cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of brominated compounds in background air by gas chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry

Abstract The application of a gas chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry (GC–HRMS) system to the detection and quantitative analysis of bromine-containing compounds in the Earth’s atmosphere is described. By this technique, air samples are introduced to the HRMS system by GC while the HRMS system is tuned to the exact masses of the ions expected in the electron impact spectrum of each compound. By the method described here, the mass spectrometer is assured of focusing precisely on the centroid of the exact mass selected because the mass scale is continuously (two times per second) recalibrated during the chromatographic analysis using n -dodecane as a mass reference. By this technique, the positive identification and quantitative analysis of several brominated compounds consistently found in the background air of rural Montana is demonstrated. In addition, a large volume standard addition technique is described and shown to be well-suited to the quantitative analysis of atmospheric components that have extremely low concentrations. Most of the brominated compounds identified here are present in background air at the sub parts-per-trillion (ppt) level. One of them, CF 2 Br 2 , is shown to have an atmospheric presence of only about 40 parts per quadrillion (ppq). Detection limits for all of the brominated compounds identified here were very low (in the low ppq range) and even lower detection limits could be achieved, if desired, by use of sample volumes that are larger than those routinely used here (340 cm 3 ).
Nitride and Carbide Coatings for High Speed Steel Cutting Tools

Hard nitride and carbide coatings of Ti, Zr, and Hf were deposited by physical vapor deposition processes on high-speed steel cutting tools to determine their effectiveness in improving the wear properties of the inserts and increasing cutting-tool performance. A collaborative research program involving industrial, university, and government laboratories was established to develop coating processes and tool wear models, to characterize the coating properties and the effect of process parameters on the coaling properties, and to evaluate the cutting performance of coated inserts. Two coating processes were selected for investigation: high-rate reactive sputtering and activated reactive evaporation. The lifetimes of coated inserts were extended 2 to 10 times, depending on the coating composition and process. Analysis of the wear modes that occurred during the cutting tests indicated that the coatings failed by fracture after plastic deformation of the underlying substrate occurred as a result of substrate s...
The North Carolina Dissociation Index: A Measure of Dissociation Using Items From the MMPI-2

The development of a new measure of dissociation using items from the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2; Butcher, Dahlstrom, Graham, Tellegen, & Kaemmer, 1989) is described. In Experiment 1, 525 college students were administered a measure of hypnotic susceptibility and completed several specialized measures of dissociation or dissociation-like experiences. The new measure, the North Carolina Dissociation Index (NCDI) demonstrated adequate internal consistency and good convergent validity. In Experiment 2, the NCDI demonstrated adequate internal consistency and test-retest reliability with a different sample of college students. Moreover, NCDI scores showed a relatively strong correlation with an interview-based measure of dissociative symptoms. In addition, a small sample of students with dissociative disorders had significantly higher NCDI scores than students with anxiety disorders and normal control subjects. In Experiment 3, 19 gang combat veterans were administered a semistructured diagnostic interview and the MMPI-2. Subjects who were diagnosed with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) scored significantly higher on the NCDI than subjects who did not have PTSD. The NCDI is intended primarily as a tool in settings where the MMPI-2 is routinely administered.
A simple statistical model for the melting transition in ionic salts

Abstract A relationship among the melting temperature, the ionic crystal radii and the molten-salt static dielectric constant is derived for a salt whose melt consists solely of hard-sphere ions. The dielectric constant also provides a basis for understanding the surface tension of molten salts.
Potentials for atomic negative ions

For the purpose of astrophysical, aeronomical, and laboratory applications, we seek a precise independent-particle model for electrons in atomic negative ions from $Z=3$ up to $Z=85$. We obtain analytic potentials whose inner energy levels are close to the experimental levels of neutral atoms but whose last electron eigenvalue is adjusted so as to be in precise agreement with the electron affinity of negative ions. Systematic trends in the potential parameters are discussed.
Genetic models of abnormal apoptosis in lymphocytes

Apoptosis is a critical mechanism for regulating cell numbers during development, normal responses to hormones and other stimuli, and immune and inflammatory reactions. Recent advances in defining the biochemical mechanisms of cell death, and the development of animal models with isolated defects in cell death pathways, have led to an increasing appreciation of the pathophysiologic importance of lymphocyte apoptosis. In this article, we review our current understanding of the pathways and roles of apoptosis in lymphocytes, with an emphasis on transgenic and knockout models. We also summarize the relevance of these animal models to human diseases.
Preschool children's use of speech during phases in task completion

