cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Design, synthesis, and biological activities of classical N-[4-[2-(2-amino-4-ethylpyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidin-5-yl)ethyl]benzoyl]-l-glutamic acid and its 6-methyl derivative as potential dual inhibitors of thymidylate synthase and dihydrofolate reductase and as potential antitumor agents.

Two novel analogues, N-{2-amino-4-ethyl[(pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidin-5-yl)ethyl]benzoyl}-l-glutamic acid (2) and N-{2-amino-4-ethyl-6-methyl[(pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidin-5-yl)ethyl]benzoyl}-l-glutamic acid (4), were designed and synthesized as potent dual inhibitors of thymidylate synthase (TS) and dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) and as antitumor agents. Compound 2 had inhibitory potency against human DHFR similar to N-{4-[2-(amino-3,4-dihydro-4-oxo-7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidin-5-yl)ethyl]benzoyl}-L-glutamic acid (LY231514) and 1, whereas 4 was inactive against human DHFR. Both 2 and 4 were more potent than LY231514 against E. coli TS. Against human TS, 2 was 7-fold less potent than LY231514 and 4 showed similar inhibitory activity as LY231514. In contrast to 2, which was an efficient substrate of human folypolyglutamate synthetase (FPGS), 4 was a poor substrate of FPGS. Compound 2 showed GI50 values in the nanomolar range against more than 18 human tumor cell lines in the standard NCI preclinical in vitro screen.
Searching nonlinear functions for high values

Many complex systems of great interest-ecologies, economies, immune systems, etc.-can be described as adaptive nonlinear networks (ANNs), wherein the network specifies the allowed nonlinear interactions of a large number of components. With an appropriate representation, the adaptation of an ANN can be looked upon as a search in the space {;1,0};^k, using a progressively biased probability distribution, p(t). Samples of this space return a value that measures the current performance of the ANN. The corresponding function u:{;1,0};^k -> Reals is usually badly nonlinear with multitudes of local optima. The possibilities for biasing p(t), as information accumulates, are more readily seen if {;1,0};^k is treated as a k-dimensional space re-represented via a hyperplane transform. Sampling then supplies estimates of the expected value of u, under p(t), over hyperplanes of various dimensions. Though it is possible in principle, it is not feasible to calculate the estimated expectations for even a small proportion of the hyperplanes for which information is available. However, it can be proved that there is a class of procedures, called genetic algorithms, that rapidly bias p(t) to take advantage of large numbers of above-average hyperplanes. Several properties of genetic algorithms are discussed using this point of view.
Security studies for the next millennium: Quo vadis?

(1999). Security studies for the next millennium: Quo vadis? Contemporary Security Policy: Vol. 20, Critical Reflections on Security and Change, pp. 18-38.
Correlates of Peer Rejection among Children with Learning Disabilities

Academic, intellectual, and behavioral correlates of sociometric status among LD children were investigated. Results indicated that peer acceptance or rejection of LD students was unrelated to IQ or achievement scores. However, peer as well as teacher ratings of classroom behavior and social interactions were related to LD children's social status. Teachers rated rejected LD children as more inattentive and active. According to peer perception data, a wide range of acting-out and withdrawn behaviors were associated with rejection of LD classmates. The implications of these findings for interpreting previous research and for future studies in the area are discussed.
The limited role of corticosteroids in ameliorating experimental doxorubicin skin toxicity in the mouse

Local skin necrosis is a serious complication of doxorubicin (Adriamycin) infiltration in man. Intradermal (ID) doxorubicin injection was used in the mouse to create skin lesions, after wich a number of local corticosteroid interventions were studied. The most effective local antidote was low-dose (2.5 mg) hydrocortisone (HC), but only against the low-dose doxorubicin challege (0.05 mg). Other andidotes with lesser effectiveness included dexamethasone-sodium bicarbonate and an intermediate dose of HC (6.25 mg). Larger doses of ID HC did not prevent local doxorubicin toxicity and were inherently toxic to the skin. Systemic corticosteroids were similarly ineffective. The superiority of the low ID HC dose, the ineffectiveness of additions (sodium bicarbonate, topical HC cream), and the resistance of the high-dose doxorubicin ID challenge (0.5 mg) suggests a limited role for corticosteroids in the management of experimental doxorubicin skin toxicity.
Modeling of trace element fractionation during non-modal dynamic melting with linear variations in mineral/melt distribution coefficients

Abstract Recently significant advancement has been made in the modeling of trace element fractionation during dynamic melting. Some of the theoretical treatments that have contributed to the advancement took into account the variations in source mineral proportions, but all of them assumed constant mineral/melt distribution coefficients. This study introduces linear variations of mineral/melt distribution coefficients into the dynamic melting model. Analytical solutions are provided for this model with variations not only in source mineral proportions but also in mineral/melt distribution coefficients. Applications of these equations to mantle melting to incorporate variable clinopyroxene/melt distribution coefficients during initial stages of melting can reduce the required involvement of garnet for the generation of mid-ocean ridge basalts. The effects of variable mineral/melt distribution coefficients on trace element fractionation need to be carefully assessed in trace element studies of the petrogenesis of igneous rocks and their melt inclusions.
PSU Gateway Library: electronic library in transition

