cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Methanol: A chemical Trojan horse as the root of the inscrutable U

Until 200 years ago, methanol was an extremely rare component of the human diet and is still rarely consumed in contemporary hunter and gatherer cultures. With the invention of canning in the 1800s, canned and bottled fruits and vegetables, whose methanol content greatly exceeds that of their fresh counterparts, became far more prevalent. The recent dietary introduction of aspartame, an artificial sweetener 11% methanol by weight, has also greatly increased methanol consumption. Moreover, methanol is a major component of cigarette smoke, known to be a causative agent of many diseases of civilization (DOC). Conversion to formaldehyde in organs other than the liver is the principal means by which methanol may cause disease. The known sites of class I alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH I), the only human enzyme capable of metabolizing methanol to formaldehyde, correspond to the sites of origin for many DOC. Variability in sensitivity to exogenous methanol consumption may be accounted for in part by the presence of aldehyde dehydrogenase sufficient to reduce the toxic effect of formaldehyde production in tissue through its conversion to the much less toxic formic acid. The consumption of small amounts of ethanol, which acts as a competitive inhibitor of methanol's conversion to formaldehyde by ADH I, may afford some individuals protection from DOC.
Polymer modulus and morphology: The tensile properties of polyethylene

The general properties of a novel process for producing high modulus polyolefins are discussed. The technique is an extrusion drawing involving a crystal-crystal transformation. The principal tests have been made on polyethylene and the guidelines have been established for extending the technique to other polyolefins. The characterization of such materials is extensively discussed, particularly in the light of the concept of continuous crystals.
Reforming Public Pay and Benefits

State and local governments are grappling with huge unfunded liability costs centered on public sector pensions and other postretirement benefits (OPEBs). Payments to cover these liabilities are crowding out revenues for essential public services. The policies and practices that determine public sector pay and benefits have become a significant part of the national conversation in the United States and Europe. This article provides commentary and a summary of a book addressing this topic: Rethinking Public Sector Compensation: What Ever Happened To The Public Interest? Recent national reforms on public pay and benefits are documented as well as the subsequent legal challenges that have emerged in several jurisdictions. The article conclusion is that it is imperative that these unfunded liabilities be addressed in a timely, comprehensive and fair manner, and that public sector compensation must be sustainable and reflect the reality of a new emerging workforce. However, the outcome from current litigation in several states will either significantly expand or restrict the ability to manage these public retirement plans.
An Historical Perspective on Judicial Selection Methods in Virginia and West Virginia

This Article explores the history of judicial selection methods in Virginia and West Virginia - two states, once joined, with distinct cultures and very different judicial selection methods. In an attempt to explain how the two states ended up with such different systems, the Article focuses on the constitutional conventions in those states between 1829 and 1902 and the debates that took place on the subject of popular election of judges versus an appointive system.
The sizes and numbers of cells in visceral organs in human obesity.

Published data describing cell structure in obesity deal almost exclusively with adipose tissue. Similar abnormalities sometimes exist in the parenchymal cells of other organs. Twenty-six obese young adults and 22 obese children had enlarged organs compared with non-obese individuals matched for body length, age, and sex. The organ enlargement proved due to increases in numbers as well as sizes of parenchymal cells.
Effect of End-Point Cooking Temperature upon Nutritive Value and Composition of Turkey Meat

Abstract Broad Breasted White turkeys (two 7.26 kg females per treatment) were roasted in an electric household oven preheated to 177 C (350 F) to end-point temperatures of 74 C (165 F), 79 C (175 F), 85 C (185 F), and 91 C (195 F). Breast and thigh meat (without skin and visible fat) for each end-point temperature was pooled, freeze dried, and fed at a 20% level in diets to International Cancer Research (ICR) white mice. A casein-type diet was fed as the control. All diets contained 19% protein, 10% fat, and 4.17 kcal/g of digestible energy. Fifty 18-day-old male mice were fed for 5 weeks and 50 females for 2 weeks. Turkey meat roasted to different end-point temperatures produced significantly (P≤.01) different weights of mice. Average weights of males and females were greatest for those fed turkey meat roasted to 79 C and 85 C, respectively. Growth rates were greater for mice fed diets containing turkey meat than for those fed the control diet. Results of this study showed a quadratic effect of end-point roasting temperatures on growth. Amino acid levels were highest in turkey meat roasted to an end-point temperature of 79 C.
Cellular and subcellular mediators of acute inflammation.

The interactions of the complement system and the contact-activation system (Hageman factor, HMW kininogen, factor XI, and prekallikrein) are discussed, and the role of neutrophils and their complement-mediated activation in acute inflammation are explained.
Adult respiratory distress syndrome in the trauma patient.