ABSTRACT This paper presents an analysis of the integration of speech and motoric behaviors emitted by 38 children, ages 3½ to 5 years, during phases in the process of solving a series of six jigsaw puzzles. Children's activities during puzzle solving were videotaped; speech was transcribed; speech and nonverbal behavior were unitized and categorized; and the occurrence, category, and duration of each act was noted on an event recorder. Results were analyzed by puzzle phases (beginning, middle, end). Two verbal categories—verbalizations of plans or thoughts and questions and answers to self—were overly represented in the beginning and middle phases, which is also where the failed acts were concentrated. The patterns of cooccurrences and one-step sequences also showed a relationship between task-relevant speech (social and private) and failures or successes requiring trial and error. That relationship appeared primarily at the beginning and middle phases, with nearly an opposite pattern at the end. Results...
Synucleins in glaucoma: Implication of γ‐synuclein in glaucomatous alterations in the optic nerve

Synucleins are small proteins associated with neurodegenerative diseases and some forms of cancer. They are studied predominantly in the brain; information about their presence and functions in ocular tissues is scarce. Here we describe the localization of three members of the synuclein family in the optic nerve of donors with different types of glaucoma compared with control samples from donors without ocular diseases. We did not find significant differences in the localization of alpha- and beta-synucleins in the optic nerve or retina of glaucoma patients compared with controls, whereas considerable redistribution of gamma-synuclein occurred in the glaucomatous optic nerve compared with control eye without glaucoma. In the optic nerve from control and glaucomatous individuals, nerve bundles are immunopositive for gamma-synuclein; however, a strong gamma-synuclein-immunopositive staining in a subset of glial cells was observed in the lamina and postlamina cribrosa regions of the optic nerve only in glaucoma patients. In the optic nerve of rats with episcleral vein cauterization used as an animal model of glaucoma, the quantity of both gamma-synuclein mRNA and protein was decreased compared with the optic nerves of control animals. Incubation of rat astrocyte culture at elevated hydrostatic pressure reduced the amount of gamma-synuclein but did not affect the quantities of actin and glial fibrillary acidic protein. These data suggest that significant changes in the pattern of expression and/or localization occur in the glaucomatous optic nerve for gamma-synuclein but not for alpha- and beta-members of the synuclein family.
Surface tension, proteinuria, and the urine bubbles of Hippocrates

Hippocrates noted that bubbles in urine were associated with kidney disease. We examined changes in surface tension responsible for bubble formation in urine, to investigate whether surface tension could be a more accurate and continuous linear predictor of 24-h proteinuria than currently available tests on spot urine.
National Board Certification as Professional Development: What Are Teachers Learning?

This study investigated the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards’ (NBPTS) assessment process in order to identify, quantify, and substantiate learning outcomes from the participants. One hundred and twenty candidates for the Adolescent and Young Adult Science (AYA Science) Certificate were studied over a two-year period using the recurrent institutional cycle research design. This quasi-experimental methodology allowed for the collection of both cross-sectional and longitudinal data insuring a good measure of internal validity regarding observed changes between individual and across group means. Transcripts of structured interviews with each teacher were scored by multiple assessors according to the 13 standards of NBPTS’ framework for accomplished science teaching. These scores provided the quantitative evidence of teacher learning in this study. Significant pre-intervention to post-intervention changes to these individual and group means are reported as learning outcomes from the assessment process. Findings suggest that the intervention had significant impact upon candidates’ understanding of knowledge associated with science teaching with an overall effect
When does Information become Knowledge

By considering a specific example from molecular biology, Dr Wyatt examines the factors that determine the transformation of scientific information into scientific knowledge.
Pre-shaped buckled-beam actuators: Theory and experiments

Abstract Bistability is one of the desirable features for a MEMS actuator to have in various applications such as mechanical memories, micro-relays, micro-valves, optical switches, digital micro-mirrors, etc. It allows withdrawal of actuation force during idle periods without affecting an actuated state of a device, which results in minimal or even zero standing power consumption. One such actuator is a pre-shaped buckled beam. In this paper, theoretical analysis reveals that existence of the second stable state in a buckled-beam actuator depends not only on a ratio of its initial rise to its thickness, but also on its residual stress. Buckled-beam actuators are pre-shaped by layout design, fabricated by SU-8 lithography and copper pulse electroplating, and actuated by Lorentz force using an external magnet and current flow through the beams. Forward and backward critical loads or switching currents of the actuators are measured for various beam dimensions, and compared to the theoretical values. Required switching currents and voltages are between 10 and 200 mA, and between 20 mV and 0.4 V, respectively, for 20–60 μm displacement. Effect of electroplating conditions to bistability of actuators is studied as well.
Transfer of Inner Cell Mass Cells Derived from Bovine Nuclear Transfer Embryos into the Trophoblast of Bovine In Vitro–Produced Embryos