Developments in information technology have led to changes in the mode of delivery of library services, and in the perceptions of the role of librarians in the information‐seeking context. In particular, the proliferation of electronic resources has led to the emergence of new service paradigms and new roles for librarians. The Gateway Library at Penn State University (PSU) is an electronic library in transition, with new technology‐based services evolving to address the ever growing and changing needs of the academic community. It facilitates access to and navigation of electronic resources in an integrated technology environment.
Near molecular-scale growth of natural minerals: Experimental methods and errors in length-dependent step speeds with scanning probe microscopy

Abstract Experimental observation of step (i.e., a linear discontinuity in a surface) growth on calcium carbonate and barium sulfate surfaces was performed using in situ scanning probe microscopy (SPM) in aqueous solutions. Step speeds at very short step lengths (
An Instructional Development Model for Global Organizations: The GOaL model

While there is a great demand to share training programs globally, there are few methodologies to implement effective instructional development processes in multicultural organizations. Based on lessons learned from a Fortune 500 company, this article presents an instructional development model for global organizations. Three main gaps are identified in a practice of instructional design (ID) model for international settings: language, culture, and needs gaps at local sites. In order to solve these problems, the proposed model includes a decentralized process and collaborative efforts between the originating site and local sites. The virtues of the proposed model are just-in-time training, flexibility, and adequateness. The current situations in global organizations are ill-structured and require the sharing of multiple perspectives through collaboration in order to accomplish social consensus. The characteristics in the presently proposed model are that a) there is limited predetermined content, b) there is a sharing of multiple perspectives, c) there is needs negotiation, and d) learning is occurring within a context.
Vesicular Ca2+ Participates in the Catalysis of Exocytosis

Abstract Effects of vesicular monoamine transporter inhibitors on catecholamine release from bovine chromaffin cells have been examined at the level of individual exocytotic events. As expected for a depletion of vesicular stores, release evoked by depolarizing agents was decreased following 15-min incubations with reserpine and tetrabenazine, as evidenced by a decrease in exocytotic frequency and amount released per event. In contrast, two reserpine derivatives, methyl reserpate and reserpic acid, were much less effective. Surprisingly, the incubations also decreased the accompanying rise in intracellular Ca2+ evoked by depolarizing agents. Subcellular studies revealed that reserpine and tetrabenazine at concentrations near their K i values not only could increase cytoplasmic catecholamines but also could displace Ca2+ from vesicles. Furthermore, transient exposure to tetrabenazine and reserpine, but not methyl reserpate and reserpic acid, induced exocytotic release of catecholamines. Reserpine induced a rise in intracellular Ca2+, as detected by whole-cell measurements with Fura-2. It could induce exocytosis, albeit at a lower frequency, in Ca2+-free solutions, supporting an internal Ca2+ source. Depletion of endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondrial Ca2+ pools did not eliminate the reserpine-activated release. These results indicate that vesicular Ca2+ can play an important role in exocytosis and under some conditions may be involved in initiating this process.
Communicating with older diabetes patients: Self-management and social comparison

Objective The health status and life experiences of older diabetes patients may be highly heterogeneous, thus making their perspectives particularly relevant for developing individualized self-management plans for this population. Our earlier research showed older diabetes patients’ healthcare goals and self-management behaviors are frequently shaped through social comparisons with peers/family members. The present paper explores this role of social comparison in their self-management practices and develops a conceptual model depicting the process.
Fragments of Amyloid β Induce Apoptosis in Vascular Endothelial Cells

Injury to cells that was triggered by fragments of amyloid β protein (Aβ) was studied in human vascular endothelial cells. A fragment of Aβ containing amino acids 25—35 promoted cell death, but fragments of Aβ containing amino acids 31—35 and 35—25 did not have such an effect. The fragment of Aβ containing amino acids 25—35 induced cell death that was characterized as programmed cell death (apoptosis) in view of the accompanying morphological changes, the fragmentation of DNA, and the requirement for protein synthesis.
Border Crossing and Coming Home in the Name of Human Rights A Case Study of an International Human Rights Education and Exchange Program

The objective of this article is to examine the practical outcomes of a human rights education course/exchange program conducted in South Africa between 2001 and 2005. Data for the study were obtained from observation, interviews, focus groups, program reports and annual evaluation instruments. The study reveals that undergraduate exchange programs which involve a focus on human rights can have a significant impact on undergraduate’s research and career plans. The recommendation is that such programs develop and maintain open and equitable administrative structures that adhere to the principles outlined in formal program documents.
The origin of sharp near infrared transitions in chromium doped III–V semiconductors

Abstract It is contended that the sharp emission and absorption lines seen in GaAs:Cr and GaP:Cr at 0.839 eV and 1.029 eV are due to a type of excitonic recombination at isoelectronic sites involving chromium. This assignment contrasts strongly with the widely accepted model involving an internal d-d transition at isolated Cr2+ centres. The new description satisfactorily accounts for many puzzling features relating to the high transition energies, phonon coupling, Stokes shifts, stress splittings, non-correlation of optical and EPR data and the large multiplicity of fine structure seen in high resolution optical spectroscopy.
P-140: Simultaneous Phase Retardation and Optic Axis Measurements of A- and C-Plates

