase 3.

MAP kinase phosphatase 3 (MKP3) is a protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) for which in vivo evidence suggests that regulation can occur by oxidation and/or reduction of the active site cysteine. Using kinetics and mass spectrometry, we have probed the biochemical details of oxidation of the active site cysteine in MKP3, with particular focus on the mechanism of protection from irreversible inactivation to the sulfinic or sulfonic acid species. Like other PTPs, MKP3 was found to be rapidly and reversibly inactivated by mild treatment with hydrogen peroxide. We demonstrate that unlike the case for some PTPs, the sulfenic acid of the active site cysteine in MKP3 is not stabilized in the active site but instead is rapidly trapped in a re-reducible form. Unlike the case for other PTPs, the sulfenic acid in MKP3 does not form a sulfenyl−amide species with its neighboring residue or a disulfide with a single proximate cysteine. Instead, multiple cysteines distributed in both the N-terminal substrate-binding domain...
De‐regulation of GRP stress protein expression in human breast cancer cell lines

The stress-inducible glucose regulated proteins (GRPs), a class of calcium-binding molecular chaperones localized in the endoplasmic reticulum, have been implicated in the development of tumorigenicity, drug resistance, and cytotoxic immunology. This study investigates the expression pattern of GRP94 and GRP78 in a panel of breast carcinoma cell lines, as compared to two independently derived normal human breast epithelial cell lines. Here we report that a 3- to 5-fold increase in the basal level of the GRP94 protein was observed in all five breast carcinoma cell lines examined. The increase was independent of either the p53 or estrogen receptor status of the breast carcinomas. In carcinoma cells deprived of glucose, mimicking the conditions in poorly vascularized solid tumors, up to 9-fold induction of GRP94 was observed relative to the basal level expressed in a normal breast epithelial cell line. Interestingly, while the majority of the breast cancer cell lines can respond to tunicamycin- and thapsigargin-induced stress by increasing the steady state levels of grp94 and grp78 transcripts, the induction at the GRP protein level is variable and does not always correspond with the transcript level. Further, we discovered that one of the human breast carcinoma cell lines, MCF-7, has specifically lost its ability to respond to tunicamycin stress.
Copper Supplementation in Quaking Mutant Mice: Reduced Tremors and Increased Brain Copper

Mice homozygous for the mutant gene quaking (qk) with a high frequency of axial tremors had a low concentration of copper in the brain. Supplementation during pregnancy and lactation with a high level of dietary copper greatly reduced the frequency of tremors and brought brain copper level to normal in the off-spring. It is suggested that qk affects copper metabolism.
Joint Effects of Gender and Personality on Choice of Happiness Strategies

The purpose of our study is to investigate the individual and joint effects of gender and personality on choice of happiness strategies. A total of 204 participants were surveyed on happiness strategies and were classified as Thinking or Feeling based on the MBTI Form M and a “true fit” workshop. The interaction effects revealed detailed differences in participants that would be missed if gender or personality were studied in isolation. The majority of differences were due to Females with “Feeling” preferences expressing significantly higher use of happiness strategies than Males with “Thinking” preferences. Females with “Thinking” preferences and Males with “Feeling” preferences showed few significant differences from other types. Future researchers may need to address the ‘silent minority’' of men and women who have been clustered with others solely based on gender.
Suppression of Ultraviolet B Exposure-Mediated Activation of NF-κB in Normal Human Keratinocytes by Resveratrol

Chemoprevention by naturally occurring agents is a newer dimension in the management of neoplasia, including skin cancer. Solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation is the major cause of skin cancer. We recently demonstrated that resveratrol (3,5,4'-trihydroxystilbene), a polyphenolic antioxidant found in grapes and red wine, imparts protection from UVB-mediated cutaneous damages in SKH-1 hairless mice. The mechanism of action of resveratrol is not clearly understood. Here, we investigated the involvement of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB), which is known to play a critical role in skin biology and the development of skin cancer, as the mechanism of chemoprevention of UV damage by resveratrol. In the normal human epidermal keratinocytes, resveratrol blocked UVB-mediated (40 mJ/cm(2)) activation of NF-kappaB in a dose-dependent (5, 10, and 25 micro M resveratrol for 24 hours) as well as time-dependent (5 micro M resveratrol for 12, 24, and 48 hours) fashion. Resveratrol treatment of keratinocytes also inhibited UVB-mediated 1) phosphorylation and degradation of IkappaBalpha, and 2) activation of IKKalpha. We suggest that NF-kappaB pathway plays a critical role in the chemopreventive effects of resveratrol against the adverse effects of UV radiation including photocarcinogenesis.
Synthesis and properties of polyamides of 3,3′-dimethylnaphthidine and its model compounds