Presence of placental tissues from more normal noncloned embryos could reduce the pregnancy failure of somatic cloning in cattle. In this study, inner cell mass (ICM) cells of in vitro–produced (IVP) embryos was replaced with those of nuclear transfer (NT) embryos to reconstruct bovine blastocysts with ICM and trophoblast cells from NT and IVP embryos, respectively. A total of 65 of these reconstructed embryos were nonsurgically transferred to 20 recipient beef females. Of those, two females were diagnosed pregnant by ultrasonography on day 30 of gestation. One pregnancy was lost at 60–90 days of gestation, and the other recipient cow remained pregnant at day 240 of gestation; however, this female died on day 252 of gestation. Gross pathology of the internal organs of the recipient female, a large fetus, and a large placental tissue mass suggested the massive size of the fetus and placental tissue were likely involved in terminating the life of the recipient female. Biopsy samples were harvested from the ...
GPUstore: harnessing GPU computing for storage systems in the OS kernel

Many storage systems include computationally expensive components. Examples include encryption for confidentiality, checksums for integrity, and error correcting codes for reliability. As storage systems become larger, faster, and serve more clients, the demands placed on their computational components increase and they can become performance bottlenecks. Many of these computational tasks are inherently parallel: they can be run independently for different blocks, files, or I/O requests. This makes them a good fit for GPUs, a class of processor designed specifically for high degrees of parallelism: consumer-grade GPUs have hundreds of cores and are capable of running hundreds of thousands of concurrent threads. However, because the software frameworks built for GPUs have been designed primarily for the long-running, data-intensive workloads seen in graphics or high-performance computing, they are not well-suited to the needs of storage systems.In this paper, we present GPUstore, a framework for integrating GPU computing into storage systems. GPUstore is designed to match the programming models already used these systems. We have prototyped GPUstore in the Linux kernel and demonstrate its use in three storage subsystems: file-level encryption, block-level encryption, and RAID 6 data recovery. Comparing our GPU-accelerated drivers with the mature CPU-based implementations in the Linux kernel, we show performance improvements of up to an order of magnitude.
EXACTLY SOLVABLE CASES OF REGGE POLES FROM MANDELSTAM REPRESENTATION

Starting form the Mandelstam representation in potential scattering, explicit examples are given for which the Regge functionR(s, λ) is known exactly. In particular, a symmetry property ofR(s, λ) at integral λ is derived. The nature of « kinematical » and « dynamical » Regge poles is discussed in some detail. Finally, the potentials responsible for the various cases are written down in Born approximation.
Soil nutrients and microbial activity after early and late season prescribed burns in a Sierra Nevada mixed conifer forest

Restoring the natural fire regime to forested systems that have experienced fire exclusion throughout the past century can be a challenge due to the heavy fuel loading conditions. Fire is being re-introduced to mixed conifer forests in the Sierra Nevada through both early season and late season prescribed burns, even though most fires historically occurred in the late season. We assessed the impact of early and late season prescribed fires on soil biogeochemical and microbiological parameters that are important for ecosystem recovery. We found that the late season burns had more dramatic short-term effects on soil abiotic conditions (temperature, moisture and pH), mineral soil carbon levels, total inorganic nitrogen, and microbial activity than the early season burns, relative to unburned sites, suggesting a higher severity burn. However, the total soil nitrogen pools and fluxes and soil respiration rates were not differentially impacted by burn season. These burn season effects suggest that soil variables may be regulated more strongly by fire severity than by the season in which the prescribed fire is conducted.
Risk behaviors for pesticide exposure among pregnant women living in farmworker households in Salinas, California.

Background Farmworkers and their families are at risk for pesticide exposure, however, little is known about behaviors that increase their risk. We determined the frequency of risky behaviors among pregnant farmworkers and characterized those at greatest risk. Methods Participants included 153 pregnant farmworkers and 248 pregnant non-farmworkers who resided with farmworkers from the CHAMACOS (Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas) study. We examined risky behaviors relating to handwashing, bathing, protective clothing, house cleaning, laundering of work clothes, wearing of work clothes and shoes into the home, and eating produce from the fields. Results Between 25 and 60% of women demonstrated risky behavior on each item. Practices of households with pregnant farmworkers and non-farmworkers did not differ. Women who lived in the United States longer, and in crowded households demonstrated the most risky behavior overall. Conclusions Pregnant farmworkers and those living with farmworkers need to be educated to reduce potential take-home pesticide exposure. Am. J. Ind. Med. 45:491–499, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Efficacy of benzathine penicillin G in group A streptococcal pharyngitis: Reevaluation+++

The rate of streptococcal eradication after intramuscular administration of benzathine penicillin G in 66 children with acute group A streptococcal pharyngitis was determined and possible reasons for treatment failure explored. Bacteriologic treatment failure, defined as isolation of the same serotype at 3- or 6-weeks follow-up, occurred in eight (12%) patients. The treatment failure rate was 21% in those with immunologically significant infection, versus 8% in those without antibody rises (P greater than 0.1). All group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal (GABS) strains isolated from patients with treatment failure, both before and after benzathine penicillin G therapy, were exquisitely susceptible to penicillin G (minimum inhibitory concentration less than or equal to 0.02 microgram/mL), and none showed evidence of tolerance (minimum bactericidal concentration less than or equal to 0.04 microgram/mL). Thus, we found GABS eradication rates to exceed 10% in children given benzathine penicillin G. The failure rate did not appear to be related to enrichment of the patient population with a high proportion of asymptomatic carriers nor to the presence of penicillin-tolerant GABS.
MUlti-Dimensional Spline-Based Estimator (MUSE) for Motion Estimation: Algorithm Development and Initial Results