We demonstrate a new method for simultaneously measuring the phase retardation and optic axis of a compensation film by using an axially-symmetric sheared polymer network liquid crystal (AS-SPNLC). With overlaying a tested compensation film with a calibrated AS-SPNLC cell between crossed polarizers, the optic axis and phase retardation value of the compensation film can be determined. This method is applicable to both A- and C-plate phase compensation films.
Diffuse soft tissue calcification in tumoral calcinosis

Tumoral calcinosis is a rare disease characterized biochemically by hyperphosphatemia, normocalcemia, and reduced fractional excretion of phosphate. Radiographically, it has been defined by the presence of large, amorphous juxtaarticular calcific deposits. A 53-year-old woman with tumoral calcinosis was found to have unusual diffuse soft tissue calcification indistinguishable from that usually seen in collagen vascular disease and previously referred to as calcinosis universalis. It is suggested that tumoral calcinosis is a misnomer as the calcification seen in patients with this disease may be “tumoral” or diffuse.
Abstract 4789: Functional characterization and clinical correlation of the tumor antigen casein kinase 1-epsilon in ovarian cancer

OBJECTIVES: Prior studies have identified antibodies to casein kinase I epsilon (CKI-e) in the serum of patients with ovarian cancer. We investigated the expression pattern, functional roles, and clinical correlation of CKI-e in ovarian cancer. METHODS: The expression of CKI-e in 8 healthy ovaries and 68 ovarian tumor samples was determined by IHC and scored on intensity of antibody expression (scale 0-3) and the percentage of the area stained (scale 0-3). The average from both scores was assigned to each patient. Clinical characteristics for each patient were retrieved from electronic medical records. Statistical significance was determined using the Fisher exact test. Univariate analysis was performed by constructing probability curves according to the Kaplan-Meier method. Immortalized normal human ovarian surface epithelial (HOSE) cell lines with ectopic expression of CKI-e were established by transfection with a CKI-e expression construct. CKI-e-targeting shRNAs were used to generate ovarian cancer cell lines that have stably suppressed CKI-e expression. Protein expression was determined by Western blot. Growth rate was determined by cell counting. Three-dimensional spheroid culture was performed on Matrigel. The growth of ovarian cancer cell lines harboring either a control shRNA or a CKI-e-shRNA was evaluated in a mouse xenograft model. The effects of IC261, an inhibitor of CKI-e, on ovarian cancer cells were evaluated by MTT assay. RESULTS: CKI-e was overexpressed in 67% of invasive ovarian tumors (P-value=0.001) and in 14 of 17 ovarian cancer cell lines. Normal HOSE cells that have ectopic expression of CKI-e have accelerated growth rate and formed spheroids in Matrigel that were two to four times larger than those formed by control HOSE. In contrast, cancer cell lines harboring specific CKI-e shRNA had reduced growth rate and 6-fold reduced tumor weight in the xenograft model (P-value=0.007). The cancer cell lines also showed CKI-e-dependent sensitivity to IC261. The median CKI-e expression level among the ovarian cancer tissue samples was 3. For patients whose score was ≤ 3 and > 3, the mean overall survival was 91 months and 48 months, respectively. Similarly, the mean disease free survival interval was 43 months and 22 months for patients whose score was ≤ 3 and > 3, respectively. Patients who scored > 3 tended to have late stage disease (61%) compared to patients who scored ≤ 3 (39%), (p=0.06). CONCLUSIONS: CKI-e is highly expressed in ovarian tumors and cancer cell lines. Studies of cell lines with alterations in CKI-e expression showed that this signaling protein regulates cell growth and survival. 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 4789.
NTA biodegradation and removal in subsurface sandy soil

Abstract This lab-scale study examined the biodegradation and removal of nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) in the subsurface environment, mainly sandy soils. Batch tests indicated that NTA adsorption on the sandy soils played a minor role in its removal in these soils. Removal of NTA was investigated in 50.5 mm i.d. by 1.17 m long soil columns under unsaturated conditions at 15°C. Septic tank effluent containing 20 mg NTA l−1 was dosed to soil columns four times a day at an overall loading rate of 1 gpd ft−2 for a 43-day period. This feed NTA concentration was routinely reduced to a steady-state concentration of 0.1 mg l−1 by passage through the 1.17 m of soil, after an indigenous soil microflora became sufficiently established over a 25 day period. In addition, the results of samples taken on day 21 demonstrated that greater than 75% removal of NTA can be expected in a soil depth of less than one-third meter.
In Situ Imaging of High Cycle Fatigue Crack Growth in Single Crystal Nickel-Base Superalloys by Synchrotron X-Radiation

