cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Why Reevaluate Dry Period Length

Abstract Possible advantages of reducing length of dry period include increased income from milk production, simplified dry cow management, decreased metabolic disorders, and alleviation of overcrowded dry cow facilities. There is abundant data to support a 60-d dry period to maximize milk yield the next lactation. The great majority of data is from studies using farm records (e.g., DHI data). In these data sets, cows with less than 6- to 8-wk dry periods probably were not intended to have short dry periods and consequently were not managed for short dry periods. Additionally, recommendations from observational data may be biased due to interactions, e.g., between milk yield and length of dry period. Some experiments specifically designed to compare 30- and 60-d dry periods indicate that shorter dry periods are possible without sacrificing milk production the next lactation. There is a paucity of data to determine the effects of shortening the dry period on milk composition, metabolic disorders, and reproductive performance. The limited amount of information that is available indicates that shortening the dry period will probably not have negative effects on these parameters and may have slight beneficial effects. In some cases, the beneficial effects may have resulted, in part, due to negative effects on milk production. Cows with longer calving intervals and older cows may be more likely to avoid negative effects of shortening dry periods on subsequent milk yield. Shortening the dry period by initiating milking after a dry period but prior to parturition does not increase milk yield or improve animal health sufficiently to warrant consideration. Several studies indicated complete elimination of the dry period results in a 20 to 25% decrease in milk yield the following lactation. However, these studies have utilized low cow numbers and cows with extremely low milk production. As milk yield and persistency of lactation increases, either through genetic selection or administration of exogenous agents such as bST, the likelihood of successfully shortening or eliminating the dry period should increase. Future studies to increase our knowledge of factors affecting mammary epithelial cell proliferation and apoptosis should yield strategies to reduce the length or completely eliminate the dry period.
Bowel Interposition for Esophageal Replacement: Twenty-Five–Year Experience

Background. From 1972 to 1996, bowel interposition reconstruction after esophagectomy for benign and malignant conditions was performed in 129 of 131 patients. The indication for operation was benign disease in 94 patients (72.9%) and malignant disease in 35 patients (27.1%). Benign stricture was the most common presentation in the benign group (41 patients), and adenocarcinoma was the most common indication in the malignant group (19 patients). Methods. One hundred thirty-three conduits were performed in the 129 patients. Four patients (3.1%) required reoperative reconstruction. Of the 97 conduits employed for reconstruction of benign disease, the right colon was used in 70 patients, the left colon in 9 patients, and the transverse colon in 4 patients. A jejunal interposition graft was employed in 11 patients and a free jejunal autograft in 3 patients. The right colon was used in 15 patients with malignant disease, the left colon in 9 patients, and the jejunum in 12 patients. Results. The mean age of the population was 54.5 years (range, 14 to 72 years) with a male-to-female ratio of 1.3:1. The average number of prior thoracic or abdominal procedures was 2.9 (range, 1 to 8) with 50.9% of patients undergoing reoperation. The mean length of stay was 21.7 days (range, 8 to 290 days). Complications occurred in 37.1% of patients with anastomotic leak occurring in 14.8% and ischemic colitis in 3.0% of conduits performed. The in-hospital mortality was 5.9%. Conclusions. Bowel interposition reconstruction after esophagectomy for benign and malignant disease can be performed with an acceptable morbidity and mortality, despite prior operative procedures in the abdomen or chest. Colonic and jejunal conduits, employed alone or in combination, can effectively restore gastrointestinal continuity.
Estrogen-induced genes in the uterus of ovariectomized rats and their regulation by droloxifene and tamoxifen

The identification and characterization of estrogen regulated genes in reproductive tissues is an important step in understanding estrogen's mechanism of action in sexual development and neoplasia. It is also important, given the clinical interest, to evaluate the molecular effects of estrogen agonists/antagonists such as tamoxifen and droloxifene in reproductive tissues. In this report, our goal was to identify estrogen regulated genes in the uterus and to compare the regulation by estrogen and tamoxifen with that of droloxifene. A subtractive cDNA library strategy was developed to identify estrogen-regulated genes in the uteri of ovariectomized rats 4 h after treatment with 17-alpha-ethynyl estradiol (30 microg/kg). The mRNAs encoding 8 genes were confirmed by Northern blot analysis to be induced at early times following estrogen administration. Calcium binding protein 9 kDa and complement protein 3 are well characterized estrogen regulated genes that were identified in the library and served as markers for estrogen action. In addition, mRNAs encoding the interleukin 4 receptor, heat-shock protein 70 kDa, metallothionein, tumor necrosis factor regulated gene 6, inositol-1-monophosphate synthase, and cyr-61 were induced in the uterus by estrogen. The identified mRNAs were then examined for regulation by droloxifene (1 and 10 mg/kg, p.o.) and tamoxifen (10 mg/kg, p.o.). Both droloxifene and tamoxifen induced mRNA levels for all of these genes. However, clear quantitative and temporal differences were observed when comparing estrogen versus droloxifene versus tamoxifen. For example, estrogen induced IL4 receptor mRNA to a greater degree than did tamoxifen or droloxifene. Conversely, tamoxifen resulted in a much greater induction of cyr61 than did either estrogen or droloxifene. Droloxifene at 1 mg/kg, an efficacious dose for prevention of bone loss in this model, did not or only slightly induced the mRNA for all of the genes examined with the exception of cyr61. In conclusion, the modified subtractive library method used in this study proved to be efficient in the identification of estrogen-regulated genes in the uterus. The identities of the regulated genes were consistent with the concept that estrogen functions to prime uterine tissue for increased responsivity to extracellular signals such as growth factors and cytokines. Elucidating the physiological role of these newly identified estrogen responsive genes and the mechanisms responsible for the different responses to droloxifene versus estrogen and tamoxifen may be important in enhancing our understanding of tissue selective estrogen agonists/antagonists.
GENETIC MUTATIONS AS A CAUSE OF HYPERINSULINEMIC HYPOGLYCEMIA IN CHILDREN

Hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia in children is associated with unregulated secretion of insulin and hypoglycemia, a condition that is now known to be genetically diverse. This article reviews recent progress that has elucidated several beta-cell molecular defects responsible for the pathogenesis of this disorder.
Hospital-level factors associated with report of physical activity in patients on mechanical ventilation across Washington State.

Rationale: Use of physical and/or occupational therapy in the intensive care unit (ICU) is safe, feasible, and demonstrates improvements in functional status with early administration. Access to physical and/or occupational therapy in the ICU is variable, with little known regarding its use in community ICUs.Objectives: Determine what proportion of hospitals across Washington State report use of physical activity in mechanically ventilated patients and investigate process of care factors associated with reported activity delivery.Methods: Cross-sectional telephone interview survey study of nurse managers in hospitals caring for patients on mechanical ventilation across Washington State in 2013. Survey responses were linked with hospital-level data available in the Washington State Department of Health Comprehensive Hospital Abstract Reporting System database. Chi-square testing was used to explore unadjusted associations between potential process of care factors and report on activity delivery. Two multiv...
Alleviating women’s mathematics stereotype threat through salience of group achievements

Abstract Stereotype threat impairs performance in situations where a stereotype holds that one’s group will perform poorly. Two experiments investigated whether reminding women of other women’s achievements might alleviate women’s mathematics stereotype threat. In Experiment 1, college women performed significantly better on a difficult mathematics test when they were first told that women in general make better participants than men in psychology experiments. In Experiment 2, college women performed significantly better on a difficult mathematics test when they first read about four individual women who had succeeded in architecture, law, medicine, and invention. The results are seen as having implications for theories of stereotype threat, self-evaluation, and performance expectations.
X-ray topography for fractography of single-crystal components

X-ray diffraction topography is a new tool that may help fractographic analysis of single-crystal structural materials. It is sensitive to local strain and/or crystallographic orientation and provides a unique view of single-crystal samples both before and after fracture. It can find strength-and performance-limiting surface and subsurface flaws that are undetectable by other methods or are detectable only with great difficulty and provides a complementary view of the fracture surface. The attributes of synchrotron-based X-ray topography as applied to fractography are described and illustrated with examples from recent experiments on sapphire.
Constrained nonzero-sum games with partially controllable strategies

The present paper deals with a class of nonzero-sum, two-person games with finite strategies when there are constraints on the strategies selected by the players. The constraints arise due to the subjective difficulty that each player often has in assigning to the states probabilities with which he is completely satisfied, and the model specifies how much each player must perturb his initial probability estimate in order to change his maximum utility alternative from the alternative originally best under the initial estimate. It is shown that the Nash-equilibrium solution of this class of nonzero-sum games can be characterized by an equivalent nonlinear program which leads in some cases to a pair of complementary eigenvalue problems. Applications to normal or approximate solutions of linear programming problems are also indicated.
Inflationary effects of changes in effective exchange rates: LDCs experience

The inflationary effects of devaluations in less developed countries is investigated. Using rate of change of effective exchange rates, it is shown that, for most countries in the sample, devaluations or depreciations are inflationary during the current floating exchange rate system. In addition to inflationary effects of depreciations, excees money supply, imported inflation, and expectation are also identified as additional sources of inflation in less developed countries.
INTERACTIONS OF VITAMIN E AND SELENIUM WITH MERCURY AND SILVER

It is well established that the toxicity of silver and methylmercury is suppressed by the presence of low levels of vitamin E or selenium in the diet, but little is known of the mechanisms involved. Silver induces a conditioned deficiency of selenium in rats, as shown by its effects on tissue levels of selenium and glutathione peroxidase (a selenoprotein), but methylmercury does not. Supplements of selenium do not decrease mercury levels in tissues of animals given methylmercury, and animals given selenium plus methylmercury may accumulate high levels of mercury without signs of toxicity. Although an equimolar accumulation of selenium and mercury in tissues sometimes occurs and could lead to mutual detoxification, such a coaccumulation is not always linked to protection. The only known functions of vitamin E and selenium are related to the prevention of oxidative damage. It is possible that their protective effects against heavy metals may involve such functions, thus accounting for the protection afforded by low levels of the nutrients against high levels of the metal toxicants.
Las1L Is a Nucleolar Protein Required for Cell Proliferation and Ribosome Biogenesis

