cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Freedom in the Space of Equality: A Response to Certain Liberal Egalitarian Objections to Amartya Sen's Capabilities Approach

Egalitarians agree that some effort should be made to equalize advantages, but disagree about the terms upon which one should compare people's level of advantage. Amartya Sen's capabilities approach is a relatively recent contribution to that important debate. The capabilities approach evaluates and compares advantage in terms of persons' capabilities to do valuable acts or reach valuable states of being, called functionings. The concept of functioning overlaps with 'well-being' or 'welfare,' in that it connotes the satisfactory achievement of valued outcomes. Yet the concept of capability goes beyond well-being in connoting not only states of well-being, but the extent to which a person's agency is deepened and broadened by being capable of choosing from an ever greater field of functionings, viz, the various things he or she manages to do or be in leading a life. The capabilities approach can broadly be described as a species of liberal egalitarianism. As such, it cannot avoid engaging with critical debates on both liberty and equality, and has indeed attracted criticism on both fronts. This dissertation assesses the defensibility of the capabilities approach against two recent and quite different criticisms, which have yet to be substantially and directly responded to as such in the literature surrounding the capabilities approach. The first objection, which I term the 'anti-perfectionist objection' and which I discuss in chapter 2, holds that the capabilities approach is untenable from the point of view of liberal neutrality because, in being pressed to identify particular capabilities as relevant (and others as irrelevant) to inequality, it is inescapably preferential towards a particular conception or set of conceptions of the good life. The second objection, which is addressed in chapter 3, asserts that the capabilities approach, by advocating a pansocietal ranking of persons in terms of their overall capability, endorses a vertical conception of human diversity, viz., one which regards some people as inherently (though arbitrarily) better endowed overall than others. The objection concludes that such vertical conceptions are offensive to the modern ethos of democratic equality. This dissertation aims to refine, evaluate and propose responses to these two objections, both by critically evaluating their assumptions, and identifying how the capabilities approach can best address them.
Identification and characterization of G proteins in the mammalian lacrimal gland

The regulation of protein secretion in exocrine tissues such as the lacrimal gland involves coupling of cell surface receptor activation by neurotransmitters and neuropeptides to the generation of intracellular messengers.1,2 In lacrimal gland, components of the cyclic adenosine 3’, 5’- monophosphate (cAMP) pathway include seven transmembrane receptors whose activation leads to stimulation or inhibition of the effector enzyme adenylyl cyclase and alterations in the intracellular levels of cAMP, as well as alterations in the release of proteins into the tears.2 In virtually all tissues, heterotrimeric G proteins that reversibly bind guanine nucleotides link cell surface receptor activation to adenylyl cyclase and thus are critical components of signal transduction events in the cAMP pathway. In lacrimal gland, experimental evidence for G protein-dependent regulation of adenylyl cyclase includes stimulation of the enzyme by NaF, a direct activator of Gsα, and by guanine 5’-0–3’-thiosphosphate (GTPyS), a non-hydrolyzable analog of GTP.3,4 Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) stimulation of the enzyme is also dependent upon GTP.5 In the work presented here, we have used toxin-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation and immunoreaction with antisera directed against peptide sequences of the a subunits of specific G proteins to identify and characterize the G proteins present in the mammalian lacrimal gland and that mediate lacrimal secretion through transduction of extracellular signals and alterations in adenylyl cyclase activity.
Genetic Analysis of Two Allelic Temperature-Sensitive Mutants of DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER Both of Which Are Zygotic and Maternal-Effect Lethals

After fertilization, the development of a zygote depends upon both gene products synthesized by its maternal parent and gene products synthesized by the zygote itself. To analyze genetically the relative contributions of these two sources of gene products, several laboratories have been isolating two classes of mutants of Drosophila melanogaster: maternal-effect lethals and zygotic lethals. This report concerns the analysis of two temperature-sensitive mutants, OX736hs and PC025hs, which were isolated as alleles of a small-disc mutant, l(3)1902. These alleles are not only zygotic lethals, but also maternal-effect lethals. They have temperature-sensitive periods during larval life and during oogenesis. Mutant larvae exposed continuously to restrictive temperature have small discs. One- or two-day exposures to the restrictive temperature administered during the third larval instar lead to a homeotic transformation of the midlegs and hindlegs to the pattern characteristic of the forelegs. Mutant females exposed to the restrictive temperature during oogenesis produce eggs that can develop until gastrulation, but do not hatch. —The existence of these mutants, and one that was recently described by another group, implies that there may be a class of genes, heretofore unrecognized, whose products are synthesized during oogenesis, are essential for embryogenesis and are also synthesized during larval stages within imaginal disc cells.
Central Nervous System Stimulants

It has been estimated that 1.5 % of the general population complains of excessive daytime sleepiness or excessive sleep amounts consistent with a hypersomnia disorder. Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder affecting the regulation of sleep and wakefulness. It is characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy (sudden temporary inability to move), and other rapid eye movement (REM) sleep-associated manifestations (e.g., hypnagogic hallucinations and sleep paralysis).
Grover search and the no-signaling principle

