cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of rate of intracellular transport and diacytosis on cytotoxicity of hybrid toxins. Study with hybrids using hepatic asialoglycoprotein receptor-mediated endocytosis.

Abstract The effects of diacytosis and intracellular transport rate on cytotoxicity of hybrid toxins were studied with conjugates of diphtheria toxin fragment A (DTA) to asialoorosomucoid (ASOR) and its reduced and carboxymethylated cyanogen bromide fragment I (RC-ASCNBr-I) in cultured rat hepatocytes. In the hepatocytes the kinetics of uptake of the conjugate of asialoorosomucoid (DTA-ASOR) and that of the conjugate of the cyanogen bromide fragment (DTA-RC-ASCNBr-I) were quite similar, but the rate of accumulation of DTA moiety into the lysosomes, as determined by Percoll density gradient centrifugation, was found to be greater for the latter than the former. However, after internalization, DTA-RC-ASCNBr-I was diacytosed to a lesser extent than that of DTA-ASOR, particularly when colchicine was present during internalization. Analysis of the subunits of DTA-ASOR internalized by the hepatocytes indicated that they were accumulated disproportionately in a time-dependent manner so that the glycoprotein moiety was accumulated progressively more than the toxin moiety. Cytotoxicity of DTA-ASOR toward the hepatocytes was 2-times as much as that of DTA-RC-ASCNBr-I. Colchicine enhanced the toxicity of DTA-RC-ASCNBr-I (33-fold) to a greater extent than that of DTA-ASOR (12-fold). The difference in enhancement by colchicine was also observed in the rate of cell intoxication by the conjugates. Both conjugates were more toxic to the hepatocytes after incubation with the cells at 18°C than at 37°C. In the presence of vanadate (0.2 mM), which enhanced diacytosis, toxicity of DTA-ASOR decreased by 5-fold. After incubation with the hepatocytes, a partial dissociation of DTA-ASOR was found to occur independently of the receptor-mediated endocytosis. Taken together, these results indicate that diacytosis, subunit dissociation and rapid transport of conjugate toward lysosomes affect kinetically the rate of accumulation of the conjugate into a yet unidentified compartment of toxin translocation.
Localization of bismuth radiotracer in rat kidney following exposure to bismuth.

It has been proposed that alpha emitting2l2Bi (t1/2 = 60 min) coupled to tumor-specific antibodies may be a useful radiotherapeutic agent. However, since Bi can accumulate in the kidney, it is necessary to characterize the factors influencing localization of Bi within this tissue in order to evaluate the potential for radiation damage to the renal system. In this study, the localization of Bi radiotracers was determined in kidneys of rats previously exposed and not exposed to μmole quantities of Bi. Following repeated injection of Bi (4 × 14 μmols (3 mg Bi)/kg bw) the element accumulated mainly in the kidney followed by liver, spleen, pancreas, bone, and brain. Kidney copper and liver zinc concentrations were higher in Bi-exposed rats than in non-exposed rats. Within the cytosol, in Bi-exposed rats, Bi radiotracer in the kidney was associated with a metallothionein-like protein (Mt). In contrast, non-exposed rats contained no detectable metallothionein-like proteins in the kidney and the Bi tracer was associated with the hemoglobin fraction of the cell. Thus, when Bi is administered in tracer quantities such as that incorporated for use as a radiopharmaceutical, no induction of, and association with, metallothionein-like proteins should occur. These results suggest that the potential nephrotic effects of212Bi will be influenced by the individual’s previous exposure to Bi-containing drugs, or other metallothioneininducing insults.
Impact-induced fatigue of foamed polymers

Abstract The fatigue life of foamed polymers in compression impact was measured using a cam-driven compound pendulum system. Impact-induced fatigue data are presented for two open-celled foamed polymers having different densities, which are often used for shock mitigation. Material measurements at constant incident energy included the static compression modulus and peak dynamic stress, which progressively degraded as the number of impacts approached one million. Other indicators of fatigue life were cell breakdown, in which microscopic edge cracks were observed in both dry and water-saturated test specimens. The dry material had the longer fatigue life. In both cases, cell breakdown occurred after a million or more impacts at peak compressive stresses in the 200–300 kN/m 2 range.
Effects of Socially Prescribed Expectations on Emotions and Cognitions in Asian and European Americans

This study examined the relation of positive and negative socially prescribed perfectionism to psychological well-being in 100 Asian American and 91 European American college students. Participants received one of four priming conditions (positive, negative, neutral expectancies and control) and completed several measures of perfectionism and psychological well-being at pretest and posttest. Findings showed that, controlling for pretest scores, priming participants with negative outcome expectancies led to higher levels of negative perfectionism and lower levels of positive perfectionism, and priming participants with positive outcome expectancies led to lower levels of negative perfectionism and higher levels of positive affect. Differences also emerged between Asian and European Americans in levels of perfectionism and the link between perfectionism and well-being. Asian Americans had lower levels of subjective well-being and higher levels of negative perfectionism than European Americans, and Asian Americans were also less susceptible to the effects of positive priming. Present findings raise the possibility that cultural differences may affect ways of thinking about the past, present and future.
A new reactor for purely homogeneous kinetic studies of endothermic reactions