A number of polyamides and model amides based on 3,3′-dimethylnaphthidine and various dicarboxylic acids were synthesized in N-methylpyrrolidone containing lithium chloride either by low temperature solution or by direct polycondensation using triphenyl phosphite and pyridine. The polyamides had inherent viscosities of 0.36−5.42 dL g−1 and were, in general, readily soluble in N-methylpyrrolidone. Amorphous members exhibited relatively high glass transition temperatures in the range of 340–380 and 200–230°C for aromatic and aliphatic polymers, respectively. All polyamides showed good thermal stability in nitrogen and in air.
Disclosure reciprocity and its limits: A reactance analysis

A field experiment was conducted to test a reactance theory explanation of Rubin's (Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 1975, 11, 233–260) disclosure reciprocity breakdown. Subjects were approached in public places by experimenters who wrote a self-description of Low, Medium, or High Intimacy. Then the experimenter either delivered a Restoration of freedom or did not. On a scale based on Altman and Taylor (Social penetration: The development of interpersonal relationships, New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1973), intimacy of the subjects' disclosures increased with the experimenters' Intimacy. As expected, subjects were also more intimate following a Restoration of freedom. The number of words written in return by subjects to the experimenters increased slightly from Low to Medium Intimacy, then dropped from Medium to High in the No Restoration condition, replicating the disclosure breakdown effects. However, with a Restoration of freedom the number of words climbed consistently as the level of Intimacy increased. Experimenter sex and Subject sex also interacted with the major variables, Intimacy and Restoration, any may be considered limiting conditions.
A Question of Timing: The Impact of Information Acquisitions on Group Design Making

Information acquisition and its use frequently are considered critical to the decision-making process, yet related research, especially about the timing of information acquisition, is limited. Our research explores the impact of information acquisition on perceived decision quality and on the time required to reach a decision on a fuzzy task. We found that more information was accessed from a Web-based system in the first part of the group decision-making process, when the decision environment was searched and possible courses of action were analyzed. We also found that the proportion of information accessed in the first part of the meeting was related significantly to the time required to make the decision. More specifically, when most information was accessed in the first part of the decision-making session, the relationship between decision time and amount of information accessed in the early part of the meeting was positive and linear. However, a curvilinear relationship was found between decision time and amount of information accessed in the latter part of the decision-making session. Unlike the findings of a previous study, this earlier access of information is not associated with improved perceived decision quality.
Left atrial pacing induces memory and is associated with atrial tachyarrhythmias.

Objective: Transiently altering the atrial activation sequence induces atrial memory, manifested as an altered atrial gradient as measured in electrocardiographic XYZ leads. We hypothesized that protracted periods of left atrial impulse initiation alter the atrial gradient in a manner predictive of arrhythmias. Methods: A total of 12 chronically instrumented mongrel dogs in complete heart block were paced AV sequentially from the left or right atrium for 7–28 days, and then recovered in normal sinus rhythm for 21 days. Rate histograms were recorded during the entire period, and electrophysiological studies were conducted to note changes in the atrial gradient, effective refractory period and atrial rhythm. No atrial arrhythmias were seen in eight control animals that were instrumented but not paced. Results: Left atrial pacing was associated with a decreased atrial gradient and occurrence of atrial tachycardias that appeared during pacing and persisted during recovery from pacing. In contrast, right atrial pacing did not alter the atrial gradient significantly. Atrial tachycardias occurring during right atrial pacing disappeared after cessation of pacing, when dogs recovered in sinus rhythm. The effective refractory period did not change in either group. Conclusions: Pacing-induced impulse initiation from the left atrium alters the atrial gradient and is associated with atrial tachycardias. These changes in atrial gradient occur in the absence of ERP changes and may be early predictors of an arrhythmogenic substrate.
Evidence for sexual differentiation of glia in rat brain.

It is well established that gonadal steroids mediate sexual differentiation of the brain via direct effects on neurons during a restricted critical period. In addition, estrogen can influence glial morphology in the adult brain, andin vitrostudies suggest estrogen induces glial differentiation. However, there is a lack ofin vivoevidence for steroid effects on glia during the critical period. We report here a hormone-mediated sexual differentiation of arcuate glia as early as Postnatal Day 1. Using glial fibrillary acidic protein immunoreactivity (GFAP-ir), we compared the responsiveness of astroglia in the rat arcuate nucleus among five hormonally different groups. The results indicate increased GFAP-ir cell surface area 24 hr after hormonal manipulation in castrate males compared to intact males, intact females (ANOVA;P< 0.01), and females injected with testosterone propionate (50 μg; ANOVA;P< 0.05). However, astroglia in intact males extended their processes significantly greater distances from the cell body compared to all other treatment groups (ANOVA;P< 0.01). The GFAP-ir cells were categorized into four distinct classes ranging from a simple bipolar to a fully stellate morphology. The frequency distribution of classes varied between groups with more stellate cells found in intact males. Finally, these sex differences in arcuate glia persisted into adulthood. We hypothesize that during the critical period, testosterone, or its metabolite estrogen, induce sexual differentiation of glia. We further hypothesize that in females glial cells remain partially undifferentiated and this may be important to glial plasticity seen in adult female arcuate.
Sex Differences in Preferences for Sex of Children: A Replication After 20 Years

