cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biomass characteristics of two types of submerged membrane bioreactors for nitrogen removal from wastewater.

Abstract Biomass characteristics and microbial community diversity between a submerged membrane bioreactor with mixed liquor recirculation (MLE/MBR) and a membrane bioreactor with the addition of integrated fixed biofilm medium (IFMBR) were compared for organic carbon and nitrogen removal from wastewater. The two bench-scale MBRs were continuously operated in parallel at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 24 h and solids retention time (SRT) of 20 d. Both MBRs demonstrated good COD removal efficiencies (>97.7%) at incremental inflow organic loading rates. The total nitrogen removal efficiencies were 67% for MLE/MBR and 41% for IFMBR. The recirculation of mixed liquor from aerobic zone to anoxic zone in the MLE/MBR resulted in higher microbial activities of heterotrophic (46.96 mg O 2 /gVSS h) and autotrophic bacteria (30.37 mg O 2 /gVSS h) in the MLE/MBR compared to those from IFMBR. Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism analysis indicated that the higher nitrifying activities were correlated with more diversity of nitrifying bacterial populations in the MLE/MBR. Membrane fouling due to bacterial growth was evident in both the reactors. Even though the trans-membrane pressure and flux profiles of MLE/MBR and IFMBR were different, the patterns of total membrane resistance changes had no considerable difference under the same operating conditions. The results suggest that metabolic selection via alternating anoxic/aerobic processes has the potential of having higher bacterial activities and improved nutrient removal in MBR systems.
The adsorption of copper to chitin in seawater

The interaction of metal ions with particulate matter is important in limiting their concentration in seawater. Chitin is one of the constituents of the natural particulate organic matter than can interact with metal ions and therefore may serve as a reasonable model for natural organic solids. The adsorption of Cu2+ on the chitin surface has been studied in seawater as a function of pH, temperature, and salinity. The amphoteric properties of the surface of chitin were characterized in 0.7 M NaCl in terms of a two-protic acid-base system (pHPZC = 5.4) with acidity constants p∗Ka1s = 4.4 ± 0.2 and p∗Ka2s = 6.4 ± 0.2. The maximum proton exchange capacity of chitin was found to be 2.3 ± 0.3 mol kg−1, broadly similar to other solids. The rates of the adsorption were quite rapid (t12 = 8 min) and not strongly affected by the presence of other metals such as Cd2+ and Pb2+. The adsorption equilibrium data have been found to correlate well with surface complex-formation equilibria or the mathematically equivalent Langmuir- type adsorption equilibria. The value for the stability constant of Cu2+ on chitin was found to be log∗KHs = 8.95 ± 0.01, and the complexing capacity of chitin was found to be 6.9 and 5.9 μmol g−1, respectively, in the absence and in the presence of Cd2+ and Pb2+. An increase in the salinity and a decrease in the temperature result in greater adsorption of Cu2+ to chitin
As Old as the hills: montane scorpions in Southwestern North America reveal ancient associations between biotic diversification and landscape history.

Background The age of lineages has become a fundamental datum in studies exploring the interaction between geological transformation and biotic diversification. However, phylogeographical studies are often biased towards lineages that are younger than the geological features of the landscapes they inhabit. A temporally deeper historical biogeography framework may be required to address episodes of biotic diversification associated with geologically older landscape changes. Signatures of such associations may be retained in the genomes of ecologically specialized (stenotopic) taxa with limited vagility. In the study presented here, genetic data from montane scorpions in the Vaejovis vorhiesi group, restricted to humid rocky habitats in mountains across southwestern North America, were used to explore the relationship between scorpion diversification and regional geological history. Results Strong phylogeographical signal was evident within the vorhiesi group, with 27 geographically cohesive lineages inferred from a mitochondrial phylogeny. A time-calibrated multilocus species tree revealed a pattern of Miocene and Pliocene (the Neogene period) lineage diversification. An estimated 21 out of 26 cladogenetic events probably occurred prior to the onset of the Pleistocene, 2.6 million years ago. The best-fit density-dependent model suggested diversification rate in the vorhiesi group gradually decreased through time. Conclusions Scorpions of the vorhiesi group have had a long history in the highlands of southwestern North America. Diversification among these stenotopic scorpions appears to have occurred almost entirely within the Neogene period, and is temporally consistent with the dynamic geological history of the Basin and Range, and Colorado Plateau physiographical provinces. The persistence of separate lineages at small spatial scales suggests that a combination of ecological stenotopy and limited vagility may make these scorpions particularly valuable indicators of geomorphological evolution.
Growth and Survival of First-Feeding and Fingerling Atlantic Sturgeon under Culture Conditions