The acute respiratory distress syndrome was first described over 20 years ago. Since then, mechanical ventilation for respiratory failure has remained a common problem in patients who have suffered multiple trauma. This article reviews the clinical syndrome, discusses its pathophysiologic basis, critiques newer biochemical methods for diagnosis, and overviews current pharmacologic treatment as well as newer life support techniques.
Federal Tax Procedure (2016 Practitioner Ed.)

Federal Tax Procedure is the book for originally prepared for a course on Tax Procedure taught by Adjunct Professor Townsend at the University of Houston School of Law (through the Fall of 2015). The book and related materials contain text discussion, relevant Code Sections, and certain cases designed to encourage students to think about the Tax Procedure process. This is the book only. The related materials are on the Federal Tax Procedure Blog. The book is in electronic format (Adobe Acrobat PDF format) and is in two versions -- (1) a student edition (no footnotes); and (2) a practitioner edition (same as student edition but including the footnotes). This is the practitioner edition.
Transabdominal Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Urethral Diverticulectomy of a Complex Anterior Horseshoe Diverticulum of the Proximal Urethra.

Abstract Complex, proximal, anteriorly located urethral diverticula present the reconstructive urologist with a uniquely challenging task for repair through a conventional transvaginal approach. He...
A new detector for time-resolved small angle X-ray scattering studies

A new detector for time-resolved small-angle X-ray scattering has been designed and built for experiments at the Advanced Photon Source of Argonne National Laboratory. This detector is made from a 500 mum thick by 150 mm diameter ultra-high purity silicon wafer, which directly converts X-rays into electron-hole pairs. The electrodes are concentric rings that integrate the scattered X-rays over the azimuthal angle. The widths of the rings are optimized for the size of the X-ray beam and its energy spread. Only 128 rings, or channels, are needed to measure a scattering profile. The read-out electronics consist of preamplifiers with pulse-shaping, which are mounted on the detector, and 12-bit, 20 MHz digitizers. The resolving time of the electronics is 300 ns, which is sufficient to isolate a single pulse of scattered X-rays when the synchrotron is operated with a hybrid or asymmetric fill pattern. The data acquisition hardware can average a programmable number of digital samples, up to 64, every 3.68 mus (the period of the synchrotron) to provides a single 12-bit average of the voltage from the analog amplifier chain. The temporal range of the detector is 3.68 seconds or longer and may be controlled by the experimenter. An alpha source is used to calibrate the detector and electronics, and document their performance. Preliminary results obtained during the commissioning of the detector are presented
Oil/Water Correlation for PRV (Pressure Relief Valves): Is the Measured Set Pressure the Same on Water Compared to Diesel Fuel, Lubricating Oil, etc.?

In verifying PRV setpoints, it is important to distinguish if there is any differential (±) between the measured SP (Set Pressure) of a PRV when tested on water versus testing on other fluids such as Diesel Fuel or Lubricating Oil. It is also important to recognize the standard test medium used by the PRV industry for liquid service testing is water. SP testing with other fluids involves issues such as possible serious health and safety as well as equipment cross contamination.Paper published with permission.Compilation Copyright © 2017 ASME
Chronic cuffing of cervical vagus nerve inhibits efferent fiber integrity in rat model.

Objective. Numerous studies of vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) have been published showing it to be a potential treatment for chronic inflammation and other related diseases and disorders. Studies in recent years have shown that electrical stimulation of the vagal efferent fibers can artificially modulate cytokine levels and reduce systematic inflammation. Most VNS research in the treatment of inflammation have been acute studies on rodent subjects. Our study tested VNS on freely moving animals by stimulating and recording from the cervical vagus with nerve cuff electrodes over an extended period of time. &#13; Approach. We used methods of electrical stimulation, retrograde tracing (using Fluorogold) and post necropsy histological analysis of nerve tissue, flow cytometry to measure plasma cytokine levels, and MRI scanning of gastric emptying. This novel combination of methods allowed examination of physiological aspects of VNS previously unexplored. &#13; Main results. Through our study of 53 rat subjects, we found that chronically cuffing the left cervical vagus nerve suppressed efferent Fluorogold transport in 43 of 44 animals (36 showed complete suppression). Measured cytokine levels and gastric emptying rates concurrently showed nominal differences between chronically cuffed rats and those tested with similar acute methods. Meanwhile, results of electrophysiological and histological tests of the cuffed nerves revealed them to be otherwise healthy, consistent with previous literature. &#13; Significance. We hypothesize that due to these unforeseen and unexplored physiological consequences of the chronically cuffed vagus nerve in a rat, that inflammatory modulation and other vagal effects by VNS may become unreliable in chronic studies. Given our findings, we submit that it would benefit the VNS community to re-examine methods used in previous literature to verify the efficacy of the rat model for chronic VNS studies. &#13; &#13;
Maternal depressive symptoms, self-focus, and caregiving behavior