A novel X-ray synchrotron radiation approach is described for real-time imaging of the initiation and growth of fatigue cracks during ultrasonic fatigue (f=20 kHz). We report here on new insights on single crystal nickel-base superalloys gained with this approach. A portable ultrasonic fatigue instrument has been designed that can be installed at a high-brilliance X-ray beamline. With a load line and fatigue specimen configuration, this instrument produces stable fatigue crack propagation for specimens as thin as 150 {mu}m. The in situ cyclic loading/imaging system has been used initially to image real-time crystallographic fatigue and crack growth under positive mean axial stress in the turbine blade alloy CMSX-4.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Surgery: Quality Improvement Imperatives and Opportunities

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is more common in surgical candidates than in the general population and may increase susceptibility to perioperative complications that range from transient desaturation to catastrophic injuries. Understanding the potential impact of OSA on patients’ surgical risk profile is of particular interest to otolaryngologists, who routinely perform airway procedures—including surgical procedures for treatment of OSA. Whereas the effects of OSA on long-term health outcomes are well documented, the relationship between OSA and surgical risk is not collinear, and clear consensus on the nature of the association is lacking. Better guidelines for optimization of pain control, perioperative monitoring, and surgical decision making are potential areas for quality improvement efforts. Many interventions have been suggested to mitigate the risk of adverse events in surgical patients with OSA, but wide variations in clinical practice remain. We review the current literature, emphasizing recent progress in understanding the complex pathophysiologic interactions noted in OSA patients undergoing surgery and outlining potential strategies to decrease perioperative risks.
The stagnation flow behind a sphere

Abstract The flow of a viscoelastic liquid past a rigid sphere held on the centreline of a circular cylinder is examined both experimentally (laser Doppler velocimetry) and theoretically (finite elements). The study focuses on the stagnation flow along the centreline behind the sphere. In this region elastic properties provide an enhanced decelerating force on the fluid far from the sphere, leading to the well documented downstream shift in the streamlines relative to the flow of a Newtonian fluid. It has been less widely reported, however, that a corresponding acceleration effect close to the sphere may be sufficient to cause a localized upstream shift in the streamlines. Here the acceleration of the fluid exceeds that of the Newtonian fluid. This effect is quite separate from any similar behaviour produced by the presence of shear-thinning properties. Such a phenomenon has already been predicted for the case of unbounded flow past a cylinder or a sphere. In the current study we observe this effect experimentally and then use finite element simulations to show that it depends strongly on the fluid properties and the flow geometry. The conditions prevailing in most previous studies of this problem do not favour the observation of this enhanced acceleration.
Ethical problems with the use of animals in medical research and education: an introduction.

It is well to remember that the issue of the use of animals in medical research and training is fought with highly emotional appeals. One needs to assess clearly the moral status of animals and the benefits that medical science produces. It is not enough and will not resolve the issues, to show pictures of animals going through a research procedure or to endlessly parade individuals who have been ‘saved’ by animal research. Only a clear understanding of the issues and careful reasoning will help resolve problems posed by the use of animals in medical research and education. The articles in this issue ofTheoretical Medicine advance the understanding of the moral problems with using animals in medical education, the role of IACUC's in resolving their problems, and the problems of assessing scientific and educational merit of animal use.
Feeding habits and growth in the mud-snailNassarius obsoletus

Nassarius obsoletus is primarily a deposit-feeder. The microflora to be found on the surface of sediment of intertidal flats serves as its major source of food. Living bivalves do not form part of the diet as previously reported. Dead organisms such as molluscs, crustacea, and fish are eaten when available but are not a principal item of food. Occasionally thallus algae are probably also utilized. Ecologically,Nassarius obsoletus may be regarded largely as a herbivorous species and deposit-feeder. In the strict sense, however, it is an omnivore and a facultative scavenger.
Interferometric determination of the quadratic electro-optic coefficient of nitrobenzene.

An interferometric method that was used to measure the electro-optic s11 coefficient of nitrobenzene is presented. The method uses a Mach–Zehnder interferometer arrangement that produces a finite fringe interferogram. A nitrobenzene Kerr cell is placed in one arm of the interferometer and a pulsed high voltage is applied to the two rectangular electrodes. The voltage application causes the fringe image to shift in time, and this fringe shift is measured by a streak camera that streaks the fringe image across a slit. The streak start time is chosen before the application of the voltage pulse and ends after the voltage pulse has been applied. Thus continuous observation of the event is possible. By accurately measuring the fringe shifts the electro-optic s11 coefficient can be determined. The experimental arrangement is described, and the results obtained are discussed.
Effects of Relative and Absolute Sea Surface Temperature on Tropical Cyclone Potential Intensity Using a Single-Column Model

Abstract The effects of relative and absolute sea surface temperature (SST) on tropical cyclone potential intensity are investigated using the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) single-column model. The model is run in two modes: (i) radiative–convective equilibrium (RCE) to represent the convective response to uniform warming of the ocean as in a homogeneous aqua planet, and (ii) weak temperature gradient (WTG) to represent the convective response to warming over a limited area of ocean while the SST outside that area remains unchanged. The WTG calculations are taken to represent the sensitivity of the atmospheric state to relative SST changes, while the RCE calculations are taken to represent the sensitivity to absolute SST changes occurring in the absence of relative SST changes. The potential intensity is computed using temperature and moisture profiles from the two sets of experiments for various values of SST. The computed potential intensity is more sensitive to relative SST than to absolu...
Jealousy in Sport: Exploring Jealousy's Relationship to Cohesion