Image registration and motion estimation play central roles in many fields, including RADAR, SONAR, light microscopy, and medical imaging. Because of its central significance, estimator accuracy, precision, and computational cost are of critical importance. We have previously presented a highly accurate, spline-based time delay estimator that directly determines sub-sample time delay estimates from sampled data. The algorithm uses cubic splines to produce a continuous representation of a reference signal and then computes an analytical matching function between this reference and a delayed signal. The location of the minima of this function yields estimates of the time delay. In this paper we describe the MUlti-dimensional Spline-based Estimator (MUSE) that allows accurate and precise estimation of multi-dimensional displacements/strain components from multi-dimensional data sets. We describe the mathematical formulation for two- and three-dimensional motion/strain estimation and present simulation results to assess the intrinsic bias and standard deviation of this algorithm and compare it to currently available multi-dimensional estimators. In 1000 noise-free simulations of ultrasound data we found that 2D MUSE exhibits maximum bias of 2.6 × 10−4 samples in range and 2.2 × 10−3 samples in azimuth (corresponding to 4.8 and 297 nm, respectively). The maximum simulated standard deviation of estimates in both dimensions was comparable at roughly 2.8 × 10−3 samples (corresponding to 54 nm axially and 378 nm laterally). These results are between two and three orders of magnitude better than currently used 2D tracking methods. Simulation of performance in 3D yielded similar results to those observed in 2D. We also present experimental results obtained using 2D MUSE on data acquired by an Ultrasonix Sonix RP imaging system with an L14-5/38 linear array transducer operating at 6.6 MHz. While our validation of the algorithm was performed using ultrasound data, MUSE is broadly applicable across imaging applications.
Transfer continuities, generalizations of the Weierstrass and maximum theorems: A full characterization

Abstract This paper gives necessary and sufficient conditions for 1. (1) a function to attain its maximum on a compact set 2. (2) the set of maximum points of a function on a compact set to be non-empty and compact, and 3. (3) the maximum (marginal) correspondence to be closed. We do so by introducing a class of transfer continuities which characterize the essence of topological structures of functions and correspondences for extreme points and significantly weaken the conventional continuities. Thus our results generalize the classical Weierstrass theorem and the Maximum Theorem of Berge ( Espaces topologiques et fonctions multivoques , Donod, Paris, 1959; Topological Spaces , Macmillan, New York, 1963, p. 116), by giving necessary and sufficient conditions. Furthermore, we generalize the maximum theorem of Walker, (International Economic Review, 1979, 20, 267–270) by relaxing the openness of the graph of preference correspondences and the lower semi-continuity of the feasible action correspondence. By applying our maximum theorems to game theory and economics, we can generalize many of the existence theorems on Nash equilibrium of games and equilibrium of the generalized games (the so-called abstract economies) in the literature.
Doctors and patients in pain: Conflict and collaboration in opioid prescription in primary care.

Abstract Use of chronic opioid therapy (COT) for chronic noncancer pain has dramatically increased in the United States. Patients seek compassionate care and relief while physicians struggle to manage patients’ pain effectively without doing harm. This study explores the narratives of chronic noncancer pain patients receiving chronic opioid therapy and those of their physicians to better understand the effects of COT on the doctor–patient relationship. A mixed method study was conducted that included in-depth interviews and qualitative analysis of 21 paired patients with chronic pain and their physicians in the following groups: patients, physicians, and patient–physician pairs. Findings revealed that patients’ narratives focus on suffering from chronic pain, with emphasis on the role of opioid therapy for pain relief, and physicians’ narratives describe the challenges of treating patients with chronic pain on COT. Results elucidate the perceptions of ideal vs difficult patients and show that divergent patterns surrounding the consequences, utility, and goals of COT can negatively affect the doctor–patient relationship. The use of paired interviews through a narrative lens in this exploratory study offers a novel and informative approach for clinical practice and research. The findings have significant implications for improving doctor–patient communication and health outcomes by encouraging shared decision making and goal-directed health care encounters for physicians and patients with chronic pain on COT. Perspective This study found patterns of understanding pain, opioid pain medications, and the doctor–patient relationship for patients with chronic pain and their physicians using a narrative lens. Thematic findings in this exploratory study, which include a portrayal of collaborative vs conflictual relationships, suggest areas of future intervention and investigation.
The Space of the Surface

