cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Conserved ESX-1 Substrates EspE and EspF Are Virulence Factors That Regulate Gene Expression.

ABSTRACT Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the cause of human tuberculosis, and Mycobacterium marinum, a nontubercular pathogen with a broad host range, require the ESX-1 secretion system for virulence. The ESX-1 system secretes proteins which cause phagosomal lysis within the macrophage via an unknown mechanism. As reported elsewhere (R. E. Bosserman et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 114:E10772–E10781, 2017, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1710167114), we recently discovered that the ESX-1 system regulates gene expression in M. marinum This finding was confirmed in M. tuberculosis in reports by C. Sala et al. (PLoS Pathog 14:e1007491, 2018, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1007491) and A. M. Abdallah et al. (PLoS One 14:e0211003, 2019, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0211003). We further demonstrated that a feedback control mechanism connects protein secretion to WhiB6-dependent expression of the esx-1 genes via an unknown mechanism. Here, we connect protein secretion and gene expression by showing for the first time that specific ESX-1 substrates have dual functions inside and outside the mycobacterial cell. We demonstrate that the EspE and EspF substrates negatively control esx-1 gene expression in the M. marinum cytoplasm through the conserved WhiB6 transcription factor. We found that EspE and EspF are required for virulence and promote lytic activity independently of the major EsxA and EsxB substrates. We show that the dual functions of EspE and EspF are conserved in the orthologous proteins from M. tuberculosis. Our findings support a role for EspE and EspF in virulence that is independent of the EsxA and EsxB substrates and demonstrate that ESX-1 substrates have a conserved role in regulating gene expression.
Effects of melt flow index and equivalent weight on the dimensional stability and mechanical behavior of perfluorosulfonic acid ionomer membranes

Abstract The effect of melt flow index (MFI) and equivalent weight (EW) on three aspects relating to perfluorosulfonic acid membrane mechanical durability were studied: dimensional stability, hygral stress during humidity cycles and resistance to rupture under biaxial stresses. Membranes used in this study have nominal EWs of 800 and 700 g/mol –SO3H and MFI ranging from ≫ 10 to 0.005 g/10 min. The total water-uptake, water-uptake per sulfonic acid group, and coefficient of hygral expansion all increase with decreasing EW. For the same EW, the ionomer with lower MFI absorbs less water, swells less and experiences less hygral stress during humidity cycles. Although a 700 EW membrane with an MFI of 0.005 g/10 min swells more than the 800EW ionomers, it is projected to be the most durable because it experiences the least hygral stress during humidity cycles and is the most resistant to rupture under biaxial stress. These findings are supported by in-situ RH-cycling tests, which show a strong inverse correlation between log[MFI] and cycles to failure, and a weaker inverse dependence on EW. The results suggest that high-performing, low-EW ionomers can be mechanically robust enough for fuel cell applications provided they have a sufficiently low MFI.
Chapter 2 The theory of excess burden and optimal taxation

Publisher Summary The theory of excess burden and optimal commodity taxation is one of the oldest subjects of study in public finance, dating back to Dupuit (1844), and yet is also closely associated with the rapid analytical development of the field which commenced in the early 1970s. This chapter presents the chronological development of the concept of excess burden and the related study of optimal tax theory. A main objective is to uncover the interrelationships among various apparently distinct results, so as to bring out the basic structure of the entire problem. The various measures of excess burden, focusing on issues of approximation, informational requirements and aggregation over individuals, and the effects of a more general technology than the commonly supposed one with fixed producer prices are developed. Some of the empirical attempts to estimate various deadweight losses are reviewed. The issue of tax reform, as distinct from de novo tax design.
Interprofessional Consultations (eConsults) in Urology.

AbstractIntroduction:An interprofessional consultation, or eConsult, is an asynchronous form of telehealth whereby a primary care provider requests electronic consultation with a specialist in plac...
549. Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Patients with COVID-19 treated with Convalescent Plasma in Miami, Florida

Background: The Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) global health crisis caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has resulted in unprecedented mortality, impacted society, and strained healthcare systems, yet sufficient data regarding treatment options are lacking Convalescent plasma, used since 1895 for infectious disease outbreaks, offers promise as a treatment option for COVID-19 Methods: This is a retrospective study of patients diagnosed by a nasopharyngeal swab SARS-CoV-2 reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), who received convalescent plasma between April to June 2020 at two large hospitals in Miami, Florida, as part of the US FDA Expanded Access Program for COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP) Results: A total of 23 patients received CCP, 13 (57%) had severe COVID-19 disease, while 8 (35%) had critical or critical with multiorgan dysfunction Median time of follow up was 26 (range, 7-79) days Overall, 11 (48%) survived to discharge, 6 (26%) died, while 6 (26%) are currently hospitalized All deaths reported were due to septic shock from secondary infections 15 (65%) showed improvement in oxygen requirements 7 days post CCP transfusion Measured inflammatory markers, c-reactive protein, lactate dehydrogenase, ferritin and d-dimer improved 7 days post transfusion in 13 (57%) patients No adverse events due to the transfusion were reported 10 (43 4%) patients had a negative SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR at a median of 14 5 (range, 4-31) days after receiving convalescent plasma Conclusion: Administration of convalescent plasma was found to be safe, with favorable outcomes in this small cohort of relatively high acuity patients Larger studies including control arms are needed to establish the efficacy of convalescent plasma on clinical and virologic outcomes for patients with COVID-19 (Table Presented)
Dynamic performance analysis of grid-connected PMSG based on nonlinear control