Abstract We performed rearing studies with first-feeding fry and fingerling Atlantic sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus produced from streamside spawning of wild Hudson River adults. In all, 20,000 larvae were reared in 54-L circular tanks at initial densities of 3.7–29.6 fish/L (0.06–0.52 g/L). At the onset of exogenous feeding, diet treatments included live brine shrimp Artemia sp., frozen brine shrimp, or commercially formulated Biokyowa B-250. At the end of the 26-d study, all treatments but two had survival greater than 93%. Mean specific growth rate (SGR) was inversely proportional to fish density. Fish fed frozen brine shrimp were smaller but had equivalent survival to those fed live brine shrimp. Atlantic sturgeon converted to formulated feed with less than 25% mortality at mean total length and weight of 34.5 mm and 0.18 g in 20–26 d at initial stocking densities of 7.4 fish/L or less. A subsequent study was performed with fingerlings at densities of 0.37–2.22 g/L. These fingerlings were of...
Cell-cycle-dependent variations of deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate pools in chinese hamster cells

Abstract Variation of levels of the four deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate pools has been examined as synchronized Chinese hamster cells complete mitosis and traverse the cell cycle in preparation for division. The results indicate that; 1. 1. Mitotic cells have the largest pools of dATP, dGTP, and dTTP and that all four deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates are degraded as cells exit from mitosis. 2. 2. The pool of dCTP is maximal in late S-early G2, and degradation begins in G2. 3. 3. G1 cells have little or no deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates. 4. 4. The pool size of all four deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates increases just prior to initiation of DNA synthesis and increases throughout S. 5. 5. Cells treated with hydroxyurea in G1 accumulate dTTP, dCTP, and dGTP at the time that cells would normally have initiated DNA synthesis, but accumulation of dATP is completely inhibited as is initiation of DNA synthesis. 6. 6. The four deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates are not present in equimolar concentrations, pools in mid-S being 10 pmoles 10 6 cells , 27 pmoles 10 6 cells , 104 pmoles 10 6 cells , and 76 pmoles 10 6 cells for dGTP, dATP, dTTP, and dCTP, respectively. The pools of dGTP, dATP, dTTP, and dCTP are sufficient to support DNA synthesis for 1.0, 1.3, 5.2, and 3.8 min, respectively.
The impact of the economic crisis on international migration: a review:

The global economic crisis that exploded in 2008 dramatically changed the context for international migration. In that context, this review article addresses four related questions about migration ...
Chinese-Filipino Wage Differentials in Early-Twentieth-Century Manila

Racial or ethnic wage differentials are common in labor markets composed of easily identifiable groups. This article analyzes a rare source of historical wage data for nonwhite populations. An American labor-market survey of Manila in 1900 revealed that average Chinese wages were about a third higher than Filipino wages. This differential appears to have been in large part an overtime premium that compensated Chinese for their longer workdays; partly it reflected Chinese segregation into higher-paying industries. It is, by contrast, very hard to identify any "pure" ethnic wage premium. V ariation in wages according to race or ethnicity is a well-known characteristic of many labor markets. Historical evidence of such differentials is most plentiful in cases where Europeans or their descendants were one of the groups; studies of wage gaps between groups of non-Europeans are few indeed. This article examines historical evidence of wage differentials between Chinese sojourners and local workers in artisanal shops and manufactories in Manila at the turn of the twentieth century. Average wage premia accruing to workers of a particular ethnicity are often interpreted as evidence that the high-wage ethnic group has somehow gained unfairly at the expense of the low-wage group. The case of the Chinese in Manila, however, indicates that longer hours on the job and selection into higher-paying industries were more important considerations. These characteristics of the Manila Chinese reflected an efficient sojourning strategy, whereby Chinese came to the Philippines specifically to work and save for their eventual return home.
Supporting distributed feed-following apps over edge devices

In feed-following applications such as Twitter and Facebook, users (consumers) follow a large number of other users (producers) to get personalized feeds, generated by blending producers- feeds. With the proliferation of Cloud-connected smart edge devices such as smartphones, producers and consumers of many feed-following applications reside on edge devices and the Cloud. An important design goal of such applications is to minimize communication (and energy) overhead of edge devices. In this paper, we abstract distributed feed-following applications as a view maintenance problem, with the goal of optimally placing the views on edge devices and in the Cloud to minimize communication overhead between edge devices and the Cloud. The view placement problem for general network topology is NP Hard; however, we show that for the special case of Cloud-edge topology, locally optimal solutions yield a globally optimal view placement solution. Based on this powerful result, we propose view placement algorithms that are highly efficient, yet provably minimize global network cost. Compared to existing works on feed-following applications, our algorithms are more general--they support views with selection, projection, correlation (join) and arbitrary black-box operators, and can even refer to other views. We have implemented our algorithms within a distributed feed-following architecture over real smartphones and the Cloud. Experiments over real datasets indicate that our algorithms are highly scalable and orders-of-magnitude more efficient than existing strategies for optimal placement. Further, our results show that optimal placements generated by our algorithms are often several factors better than simpler schemes.
Trapped polarized Fermi gas at unitarity

