cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sociodemographic and Biometric Factors Associated With Eating Behaviors Among African American Women Aged 18-74.

Background Obesity is a growing problem in the United States and is disproportionately increasing among African Americans. The objective of this study is to examine the sociodemographic and biometric factors associated with eating behaviors among African American women. Methods We analyzed data from the 2009-2010 dietary screener and weight history questionnaire from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Multivariable analyses were used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) to determine the association between six specific eating behaviors and different sociodemographic and biometric factors. Analyses were conducted using SAS 9.4. Results The analyses show that being middle aged (45-64) decreased the likelihood of consuming soft drinks (AOR: 0.48; 95% CI: 0.27-0.86); consuming red meat (AOR: 0.45; 95% CI: 0.25-0.82); and consuming processed meat (AOR: 0.55; 95% CI: 0.31-0.97). In addition, high school grads were over 3 times as likely to consume high amounts of soft drinks (AOR: 3.04; 95% CI: 1.33-6.94) and 65% less likely to consume high amounts of leafy/lettuce salads than college grads (AOR: 0.35; 95% CI: 0.15-0.82). Finally, single/widowed/divorced African American women were 13% less likely to eat high amounts of leafy green salads than married African American women (AOR: 0.82; 95% CI: 0.70-0.97). Conclusions The results indicate that some sociodemographic factors have an association with certain eating behaviors. Further exploration of sociodemographic and biometric factors, with the inclusion of culture and its association with eating behaviors will help to expand the literature.
Co-registration of MR and FDG-PET imaging for stereotactic radiotherapy planning; case report in a previously irradiated brain metastasis with recurrent tumor and radiation necrosis

Abstract Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) or radiotherapy (SRT) is commonly used to treat brain metastasis (BM). While effective in achieving tumor control, a significant number of BM patients exhibit lesion growth on follow-up MR imaging after SRS which cannot reliably distinguish between tumor growth, radiation necrosis (RN) or a mixture of both. SRS retreatment is a therapeutic option for tumor regrowth but contraindicated for RN. Here, we describe an instructive case of MRI progression of a breast BM previously treated by SRS where [18F] fludeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) proved useful to anatomically delineate metabolically active tumor from RN for re-treatment planning. Post-treatment FDG-PET and MRI studies indicated decreased uptake and enhancement respectively following treatment. This case study underscores the biological heterogeneity underlying MRI based BM progression after prior SRS and the potential utility of FDG-PET to guide treatment planning for repeat SRS.
Abstract WP137: Time-Course Characterization of Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption in Secondary Thalamic Injury After Stroke

Introduction: A secondary degenerative injury occurs in the thalamus after primary cortical ischemic stroke. This secondary thalamic injury progresses long-term and is associated with somatosensory...
A new concordia age for the 'forearc' Bay of Islands Ophiolite Complex, Western Newfoundland utilizing spatially-resolved LA-ICP-MS U-Pb analyses of zircon

Abstract Advancements of zircon U-Pb dating techniques using laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) provide an opportunity to precisely constrain the age of the Bay of Islands Ophiolite Complex (BOIC) in the Newfoundland Appalachians. New LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dates are presented for a large population of relatively simple magmatic zircon grains from trondhjemites using selective domain analyses and a 3% discordance filter in five samples collected from a single ophiolite massif, with four of the samples from a single pluton. All samples were derived from plagiogranite plutons intruded just below the gabbro-sheeted dike contact of the Blow Me Down Mountain massif, the massif sampled for three of the four prior single sample ID-TIMS age studies of the ophiolite. A highly consistent series of LA-ICP-MS concordant ages from the five samples collected yield a composite concordia age of 488.3 ± 1.5 Ma, which we propose for the revised igneous age of the ophiolite massif. This new age for the BOIC is based on 127 individual LA-ICP-MS zircon analyses and is slightly older and with lower uncertainty than the previous consensus age. We review previous pioneering ID-TIMS U-Pb dates, ages, intercept assumptions, and uncertainties for the BOIC in light of this new formation age. Legacy ages and uncertainties differ somewhat when data are reduced with modern recommended techniques and without geological interpretations that fix lower intercepts. The ca. 488.3 Ma BOIC age indicates its formation along a younger supra-subduction forearc trench-orthogonal spreading center that rifted the older Coastal Complex forearc ophiolitic assemblages reported to be formed at ca. 500-508 Ma. This rifted forearc is analogous to many modern ophiolitic forearcs. The BOIC age is highly correlated with similar ages of the peri-Laurentian Notre Dame arc-proximal Betts Cove and Point Rousse ophiolites, indicating temporal BOIC spreading center linkages within the Baie Verte Oceanic Tract.
HIV-1 and HIV-1-Tat Induce Mitochondrial DNA Damage in Human Neurons.