This paper presents nonlinear control of a Wind Energy Conversion System (WECS) based Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator (PMSG) and Five-Level Neutral Point Clamped Voltage Source Converter (5L...
Jack Michael, Behavior Analyst

Jack Michael was the quintessential behavior analyst. Despite his reputation as a theoretician and expert in verbal behavior and on Skinner’s book Verbal Behavior, Jack was actually an applied behavior analyst in the literal sense before anyone had coined the term. Prior to becoming one of Jack’s doctoral students at Western Michigan University, I was a behavior-analytic neophyte. After I graduated and began my own teaching (modeled after Jack’s behavior-analytic method of teaching) and thinking and writing about behavior analysis, I found myself talking and thinking like Jack. He had a similar behavior changing effect not only on many of his other students, but also on others who had the good fortune to know him.
Treatment outcomes of passive scattering proton beam therapy for stage I non-small cell lung cancer

To investigate the treatment outcomes of passive scattering proton beam therapy using stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) or hypofractionated radiation therapy (RT) for inoperable patients or those who refused surgery for stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). From January 2016 to December 2019, we retrospectively analyzed 42 patients with stage I NSCLC treated with proton beam therapy. The initially intended dose regimen was 60 cobalt Gray equivalents (CGE) in 4 fractions; however, sequentially modified dose regimens were used when the dose-volume constraints could not be met. The median total dose was 50 CGE (range 50–70 CGE), while the corresponding median biologically effective dose using $$\alpha{/}\beta$$ = 10 (BED10) was 112.5 CGE (range 96–150 CGE). The median follow-up time was 40 months (interquartile range 32–48 months). Among the 42 treated patients, 33 had pathologically proven cancers of which most were adenocarcinoma (n = 21, 64%). The 3-year overall survival rate was 71.8%. The estimated rates of local control and progression free survival at 3 years were 91.5% and 66.9%, respectively. Thirteen patients experienced disease progression consisting of three local, six regional, and nine distant failures. No grade 4 or 5 toxicities were observed. Passive scattering proton beam therapy for stage I NSCLC using SABR or hypofractionated RT was safe and showed high LC rates.
Opposing Rhetorical Visions of the Social Imaginary: Social Media and the Public Sphere

The American democratic experiment has always had fractious elements. This has been the case even when there was general acceptance of the idea that decisions should be made entirely on the basis of rationality. In the twenty-first century, the assumption of a rational public, however, has been sorely tested, especially in social media that have become perhaps the principal means of democratic discourse. Social media have come to dominate the public sphere, and they have increasingly become dominated by vitriol and prejudice. The value of toleration of opposing views has now become a frail reed and the practice of ethical communication increasingly calls for, not just acceptance within the bounds of one’s own characterization of opponents, but a recognition of alterity, the necessity of self-definition and the practice of humanity in terms defined by the other, however onerous that may seem.
Simultaneous repair of bilateral pectoralis major tendons: A case report

Background Injuries to the pectoralis major are infrequent, with only a few hundred cases currently recorded in the literature. Case summary We report a case of a patient who sustained bilateral pectoralis major tendon ruptures. While other cases of bilateral pectoralis major tears have been reported in the literature, the operative management in this report differs. Due to delayed presentation of the patient right and left pectoralis major repairs were performed simultaneously. Conclusion Patients with delayed presentation of bilateral pectoralis major tendon ruptures can undergo simultaneous repair of both tendon with a good postoperative outcome and high patient satisfaction.
Nazi Germany and the Arab World

Introduction 1. Continuity and departure: imperial and Weimar Germany 2. Hitler, race, and the world beyond Europe 3. Germany and the Arab world, 1933-7 4. The coming of war, 1938-9 5. From the periphery to the center, 1940-1 6. The Axis and Arab independence, 1941-2 7. Collapse and irrelevance, 1943-4 Conclusions.
A Comparison of Anticipatory Surveys and Econometric Models in Forecasting U.S. Business Investment

This paper compares the performance of several anticipatory surveys of u.s. business investment with each other and with projections generated by large-scale econometric models. The Commerce Department survey outperformed both the McGraw-Hili and Merrill Lynch surveys. The relatively strong representation of small and medium size firms in the Commerce survey appear to be the major factor in its superiority over the other surveys. The Commerce Department survey of business expectations also outperformed forecasts derived from either the Data Resources Inc. or the Wharton econometric models.
Heterogeneity Between Two Mouse-Toxic Protein Polymers from Pasteurella pestis Indicated by Electrophoresis Patterns in a Phenol-Acetic Acid-Urea Gel System