Ribosome biogenesis is a highly regulated process ensuring that cell growth (increase in biomass) is coordinated with cell proliferation. The formation of eukaryotic ribosomes is a multistep process initiated by the transcription and processing of rRNA in the nucleolus. Concomitant with this, several preribosomal particles, which transiently associate with numerous nonribosomal factors before mature 60S and 40S subunits are formed and exported in the cytoplasm, are generated. Here we identify Las1L as a previously uncharacterized nucleolar protein required for ribosome biogenesis. Depletion of Las1L causes inhibition of cell proliferation characterized by a G1 arrest dependent on the tumor suppressor p53. Moreover, we demonstrate that Las1L is crucial for ribosome biogenesis and that depletion of Las1L leads to inhibition of rRNA processing and failure to synthesize the mature 28S rRNA. Taken together, our data demonstrate that Las1L is essential for cell proliferation and biogenesis of the 60S ribosomal subunit.
Mismatch Repair during Homologous and Homeologous Recombination

Homologous recombination (HR) and mismatch repair (MMR) are inextricably linked. HR pairs homologous chromosomes before meiosis I and is ultimately responsible for generating genetic diversity during sexual reproduction. HR is initiated in meiosis by numerous programmed DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs; several hundred in mammals). A characteristic feature of HR is the exchange of DNA strands, which results in the formation of heteroduplex DNA. Mismatched nucleotides arise in heteroduplex DNA because the participating parental chromosomes contain nonidentical sequences. These mismatched nucleotides may be processed by MMR, resulting in nonreciprocal exchange of genetic information (gene conversion). MMR and HR also play prominent roles in mitotic cells during genome duplication; MMR rectifies polymerase misincorporation errors, whereas HR contributes to replication fork maintenance, as well as the repair of spontaneous DSBs and genotoxic lesions that affect both DNA strands. MMR suppresses HR when the heteroduplex DNA contains excessive mismatched nucleotides, termed homeologous recombination. The regulation of homeologous recombination by MMR ensures the accuracy of DSB repair and significantly contributes to species barriers during sexual reproduction. This review discusses the history, genetics, biochemistry, biophysics, and the current state of studies on the role of MMR in homologous and homeologous recombination from bacteria to humans.
Experimental Study of Thermal Performance of Nanofluids During Flow in Microchannels Using Surface Temperature-Nano-Sensors

The thermal performance of nanofluids in microchannel of rectangular cross-section was experimentally investigated in this study. In the previous studies, a threshold nanoparticle concentration exists where the critical concentration separates the heat transfer performance of the nanofluid during a flow through microchannels. Thus, the emphasis of our study is to find the optimum concentration value of nanoparticles for enhancing the forced convective heat transfer coefficients. In this study, thin-film thermocouple array (TFTA) of K-Type (Chromel/ Alumel) was employed to measure the temperature profile on the heated surface in the microchannel (while the top and wall was sufficiently insulated). The TFTA deposited on a silicon wafer is bonded with a polymer substrate containing the molded microchannel. The microchannel was made using the Poly Di-Methyl Siloxane (PDMS). The mold for the microchannel in order to cure the PDMS onto it was fabricated using soft-lithography technique on an atomically stable silicon substrate. To assess the thermal performance of nanofluids in micro-channels, the temperature profiles in the heated bottom wall of the micro-channel was monitored using the TFTA which was then used to estimate the wall heat flux values. The concentration and size of the silica nanoparticles in the aqueous nanofluids are parametrically varied in this study (e.g. at weight concentrations of 0.5%, 0.1% and 0.2%). These parametric experiments were performed by varying the wall temperatures (e.g. 30, 50 and 70 °C) and flow rates (e.g. 5, 7 and 9 μl/min).Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Role of oxido incorporation and ligand lability in expanding redox accessibility of structurally related Mn4 clusters

Photosystem II supports four manganese centers through nine oxidation states from manganese(II) during assembly through to the most oxidized state before O2 formation and release. The protein-based carboxylate and imidazole ligands allow for significant changes of the coordination environment during the incorporation of hydroxido and oxido ligands upon oxidation of the metal centers. We report the synthesis and characterization of a series of tetramanganese complexes in four of the six oxidation states from MnII3MnIII to MnIII2MnIV2 with the same ligand framework (L) by incorporating four oxido ligands. A 1,3,5-triarylbenzene framework appended with six pyridyl and three alkoxy groups was utilized along with three acetate anions to access tetramanganese complexes, Mn4Ox, with x = 1, 2, 3, and 4. Alongside two previously reported complexes, four new clusters in various states were isolated and characterized by crystallography, and four were observed electrochemically, thus accessing the eight oxidation states from MnII4 to MnIIIMnIV3. This structurally related series of compounds was characterized by EXAFS, XANES, EPR, magnetism, and cyclic voltammetry. Similar to the ligands in the active site of the protein, the ancillary ligand (L) is preserved throughout the series and changes its binding mode between the low and high oxido-content clusters. Implications for the rational assembly and properties of high oxidation state metal–oxido clusters are presented.
Glycemic Treatment: Control of glycemia