Summary The present study replicated 1954 research showing marked boy child preference and attempted to evaluate changes because of the women's and the population movements. Ss were 412 college students, 315 nonparents and 97 parents. The questionnaire duplicated an earlier one on sex preferences for first and only children for nonparents, and added two- and three-child preferences. The parent questions assessed family sex balance; satisfaction-dissatisfaction with offspring sex; and wanting-not wanting more children. The nonparent results show significant (p < .02) two-decade intrasex preference shift from boys to equalitarianism for first child, with little girl increase. The only-child data still show majority preference for boys among both sexes. An overwhelming preference existed for two-child sex balance, but three-child predominantly boy families. Among parents, significant (p < .01) association occurred between satisfaction and balance. Further analysis revealed desires for more boys. The conclusi...
Brown midrib mutations and their importance to the utilization of maize, sorghum, and pearl millet lignocellulosic tissues

Brown midrib mutants have been isolated in maize (Zea mays), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) arising by either spontaneous or chemical mutagenesis. The characteristic brown coloration of the leaf mid veins is associated with reduced lignin content and altered lignin composition, traits useful to improve forage digestibility for livestock. Brown midrib phenotype is correlated with two homologous loci in maize (bm1 and bm3) and sorghum (bmr6 and bmr12), which encode cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD) and a caffeic O-methyl transferase (COMT). These enzymes are involved in the last two steps of monolignol biosynthesis. In maize, bm phenotype is associated with increased livestock digestibility, but at the cost of significantly reduced forage and grain yields. In sorghum, yield reductions were apparent in near isogenic lines, but were ameliorated through construction of hybrids that maintain reduced lignin content and increased digestibility. Near-isogenic sorghum brown midrib lines and hybrids are dispelling old beliefs that brown midrib mutants are significantly more susceptible to plant pathogen attack and to lodging than their non-brown midrib counterparts. Brown midrib mutants from new chemically mutagenized populations hold promise of identifying a non-redundant set of genes involved in lignification of grasses. In addition, early reports indicate brown midrib mutants significantly increase conversion rate in the lignocellulosic bioenergy process.
Balanced Models and Dynamics for the Large- and Mesoscale Circulation

A balanced model that incorporates the dynamics of both the quasigeostrophic and planetary geostrophic equations is examined via numerical simulations. The model is valid for large variations in the Coriolis parameter and layer thickness, typical of dynamics at the gyre scale and larger, as well as for mesoscale dynamics in which the advection of relative vorticity cannot be neglected. For length scales much larger than the deformation radius the dominant balances in the model equations are those of the planetary geostrophic equations, whereas for synoptic scales the dynamics of the model are asymptotically close to those of the quasigeostrophic equations. The model consists of the advection of a geostrophic potential vorticity, and is is therefore conceptually simple and numerically easy to implement, requiring the solution of just one linear elliptic equation each time step. It is compared to the shallow-water equations and various other approximate models in order to assess its validity for modeling meso- and large-scale dynamics. Simulations are performed in both a periodic channel and also in a closed domain with wind stress forcing. The formulation is found to yield a substantial improvement in the qualitative nature of the circulation patterns, and in quantitative accuracy, over the planetary geostrophic and (especially) the quasigeostrophic equations, while still retaining much of the conceptual simplicity of those equations.
Intermittency in branching models

Abstract The intermittency properties of three branching models have been investigated. The factorial moments show power-law behavior as function of small rapidity width. The slopes and energy dependences reveal different characteristics of the models. The gluon model has the weakest intermittency.
Crowdsourcing the Corpus: Using Collective Intelligence as a Method for Composition

The author describes the practical application of crowdsourcing human intelligence as a form of collaborative music-making. Spectral decomposition of an original recording is used to derive components from original audio, and these are then offered as on-line tasks in which contributors are asked to record their own interpretations of each component. Components are then gathered in order to re-synthesize the original corpus, which is used to build an improvisation system. The author uses Bernard Stiegler's ecology of attention paradigm to situate crowdsourcing as an emerging form of public participation in music-making and Glenn Gould's ideas on performance and public access to position this participation as an act of composition. The work is offered as an illustration of the author's individual process as a composer for finding new notational pathways for collaborative practice.
A new method for free fatty acid reduction in frying oil using silicate films produced from rice hull ash