Abstract Highly purified plague murine toxins A or B dissociate to form single uncommon polypeptide bands and another polypeptide band common to both toxins.
Adaptive Cartesian Coordinate Control of Space Based Robot Manipulators

This paper presents a Cartesian coordinate robot controller for use when the mass properties of the load are unknown. The controller is demonstrated using a new simulation algorithm which is based on Hamilton's form of the equations of motion.
Effect of selenium effusion rate on CIGS thin films deposited at low substrate temperature

To study the issues of film growth at low substrate temperature, Cu(In,Ga)Se/sub 2/ (CIGS) films have been deposited at substrate temperatures of 350/spl deg/C under variation of the selenium effusion rate. The properties of the resulting thin films were studied by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Solar cells were fabricated from selected films and characterized by current-voltage and quantum efficiency measurements. While the medium-and high-Se flux samples showed only subtle differences in composition, structure, morphology and device performance, the low-Se samples exhibited very low Cu content, additional chalcopyrite phases, very small grain size, and poor solar cell performance. A minimum selenium/metal flux ratio of 3 is suggested for the low-temperature CIGS deposition process. Higher selenium rates yield modest improvements to solar cell performance at low substrate temperature. The highest cell efficiency, 7.8% at AM1.5 global light, was achieved with a selenium/metal flux ratio of 8.
The use of reflected GPS signals to retrieve ocean surface wind speeds in tropical cyclones

Since the first intentional acquisition of GPS signals reflected from water bodies, one of the objectives which has driven the research is to determine whether the acquired signal can provide useful geophysical information about the reflecting surface. One obvious condition of considerable interest is ocean surface wind speed. Theory suggested that the reflection technique, a form of bistatic RADAR, would be sensitive to surface roughness which in turn is driven by wind speed. This paper reports the results derived from data acquired over the past decade of applying the GPS reflection technique to ocean surface winds, particularly ocean surface winds in tropical cyclones. Examples of wind speed retrievals will be given for some illustrative cases of hurricanes and tropical storms. The results from several hurricanes and tropical storms on how the signal was calibrated will be presented. In addition, a quantitative comparison will be given between dropsondes deployed by NOAA during the storms and GPS reflection derived wind speeds taken at the same time. Conditions in which the GPS technique offers excellent comparisons as well as examples where the comparison is not so good will be presented. Suggestions will be given as to when the GPS technique can be used with confidence and when it is likely to be at variance with other methods.
Reassignment of the vibrational spectra of CHF2CH3 (HFC-152a), CF3CH3 (HFC-143a), CF3CHF2 (HFC-125), and CHCl2CF3 (HCFC-123)

Abstract We provide new or revised vibrational assignments for three hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and one hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) through the combined use of experimental absolute infrared intensity measurements, experimental Raman measurements and ab initio computations of vibrational frequencies, absolute infrared intensities, and Raman intensities. CHF 2 CH 3 (HFC-152a), CF 3 CH 3 (HFC-143a), CF 3 CHF 2 (HFC-125), and CHCl 2 CF 3 (HCFC-123) are the molecules investigated in this study. We have measured the vapor infrared spectra from 400 to 4000 cm −1 at a resolution (0.08 cm −1 ) sufficient to resolve some overlapping fundamentals and to assign symmetry species for several bands on the basis of their rotational band contours and absolute infrared intensities. Raman spectra were measured for the HFCs at pressures between 3.8 and 11.1 atm and for HCFC-123 in the liquid phase. Second-order Moller–Plessett (MP2) level of theory and the 6-31G** basis set were used to optimize molecular geometry and calculate harmonic vibrational frequencies and infrared intensities; Hartree Fock (HF) level of theory was used to calculate Raman intensities. The higher-resolution infrared spectra and experimental absolute infrared intensities, the Raman spectra and relative Raman intensities, together with the results of the computations, allow a firm assignment of previously ambiguous bands. On the basis of the current assignments, we find that the scaled MP2/6-31G** frequencies are in good agreement with the observed frequencies. Furthermore, the calculated absolute infrared intensities and calculated Raman intensities are generally in good agreement with the experimental measurements.
Spirituality, life stress, and affective well-being.

Recent research has explored many aspects of affective well-being, including depressive symptoms, positive and negative affect. The present study sought to contribute to this line of inquiry by inv...
Session 5: Overview

This session contained three papers loosely centred around low level system support for persistent computation.
A new species of five-armed feather star, Pentametrocrinus paucispinulus n. sp., from the eastern Pacific (echinodermata: Crinoidea: Comatulida)

ABSTRACT Pentametrocrinus paucispinulus, new species, is described from a specimen collected on Pioneer Seamount off California in 1768 m. Like its closest congeners, it bears the first pinnule on the second brachial, but it differs in several characters. For example, P. varians and P. australis have longer tapered cirri with more segments, and P. spinosus has multiple rows of thorny stumps on the proximal arms. This is the first record of the genus from the eastern Pacific Ocean. A key to the species in the genus Pentametrocrinus is included.
Does contamination buildup limit throughput for automated cryoEM