This is the first of three articles dealing with the International Diabetes Federation meeting, which was held in Paris, 24–29 August 2003. Michael Stumvoll (Tubigen, Germany) gave the Minkowski lecture, discussing aspects of the control of glycemia, illustrating the “hyperbolic law of glucose control,” depicting the inverse relationship between insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity. If one adds the 2-h glucose in a three-dimensional plot, however, as insulin resistance worsens there is a progressive increase in the 2-h glucose, so that one cannot consider insulin secretion to perfectly balance the degree of insulin resistance (1). Stumvoll gave an overview of the fascinating science involved in understanding glycemia, describing the products of six genes involved in glucose homeostasis. Adiponectin is a protein released by fat cells to an extent inversely related to total body fat mass. Treatment of insulin-resistant diabetic mice with adiponectin decreases glucose levels, and in humans there is an inverse relationship between the degree of insulin resistance and the adiponectin level. Stearoyl-CoA desaturase regulates tissue lipid synthesis and is involved in the metabolism of stearate to oleate. In liver, inhibition of this enzyme prevents hepatic steatosis in leptin-deficient animals, and the oleate-to-stearate ratio on liver biopsy is inversely related to the insulin sensitivity. The insulin receptor (IR) substrate (IRS)1 modulates insulin secretion, with β-cell overexpression of normal IRS1 increasing insulin secretion, whereas overexpression of an abnormal IRS1 decreases insulin secretion by these cells. In humans, those with the Gly972Arg IRS1 polymorphism have shown a decrease in both the first- and second-phase insulin secretory response to intravenous glucose (2). CEACAM1 (CEA-related cell adhesion molecule 1) regulates a pathway responsible for IR internalization, and abnormality causes diabetes. CEACAM1 causes receptor-mediated hepatic insulin endocytosis and degradation in a phosphorylation-dependent manner (3). The liver clears approximately half of the insulin molecules …
Making sense of scoring systems in community acquired pneumonia

The site of care decision is one of the most important in the management of patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Several scoring systems have been developed to predict mortality risk in CAP, and these have been applied to guide physicians about whether patients should be admitted to the hospital or to the intensive care unit (ICU). However, these tools were initially developed to predict mortality risk, and studies have demonstrated that the risk for death does not always equate with need for hospitalization or ICU care. The most widely studied scoring systems are the Pneumonia Severity Index (PSI) and the CURB-65 (a modification of the British Thoracic Society rule). Each has advantages and limitations, with the more-complex PSI developed to identify low-mortality risk patients, and the CURB-65, which is simpler, being developed to easily identify more severely ill individuals. No scoring system can replace clinical judgement about the admission decision, and prospective studies have shown that physicians still admit at least 30-60% of low mortality risk patients when using the PSI to guide this decision. Limitations of these prognostic tools include their variable utility in the elderly, and their failure to include certain comorbidities (COPD, immune suppression) and social factors, in their calculations. The need for ICU care is also not well-defined by measuring the PSI or CURB-65, and other tools such as those developed by the Infectious Diseases Society of America/American Thoracic Society (IDSA/ATS) guideline committee and the SMART-COP rule may have greater utility for this purpose. In the future, measurements of serum biomarkers, such as procalcitonin, may augment the information provided by prognostic scoring tools for patients with CAP.
Lentivirus restriction by diverse primate APOBEC3A proteins.

Abstract Rhesus macaque APOBEC3A (rhA3A) is capable of restricting both simian–human immunodeficiency virus (SHIVΔ vif ) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1Δ vif ) to a greater extent than hA3A. We constructed chimeric A3A proteins to define the domains required for differential lentivirus restriction. Substitution of amino acids 25–33 from rhA3A into hA3A was sufficient to restrict HIVΔ vif to levels similar to rhA3A restriction of SHIVΔ vif . We tested if differential lentivirus restriction is conserved between A3A from Old World monkey and hominid lineages. A3A from African green monkey restricted SHIVΔ vif but not HIV-1Δ vif and colobus monkey A3A restricted both wild type and SHIVΔ vif and HIV-1Δ vif . In contrast, the gibbon ape A3A restricted neither SHIVΔ vif nor HIV-1Δ vif . Restriction of SHIVΔ vif and HIV-1Δ vif by New World monkey A3A proteins was not conserved as the A3A from the squirrel monkey but not the northern owl monkey restricted SHIVΔ vif . Finally, the colobus A3A protein appears to restrict by a novel post-entry mechanism.
Getting answers to natural language questions on the Web