Two of the key properties of quantum physics are the no-signaling principle and the Grover search lower bound. That is, despite admitting stronger-than-classical correlations, quantum mechanics does not imply superluminal signaling, and despite a form of exponential parallelism, quantum mechanics does not imply polynomial-time brute force solution of NP-complete problems. Here, we investigate the degree to which these two properties are connected. We examine four classes of deviations from quantum mechanics, for which we draw inspiration from the literature on the black hole information paradox. We show that in these models, the physical resources required to send a superluminal signal scale polynomially with the resources needed to speed up Grover’s algorithm. Hence the no-signaling principle is equivalent to the inability to solve NP-hard problems efficiently by brute force within the classes of theories analyzed.
Interactions between Food-Borne Pathogens and Protozoa Isolated from Lettuce and Spinach

The survival of Salmonella enterica was recently shown to increase when the bacteria were sequestered in expelled food vacuoles (vesicles) of Tetrahymena. Because fresh produce is increasingly linked to outbreaks of enteric illness, the present investigation aimed to determine the prevalence of protozoa on spinach and lettuce and to examine their interactions with S. enterica, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Listeria monocytogenes. Glaucoma sp., Colpoda steinii, and Acanthamoeba palestinensis were cultured from store-bought spinach and lettuce and used in our study. A strain of Tetrahymena pyriformis previously isolated from spinach and a soil-borne Tetrahymena sp. were also used. Washed protozoa were allowed to graze on green fluorescent protein- or red fluorescent protein-labeled enteric pathogens. Significant differences in interactions among the various protist-enteric pathogen combinations were observed. Vesicles were produced by Glaucoma with all of the bacterial strains, although L. monocytogenes resulted in the smallest number per ciliate. Vesicle production was observed also during grazing of Tetrahymena on E. coli O157:H7 and S. enterica but not during grazing on L. monocytogenes, in vitro and on leaves. All vesicles contained intact fluorescing bacteria. In contrast, C. steinii and the amoeba did not produce vesicles from any of the enteric pathogens, nor were pathogens trapped within their cysts. Studies of the fate of E. coli O157:H7 in expelled vesicles revealed that by 4 h after addition of spinach extract, the bacteria multiplied and escaped the vesicles. The presence of protozoa on leafy vegetables and their sequestration of enteric bacteria in vesicles indicate that they may play an important role in the ecology of human pathogens on produce.
Functional coupling of neonatal rat Sertoli cells and gonocytes in coculture.

Interaction between Sertoli cells and germ cells is likely to be critical for normal development of the testis. We have established and characterized cocultures of neonatal Sertoli cells and gonocytes and have begun to study the physical and functional relationship between these cells in vitro. Cells were isolated from rat pups by sequential enzymatic treatment and cultured in serum-free medium. When plated on Matrigel, Sertoli cells rapidly attach, and gonocytes adhere to the underlying Sertoli cells shortly thereafter. We observed that some of these germ cells develop cytoplasmic processes and elongate during the first day of culture, essentially mimicking their behavior in vivo. Electron microscopic examination of typical cultures revealed the presence of desmosome-like adhesion sites and apparent gap junctions between Sertoli cells and gonocytes. To determine whether Sertoli cells and gonocytes are functionally coupled in the cocultures, we used the glass bead-loading technique of McNeil and Warder to...
The veil and the visible

The French Education Minister's attempt to ban the Muslim veil from public schools in 1994 renewed familiar tensions between Muslims and the French state‐tensions that originated in France's colonial era. I argue that in 1994 the veil became the site of a power struggle between French‐Muslims and the French state by virtue of a complex politics of seeing and being seen. The philosophical concept of “the visible,” moreover, reveals the extent to which this politics of seeing constitutes a heretofore unexamined form of rhetoric as epistemic. Such a form of rhetoric makes different subjects known to one another and establishes differential power relations through what is seen and how it is seen. I ultimately conclude, concerning rhetoric's epistemic function, that ways of knowing through seeing form a necessary complement to ways of knowing through speech.
(±)-2-Oxocyclo­penta­neacetic acid: catemeric hydrogen bonding in a γ-keto acid

The title racemate, C7H10O3, aggregates in the solid as acid-to-ketone hydrogen-bonding catemers [O⋯O = 2.7050 (13) A and O—H⋯O = 166.1 (17)°] having glide-related components. Four such heterochiral chains, paired centrosymmetrically about ({\script{1\over 2}}, {\script{1\over 2}}, {\script{1\over 2}}) in the cell, proceed through the cell in the 010 direction, with alignment with respect to the c axis of ++−−.
Functional analysis of B and C class floral organ genes in spinach demonstrates their role in sexual dimorphism

Background Evolution of unisexual flowers entails one of the most extreme changes in plant development. Cultivated spinach, Spinacia oleracea L., is uniquely suited for the study of unisexual flower development as it is dioecious and it achieves unisexually by the absence of organ development, rather than by organ abortion or suppression. Male staminate flowers lack fourth whorl primordia and female pistillate flowers lack third whorl primordia. Based on theoretical considerations, early inflorescence or floral organ identity genes would likely be directly involved in sex-determination in those species in which organ initiation rather than organ maturation is regulated. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that sexual dimorphism occurs through the regulation of B class floral organ gene expression by experimentally knocking down gene expression by viral induced gene silencing.
A Mechanical Model for Wool

