cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A General Route to Labile Niobium and Tantalum d0 Monoimides. Discussion of Metal−Nitrogen Vibrational Modes

Reaction of TaCl5 with 2 equiv of an amine in the presence of sodium silicate and pyridine affords Ta(NR)Cl3(py)2 in good yield. Reaction of NbCl5 with ZnCl2 followed by addition of an amine RNH2 and pyridine affords M(NR)Cl3(dme) (dme is 1,2-dimethoxyethane). For niobium this reaction proceeds smoothly regardless of the amine but is ineffective with tantalum and alkyl amines. An alternative route involves reaction of TaCl5 with 3 equiv of RNH2 to form [RNH3]2[Ta(NR)Cl5], followed by reaction of this salt with ZnCl2 in the presence of dme. The molecular structure of Nb(NtBu)Cl3(dme) (formula C8H19Cl3NNbO2) was determined by X-ray crystallography (monoclinic space group Cc with a = 30.565(4) A, b = 7.2406(13) A, c = 13.915(2) A, β = 90.626(7)°, V = 3079.4(8) A3, Z = 8). The Nb−N bond length is 1.72 A with a Nb−N−C bond angle of 177° in a distorted octahedral structure. In order to characterize the M−N stretching frequencies in these compounds, IR data for each compound are compared with calculated stretchi...
Mathematical modeling of age differences in hierarchical navigation systems

This poster presents a modification to an existing mathematical model for depth-breath tradeoff of menu-selection to account for age related differences.
Polymyalgia rheumatica: clinical presentation is key to diagnosis and treatment

Polymyalgia rheumatica should be considered in the differential diagnosis in patients over 50 years old who present with bilateral achiness and stiffness in the shoulders or hips or both. It usually responds quickly to once-daily, low-dose prednisone, but some patients require treatment for several years. Polymyalgia rheumatica frequently overlaps with giant cell arteritis, and patients must be followed closely for development of complications from this condition, especially aortitis.
A general procedure to evaluate robot positioning errors

A new, explicit, and complete formulation that describes the geometric errors due to both origin translation and misalign ments of axes in the positioning of an open-loop robot ma nipulator has been presented. The formulation does not use the usual Denavit-Hartenberg approach. The results clearly display the role of each quantity involved and allow easy physical interpretation of each error term. First, a general kinematic formulation for an ideal robot with an arbitrary number of links is developed. The geometric errors in axes locations and orientations are then shown to be skew coordi nate transformations with origin translations and are incor porated into the analysis using general tensor algebra. The final forms of forward and backward transformations contain up to 9 (N + 2) error parameters for a robot with N physical links. This theoretical formulation is applied to a specific six-degrees-of-freedom robot. It is observed that of the possi ble 72 errors in this robot, only 53 can independently contr...
Competing through maintenance strategies

Today’s business environment is considerably complex and, as a result, more factors influence the organization’s ability to compete effectively. Organizations today compete on several factors such as time, price, technology, innovation, quality, reliability, and information management. In all these, equipment maintenance and reliability are important strategies that can considerably influence the organization’s ability to compete effectively. This paper develops strategies that look into these important competitive factors. It shows that equipment maintenance and reliability management are importantly associated with an organization’s competitiveness and must be given adequate attention in the organization’s strategic planning.
Advanced Instrumentation Development for the High Cycle Fatigue (HCF) Program and the National Turbine Engine Durability (NTED) Initiative

This paper presents an overview of current research efforts aimed at improving turbine engine structural instrumentation and inspection capabilities. Emphasis is placed on non-intrusive concepts, which will be applicable to the advanced engines being designed for initial operational testing shortly after the turn of the century. Technologies to be described include: blade tip deflection sensors to determine dynamic stress, thermographic phosphors to measure metal temperature, pressure sensitive paints and air etalons to measure dynamic pressure, X Ray diffraction to determine residual stress, and micro electro mechanical systems to assess a variety of parameters. Advantages of the various systems, potential problems and limitations, as well as an assessment as to their applicability to either the High Cycle Fatigue (HCF) program, or the National Turbine Engine Durability (NTED) initiative are discussed.Copyright © 2000 by ASME
The glories of ESEEM: Measuring electron-nuclear dipolar couplings in orientationally disordered solids

In orientationally disordered solids, the anisotropy of spin interactions can cause a spectral line-broadening that severely complicates the acquisition and analysis of ESEEM (electron spin echo envelope modulation) spectra. The reduction or removal of powderbroadening is accomplished in ESEEM spectroscopy through the cancellation of antagonistic, static interactions. Three, distinct examples of this approach to spectral line-narrowing in nuclear spin one-half systems are described, together with their implications regarding the determination of electron-nuclear dipolar couplings. Applications involving15N and1H nuclei in protein and model systems are discussed.
Defining consciousness: The importance of non-reflective self-awareness

I review the problem of how to define consciousness. I suggest that rather than continuing that debate, we should turn to phenomenological description of experience to discover the common aspects of consciousness. In this way we can say that consciousness is characterized by intentionality, phenomenality, and non-reflective self-awareness. I explore this last characteristic in detail and I argue against higher-order representational theories of consciousness, with reference to blindsight and motor control processes.
Physical-chemical studies of some modified ovomucoids.