Most popular search engines are not designed for answering natural language questions. However, when we asked hundreds of natural language questions of nine leading search engines, all retrieved at least one correct answer on more than three-quarters of the questions. We identified the best-performing search engines overall for factual natural language questions. We found performance differences depending on the domain of factual question asked. Other aspects of questions also predicted significantly different performance: the number of words in the question, the presence of a proper noun, and whether the question is time dependent. An additional analysis tested for differential performance by specific search engines on these four question factors. The analysis found no evidence for such interactions.
Palmoplantar psoriasis: A phenotypical and clinical review with introduction of a new quality-of-life assessment tool

Background Palmoplantar psoriasis is associated with significant quality-of-life issues. Its epidemiology and phenotypical expression remain ill defined. Objective We reviewed the literature and our clinical experience and developed a new quality-of-life assessment tool. Methods We conducted a retrospective review of 150 patients with palmoplantar psoriasis. Results In all, 78 (52%) patients displayed predominantly hyperkeratotic palmoplantar lesions, 24 (16%) pustular, 18 (12%) combination, and 30 (20%) had an indeterminate phenotype. In 27 (18%) patients, lesions were confined to the palms and soles. A new quality-of-life index was constructed to characterize disease severity. In all, 27 (18%) had mild, 72 (48%) moderate, and 51 (34%) severe disease involvement. Palmoplantar disease severity appeared independent from the degree of body surface area involvement. Limitations This was a retrospective review. The quality-of-life index remains to be statistically verified in prospective clinical studies. Conclusion Defining morphologic subtypes together with the use of a specific quality-of-life assessment tool in patients with palmoplantar psoriasis will improve our understanding and treatment of this recalcitrant form of psoriasis.
The personal is empirical: Feminism, research methods, and criminal justice education

Feminist scholars in criminal justice and other social science disciplines have been critical of conventional or “malestream” theories and methods, and have suggested alternative methods for producing knowledge. This paper examines some themes that have emerged in feminist discussions of research methodology and shows how these ideas might be integrated into criminal justice education. The first part of the paper explains why feminists have become interested in research methodology, and reviews some of the central themes that have been developed: 1) definition of the research question, 2) the research process, 3) the research subject, and 4) issues of action and ethics. The second part of the paper suggests ways in which these themes have implications for the process and the content of criminal justice education.
Abstract 390: Correlation of the effects of antiangiogenic agents aflibercept (VEGF Trap) and anti-Dll4 antibody on tumor vascular perfusion and tumor growth

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Anti-angiogenic treatments are becoming widely used in several major cancer types. Most experimental and clinical development to date has focused on the VEGF pathway, although other signaling pathways, including Dll4-Notch, are also now being explored. However, clinical development for anti-angiogenic therapy has been hindered by a lack of tumor response biomarkers. In this study, we sought to correlate long-term tumor growth responses following blockade of VEGF or Dll4 with rapid effects on tumor vascular perfusion. Using VEGF Trap (aflibercept) and a blocking Dll4 antibody, we compared two tumors that differ widely in their long-term growth responses to each agent: C6 rat glioma tumors (anti-Dll4 resistant, aflibercept sensitive) and HT1080 human fibrosarcoma (anti-Dll4 sensitive, aflibercept resistant), both grown subcutaneously in SCID/CB17 mice. Tumor vascular perfusion was assessed using contrast-enhanced micro-ultrasound at 24 hr after treatment with aflibercept, anti-Dll4 Ab, or the combination, and tumor growth was measured during the course of prolonged twice-weekly treatments. We found that aflibercept treatment rapidly decreased tumor vascular perfusion in C6 tumors (36%) and produced an extended delay in tumor growth (8 days to reach 500mm3). In contrast, anti-Dll4 antibody produced no significant decrease in perfusion of C6 tumors at 24 hr after treatment, and a less dramatic delay in tumor growth (5 days to reach 500mm3). In HT1080 tumors, anti-Dll4 Ab dramatically decreased perfusion (38%), as well as causing a prolonged growth delay (20 days to reach 300mm3), whereas aflibercept caused neither a decrease in perfusion nor growth in these tumors. Unexpectedly, combination treatment with aflibercept and anti-Dll4 was most potent in both tumor types at reducing tumor perfusion and inhibiting tumor growth. Analysis of vascular density by CD31 immunohistochemistry at 24 hr after treatment revealed a decrease in C6 (57% and 31%) and HT1080 (28% and 19%) upon single agent aflibercept and combination treatment, respectively, while anti-Dll4 increased apparent vascular density of C6 tumors (31%) but produced no change in HT1080 tumors. Taken together, these data show that changes in tumor perfusion, but not in vessel density, correlate with long-term tumor responses to aflibercept and anti-Dll4, thus suggesting that decreases in tumor perfusion could be a rapid response biomarker for efficacy of anti-angiogenic therapies. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 390.
Abstract for “let it bleed,” the music in Goodfellas

(1991). Abstract for “let it bleed,” the music in Goodfellas. Popular Music and Society: Vol. 15, No. 3, pp. 131-136.
The adhesive binding site of cadherins revisited.