Sodium silicate films were produced from rice hull ash silica, and their application in reducing free fatty acid (FFA) in frying oil was investigated. Sodium hydroxide concentration of these films was 32, 28, 24, and 20% with silica concentration of 45, 50, 55, and 60%, respectively. Moisture contents of these films were 20–23%. Adsorption performance of the films was investigated in frying oil at 80°C for 10–40 min. FFA content gradually decreased with treatment time for all films. There were no significant differences in FFA content among films for treatments up to 30 min. Treatment with 45 and 50% silica films for 40 min led to significantly larger reduction in FFA compared to treatment with 60% silica film. Differences between the FFA content of oil treated for 40 min with 55% silica and the FFA content of oils treated with other silica films were insignificant. FFA content of oil decreased from 0.8 to 0.55, 0.55, 0.57, and 0.59% after 40 min treatment with 45, 50, 55, and 60% silica film, respectively. Peroxide values (PV) of treated oils slightly increased from 48 to about 60 meq/kg for films with 45, 50, and 55% silica. Treatment with 60% silica led to a decrease in PV values to 42 meq/kg. Soap content of oil increased from 51 to over 100 ppm as a result of silicate film treatment.
Feature selection and the information content of Thematic Mapper Simulator data for forest structural assessment

The information content of Thematic Mapper Simulator (TMS) data was investigated for a forested region in northern Idaho to determine the sensitivity of TMS data to forest structural characteristics (crown closure and site class). Feature selection performed via principal components analysis and a Monte Carlo simulation indicated that TMS channels 4 (0.77–0.90 μm), 7 (10.32–12.33 μm), 5 (1.53–1.73 μm), and 3 (8.63–0.69 μm) were the four optimal channels for forest structural analysis. These four channels utilized the full spectral capability of the Thematic Mapper, representing wavelengths from the visible, the near-infrared (IR), the mid-IR, and the thermal portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. As the number of channels supplied to the Monte Carlo feature selection routine increased, classification accuracy increased. The information content of the TMS data was analyzed by performing supervised maximum likelihood classifications on three data sets: 1) 7-channel 30-m 8-bit data, 2) the 4-optimal-channel 30-m 8-bit data, and 3) TMS data degraded to Landsat multispectral scanner (MSS)specifications, 3-channel 60-m 6-bit data. The greatest sensitivity to forest structural parameters, which included crown closure, site class, and succession within clearcuts, was obtained from the 7-channel TMS data, the 4-optimal-channel TMS data, and the simulated MSS data, respectively. The increased number of spectral hands was largely responsible for the increased accuracy of the TMS data over the simulated MSS data. The improved spatial resolution of the TMS data did not improve classification performance. Variance within the TMS scene was largely due to the structural characteristics of the forest canopy.
How to evaluate and treat children's interstitial lung disease.

New concepts are emerging for pediatric interstitial lung disease (ILD). ILD in children has classically been defined as a group of rare, heterogeneous and poorly understood disorders. Histology classification systems for children with ILD have not been well defined and by default, adult ILD classification systems employed. The recognition that ILD in infancy included unique entities specific to this age range and excluded common adult entities, such as Usual Interstitial Pneumonitis (UIP) with classic fibroblastic foci, highlighted the need for improved classification clarity in children’s interstitial lung disease (chILD). To address this need and to improve care, a multi-disciplinary working group of pediatric pathologists, radiologists and pulmonologists and neonatologists from throughout North America collaborated to form the chILD cooperative research group, with funding from the Rare Lung Disease Consortium (NIH RR019498). Other synergistic developments such as improved diagnostic techniques for infant pulmonary function and high resolution computerized tomography (HRCT) and the recognition of new forms of surfactant genetic lung disease have further energized chILD efforts. This review will incorporate newer concepts into the framework of evaluating young children and infants with ILD.
A single lysis solution for the analysis of tissue samples by different proteomic technologies.