The present study continued the development and revision of the Sport Jealousy Scale (SJS) and investigated the relationships among jealousy, cohesion, and satisfaction with athletes. The original SJS (now SJS-II) was revised and given to 236 Division I athletes along with the Group Cohesion Questionnaire (GEQ; Carron, Widmeyer, & Brawley, 1985), the Revised Self-Report Jealousy Scale (SRJS-II; Bringle, Roach, Andler, & Evenbeck, 1977), and the Satisfaction Questionnaire (Widmeyer & Williams, 1991). Jealousy was negatively correlated with both cohesion (r = −.23, p < .01) and satisfaction (r = −.22, p < .01). Following Baron and Kenny's (1986) three-step model for testing mediation, satisfaction partially mediates the relationship between jealousy and cohesion. The results confirm the existence of jealousy in sport, provide psychometric evidence for a measure of sport jealousy, validate expected relationships among jealousy, cohesion, and satisfaction, and provide initial information on gender and sport d...
Role of O2 and Mitochondrial Respiration in a Photosynthetic Stimulation of Oat Protoplast Acidification of a Surrounding Medium

Some photosynthetically stimulated acidification of the medium by oat ( Avena sativa L. cv Garry) leaf protoplasts required respiration. The requisite respiration (a) had a low apparent affinity for O 2 , (b) was blocked by cyanide plus salicylhydroxamic acid, (c) characterized protoplasts and mitochondria isolated from protoplasts, (d) could be induced in leaf segments, and (e) appeared to result from an inhibition of mitochondrial respiration that included the cytochrome pathway. Carbon monoxide and cyanide prevented acidification of weakly photosynthesizing suspensions. Salicylhydroxamic acid had no effect on acidification, indicating a specific dependence upon cyanide-sensitive respiration. Photosynthesis stimulated acidification through stable products, and exogenously supplied O 2 stimulated acidification. The acidification response to O 2 was additive to the response to photosynthesis at subsaturating levels of light, indicating a common mode of action. Oligomycin prevented stimulation of acidification by low levels of photosynthetic activity; this stimulation appeared to be due to O 2 -induced increases in mitochondrial energy production. Oligomycin only partially inhibited stimulation of acidification by higher levels of light; this stimulation appeared to be partially dependent upon photophosphorylation. Therefore, oligomycin-sensitive acidification of the medium appeared to reflect changes in mitochondrial energy production in photosynthesizing protoplasts.
Feminization of migration: a global health challenge.

Demographers are slowly bringing the migration of women to the forefront as women become the majority of migrants worldwide. Migration can provide new opportunities for women on their own or jointly with their spouses to improve their lives, escape oppressive social relations, and support children and other family members who are left behind. It also can expose women to new vulnerabilities resulting from their precarious legal status, abusive working conditions, and health risks.1 Migrant women are triply disadvantaged by race/ethnicity, their status as nonnationals, and gender inequalities.2
Paleopedologic and Paleohydrologic Records of Precipitation Seasonality from Early Pennsylvanian "Underclay" Paleosols, U.S.A.

Underclays in the Crooked Fork Group (Lower Pennsylvanian, Atokan, Langsettian) in eastern Tennessee, U.S.A., are paleosols associated with fourth-order depositional sequences that record changing paleohydrologic conditions during their formation. Climate changes (possibly Milankovitch-driven) resulted in evolution of soil landscapes from well-drained, seasonally wet floodplains and delta plains dominated by vertic (Vertisol-like) paleosols, to very poorly drained, everwet swamps dominated by sideritic gley paleosols. Coals (paleoHistosols) cap most underclays and record peat-swamp development during everwet conditions, followed by marine submergence. Pedogenic slickensides and angular blocky ped structures, in conjunction with illuviated clay pore fillings and sepic-plasmic microfabric, indicate an initial better-drained phase of paleosol development (Stage I). Gley overprinting, characterized by drab, low-chroma paleosol colors (Fe reduction) in upper portions of paleosols, sideritic rhizocretions, sphaerosiderite and pyrite nodules, extensive leaching and translocation of alkali and alkaline earth elements, and kaolinitization of smectites and hydroxy-interlayer vermiculite (HIV), indicate a later poorly drained stage of paleosol development characterized by saturated conditions, moderate to low Eh, and low pH (Stage II), as well as peat-swamp development. Lastly, burial and juxtaposition of marine facies on top of terrestrial deposits terminated paleosol and peat development (Stage III). Paleosols likely formed under conditions of marked seasonality of rainfall, judging from both modern analog systems in Sumatra and Pennsylvanian paleoclimate models. The chemical index of alteration without potash (CIA-K) was used as a proxy for Atokan paleoprecipitation, estimated as 1300 mm/yr. This estimate is comparable with mean annual precipitation (MAP) in modern tropical to subtropical rainy environments.
Automatic Local Annealing