Various modifications of ovomucoid entailing reduction, alkylation, and heating procedures strongly modify its physical-chemical properties. Heating of ovomucoid and other proteins in mildly alkaline solution leads to a marked increase in absorption near 250 m μ . The involvement of cysteine residues in all of these transformations is indicated.
Oxygen and avian eggshell formation at high altitude

Abstract Many birds at high altitude lay eggs with reduced eggshell diffusive conductance to water vapor. Disagreement exists about the cause, but hypotheses include physiological acclimatization and genetic adaptation. To investigate this, we tested for the occurrence of physiological acclimatization and quantified the effect of relieving hypoxia at high altitude. Ten laying hens ( Gallus domesticus ) were exposed to elevations of 3800 m ( Pi O 2 90 Torr), 3800 m with supplementary oxygen ( Pi O 2 140 Torr), and 1200 m ( Pi O 2 125 Torr). 573 eggs were collected and analyzed during the 17-week experiment. Shell conductance, aggregate pore area, and shell thickness were reduced at 3800 m compared to 1200 m or 3800 m with supplementary oxygen. There was a lag in the response to changes in altitude or Pi O 2 that corresponded to a time constant of approximately 2.5 weeks. We conclude that physiological acclimatization of eggshell conductance occurs in some chickens, and that it is probably stimulated by hypoxia.
Benzimidazole-based antibacterial agents against Francisella tularensis

Francisella tularensis is a highly virulent pathogenic bacterium. In order to identify novel potential antibacterial agents against F. tularensis, libraries of trisubstituted benzimidazoles were screened against F. tularensis LVS strain. In a preliminary screening assay, remarkably, 23 of 2,5,6- and 2,5,7-trisubstituted benzimidazoles showed excellent activity exhibiting greater than 90% growth inhibition at 1 μg/mL. Among those hits, 21 compounds showed MIC90 values in the range of 0.35-48.6 μg/mL after accurate MIC determination. In ex vivo efficacy assays, four of these compounds exhibited 2-3log reduction in colony forming units (CFU) per mL at concentrations of 10 and 50 μg/mL.
Mesomorphic properties of side-chain cholesteric liquid-crystalline elastomers

New monomer cholesteryl 4-(10-undecylen-1-yloxybenzoyloxy)-4′-ethoxybenzoate (M1), crosslinking agent biphenyl 4,4′-bis(10-undecylen-1-yloxybenzoyloxy-p-ethoxybenzoate) (M2) and a series of side-chain cholesteric elastomers were prepared. The chemical structures of the monomers and elastomers obtained were confirmed by element analyses, FT-IR, and 1H NMR. The mesomorphic properties and thermal stability were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, polarizing optical microscopy, and X-ray diffraction measurements. The influence of the content of the crosslinking unit on the phase behavior of the elastomers was examined. M 1 showed cholesteric phase, and M 2 displayed nematic phase. The elastomers containing less than 12 mol% of the crosslinking units revealed reversible mesomorphic phase transition, wide mesophase temperature ranges, and high thermal stability.
The effect of methyldopa and procainamide on suppressor cell activity in relation to red cell autoantibody production

Summary. Kirtland et al (1980) suggested that methyldopa caused the production of red cell (RBC) autoantibodies by causing a persistent increase in lymphocyte cyclic AMP, which inhibited suppressor T cell function, leading to unregulated autoantibody production in some patients. They showed that significantly higher lymphocyte cyclic AMP concentrations were generated by lymphocytes from healthy donors after adding methyldopa, and by lymphocytes from patients who were receiving methyldopa compared to lymphocytes from healthy donors without methyldopa present. They also showed that methyldopa affected suppressor cell activity. We measured the effect of methyldopa and procainamide on suppressor cell activity, using a similar approach to Kirtland et al (1980). Suppressor cell activity was measured by measuring the amount of IgG, produced in vitro, by B cells following mitogen stimulation preceded by a 24 h incubation period. We found no significant increase in the amount of IgG generated by normal donor lymphocytes, when methyldopa or procainamide was present during the preincubation period. This is in contrast to the findings of Kirtland et al (1980). We also measured the amount of IgG generated in vitro by mitogen-stimulated lymphocytes from patients (with and without positive direct antiglobulin tests) taking methyldopa and compared this to the amount of IgG generated by lymphocytes from normal donors and patients (with and without positive direct antiglobulin tests). The results were similar for each group. This does not agree with the findings of Kirtland et al (1980) who found that lymphocytes from patients taking methyldopa produced more IgG in vitro than lymphocytes from normal donors. Our results do not support the hypothesis that methyldopa and procainamide induce autoantibodies by affecting suppressor cell function.
Self-supporting nanowire arrays templated in sacrificial branched porous anodic alumina for thermoelectric devices

Templated synthesis of thermoelectric nanowires in porous anodic alumina (PAA) have potential for enhanced performance relative to bulk materials. A significant challenge is the template material, which can serve as a thermal shunt. In this work, an approach for creating a branched PAA template is described. The process utilizes localized self-heating to destabilize the planar anodization front, yielding branched and interconnected pores growing at a rate of 300 μm/h. The template is selectively etched after electrodeposition of desired materials, yielding self-supporting nanowire arrays with thicknesses up to about 300 μm, thereby eliminating the thermal shunt through the template.
Studies of esterase 6 in Drosophila melanogaster. VII. Remating times of females inseminated by males having active or null alleles.