In this paper I examine how notions of the surface are being reconstituted in architectural theory and practice. Specifically, I contrast how modernist-influenced theory treated surfaces with how some architectural theorists today are beginning to think about them. Whereas modernist theory saw surfaces as dedicated to the expression of interior volume, recent interactive technologies such as ‘smart walls’ mean that surfaces no longer are fixed but can, instead, be changed in ways that are beyond the control of the architects who designed the structures of which they are a part. This means that surfaces are much less predictable and much more subject to transformation by individual users than in the past. Such a technological revolution, I argue, is ‘de-authorizing’ architecture as it is understood in conventional, professional, and disciplinary terms, and is bringing about new conceptions of time and space in architectural practice.
Galanin: Evidence for a hypothalamic site of action to release growth hormone

Galanin is a 29 amino acid peptide that was isolated and characterized from porcine intestinal extracts. The presence of galanin-like immunoreactivity in neuronal elements in the hypothalamus and median eminence suggested a role for it in the hypothalamic control of anterior pituitary function. A hypothalamic site of action of galanin to stimulate growth hormone (GH) release is suggested by our observations that doses as low as 50 picomoles when infused into the third cerebroventricle of conscious, unrestrained ovariectomized rats resulted in significantly elevated plasma levels of GH. This effect was specific for GH and was dose-related. The failure of galanin to alter GH release from dispersed, cultured anterior pituitary cells in vitro further suggests that endogenous galanin plays a neuromodulatory role at the level of the median eminence, possibly affecting the release of known GH-releasing and/or inhibiting factors.
A comparison of between detailed and simple histories in the diagnosis of genital herpes complicating pregnancy

Abstract OBJECTIVE: All women seropositive for herpes simplex virus-2 are at risk for asymptomatic viral shedding at the onset of labor and neonatal transmission of the virus. Unfortunately, only 20% to 35% of seropositive adults give a history consistent with genital herpes. We evaluated whether more detailed questioning during pregnancy might elucidate symptoms of seropositivity and therefore better identity women at risk for herpes simplex virus shedding at delivery. STUDY DESIGN: During pregnancy 201 randomly selected women were asked in-depth questions about recurrent genital symptoms and whether they "currently have or have ever had genital herpes." An assessment was made whether the patient had a history compatible with genital herpes. This assessment and the "yes/no" history of genital herpes serologic studies by Western blot. RESULTS: Of 201 patients interviewed, 177 gave no history of genital herpes. Of these, 30.4% were seropositive for herpes simplex virus-2. Detailed histories on these 177 patients indicated that among the 159 subjects without suggestive symptoms or with somewhat suggestive symptoms the corresponding rates of seropositivity were 28% and 30%. Among the 18 (10.2%) subjects with highly suggestive symptoms, only 50% were seropositive. The positive predictive values for recurrent genital symptoms to predict herpes simplex virus-2 seropositivity ranged from 30% to 57%. CONCLUSION: A detailed history of genital symptoms is no better at identifying an herpes simplex virus-2 seropositive patient than is simply asking if she has ever had genital herpes. Serologic screening is a more accurate method of identifying women with past genital herpes or those who are at risk for acquiring genital herpes during pregnancy.
Probing the lithospheric rheology across the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau

Abstract The fundamental geological structure, geodynamics, and rheology of the Tibetan Plateau have been debated for decades. Two end-member models have been proposed: (1) the deformation of Tibet is broadly distributed and associated with ductile flow in the mantle and middle or lower crust, (2) the Tibetan Plateau formed during interactions between rigid lithospheric blocks with localization of deformation along major faults. The nature and distribution of continental deformation are governed by the varying rheology of rocks and faults in the lithosphere. Insights into lithospheric rheology can be gained from observations of postseismic deformation, which represents the response of the Earth's interior to coseismic stress changes. Here we use up to 2 years of InSAR and GPS measurements to investigate postseismic displacements following the 2008 M w 7.9 Wenchuan earthquake in eastern Tibet and probe the differences in rheological properties across the edge of the Plateau. We find that near-field displacements can be explained by shallow afterslip on the Beichuan Fault, which is anti-correlated with the coseismic slip distribution. Far-field displacements cannot be explained by a homogeneous rheology, but instead require a viscoelastic lower crust (from 45 to 60 km depth) beneath Tibet with an initial effective viscosity of 4.4 × 10 17 Pa s and a long-term viscosity of 10 18 Pa s , whereas the Sichuan Basin block has a high-viscosity upper mantle (>1020 Pa s) underlying an elastic 35-km-thick crust. The inferred strong contrast in lithospheric rheologies between the Tibetan Plateau and the Sichuan Basin is consistent with models of ductile lower crustal flow that predict maximum topographic gradients across the Plateau margins where viscosity differences are greatest.
Spatial frequency selectivity of periodic complex cells in the visual cortex of the cat