Abstract Background Parent–child interactions set the stage for child mental health and development. Given that maternal depressive symptoms are associated with poorer observed caregiving behaviors, examining potential cognitive mediators is important for identifying mechanisms underlying the intergenerational transmission of risk and possible targets for intervention. Methods We assessed depressive symptoms and levels of self-focus and psychological distancing from infant-centered verbal narratives obtained from 54 mothers, and examined caregiving behaviors in a structured interaction with their six-month-old infants. Results Higher depressive symptoms were associated with pronoun use in narratives (i.e., greater “I” and reduced “we” use), reflecting increased self-focus and psychological distancing. Further, increased self-focus was associated with lower levels of caregiver warmth, and mediated the association between depressive symptoms and caregiving warmth. Limitations This observational study does not allow for causal interpretations. Conclusion These findings suggest that the cognitive styles associated with depression interfere with the caregiving relationship, affecting behavior in parent–child interactions that may increase the risk for the intergenerational transmission of depression.
Utilization of a resorbable collagen membrane in repairing gingival recession defects

Predictable coverage of exposed root surfaces and the corresponding treatment of gingival recession defects remain important objectives of periodontal therapy. A variety of techniques have been developed during the past several decades to address this common clinical challenge. Traditional surgical approaches have been relatively successful in achieving root coverage. Attempts have been made recently to achieve root coverage with surgical techniques based on the principles of guided tissue regeneration, using resorbable and nonresorbable materials. The learning objective of this article is to present case documentations of root coverage, using a resorbable collagen barrier. The results achieved illustrate the potential of this material in the treatment of gingival recession. The biologic properties of collagen as a barrier material, the surgical approach, and the principles of case selection are reviewed.
A dual-factor authentication system featuring speaker verification and token technology

This paper presents a secure voice authentication system combining speaker verification and token technology. The dual-factor authentication system is especially designed to counteract imposture by pre-recorded speech and the text-to-speech voice cloning (TTSVC) technology, as well as to regulate the inconsistency of audio characteristics among different handsets. The token device generates and prompts a one-time passcode (OTP) to the user. The spoken OTP is then forwarded simultaneously to both a speaker verification module, which verifies the user's voice, and a speech recognition module, which converts the spoken OTP to text and validates it. Thus, the OTP protects against recorded speech or voice cloning attacks and speaker verification protects against the use of a lost or stolen token device. We show the preliminary results of our Support Vector Machine (SVM)-based speaker verification algorithm, handset identification algorithm, and the system architecture of our design.
Faculty Beliefs about Intelligence Are Related to the Adoption of Active-Learning Practices

Mounting evidence of the efficacy of active learning has prompted educators to consider adoption of these practices in college-level classrooms. One tenet of active learning is that most, if not all, students have the ability to learn. Instructors' perspectives on learning, however, may or may not be aligned with this. One belief held by some educators is that intelligence is fixed, that is, some students are more intelligent and have a higher ability to learn than others. Instructors with a fixed mindset may not be convinced that their investment in developing active-learning materials will be as fruitful as the education evidence suggests, because these instructors may not believe that most students can grow in their learning. Here, we explored the relationship between fixed mindsets and the adoption of active-learning strategies. We found that instructors with higher fixed mindsets were less persuaded that active-learning strategies were a good idea and less likely to implement the teaching practices. Our research suggests that development initiatives should explicitly address educators' lay theories of intelligence ( fixed or growth mindset) to support successful implementation of active learning.
Validation of the Acetabulum As a Skeletal Indicator of Age at Death in Modern European-Americans.

Progressive changes in the acetabulum have been used in modern skeletal age estimation, but they have not been completely understood. If their age correlations are weakened by the influence of factors like physical activity and obesity, acetabular changes should not be used for age estimation. To investigate their utility for aging, the acetabular variables of Rissech et al. (2006) were analyzed in 409 modern European-Americans (Bass Collection, Tennessee). Correlation tests assessed potential associations between acetabular data, osteoarthritis scores (collected per Jurmain, 1990), and documented demographic information (age, body mass index [BMI], metabolic intensity of physical activities). Acetabular changes had statistically significant, positive correlations with osteoarthritis (p < 0.001 in most joints/regions) and age (p < 0.001), indicating their degenerative nature and relevance for age estimation. Acetabular changes showed no associations with BMI or metabolic values, suggesting resistance to obesity and activity effects. These results suggest that acetabular degeneration is a valid skeletal age-at-death indicator.
A psychometrics of individual differences in experimental tasks