Abstract The development of automated systems for data acquisition in cryo electron microscopy has enabled the possibility of acquiring very large number of images from a single specimen grid. We have demonstrated that over images of 250,000 single particles can be acquired in a 24 h period. This has raised questions as to whether contamination buildup on the specimen limits the quality of the data that can be acquired during these long duration experiments and also whether the data acquisition session could be extended to allow acquisition of more than 1,000,000 particles. We report here a systematic characterization of contamination of specimens maintained for long periods of time at liquid nitrogen temperatures using standard side entry cryo stages. As part of this characterization we developed a more reliable method for accurately estimating specimen ice thickness. Using the method, we were able to calibrate image contrast against ice thickness under a variety of magnifications, objective aperture positions, and defoci, and demonstrated the strong dependence of the calibration curve on these parameters. The results show the anti-contamination aperture is, as expected, critical to the prevention of contamination and that loading film into the microscope dramatically increases the contamination rate, particularly in the first 3 h after the insertion of the film box. In the absence of film, we were able to reproducibly demonstrate that the contamination rate can be limited to a rate of ∼1 A/h providing reassurance that contamination will not be a major limiting factor for long term cryoEM experiments if a CCD camera is used for the imaging.
Combination Drug Therapy with Calcium‐Channel Blockers in the Treatment of Systemic Hypertension

Calcium-channel blockers have been shown to be both safe and effective for treatment of patients with systemic hypertension. These drugs reduce peripheral vascular resistance predominantly by the inhibition of transmembrane calcium ion fluxes in vascular smooth muscle, and by this mechanism can reduce elevated blood pressure. To maximize blood pressure lowering efficacy in patients, calcium-channel blockers have also been used in combination with other antihypertensive treatments that have included diuretics, beta-adrenergic blockers, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors.
The detection of certain predators via olfaction by small-mouthed salamander larvae (Ambystoma texanum)

Larvae of the small-mouthed salamander (Ambystoma texanum) showed an increase in refuge use when exposed to chemical cues from a predaceous fish. The percentage of time spent outside of refuge was significantly reduced relative to controls when larvae were exposed to chemical cues from fish, but was not different from the controls when larvae were exposed to chemical cues from three other potential predators. A. texanum larvae responded to these chemical cues via olfaction. Larvae that had their external nares plugged with a gelatinous paste did not respond to fish cues, while sham-treated larvae showed an avoidance of fish cues.
Sustainable irrigation is necessary and achievable, but direct costs and environmental impacts can be substantial

Abstract Irrigation impacts land and water resources in ways that can reduce farm productivity. Irrigation also causes off-farm impacts, such as waterlogging, salinization, and degradation of water quality in rivers and lakes. Farmers and public officials must determine acceptable levels of the direct and indirect costs involved in sustaining irrigated agriculture. Farm-level and policy decisions will vary among regions with differences in economic development, resource endowments, and public preferences regarding the inevitable impacts of irrigation on the environment. Hence, the notion of irrigation sustainability will vary among regions and over time with differences in public preferences. We discuss several policy alternatives in concept and we describe two examples in which public policies have influenced irrigation sustainability: (1) efforts to reduce salt loads from the Wellton–Mohawk division of the Gila river project in Arizona, and (2) efforts to reduce the negative environmental impacts of irrigation and drainage on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley in California. In both cases, the environmental costs of irrigation and drainage have increased over time, leading some observers to suggest that irrigation should be discontinued in some areas and water should be re-allocated to non-agricultural uses. Our conclusion regarding sustainability is shared by other authors: Irrigation is sustainable, but the direct costs and environmental impacts can be substantial. Technology is not a limiting factor. Societies must determine the costs and environmental consequences they are willing to incur to achieve sustainability and how those costs are allocated among individuals who benefit directly or indirectly.
A Reinvestigation of the Crystal Structure of Decaammine μ-Peroxodicobalt Tetrathiocyanate*

The crystal structure of [(NH3)5CoO2Co(NH3)5] (SCN)4, originally determined by Vannerberg in 1965, has been reinvestigated. Our values of the unit-cell dimensions are a = 13.266 (2), b = 10.574 (2), c = 7.940 (2) A; the space group is Pnnm. We collected data on an automated diffractometer using Co Kα radiation, and least-squares refinement on 824 observed reflections yielded an R index of 0.042. The cobalt atoms and the peroxide linkage of the cation lie in a mirror plane. Two of the three crystallographically distinct thiocyanate groups are disordered about twofold axes. The O-O distance, 1.469 (6) A, is much shorter than that reported in Vannerberg's earlier investigation.
Plant-herbivore interactions in seagrass meadows