Introduction Mitochondrial dysregulation is a key event in HIV-1 infection. Recent studies have suggested that age-related neurodegenerative disorders are associated with increased mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage. As accelerated ageing was found in HIV-1 patients, we hypothesized that HIV-1 infection or HIV-1 proteins can lead to mtDNA damage. Unrepaired mtDNA impairs mitochondrial function, which can lead to oxidative stress and cell death. Investigations of mechanisms of mtDNA damage are limited by the lack of available human models. Methods We compared mtDNA or nDNA (nuclear DNA) damage in human cortical neurons and PBMC cells. Primary neuronal cultures were incubated with conditioned media from HIV-1 infected PBMC, or HIV-1 viral proteins Tat or Vpr. Total genomic DNA (nuclear and mtDNA) was isolated using the QIAamp Kit. Nuclear and mtDNA were amplified using the long q-PCR/Gene Amp XL Kit. Real-Time RT-PCR using mitochondrial energy metabolism array was performed to assess mitochondrial energy metabolism markers. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in neuronal cells was measured by the OxiSelect SOD Activity Assay. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) were determined by the confocal microscopy. ATP levels were analyzed using ATP determination biochemical assay. Mitochondrial, cytoplasmic and nuclear proteins were studied by quantitative western-blot assay. Results We show that both treatment of neuronal cells with HIV-1 conditioned media, or infection of PBMC with HIV-1 increase mtDNA damage in cells. mtDNA damage was also seen in neuronal cells, incubated with HIV-1 proteins, Tat and Vpr. Next, we confirmed that mtDNA damage was also increased in neuronal cells transfected by Tat expressing plasmids. We showed that mtDNA was not damaged in neuronal cells following treatment with heat inactivated HIV-1 or Tat protein. Further, we demonstrated that HIV-1 or Tat caused more mtDNA damage compared to nuclear DNA damage in neuronal cells. Finally, we showed that Tat dysregulates RNA expression of several genes regulating mitochondrial energy metabolism, suggesting involvement of Tat in mitochondrial bioenergetics in human neurons. Finally, our hypothesis was confirmed by qWestern analysis of mitochondrial and apoptotic proteins demonstrating the accumulation of apoptotic Bax and Bad proteins in mitochondrial fraction of Tat-treated neuronal cells, suggesting toxic effects of Tat on mitochondrial survival. Conclusion We showed an increase of mtDNA damage in primary neurons, treated with HIV-1 proteins and in PBMC, infected with HIV-1. Increased mtDNA damage can lead to neurodegeneration, and cause neuronal apoptosis. Our system presents a suitable model to study mtDNA changes during HIV-1 infection.
Empirical characteristic multiplier estimation: A comparison of methods and improvements

Abstract Characteristic multipliers (CMs) describe the behavior, such as stability, of a dynamical system near a limit cycle. While existing methods are available to estimate CMs from time series measurements of the system’s state, practical challenges such as measurement noise, limited time series length, and repeated CMs can substantially reduce their accuracy. This paper describes a number of simple-to-implement improvements to existing methods which can be combined into a new, superior method. Numerical validation studies demonstrate that the new method consistently provides more accurate CM estimates than existing methods in a variety of scenarios.
Applying confidence accuracy characteristic plots to old/new recognition memory experiments.

Confidence-accuracy characteristic (CAC) plots were developed for use in eyewitness identification experiments, and previous findings show that high confidence indicates high accuracy in all studie...
An 111pW Voltage Reference with a Diode-Leakage-Decoupling Replica for High-Temperature Miniature IoT Systems

A miniature Internet-of-Thing (IoT) system has been an attractive solution for a variety of applications such as biomedical, infrastructure, and energy resource monitoring. The small wireless device enables to continuously monitor important parameters in a limited space with minimally disturbing characteristics of a target object. They demonstrate a potential use of the miniature IoT system in high-temperature environment including automotive, aerospace, and geothermal. However, to implement a robust small system for the high-temperature application, there are two significant challenges in designing its necessary building blocks and their required circuits. First, the small system form factor limits physical size of a battery and thus battery capacity. Thus, circuits of the system should consume low power for reasonable system lifetime. A 3.8mm2 thin film battery only has a battery capacity of $5 \mu$ Ahr. An advanced millimeter-scale system using this type of batteries consumes only 8nW in standby mode. Second, circuits in the system should operate over a wide range of temperature including a typical minimum outdoor condition (- 20°C [1]) and the maximum target temperature (e.g., $\gt 125^{\circ}\mathrm{C})$.
Generalized ccICN (component contribution Integrated Crosstalk Noise) for PAM-N

PCI SIG (peripheral component interconnect special interest group) adapted the ccICN (component contribution integrated crosstalk noise) for PCIe CEM (card electromechanical) specification in limiting the connector crosstalk for 32Gbps NRZ (non-return to zero). The usage resolved issues and limitations of the traditional methodology based upon the limit line-based specification. When PCIe 6.0 utilizes the PAM-4 modulation scheme, the ccICN is generalized for component crosstalk assessment for PAM-N (pulse-amplitude modulation-N levels). In this paper, we introduce the generalized ccICN methodology and validate.
High incidence of mechanically assisted crevice corrosion at 10 years in non-cemented, non-recalled, contemporary total hip replacements.