We consider population-imbalanced two-component Fermi gases under external harmonic confinement interacting through short-range two-body potentials with diverging s-wave scattering length. Using the fixed-node diffusion Monte Carlo method, the energies of the "normal state" are determined as functions of the population-imbalance and the number of particles. The energies of the trapped system follow, to a good approximation, a universal curve even for fairly small systems. A simple parameterization of the universal curve is presented and related to the equation of state of the bulk system.
The contribution of roadside grassland restorations to native bee conservation

Marginal habitats such as hedgerows or roadsides become especially important for the conservation of biodiversity in highly modified landscapes. With concerns of a global pollination crisis, there is a need for improving pollinator habitat. Roadsides restored to native prairie vegetation may provide valuable habitat to bees, the most important group of pollinators. Such roadsides support a variety of pollen and nectar sources and unlike agricultural fields, are unplowed, and therefore can provide potential nesting sites for ground-nesting bees. To examine potential effects of roadside restoration, bee communities were sampled via aerial netting and pan trapping along roadside prairie restorations as well as roadsides dominated by non-native plants. Management of roadside vegetation via the planting of native species profoundly affected bee communities. Restored roadsides supported significantly greater bee abundances as well as higher species richness compared to weedy roadsides. Floral species richness, floral abundance, and percentage of bare ground were the factors that led to greater bee abundance and bee species richness along restored roadsides. Traffic and width of roadside did not significantly influence bees, suggesting that even relatively narrow verges near heavy traffic could provide valuable habitat to bees. Restored and weedy roadside bee communities were similar to the prairie remnant, but the prairie remnant was more similar in bee richness and abundance to restored roadsides. Restoring additional roadsides to native vegetation could benefit pollinator conservation efforts by improving habitat on the millions of acres of land devoted to roadsides worldwide, land that is already set aside from further development.
GEOSYNTHETIC/SOIL STUDIES USING A GEOTECHNICAL CENTRIFUGE

Abstract Presented herein is a brief introduction to the centrifuge as used in geotechnical engineering studies. The rationale for centrifuge studies and the basic background are discussed in the Introduction. More scientific detail about centrifuge studies is presented in the ‘Physics of the centrifuge’ section, including derivation of the radial stress distribution in the model. Some history and mention of previous uses is given in the section entitled ‘History and uses of the geotechnical centrifuge’. Another section deals completely with scaling considerations. This is an important and difficult area and discussions of geotextile and geotextile/soil interactions are given. Previous centrifuge studies of reinforced slopes are detailed. The Drexel Geotechnical Centrifuge is described and a conclusion ends the body of the report and mention is made of future work planned for the Drexel system. The article casts a critical eye at certain aspects of the centrifuge problem. There appear to be some possible fundamental problems concerning the basics of centrifuge modeling that have not been adequately addressed theoretically or experimentally to date.
An experimental Study of the Los Angeles County Repeat Offender Prevention Program: its implementation and evaluation

Research Summary: The Los Angeles County Repeat Offender Prevention Program (ROPP) was designed to improve school performance and prevent reoffending among the enrolled juvenile offenders through a milieu of social services. It was a 3-year pilot project established as part of a statewide juvenile correctional program funded by the California State Legislature, which commenced in 1999 and ended in 2001. A true experimental design was employed, and a total of 327 first-time juvenile probationers were randomly assigned to treatment and control groups. At the end of the project, 204 subjects (106 in the treatment group and 98 in the control group) had a successful program termination. The data show that subjects in the treatment group were more likely to have better school performance than those in the control group. In the first 6-month period after program enrollment, they were also less likely to have new criminal offenses than their counterparts in the control group; however, no significant effect was found in any additional 6-month periods. Both groups were not significantly different in their probation technical violations. Policy Implications: The study results suggest that intensive supervision and coordinated team efforts in providing probation services can markedly improve juvenile offenders' school-related performances and prevent new criminal offenses at the starting period. However, such an intervention model is unlikely to produce consistent and cost-effective justice system effects in the long run. Juveniles who fit the high-risk profiles do not necessarily become chronic offenders; future correctional interventions need to focus not only on individual level factors but also on the social context that gave rise to their problem behaviors in the first place. KEYWORDS: Juvenile justice; Language: en
Coats, Tethers, Rabs, and SNAREs Work Together to Mediate the Intracellular Destination of a Transport Vesicle

Tethering factors have been shown to interact with Rabs and SNAREs and, more recently, with coat proteins. Coat proteins are required for cargo selection and membrane deformation to bud a transport vesicle from a donor compartment. It was once thought that a vesicle must uncoat before it recognizes its target membrane. However, recent findings have revealed a role for the coat in directing a vesicle to its correct intracellular destination. In this review we will discuss the literature that links coat proteins to vesicle targeting events.
On the Role Played by Ontogenetic Remodeling and Functional Transformation in the Evolution of Terrestrial Hearing