Abstract Cancer, being a major healthcare concern worldwide, is one of the main targets for the application of emerging proteomic technologies and these tools promise to revolutionize the way cancer will be diagnosed and treated in the near future. Today, as a result of the unprecedented advances that have taken place in molecular biology, cell biology and genomics there is a pressing need to accelerate the translation of basic discoveries into clinical applications. This need, compounded by mounting evidence that cellular model systems are unable to fully recapitulate all biological aspects of human dissease, is driving scientists to increasingly use clinically relevant samples for biomarker and target discovery. Tissues are heterogeneous and as a result optimization of sample preparation is critical for generating accurate, representative, and highly reproducible quantitative data. Although a large number of protocols for preparation of tissue lysates has been published, so far no single recipe is able to provide a “one-size fits all” solubilization procedure that can be used to analyse the same lysate using different proteomics technologies. Here we present evidence showing that cell lysis buffer 1 (CLB1), a lysis solution commercialized by Zeptosens [a division of Bayer (Schweiz) AG], provides excellent sample solubilization and very high 2D PAGE protein resolution both when using carrier ampholytes and immobilized pH gradient strips. Moreover, this buffer can also be used for array-based proteomics (reverse-phase lysate arrays or direct antibody arrays), allowing the direct comparison of qualitative and quantitative data yielded by these technologies when applied to the same samples. The usefulness of the CLB1 solution for gel-based proteomics was further established by 2D PAGE analysis of a number of technically demanding specimens such as breast carcinoma core needle biopsies and problematic tissues such as brain cortex, cerebellum, skeletal muscle, kidney cortex and tongue. This solution when combined with a specific sample preparation technique – cryostat sectioning of frozen specimens – simplifies tissue sample preparation and solves most of the difficulties associated with the integration of data generated by different proteomic technologies.
Inhibition of human colon cancer cell growth by antisense oligodeoxynucleotides targeted at basic fibroblast growth factor.

Background: Basic fibroblast growth factor has been shown to be mitogenic in colon cancer cell lines. In human malignant melanoma cells, antisense oligodeoxynucleotides targeted against basic fibroblast growth factor messenger RNA significantly inhibit cell growth. However, the efficacy of such an antisense oligodeoxynucleotide strategy has not been evaluated for colon cancer cells. Aim: To investigate whether basic fibroblast growth factor can stimulate the growth of HT-29 human colon cancer cells and whether antisense oligodeoxynucleotides can inhibit growth of these cells at baseline. Methods: Western blotting analyses were used to confirm the presence of basic fibroblast growth factor protein in this cell line. Cell growth was assessed after 2, 4 and 6 days of treatment by cell counting using the trypan blue exclusion method. Phosphorothioate- modified oligodeoxynucleotides (10 μM) were used, complementary to codon 60 of the basic fibroblast growth factor messenger RNA. Cationic liposomes (DOTAP) were used to enhance the cellular uptake of the oligodeoxynucleotides. Results: Western blotting demonstrated the presence of basic fibroblast growth factor protein in this cell line. Basic fibroblast growth factor (1–40 ng/mL) dose-dependently stimulated cell growth and peak values were obtained at a dose of 20 ng/mL. By contrast, antisense oligodeoxynucleotide treatment significantly inhibited cell growth compared with the sense oligodeoxynucleotide-treated cells (P=0.007). This inhibition was reversed by the addition of basic fibroblast growth factor, 20 ng/mL. Conclusion: Treatment targeted against basic fibroblast growth factor messenger RNA inhibits growth of HT-29 human colon cancer cells. This finding may provide a rationale for the therapeutic use of antisense oligodeoxynucleotides targeted at basic fibroblast growth factor for the treatment of colon cancer.
Latvian literature in exile: The recycling of signs

(1971). Latvian literature in exile: The recycling of signs. Bulletin of Baltic Studies: Vol. 2, No. 3, pp. 13-17.
Design and Verification of a PECVD Fabricated Multi-Layer Nano-Scale Photovoltaic Device

This paper summarizes the results of computational and experimental studies of an enhanced thin film solar structure. The cell structure consists of a reflective aluminum layer beneath an 80nm absorbing layer of amorphous silicon, coated with a top layer of transparent and conductive indium tin oxide (ITO). The structure is mounted on a glass substrate. We first use constrained optimization techniques along with numerical solvers of the electromagnetic equations to specify the layer thicknesses of the design for maximized efficiency. Numerical analysis suggests that solar absorptivity in the thin film silicon can be enhanced by a factor of 2. The proposed design is then fabricated using Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition techniques, along with a control sample of bare silicon absorber for comparison. AFM imaging and spectrophotometry experiments are applied to estimate the realized thin film dimensions, deposition error, unwanted oxidation volume and the resulting reflectivity spectra. Comparisons of the measured and simulated reflectivity spectra of the fabricated cells, as well as Monte Carlo simulations based on incorporating random geometry errors in the numerical simulations suggest that the measured spectra are in accordance with the expected curves from simulations.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Psychopathology and fatherlessness in poor boys.