A new counterflow jet reactor has been designed to study the purely homogeneous kinetics of endothermic reactions. The reactor consists of two vertical, coaxial, counterflowing, laminar jets and radial-flow exit region. It can be used to generate a reaction zone near the stagnation point and away from walls, thus eliminating the possibility of surface reactions. One jet is heated and contains only a suitable carrier gas such as hydrogen and nitrogen, while the other is unheated and contains the compound(s) under study diluted in the same carrier gas. A 2-D model of the process has been used to simulate the thermal decomposition of tertiary-butyl-arsine, a precursor for metal-organic chemical vapor deposition of GaAs films. Performance diagrams based on Reynolds and Demkohler numbers were constructed to identify optimal operating conditions and to demonstrate the feasibility of the technique. This reactor appears to be an attractive choice for studies of the purely homogeneous kinetics of endothermic reactions at pressures close to atmospheric.
Women as victims of corporate crime: A call for research on a neglected topic

Criminologists have paid less attention to white‐collar than to street crime, to victims than to offenders, and to women than to men, either as victims or as offenders. In fact, we have been unable to locate even a single study that focuses specifically on women as victims of corporate crime. We present several case studies that indicate that women are indeed often victimized by corporate activities. We argue that research on this topic is both necessary and timely. Feminist analysis may explain why little attention has been paid to this issue so far and also provides a theoretical framework for future research.
Accelerator Projects in the U.S.A.

A review was presented of operating, planned and high energy accelerators under construction in the U.S. It was pointed out that the program is broad based, addressing a variety of frontiers and encompassing many of most fruitful projectiles, intensities, and energy ranges. The U.S. program is also geographically diversified across the country in major research centers. The physics productivity over the past years has been excellent with a emphasis on the importance of sustaining the base program at least until the SSC is operating and possibly beyond.
The partial opiate receptor agonists, dezocine and ciramadol act as μ receptor antagonists at the feline ileocecal sphincter

The effects of two novel synthetic narcotic agonist/antagonists dezocine and ciramadol were examined at the ileocecal sphincter (ICS) in the intact anesthetized cat. Changes in blood pressure were seen with higher doses of both dezocine and ciramadol. No ICS pressure changes were seen in the ICS to dezocine and an increase in ICS pressure was seen only to the highest dose of ciramadol examined (10 mg/kg). The antagonist action of the two drugs were examined against submaximal doses of the mu receptor agonist morphine sulfate, delta receptor agonist methionine enkephalin and the k-receptor agonist dynorphin. Both drugs inhibit the ICS response to morphine sulfate. No inhibition of the responses to methionine enkephalin or dynorphin were seen with dezocine and only partial inhibition of the ICS response to dynorphin was seen with ciramadol.
A variant of the density Hales–Jewett theorem

In a recent paper “A variant of the Hales-Jewett theorem”, M. Beiglbock provides a version of the classic coloring result in which an instance of the variable in a word giving rise to a monochromatic combinatorial line can be moved around in a finite structure of specified type (for example, an arithmetic progression). We prove a density version of this result in which all instances of the variable may move. As an application, we obtain an elementary proof of a result of V. Bergelson stating that multiplicatively large subsets of N contain arbitrarily long geoarithmetic progressions.
An environmental reference materials program I. Dioxin performance evaluation materials

Abstract A reference materials program is reviewed. The development process is described, and multilaboratory laboratory performance data are presented. The future directions of the program are also discussed.
Measurement of the supercooling curve of a paramagnetically limited superconductor

Abstract The supercooling curve of a paramagnetically limited superconductor was determined by measuring the magnetic field dependence of the fluctuations and was compared to theory.
The effect of poverty and social protection on national homicide rates: Direct and moderating effects

Social protection is the ability of a government to insulate its citizens from the problems associated with poverty and market forces that negatively affect their quality of life. Prior research shows that government policies that provide social protection moderate the influence of inequality on national homicide rates. Recent research, however, reveals a strong association between poverty and national homicide rates. Further, theory and evidence suggest that social protection policies are meant to aid in providing a subsistence level of living, and thus to alleviate the vagaries of poverty not inequality. To this point, however, no studies have examined the potentially moderating effect of social protection on the strength of the association between poverty and homicide rates cross-nationally. We do so in the present study. Employing data for the year 2004 from a sample of 30 nations, we estimate a series of weighted least squares regression models to test three hypotheses: the association between poverty and homicide will remain significant and positive when controlling for social protection, social protection will have a significant negative direct effect on national homicide rates, and social protection will diminish the strength of the poverty-homicide association. The results provided evidence supporting all three hypotheses. We situate our findings in the cross-national empirical literature on social structure and homicide and discuss our results in the theoretical context of social protection. Language: en
Depressive symptoms and proinflammatory cytokines across the perinatal period in African American women