Abstract Introduction One to 3 percent of contemporary non-cemented total hip arthroplasties present with symptomatic mechanically assisted crevice corrosion (MACC). The incidence of this problem, however, as well as the rate of asymptomatic elevations in serum cobalt, is unknown. Methods Cobalt and chromium levels were obtained in conjunction with radiographs at routine 10-year surveillance follow-up of THAs from a single manufacturer with a titanium stem, cobalt alloy femoral head and cross-linked polyethylene countersurface. Results Ten-year follow-up of patients with 162 consecutive THAs revealed that 17 patients with 18 hips had died of unrelated causes prior to metal ion testing. Two hips were revised for other reasons, and of the remaining 144, 33 were in patients who were lost, leaving 109 hips (77 % of those in alive patients and unrevised for other reasons and 68 % of the entire cohort) for investigation. 63 (58 %) had a serum cobalt less than 1 ppb, and 35 (32 %) a cobalt of 1 ppb or greater, a cutoff consistent with MACC. Of the 32 hips with definite MACC, 15/32 (47 %) were symptomatic, 16/27 (53 %) had adverse local tissue reaction (ALTR) on magnetic resonance imaging, and 19/32 (59%) have undergone revision surgery for MACC to date. Conclusion At 10 year follow-up, a minimum of 22% (35/162) hips had a cobalt level more than 1 ppb, consistent with MACC. Symptoms and ALTR are each present about one-half of the time, and 59% of those with documented MACC have undergone revision.
Positive economics in the context of regional (LAU2) disparities

Positive economics, which is aimed on searching patterns among economic phenomenons and processes, is in submitted paper focused on relationship between economic activity of inhabitants - self-employed persons and thein tax duties - income tax of self-employed persons. This causality was surveyed on sample of 621 municipalities of South Bohemian region in years 2006 to 2008. Contribution is part of the project NAZV Q192A023.
The dynamic fracture behavior of Borsic—Al composites

The impact behavior of unidirectional Borsic—Al composites has been studied using an instrumented Charpy system. In order to experimentally determine the most appropriate impact failure criterion for these composites, dynamic load-deflection traces were obtained under plane strain conditions. Specimens with crack length to width ratios (a/W) from 0.15 to 0.65 and crack root radii from 0.002 in. to 0.036 in. were utilized. Results indicated that the dynamic fracture toughness was independent of crack length over an a/W range of from about 0.20 to 0.50 while other fracture criteria such as the dynamic fracture stress, the strain to fracture and the energy absorbed per unit area of fracture surface varied continuously with crack length. Results also indicated that over the range of root radii studied, the dynamic fracture toughness was independent of crack acuity. Consequently, the dynamic fracture toughness appears to be an appropriate impact failure criterion for Borsic—Al composites and has been used to study the effects of the fiber-matrix bond strength and Borsic volume fraction. In addition, the dynamic behavior of these materials has been compared with their behavior during slow bend tests.
Let the Beachcomber Drown: Why Taxing Endowment is Unjust

Many legal scholars who care about fairness in taxation are increasingly drawn to the idea of endowment taxation - a tax based on a person's ability to earn income, rather than on her actual income. For these scholars, endowment taxation is an appealing model for designing an actual tax system because, unlike income and consumption taxes, an endowment tax cannot be avoided by choosing leisure rather than work and is thus consistent with the intuition that tax should be based on one's ability to pay. This article evaluates equity-driven claims that endowment is the ideal tax base; to the contrary, it argues that the protection of liberty and equality, as understood in liberal egalitarian political theories, prohibits a tax on endowment. The article explains why the economist's attraction to endowment taxation is not compelling to those concerned about fairness. It suggests reframing the debate about tax equity away from so-called beachcombers - people who simply opt out of the social project - to take account of productivity that is undervalued or occurs outside the market. It explains why different deontological theories lead to different conclusions about fair taxes and compares the libertarian approach to endowment taxation with the liberal egalitarian approach. Last, it focuses on the apparent affinity of the equal opportunity norm for endowment taxation, comparing the work of John Rawls and Ronald Dworkin, and concludes that neither philosopher would embrace endowment tax as an ideal.
Scheduling jobs before shut-down

Distributed systems execute background or alternative jobs while waiting for data or requests to arrive from another processor. In those cases, the following shut-down scheduling problem arises: given a set of jobs of known processing time. schedule them on m machines so as to maximize the total weight of jobs completed before an initially unknown deadline. We present optimally competitive deterministic and randomized algorithms for shut-down scheduling. Our deterministic algorithm is parameterized by the number m of machines. Its competitive ratio increases as the number of machines decreases, but it is optimal for any given choice of m. Such a family of deterministic algorithms can be translated into a family of randomized algorithms that use progressively less randomization and that are optimal for any given number of fair coin tosses. Hence, we establish a precise trade-off between the amount of randomization and the best possible competitive ratio.
Speech reconstruction from mel frequency cepstral coefficients and pitch frequency