In modern individual-difference studies, researchers often correlate performance on various tasks to uncover common latent processes. Yet, in some sense, the results have been disappointing as correlations among tasks that seemingly have processes in common are often low. A pressing question then is whether these attenuated correlations reflect statistical considerations, such as a lack of individual variability on tasks, or substantive considerations, such as that inhibition in different tasks is not a unified concept. One problem in addressing this question is that researchers aggregate performance across trials to tally individual-by-task scores. It is tempting to think that aggregation is fine and that everything comes out in the wash. But as shown here, this aggregation may greatly attenuate measures of effect size and correlation. We propose an alternative analysis of task performance that is based on accounting for trial-by-trial variability along with the covariation of individuals’ performance across tasks. The implementation is through common hierarchical models, and this treatment rescues classical concepts of effect size, reliability, and correlation for studying individual differences with experimental tasks. Using recent data from Hedge et al. Behavioral Research Methods, 50(3), 1166–1186, 2018 we show that there is Bayes-factor support for a lack of correlation between the Stroop and flanker task. This support for a lack of correlation indicates a psychologically relevant result—Stroop and flanker inhibition are seemingly unrelated, contradicting unified concepts of inhibition.
Mapping Chromatin Accessibility In Human Adult Brain Infers Functional Roles For Neuropsychiatric Risk Variants

Abstract Background Open chromatin regions (OCRs) provide access to DNA binding proteins for the correct spatiotemporal regulation of gene expression. Mapping chromatin accessibility has been widely used to identify the location of cis regulatory elements (CREs) including promoters and enhancers. CREs show tissue- and cell-type specificity and disease-associated variants are often enriched for CREs in the tissues and cells that pertain to a given disease. Methods To better understand the role of CREs in neuropsychiatric disorders we have applied the Assay for Transposase Accessible Chromatin followed by sequencing (ATAC-seq) to generate OCR maps of multiple brain regions and cell types isolated from frozen postmortem human brain by fluorescence-activated nuclear sorting. The enrichment of risk loci with OCRs was examined using LD score regression. Transcription factor (TF) footprinting analysis was used to generate TF-gene regulome networks in each region and cell type. Results Chromatin accessibility varied markedly by cell type brain region and largely overlapped corresponding differences in gene expression. Amongst brain regions, the most extensive differences were seen between neurons of the cortical regions, primary visual cortex, hippocampus, thalamus, and the striatum. Risk schizophrenia variants were enriched for neuronal OCRs in cortical regions, hippocampus and striatum. Enrichment analysis of TF-gene networks with common and rare schizophrenia variants identified significant subnetworks related to synaptic transmission and neuronal function. Discussion These results represent the first analysis of multiregional OCRs and TF binding sites in distinct populations of postmortem human brain cells and further our understanding of the regulome and the impact of neuropsychiatric disease-associated genetic risk variants.
Convergence and Applications of Newton-type Iterations

Recent results in local convergence and semi-local convergence analysis constitute a natural framework for the theoretical study of iterative methods. This monograph provides a comprehensive study of both basic theory and new results in the area. Each chapter contains new theoretical results and important applications in engineering, modeling dynamic economic systems, input-output systems, optimization problems, and nonlinear and linear differential equations. Several classes of operators are considered, including operators without Lipschitz continuous derivatives, operators with high order derivatives, and analytic operators. Each section is self-contained. Examples are used to illustrate the theory and exercises are included at the end of each chapter. The book assumes a basic background in linear algebra and numerical functional analysis. Graduate students and researchers will find this book useful. It may be used as a self-study reference or as a supplementary text for an advanced course in numerical functional analysis.
An atypical presentation of multi-systemic B-cell lymphoma in a horse

This report describes an unusual presentation of multicentric B-cell lymphoma with central and peripheral nerve involvement in a horse that was presented with acute onset, severe, multiple limb lameness, and muscle atrophy. This case highlights the importance of including neoplasia in the differential list in horses presenting for severe limb lameness associated with muscle atrophy, muscle fasciculations, and weakness.
Iterative Pd catalyzed additions for a synthesis of methyl 7,8,11,12 tetradehydroretionate

Abstract A 6 step synthesis of the title compound derives from a palladium catalyzed addition of terminal alkynes to acceptor alkynes.
Superbimatrices and Their Generalizations

The systematic study of supermatrices and super linear algebra has been carried out in 2008. These new algebraic structures find their applications in fuzzy models, Leontief economic models and data-storage in computers.
Better Lies Through Chemistry

In the 2009 dark comedy The Invention of Lying, the main character, Mark Bellison, played by Ricky Gervais, lives in a world where everyone tells the truth. Everything from deception to little white lies is absent from the world, and the absolute truth dominates advertising, conversations, and relationships. In a world such as this, even fantasy tales, books, and make-believe movie scripts are missing. Honest conversations about sensitive subjects are an everyday occurrence. Although the audience members would probably view these conversations as quite awkward, the actors just simply accept such cases as how the world works. In a moment of intellectual brilliance, Mark Bellison invents a lie. Needing money to pay his back rent, the character tells the teller that he has more money in the account than he really does. When his stated amount is checked against what the computer reports, a conflict arises in the teller’s mind. Since lying doesn’t exist, she believes the computer is wrong and gives Mark the extra money. As the movie progresses, the scope of his lying increases and eventually, as one would predict in a cinematic universe, gets out of hand.
Sharp Lp estimates for singular transport equations