Abstract During the past two decades we have gained much insight into the factors that regulate the productivity of seagrass dominated ecosystems, especially those at low latitudes. Here, we review and reassess the importance of plant–herbivore interactions in seagrass meadows, focusing on recent studies that have examined: 1) grazing on live seagrass leaves; 2) consumption of epiphytic algae growing on seagrass leaves; and 3) consumption of planktonic algae from the waters surrounding seagrass meadows. The major conclusion is that, in contrast to what has been reported in much of the literature on food webs in seagrass meadows, a diverse grazing pathway continues to represent an important conduit for the transfer of energy from the primary producers to higher order consumers. This remains true, although in many areas consumption of seagrasses is reduced in an historical context, owing to the overharvesting of many large species of herbivorous waterfowl, turtles and mammals. We also summarize our view of the important gaps in understanding the broadly defined topic of herbivory in seagrass-dominated ecosystems. We suggest that future studies should focus on: understanding the foraging strategies of seagrass herbivores; quantifying the impact of herbivory on seagrass demography, including effects on sexual reproduction, the fate of flowers, and the production of fruits and seeds; and documenting the commonness of compensatory responses to grazing. In addition, the role of chemical defenses in seagrass species remains inadequately investigated. Studies of the roles of nutritional content (as measured by C/N/P ratios) and chemical defenses are also fertile grounds for future studies of epiphytes and their grazers, as are additional experiments to quantify the relative roles of top-down and bottom-up factors as they determine algal growth and abundance. There is also a need to expand the geographical scope of studies of epiphyte–grazer interactions from cold temperate to sub-tropical and tropical waters. Suspension feeders also need to be studied more broadly, with additional experiments required to quantify their effects on water clarity and their ability to fertilize pore waters, and whether benefits from these activities balances the costs of shading and competition for space that can result from both epifaunal and infaunal suspension feeders.
A solution to the great big substitution problem: subject modification during pattern matching in SNOBOL4

In a recent SIGPLAN article [1] a major deficiency in the SNOBOL4 programming language was exposed and one possible solution suggested. The SNOBOL4 language shortcomming, dubbed "the great big substitution problem", involves replacing substrings in the subject string. This article describes an alternative modification to SNOBOL4, which allows replacement of a matched substring of the subject during pattern matching, along with some ideas on implementation.
‘Ways of thinking’, or, the curriculum without content an American view

(1999). ‘Ways of thinking’, or, the curriculum without content an American view. English Academy Review: Vol. 16, No. 1, pp. 56-59.
Biolistic plant transformation

The biolistic process represents a completely new approach to the problem of how to deliver DNA into intact cells and tissues. High velocity microprojectiles are used to carry DNA or other substances past cell walls and membranes. Because DNA is being ‘shot’ into cells, it represents a type of biological ballistics, hence the term “biolistics”. There are several fundamental advantages to the biolistic process over other plant transformation techniques. The biolistic process appears to be effective regardless of species or tissue type, it is a rapid and very simple procedure, and it should facilitate the direct transformation of totipotent tissues such as pollen, embryos, meristems and morphogenic cell cultures. In addition, the biolistic process appears to be uniquely suitable for organelle transformation. The disadvantages of the biolistic process are that it requires special instrumentation, and is still in the early stages of its development. Consequently, delivery efficiencies are still not as high as can be achieved in highly optimized transformation systems such as electroporation or agrobacterial-infection of tobacco. Furthermore, potential users should be prepared to spend some time adapting existing protocols to their specific species or tissue of interest.
Netrin Ligands and Receptors: Lessons From Neurons to the Endothelium☆

Netrins were initially identified as secreted ligands regulating axon guidance and migration through interaction with canonical receptors. Netrins were then shown to be necessary for development of a range of tissues, including lung, mammary gland, and the vasculature. While new netrin receptors, as well as alternative ligands for classical netrin receptors, were described in the neuronal and epithelial fields, there was a singular focus on canonical netrin receptors in the vascular system, leading to controversy on netrin function and the nature of receptor-mediated netrin signaling in the endothelium. Here, we summarize the current state of knowledge on netrin ligands and receptors and discuss questions, controversies, and perspectives surrounding netrin functions and receptor identity in the vasculature.
Distributed Airborne Array Concepts

The improvement in SNR and detection range due to distributing an antenna array throughout the airframe and skin of an aircraft is examined. SNR formulas for three system configurations are presented and compared with that of a conventional, monostatic radar. Examples given in the paper show detection range increases as large as a factor of 4. Three additional potential advantages of the distributed array are an increase in spatial signal processing capability, an improvement in azimuthal resolution, and a potential reduction in transmitter power for fixed radar Performance so as to reduce the probability of intercept.
Prodrug Activation by Cryptosporidium Thymidine Kinase