This paper presents a novel low complexity, frequency domain algorithm for reconstruction of speech from the mel-frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCC), commonly used by speech recognition systems, and the pitch frequency values. The reconstruction technique is based on the sinusoidal speech representation. A set of sine-wave frequencies is derived using the pitch frequency and voicing decisions, and synthetic phases are then assigned to each respective sine wave. The sine-wave amplitudes are generated by sampling a linear combination of frequency domain basis functions. The basis function gains are determined such that the mel-frequency binned spectrum of the reconstructed speech is similar to the mel-frequency binned spectrum, obtained from the original MFCC vector by IDCT and antilog operations. Natural sounding, good quality intelligible speech is obtained by this procedure.
Fluorescence in microemulsions and reversed micelles : A Review and New Results

The use of fluorescence to study physicochemical structures of alcohol/surfactant/water systems, microemulsions and reversed micelles is reviewed, and the application of these media in analytical fluorescence spectroscopy is discussed. The sodium dodecylsulfate/1-pentanol/heptane/ water system is studied by using pseudo-ternary diagrams. Wide areas of existence of thermodynamically stable and optically clear phases (Winsor IV and two liquid crystals) were found both in the absence and presence of sodium sulfate (0.2 M). The influence of the composition of media on the fluorescence characteristics of pyrene, benzo [e]pyrene, 2-naphthol and p-amino-benzoic acid is studied.
What Is Charity

Once revered as the greatest of the classic theological virtues, charity now has something of a bad rap. Can it be rehabilitated with help from the Jewish sage Maimonides?
Stimulation of Phosphoinositide Turnover by Excitatory Amino Acids

Theoretical analysis suggests that in the visual cortex during early postnatal development, afferent activity can yield either an increase or a decrease in synaptic strength depending on the pattern of EAA receptor activation in cortical neurons. This motivated us to study the mechanism of EAA-stimulated phosphoinositide turnover in visual cortex. Available evidence suggests that PI hydrolysis is stimulated by EAAs primarily at a single receptor site (Q2 receptor), and that this site is distinct from both the traditional quisqualate (Q1) receptor and the NMDA receptor. NMDA does, however, inhibit EAA-stimulated PI turnover in visual cortex, confirming that the Q2 receptor is on visual cortical neurons (as opposed to glia). We find that Q2 receptors in the neocortex are expressed transiently during postnatal development. The developmental time-course of EAA-stimulated PI turnover correlates precisely with the critical period when synaptic modifications are most readily elicited in visual cortex by changes in sensory experience. The compound AP3 can inhibit EAA-stimulated PI turnover, probably by acting as a partial Q2 agonist, and under some circumstances AP3 evidently can interfere with experience-dependent synaptic modifications. Increases in synaptic strength in visual cortex, as elsewhere, have been linked specifically to activation of NMDA receptors. We propose that decreases in synaptic strength may be specifically related to activation of the Q2 receptor. Further tests of this hypothesis will require the development of selective and potent antagonists.
Implementing Service Learning: From Nutrition Education into Community Action

Service learning integrates academic learning and relevant community service with classroom instruction, focusing on critical, reflective thinking and personal civic responsibility. Through a grant, community college students were provided with grocery store vouchers to purchase unfamiliar, healthy foods. Students were taken on an educational “tour” of a local supermarket and were shown how to grocery shop according to dietary guidelines. Students then engaged in service learning by going out into their communities where they acted as nutrition educators and taught community members skills they initially learned. As a result of this project, students reported success in applying the knowledge and skills learned from one setting to another. By engaging in service learning, students also reported improved nutrition knowledge and overall confidence with the subject matter.
Catalytic reduction of CO2 by H2 for synthesis of CO, methanol and hydrocarbons: challenges and opportunities

Ocean acidification and climate change are expected to be two of the most difficult scientific challenges of the 21st century. Converting CO2 into valuable chemicals and fuels is one of the most practical routes for reducing CO2 emissions while fossil fuels continue to dominate the energy sector. Reducing CO2 by H2 using heterogeneous catalysis has been studied extensively, but there are still significant challenges in developing active, selective and stable catalysts suitable for large-scale commercialization. The catalytic reduction of CO2 by H2 can lead to the formation of three types of products: CO through the reverse water–gas shift (RWGS) reaction, methanol via selective hydrogenation, and hydrocarbons through combination of CO2 reduction with Fischer–Tropsch (FT) reactions. Investigations into these routes reveal that the stabilization of key reaction intermediates is critically important for controlling catalytic selectivity. Furthermore, viability of these processes is contingent on the development of a CO2-free H2 source on a large enough scale to significantly reduce CO2 emissions.
Factors Influencing the Level and Interanimal Variability of Retinyl Ester Hydrolase Activity in Rat Liver