Abstract We prove that L p estimates for a singular transport equation are sharp by building what we call a cascading solution; the equation we consider studies the combined effect of multiplying by a bounded function and application of the Hilbert transform. Along the way we prove an invariance result for the Hilbert transform which could be of independent interest. Finally, we give an example of a bounded and incompressible velocity field u for which the equation: ∂ t f + u ⋅ ∇ f = H ( f ) develops sharp L p growth. The equations we study are relevant, as models, in the study of fluid equations as well as in general relativity.
Chorea and parkinsonism with elevated striational antibody

Subacute onset of a mixed movement disorder should alert the clinician to the possibility of an autoimmune or paraneoplastic cause of symptoms. Striational antibodies have been associated with myasthenia gravis but a mixed movement disorder has been rarely reported with this antibody. We report a 90-year-old female who presented with generalized chorea, blepharospasm, and parkinsonism. Extensive evaluation was done which showed an elevation in striational antibody and there was no evidence of malignancy. The patient responded dramatically to intravenous steroids. We suggest that striational antibody should be routinely tested as a part of the work-up for autoimmune or paraneo lastic movement disorder. The presence of chorea in a very elderly patient should not be dismissed as "senile chorea" and a search for treatabl etiology should always be performed.
Increased activity of alcohol oxidase at high hydrostatic pressure

Alcohol oxidase (AOx) from P. pastoris has potential applications in the production of carbonyl compounds and for the detection and quantification of alcohols. However, AOx's poor stability and low activity have hindered its practical application. There are two fractions of AOx in P. pastoris with different thermal stability. High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) increased the activity of the labile (L) + resistant (R) combined fractions but not of the R fraction alone. The activity of the L + R fractions increased 2.4-fold at 160 MPa and 30 °C compared to the activity at 0.1 MPa. At higher temperatures, the increase in activity with pressure was greater due to the combined stabilization and activation effects. The reaction rate of the R fraction at 50 °C was 17.9 ± 3.6 or 17.7 ± 0.8 μM min-1 at 80 or 160 MPa, respectively, and was not significantly different from the activity of the L + R fractions under the same conditions (18.4 ± 2.7 μM min-1). The activation energy of the R fraction was not significantly different between 80 MPa (41.5 ± 10.5 kJ mol-1) and 160 MPa (43.8 ± 7.8 kJ mol-1). The combined increase in the stability of the R fraction at HHP enables the use of the enzyme at 50 °C with little loss of activity and an increased catalytic rate.
Taxing the Rich

The progressive income tax needs to be revitalized and restored. Capital gains taxes should be raised. The FTT—the Financial Transaction Tax—a tiny tax on all stock trades that can raise billions—should be enacted in the USA, as it is in the EU. A luxury sales tax should be enacted. Hidden bank accounts must be made illegal. Campaign-finance reform is necessary to prevent the oligarchic over influence of democratically elected governments. Similarly, lobbying must be limited and regulated.
Recipient Vessels for Microsurgery

Without ensuring patent and workable recipient vessels, the intended microsurgical flap cannot be revascularized. Preoperative clinical assessment is usually adequate for standard recipient vessels; however, imaging studies are needed when questionable due to previous trauma to confirm availability and patency. Detailed knowledge of the anatomy and the exposure of the recipient site using the principles of microsurgery and proper instrumentation are sine qua non of preparing recipient vessels for microvascular anastomoses.
Convective and Large-Scale Cloud Processes in GCMS

The wide range of global climate model (GCM) estimates of climate sensitivity to increasing trace gas concentrations is a result of differing treatments of poorly understood feedback processes associated with the hydrologic cycle. Within the atmosphere, these feedbacks reflect the effects of phase changes of water on radiative fluxes. For this reason, one of the highest priorities of the World Climate Research Programme is an understanding of the impact on climate of changes in cloud properties. Complementing this is the Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment (GEWEX), whose prime objective is a description and understanding of the transport of water and energy within the atmosphere and across the atmosphere-surface interface (WCRP, 1990). Both of these goals in turn require a research emphasis on the representation of cloud radiative, dynamic, and microphysical processes in climate models.
Underestimating the Trial Penalty: An Empirical Analysis of the Federal Trial Penalty and Critique of the Abrams Study