This research involves a method for finding global maxima in constraint satisfaction networks. It is an annealing process but, unlike most others, requires no annealing schedule. Temperature is instead determined locally by units at each update, and thus all processing is done at the unit level. There are two major practical benefits to processing this way: 1) processing can continue in 'bad' areas of the network, while 'good' areas remain stable, and 2) processing continues in the 'bad' areas, as long as the constraints remain poorly satisfied (i.e. it does not stop after some predetermined number of cycles). As a result, this method not only avoids the kludge of requiring an externally determined annealing schedule, but it also finds global maxima more quickly and consistently than externally scheduled systems (a comparison to the Boltzmann machine (Ackley et al, 1985) is made). Finally, implementation of this method is computationally trivial.
Female attractiveness modulated by a male-derived antiaphrodisiac pheromone in a plant bug

Males of the plant bug Lygus hesperus prefer to court virgins over recently mated females. Because a male delivers a large spermatophore mass to the female during copulation that contains more than just sperm, we investigated whether males transferred an odorant molecule rendering females less attractive. We found that topical application of homogenates of the spermatophore, or of the male accessory glands (AG) from which this mass is derived, made virgin females less acceptable as potential mates. Additionally, we found that the fatty molecule myristyl acetate is present in male accessory glands and in the seminal receptacles of recently mated females, but is absent in virgin females. The same distribution of myristyl acetate was also found in Lygus elisus and Lygus lineolaris. We hypothesized that myristyl acetate has a repellent effect on L. hesperus males seeking an appropriate mate. Using topically applied synthetic myristyl acetate at biological concentrations, we found that myristyl acetate was as effective as the AG homogenate at reducing the attractiveness of virgin females. Collectively these results indicate that males use myristyl acetate as a seminally transferred antiaphrodisiac for passive mate guarding, and usage of the compound may be widespread among Lygus bug species. The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
An evidential reasoning approach for recognizing shape features

The paper introduces an evidential reasoning based approach for recognizing and extracting manufacturing features from solid model description of objects. A major difficulty faced by previously proposed methods for feature extraction has been the interaction between features. In interacting situations, the representation for various primitive features is non-unique, making their recognition very difficult. We develop an approach based on generating and combining geometric and topological evidences for recognizing interacting features. The essence of our approach is in finding a set of correct and necessary virtual links through aggregating the available geometric and topologic evidences at different abstraction levels. The identified virtual links are then augmented to the cavity graph representing a depression of an object so that the resulting supergraph can be partitioned to obtain the features of the object. The main contributions of our approach include introducing the evidential reasoning (Dempster-Shafer theory) to the feature extraction domain and developing the theory of principle of association to overcome the mutual exclusiveness assumption of the Dempster-Shafer theory. >
Mycobacterium bovis-infected white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus): detection of immunoglobulin specific to crude mycobacterial antigens by ELISA

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) have recently emerged as a source of Mycobacterium bovis infection for cattle within North America. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antibody response of M. bovis-infected deer to crude mycobacterial antigens. Deer were experimentally inoculated with M. bovis strain 1315 either by intratonsilar instillation or by exposure to M. bovis-infected (i.e., in contact) deer. To determine the time course of the response, including the effects of antigen administration for comparative cervical skin testing, serum was collected periodically and evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for immunoglobulin (i.e., IgG heavy and light chains) reactivity to mycobacterial antigens. The re- activity to M. bovis purified protein derivative (PPDb) exceeded (P , 0.05) the reactivity to M. avium PPD (PPDa) only after in vivo administration of PPDa and PPDb for comparative cervical testing of the infected deer. The mean immunoglobulin response, as measured by ELISA, of intratonsilar-inoculated deer to a protein- ase K-digested whole-cell sonicate (WCS-PK) of M. bovis strain 1315 exceeded (P , 0.05) the mean of the prechallenge responses to this antigen at approximately 1 month after inoculation and throughout the remainder of the study (i.e., ;11 months). This response also exceeded (P , 0.05) that of the uninfected deer. Although this is encouraging, further studies are necessary to validate the use of the proteinase K-digested M. bovis antigens in the antibody-based assays of tuberculosis. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are wild- life reservoirs of Mycobacterium bovis infection of cattle in the northeastern part of Michigan. 23 Although impractical for wild deer, an assay for the antemortem detection of M. bovis-infected captive deer would be feasible and also beneficial for the tuberculosis eradi- cation program within the USA. Traditional antemor- tem tests of M. bovis infection of cattle rely on cellular immune responsiveness to crude M. bovis antigens. 31 As with cattle, tests of cellular immune reactivity may also prove reliable for detecting tuberculosis in white- tailed deer. 20,33 One of these tests, the comparative cer- vical test of delayed-type skin hypersensitivity, al- though reliable, requires handling the deer twice, once at the time of antigen administration and again 72 hours later for the evaluation of the response. A test requiring a single-handling event would minimize the risk of capture-associated injuries such as lacerations, fractures, and capture myopathy (to which white-tailed deer are particularly prone) and may prove more prac- tical for tuberculosis detection of captive deer. A test of cellular immunity requiring a single blood sample that is based on detection of interferon- g produced in response to M. bovis antigen stimulation, 24 although useful for red deer (Cervus elaphus), has not proven
Angiotensin dependence of endothelium-mediated renal hemodynamics.