A model is presented which seems to account more fully for wool properties. This model contains two axially parallel parts: a microfibril made up largely of low-stability alpha-keratin and a matrix consisting of a series arrangement of high-stability alpha- keratin chains and amorphous protein partly extended in the axial direction. The matrix, which contains most of the cross links of the cortex, has a modulus considerably higher than that of the microfibrils. On extension, beta-keratin may originate from both the alpha chains and the amorphous chains. In solvents, the fiber is considered to have little tendency to swell longitudinally, because of restraints imposed by both amor phous and crystalline phases. Heretofore, it has been thought that the amorphous phase strives to swell isotropically but is restricted by the crystalline phase to swelling in the radial direction.Because of the high modulus now attributed to the matrix, the fiber structure appears to correspond mechanically to a honeycomb, at le...
Neural Evidence for the Flexible Control of Mental Representations

This study was designed to explore neural evidence for the simultaneous engagement of multiple mental codes while retaining a visual object in short-term memory (STM) and, if successful, to explore the neural bases of strategic prioritization among these codes. We used multivariate pattern analysis of fMRI data to track patterns of brain activity associated with three common mental codes: visual, verbal, and semantic. When participants did not know which dimension of a sample stimulus would be tested, patterns of brain activity during the memory delay indicated that a visual representation was quickly augmented with both verbal and semantic re-representations of the stimulus. The verbal code emerged as most highly activated, consistent with a canonical visual-to-phonological recoding operation in STM. If participants knew which dimension of a sample stimulus would be tested, brain activity patterns were biased toward the probe-relevant stimulus dimension. Interestingly, probe-irrelevant neural states persisted at an intermediate level of activation when they were potentially relevant later in the trial, but dropped to baseline when cued to be irrelevant. These results reveal the neural dynamics underlying the creation and retention of mental codes, and they illustrate the flexible control that humans can exert over these representations.
Convents and Change: Autonomy, Marginalization, and Religious Affiliation in Late-Medieval Bologna

The histories of two Bolognese monastic houses, Santa Maria del Monte della Guardia and Santa Caterina, reveal the complex relationships between some religious women’s communities and monastic orders. They began as communities in small, regional congregations; became Augustinian in the mid-thirteenth century due to papal intervention; and were Dominican by the fifteenth century. Amid these changes, both communities attempted to retain elements of their early status and practices rather than accepting integration into larger orders. Whereas much scholarly attention rightly has been paid to convents that strove for incorporation into the religious orders, examinations of communities with more fluid affiliations can complement these studies and provide a fuller picture of medieval religious women’s lives.
The effect of atropine on the activation of 5-hydroxytryptamine3 channels in rat nodose ganglion neurons

Abstract It has been suggested that changes in brain 5-hydroxytryptamine3 receptor function may contribute to some behavior disorders, such as anxiety, schizophrenia and drug abuse. We are using the whole-cell version of the patch-clamp technique to study the function of 5-hydroxytryptamine3 channels in neurons freshly dissociated from rat nodose ganglion. In these cells, 5-hydroxytryptamine elicits an inward current over the concentration range of 0.25–100 μM ( ec 50 = 2.62 μM) by activating 5-hydroxytryptamine3 receptors. The muscarinic cholinergic antagonist atropine reduced the amplitude of 5-hydroxytryptamine activated inward current in a concentration-dependent manner. Other muscarinic antagonists, scopolamine, dexetimide, the M1 muscarinic receptor antagonist pirenzepine, the M2 receptor antagonist methoctramine and the M3 receptor antagonist 4-DAMP methiodide also inhibited 5-hydroxytryptamine-induced inward current. Atropine did not appear to change the reversal potential of this current. In the presence of 5μM atropine, the concentration-response curve for 5-hydroxytryptamine current was shifted to the right in a parallel fashion. The ec 50 value for 5-hydroxytryptamine was increased from 2.62 to 8.76μM. Schild plots of increasing atropine and 5-hydroxytryptamine concentrations revealed a pA2 value of 5.74 for atropine (apparent Kd = 1.8 μM). These observations suggest that atropine competitively antagonizes the activation of a receptor for the neurotransmitter serotonin, a novel action of muscarinic antagonists in the nervous system. This effect of atropine may contribute to the clinical symptoms seen in severe atropine intoxication.
Comparison of risk of local-regional recurrence after mastectomy or breast conservation therapy for patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiation stratified according to a prognostic index score