This Article reveals that the average federal defendant who goes to trial receives a sentence 64% longer than if she had instead plead guilty. In other words, federal defendants who exercise their Constitutional right to trial are penalized with sentences 64% longer for exercising that right. This Article is the first to demonstrate that federal defendants who currently go to trial would have been much better off if they had instead plead guilty, even after accounting for their chances for acquittal. It reveals also that federal defendants receive "discounts" for pleading guilty that are so large that extremely few could rationally ever go to trial. Under such a system, trial by jury becomes less of a right and more of a trap for fools. These findings and conclusions conflict with David Abrams’ recent study claiming that defendants can actually expect shorter sentences for going to trial. Abrams claims that rather than penalizing defendants who go to trial, our system actually imposes harsher penalties on those who plead guilty. If Abrams’ study were accurate, it would overturn decades of debates regarding the morality and constitutionality of plea bargaining. This article reveals statistical and conceptual errors in the Abrams study that undermine his conclusions. In fact, a reanalysis of Abrams' numbers suggests that the defendants in his study do pay a significant penalty for going to trial. This Article's measurement of the trial penalty is over four times as large as the found in prior federal studies. It demonstrates that all prior studies underestimate the trial penalty by failing to account for the federal “acceptance of responsibility” discount that operates as a statutorily imposed discount for pleading guilty. The Article explains this and other methodological errors that cause other sentencing studies to greatly underestimate the trial penalty.
Restricted Access: the Transition Zone Controls Ciliary Composition and Signaling

Cilia and vertebrate Hh signaling are intimately related. Mutations that affect ciliogenesis abrogate Hh signaling, and components of the Hh signal transduction pathway function at cilia. One compo...
Identification of a novel imprinting mechanism at the X-linked imprinted locus, X-linked Lymphocyte Regulated 3/4 (Xlr3/4)

Background Genomic imprinting is the epigenetic process by which a subset of genes is expressed from only one allele based on the parent of origin. To date there are approximately 150 confirmed autosomal imprinted loci in the mammalian genome. The epigenetic hallmark of an autosomal imprinted locus is the presence of differential methylation at CpG islands otherwise known as a DMR[1]. Imprint maintenance at autosomal loci is accomplished through specific histone modifications[2]. In 2005, Raefski et.al. found the first X-linked imprinted locus, Xlr3/4 of which three paralogs, Xlr3b/4b/4c, were maternally expressed and paternally silenced in mouse neonatal brain[3]. Here we use a series of techniques to uncover the imprinting mechanism at the Xlr locus using known autosomal imprinting mechanisms as a model.
Concerted feedback inhibition. Purification and some properties of aspartokinase from Pseudomonas fluorescens.

Abstract Aspartokinase of Pseudomonas fluorescens has been purified by heat treatment, ammonium sulfate fractionation, DEAE-cellulose chromatography, and by successive gel filtration steps on Sephadex G-200 in the presence and absence of feedback modifiers. The 700-fold purified enzyme was judged to be greater than 90% pure. Sedimentation velocity centrifugation yielded an s020,w value of 6.7 S, a D20,w value of 5.3 x 10-7 cm2 s-1, and a molecular weight of 133,000. The Stokes radius of the native enzyme in 50 mm potassium phosphate buffer, pH 7.5, containing 200 mm KCl was found to be about 43 A. A diffusion coefficient of 5.2 x 10-7 cm2 s-1 was calculated from the Stokes-Einstein equation. A molecular weight of 137,000 was also estimated from the gel filtration data. The molecular weight of the subunit was 43,000. The enzyme had an absolute requirement for ATP and a divalent cation. No other nucleoside phosphates served as the phosphate donor. Addition of 200 mm KCl increased the reaction rate by about 40%; sodium and lithium ions had no effect. The activity of this enzyme was inhibited by concerted feedback by two pairs of amino acid end products: lysine plus threonine and methionine plus threonine. Individually, lysine and methionine were slightly stimulatory; threonine showed a slight activation at low concentrations, but was weakly inhibitory at concentrations over 10 mm. Concerted inhibition by low threonine and high lysine combination was compensated by methionine; whereas, methionine did not counteract when enzyme activity was severely decreased by high concentrations of threonine plus lysine. A possible physiological significance of the dual role of methionine is discussed.
Control of gluconeogenesis in liver. V. Effects of fasting, diabetes, and glucagon on lactate and endogenous metabolism in the perfused rat liver.