Cryptosporidium spp. cause acute gastrointestinal disease that can be fatal for immunocompromised individuals. These protozoan parasites are resistant to conventional antiparasitic chemotherapies and the currently available drugs to treat these infections are largely ineffective. Genomic studies suggest that, unlike other protozoan parasites, Cryptosporidium is incapable of de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis. Curiously, these parasites possess redundant pathways to produce dTMP, one involving thymidine kinase (TK) and the second via thymidylate synthase-dihydrofolate reductase. Here we report the expression and characterization of TK from C. parvum. Unlike other TKs, CpTK is a stable trimer in the presence and absence of substrates and the activator dCTP. Whereas the values of k(cat) = 0.28 s(-1) and K(m)(,ATP) = 140 microm are similar to those of human TK1, the value of K(m)(thymidine) = 48 microm is 100-fold greater, reflecting the abundance of thymidine in the gastrointestinal tract. Surprisingly, the antiparasitic nucleosides AraT, AraC, and IDC are not substrates for CpTK, indicating that Cryptosporidium possesses another deoxynucleoside kinase. Trifluoromethyl thymidine and 5-fluorodeoxyuridine are good substrates for CpTK, and both compounds inhibit parasite growth in an in vitro model of C. parvum infection. Trifluorothymidine is also effective in a mouse model of acute disease. These observations suggest that CpTK-activated pro-drugs may be an effective strategy for treating cryptosporidiosis.
Inuit Diasporas: Frankenstein and the Inuit in England

first edition of Frankenstein, the Isabella and Alexander set forth from England on a journey of exploration to the North Pole, carrying a Greenlandic Inuit from Disko Island by the name of John Sackhouse. Sackhouse, who had previously stowed away on a whaler from Greenland to Scotland, would serve as the translator on this voyage, enabling communication with the Inuit people along the way. While the Isabella and Alexander were searching for a Northwest Passage across northern America, the Dorothea and Trent headed ‘across the north pole’, hoping to meet the Isabella and Alexander at the Bering Strait. At the time, it was believed that the North Pole was ‘free of ice’, making a meeting like this possible. Mary Shelley, an avid reader of the Quarterly Review between 1816 and 1820, followed speculations surrounding these journeys in preparation for writing Frankenstein. Frankenstein, in fact, could be said to capitalize on the suspense and widely popular appeal of these journeys. Perhaps not coincidentally, the release of her novel appeared to be timed to coincide with the advent of these infamous expeditions to the North. Besides being captivated by the expeditions themselves, the English public had long been fascinated by Greenlandic Inuits and Eskimos. I would argue that, in Frankenstein, the creature himself came to represent these inhabitants of the North, as well as the threat of their arrival in England if increased communication were to occur. Just as John Sackhouse had once arrived as a stowaway on British shores, so Frankenstein’s creature is a stranger who must be incorporated in – or rejected from – European culture. In the novel, the ‘birth’ of the creature in Europe could be said to represent cultural fears of the invasion of the ‘primitive’ in ‘civilized’ society, or the arrival of the colonized, in search of revenge, on the shores of the colonizer. Since the late sixteenth century, ‘Esquimaux Indians’ from Greenland to Alaska had been captured by British explorers and carried back to England, where they were generally presented as novelties to the King or Queen. In 1576, Martin Frobisher captured a Greenlandic Inuit who was later described in London as ‘such a wonder unto the whole city and to the rest of the realm that heard of it’ (Oswalt, 27). In 1578, Eskimos captured off Baffin Island were given permission by the Queen to hunt swans on the Thames River. In 1605, an Inuit performed before the King and Queen of Denmark, racing their traditional kayaks against a Danish boat. By the late eighteenth century, discussions of these ‘Esquimaux Indians’ peppered the pages of books and journals ranging from the Quarterly Review to John Pinkerton’s famous collection, A General Collection of the Best and Most Interesting Voyages and Travels in all Parts of the World. Karen Piper
Primary Peritoneal Adenocarcinoma Metastatic to the Brain

Primary peritoneal adenocarcinoma is a relatively newly identified disease entity whose clinical behavior is not fully recognized. We report a case of a patient with progressive primary peritoneal adenocarcinoma who developed brain metastases and died shortly afterward. The incidence of central nervous system metastases in 72 patients with documented primary peritoneal adenocarcinoma was 1.4%. The risk factors, clinical behavior, and prognosis of patients with primary peritoneal adenocarcinoma metastatic to the central nervous system seem to be similar to those of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer metastatic to the central nervous system.
Infrared and Raman spectra of lead fluorosilicate glasses

Abstract The Raman (10–1200 cm −1 ) and infrared (90–2000 cm −1 ) spectra are reported for a series of lead fluorosilicate glasses having the composition (65− x )PbO− x PbF 2 −35SiO 2 , where x = 0, 10, 15, 20, and 25. The PbO band near 140 cm −1 in the Raman spectrum decreases in intensity with increasing PbF 2 content. A new band appears in the Raman spectrum near 100 cm −1 and increases in intensity as PbF 2 is added. In the far-infrared spectra, bands attributed to SiO bending motions increase in frequency and decrease in width with increasing PbF 2 content. These changes are explained as a result of the perturbation of the silicate structure by the presence of PbF 2 and by the substitution of a fluorine for an oxygen atom in the PbO 4 pyramidal units.
Valvular Heart Disease in Aging Women

Elderly women are at risk for aortic and mitral valve disease that may be challenging to manage because of co-morbidities. Many reports focus on the evaluation and management of elderly patients, but only limited information that is directed specifically at women is available. Until more research can be completed, current guidelines offer updated recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of significant valvular lesions. On-line and point-based risk assessment instruments are valuable tools for guiding treatment decisions in individual patients.
CROSSING EQUATIONS AND KINEMATIC CONSTRAINTS IN ELASTIC SCATTERING.