The study reported represents an effort to expand an earlier investigation of how psychopathology is related to fatherlessness. The sample (N=201), composed of U.S. blacks and Cuban refugees of white derivation, was controlled for the family's economic class position, ethnicity, place of residence, and for the children's age, gender, and ordinal position and matched with a control group of “fathered” children. Instruments used were a mini MMPI (76 items) and the Louisville Aggression Survey Schedule-1. All of the data obtained in the study were supplied by the mothersboth about themselves and their firstborn male child. No positive association between the boys' psychopathology and their fatherlessness was found. Moreover, the data seemingly indicate that poverty exerts a leveling influence that overrides the differentiating characteristics of ethnic and age grouping, family structure, father presence or absence, and liguistic and cultural heritages.
Arctic Lakes and Streams as Gas Conduits to the Atmosphere: Implications for Tundra Carbon Budgets

Arctic tundra has large amounts of stored carbon and is thought to be a sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO(2)) (0.1 to 0.3 petagram of carbon per year) (1 petagram = 10(15) grams). But this estimate of carbon balance is only for terrestrial ecosystems. Measurements of the partial pressure of CO(2) in 29 aquatic ecosystems across arctic Alaska showed that in most cases (27 of 29) CO(2) was released to the atmosphere. This CO(2) probably originates in terrestrial environments; erosion of particulate carbon plus ground-water transport of dissolved carbon from tundra contribute to the CO(2) flux from surface waters to the atmosphere. If this mechanism is typical of that of other tundra areas, then current estimates of the arctic terrestrial sink for atmospheric CO(2) may be 20 percent too high.
Homomorphisms of free contents

Related to a greatest semilatt ice decomposition of a free semigroup, T. Tamura [3] introduced the concept of contents and free contents. DEFINITION. Let X = {X l ,X2 , . . . x n} be a f i n i t e set of elements of a semigroup S. The content on X in S, Cs(Xl,X 2 . . . . ,Xn), is the set of a l l elements of S of which is a product using every once. generated by X l ,X2 , . . . , x n each x i , i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n , at least
Metal Oxide Semiconductor (MOS) Technology Scaling Issues And Their Relation To Submicron Lithography

This paper examines the impact of submicron MOS integrated circuit technology on submicron lithography, and contrasts the lithography picture today with that for submicron features. A considerably larger number of factors must be dealt with rigorously because they either do not scale with decreasing dimensions or they do not lend themselves easily to more rigid control so that it has become disproportionately difficult to reduce their effect. In addition to the lithography issues, other serious device technology limitations arise at submicron dimensions. These have to do with device isolation, gate insulation, parasitic resistance and capacitance, interconnectivity, particle-induced upset, and hot electron effects. These issues must also be successfully resolved if submicron dimensions are to be successfully exploited in submicron integrated circuits.
Evidence for the Role of Conduction Electrons in the Kapitza Resistance

Measurements of the Kapitza conductance by the ac technique between 1.2 and 1.8 K are reported for thin oriented single-crystal disks of high-purity gallium. The data show convincing evidence that the conduction electrons play a dominant role in the transmission of heat across the metal-He-II interfaces.
Free-radical polymerization of olefins†

Propylene, butene-1, isobutylene, 3,3-dimethylbutene-1, and tetradecene-1 were polymerized at high pressures at 130–150°C. with dixy1tert-butyl peroxide initiator to give low molecular weight polymers. Free radical copolymerization of propylene and isobutylene was also demonstrated. Facile chain transfer to give relatively stable radicals was blamed for the low rates and degrees of polymerization. The molecular weights were shown to be controlled by chain transfer.
Development of a dual isotopes technique and two-stage column chromatography to characterize the prostaglandin F2α, E2 and thromboxane B2 formed by the guinea Pig lung

Abstract A sensitive dual isotopes ([ 14 C]-arachidonic acid, ([ 3 H]-PGF 2α , and [ 3 H]-PGF 2 ) technique coupled with two-stage column chromatographic systems was developed to characterize the prostaglandins synthesized by guinea pig lung. The assay consisted of incubating 600 g supernatant fraction of lung homogenate (75–600 μg protein) with 7.88 μM of [ 14 C]-arachidonic acid, 1–2 nM [ 3 H]-PGE 2 and [ 3 H]-PGF 2α as internal standards, 5 mM glutathione, 5 mM epinephrine and 100 mM Tris HCl buffer (pH 8.2) in a total volume of 0.5 ml. The reaction was terminated by 0.25 ml of 1 N HCl and the mixtures extracted with 1.5 ml ethyl acetate. PGF 2α and PGE 2 -like materials (“PGE 2 ”) in the ethyl acetate extract were separated from arachidonic acid by chromatography on two-stage silicic acid columns. Reverse isotope dilution technique revealed that [ 14 C]-PCF 2α synthesized from [ 14 C]-arachidonic acid by the lung enzyme was 100% pure. Moreover, the amount of PGF 2α synthesis as measured by this method was in accord with the amount obtained by radioimmunoassay. In contrast, only 15% of the [ 14 C]-“PGE 2 ” was PGE 2 ; 85% of it was a KOH resistant and NaBH 4 -reducible product that has been tentatively identified as thromboxane B 2 . The kinetics of PGF 2α and “PGE 2 ” synthesis by guinea pig lung enzyme have been studied under various experimental conditions employing this method. The two stage open silicic acid column chromatography as described in the present report offers several advantages such as economy of time and expense and capacity to process multiple samples on a routine basis. Furthermore, this method also offers the advantage of correction for procedural losses of prostaglandins using internal recovery standards. This method should have broad applicability to study the prostaglandin synthesizing ability of various tissues especially in those laboratories that cannot afford to employ sophisticated instruments needed for prostaglandin analysis.
RNAs With Dual Specificity and Dual RNAs With Similar Specificity