Abstract The spatial frequency selectivity curves for periodic complex cells have been determined using moving sine-wave gratings, and the results have been compared to the Fourier transform of the receptive field excitability profile as determined with a single narrow moving slit. These complex cells may respond to moving gratings with a modulated discharge at the temporal frequency of the test grating superimposed on an unmodulated or steady level of activity. The unmodulated level of activity indicates a non-linear process, as does the presence in some parts of the spatial frequency spectrum of modulated components with large second and third harmonic distortions. If tuning curves are plotted based upon levels of modulated activity, then two distinct spatial frequency bands are defined; a broadly tuned band of low spatial frequencies with a full bandwidth of over one octave and a narrowly tuned band of high spatial frequencies with a full bandwidth at half-amplitude of just under one-half octave. The results in the broad-band range cannot be predicted from the Fourier transform of the excitability profile; however, there may be good agreement in the narrow-band range. On the other hand, if tuning curves are plotted on the basis of mean levels of activity, then only a single broadly tuned curve is defined peaking about one octave below the narrow-band spatial frequency.
Requirement of Tyr-992 and Tyr-1173 in phosphorylation of the epidermal growth factor receptor by ionizing radiation and modulation by SHP2.

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is activated by ionizing radiation (IR) in many human carcinomas, mediating a cytoprotective response and subsequent radioresistance. The underlying molecular mechanisms remain to be understood, and we propose here a specific role for the Tyr-992 residue of EGFR and examine its regulation by the phosphatase, SHP2. The -fold increase in phosphorylation of Tyr-992 in response to IR is twice that seen with ligand (EGF) binding. Mutation of Tyr-992 blocked completely IR-induced EGFR phosphorylation and reduced activation of the downstream signaling molecule, phospholipase Cγ. IR has previously been demonstrated to inhibit activity of protein-tyrosine phosphatases. Following protein-tyrosine phosphatase inhibition by sodium vanadate both EGFR expressing Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) and A431 exhibited up to an 8-fold increase in the basal level of Tyr-992 phosphorylation, significantly higher than that seen with Tyr-1173, Tyr-1068, and total EGFR Tyr. CHO cells expressing a SHP2 mutant also demonstrated up to an 8-fold increase in the basal level of Tyr-992 phosphorylation. In this study we show the unique association of SHP2 with EGFR in response to IR, with up to a 2.5-fold increase in the direct association of endogenous SHP2 with EGFR-wt in response to 2 gray of IR in both CHO and A431 cells. Mutation of Tyr-992 abolished this response. In conclusion we have identified several differentially activated Tyr residues, one of which is not only more sensitive to activation by IR, translating into differential activation of downstream signaling, but uniquely modulated by the phosphatase SHP2.
Inhibition of tumor growth and metastasis of human melanoma by intracellular anti-ATF-1 single chain Fv fragment

Activating transcription factor-1 (ATF-1) and cAMP-responsive element (CRE)-binding protein (CREB) have been implicated in cAMP and Ca2+-induced transcriptional activation. The expression of the transcription factors CREB and ATF-1 is upregulated in metastatic melanoma cells. However, how overexpression of ATF-1/CREB contributes to the acquisition of the metastatic phenotype remains unclear. Here, the effect of disrupting ATF-1 activity was investigated using intracellular expression of an inhibitory anti-ATF-1 single chain antibody fragment (ScFv). Intracellular expression of ScFv anti-ATF-1 in MeWo melanoma cells caused significant reduction in CRE-dependent promoter activation. In addition, expression of ScFv anti-ATF-1 in melanoma cells suppressed their tumorigenicity and metastatic potential in nude mice. ScFv anti-ATF-1 rendered the melanoma cells susceptible to thapsigargin-induced apoptosis in vitro and caused massive apoptosis in tumors transplanted subcutaneously into nude mice, suggesting that ATF-1 and its associated proteins act as survival factor for human melanoma cells. This is the first report to demonstrate the potential of ScFv anti-ATF-1 as an inhibitor of tumor growth and metastasis of solid tumor in vivo. Oncogene (2000).
Single Broth for the Differentiation of Streptococcus lactis from Streptococcus cremoris

Abstract Routinely, the Streptococcus lactis species is distinguished from Streptococcus cremoris by the following: ability to grow at 40C, production of ammonia from arginine, fermentation of maltose and dextrin, and growth in 4% NaCl broth and at a pH of 9.2 (1). This conventional differentiation is somewhat complex and cumbersome, requiring the preparation of various broths and indicators and the use of two different incubation temperatures. In contrast, the procedure herewith presented is comparatively simple and direct, utilizes only one medium and a single incubation temperature, and is based on the principle that organisms belonging to the species S. lactis will decarboxylate arginine, whereas those classified as S. cremoris will not. Briefly, the method is as follows: Decarboxylase base medium (Difco, 0872) containing brom cresol purple indicator is fortified with 0.5% l-arginine. One-tenth milliliter of an active 16-18-hr skimmilk culture is used to inoculate 5-ml quantities of arginine decarboxylase broth contained in tightly capped screwtop tubes.
Recognition and Ratings of Television Music Videos: Age, Gender, and Sociocultural Effects