Purpose: We previously developed a prognostic index that stratified patients treated with breast conservation therapy (BCT) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy into groups with different risks for local-regional recurrence (LRR). The purpose of this study was to compare the rates of LRR as a function of prognostic index score for patients treated with BCT or mastectomy plus radiation after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Methods and Materials: We retrospectively analyzed 815 patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation. Patients were assigned an index score from 0 to 4 and given 1 point for the presence of each factor: clinical N2 to N3 disease, lymphovascular invasion, pathologic size >2 cm, and multifocal residual disease. Results: The 10-year LRR rates were very low and similar between the mastectomy and BCT groups for patients with an index score of 0 or 1. For patients with a score of 2, LRR trended lower for those treated with mastectomy vs. BCT (12% vs. 28%, p = 0.28). For patients with a score of 3 to 4, LRR was significantly lower for those treated with mastectomy vs. BCT (19% vs. 61%, p = 0.009). Conclusions: This analysis suggests that BCT can provide excellent local-regional treatment for the vast majority of patients after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. For the few patients with a score of 3 to 4, LRR was >60% after BCT and was
Electrochemical Methoxylation of an HF-Etched Porous Silicon Surface

The electrochemical methoxylation of a porous silicon (PS) surface using an anhydrous methanol etch and the resulting modification of the photoluminescent emission (PL) from the surface are evaluated within the framework of the silanone-based silicon oxyhydride fluorophors and their methylated counterparts. The molecular electronic structure of the ground-state singlet and low-lying triplet electronic states of some 20 oxyhydrides of the form OSi(R)2, OSi(R)OR, and OSi(OR)2, where R = H, CH3, or SiH3, is considered. The predicted electronic transitions correlate well with the experimentally observed PL for PS and its methoxylated counterpart. The substitution of a methyl (CH3) group for a silyl (SiH3) unit is predicted to produce the observed PL blue shift accompanied by an increased PL intensity and stability.
On solutions of some singular, non-Linear differential equations arising in boundary layer theory

Abstract Solutions for a class of singular, non-linear, second-order differential equations arising in boundary layer theory with suction/injection, when Crocco variables are employed, are obtained. Existence, uniqueness, and analyticity results are established for boundary conditions corresponding to flow of a uniform stream past a semi-infinite flat plate (classical problem of Blasius) and for the flow behind weak expansion. Since the standardization technique (in Refs. [8, 9, 11]) does not work, a new technique is developed and used in proving existence and uniqueness theorems. Furthermore, the analytical solutions are compared with the numerical ones.
Animal Models for Influenza Viruses: Implications for Universal Vaccine Development

Influenza virus infections are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the human population. Depending on the virulence of the influenza virus strain, as well as the immunological status of the infected individual, the severity of the respiratory disease may range from sub-clinical or mild symptoms to severe pneumonia that can sometimes lead to death. Vaccines remain the primary public health measure in reducing the influenza burden. Though the first influenza vaccine preparation was licensed more than 60 years ago, current research efforts seek to develop novel vaccination strategies with improved immunogenicity, effectiveness, and breadth of protection. Animal models of influenza have been essential in facilitating studies aimed at understanding viral factors that affect pathogenesis and contribute to disease or transmission. Among others, mice, ferrets, pigs, and nonhuman primates have been used to study influenza virus infection in vivo, as well as to do pre-clinical testing of novel vaccine approaches. Here we discuss and compare the unique advantages and limitations of each model.
Composition and microstructure of black molybdenum photothermal converter layers deposited by the pyrolytic hydrogen reduction of MoO2Cl2

Abstract Black molybdenum films combining a high IR reflectance with a significant solar absorptance were produced by the pyrolytic hydrogen reduction of MoO2Cl2 in the temperature range 550–710°C on both quartz and metal substrates. Characterization by X-ray, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and Auger analyses showed that the films are composite materials consisting of small molybdenum particles suspended in a matrix of MoO2 grains. The composition and structure of the films can be adjusted by variations in the substrate temperature and hydrogen concentration, resulting in corresponding changes in the optical properties. Although the films described here are comparable in structure with black chrome, they are more durable at elevated temperatures and were tested at 500°C in a roughing pump vacuum.
Organic chemistry: Chlorine lends a helping hand.

The development of synthetic routes to unusual and complex molecules frequently leads to surprising lessons about chemical reactivity. The first synthesis of a marine toxin provides just such a lesson. Seafood poisoning can be caused by a number of toxins, including the chlorosulpholipids. These molecules are particularly intriguing because of their structural and stereochemical complexity, and because their mechanism of biological action remains unknown. The limited availability of these natural products has made in-depth biochemical studies difficult. Now the first total synthesis of a chlorosulpholipid cytotoxin is reported, opening the way to full pharmacological characterization and the proper evaluation of the risk for human health. The synthesis confirms the structure proposed for the chlorosulpholipids, and one of the early discoveries is the unanticipated reactivity of polychlorinated hydrocarbons within the molecule.
Multilayer relaxation of the Mg(0001) surface

Abstract We have Investigated the interplanar relaxation of the clean (0001)-(1 × 1) surface of magnesium at 100 K using a dynamical LEED I - V analysis. In contrast to almost all other metal surfaces, an expansion has been observed for the first interlayer spacing of this clean surface. Using an extended database, the results indicate that the first three interlayer spacings are relaxed from the bulk value by Δ d 12 = +1.9 ± 0.3%, Δ d 23 = +0.8 ± 0.4%, and Δ d 34 = −0.4 ± 0.5%. A comparison of this observed multi relaxation with experimental and theoretical results for similar free-electron closepacked metal surfaces, e.g. Al(111), suggests that a surface expansion is a normal property of high electron density simple metals.
Accuracy of derivatives of control performance using a reduced structural model