Abstract Cadherins are single-pass transmembrane proteins that, through their homophilic specificity, function in selective cell adhesion and sorting. They have a modular structure that includes an ectodomain composed of tandem ‘cadherin domains,’ which have a β-sandwich topology similar to that of immunoglobulin domains. Some early experiments suggest that, for the ‘classical’ cadherins, the adhesive specificity is encoded in the membrane-distal amino-terminal cadherin domain. Here, we review these data, and present new data that supports this idea.
Psychological Aspects of Chemical Defense and Warfare

Concerns about chemical, biological, or radiation (CBR) weapons and their potential for warfare can be very stressful. Such concerns subject people to unfamiliar threats in highly ambiguous situati...
Exact and hybrid-element solutions for the vibration of a thin elastic structure seated on the sea floor

Abstract Exact analytical solutions are derived for simple elastic structures vibrating in water. Linear acoustic and beam theories are used to treat several cases some of which have been studied by more approximate methods before. A hybrid element method which is based on a localized variational principle is demonstrated numerically for a beam-dam; its theoretical bases is then generalized for arbitrary two-dimensional elastic structure. Foundation compliance is not included.
Regulation of the skeletal sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca 2+ -ATPase by phospholamban and negatively charged phospholipids in reconstituted phospholipid vesicles

The Ca2+-ATPase of skeletal sarcoplasmic reticulum was purified and reconstituted in proteoliposomes containing phosphatidylcholine (PC). When reconstitution occurred in the presence of PC and the acidic phospholipids, phosphatidylserine (PS) or phosphatidylinositol phosphate (PIP), the Ca2+-uptake and Ca2+-ATPase activities were significantly increased (2–3 fold). The highest activation was obtained at a 50:50 molar ratio of PSYC and at a 10:90 molar ratio of PIP:PC. The skeletal SR Ca2+-ATPase, reconstituted into either PC or PC:PS proteoliposomes, was also found to be regulated by exogenous phospholamban (PLB), which is a regulatory protein specific for cardiac, slow-twitch skeletal, and smooth muscles. Inclusion of PLB into the proteoliposomes was associated with significant inhibition of the initial rates of Ca2+-uptake, while phosphorylation of PLB by the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase reversed the inhibitory effects. The effects of PLB on the reconstituted Ca2+-ATPase were similar in either PC or PC: PS proteoliposomes, indicating that inclusion of negatively charged phospholipid may not affect the interaction of PLB with the skeletal SR Ca2+-ATPase. Regulation of the Ca2+-ATPase appeared to involve binding with the hydrophilic portion of phospholamban, as evidenced by crosslinking experiments, using a synthetic peptide which corresponded to amino acids 1–25 of phospholamban. These findings suggest that the fast-twitch isoform of the SR Ca2+-ATPase may be also regulated by phospholamban although this regulator is not expressed in fast-twitch skeletal muscles.
Vibrationally assisted tunnelling (VAT) in a 1,5 hydrogen shift?

Vibrationally assisted tunnelling (VAT), kinetic isotope effect, and MINDO/3 calculations are reported for the 1,5 hydrogen migration of penta-1,3-diene; from these calculations it is demonstrated that tunnelling affects the kinetic isotope effect of this rearrangement and that the 1,5 shift should proceed via VAT almost exclusively at 498 K.
Adapting control policies for expensive systems to changing environments

Many controlled systems must operate over a range of external conditions. In this paper, we focus on the problem of learning a policy to adapt a system's controller based on the value of these external conditions in order to always perform well (i.e., maximize system output). In addition, we are concerned with systems for which it is expensive to run experiments, and therefore restrict the number that can be run during training. We formally define the problem setup and the notion of an optimal control policy. We propose two algorithms which aim to find such a policy while minimizing the number of system output evaluations. We present results comparing these algorithms and various other approaches and discuss the inherent tradeoffs in the proposed algorithms. Finally, we use these methods to train both simulated and physical snake robots to automatically adapt to changing terrain, and demonstrate improved performance on test courses with changing environments.
Effects of underwater turbulence on laser beam propagation and coupling into single-mode optical fiber

We characterize and compare the effects of turbulence on underwater laser propagation with theory. Measurements of the coupling efficiency of the focused beam into a single-mode fiber are reported. A simple tip-tilt control system, based on the position of the image centroid in the focal plane, was shown to maintain good coupling efficiency for a beam radius equal to the transverse coherence length, r(0). These results are relevant to high bandwidth communication technology that requires good spatial mode quality.
Integrin α3β1–dependent β-catenin phosphorylation links epithelial Smad signaling to cell contacts