AbstractBackground: Comparatively few studies have examined the biological mechanisms that may underlie the reported racial disparities in antenatal and postpartum depression.Objective: To examine the associations among race, depressive symptoms and the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α across the perinatal period in a diverse sample of healthy pregnant women at elevated psychosocial risk.Methods: 171 subjects were enrolled. Women were interviewed and blood samples drawn at 18 and 32 weeks gestation and 6 weeks and 6 months postpartum. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Serum levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were assayed using high sensitivity enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits.Results: Compared with non-African American (AA) women, AA women had significantly higher levels of IL-6 (est. diff = 0.521, p = 0.02, confidence interval (CI): 0.088–0.954) but not TNF-α across all time points (est. diff = −0.060, p = 0.80, CI:...
Birth spacing and fertility limitation: a behavioral analysis of a nineteenth century frontier population.

This paper utilizes data from computerized Utah genealogies on changes in the intervals between births to argue that changes associated with the western fertility transition represent an adaptation of the population to changing socioeconomic circumstances utilizing extant modes of behavior rather than an "innovation" or adoption of new behavior. 24144 women born between 1840-95 married only once and remaining in an intact marriage through age 49 and living in Utah throughout their childbearing years formed the sample. Comparison of the Utah data with less detailed European data assembled by Henry and by Knodel shows the levels and lengths of intervals in each to be quite similar. The analysis of all birth intervals across the fertility transition for a series of cohorts controlling for children ever born revealed that indices previously used to measure the extent of fertility truncation over the course of various European transitions may be inadequate to detect enclaves of birth spacing. Spacing behavior appears to have existed in some groups even during periods of natural fertility. Over the course of the transition as increasing numbers of women modify their behavior to terminate childbearing at lower levels of children ever born they appear to adopt the spacing pattern already evident among a small group of women in earlier birth cohorts. The Utah increase was distributed over a wide segment of the population with differing completed fertility and differing life course patterns as reflected in age of marriage and age at last birth. The shift in contraceptive behavior was accompanied by increased age at marriage. Consistently increasing mean birth intervals with increasing parity are possible evidence of attempts to truncate childbearing. Further analysis of the role of interbirth intervals and the spread of fertility limitation might be relevant to the fertility transitions of contemporary developing countries.
UNDERSTANDING DRIVERS' ROUTE CHOICE UNDER LONG-TERM PRETRIP AND SHORT-TERM EN-ROUTE TRAFFIC INFORMATION USING GENERALIZED ESTIMATING EQUATIONS

This paper addresses two drivers' route choice paradigms by modeling the factors that affect drivers' compliance with a long-term pretrip advised route and modeling drivers' usage of en-route short-term traffic information. A travel simulator with a real network and real historical congestion levels was used as a data collection tool. A generalized estimating equations (GEEs) model with repeated observations and a binomial probit link function was used to ensure the validity of the statistical analysis. Four different correlation structures were used and compared. The results showed that familiarity with the device that provides the information and severe weather conditions increases the likelihood of complying with the pretrip advised route and following the en-route short-term information. Network familiarity and the number of traffic signals on the pretrip advised route have a negative effect on drivers' compliance. Providing qualitative information and proximity to the destination increase the usage of en-route traffic information.
On the absolute stereochemistry of the photochemical rearrangement of 2,5-cyclohexadienones to lumiketones

Abstract Specification of the absolute configurations of starting material and product in the photochemical rearrangement of a 2,5-cyclohexadienone to a bicyclo[3.1.0]hexen-2-one (lumiketone) permits unambiguous determination of the stereochemistry at two crucial stages in the generally accepted reaction mechanism, namely the electrocyclic ring closure to give a 3,5-bonded intermediate, and the subsequent [1,4]-sigmatropic shift. The stereochemical course of the latter process in turn allows specification of whether the rearrangement is occurring directly from an electronically excited intermediate or a ground state zwitterion. An unconstrained monocyclic chiral cyclohexadienone has been studied in which steric constraints are minimal, and in which the system should have free choice of available pathways. The absolute configuration of the resolved dienone was determined by X-ray crystallographic analysis of a derivative containing a chiral center of known configuration. The absolute configuration of the resultant optically active diastereomeric lumiketones has been assigned from the Cotton effects observed on the corresponding dihydrolumiketones, assuming these chiroptical effects are governed by a normal Octant Rule instead of the Inverse Octant Rule which empirically correlates such data for cyclopropyl ketones lacking polarizable substituents. The limitations on these assignments are discussed, as well as alternative efforts to obtain completely unambiguous stereochemical assignments for the lumiketones. On the basis of these assignments, it is concluded that the sigmatropic shift proceeds with inversion of configuration at the migrating carbon, consistent with reaction via a ground state zwitterion.
Reversal of fluoroacetate inhibition by vitamin B12 in a strain of Escherichia coli.