The biological role of RNA is delimited by its possible reactions, which can be explored by selection. A comparison of selected RNAs that bind one ligand with those that bind two related ligands suggests that a single nucleotide substitution can expand binding specificity. An RNA site with dual (joint) specificity has adenine and cytosine bases whose pKa9s appear shifted upward, thereby mimicking an efficient general acid-base catalyst. The joint site also contains two conserved, looped arginine-coding triplets implicated in arginine site formation. Two selected joint RNAs are identical in some regions and distinct in others. The distinct regions, like some peptides, seem to function similarly without being similar in primary structure.
Metabolic effects of darglitazone, an insulin sensitizer, in NIDDM subjects.

Insulin resistance is a significant pathogenetic factor in the development of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). A new class of drugs, the thiazolidinediones, have been shown to lower blood glucose levels without stimulating insulin secretion. We report the metabolic effect of the thiazolidinedione, darglitazone, in obese NIDDM subjects. Nineteen subjects were enrolled in a doubleblind placebo-controlled study in which 25 mg of darglitazone was given once a day for 14 days. Nine subjects received the active drug and ten subjects received placebo. Darglitazone-treated subjects showed; 1) a decrease in 24-h plasma glucose area under the curve from 292.8±31.2 to 235.2±21.6 mmol · h−1 · l−1 p=0.002; 2) a decrease in 24-h serum insulin area under the curve from 1027.2±254.4 to 765.6±170.4 ΜU · h−1 · l−1 p=0.045; 3) a decrease in 24-h non-esterified fatty acid area under the curve from 1900±236 to 947±63 g · h−1 · l−1 p=0.002; 4) a decrease in mean 24-h serum triglyceride by 25.9±6.2% as compared to − 3.9±4.8% for the placebo-treated group, p=0.012. Placebo-treated subjects showed no change in their metabolic parameters after treatment. Thus, darglitazone is effective in increasing insulin effectiveness in obese NIDDM subjects. The potential for this and similar drugs to treat or prevent NIDDM as well as the insulin-resistance syndrome needs to be explored.
Chemical Accidents in the United States, 1990–1996*

Objective. Much of the empirical work on environmental justice centers on the geographic distribution of potential chronic health risks (e.g., planned toxic releases or treatment storage and disposal facilities). Far less attention has been devoted to the geographic distribution of acute health risks that cause immediate harm. The purpose of this work is to examine environmental justice in terms of potential acute health risks by examining the distribution of serious chemical accidents across diverse subpopulations. Methods. We draw upon 1990 census data for the United States to study the relationship between the racial, ethnic, and economic characteristics of census block groups (N=226,398) and the presence or absence of chemical accidents that caused at least one injury, death, or evacuation for the time period of 1990–1996. The data used to map the location of the chemical accidents were obtained from the Environmental Protection Agency's Accidental Release Information Program (ARIP) database. Results. Our results indicate that the acute risk associated with chemical accidents at fixed facilities is greater for individuals living in low-income census block groups, especially when comparisons are made within the counties where the chemical accidents occur. Our results concerning race and ethnicity are less consistent and somewhat weaker. Conclusions. Although these results do not show large and dramatic effects, as have often been found in the study of the social distribution of chronic environmental risk, they do stand as one of a relatively few social analyses of social variation in exposure to acute environmental risk.
On determining the number of stochastic degrees of freedom in polyatomic molecules

Abstract Construction of dimensionality plots have proved useful for determining the number of integrals of the motion in dynamical systems with two and three degrees of freedom. The slow convergence in the method is caused by the trajectory not accessing phase space uniformly. Here an information dimension is shown to have better convergence properties.
The canonical Wnt signaling antagonist DKK2 is an essential effector of PITX2 function during normal eye development