Using examples from the octavolateral system, evidence is reviewed suggesting a relationship between regressive events, such as loss of one function, or loss of one sensory subsystem, and progressive evolutionary changes in topologically associated systems. While none of the neuronal examples in the evolutionary reorganization of the otic region are as clear-cut as the initial example of non-neuronal reorganization on which the correlation of regressive with progressive changes is based (the functional transformation of the hyomandibular bone into the stapes), the general principle that a chance correlation of two insignificant events may lead to a novel function may be valid for more aspects of the evolution of the ear, in particular the auditory system, than is currently appreciated. It is suggested that regressive events may not only be an evolutionary dead end but that they may provide, through the relaxation of constraints imposed on the respective structure, a source for innovations. However, transformations of functionally uncoupled structures into a novel adaptive function will occur only when topologically adjacent structures require these transformations to improve their own function.
Tuberculosis in the Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens)

Amphibian tuberculosis differs from the more familiar mammalian tuberculosis in that it is generally less contagious and less devastating. Although a pulmonary form of amphibian tuberculosis is known to occur, most cases are the result of ingestion of the disease-producing organisms, and the lesions appear in the liver, spleen, kidneys, and testes. A dermal form of the disease is also known to occur, but is seen less often [1]. Although numerous cases of tuberculosis in cold-blooded animals have been reported elsewhere, there have been only scattered reports in the literature of this country. From the University of Pennsylvania came reports of spontaneous acid-fast infections in salt-water fish, garter snakes, and frogs (Rana catesbeiana) [2-4]. A spontaneous case of tuberculosis was reported in a frog (Rana esculenta) that died in the Philadelphia Aquarium [5]. In the latter case, numerous small firm tubercles were present in the liver and spleen. Acid-fast bacilli were described as pleomorphic and quite numerous, and many were in clumps. When the bacilli were reintroduced into toads (Bufo marinus), tubercles and clumps of acid-fast bacilli were demonstrated subse-
TU‐FF‐A3‐06: Improving Tracking of Implanted Radio‐Opaque Markers On MV and KV Imaging with Techniques From Computer Vision and Machine Learning

Purpose: Several groups have investigated implanting gold markers into tumors and tracking these markers with kV imaging during a radiotherapy treatment session. Our group has recently published an algorithm robust enough to detect moving markers in implanted tumors on kV and MV images. Our prior work is limited to tumors moving slower than 1.6 cm/s. Here, we expand on our prior work and the work by other groups by using techniques from computer vision and machine learning to improve the performance of the tracking algorithm and remove the need for any data‐set/patient specific parameters or breathing wave form data. Method and Materials: We replace the classification function in our prior algorithm with a support vector machine (SVM) classifier. To drop the need for data‐set specific thresholds, we use techniques from computer vision to examine additional features of the fiducial. Once a location is selected as a possible marker by template matching (correlation) we run a Sobel edge detector to trace the outline of the potential marker. With this outline, we can compute a series of morphological parameters, including the area, major and minor axis, and statistical moments. These additional features provide the SVM classifier with enough information to distinguish true and false markers without the need for data‐set specific thresholds or weights. To test our new algorithm, we image a moving MV phantom with two implanted markers, moving at various speeds. Results: We can now track markers on MV images moving at speeds between 1.6 cm/s to 3.14 cm/s with 95% efficiency. Conclusion: Compared to our prior approach and the approach of other groups, we can now track faster moving fiducials and do not require manual adjustment of threshold parameters.
Serum triiodothyronine concentration in thyroid storm.

Serum triiodothyronine levels were elevated in 6 patients with thyroid storm (769 ± 181 ng/100 ml) but the values observed were not significantly different from those found in uncomplicated thyrotoxicosis (752 ± 282 ng/100 ml). This observation suggests that the pathogenesis of thyroid storm resides in mechanisms other than a simple increase in serum triiodothyronine con centration.
Distribution of [14C] Ethane Dimethanesulfonate in Immature and Adult Male Rats Following an Acute Exposure

Abstract Distribution of [14C]Ethane Dimethanesulfonate in Immature and Adult Male Rats Following an Acute Exposure. Laskey, J. W., Kelce, W. R., Klinefelter, G. R., Gray, L. E., Jr., and Ewing, L. L. (1994). Fundam. Appl. Toxicol. 22, 319-327. In the adult rat, ethane dimethanesulfonate (EDS) reduces testosterone (T) production by killing Leydig cells. Studies have also shown that acute EDS administration produces transient infertility and epididymal effects. Although these later effects were believed to be indirect results of the reduced Leydig cell T production, it was recently found that the epididymal effects were partially a direct result of in vivo EDS treatment. In contrast to the Leydig cells of the adult rat, immature Leydig cells are affected by EDS only at doses four- to sixfold higher than those that affect mature Leydig cells. In fact, the Leydig cells of the adult rat seem to be uniquely susceptible to the cytotoxic effects of EDS. Steroidogenesis in other organs, like the adrenal and ovary, are unaffected in vivo at doses that eliminate T production in males. In addition, studies have shown that doses of EDS that kill Leydig cells in vitro , isolated from the testes of adult rats, have no effect on similarly exposed hepatocytes. Hence, it was the objective of this study to describe the distribution and temporal fate of EDS in target (testes and epididymides) and nontarget tissues in immature and adult male rats and to determine if this information would explain either the age- or tissue-related susceptibility to EDS. We have concluded from this study that tissue distribution, integrated in vivo EDS dose, and differences in EDS metabolism are not the only factors contributing to the difference in sensitivity. The information collected in this study will enable us to use in vitro EDS concentrations for examination of the mechanism of action at doses relevant to those produced in vivo.
Analysis of large nucleic acid dot matrices on small computers