The sensitivity of control system performance to structural changes is calculated for a multi-span beam with direct-rate feedback vibration control. Reduced models based on the natural modes of the structure are formed and derivatives of the damping ratios of the closed-loop eigenvalues are calculated. The convergence of the derivatives of the damping ratios with increasing number of modes is shown to be slower than the convergence of the damping ratios themselves. In particular, in some cases the convergence of finite-element approximations to the derivatives is much faster than the convergence of the modal approximations. The results indicate that the use of reduced models based on natural vibration modes may be ill-advised for calculating the sensitivity of control system performance to changes in the controlled structure.
Counteracting chemical chaperone effects on the single-molecule α-synuclein structural landscape

Protein structure and function depend on a close interplay between intrinsic folding energy landscapes and the chemistry of the protein environment. Osmolytes are small-molecule compounds that can act as chemical chaperones by altering the environment in a cellular context. Despite their importance, detailed studies on the role of these chemical chaperones in modulating structure and dimensions of intrinsically disordered proteins have been limited. Here, we used single-molecule Forster resonance energy transfer to test the counteraction hypothesis of counterbalancing effects between the protecting osmolyte trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) and denaturing osmolyte urea for the case of α-synuclein, a Parkinson’s disease-linked protein whose monomer exhibits significant disorder. The single-molecule experiments, which avoid complications from protein aggregation, do not exhibit clear solvent-induced cooperative protein transitions for these osmolytes, unlike results from previous studies on globular proteins. Our data demonstrate the ability of TMAO and urea to shift α-synuclein structures towards either more compact or expanded average dimensions. Strikingly, the experiments directly reveal that a 2∶1 [urea]∶[TMAO] ratio has a net neutral effect on the protein’s dimensions, a result that holds regardless of the absolute osmolyte concentrations. Our findings shed light on a surprisingly simple aspect of the interplay between urea and TMAO on α-synuclein in the context of intrinsically disordered proteins, with potential implications for the biological roles of such chemical chaperones. The results also highlight the strengths of single-molecule experiments in directly probing the chemical physics of protein structure and disorder in more chemically complex environments.
Minimax Estimation and Forecasting in a Stationary Autoregression Model

Consider an individual making a portfolio choice at date T involving two assets. The (gross) returns at t per unit invested at t 1 are Yit and Y2t* The individual has observed these returns from t = 0 to t = T. He has also observed the values of the variables Y3t',... YKt, which are thought to be relevant in forecasting future returns. Thus, the information available to him when he makes his portfolio choice is z = {(Yt ... YKt)} t=0. He invests one unit, divided between an amount a in asset 1 and an amount 1 a in asset 2, and he then holds on to the portfolio until date T + H. Let w = {(Yit, Y2t)}T:H+ 1 and let h(w, a) denote the value of the portfolio at t T + H:
Event-related potentials of 4-7-week-old infants in a visual recognition memory task.

Abstract Event-related brain potentials were recorded from 4–7-week-old infants viewing a visual oddball task. During the task the duration of the infant's visual fixations of the stimuli was recorded. The latency of a frontally predominant negative component (NO and magnitude of an early slow wave (NSW) changed as a function of stimulus experience, thereby indicating a sensitivity to the infant's attention, stimulus discrimination and, perhaps, recognition memory. Nc latencies were faster and NSW magnitude was larger to the oddball stimulus than to the frequent stimulus. In addition, the latency of a component over occipital scalp (N378) was faster to the oddball stimulus and may reflect the first perceptual registration of stimulus change. The latencies of the components allow an analysis of the infant's chronometry of processing. Analysis of looking behavior indicated that the infants also gave longer oddball looks than frequent looks. The relation of the ERP data to the infant's looking behavior suggests that fixation duration and the ERP components can be used as complementary measures of different aspects of the infant's attentional-cognitive processes.
Post‐irradiation Survival of Staphylococcus aureus in Sea Foods

SUMMARY Staphylococcus aureus is less sensitive to gamma radiation when suspended in fish homogenate or crab meat than in phosphate buffer. Comparative tests of various media confirmed that Staphylococcus No. 110 (Difco) plus egg yolk incubated at 45°C gave good recoveries of S. aurens from irradiated samples. The ability of S. aureus to survive and grow out in brain-heart-infusion broth, heat-sterilized crab meat, and unsterilized crab meat before and after irradiation was tested at various temperatures. The organism died out when stored at 1 and 8° regardless of treatment. At 12°C, S. aureus grew well in sterilized crab meat, reaching a count of 10° cells per gram after 14 days, but was greatly inhibited in nonsterile crab meat, whether irradiated or not. At 22° (room temperature), S. aureus grew well and rapidly in sterilized crab meat, reaching a count of 108 cells per gram within three days, but was inhibited or grew poorly in untreated (non-sterile) crab meat. Apparently the inhibition of growth was due to competition by saprophytic bacteria naturally present in crab meat. The effect of such competition was largely eliminated when crab meat was irradiated at 100 and 200 Krad and S. aurens grew out well in such material when incubated at 22°C. There was some evidence that the ratio of staphylococci to saprophytic bacteria influenced outgrowth, but the major effect seemed to be due to the creation of inhibiting conditions in crab meat by the competing bacteria since staphylococci were completely inhibited in spoiling erab meat samples even after irradiation.
The emerging field of chemo- and pharmacoproteomics.