Summary1. The rate of acetate oxidation in aged, glucose-grown cells of Escherichia coli strain 113-3 was stimulated by addition of vit. B12. Stimulation of glucose oxidation was not observed. Upon addition of fluoroacetate with either glucose or acetate as substrate, oxidation was inhibited. This inhibition was partially prevented by the simultaneous supplementation with vit. B12. 2. Acetate-adapted cells of this mutant failed to show a stimulatory effect of vit. B12 on oxidation of acetate. However, in the presence of fluoroacetate, oxidation of acetate and glucose was stimulated by vit. B12.
High-speed switching in magnetic recording media

Recent measurements of the high-speed switching behavior of a wide range of commercial and experimental magnetic tapes are summarized. The salient result is the variation with material in the increase in the remanence coercivity HCR(τ) as the field pulse width τ decreases to <1 ns. For high-viscosity materials, the results are in good agreement with the thermal switching model proposed by Sharrock when 1/τ≤f0, the attempt frequency. For low-viscosity samples, the results are in reasonable agreement with the Landau-Lifshitz damping-limited switching model but only if values of the damping constant α ≈ 1 are assumed, in conflict with the experimentally reported values in some samples. The fundamental relationship between the two models through the fluctuation-dissipation theorem is emphasized and the need for a comprehensive model identified. Finally, a strong empirical correlation is obtained between α and a figure of merit SW/HC, where SW is the switching constant and HC is the coercivity. The implications for future media where thermal effects will become more important are significant.
Self-consistent energy bands and formation energy of the (GaAs)1(AlAs)1(001) superlattice

Using semirelativistic norm-conserving pseudopotentials and a mixed Gaussian--plane-wave basis set, we have performed very accurate self-consistent calculations of the energy bands and cohesive energies of GaAs, AlAs, and the (GaAs${)}_{1}$(AlAs${)}_{1}$(001) superlattice. To facilitate comparisons and ensure equal errors in the cohesive energies, all calculations were performed using the superlattice unit cell. Unlike other calculations, our calculated superlattice formation energy is negative (-9.2 meV per unit cell) and unlike other calculations our calculated equilibrium GaAs and AlAs lattice constants are in near perfect agreement with experiment so that no ad hoc strain correction need be added to the superlattice energy.
Telling More: Lies, Secrets, and History

This essay argues that secrets and lies are not forms of withholding information but forms by which information is valorized. Lies are constructed: what is to be lied about, what a lie is to consist of, how it is to be told, and whom it is to be told to, all reveal a social imaginary about who thinks what and what constitutes credibility. Secrets are negotiated: continual decisions about whom to tell, how much to tell, and whom not to tell describe social worlds, and the shape and weight of interactions therein. All of this makes lies and secrets extraordinarily rich historical sources. We might not see the truth distorted by a lie or the truth hidden by a secret, but we see the ideas and imaginings by which people disclose what should not be made public, and how they should carry out concealing one narrative with another. Such insights involve a step back from the project of social history, in which an inclusive social narrative is based on experience and individuals' ability to report it with some reliability, and suggests that historians need to look at social imaginings as ways to understand the ideas and concerns about which people lie and with which people construct new narratives that are not true. The study of secrets, however, links the study of social imaginings with the project of social history, as the valorization of information that results in the continual negotiation and renegotiation of secrets shows individuals and publics imagining the experiences labeled as secret because of the imagined power of a specific version of events.
Prochiral and pseudoasymmetric centers: Implications of recent definitions

Abstract New definitions of prochiral and of pseudoasymmetric elements have been proposed by Prelog and Helmchen [Helv. Chim. Acta 55, 2581 (1972)]. The revised definition of prochiral centers would fail to identify many centers bearing like ligands that can be distinguished experimentally. The new definition of the pseudoasymmetric center would cause some that were previously so designated to be considered chiral. Whenever this occurs, concepts like retention and inversion of configuration would no longer have their customary meaning. Concomitant changes in the sequence subrules would not always provide reliable information about the possibilities of stereoisomerism. A modification of the rules is outlined which would avoid this, but secure similar benefits.
Climate change impacts on water management and irrigated agriculture in the Yakima River Basin, Washington, USA

The Yakima River Reservoir system supplies water to ~180,000 irrigated hectares through the operation of five reservoirs with cumulative storage of ~30% mean annual river flow. Runoff is derived mostly from winter precipitation in the Cascade Mountains, much of which is stored as snowpack. Climate change is expected to result in earlier snowmelt runoff and reduced summer flows. Effects of these changes on irrigated agriculture were simulated using a reservoir system model coupled to a hydrological model driven by downscaled scenarios from 20 climate models archived by the 2007 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report. We find earlier snowmelt results in increased water delivery curtailments. Historically, the basin experienced substantial water shortages in 14% of years. Without adaptations, for IPCC A1B global emission scenarios, water shortages increase to 27% (13% to 49% range) in the 2020s, to 33% in the 2040s, and 68% in the 2080s. For IPCC B1 emissions scenarios, shortages occur in 24% (7% to 54%) of years in the 2020s, 31% in the 2040s and 43% in the 2080s. Historically unprecedented conditions where senior water rights holders suffer shortfalls occur with increasing frequency in both A1B and B1 scenarios. Economic losses include expected annual production declines of 5%-16%, with greater probabilities of operating losses for junior water rights holders.
Response to Cole and Waldron's "letter to the editor: Syphilis revisited".