High school, younger college, and older college subjects rated explicit, neutral, or Christian television music videos according to theme clarity/recognition and whether the respective videos were liked/disliked. Subjects of each age group were able to recognize the themes of each music-video category with a high degree of accuracy. Younger subjects and males were found to rate the music videos, especially those selected for explicitness, more favorably than older or female subjects. Sociocultural background factors were also found to be related to recognition and ratings of the television music videos. In particular, working class background subjects. subjects who watched music videos regularly, and those that seldom or never attended church rated the music videos, especially the explicit ones, more favorably than subjects from a college town background, subjects who seldom or never watched music videos, and subjects who regularly attended church. These findings were interpreted in terms of media-based social influence processes and reciprocal determinism.
Structuring product development processes

Abstract This paper proposes operational frameworks for structuring product development processes. The primary objective of this research is to develop procedures to minimize iterations during the development process which adversely affect development time and costs. Several procedures are introduced to restructure the development process. The computation of the corresponding product development times is facilitated by two Markov models addressing different types of learning. The methodologies are employed to identify a set of managerial concerns in restructuring the product development processes. The developed framework has become an integral part of a re-engineering project for the development of rocket engines at Rocketdyne Division of Rockwell International. Throughout the paper, the methodologies are illustrated with the help of this process.
Barrier to oxygen penetration on metal and oxide surfaces.

We investigate how the initial formation of an oxide layer on a metal surface can effect the further incorporation of oxygen into the metal. In particular, we show that the formation of NbO on a Nb surface dramatically increases the potential barrier for oxygen incorporation. On Cu the formation of an oxide layer reduces the barrier. On Cr and on Ni the barriers on the metal and on the oxide are similar. It is shown that the height of the barrier can be significantly reduced by the relaxation of the atoms in the surface oxide. The gain in energy in this process is shown to depend on the magnitude of the elastic constants of the oxide on the surface. We also show that oxides which grow by Cabrera-Mott Kinetics have a barrier to oxygen penetration while others do not.
Intralesional Therapy for In-transit and Satellite Metastases in Melanoma

Intratumoral therapy with bacteria/bacterial products dates to at least the 1890s. Over the decades this has expanded beyond the use of microbes and microbial products to include chemicals, cancer chemotherapeutic agents, cytokines, recombinant organisms, and hybrid molecules. The appeal of this method of delivery is the ability to deliver high concentrations of the therapeutic agent directly to the tumor, often with minimal side effects. This article summarizes the use and efficacy of the various agents used in the past and present in the treatment of in-transit and satellite metastases in melanoma.
Rapid induction of a novel costimulatory activity on B cells by CD40 ligand

Abstract Background: T cells and B cells communicate by direct cell–cell interaction that is crucial to the functioning of the immune system. It is well established that the interaction between B-cell-expressed CD40 and T-cell-expressed CD40 ligand (CD40L) is critical for T-cell-dependent antibody responses, but the role of this interaction in T-cell responses is less clear. In this study, we have used mice with targeted mutations in the genes encoding CD40L or CD28 to investigate how the CD40–CD40L interaction induces on B cells a costimulatory activity that acts in addition to antigen to trigger T-cell growth. Results We show that T cells from CD40L-deficient mice induce a substantially reduced costimulatory activity on B cells compared to wild-type T cells, particularly at early time points. Surprisingly, T cells from CD40L-deficient mice induce similar levels of B7-1 and B7-2 as do wild-type T cells. We further show that the CD40L-mediated induction of costimulatory activity precedes the induction of B7-1, B7-2 and the heat-stable antigen (HSA). CD4 T cells isolated from the CD28-deficient mice can receive costimulatory activity from CD40L-induced B cells, demonstrating that the induced molecules can costimulate T cells by a CD28-independent mechanism. We have generated a novel monoclonal antibody that inhibits the CD40L-induced costimulatory activity. Expression of the epitope detected by this monoclonal antibody correlates with the induction of the costimulatory activity, and the molecule recognized by the monoclonal antibody is a single chain of around 85 kDa, distinct from B7-1, B7-2, ICAM-1, ICAM-2, ICAM-3, HSA, CD5, integrin and 4-1BB ligand. Conclusion Our results demonstrate that CD40L is both necessary and sufficient for rapid, T-cell-mediated induction of costimulatory activity on B cells. This costimulatory activity is distinct from B7-1 and B7-2, and is independent of CD28.
Bottom electrodes for integrated Pb(Zr, Ti)O3 films