The emerging field of chemo- and pharmacoproteomics studies the mechanisms of action of bioactive molecules in a systems pharmacology context. In contrast to traditional drug discovery, pharmacoproteomics integrates the mechanism of a drug’s action, its side effects including toxicity, and the discovery of new drug targets in a single approach. Thus, it determines early favorable (e.g. multiple kinase target in cancer drugs) and unfavorable (e.g. side effects) polypharmacology. Target profiling is accomplished using either active site-labeling probes or immobilized drugs. This strategy identifies direct targets and has in fact enabled even the determination of binding curves and half maximum inhibitory concentrations of these targets. In addition, the enrichment greatly reduces the complexity of the proteome to be analyzed by quantitative MS. Complementary to these approaches, global proteomics profiling studying drug treatment-induced changes in protein expression levels and/or post-translational modification status have started to become possible mostly due to significant improvements in instrumentation. Particularly, when using multidimensional separations, a considerable proteome depth of up to 10 000 proteins can be achieved with current state-of-the-art mass spectrometers and bioinformatics tools. In summary, chemo- and pharmacoproteomics has already contributed significantly to the identification of novel drug targets and their mechanisms of action(s). Aided by further technological advancements, this interdisciplinary approach will likely be used more broadly in the future.
Modified norwood procedure for hypoplastic left heart syndrome

Background Since June 1994, we have used a modification of the Norwood technique in 13 patients presenting with the hypoplastic left heart syndrome or similar variants. Methods This technique involves coarctation repair, arch reconstruction, and creation of a neo-ascending aorta using autologous great vessel tissue only. Pulmonary blood flow is provided by a central shunt of 3.0- to 4.0-mm Gore-Tex. Results The mean age and weight at operation were 15 days (range, 1 to 77 days) and 3.2 kg (range, 1.7 to 4.6 kg), respectively. The mean circulatory arrest time was 32 minutes (range, 25 to 50 minutes). There was one operative death, and there have been no late deaths. Seven patients have gone on to conversion to a bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt at a mean age of 6 months. There have been no cases of recurrent coarctation, arch obstruction, or left pulmonary artery stenosis. Significant coronary insufficiency requiring revision of the ascending aortic reconstruction has developed in 2 patients. Conclusions We believe this approach offers the advantage of using the patient's own native tissue for all great vessel reconstruction. This technique may also allow 10 to 15 minutes less of circulatory arrest time. The theoretic benefits include improved growth of repaired structures and avoidance of homograft or prosthetic material. The long-term results remain to be elucidated.
The value of opacification of the esophagus by low density barium paste in computer tomography of the thorax.

Abstract A 3% barium paste was used in the CT evaluation of 100 normal and 60 abnormal esophagi. Successful esophageal opacification occurred in 87% of both groups. In cases of extrinsic disease involving the esophagus the contrast medium administration assisted in separating the esophagus from adjacent mass lesions, as well as identifying displacement, compression, proximal dilatation, and length of involvement. In cases of esophageal carcinoma the contrast medium administration assisted in the measurement of wall thickness and length of the lesion as well as identification of the site of origin of the tumor. The contrast medium was simple to administer, well tolerated, and did not produce scan artifacts.
Three faces of international inequality

Abstract Recent studies of international inequality have focused mostly on the trend in international income inequality. This article extends the analysis of international inequality to also include inequalities in education and health. Analyses of time-series data for more than 100 countries show that international income inequality declined from 1980 to 2003 as several large, poor Asian countries outpaced many Western countries in national income growth. By contrast, international health inequality followed a U-shaped trend, falling in the 1980s before rising in the 1990s. The turnaround in health inequality coincides with a trend of declining life expectancy in sub-Saharan Africa. International educational inequality experienced the sharpest recent decline, spurred by the global expansion of formal schooling. These findings confirm that there is more to international inequality than income inequality alone and suggest that patterns of inequality in the current era of globalization are likely more complex than many leading theories suggest.
Cloning and structural analysis of cDNAs for bcl-2 and a hybrid bcl-2/immunoglobulin transcript resulting from the t(14;18) translocation