Local control of cell signaling activity and integration of inputs from multiple signaling pathways are central for normal development but the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here we show that Dkk2, encoding an antagonist of canonical Wnt signaling, is an essential downstream target of the PITX2 homeodomain transcription factor in neural crest during eye development. Canonical Wnt signaling is ectopically activated in central ocular surface ectoderm and underlying mesenchyme in Pitx2- and Dkk2-deficient mice. General ocular surface ectoderm identity is maintained during development in Dkk2-deficient mice but peripheral fates, including conjunctival goblet cells and eyelash follicles, are ectopically permitted within more central structures and eyelids are hypomorphic. Loss of DKK2 results in ectopic blood vessels within the periocular mesenchyme and PITX2 expression remains persistently high, providing evidence for a negative feedback loop. Collectively, these data suggest that activation of Dkk2 by PITX2 provides a mechanism to locally suppress canonical Wnt signaling activity during eye development, a paradigm that may be a model for achieving local or transient inhibition of pathway activity elsewhere during embryogenesis. We further propose a model placing PITX2 as an essential integration node between retinoic acid and canonical Wnt signaling during eye development.
Analysis of the relationship between random telegraph signal and negative bias temperature instability

Random telegraph signal (RTS) is shown to be an intrinsic component of the shift in MOSFET threshold voltage (V th ) due to bias temperature instability (BTI). This is done by starting from a well-known model for negative BTI (NBTI), to derive the formula for RTS-induced V th shift. Based on this analysis, RTS simply contributes an offset in NBTI degradation, with an acceleration factor that is dependent on the gate voltage and temperature. This is verified by 3-dimensional (3-D) device simulations and measurements of 45nm-node bulk-Si PMOS transistors. It has an important implication for design of robust SRAM arrays in the future: design margin for RTS should not be simply added, because it is already partially accounted for within the design margin for NBTI degradation.
Life History and Ecology of Menidia extensa

Abstract This study was designed to expand knowledge of the life history and ecology of Menidia extensa Hubbs and Raney. M. extensa is found only in Lake Waccamaw, an 8,938-acre natural lake in southeastern North Carolina. Data collected during 1967 and 1968 indicate that M. extensa is a principal forage species in Lake Waccamaw. Ecological studies of the species indicate the fish is gregarious and feeds chiefly on zooplankton. M. extensa reaches maturity at a total length of 33 mm and spawns after its first winter, with only a small percentage of these atherinids reaching two-years of age. Spawning occurs from March through July with the peak occurring when water temperatures range from 68° to 72°F. The number of eggs spawned per female averaged 150. Spawning occurred in open water near the shoreline, but was not associated with aquatic vegetation. The authors believe that the habitat of this endemic fish should be protected against drainage so that the species will not become extinct.
Crystal Structures of HIV-1 gp120 Envelope Glycoprotein in Complex with NBD Analogues That Target the CD4-Binding Site

Efforts to develop therapeutic agents that inhibit HIV-1 entry have led to the identification of several small molecule leads. One of the most promising is the NBD series, which binds within a conserved gp120 cavity and possesses para-halogen substituted aromatic rings, a central oxalamide linker, and a tetramethylpiperidine moiety. In this study, we characterized structurally the interactions of four NBD analogues containing meta-fluoro substitution on the aromatic ring and various heterocyclic ring replacements of the tetramethylpiperidine group. The addition of a meta-fluorine to the aromatic ring improved surface complementarity and did not alter the position of the analogue relative to gp120. By contrast, heterocyclic ring replacements of the tetramethylpiperidine moiety exhibited diverse positioning and interactions with the vestibule of the gp120 cavity. Overall, the biological profile of NBD-congeners was modulated by ligand interactions with the gp120-cavity vestibule. Herein, six co-crystal structures of NBD-analogues with gp120 provide a structural framework for continued small molecule-entry inhibitor optimization.
Cosmological Magnetic Field Limits in an Inhomogeneous Universe

We study the effect of inhomogeneities in the matter distribution of the universe on the Faraday rotation of light from distant QSOs and derive new limits on the cosmological magnetic field. The matter distribution in the universe is far from homogeneous, and for the redshifts of interest in relation to rotation measures (RMs), it is well described by the observed Lyα forest. We use a lognormal distribution to model the Lyα forest, and we assume that a cosmological magnetic field is frozen into the plasma and therefore is a function of the density inhomogeneities. The Lyα forest results are much less sensitive to the cosmological magnetic field coherence length than the results for a homogeneous universe, and they show an increase in the magnitude of the expected RM for a given field by over an order of magnitude. The forest also introduces a large scatter in RMs for different lines of sight, with a highly non-Gaussian tail that renders the variance and the mean RM impractical for setting limits. The median |RM| is a better statistical indicator that we use to derive the following limits using the observed RMs for QSOs between z=0 and z=2.5. We set Ωbh2=0.02 and get, for cosmological fields that are coherent across the present horizon, BH−10 10−9 G in the case of a Lyα forest that is stronger than the limit for a homogeneous universe, BhH−10 2×10−8 G; for a 50 Mpc coherence length, the inhomogeneous case gives B50 Mpc 6×10−9 G, while the homogeneous limit is Bh50 Mpc 10−7 G; and for a coherence length equal to the Jeans length, BλJ 10−8 G for the Lyα case, while BhλJ 10−6 G.