Endothelium-derived relaxing factor has been shown to regulate renal blood flow, and inhibition of its synthesis increases blood pressure and renal vascular resistance and decreases renal blood flow. Using the substrate antagonist NW-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), we tested whether renal vasoconstriction induced by endothelium-derived relaxing factor synthesis inhibition could be mediated in part by angiotensin II. In 14 control rats, 10 mg/kg body wt L-NAME increased blood pressure from 106 +/- 6 to 126 +/- 6 mm Hg (p < 0.001), increased renal vascular resistance by 74% (from 19.3 +/- 2.6 to 33.6 +/- 2.9 resistance units), and decreased renal blood flow by 34% (from 5.9 +/- 0.5 to 3.9 +/- 0.3 ml.min-1.g kidney wt-1, p < 0.005). When six rats were treated with 10 mg/kg body wt of the angiotensin receptor antagonist DuP 753, L-NAME increased blood pressure from 84 +/- 4 to 106 +/- 4 mm Hg (p < 0.001); however, renal vascular resistance increased by only 27% (from 13 +/- 2 to 17 +/- 3 resistance units, p < 0.01; p < 0.05 different from control value) and renal blood flow was unchanged. Likewise, after pretreatment of six rats with 32 micrograms/100 g body wt of the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor enalaprilat, L-NAME increased blood pressure from 88 +/- 5 to 124 +/- 6 mm Hg (p < 0.001) and renal vascular resistance by 54% (from 12 +/- 1 to 18 +/- 3 resistance units, p < 0.01; p < 0.05 different from control value) but renal blood flow was unchanged.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The Implications of Marketized Security for IR Theory: The Democratic Peace, Late State Building, and the Nature and Frequency of Conflict

Over the course of the last fifteen years states—along with companies, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, and others—have increasingly turned to markets rather than state-organized military hierarchies for security. This article puts forth hypotheses about how this marketization might affect three major literatures in international relations theory: the democratic peace, late state building, and theories of the frequency and nature of conflict. Relying on institutional logic, I argue that the marketization of security should redistribute power over the control of force. This redistribution should cause democracies to function differently—increasing the dilemmas between short-term security and long-term relations with other democracies. It should also reinforce the dilemmas pointed to by the literature on the resource curse and rentier states, thus deepening the expected difficulty of state building. Finally, as more states and non-state actors take advantage of market options for security, the oft-assumed collective monopoly of states over violence should suffer a blow. This should lead the chances for conflict to grow but also the purposes for which people and groups use violence to change. These propositions are not tested but serve as a call for further research.Deborah Avant is Associate Professor of Political Science and International Affairs at George Washington University (avant@gwu.edu). The author thanks Fiona Adamson, Risa Brooks, Nora Bensahel, Alex Cooley, Rachel Epstein, Greg Gause, Jonathan Kirshner, Jack Snyder, David Lake, Jim Lebovic, and participants in the Globalization and National Security seminars at Harvard's Olin Institute, as well as participants in seminars at Georgetown University; Northwestern University; and University of Texas, Austin for comments on previous drafts.
Cluster and Non-Cluster Based Open Framework Indium Chalcogenides

Hydrothermal syntheses and structural characterizations of some new open framework chalcogenides are described here. Open framework sulfides are often formed with supertetrahedral clusters as the basic structural building units, but it is demonstrated here that non-cluster based open framework sulfides can also be prepared. Selenides and tellurides have a stronger tendency to form non-cluster based materials. In some cases, it is possible to make materials in which the inorganic framework consists of at least two chalcogen atoms. Such a compositional diversity makes it feasible to tune structural, electronic, and optical properties.
Chemical synthesis and growth-promoting activity of all-trans-retinyl β-D-glucuronide.

All-trans-retinol reacts with methyl (2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-1-bromo-1-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyran)uronate in the presence of Ag2CO3 to give the triacetate methyl ester of retinyl beta-glucuronide. Hydrolysis of this ester with sodium methylate in methanol gives retinyl beta-D-glucuronide in about 15% yield. The water-soluble retinyl beta-D-glucuronide was characterized by u.v.-visible, n.m.r. and mass spectra, by elemental analysis and by its susceptibility to hydrolysis by bacterial beta-glucuronidase. Retinyl beta-glucuronide, when administered intraperitoneally in saline (0.9% NaCl), supports well the growth of vitamin A-deficient rats.
The biology of mammary gland serotonin synthesis and transport.

Understanding and identifying the mechanisms surrounding secretory activation and involution in the mammary gland are important to aid mothers who experience breastfeeding Recently our lab discovered that serotonin is synthesized by the mammary gland a negative feedback inhibitor to lactation, thus regulating the balance between secretory activation Goals that are met in this dissertation are as follows: (1) Create and characterize an model for studying mammary epithelial tight junction regulation, (2) Determine whether drugs that alter intrinsic serotonin turnover can recapitulate the effects of exogenously added serotonin An multipotential, barrier-forming model was developed and displays robustness, predictability, differentiation, and expected genetic changes throughout the development of
Combining 3D Shape, Color, and Motion for Robust Anytime Tracking.