We would like to thank Drs. Cole and Waldron for their thoughtful reading of our recent article on evidence for pre-Columbian Old World treponemal disease (Harper et al.,2011). This is a very controversial subject, and we are not surprised that other investigators have critiques of our survey. We welcome their comments, and look forward to hearing the responses of others. Here we would like to respond to some of the points that Cole and Waldron (2012) made in regards to our article.
New Locality Records for Cryptopenaeus Catherinae De Freitas and Benthesicymus Bartletti S. I. Smith (Decapoda, Penaeoidea)

During the course of a distributional study of shrimps belonging to the Solenoceridae and Benthesicymidae, I found that one member of each of these families, Cryptopenaeus catherinae and Benthesicymus bartletti, respectively, occur in areas in which they have not been previously reported. Except for the records of B. bartletti in Suriname and French Guiana, all represent extensions of the ranges. Recently, Takeda (1983) recorded the presence of B. bartletti in "Suriname and French Guiana", but did not give the precise localities from which his specimens had been collected.
Active-Site Dynamics of SpvC Virulence Factor from Salmonella typhimurium and Density Functional Theory Study of Phosphothreonine Lyase Catalysis

The newly discovered SpvC effector protein from Salmonella typhimurium interferes with the host immune response by dephosphorylating mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) with a β-elimination mechanism. To understand this unique phosphothreonine lyase catalysis, the dynamics of the enzyme−substrate complex of the SpvC effector is investigated with a 3.2 ns molecular dynamics simulation, which reveals that the phosphorylated peptide substrate is tightly held in the active site by a hydrogen bond network and the lysine general base is positioned for the abstraction of the alpha hydrogen. The catalysis is further modeled with density functional theory (DFT) in a truncated active-site model at the B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) level of theory. The DFT calculations indicate the reaction proceeds via a single transition state, featuring a concerted proton abstraction from the α-carbon by Lys136 and β-elimination of the phosphate leaving group. Key kinetic isotopic effects are predicted based on the truncated active-sit...
A numerical-symbolic algorithm for computing the multiplicity of a component of an algebraic set

Let F1, F2,..., Ft be multivariate polynomials (with complex coefficients) in the variables z1, z2,..., Zn. The common zero locus of these polynomials, V(F1, F2,..., Ft) = {p ∈ Cn|Fi(p) = 0 for 1 ≤i ≤t}, determines an algebraic set. This algebraic set decomposes into a union of simpler, irreducible components. The set of polynomials imposes on each component a positive integer known as the multiplicity of the component. Multiplicity plays an important role in many practical applications. It determines roughly "how many times the component should be counted in a computation". Unfortunately, many numerical methods have difficulty in problems where the multiplicity of a component is greater than one. The main goal of this paper is to present an algorithm for determining the multiplicity of a component of an algebraic set. The method sidesteps the numerical stability issues which have obstructed other approaches by incorporating a combined numerical-symbolic technique.
Pseudoexfoliation syndrome: don't brush it off

Pseudoexfoliation syndrome is one of the most common causes of glaucoma worldwide.1 This complex disease can present a management challenge for ophthalmologists as the presence of pseudoexfoliation material can represent a spectrum of intraocular diseases including glaucomatous optic neuropathy, cataract formation, phacodonesis, lens subluxation, iris atrophy, poor mydriasis and a Fuchs’ like keratopathy.2 This syndrome was first described in 1917 by its appearance of bluish-grey flakes on the anterior lens capsule and was historically known solely as a disease of the eye.3–5 Evidence, however, indicates that pseudoexfoliation material can be found systemically within visceral organs, dermis and even the brain.6 ,7 Thus, pseudoexfoliation is a general disorder of extracellular matrix, but it is still unclear whether the changes within the extracellular matrix can lead to any systemic disease. Several small-scale retrospective case–control studies have linked pseudoexfoliation syndrome to various maladies of ageing. These studies have shown associations with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases,8–11 sensory neural hearing loss12 ,13 and Alzheimer's disease,14 as described later in this edition of BJO . The connection of Alzheimer's disease with pseudoexfoliation syndrome was first considered after the discovery of Αβ crystallines in the amyloid plaques in Alzheimer's patients.15 These crystallines are the major protein found in lens capsules. Brain and eye produce amyloid peptide Aβ and these amyloids are found to occur in direct association with pseudoexfoliation material.16 ,17 Although these findings provide compelling evidence of an association between these two diseases, …
Optimal Trajectory Generation for Establishing Connectivity in Proximity Networks