The isolated perfused rat liver preparation was employed to study the effects of glucagon, fasting, and diabetes on the flow of exogenous lactate or endogenous substrates into the pathways of gluconeogenesis, glycogenesis, ketogenesis, lipogenesis, and the Krebs cycle in the liver. Measurements were made of the utilization of substrates and oxygen, the formation of glucose, glycogen, ketone bodies, and urea, and the incorporation of isotope from [14C]lactate into glucose, glycogen, protein, CO2, ketone bodies, cholesterol, and other lipids. Glucose synthesis from lactate was enhanced in livers treated with glucagon or from fasted or diabetic rats. The increased gluconeogenesis was associated with increased lactate utilization and was not the result of inhibition of alternative pathways of lactate metabolism. The disposition of isotope between glucose and glycogen indicated impaired glycogen synthesis in these livers. The changes in glucose and glycogen synthesis in livers from diabetic rats were reversed by insulin treatment in vivo. CO2 was the major product of lactate metabolism in livers from fed rats, whereas glucose was the major product in livers treated with glucagon or from fasted or diabetic rats. Ketone bodies, fatty acids, and cholesterol were minor products of lactate metabolism in all situations examined. Glucagon, fasting, and diabetes had negligible effects on the oxidation of lactate to CO2, but inhibited the synthesis of fatty acid and cholesterol from this substrate. Fasting and diabetes also reduced lactate ketogenesis. Urea production was increased about 2-fold by glucagon and diabetes and by about 30% by fasting. It was minimally changed by lactate. The alterations in ureogenesis indicated enhancement of gluconeogenesis from endogenous protein by glucagon, fasting, and diabetes. Ketone body production was increased about 10-fold in livers from fasted or diabetic rats perfused without lactate. The increase was apparently due to increased lipid utilization and decreased Krebs cycle activity. Glucagon produced a 2-fold increase in ketone bodies and it is suggested that these were mainly derived from protein. Lactate markedly suppressed ketogenesis and increased respiration in livers from fasted or diabetic rats. Both effects were attributable to an increase in the Krebs cycle. Lactate also replaced lipid as the major fuel oxidized by livers from fed rats and it is suggested that it acted by diverting endogenous fatty acid from oxidation to esterification. The metabolic changes observed in the present study are discussed from the viewpoints of underlying mechanisms and physiological implications. It is concluded that changes in the disposition of substrate (pyruvate or fatty acid) within the liver may be as important as changes in substrate supply in the alterations in gluconeogenesis and ketogenesis during fasting and diabetes.
Development of Suck and Swallow Mechanisms in Infants

Preterm infants' hospital discharge is often delayed due to their inability to feed by mouth safely and competently. No evidence-based supported guidelines are currently available for health-care professionals caring for these infants. Available interventions advocating benefits are not readily acknowledged for lack of rigorous documentation inasmuch as any improvements may ensue from infants' normal maturation. Through research, a growing understanding of the development of nutritive sucking skills has emerged, shedding light on how and why infants may encounter oral feeding difficulties due to the immaturity of specific physiologic functions. Unfortunately, this knowledge has yet to be translated to the clinical practice to improve the diagnoses of oral feeding problems through the development of relevant assessment tools and to enhance infants' oral feeding skills through the development of efficacious preventive and therapeutic interventions. This review focuses on the maturation of the various physiologic functions implicated in the transport of a bolus from the oral cavity to the stomach. Although infants' readiness for oral feeding is deemed attained when suck, swallow, and respiration are coordinated, we do not have a clear definition of what coordination implies. We have learned that each of these functions encompasses a number of elements that mature at different times and rates. Consequently, it would appear that the proper functioning of sucking, the swallow processing, and respiration need to occur at two levels: first, the elements within each function must reach an appropriate functional maturation that can work in synchrony with each other to generate an appropriate suck, swallow process, and respiration; and second, the elements of all these distinct functions, in turn, must be able to do the same at an integrative level to ensure the safe and efficient transport of a bolus from the mouth to the stomach.
Adaptive Mutual Exclusion with Local Spinning

We present the first adaptive algorithm for N-process mutual exclusion under read/write atomicity in which all busy waiting is by local spinning. In our algorithm, each process p performs O(min(k, log N)) remote memory references to enter and exit. its critical section, where k is the maximum "point contention" experienced by p. The space complexity of our algorithm is ?(N), which is clearly optimal.
Let us make God our banker: Ethics, temporality, and agency in a Ugandan charity home

Faith in divine intervention affects the ethical and temporal orientations of a community of East African nuns managing a charity home in Central Uganda and leads them to make programmatic decisions that put them at odds with mainstream approaches in development and humanitarianism. By demonstrating that their resistance to long-term planning and audit practices is not the product of material privation or ignorance but, rather, a consciously developed orientation toward time and agency, I bring together concerns from the anthropology of religion and the anthropology of development. Further, by seeking to explain how the sisters come to hold their particular beliefs, I move beyond the elucidation of doctrine to show how mundane forms of practice are central to the formation of ethical subjectivity.
Synaptic specificity in frog sympathetic ganglia during reinnervation, sprouting, and embryonic development