Injury-initiated epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) depends on contextual signals from the extracellular matrix, suggesting a role for integrin signaling. Primary epithelial cells deficient in their prominent laminin receptor, alpha3beta1, were found to have a markedly blunted EMT response to TGF-beta1. A mechanism for this defect was explored in alpha3-null cells reconstituted with wild-type (wt) alpha3 or point mutants unable to engage laminin 5 (G163A) or epithelial cadherin (E-cadherin; H245A). After TGF-beta1 stimulation, wt epithelial cells but not cells expressing the H245A mutant internalize complexes of E-cadherin and TGF-beta1 receptors, generate phospho-Smad2 (p-Smad2)-pY654-beta-catenin complexes, and up-regulate mesenchymal target genes. Although Smad2 phosphorylation is normal, p-Smad2-pY654-beta-catenin complexes do not form in the absence of alpha3 or when alpha3beta1 is mainly engaged on laminin 5 or E-cadherin in adherens junctions, leading to attenuated EMT. These findings demonstrate that alpha3beta1 coordinates cross talk between beta-catenin and Smad signaling pathways as a function of extracellular contact cues and thereby regulates responses to TGF-beta1 activation.
Succinct representation of flexible and privacy-preserving access rights

We explore the problem of portable and flexible privacy preserving access rights that permit access to a large collection of digital goods. Privacy-preserving access control means that the service provider can neither learn what access rights a customer has nor link a request to access an item to a particular customer, thus maintaining privacy of both customer activity and customer access rights. Flexible access rights allow a customer to choose a subset of items or groups of items from the repository, obtain access to and be charged only for the items selected. And portability of access rights means that the rights themselves can be stored on small devices of limited storage space and computational capabilities such as smartcards or sensors, and therefore the rights must be enforced using the limited resources available. In this paper, we present and compare two schemes that address the problem of such access rights. We show that much can be achieved if one allows for even a negligible amount of false positives – items that were not requested by the customer, but inadvertently were included in the customer access right representation due to constrained space resources. But minimizing false positives is one of many other desiderata that include protection against sharing of false positives information by unscrupulous users, providing the users with transaction untraceability and unlinkability, and forward compatibility of the scheme. Our first scheme does not place any constraints on the amount of space available on the limited-capacity storage device, and searches for the best representation that meets the requirements. The second scheme, on the other hand, has (modest) requirements on the storage space available, but guarantees a low rate of false positives: with O(mc) storage space available on the smartcard (where m is the number of items or groups of items included in the subscription and c is a selectable parameter), it achieves a rate of false positives of m −c .
Solvent Effects on Fructose Dehydration to 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural in Biphasic Systems Saturated with Inorganic Salts

Furan derivatives, such as 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), obtained from acid-catalyzed dehydration of carbohydrates, can serve as renewable chemical platforms for the production of fuels and chemical intermediates. Addition of an inorganic salt to concentrated aqueous solutions of fructose (30 wt% fructose on salt free basis) in biphasic systems containing an organic extracting phase improves HMF yields by increasing the partitioning of HMF into the extracting phase, as measured by the partition coefficient, R, equal to the concentration of HMF in the organic phase normalized by the concentration in the aqueous phase. We have studied the impact of solvent choice on HMF yield using primary and secondary alcohols, ketones, and cyclic ethers in the C3–C6 range as extracting solvents in biphasic systems saturated with NaCl. Biphasic systems containing C4 solvents generated the highest HMF yields within each solvent class. Tetrahydrofuran demonstrated the best combination of high HMF selectivity (83%) and high extracting power (R = 7.1) at 423 K. The presence of NaCl provided the additional benefit of creating biphasic systems using solvents that are completely miscible with water in the absence of salt. We have also studied the impact of different salts on HMF yield in systems using 1-butanol as the extracting solvent. Na+ and K+ showed the best combination of extracting power and HMF selectivity of the monovalent and divalent chloride salts tested. Changing the anion of the salt from Cl− to Br− resulted in R-values and HMF selectivity values resembling the non-salt system, while changing to the SO42− divalent species generated a high R-value (8.1), but a low HMF selectivity value (71%).
Neural Networks In Dynamical Systems

Multilayer networks and recurrent neural networks have proved extremely successful in pattern recognition problems as well as in associative learning. In this paper an attempt is made to demonstrate that both types of networks, combined in arbitrary configurations, will find application in complex dynamical systems. Well known results in linear systems theory and their extensions to conventional adaptive control theory are used to suggest models for the identification and control of nonlinear dynamic systems. The use of neural networks in dynamical systems raises many theoretical questions, some of which are discussed in the paper.
The synthesis and antifungal evaluation of certain acetylenic compounds.

A number of 4-diethylamino-2-butynyl esters and 1,4-bis-N-substituted amino-2-butynes were prepared. The compounds, in the form of their hydrochloride and/or methiodide salts, were tested in vitro against three fungi causing dermatomycoses. Several compounds exhibited good activity in comparison to the control compound, sodium undecylenate. The most effective compound in this investigation was 4- diethylamino-2-butynyl o -toluate hydrochloride.
Cancer: the rise of the genetic paradigm