Retinyl ester hydrolase activity was studied in 25 7-wk-old rats that had been previously fed no vitamin A for 1 wk and then were fed 0, 5, 24, 60 or 240 micrograms retinol/d for 2 wk. This treatment produced rats with vitamin A reserves from depleted to normal (0.03 to 184 micrograms/g) and serum retinol concentrations of 4-67 micrograms/dl. Hydrolase activity in liver homogenates was optimal when assayed with 275 mM CHAPS (3-[(3-cholamidopropyl) dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate), 2 mg/ml Triton X-100 and 5 mM retinyl palmitate at pH 7.0. By use of these concentrations and conditions, retinyl ester hydrolase activity displayed relatively low interanimal variability (fivefold). Furthermore, activity was independent of serum or liver vitamin A concentrations. When CHAPS in the assay was replaced with equimolar sodium cholate, or with reduced concentrations of CHAPS and retinyl palmitate, retinyl ester hydrolase activity was more variable, i.e., 37- and 23-fold, respectively. Furthermore, in the latter case, hydrolase activity was threefold higher in rats with liver vitamin A reserves less than 10 micrograms/g. Thus, the type and concentration of bile salt used to assay retinyl ester hydrolase affect its interanimal variability. Furthermore, hydrolase activity measured in reduced concentrations of substrate and detergent is elevated in rats with low liver reserves of vitamin A.
Exposure to Real Estate in Bank Portfolios

We implement a three-step procedure to assess the extent of exposure to real estate in commercial banks. First, we investigate the determinants of delinquency on real estate loans. We find the chan...
Ultrastructural effects of diphosphonates on dental enamel.

Initial experiments were designed to test the effects of two diphosphonates on acid dissolution of mature human enamel. Polished facets of enamel were treated with 10 mmol/L of EHDP or Cl2MDP (pH 7.4) for five min, H20-washed, acid-etched with 0.01 N lactic acid (pH 5.4) for 15 min, and examined in the scanning electron microscope. Controls were run with distilled H2O substituted for diphosphonates. In addition, the experimental window was outlined with lacquer, thus providing a reference to the original polished enamel surface. Results showed that EHDP markedly reduced enamel dissolution, with less than 1 μm of enamel removed, while Cl2MDP was similar to controls, with approximately 4-5 μm of enamel dissolved. It was decided to initiate further experiments with the objective of determining effects of diphosphonates on developing enamel during the secretory stage in rat molars.Five-day-old animals were injected s.c. with one of the following: EHDP, ADP, Cl2MDP, or NaCl (0.9% control). The diphosphonate do...
Distributed detection with censoring sensors under dependent observations

Distributed detection in censoring sensor networks, where each sensor transmits “informative” observations to the Fusion Center (FC), and censors those deemed “uninformative”, has been investigated by many researchers, but under the assumption of conditionally independent observations. In this paper, we consider a more realistic situation in a censoring sensor network where observations may not be independent. We derive optimal fusion rules at the FC under both Neyman-Perason (NP) and Bayesian frameworks, assuming that each sensor sends complete observations to the FC only when its observation falls out of a certain no-send region. Simulation results are provided to demonstrate the superior performance of our fusion rule compared with several other fusion rules derived in earlier work.
La criminalidad en Chile durante el período indiano (siglos XVI a XIX)

This article refers to the criminality problem during the colonial period in Chilean, which corresponds to the Absolutist State in Europe. This period is cha...
Hydrogeologic controls on streamflow sensitivity to climate variation

Climate models project warmer temperatures for the north-west USA, which will result in reduced snowpacks and decreased summer streamflow. This paper examines how groundwater, snowmelt, and regional climate patterns control discharge at multiple time scales, using historical records from two watersheds with contrasting geological properties and drainage efficiencies. In the groundwater-dominated watershed, aquifer storage and the associated slow summer recession are responsible for sustaining discharge even when the seasonal or annual water balance is negative, while in the runoff-dominated watershed subsurface storage is exhausted every summer. There is a significant 1 year cross-correlation between precipitation and discharge in the groundwater-dominated watershed (r = 0·52), but climatic factors override geology in controlling the inter-annual variability of streamflow. Warmer winters and earlier snowmelt over the past 60 years have shifted the hydrograph, resulting in summer recessions lasting 17 days longer, August discharges declining 15%, and autumn minimum discharges declining 11%. The slow recession of groundwater-dominated streams makes them more sensitive than runoff-dominated streams to changes in snowmelt amount and timing. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of fungicides and bactericides on orchid seed germination and shoot tip cultures in vitro

Amphotericin B, benomyl, gentamycin, nystatin, quintozene penicillin G, sodium omadine, and vancomycin singly and in several combinations have no deleterious effects on the germination of orchid seeds, but inhibit the growth in vitro of shoot tip explants.
Characterization of the unfolding pathway of the cell-cycle protein p13suc1 by molecular dynamics simulations: implications for domain swapping

Abstract Background: The p13suc1 gene product is a member of the cks (cyclin-dependent protein kinase subunit) protein family and has been implicated in regulation of the cell cycle. Various crystal structures of suc1 are available, including a globular, monomeric form and a β-strand exchanged dimer. It has been suggested that conversions between these forms, and perhaps others, may be important in the regulation of the cell cycle. Results: We have undertaken molecular dynamics simulations of protein unfolding to investigate the conformational properties of suc1. Unfolding transition states were identified for each of four simulations. These states contain some native secondary structure, primarily helix α1 and the core of the β sheet. The hydrophobic core is loosely packed. Further unfolding leads to an intermediate state that is slightly more expanded than the transition state, but with considerably fewer nonlocal, tertiary packing contacts and less secondary structure. The helices are fluctuating but partially formed in the denatured state and β2 and β4 remain associated. Conclusions: It appears that suc1 folds by a nucleation-condensation mechanism, similar to that observed for two-state folding proteins. However, suc1 forms an intermediate during unfolding and contains considerable residual structure in the denatured state. The stability of the β2–β4 residual structure is surprising, because β4 is the strand involved in domain swapping. This stability suggests that the domain-swapping event, if physiologically relevant, may require the assistance of additional factors in vivo or occur early in the folding process.
Developing an Empirical Model for Jet-Surface Interaction Noise