B cells and C cells in frog lumbar sympathetic ganglia are specifically innervated by preganglionic B fibers and C fibers, respectively. To explore the mechanisms underlying the formation of these specific synapses, electrophysiological studies were made of sprouting and regenerating synaptic connections following interruption of the preganglionic pathways. Studies were also made of developing connections in tadpole ganglia. After partial denervation (by selective interruption of B fibers), the C fibers sprouted and innervated B cells. When B fibers regenerated, they reinnervated B cells only, and within several weeks, C fiber synapses on B cells were no longer found. After complete denervation (by interruption of both B and C fibers) specific synaptic connections were eventually restored. At least 2 experimentally separable processes underlie this specificity: First, there is a preference for appropriate connections from the outset of reinnervation, seen even in the absence of competition between the 2 groups of preganglionic fibers. Despite this preference, however, some inappropriate synapses are formed. Second, those inappropriate synapses that do arise are eliminated when appropriate synapses are allowed to reform, as a result of competitive interactions between the 2 preganglionic fiber groups. In normally developing tadpole ganglia, B and C cells were not readily distinguishable. The great majority of tadpole neurons were found to be innervated exclusively by either B or C fibers. Some neurons were innervated by both preganglionic fiber groups, a situation virtually never found in adult ganglia. It thus appears that in normal development, as in reinnervation, innervation is by and large selective; inappropriate synapses may form, but they are eliminated during maturation, presumably through competitive interactions.
MABDOSE. I: Characterization of a general purpose dose estimation code.

The MABDOSEsoftware represents a general tool to perform internal radiationdosimetry. It uses a three-dimensional lattice in which to conduct radiation transport, scoring energy deposition in discrete voxels. The dosimetry system currently relies on the same algorithm used by the MIRD committee for photon transport, and assumes local deposition of particulate energy. A mathematical description of the dosimetry system’s implementation is given. Additionally, a characterization of the system with respect to memory requirements, data libraries used, and simulation timing benchmarks, is presented. Validation of the software is presented in a companion manuscript.
Even if the Tower Is “Ivory,” It Isn't “White:” Understanding the Consequences of Faculty Cynicism.

Prompted by a seemingly growing level of cynicism within academia, on the part of Academy of Management members in particular, I developed a new measure of cynicism and investigated a previously un...
An Ethernet compatible low cost/high performance communication solution

The LAN-HUB is a new local area network designed to combine the properties of several existing LAN standards to provide highly reliable communication at a relatively lower cost per station, improve network capacity/delay performance and increase the LAN user's flexibility in configuring his network. The LAN-HUB network is configured around the CODEX 4320 LAN-HUB communication controllers which allow up to eight Ethernet/IEEE 802.3 stations to transparently share one network transceiver or RF Modem. Each LAN-HUB controller executes a fair, collision free, arbitration among its local stations attached to its LAN ports, using a patented collision avoidance algorithm. The HUB's rear panel further provides a Network port which can be attached to a standard 802.3 transceiver, to another HUB or terminated in a loop back mode. The HUBs, thus, allow stations to be organized in a standalone star network, in a “cascading” star configuration, or as an integrated bus/star network. When organized as star or cascaded star networks, the HUB controllers provide highly reliable and controlled, collision free, bandwidth allocation suitable for applications such as CPU room clusters. Alternately, in a bus configuration the HUBs support an Ethernet type bus network, with random access channel control. In the latter configuration the HUBs provide a lower cost/higher performance solution for bursty traffic users, since they reduce cabling requirements, decrease cost by sharing each transceiver among several LAN stations and improve network throughput/delay performance by eliminating local collisions. The LAN-HUB is thus effective in creating a local communication solution with a significant degree of flexibility in choosing the network layout and the type of service, random or deterministic, provided to the network users.
Total body water changes after an exercise intervention tracked using bioimpedance spectroscopy: A deuterium oxide comparison

Summary Background & aims Bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) for the estimation of total body water (TBW) has advantages over isotope dilution techniques, including cost, portability, and ease of use. The aim of the current study was to determine the validity of a BIS device (Imp™ SFB7) for tracking changes in overfat and obese individuals. Methods Sixty overfat and obese men and women (27±8yr, 33.41±3.81%fat) participated in the study. TBW was estimated using BIS and deuterium oxide (D 2 O) before and after the ten-week intervention. Results Pre-and post-intervention BIS TBW estimations errors increased as body mass index (BMI), fat mass (FM), and fat-free mass (FFM) increased ( p p 2 O TBW=11.478+0.743(BIS TBW)–2.429(Gender), (Men=1, Women=2). Conclusions BIS can be considered an accurate tool for tracking changes in TBW regardless of variations in BMI, FM, FFM, or age in both overfat and obese men and women (BMI>24). Employing a BIS TBW equation is suggested over the development of resistivity coefficients based on BMI, FM, FFM or age.
The Effect of Field-Based Instruction on Student Understandings of Ecological Concepts

Abstract This study focused on students' conceptions of ecological concepts and the influence of field instruction strategies on their understanding and retention of these concepts. Students responded to a specially designed instrument prior to, at the end of, and 4 weeks after a 7-day field program focused on developing understanding of ecological concepts. All groups exhibited statistically significant posttest gains and showed evidence of retaining the targeted concepts.