We examine the problem of designing optimal trajectories to establish connectivity in a network of initially scattered dynamic agents, specifically minimizing the squared integral of the total control effort. The network edges are modeled by proximity relationships between endpoint agents, leading to a dynamic state-dependent network topology. We formulate an optimal control problem with specified initial states, linear dynamics, and a connectivity constraint on the final induced topology. Our approach utilizes the Hamiltonian and resultant Euler-Lagrange equations to restructure the optimal control formulation as a parameter optimization problem based on final agent states. We provide both a heuristic approach and an iterative semidefinite programming (SDP) relaxation to efficiently approximate a solution of the resulting combinatorial optimization problem. Simulation results for double integrator agent dynamics are first provided to demonstrate feasibility for both approaches, and the results are compared with those obtained from exhaustive global search and random sampling. Additional simulation is performed for a specific spacecraft formation problem requiring the design of a stable connected network between a collection of fractionated spacecraft modules to illustrate the practicability and indicate the range of applications of the proposed approaches.
The role of dosage and plasma levels in neuroleptic relapse prevention

Recent research has focused on strategies for optimizing the long-term treatment of schizophrenia by decreasing relapse rates at the same time that antipsychotic drug side effects are minimized. Studies have suggested that substantially lowering the dose by as much as 80% can result in fewer side effects, less anxiety and depression, and improved compliance. However, dosage reduction can also lead to increases in the vulnerability to mild exacerbation of psychosis. A recent study from our laboratory indicates that supplementing low dose depot antipsychotic medications with oral supplementation at the time of prodromal symptoms may improve the safety of low doses. For patients who are treated with fluphenazine decanoate, monitoring plasma fluphenazine levels may also help to minimize relapse rates.
Distensibility of small pulmonary blood vessels.

Although vasomotor activity in small pulmonary vessels has been studied extensively in the past, using the concept of resistance to flow, information on the distensibility of these vessels is very sparse. In an attempt to reduce this deficit, we adapted a theoretical method developed for small systemic vessels, to estimate distensibility of pulmonary resistance vessels in experimental animals and man. Pressure-flow data from 11 dogs and 10 human subjects (5 control subjects and 5 patients with long-standing left heart failure) were used to calculate distensibility of small pulmonary vessels. The conductance, G, was calculated from these data as the ratio of blood flow to driving pressure. The slope of the relationship between the logarithm of G1/4 and the average distending pressure (ADP) provides a graphic picture of circumferential extensibility, E, defined as percent change in radius for an infinitesimal change in ADP. Results indicate that: (1) the value of E in dogs was 1.85 +/- .40 mmHg-1 for the control state, which decreased to 1.45 +/- .43 mmHg-1 during norepinephrine administration; however, the decrease in the value was not statistically significant (p = 0.53); (2) the value of E in control human subjects was 3.38 +/- .47 mmHg-1 and the value of E in patients with left heart failure was -0.64 +/- 0.39 mmHg-1; the difference was significant (P = .0001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
ARBOVIRUS COMPLEMENT FIXING ANTIBODIES IN SERA OF WILDLIFE OF WEST CENTRAL UTAH.

SummaryIn a survey for endemic diseases of the wildlife of West Central Utah, 9,100 serum samples were examined for the presence of complement fixing antibodies against 4 arboviruses; eastern (EEE), western (WEE), Venezuelan (VEE) and St. Louis (SLE) equine encephalomyelitis. Antibody titers of 1:16 or greater, with no cross reaction evident, were found in 6 specimens from 4 animal species against EEE, 57 from 9 species against VEE and 29 from 7 species and 89 from 10 species against WEE and SLE respectively. In addition to these reactors, 162 other serum samples were found to be positive with two or more of these arbo-virus antigens. Only WEE and SLE are known to be present in this region based upon known outbreaks and previous studies of others.We express gratitude to Peter Olsen and Everett Morse for collecting and processing the samples and to Doris Dickson for technical assistance.
A resource-based perspective on the dynamic strategy-performance relationship: An empirical examination of the focus and differentiation strategies in

Abstract This research applies a resource-based perspective, which emphasizes a firm's specialized or unique resources, to the question of how the focus and differentiation strategies affect the economic performance of entrepreneurial firms. We develop dynamic models that separate the period of creating or acquiring these resources from subsequent periods. With longitudinal data on entrepreneurial software firms, we examine the dynamic effects of multiple forms of these strategies on a firm's performance. The results generally support the hypotheses that, when the focus and differentiation strategies are established, performance is higher than for other firms. The results fail to support the hypothesis that firm performance will decrease when these strategies are adopted.
Identification and Determination of Trace Organic Substances in Sediment Cores from the Western Basin of Lake Ontario