Abstract cDNAs for the bcl -2 mRNA were cloned from a human common acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell line. Nucleotide sequence analyses showed that the 6 kb bcl -2 mRNA potentially encodes a 26 kd protein that is homologous to a predicted Epstein-Barr virus protein. Most t(14;18) translocation breakpoints cluster within a narrow region of a 5.4 kb exon that contains a long 3′-untranslated region of the bcl -2 mRNA. As a result of t(14;18) translocation, hybrid bcl -2/immunoglobulin heavy chain transcripts are produced that consist of the 5′ half of the bcl -2 mRNA fused to a "decapitated" immunoglobulin heavy chain mRNA. Nucleotide sequence analyses confirmed that the hybrid transcripts continue to encode a normal bcl -2 protein. Our results suggest that t(14;18) translocations alter expression of the bcl -2 gene both by transcriptional activation and by abnormal posttranscriptional regulation of bcl -2 mRNA.
Control of Artificial Swarms with DDDAS

A framework for incorporating a swarm intelligent system with the Dynamic Data Driven Application System (DDDAS) is presented. Swarm intelligent systems, or artificial swarms, self-organize into useful emergent structures that are capable of solving complex problems, but are difficult to control and predict. The DDDAS concept utilizes repeated simulations of an executing application to improve analytic and predictive capability by creating a synergistic feedback loop. Incorporating DDDAS with swarm applications can significantly improve control of the swarm. An overview of the DDDAS framework for swarm control is presented, and then demonstrated with an example swarm application.
A modeling/solution approach for optimal deployment of a weapons arsenal

This paper reports a real-world application of a large-scale assignment/allocation mixed-integer program for optimal deployment and targeting of missiles for the U.S. Strategic Air Command. We provide a NETFORM model that reduces the number of zero-one variables of a standard integer programming formulation by more than two orders of magnitude (by factors approaching 500) and a tailored NETFORM software system that solves problems involving 2,400 zero-one variables and 984,000 continuous variables to within 99.9% of optimality in less than one minute on an IBM 4381.
Frog virus 3 ORF 53R, a putative myristoylated membrane protein, is essential for virus replication in vitro

Although previous work identified 12 complementation groups with possible roles in virus assembly, currently only one frog virus 3 protein, the major capsid protein (MCP), has been linked with virion formation. To identify other proteins required for assembly, we used an antisense morpholino oligonucleotide to target 53R, a putative myristoylated membrane protein, and showed that treatment resulted in marked reductions in 53R levels and a 60% drop in virus titers. Immunofluorescence assays confirmed knock down and showed that 53R was found primarily within viral assembly sites, whereas transmission electron microscopy detected fewer mature virions and, in some cells, dense granular bodies that may represent unencapsidated DNA-protein complexes. Treatment with a myristoylation inhibitor (2-hydroxymyristic acid) resulted in an 80% reduction in viral titers. Collectively, these data indicate that 53R is an essential viral protein that is required for replication in vitro and suggest it plays a critical role in virion formation.
Signaling pathways involved in induction of GADD45 gene expression and apoptosis by troglitazone in human MCF-7 breast carcinoma cells

We previously reported that the PPARγ agonist troglitazone (TRO) inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis in human MCF-7 breast carcinoma cells. To understand the mechanisms of antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic effects of TRO, we screened a limited DNA array containing 23 genes involved in regulating either the cell cycle and/or apoptosis. Four of the 23 genes screened exhibited regulation by TRO, with growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible gene 45 (GADD45) being the most strongly upregulated. TRO induced GADD45 mRNA expression in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Depletion of GADD45 by siRNA abrogated TRO-induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells demonstrating the physiological relevance of GADD45 upregulation. Signaling pathways mediating TRO-induced GADD45 were also investigated. Several mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways were involved in the induction of GADD45 by TRO. Inhibition of the c-jun N-terminal kinase MAPK pathway by SP600125 partially abolished TRO-induced GADD45 mRNA, and protein expression and apoptosis. In contrast, inhibition of the p38 MAPK pathway by SB203580, or through overexpression of a dominant-negative mutant of p38 MAPK, augmented GADD45 mRNA induction and GADD45 promoter activation as well as cell apoptosis by TRO. Blockade of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase MAPK pathway by PD98059 also enhanced TRO's effects on GADD45 and apoptosis. Two other PPARγ agonists pioglitazone and rosiglitazone did not induce GADD45 expression. Our finding of GADD45 induction by TRO may provide a new insight concerning the mechanisms for TRO's antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic effects in breast cancer cells.
Evolution in parasite communities.

Abstract The theoretical aspects of parasite community development are treated under four of the major models on community organization: Nonasymptotic, Asymptotic Equilibrium, Asymptotic Nonequilibrium , and Cospeciation Models . For each model, and for the phases within the Asymptotic Equilibrium Model, the predicted role of evolution in the past and present is described, particularly relating to competition between parasites. The tabulated assumptions of each model enable their identification in real communities, and the answers to five critical questions should provide a means of defining the model appropriate to each system. The study of competition and niche analysis is critical to developments in this field. That very different kinds of parasite communities exist and that different processes operate in each is recognized, but only further study will permit an evaluation of the role of evolution in general.
Impact of early extubation and reintubation on the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in neonates.