The Trueman-Wick equations which connect any elastic-scattering channel with its crossed channel are, by assuming parity and time-reversal invariance in the elastic channel, decomposed into four much smaller closed systems of equations. To achieve this, new amplitudes are introduced which are certain linear combinations of helicity amplitudes. The new equations are put in a very simple factorized matrix form, and a list is given of all matrices encountered when neither spin is larger than $\frac{3}{2}$. In terms of the new amplitudes, elastic-channel forward scattering constraints are of two distinct types. These are given expression for arbitrary spins. In the Regge model, one type requires conspiracy or evasion. The other type requires neither. Kinematic singularities and constraints at threshold (pseudothreshold) are discussed in terms of the new formalism.
Communicative Function of Contracted Prepositional Forms in German.

ALL LANGUAGE LEARNING HAS TWO MAJOR components: the acquisition of an inventory of linguistic elements and the acquisition of rules of usage for them. Successful language learning does not take place if one of these components is neglected. Foreign language instructors and textbooks usually make sure that students acquire an appropriate and sufficient inventory of linguistic forms but they sometimes neglect to deal adequately with the rules of usage. One of the important reasons for such neglect is that textbooks and FL instructors usually restrict themselves to the sentence level for their explanations of usage since the sentence level is the traditional domain of descriptive as well as pedagogical grammars. Recent research has shown, however, that we can understand the communicative function of certain syntactic structures only if we go beyond the sentence level. Thus, Kramsch shows that word order in German has a very specific function in topic construction and that for a native speaker the choice of a given word order is not arbitrary but rather guided by the communicative intent. She states (p. 18): "Syntactic choices are made by the speaker/writer according to the perceived needs of the communication. No linguistic feature should be taught outside the context of the communication which gives it its meaning in discourse." In the following pages I discuss another syntactic phenomenon of German, namely the occurrence or non-occurrence of the contrac-
A convenient method for preparing enantiomerically pure norfluoxetine, fluoxetine and tomoxetine

Abstract A convenient synthesis for enantiomers of norfluoxetine, fluoxetine and tomoxetine is described. All final products were derived from a common intermediate, 3-phenyl-3-hydroxypropylamine.
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon in vitro cytotoxicity to bluegill BF-2 cells: mediation by S-9 microsomal fraction and temperature.

Abstract The in vitro cytotoxicities of various polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to bluegill sunfish BF-2 cells were determined with the neutral red assay, which was modified by the incorporation of an S-9 microsomal fraction. Whereas the PAHs per se were weakly cytotoxic, the presence of the S-9 fraction in the incubation mixture increased the cytotoxicity of many of the PAHs, presumably due to the formation of active metabolites. In addition, the cytotoxicity of the PAHs (whether in the absence or presence of the S-9 microsomal fraction) was potentiated if the 6 h exposure was at 37, rather than at 26°C.
The APGAS library: resilient parallel and distributed programming in Java 8

We propose the APGAS library for Java 8. Inspired by the core constructs and semantics of the Resilient X10 programming language, APGAS brings many benefits of the X10 programming model to the Java programmer as a pure, idiomatic Java library. APGAS supports the development of resilient distributed applications running on elastic clusters of JVMs. It provides asynchronous lightweight tasks (local and remote), resilient distributed termination detection, and global heap references. We compare and contrast the X10 and APGAS programming styles, review key design choices, and demonstrate that APGAS achieves performance comparable with X10.
Race Differences in Tipping: Testing the Role of Norm Familiarity

On average, blacks tip less than whites in the United States. As a result, many servers dislike waiting on black tables and deliver inferior service to those blacks seated in their sections. Furthermore, this race difference makes it difficult to attract and retain waitstaff in predominately black neighborhoods, which makes such neighborhoods less attractive places for corporations to locate full-service restaurants. To address these issues, race differences in tipping need to be sizably reduced, which requires an understanding of their underlying causes. This study tests and supports the role of norm familiarity in producing race differences in tipping by demonstrating that norm awareness mediates those differences in tipping and that race does not moderate the effects of norm awareness on tipping. These results support the idea that race differences in tipping can be sizably reduced by educating blacks about appropriate tipping norms, so restaurant managers as well as major industry organizations are en...
ICF: Recent achievements and perspectives

The U.S. Office of Fusion Energy is relying on the Department of Energy's Defense Programs (DP) ICF Program to provide the target physics data base for an Inertial Fusion Energy (IFE) program. In the indirect-drive approach, the primary approach for heavy-ion beam driven fusion (HI) and for the glass-laser-based National Ignition Facility (NIF), the capsule is radiation driven, so that the implosion and burn physics requirements apply to both types of drivers. If the ion-driven hohlraums are heated to the same radiation temperature (Tr), then the requirements for hydrodynamic instability, implosion uniformity, and pulse shaping can be directly applied. In addition, at the same radiation temperature, X-ray hohlraum wall losses, radiation-driven hohlraum wall motion, and radiation transport are also directly applicable. These are the primary issues which affect coupling efficiency and hohlraum symmetry, so that the DP hohlraum physics program provides a solid base for calculating HI hohlraums. Progress on these issues on the Nova laser will be described.
Audit Fees and Auditor Dismissals in the Sarbanes-Oxley Era