Although object tracking has been studied for decades, real-time tracking algorithms often suffer from low accuracy and poor robustness when confronted with difficult, realworld data. We present a tracker that combines 3D shape, color (when available), and motion cues to accurately track moving objects in real-time. Our tracker allocates computational effort based on the shape of the posterior distribution. Starting with a coarse approximation to the posterior, the tracker successively refines this distribution, increasing in tracking accuracy over time. The tracker can thus be run for any amount of time, after which the current approximation to the posterior is returned. Even at a minimum runtime of 0.7 milliseconds, our method outperforms all of the baseline methods of similar speed by at least 10%. If our tracker is allowed to run for longer, the accuracy continues to improve, and it continues to outperform all baseline methods. Our tracker is thus anytime, allowing the speed or accuracy to be optimized based on the needs of the application.
Factors controlling the deuterium contents of sedimentary hydrocarbons

The hydrogen isotopic compositions of sedimentary hydrocarbon molecules are now being used to address a range of scientific questions, from paleoclimate to environmental reconstruction to understanding of petroleum systems. Here I review the environmental, biological, and physical/chemical factors that influence the H isotopic compositions of sedimentary hydrocarbons. A hierarchy of four main controls can be recognized: i) the composition of environmental water that serves as ultimate hydrogen source to the biosphere ii) physiologic and metabolic processes in organisms that fix water hydrogen into organic molecules, iii) hydrogen exchange processes that alter D/H ratios slowly over time under geologic conditions, and iv) kinetic fractionations that arise during the thermal conversion of sedimentary organic matter to liquid hydrocarbons. Variations in the terrestrial hydrologic cycle, and in biologic fractionations, create lipids with δD values spanning a huge range, and carrying abundant information about source organisms and environments. This information is gradually lost over geologic timescales due to hydrogen exchange, although the rates of this process appear to vary by orders of magnitude in clastic versus carbonate sediments. The H isotopes of hydrocarbons in many sediments of low to moderate thermal maturity may only be partially exchanged. Finally, additional kinetic fractionations are imposed during thermal cracking to generate mobile hydrocarbons. The δD values of sedimentary hydrocarbons are thus concluded to generally reflect a complicated combination of processes. Although it is tempting to view this as a failure of the isotopic record, there are numerous opportunities for understanding environment, diagenetic, and catagenetic processes if we can learn to quantitatively disentangle the competing fractionations.
Bilayer formation between lipid-encased hydrogels contained in solid substrates.

Solidified biomolecular networks that incorporate liquid-supported lipid bilayers are constructed by attaching lipid-encased, water-swollen hydrogels contained in oil. Poly(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate (PEG-DMA) and a free-radical photoinitiator are added to an aqueous lipid vesicle solution such that exposure to ultraviolet light results in solidification of neighboring aqueous volumes. Bilayer formation can occur both prior to photopolymerization with the aqueous mixture in the liquid state and after solidification by using the regulated attachment method (RAM) to attach the aqueous volumes contained within a flexible substrate. In addition, photopolymerization of the hydrogels can be performed in a separate mold prior to placement in the supporting substrate. Membranes formed across a wide range of hydrogel concentrations [0−80% (w/v); MW = 1000 g/mol PEG-DMA] exhibit high electrical resistances (1−10 GΩ), which enable single-channel recordings of alamethicin channels and show signficiant durability...
Excitation and Active Control of Propagating Surface Plasmon Polaritons in Graphene

We demonstrate the excitation and gate control of highly confined surface plasmon polaritons propagating through monolayer graphene using a silicon diffractive grating. The normal-incidence infrared transmission spectra exhibit pronounced dips due to guided-wave resonances, whose frequencies can be tuned over a range of ∼80 cm–1 by applying a gate voltage. This novel structure provides a way to excite and actively control plasmonic waves in graphene and is thus an important building block of graphene plasmonic systems.
Note on Certain Algebraic Equations

(1914). Note on Certain Algebraic Equations. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 21, No. 4, pp. 113-115.
An exploration of women’s engagement in Makerspaces

ABSTRACTThe Maker Movement is an international trend for communities to form around shared tools and workspaces in order to engage in do-it-yourself activities. Women are underrepresented in Makerspaces, and exploration of issues related to their participation may provide directions for future research. Eight women participated in a focus group study of their motivations, perception, needs, and goals for Makerspace participation. Women participated primarily to showcase their work and to network with others. They benefited most from encouragement and support to finish their projects. They did not perceive gender barriers to their participation, and their hope was that the Makerspace would become a community resource. It may be that these “pioneer” women in the Maker movement were used to being a minority in male spaces and felt welcome in most activities. Despite their acknowledgment of the importance of tools and space, what was most valued by these Women Makers were the social aspects of the community.