The process of developing an empirical model for jet-surface interaction noise is described and the resulting model evaluated. Jet-surface interaction noise is generated when the high-speed engine exhaust from modern tightly integrated or conventional high-bypass ratio engine aircraft strikes or flows over the airframe surfaces. An empirical model based on an existing experimental database is developed for use in preliminary design system level studies where computation speed and range of configurations is valued over absolute accuracy to select the most promising (or eliminate the worst) possible designs. The model developed assumes that the jet-surface interaction noise spectra can be separated from the jet mixing noise and described as a parabolic function with three coefficients: peak amplitude, spectral width, and peak frequency. These coefficients are fit to functions of surface length and distance from the jet lipline to form a characteristic spectra which is then adjusted for changes in jet velocity and/or observer angle using scaling laws from published theoretical and experimental work. The resulting model is then evaluated for its ability to reproduce the characteristic spectra and then for reproducing spectra measured at other jet velocities and observer angles; successes and limitations are discussed considering the complexity of the jet-surface interaction noise versus the desire for a model that is simple to implement and quick to execute.
Sensitivity of the conformation of deoxyguanosine to binding at the C-8 position by N-acetylated and unacetylated 2-aminofluorene.

The conformation of N-(deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-2-acetylaminofluorene and N-(deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-2-aminofluorene was investigated by 1H n.m.r. spectroscopy. There was rotation about the glycosyl bond and preference for either the anti or syn conformation depended on whether or not the 8-arylamino nitrogen was acetylated. The unacetylated adduct existed preferentially in the anti form and the acetylated adduct existed preferentially in the alternate syn form. There was also rotation about the backbone C4' -C5' bond. The unacetylated adduct was mainly in the gauche-gauche conformation about C4'-C5', while the acetylated adduct was mainly in the alternate gauche-trans/trans-gauche form. Using space filling models with the conformation of the unacetylated adduct conserved in the helix, a possible structure of modified DNA was proposed which had less perturbation of the helix than that of the acetylated adduct. This was consistent with single strand endonuclease hydrolysis data. The acetylated and unacetylated adducts may cause entirely different types of local conformational changes in DNA because of major differences in interactions between the base and the sugar moiety at the modified nucleoside level.
Role of the non-homologous DNA end joining pathway in the early steps of retroviral infection

Early after infection, the retroviral RNA genome is reverse transcribed to generate a linear cDNA copy, then that copy is integrated into a chromosome of the host cell. We report that unintegrated viral cDNA is a substrate for the host cell non-homologous DNA end joining (NHEJ) pathway, which normally repairs cellular double-strand breaks by end ligation. NHEJ activity was found to be required for an end-ligation reaction that circularizes a portion of the unintegrated viral cDNA in infected cells. Consistent with this, the NHEJ proteins Ku70 and Ku80 were found to be bound to purified retroviral replication intermediates. Cells defective in NHEJ are known to undergo apoptosis in response to retroviral infection, a response that we show requires reverse transcription to form the cDNA genome but not subsequent integration. We propose that the double-strand ends present in unintegrated cDNA promote apoptosis, as is known to be the case for chromosomal double-strand breaks, and cDNA circularization removes the pro-apoptotic signal.
The ups and downs of life in an epithelium.

Polarized epithelial layers protect tissues from the harsh conditions of the outside world, such as the outside of an embryo or the lumen of a gut. This “outside” is faced by an epithelial cell's apical domain, which contains a set of membrane proteins and cytoskeletal elements that is distinct from the proteins found on the cell's basolateral domain (Yeaman et al. 1999). Establishing the differences that define these domains is one of the fundamental challenges confronting an epithelial cell. Several recent papers in the Journal of Cell Biology (Hunter and Wieschaus 2000; Lecuit and Wieschaus 2000; Sisson et al. 2000; Tanentzapf et al. 2000; Wodarz et al. 2000) use Drosophila to explore this process, and they showed surprising parallels among epithelia in Drosophila, vertebrates, and Caenorhabditis elegans.
Dynamic neural networks for modeling and control of nonlinear systems

Abstract This paper considers the design of a dynamic neural network (DNN) for modeling of a class of nonlinear systems for the purpose of real-time control. The primary contribution of the paper is in developing a DNN estimator with a stable training technique for on-line modeling of unknown (black box) dynamic nonlinear systems. The DNN acts as a generic model of the system, which can be trained on-line and, hence, can be utilized for the implementation of an adaptive model-based control strategy. The training of the network is based on a novel scheme that arranges the outputs of the hidden layer of the DNN into a set of basis functions. This allows for the derivation of a stable rule for the training of the DNN's weights and does not require random initialization of the weights.
MMPI AND DEMOGRAPHIC CORRELATES OF POST-HOSPITAL ADJUSTMENT IN NEUROPSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS.