A UCSD Pascal program was developed which can analyze nucleic acid dot matrices of up to 9500 X 9500 in size on the Apple II computer. Although matrices of such size consume large amounts of computer memory, this program minimizes these problems by analyzing only small strips of the matrix at a time, and then transferring the results to a floppy disk or printer. Compression and memory efficient code further enhance the size of the matrix that can be analyzed. By generating an image of the dot matrix using software, and sending this image directly to an Epson dot matrix printer, a very detailed print out may be produced. The program has a number of user selectable options which allow a great deal of control over the analysis. The program contains no computer dependent code, and thus should work on all systems that can run UCSD Pascal.
Aflatoxins Not Recovered from Commercial Mold-Ripened Cheeses

Abstract Aflatoxins were not recovered from five samples (representing four brands) of domestic blue cheese, two samples (representing two brands) of Roquefort cheese, or three samples (representing one foreign and two domestic brands) of Camembert cheese.
The natriuretic peptides: physiology and role in left-ventricular dysfunction.

The natriuretic peptides (NPs), atrial natriuretic peptide, and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) have been shown to have important roles in fluid volume homeostasis and blood pressure regulation. In addition, plasma NP levels are elevated in a number of cardiac pathologies and have been used as biochemical markers of left-ventricular dysfunction (LVD) in small-and large-scale clinical studies. In this review, the authors describe NP physiology and summarize the findings of selected studies that have examined the reliability and feasibility of NP measurement in LVD. In particular, BNP is proposed to be a biochemical marker that may provide a useful and inexpensive screening test of LVD. In addition, the authors discuss possible roles of the NPs in the etiology and progression of LVD. The findings of these studies suggest that the NPs may directly contribute to cardiac pathophysiology and LVD progression.
Epidemiology of Type 2 Diabetes: Risk Factors

A number of cross-sectional and prospective studies that compared the insulin sensitivity of various national and ethnic populations within the U.S. to the total U.S. population were analyzed to find possible risk factors for the development of type 2 diabetes. It was found that the risks for diabetes in African-Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans are approximately 2, 2.5, and 5 times greater, respectively, than in Caucasians. Studies of the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Mexican Americans and non-Hispanic whites in San Antonio showed that there is an inverse relationship between socioeconomic status and the prevalence of diabetes. It also appears that cultural effects lead to an increased incidence of obesity in these populations, which may lead to insulin resistance. Genetic factors may also be a contributing factor. A 5-year, prospective study of insulin resistance in Pima Indians showed a relationship between impaired glucose tolerance and subsequent development of type 2 diabetes. In a 7-year study in Mexican Americans, those subjects who had both high insulin secretion and impaired insulin sensitivity had a 14-fold increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Regardless of cultural and ethnic factors, the San Antonio Heart Study, which compared Mexican Americans and non-Hispanic whites, showed that in both groups, the strongest predictors of developing type 2 diabetes are elevated fasting insulin concentrations and low insulin secretion.
Studies on Some California Fungi II

The Pestalotia leaf spot on Gaulthcria Shallon Pursh has been found commonly near the coast in northern California and Oregon for many years. Zeller described the discomycete occurring in the same spots with the Pestalotia, and suggested that because of the close association of the two forms there was probably an organic connection between them. Leaves bearing the two forms were collected at Trinidad, California, by H. E. Parks. Cultures were grown in the laboratory, from single ascospores of the Dermnatea and from single conidia of the Pestalotia. The two series were grown on a number of common laboratory media and were found to be indistinguishable in growth characters. Sporulation was sparse or lacking on media used, except on oat-meal agar where it was abundant, forming the conidia typical for Pestalotia gibbosa in both series, thus proving that the two forins were stages in the life cycle of one organism. No apothecia were obtained in the laboratory cultures. An interesting relation between temperature and the development of the fungus was observed. Cultures were grown in five different temperature chambers ranging from 8-30° C. Growth was optimum at 15-17° C., while it was markedly reduced at either lower or higher temperatures. Spore formation occurred only in those cultures that were grown at the optimum temperature. This cor-
Using SecM Arrest Sequence as a Tool to Isolate Ribosome Bound Polypeptides