Abstract A study was carried out to identify and to determine organic chemicals in sediment from the western basin of Lake Ontario, particularly in the fine-grained sediments near the mouth of the Niagara River. Sediment cores were obtained at five sampling stations, and samples were extracted by the base/neutral and acid method designed by US Environmental Protection Agency for extraction of water samples. The identification of organic compounds in the base/neutral sediment extract was carried out by GC/MS techniques. The major classes of investigated contaminants were aromatics, polynuclear aromatics, alkylated polynuclear aromatics, alkylated benzenes, phthalates, methyl esters of fatty acids, olefins, aldehydes, chlorobenzenes, and benzoates. In addition, all sediment samples were analysed for 2,3,7,8-tetrachloro dibenzo-p-dioxin. In the surface sediments, the abundance of contaminants decreased with the distance from the Niagara River mouth toward the north-west. However, high concentrations of most of the detected organics were present in sediment at the station located east of the River mouth.
Dual closed loop control of LLC resonant converter for EV battery charger

In this paper, LLC resonant converter simulation with dual closed loop control is demonstrated for Electric Vehicles (EVs) battery charger. To improve efficiency and fast charging conditions, switching losses must be diminished to have a maximum energy transfer among the variable converter components. The presented dual closed loop control technique is implemented under soft-switching conditions with constant current and constant voltage control methods. The designed DC/DC resonant converter, fed by Power Factor Corrector (PFC) outputs 200-300 V, provides 60 V/20 A at 1.2 kW. The simulation results show that differences in soft switching conditions are obtained by realizing input current and input voltage in phase under different output load conditions. At the same time, a battery is charged using Constant Current (CC) and Constant Voltage (CV) control techniques.
Coarse-grained entropy decrease and phase-space focusing in Hamiltonian dynamics

We analyze the behavior of the coarse-grained entropy for classical probabilities in nonlinear Hamiltonians. We focus on the result that if the trajectory dynamics are integrable, the probability ensemble shows transient increases in the coherence, corresponding to an increase in localization of the ensemble and hence the phase-space density of the ensemble. We discuss the connection of these dynamics to the problem of cooling in atomic ensembles. We show how these dynamics can be understood in terms of the behavior of individual trajectories, allowing us to manipulate ensembles to create 'cold' dense final ensembles. We illustrate these results with an analysis of the behavior of particular nonlinear integrable systems, including discussions of the spin-echo effect and the seeming violation of Liouville's theorem.
Zero cosmological constant from minimum action

Abstract We impose minimum euclidean action on a scalar field coupled to classical gravity and find zero effective cosmological constant without fine tuning, as well as a new mechanism for symmetry breaking.
An upper limit to the surface pressure of Venus.

Upper limits to surface pressure and carbon dioxide abundance of Venus atmosphere from combination of mechanical and atmospheric models
Beyond FST: Analysis of population genetic data for conservation

Both the ability to generate DNA data and the variety of analytical methods for conservation genetics are expanding at an ever-increasing pace. Analytical approaches are now possible that were unthinkable even five years ago due to limitations in computational power or the availability of DNA data, and this has vastly expanded the accuracy and types of information that may be gained from population genetic data. Here we provide a guide to recently developed methods for population genetic analysis, including identification of population structure, quantification of gene flow, and inference of demographic history. We cover both allele-frequency and sequence-based approaches, with a special focus on methods relevant to conservation genetic applications. Although classical population genetic approaches such as Fst (and its derivatives) have carried the field thus far, newer, more powerful, methods can infer much more from the data, rely on fewer assumptions, and are appropriate for conservation genetic management when precise estimates are needed.
The role of hyperglycosylated hCG in trophoblast invasion and the prediction of subsequent pre-eclampsia.

Objective Hyperglycosylated hCG (HhCG) is the predominant form of chorionic gonadotrophin in states characterized by aggressive trophoblast invasion such as early pregnancy or choriocarcinoma. Pre-eclampsia may be the result of failed or inadequate trophoblast invasion. We investigated whether low levels of maternal urine HhCG levels would predict subsequent pre-eclampsia. Study design Mid-trimester urine (14–21 weeks) was collected and frozen from non-hypertensive women undergoing genetic amniocentesis. Inclusion criteria were: normal singleton pregnancies without a prior history of pre-eclampsia, hypertension, diabetes or other vascular disorders. The specimens were subsequently thawed, and HhCG levels standardized to urine creatinine were measured. Maternal charts were reviewed after delivery to determine the development of pre-eclampsia. There were a total of 568 study subjects. Results Pre-eclampsia developed in 26 (4.6%) women. There was a significant correlation between low urine HhCG and subsequent pre-eclampsia (Mantel–Haenszel test of linear association: Chi-square 10.52, p=0.001). The mean HhCG level (ng/mg creatinine) was significantly greater in normals than in those destined to develop pre-eclampsia: 42.7 versus 20.3, p=0.002 (Mann–Whitney U-test). There was a progressive increase in the risk of subsequent pre-eclampsia as HhCG levels fell: HhCG ≤0.9 MoM RR (95% CI)=1.51 (1.15–1.98) compared with ≤0.1 MoM 10.42 (2.0–54.3). Conclusion Low maternal mid-trimester urine HhCG predicted subsequent pre-eclampsia. This appears to support the view that pre-eclampsia results at least in part from poor trophoblast invasion. Thus, HhCG may play a role in trophoblast invasion and measurement of this in urine identifies women at high risk for developing pre-eclampsia. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
On in situ attrition and vertebrate body part profiles