The accounting scandals and Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) of 2002 resulted in large increases in required audit work, and corresponding increases in audit fees for public companies. This study provides early evidence regarding the relationship between higher audit fees, both levels and changes, and auditor dismissals in the period immediately subsequent to the passage of SOX. We find that clients paying higher fees are more likely to dismiss their auditors. We also find that dismissals are associated with smaller companies, companies with going concern reports and companies that later reported material weaknesses in their internal controls. Among dismissing clients, smaller Big 4 clients, paying higher fees, tend to hire non-Big 4 successor auditors. This result holds when auditors are divided into Big 4, national and local tiers. We also find evidence that dismissing clients, in particular clients hiring new non-Big 4 auditors, experience smaller fee increases than non-switching clients in the following year. These results are consistent with the notion that in the immediate post-SOX period, some companies dismissed their auditors in expectation of lower fees from the succeeding auditor.
Smoking negatively impacts renal cell carcinoma overall and cancer-specific survival.

BACKGROUND: Tobacco use is a leading cause of premature death, yet few studies have investigated the effect of tobacco exposure on the outcome of patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The authors of this report retrospectively studied the impact of smoking on clinicopathologic factors, survival outcomes, and p53 expression status in a large cohort of patients with RCC. METHODS: Eight hundred-two patients (457 nonsmokers and 345 smokers) who had up to 232 months of follow-up were compared for differences in their clinicopathologic features and survival outcomes. Immunohistochemical differences in p53 expression were correlated with smoking status. RESULTS: Smokers presented more commonly with pulmonary comorbidities (P < .0001) and cardiac comorbidities (P = .014) and with a worse performance status (P = .031) than nonsmokers. Smoking was associated significantly with tumor multifocality (P = .022), higher pathologic tumor classification (P = .037), an increased risk of bulky lymph node metastases (P = .031), and the presence of distant metastases (P < .0001), especially lung metastases (P < .0001). Both overall survival (OS) (62.37 months vs 43.64 months; P = .001) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) (87.43 months vs 56.57 months; P = .005) were significantly worse in patients who smoked. The number of pack-years was retained as an independent predictor of CSS and OS in patients with nonmetastatic disease. Mean expression levels of p53 were significantly higher in current smokers compared with former smokers and nonsmokers (P = .012). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with RCC, a history of smoking was associated with worse pathologic features and survival outcomes and with an increased risk of having mutated p53. Further investigation of the genetic and molecular mechanisms associated with decreased CSS in patients with RCC who have a history of smoking is indicated. Cancer 2012;. © 2011 American Cancer Society.
Some ecological and experimental properties of complex aquatic microcosms

To fully realize their potential as tools for ecological research, microcosms must be designed which optimize replicability, baseline stability, persistence, and functional similarity to natural ecosystems. Evidence is presented which demonstrates that complex aquatic microcosms, containing whole biotic communities taken directly from a pond, satisfy these criteria. These microcosms persist in a stable condition (internally constant) for many months. Replicability is comparable to most laboratory or greenhouse experiments, with coefficients of variation ranging from 10–30 percent for most parameters measured. An experiment comparing microcosms with an actual pond indicated that pond microcosms are good models of natural ecosystems. Microcosms are most useful for studying processes which are affected by functional interactions between organisms, such as nutrient cycling, energy flow, and contaminant transport.
A Decipherment of Epi-Olmec Hieroglyphic Writing

The decipherment of part of the epi-Olmec script of ancient Mexico, which yields the earliest currently readable texts in Mesoamerica, has been achieved over the last 2 years. This was made possible by the discovery of a stela with a long inscription at La Mojarra, Veracruz, Mexico, in 1986. This decipherment is based on both a reconstruction of the early stages of languages spoken in the region and semantic clues provided by comparison with cultural practices and other script traditions of early southern Mesoamerica. Summarized here is the current state of the phonetic decipherment, the methods used for the decipherment, and results concerning the epi-Olmec language and script. The language identified in the inscriptions is pre-proto-Zoquean, the ancestor of four languages now spoken in the states of Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas, and Oaxaca. The decipherment contributes to knowledge of early Mixe-Zoquean language history. The script is more closely related to Mayan hieroglyphic writing than to other early Mesoamerican scripts, and this relation is closer than previously recognized.
Adaptive control of a robotic manipulator

A control hierarchy for a robotic manipulator is described. The hierarchy includes perception and robot/environment interaction, the latter consisting of planning, path control, and terminal guidance loops. Environment-sensitive features include the provision of control governed by proximity, tactile, and visual sensors as well as the usual kinematic sensors. The manipulator is considered as part of an overall robot system. "Adaptive control" in the present context refers to both the hierarchical nature of the control system and to its environment-responsive nature.