Extensive research has provided ample evidences suggesting that protein folding in the cell is a co-translational process1-5. However, the exact pathway that polypeptide chain follows during co-translational folding to achieve its functional form is still an enigma. In order to understand this process and to determine the exact conformation of the co-translational folding intermediates, it is essential to develop techniques that allow the isolation of RNCs carrying nascent chains of predetermined sizes to allow their further structural analysis. SecM (secretion monitor) is a 170 amino acid E. coli protein that regulates expression of the downstream SecA (secretion driving) ATPase in the secM-secA operon6. Nakatogawa and Ito originally found that a 17 amino acid long sequence (150-FSTPVWISQAQGIRAGP-166) in the C-terminal region of the SecM protein is sufficient and necessary to cause stalling of SecM elongation at Gly165, thereby producing peptidyl-glycyl-tRNA stably bound to the ribosomal P-site7-9. More importantly, it was found that this 17 amino acid long sequence can be fused to the C-terminus of virtually any full-length and/or truncated protein thus allowing the production of RNCs carrying nascent chains of predetermined sizes7. Thus, when fused or inserted into the target protein, SecM stalling sequence produces arrest of the polypeptide chain elongation and generates stable RNCs both in vivo in E. coli cells and in vitro in a cell-free system. Sucrose gradient centrifugation is further utilized to isolate RNCs. The isolated RNCs can be used to analyze structural and functional features of the co-translational folding intermediates. Recently, this technique has been successfully used to gain insights into the structure of several ribosome bound nascent chains10,11. Here we describe the isolation of bovine Gamma-B Crystallin RNCs fused to SecM and generated in an in vitro translation system.
Power semiconductors: Looking ahead: Consumer applications will grow for moderate-current devices while large-diameter wafers await packaging innovations

The article underlines the role of Czochralski material in the manufacture and continues to suggest that the need for a more efficient packaging development. Comparisons are made between power transistors and thyristors together with prediction charts for power ratings and operating times. An insert is also given covering the tools and processes used in the device manufacture.
Structure-Activity Relationship of 6-Methylidene Penems Bearing 6,5 Bicyclic Heterocycles as Broad-Spectrum β-Lactamase Inhibitors: Evidence for 1,4-Thiazepine Intermediates with C7 R Stereochemistry by Computational Methods

The design and synthesis of a series of 6-methylidene penems containing [6,5]-fused bicycles (thiophene, imidazole, or pyrazle-fused system) as novel class A, B, and C beta-lactamase inhibitors is described. These penems proved to be potent inhibitors of the TEM-1 (class A) and AmpC (class C) beta-lactamases and less so against the class B metallo-beta-lactamase CcrA. Their in vitro and in vivo activities in combination with piperacillin are discussed. On the basis of the crystallographic structures of a serine-bound reaction intermediate of 2 with SHV-1 (class A) and GC1 (class C) enzymes, compounds 14a-l were designed and synthesized. Penems are proposed to form a seven-membered 1,4 thiazepine ring in both class A and C beta-lactamases. The interaction energy calculation for the enzyme-bound intermediates favor the formation of the C7 R enantiomer over the S enantiomer of the 1,4-thiazepine in both beta-lactamases, which is consistent with those obtained from the crystal structure of 2 with SHV-1 and GC1.
WaveScope: a signal-oriented data stream management system

WaveScope is a data management and continuous sensor data system that integrates relational database and signal processing operations into a single system. WaveScope is motivated by a large number of signal-oriented streaming sensor applications, such as: preventive maintenance of industrial equipment; detection of fractures and ruptures in various structures; in situ animal behavior studies using acoustic sensing; network traffic analysis; and medical applications such as anomaly detection in EKGs. These target applications use a variety of embedded sensors, each sampling at fine resolution and producing data at high rates ranging from hundreds to hundreds of thousands of samples per second. Though there has been some work on applications in the sensor network community that do this kind of signal processing (for example, shooter localization [5], industrial equipment monitoring [4], and urban infrastructure monitoring [2]), these applications are typically custombuilt and do not provide reusable high-level programming framework suitable for easily building new signal processing applications with similar functionality. This poster shows how WaveScope supports these types of application in a single, unified framework, providing both high run-time performance and easy application development.
Abstract B115: Eflornithine (DFMO) Prevents Progression of Pancreatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia to Ductal Adenocarcinoma in LSL-KrasG12D/+ Mice

Pancreatic cancer still remains a devastating disease almost uniformly lethal with a 95% (p Citation Format: Altaf Mohammed, Naveena B. Janakiram, Misty Brewer, Rebekah L. Ritchie, Anuj Marya, Stan Lightfoot, Vernon E. Steele, Chinthalapally V. Rao. Eflornithine (DFMO) prevents progression of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia to ductal adenocarcinoma in LSL-KrasG12D/+ mice. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Eleventh Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research; 2012 Oct 16-19; Anaheim, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Prev Res 2012;5(11 Suppl):Abstract nr B115.
Evidence of herbivory in tree-fern petioles from the Calhoun Coal (Upper Pennsylvanian) of Illinois