Abstract Ungulate body part representation in archaeological sites potentially reflects human foraging decisions. However, because mammal skeleton macrostructure is heterogeneous, its components may not uniformly resist mechanical causes of attrition. Techniques for analyzing vertebrate body part profiles must either address differential resistance among distinct skeletal density classes or compare skeletal representation within a narrower density range that is widely distributed in the vertebrate skeleton. This presentation concerns the benefits of the second approach as developed previously by the author (Stiner, 1991, Journal of Archaeological Science 18, 455–482; 1994, Honor Among Thieves: A Zooarchaeological Study of Neandertal Ecology . Princeton; Princeton University Press). Recent attempts to dismiss the approach misuse available standards on variation in structural density, a point demonstrated using the control data said to invalidate the profiling technique. In fact the mid-points and ranges of variation in bone structural density among elements grouped into the cranial and four appendicular skeletal regions are very similar as measured by photon densitometry, and especially for the skeletal portions commonly used to estimate MNE in Mediterranean Palaeolithic archaeofaunas. Region-by-region anatomical comparisons require fewer assumptions than do analyses that focus on differential resistance (“survivorship”) among the full range of bone density classes and thus are limited by fewer unknowns.
Ischemic injury and extracellular amino acid accumulation in hippocampal area CA1 are not dependent upon an intact septo-hippocampal pathway

The septo-hippocampal pathway contains a major gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) projection to dendritic fields within the hippocampus. To determine the importance of the septo-hippocampal pathway in ischemia-induced accumulation of GABA and subsequent cell death in area CA1 of hippocampus, septo-hippocampal deafferentation of adult gerbils was performed. Electrolytic lesions were produced in the medial or medial plus lateral septal regions in gerbils 7 days prior to being subjected to 5 min forebrain ischemia. The extent of deafferentation of the dorsal hippocampus was determined histochemically by acetylcholinesterase staining. Both the medial and medial plus lateral septal lesions produced nearly complete loss of acetylcholinesterase staining in the dorsal hippocampus indicating relatively complete deafferentation. During and following ischemia, in vivo microdialysis was used to measure extracellular GABA accumulation, which reached concentrations up to 1060 +/- 143% of basal. Septo-hippocampal deafferentation in both groups of lesioned animals failed to prevent the accumulation of GABA (and glutamate) induced by ischemia, indicating that ischemia-induced GABA accumulation in area CA1 arises principally from intrinsic GABAergic interneurons. Ischemic animals with medial septal lesions did not demonstrate neuroprotection or increased damage in the stratum pyramidale 7 days after reperfusion. Since the septo-hippocampal pathway provides the source of GABAergic disinhibition within the hippocampus, neither disinhibition nor the septo-hippocampal input appear to play an important role in the development of ischemia-induced neuronal death in the hippocampus.
Erratum: Functional requirement for symmetric assembly of archaeal box C/D small ribonucleoprotein particles (Journal of Molecular Biology (2003) 333 (295-306) DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2003.08.012)

002 D E The terms, “yeast U37 box C/D RNA”, “U37 snoRNA”, and “U37” as appeared in the text should be replaced by “a composite snoRNA”. The gel shift patterns presented in Figure 2 indicate that L7Ae bound to both box C/D and box C’/D’ 2 motifs of sR3 RNA. This result contrasts the gel shift pattern in Figure 5A of Szewczak et al. where the 15.5 kD protein was shown to interact only with the terminal box C/D motif of the composite snoRNA. The disparate specificity reflects the potentially different structures of the respective proteins and RNAs employed in the two studies.
Neurodegenerative mutants in Drosophila: a means to identify genes and mechanisms involved in human diseases?

There are 50 ways to leave your lover (Simon 1987) but many more to kill your brain cells. Several neurodegenerative diseases in humans, like Alzheimer’s disease, have been intensely studied but the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms are still unknown for most of them. For those syndromes where associated gene products have been identified their biochemistry and physiological as well as pathogenic function is often still under debate. This is in part due to the inherent limitations of genetic analyses in humans and other mammals and therefore experimentally accessible invertebrate in vivo models, such as Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila melanogaster, have recently been introduced to investigate neurodegenerative syndromes. Several laboratories have used transgenic approaches in Drosophila to study the human genes associated with neurodegenerative diseases. This has added substantially to our understanding of the mechanisms leading to neurodegenerative diseases in humans. The isolation and characterization of Drosophila mutants, which display a variety of neurodegenerative phenotypes, also provide valuable insights into genes, pathways, and mechanisms causing neurodegeneration. So far only about two dozen such mutants have been described but already their characterization reveals an involvement of various cellular functions in neurodegeneration, ranging from preventing oxidative stress to RNA editing. Some of the isolated genes can already be associated with human neurodegenerative diseases and hopefully the isolation and characterization of more of these mutants, together with an analysis of homologous genes in vertebrate models, will provide insights into the genetic and molecular basis of human neurodegenerative diseases.