Lower electrodes for Pb(Zr, Ti)O3 (PZT) used in ferroelectric random access memories must have good electrical conductivity and must interact as little as possible with the PZT film. We have evaluated a number of bottom electrodes for use with PZT films deposited by ion beam sputter deposition These electrodes include Pt, Pt/Ti, RuO2, ReO3, and CoSi23N4, all on SiO2/Si; and TiN and Pt on MgO. Films were studied by XTEM, Auger depth profiling, X-ray microanalysis, and XRD. Important issues for platinum include: a) microstructure (porous for magnetron sputtered Pt); b) rapid lead diffusion through porous Pt; c) adhesion (improved by raising deposition temperature or by adding a titanium layer); and d) hillock formation (related to compressive stress in platinum). RuO2 has good conductivity and has no apparent interfacial layer with PZT. Each of the remaining substrates has drawbacks: CoSi2 forms a surface oxide; ReO3 has poor phase stability; TiN oxidizes and loses conductivity.
Covalent immobilization of Porcine pancreatic lipase on amorphous AlPO4 and other inorganic supports

Porcine pancreatic lipase (PPL) was covalently immobilized through the formation of an aromatic Schiff's-base obtained by reaction of the e-amino group of lysine residues in the enzyme and the aromatic aldehyde function of activated supports. The enzymatic activities of different immobilized PPL systems on amorphous AlPO4 and several inorganic supports at different pH values and temperatures were determined by hydrolysis of ethyl acetate. The nature of the support material critically affects the efficiency of enzyme immobilization as well as enzyme stability. All the supports examined, with the exceptions of cellulose and natural sepiolite, exhibited good properties for enzyme attachment. AlPO4 was the best support for enzyme immobilization, giving the highest percentage binding of enzyme (90%) and the highest retention of enzyme activity after immobilization (92·8%). © 1998 SCI
The influence of the organization on clinical practice

Almost all, if not all clinical decisions represent agency policy and organizational imperatives in action. The organization influences and shapes services, problem definition, assessment and intervention, and “careers’ of clients. This paper explores ideas about the organizational context of practice, organizational problems and related issues, and offers suggestions for increasing the clinician's influence and effectiveness.
On the construction of orthogonal F-squares of order n from an orthogonal array (n, k, s, 2) and an OL(s, t) set

Abstract Complete sets of orthogonal F-squares of order n = sp, where g is a prime or prime power and p is a positive integer have been constructed by Hedayat, Raghavarao, and Seiden (1975). Federer (1977) has constructed complete sets of orthogonal F-squares of order n = 4t, where t is a positive integer. We give a general procedure for constructing orthogonal F-squares of order n from an orthogonal array (n, k, s, 2) and an OL(s, t) set, where n is not necessarily a prime or prime power. In particular, we show how to construct sets of orthogonal F-squares of order n = 2sp, where s is a prime or prime power and p is a positive integer. These sets are shown to be near complete and approach complete sets as s and/or p become large. We have also shown how to construct orthogonal arrays by these methods. In addition, the best upper bound on the number t of orthogonal F(n, λ1), F(n, λ2), …, F(n, λ1) squares is given.
Understanding decimal proportions: discrete representations, parallel access, and privileged processing of zero.

Abstract Much of the research on mathematical cognition has focused on the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, with considerably less attention paid to more abstract number classes. The current research investigated how people understand decimal proportions – rational numbers between 0 and 1 expressed in the place-value symbol system. The results demonstrate that proportions are represented as discrete structures and processed in parallel. There was a semantic interference effect : When understanding a proportion expression (e.g., “0.29”), both the correct proportion referent (e.g., 0.29 ) and the incorrect natural number referent (e.g., 29 ) corresponding to the visually similar natural number expression (e.g., “29”) are accessed in parallel, and when these referents lead to conflicting judgments, performance slows. There was also a syntactic interference effect , generalizing the unit-decade compatibility effect for natural numbers: When comparing two proportions, their tenths and hundredths components are processed in parallel, and when the different components lead to conflicting judgments, performance slows. The results also reveal that zero decimals – proportions ending in zero – serve multiple cognitive functions, including eliminating semantic interference and speeding processing. The current research also extends the distance, semantic congruence, and SNARC effects from natural numbers to decimal proportions. These findings inform how people understand the place-value symbol system, and the mental implementation of mathematical symbol systems more generally.
How do the sexual behaviors of foreign-born Hispanic men who have sex with men differ by relationship status?

High-risk sexual behaviors may result in acquisition of sexually transmitted infections including HIV. Hispanic men who have sex with men (MSM) experience a disproportionate incidence of these infe...
High-fidelity photon-number-resolution using multi-element superconducting nanowire single photon detectors

Achieving photon-number-resolution using superconducting nanowire single photon detectors (SNSPDs) can enable high-speed source characterization and high-rate conditional state preparation. We report improved fidelity photon-number-resolution using high system-detection-efficiency four-element SNSPDs.