Suntmary.-Data f:om life histories, hospital treatment variables, and scores on pre- and post-treatment MMPIs from 96 hospiralized neuropsychiatric Veterans Administration patients were correlated with criterion scores composed of three post-treatment adjustmental ratings. The patients comprised three different patient groupings: non-psychotic, acute psychotic, and chronic psychotic populations, each of which hzd a highly different base rate of post-hospital "adjustment." Each of these patient groups was examined independently and different prognostic indices were found for each patient group. It was suggested that the idenrification and experimental rreatment of small psychologically homogeneous groups is necessary to evaluate treatments. This investigation represents an attempt to derive some psychological and demographic prognostic indices from hospitalized neilropsychiatric Veterans Administration patients in regard to a criterion composed of three post-treatment adjustmental ratings, both 6 and 18 mo. following each patient's completion of treatment. The MMPI was used to measure the personality characteristics of the patients; this test was administered at the beginning of treatment and upon discharge so that change scores, as well as initial and terminal characteristics, could be evaluated. Three different patiex groupings, each comprised of 32 Ss, were studied; a non-psychotic group, mostly comprised of neurotic characters and behavioral disorders; an acute psychotic group, including patients with psychotic diagnoses who had been hospitalized a toral of less than one year at the time of the smdy; and a chronic psychotic group, who had psychotic diagnoses and more than one year's hospitalization. In a balanced design each of the three patient groups were subjected to four different kinds of hospital treatments: 24 of the patients, 8 from each patient grouping, hzd group psychocherapy along with group living and working conditions (GG rreatment); another 24 had group psychocherapy, but with the more usual individual living conditions and work assignments (GI treatment) ; 24 had individual psychotherapy with the individual living and working conditions (I treatment); and the last 24 were a psychotherapeutic control 'Part of this investigation was carried our during the tenure of a Postdoctoral Fellowship
Mixed H/sub 2//H/sub infinity / control: a convex optimization approach

The problem of finding an internally stabilizing controller that minimizes a mixed H/sub 2//H/sub infinity / performance measure subject to an inequality constraint on the H/sub infinity / norm of another closed-loop transfer function is considered. This problem can be interpreted and motivated as a problem of optimal nominal performance subject to a robust stability constraint. Both the state-feedback and output-feedback problems are considered. It is shown that in the state-feedback case one can come arbitrarily close to the optimal (even over full information controllers) mixed H/sub 2//H/sub infinity / performance measure using constant gain state feedback. Moreover, the state-feedback problem can be converted into a convex optimization problem over a bounded subset of (n*n and n*q, where n and q are, respectively, the state and input dimensions) real matrices. Using the central H/sub infinity / estimator, it is shown that the output feedback problem can be reduced to a state-feedback problem. In this case, the dimension of the resulting controller does not exceed the dimension of the generalized plant. >
The role of the anterior neural ridge and Fgf-8 in early forebrain patterning and regionalization in Xenopus laevis

The tissue, cellular and molecular mechanisms that regulate early regional specification of the vertebrate forebrain are largely unknown. We studied the expression patterns of Xbf-1, an anterior (and telencephalon) neural-specific winged helix transcription factor and Fgf-8, an early-secreted factor. This study looked at Xbf-1 and Fgf-8 expression in combination with embryonic grafting experiments and also used beads containing the recombinant Fgf-8 protein to determine these factors' effects upon forebrain patterning events. We provide evidence that additional Fgf-8 displaces Xbf-1 expression posteriorly, suggesting a concentration dependence of Fgf-8 for the early distinct regionalization of the telencephalic primordia. Also, additional stage 15 mid-anterior neural ridge (mANR) transplants inhibited telencephalon development, whereas lateral ANR transplants facilitated increased areas of telencephalon development. In both cases, these transplantations promoted ectopic expression of Xbf-1. These studies suggested that the distinct regionalization of the forebrain primordia involves the inhibitory actions of the mANR towards a telencephalon development and maintaining bilateral telencephali. These telencephalic primordia are initially localized by optimal Fgf-8 expression. The anterior mANR will eventually become the anterior and rostral diencephalic tissue. This in vivo study demonstrated Fgf-8 and the mANR are important in forebrain regionalization.
FROM "SOCCER-BALL" AND "RUGBY-BALL" TO GIANT FULLERENE MOLECULES: A SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPY AND SPECTROSCOPY STUDY

Thin films of carbon fullerene molecules, Cn, prepared on metallic substrates are studied by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) under both ambient and ultrahigh vacuum conditions. The STM and AFM images provide real-space atomic-resolution views of these fascinating molecules and their monolayer growth on metal surfaces which reflect both the intermolecular interactions and interactions with the underlying substrates.
Doc2β Is a Novel Munc18c-interacting Partner and Positive Effector of Syntaxin 4-mediated Exocytosis