Objective The objective of this study was to assess rates of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and BPD/death in infants first extubated between day of life (DOL) 1 to 3 versus 4 to 7, 8 + , and impact of reintubation. Study Design We included infants with gestational age ≤ 28 weeks, birth weight ≤ 1,000 g, and intubation on DOL 1. Proportional hazards regression modeled time to BPD and BPD/death, adjusting for potential confounders. Results Of 262 infants, 101 (38.55%), 41 (15.65%), and 120 (45.80%) were extubated between DOL 1 to 3, 4 to 7, and 8 + , respectively. Extubation between DOL 4 to 7 and DOL 1 to 3 was associated with an increased hazard of developing BPD (hazard ratio [HR], 1.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.0–2.8; p Conclusions Delaying extubation beyond the first 3 and 7 days was associated with an increased risk of BPD and BPD/death. Reintubation did not impact outcomes.
On Money as a Medium of Exchange

We analyze economies in which individuals specialize in consumption and production and meet randomly over time in a way that implies that trade must be bilateral and quid pro quo. Nash equilibria in trading strategies are characterized. Certain goods emerge endogenously as media of exchange, or commodity money, depending both on their intrinsic properties and on extrinsic beliefs. There are also equilibria with genuine fiat currency circulating as the general medium of exchange. We find that equilibria are not generally Pareto optimal and that introducing fiat currency into a commodity money economy may unambiguously improve welfare. Velocity, acceptability, and liquidity are discussed.
School Funding and Student Achievement: an Empirical Analysis:

This article presents the results of an empirical analysis of the relationship between school funding and student achievement across school districts in Cali- fornia. Student achievement is measured by district average scores on ien standardized tests. The model controls for standard socioeconomic factors and entry-level student performance. It is found that changes in expenditure patterns, e.g., equalization of funding per student, would have a statistically sig nificant effect on test scores.
THE EFFECTS OF WORK PLACE‐RESIDENCE SEPARATION AND RIDE SHARING ON EMPLOYEE ABSENTEEISM: SURVEY AND PILOT STUDY

(1977). THE EFFECTS OF WORK PLACE-RESIDENCE SEPARATION AND RIDE SHARING ON EMPLOYEE ABSENTEEISM: SURVEY AND PILOT STUDY. The Professional Geographer: Vol. 29, No. 3, pp. 272-277.
Molecular mimicry, autoimmunity and infection in the pathogenesis of rheumatic fever

Abstract Rheumatic fever is an autoimmune sequelae of a group A streptococcal infection where immune responses against host tissues play a role in disease pathogenesis due to mimicry with streptococcal M protein or N -acetyl-β- d -glucosamine, the immunodominant epitope of the group A carbohydrate. Both antibody and T cell responses are involved in disease pathogenesis, and human monoclonal antibodies and T cell clones have substantiated the mimicry hypothesis in cardites and Sydenham chorea, both prominent manifestations of rheumatic fever. In carditis, evidence suggests that antibody against the group A carbohydrate reacts with the valve endothelium potentially promoting inflammation and up-regulation of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1). The inflamed endocardium then attracts activated T cells which extravasate into the avascular valve and promote a Th 1 cytokine display leading to eventual scarring and heart murmur characteristic of rheumatic carditis. The mimicry proposed between streptococci and heart has been linked to the autoantigen cardiac myosin and related proteins. The Lewis rat has been developed as a model of streptococcal M protein and cardiac myosin-induced valvulitis with delineation of the epitopes involved in the A and B repeat regions of streptococcal M5 protein and in the S2 and LMM regions of cardiac myosin. In humans with rheumatic carditis, T cell clones from peripheral blood and valves recognize epitopes of streptococcal M protein and human cardiac myosin, as well as other alpha-helical proteins present in the valve. The hypothesis of mimicry and epitope spreading may explain how cardiac myosin, an intracellular protein in myocardium, can lead to T cell mediated valvular heart disease. Distinct epitopes of cardiac myosin and M protein have been defined which are associated with rheumatic carditis worldwide. In Sydenham chorea, antibodies which recognize ganglioside and N -acetyl-β- d -glucosamine target the neuronal cell surface and lead to antibody mediated cell signaling and dopamine release which may lead to the movement disorder. In this overview, rheumatic fever pathogenesis has been defined based on mimicry and autoimmunity, but there are yet many other parameters which contribute both genetically and environmentally to this globally devastating disease in children. The challenge is to discover them in the years to come.
Evaporative instability at the superheat limit

The explosive vaporization of a single bubble inside a droplet of butane heated to the limit of superheat has been investigated experimentally using short-exposure photographs and fast-response pressure measurements. An interfacial instability driven by rapid evaporation has been observed on the surface of the bubbles. It is proposed that the Landau mechanism of instability, originally described in connection with the instability of laminar flames, also applies to rapid evaporation at the superheat limit. Calculations suggest that other technically important fluids may be even more unstable when boiling at the superheat limit. The rate of evaporation after the onset of instability is estimated from the experimental measurements to be two orders of magnitude greater than would be predicted by conventional bubble-growth theories that do not account for the effects of instability. An estimate of the mean density within the bubbles during the evaporative stage indicates that it is nearly equal to the critical density of butane.