Peyton Rous opened his Nobel lecture of 1966 with the following passage: "Tumors destroy man in a unique and appalling way, as flesh of his own flesh which has somehow been rendered proliferative, rampant, predatory and ungovernable. [Tumors] are the most concrete and formidable of human maladies, yet despite more than 70 years of experimental study they remain the least understood . . . . What can be the why for these happenings?" We now believe that we know the "why for these happenings," and it takes a remarkable form. Two sorts of genes govern the proliferation of our cells: proto-oncogenes, which serve as accelerators to activate the genes of the cell; and tumor suppressor genes, which serve as brakes to retard the growth of cells. Jam an accelerator or remove a brake, and the cell may be unleashed to relentless proliferation. Starting with this simple image, we are now on the verge of a detailed portrait of cancer cells, of how they arise, of how they prosper, of what new might be done against them. My purpose here is to trace the historical roots of his image, to show how the intellectual edifice that now houses cancer research was constructed. My strategy will be to explore five major themes that have converged to give us that edifice. It is a story rich with humanity and with lessons on how science proceeds.
Synchronization of PCM Channels by the Method of Word Stuffing

The pulse stuffing technique for rate equalization of digital channels is extended in this article to the stuffing of a sequence of pulses (a word), which can be coded. The extra capacity needed for signaling the stuffed word decreases exponentially with the number of pulses in it, and may, in fact, be eliminated at a negligible increase in the error rate of the channel.
Unexpected properties of polymeric DNA-nanocomplexes synthesized in picoliter droplets

Nucleic acids have emerged as a promising class of drugs but require a safe and efficient delivery system to realize their full therapeutic potential. While non-viral vectors may be safer than viral vectors, the need to improve their delivery efficiencies has provided the impetus to control the structural and chemical properties of DNA nanocomplexes. We have previously shown uniform size distribution of gene-loaded nanocomplexes synthesized in picoliter droplets. This study demonstrated that these homogeneous nanocomplexes reduced cytotoxicity significantly while the therapeutic efficacy was not compromised, which will help pave the way of applying gene as a “drug”.
Development of a DC chopper fed by a resonant DC link

The paper presents the complete control circuit of a modified DC chopper operating from a resonant DC link. The use of a resonant link allows zero-voltage switching which helps to minimize the switching loss in the chopper. The control circuit employs discrete pulse-width modulation for varying the output of the chopper. The paper presents experimental waveforms obtained on the control circuit and power circuit. Frequency spectra of the load voltage and load current are also given.
Progressive proliferative and dysplastic typhlocolitis in aging syrian hamsters naturally infected with Helicobacter spp.: a spontaneous model of inflammatory bowel disease.

Helicobacter spp. have been implicated in a variety of gastrointestinal tract diseases, including peptic ulcer disease, gastric cancer, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), in humans and animals. Although most models of IBD are experimentally induced, spontaneous or natural models of IBD are rare. Herein, we describe a long-term study of chronic, progressive lesions that develop in the distal portion of the large bowel of unmanipulated Syrian hamsters naturally infected with Helicobacter spp. Twenty-four Syrian hamsters of three age groups (group A, 1 month (n 5 4), group B, 7-12 months (n 5 12), group C, 18-24 months (n 5 12)), underwent complete postmortem examination. Results of microbial isolation and polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism analyses confirmed the presence of Helicobacter spp. infection in the distal portion of the large bowel of all animals. Additionally, confounding pathogens, such as Clostridium difficile, Lawsonia intracellularis, and Giardia spp. that can cause proliferative enteritis, were absent in the hamsters of this study. Histopathologic scores for inflammation (P , 0.01), hyperplasia (P , 0.01), and dysplasia (P , 0.05) were significantly higher in the ileocecocolic (ICC) junction of animals in group C, relative to group A. Dysplastic lesions of various grades were detected in 5 of 11 hamsters in group C. Interestingly, the segment of the bowel that is usually colonized by Helicobacter spp. in hamsters had the most severe lesions. One hamster of group C developed a malignant fibrous histiocytoma, whereas another hamster developed a round cell sarcoma originating from the ICC junction. Thus, lesions in the distal portion of the large bowel of aging hamsters naturally colonized with Helicobacter spp. warrants developing the hamster as an animal model of IBD and potentially IBD-related cancer.
In Vivo Quantitative MR Imaging of Bound and Pore Water in Cortical Bone.

Our study demonstrates that quantitative MR imaging that is selective for bound or pore water of cortical bone can be practically performed in vivo, providing bound and pore water maps with standard errors of approximately 2 mol hydrogen 1 per liter of bone.
Application and evaluation of AL-X polymer dielectric for flip chip and wafer level package bumping

In this paper we present the results of a study done to compare and contrast BCB and ALX polymers in typical WLP structures fabricated at RTI. Based on initial studies of the materials vendor, Asahi Glass Corp, AGC, we have examined the processing parameter space of ALX-211, in order to develop scalable manufacturing processes for these films. We present process flow and photo property data on ALX-211, including spin speed curves and resolution plots. We also present data on the planarization capability of AL polymer, the adhesion of ALX-211 to metals and inorganic dielectric materials as evaluated using polymer bump shear structures. We have incorporated the ALX-211 polymer into a typical bump-on-polymer process flow, with eutectic Sn/Pb solder bumps, to compare its performance to that of BCB through solder bump shear testing.