Coprolites composed of plant debris are common in Pennsylvanian-age coal balls. However, the coprolites themselves given no indication as to whether they were produced by herbivores or detritivores. In this report evidence that certain coprolites were produced by a highly specific kind of herbivore is presented. Many petioles of the marattialean tree-fern Psaronius chasei from the Calhoun Coal (Upper Pennsylvanian) of Illinois have large cavities filled with coprolites and disrupted plant tissue. The cavities are bordered by extensive proliferation of the cortical parenchyma. This proliferation closely resembles wound tissue produced by extant ferns and occurs only in petioles with coprolites. The cylindrical coprolites averaged 1.85 by 2.76 mm and are composed of the remains of plant tissues including sclerenchyma, gum sacs, and other cells identifiable as tissue from the petioles in which the coprolites occur. The plant-animal interaction represented by the wounded petioles is highly specific. No evidence of it has been found in any other kind of petiole (e.g., seed fern) or even in petioles of other species of Psaronius. Only petioles larger than 1.5 cm in diameter have wound tissue and coprolites.
Dynamic voting algorithms for maintaining the consistency of a replicated database

There are several replica control algorithms for managing replicated files in the face of network partitioning due to site or communication link failures. Pessimistic algorithms ensure consistency at the price of reduced availability; they permit at most one (distinguished) partition to process updates at any given time. The best known pessimistic algorithm, voting, is a “static” algorithm, meaning that all potential distinguished partitions can be listed in advance. We present a dynamic extension of voting called dynamic voting. This algorithm permits updates in a partition provided it contains more than half of the up-to-date copies of the replicated file. We also present an extension of dynamic voting called dynamic voting with linearly ordered copies (abbreviated as dynamic-linear). These algorithms are dynamic because the order in which past distinguished partitions were created plays a role in the selection of the next distinguished partition. Our algorithms have all the virtues of ordinary voting, including its simplicity, and provide improved availability as well. We provide two stochastic models to support the latter claim. In the first (site) model, sites may fail but communication links are infallible; in the second (link) model the reverse is true. We prove that under the site model, dynamic-linear has greater availability than any static algorithm, including weighted voting, if there are four or more sites in the network. In the link model, we consider all biconnected five-site networks and a wide variety of failure and repair rates. In all cases considered, dynamic-linear had greater availability than any static algorithm.
Depression of glutathione by cold-restraint in mice

The effects of cold-restraint as a physiological stressor on the glutathione (GSH) content of the liver and other tissues were examined in male mice. Mice of the ICR, NIH, ND/4, and B6C3F1 strains subjected to cold-restraint for 2 or 3 h experienced a loss of hepatic GSH concentrations ranging from approximately 15 to 50%. Though 3 of these strains (ICR, NIH, and B6C3F1) experienced hypothermia as result of the cold-restraint treatment, with average decreases in core body temperature ranging from 3.3 to 9.8 degrees C, hepatic GSH levels were depressed in the ND/4 mouse in the absence of changes in core body temperature. The ability of cold-restraint as a stressor to diminish hepatic GSH therefore could not be attributed simply to hypothermia. The decrease in hepatic GSH from cold-restraint in ND/4 mice was paralleled by a decrease in non-protein sulfhydryl (NPSH) content of the liver. In addition to its effects on liver GSH and NPSH concentrations, 1.5 h of cold-restraint stress significantly depressed plasma, heart, kidney, and lung NPSH concentrations. The extent of NPSH depression was equivalent to the GSH depression in the liver, heart, and kidney, despite the observation that the normal contribution of GSH to total NPSH content in these tissues ranged from a high of 89% (liver) to a low of 49% (heart). These results with cold-restraint in the ND/4 mouse suggest that other stressors may significantly depress cellular concentrations of GSH and other thiols, and may thereby render the affected tissues more susceptible to the toxicity of free radicals, electrophilic xenobiotic metabolites, or reactive oxygen species.
3-D Data Acquisition with Engineered Point Spread Functions

We discuss novel approaches for three-dimensional image data acquisition using engineered point spread functions. We focus on passive, single and multi-image systems and present a system for depth estimation using a rotating impulse response.
Intensive management modifies soil CO 2 efflux in 6-year-old Pinus taeda L. stands

Abstract Intensive forestry may reduce net CO2 emission into atmosphere by storing carbon in living biomass, dead organic matter and soil, and durable wood products. Because quantification of belowground carbon dynamics is important for reliable estimation of the carbon sequestered by intensively managed plantations, we examined soil CO2 efflux ( S C O 2 ) in a 6-year-old loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantation in response to weed control (W), weed control plus irrigation (WI), weed control plus irrigation and fertigation (addition of fertilizer to the irrigation water) (WIF), and weed control plus irrigation, fertigation and pest control (WIFP) since plantation establishment. Average S C O 2 ranged from 1.27 to 5.59 μmol m−2 s−1, and linear models indicated that soil temperature explained up to 56% of the variation in S C O 2 . Plot position explained an additional 2–11% of the variation in S C O 2 . Soil moisture was only weakly correlated with S C O 2 in the W treatment, and S C O 2 was not significantly correlated to fine root mass. Predicted carbon loss from forest floor respiration ranged between 778 and 966 g C m−2 year−1 and was 20% lower in the WIF treatment relative to the W treatment. Annual soil carbon loss through soil respiration declined linearly with increasing carbon content in total root biomass (tap + coarse + fine) at age 6.
The evaluation of laser hazards.