Abstract The widely expressed Sec/Munc18 (SM) protein Munc18c is required for SNARE-mediated insulin granule exocytosis from islet beta cells and GLUT4 vesicle exocytosis in skeletal muscle and adipocytes. Although Munc18c function is known to involve binding to the t-SNARE Syntaxin 4, a paucity of Munc18c-binding proteins has restricted elucidation of the mechanism by which it facilitates these exocytosis events. Toward this end, we have identified the double C2 domain protein Doc2β as a new binding partner for Munc18c. Unlike its granule/vesicle localization in neuronal cells, Doc2β was found principally in the plasma membrane compartment in islet beta cells and adipocytes. Moreover, co-immunoprecipitation and GST interaction assays showed Doc2β-Munc18c binding to be direct and complexes to be devoid of Syntaxin 4. Supporting the notion of Munc18c binding with Syntaxin 4 and Doc2β in mutually exclusive complexes, in vitro competition with Syntaxin 4 effectively displaced Munc18c from binding to Doc2β. The second C2 domain (C2B) of Doc2β and an N-terminal region of Munc18c were sufficient to confer complex formation. Disruption of endogenous Munc18c-Doc2β complexes by addition of the Doc2β binding domain of Munc18c (residues 173–255) was found to selectively inhibit glucose-stimulated insulin release. Moreover, increased expression of Doc2β enhanced glucose-stimulated insulin secretion by ∼40%, whereas siRNA-mediated depletion of Doc2β attenuated insulin release. All changes in secretion correlated with parallel alterations in VAMP2 granule docking with Syntaxin 4. Taken together, these data support a model wherein Munc18c transiently switches from association with Syntaxin 4 to association with Doc2β at the plasma membrane to facilitate exocytosis.
Cation hexaammines are selective and potent inhibitors of the CorA magnesium transport system.

Cation hexaammines and related compounds are chemically stable analogs of the hydrated form of cations, particularly Mg2+. We tested the ability of several of these compounds to inhibit transport by the CorA or MgtB Mg2+transport systems or the PhoQ receptor kinase for Mg2+ inSalmonella typhimurium. Cobalt(III)-, ruthenium(II)-, and ruthenium(III)-hexaammines were potent inhibitors of CorA-mediated influx. Cobalt(III)- and ruthenium(III)chloropentaammines were slightly less potent inhibitors of CorA. The compounds inhibited uptake by the bacterial S. typhimurium CorA and by the archaealMethanococcus jannaschii CorA, which bear only 12% identity in the extracellular periplasmic domain. Cation hexaammines also inhibited growth of S. typhimurium strains dependent on CorA for Mg2+ uptake but not of isogenic strains carrying a second Mg2+ uptake system. In contrast, hexacyano-cobaltate(III) and ruthenate(II)- and nickel(II)hexaammine had little effect on uptake. The inhibition by the cation hexaammines was selective for CorA because none of the compounds had any effect on transport by the MgtB P-type ATPase Mg2+ transporter or the PhoQ Mg2+ receptor kinase. These results demonstrate that cation hexaammines are potent and highly selective inhibitors of the CorA Mg2+ transport system and further indicate that the initial interaction of the CorA transporter is with a fully hydrated Mg2+ cation.
Optical reflectance of blue bronze crystals near the Peierls transition

Abstract We report on the reflectance of blue bronze crystals in the visible frequency range as a function of temperature. The observed large oscillations in the reflectance at all wavelengths at temperatures near the Peierls transition are interpreted as interference effects stemming from a surface layer. It is found that the surface layer, which appears to be tied to fluctuations, can be as much as 1.6 microns thick.
The Role of Strength in Determining Composite Material Toughness Using the Interface Indentation Fracture Test

Understanding fracture behavior at the interfaces of brittle composite materials requires appropriate measurement techniques for fracture toughness. Due to their simplicity and convenience, indentation techniques are attractive solutions. One such technique is the interface indentation fracture (IIF) test, which measures the relative toughness of interfaces between brittle materials by introducing a series of indents at various angles of incidence (0–90°) to the interface, from which crack growth will either be by penetration through the interface or by deflection (debonding) along it. Larger angles of incidence promote penetration and smaller angles promote deflection, so by noting the critical angle at which propagation changes from penetration to deflection, the IFF test can make inferences about relative fracture toughness of different interfaces tested under similar conditions. However, as previous work by Parmigiani and Thouless has shown, the penetration vs. deflection behavior of a crack incident to an interface is a function not only of interface fracture toughness but also of interface strength. Interface cohesive zone elements in a finite element model incorporating both fracture toughness and strength criteria were used to study the propagation behavior of cracks normally incident to brittle composite interfaces. In the follow up work presented here, the cohesive zone method (CZM) has been extended to study cracks that occur at varying angles of incidence to these interfaces. Results show that IIF testing does not always result in unique values for relative fracture toughness; when interface strength is varied, it is possible for identical IIF-test critical angles to correspond to differing interface toughness values and, conversely, for differing critical angles to correspond to identical fracture toughness values. To properly employ the IFF test method, this phenomenon must be taken into account.Copyright © 2012 by ASME