Abstract Recent developments in laser technology have produced greater energy and power outputs in an ever-increasing variety of lasers of differing wavelengths. A variety of hazards exist to individuals working at or in the vicinity of laser operations. A program of hazard evaluation and control has been conducted by the authors in a variety of laser installations. The principal hazards of laser radiation to the eye due to both direct and reflected viewing are discussed. Criteria are given for determining the hazards of a given laser by evaluating the effects of the laser output characteristics (power or energy output, wavelength, emergent beam diameter and divergence) and the effects of various environmental factors (output or laboratory setting, ambient lighting, etc.). Methods of measuring or calculating the light intensity at a given point and guidelines for control of hazards are given.
Methamphetamine dependent individuals show attenuated brain response to pleasant interoceptive stimuli.

Background Mechano-receptive C-fiber (MR-CF) stimulation via slow stroking of C-fiber rich skin areas can be used to probe the relationship between reward and interoception. Individuals with substance use disorders show impaired reward processing, and dysfunctional interoceptive processing of MR-CF may contribute to this dysfunction. This study predicted that methamphetamine dependent (MD) individuals would exhibit altered responses to MR-CF stimulation in brain regions important for interoception.
Unraveling the Polyglutamine Aggregation Pathway in Huntington's Disease by Small-Angle Neutron Scattering

The presence of an abnormally expanded polyglutamine (polyGln) sequence in huntingtin protein ultimately results in beta-sheet-rich fibrillar aggregates, a hallmark of Huntington's disease. Current challenges are to map out the polyGln aggregation pathway by identifying the various precursor structures and establish their pathological roles. We are using time-resolved small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) to probe the aggregates formed by peptides having the protein context of huntingtin exon 1 (HD protein) and with varying polyGln lengths. SANS is a particularly useful technique for following structural changes on the nanometer length-scale in solution. From the time-resolved scattering data, we obtain snapshots of the polyGln structures as the kinetics reaction ensues, which yields quantitative information on the size and shape of precursors and the internal structure of the resulting fibrils. Measured changes in the radius of gyration and mass per length illustrate multiple growth regimes with a transition from early aggregates to fibril elongation and association. Our SANS results on mature polyGln fibrils are consistent with the Perutz beta-helix structural model. This research is providing new insights into the pathway of polyGln aggregation and should later assist in determining the role that precursors play in neuronal toxicity.
Japan and the United Nations conference on the law of the sea

Abstract Japan is more dependent on the seas than any other major nation. Maritime commerce is indispensible to her supply of raw materials, as well as being the principal conduit of foreign trade. Her shipbuilding industry is the world's largest, while fish provide over half the animal protein in the national diet. Because she is an island nation, the sea is crucial to her defense. Thus, Japan has a vested interest in the outcome of the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea, scheduled to convene in Caracas, Venezuela in June 1974. It will be the purpose of this paper to examine the importance of current law of the sea issues to various special interest groups in Japan, and relate them to the positions that their government has taken, or is likely to take, as the Conference date approaches. I would like to acknowledge my appreciation to Dr. Ann L. Hollick of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and to Dr. Choon‐Ho Park of the Harvard University Law School for their i...
Laser Pyrolysis Techniques: Application To Catalysis, Combustion Diagnostics, And Kinetics

A pulsed laser pyrolysis method has been developed to study kinetic processes at high temperatures. A CO2 laser is used to irradiate a 100 torr mixture of an infrared absorber (SF6), bath gas (N2), and reactants. Rapid heating to 700-1400 K occurs, followed by two-stage cooling. Unimolecular reactions are studied by competitive kinetics with a known standard, using mass-spectrometric or gas-chromatographic analysis. Bimolecular processes are examined using laser-induced fluorescence (LIF). The technique offers great advantages in reaching reactive temperatures in a fast and time-resolved manner, without the complications of hot surfaces. It is thus an ideal tool for analyzing and measuring some of the basic processes occurring in more complicated, real, hot systems. Our recent applications of the laser pyrolysis method in the areas of catalysis and combustion are summarized here. Several transition metal-carbonyl bond dissociation energies have been measured, and catalysis by the hot metal particulate products was observed. Since the use of LIF as a flame diagnotic requires some knowledge of the fluorescence quenching rates at high temperatures, the laser pyrolysis method was used to measure these rates for the important OH radical. Its reaction rate with acetylene was also measured, with implications for flame modeling and the mechanism of soot formation. Finally, this method can be used to ignite low concentrations of fuel and oxidant, and then study the time-resolved evolution of the flame chemistry by LIF and chemiluminescence observations.© (1984) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Wide-area Smart Grid situational awareness communications and concerns

U.S. utilities are in the process of deploying approximately one thousand phase monitoring units, with many sites using the latest approach in virtual private network, in anticipation of applications for wide-area situational awareness and, eventually, control. The objective of the combined projects is to improve upon SCADA by including phasor data and demonstrate that better operation can be achieved in a centralized model.