Esterase 6 (EST 6) inDrosophila melanogaster is a male reproductive enzyme transferred to females as a component of the seminal fluid [Richmond, R. C., Gilbert, D. G., Sheehan, K. B., Gromko, M. H., and Butterworth, F. W. (1980).Science207:1483–1485]. Here we report investigations into the relation between EST 6 and remating by females. EST 6 activity in a strain selected for decreased time to remating is increased over control levels. Inseminated females remated to males carrying null or active alleles show no differences in the timing of remating. However, females inseminated by EST 6-active males remate significantly sooner than females inseminated by null males. Interrupted copulation experiments demonstrate that the remating effect is not due to EST 6 alone but requires other components of the ejaculate. Other evidence suggests that sperm stored in the ventral receptacle respond to EST 6 levels and control remating time. As the first mate of a female who will remate, null-EST 6 males have, under laboratory conditions, a significantly higher fitness than males carrying active alleles. Thus the absence of null alleles of EST 6 in natural populations presents a dilemma suggesting that the remating effect of EST 6 may be balanced by other effects on reproduction.
First Results from Bnl E949

The first result from BNL E949 for the rare kaon decay is described. One candidate event was seen with a signal-to-noise ratio of 0.9. Combined with the two events previously reported by E787, the best estimate of the branching ratio is .
3D simulation of deep-submicron devices. How impurity atoms affect conductance

As electronic devices are scaled down to the 0.1-micron range and below, the location of individual impurity atoms begins to affect whether the gates that control current flow open and close properly. This 3D simulation hints at how the basic structure of matter might limit device size. >
Secreted Kinase Phosphorylates Extracellular Proteins That Regulate Biomineralization

Protein phosphorylation is a fundamental mechanism regulating nearly every aspect of cellular life. Several secreted proteins are phosphorylated, but the kinases responsible are unknown. We identified a family of atypical protein kinases that localize within the Golgi apparatus and are secreted. Fam20C appears to be the Golgi casein kinase that phosphorylates secretory pathway proteins within S-x-E motifs. Fam20C phosphorylates the caseins and several secreted proteins implicated in biomineralization, including the small integrin-binding ligand, N-linked glycoproteins (SIBLINGs). Consequently, mutations in Fam20C cause an osteosclerotic bone dysplasia in humans known as Raine syndrome. Fam20C is thus a protein kinase dedicated to the phosphorylation of extracellular proteins.
The partial purification and characterization of purine nucleoside phosphorylase from mammalian mitochondria

Cytosolic purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNPase) is a well known, and described enzyme which exists in a variety of organisms, both procaryotic and eucaryotic. More recently this enzyme was found in bovine liver mitochondria. The mitochondrial purine nucleoside phosphorylase was purified 63 fold and has a molecular weight of 48–60 kD. From Lineweaver-Burk plots apparent Km's of 23μM for inosine, 42 μM for deoxyinosine, 40 μM for phosphate, 2 μM for hypoxanthine, and 163 μM for ribose-1-phosphate were calculated. Both 8-aminoguanosine (Ki=0.5 μM) and araG (Ki=381 μM) are inhibitors of the enzyme. The protein's isoelectric point (pI) was calculated at a pH of 4.2. Preliminary immunological work showed no cross-reactivity between epitopes on the mitochondrial protein and those on PNPase from human erythrocytes. The apparent Km's calculated for the mitochondrial enzyme are,with the exception of that using hypoxanthine, within the range commonly associated with Km's from the cytosolic species. The mitochondrial enzyme's molecular weight and pI are less than normally described. The enzyme's isolation from mitochondria, together with several unique characteristics, suggest that it is a separate protein from that found in the cytosol.
Sources of variability in children’s language growth

The present longitudinal study examines the role of caregiver speech in language development, especially syntactic development, using 47 parent-child pairs of diverse SES background from 14 to 46 months. We assess the diversity (variety) of words and syntactic structures produced by caregivers and children. We use lagged correlations to examine language growth and its relation to caregiver speech. Results show substantial individual differences among children, and indicate that diversity of earlier caregiver speech significantly predicts corresponding diversity in later child speech. For vocabulary, earlier child speech also predicts later caregiver speech, suggesting mutual influence. However, for syntax, earlier child speech does not significantly predict later caregiver speech, suggesting a causal flow from caregiver to child. Finally, demographic factors, notably SES, are related to language growth, and are, at least partially, mediated by differences in caregiver speech, showing the pervasive influence of caregiver speech on language growth.
Interference analysis of interleaved and localized mapping schemes in OFDMA system with Carrier Frequency Offset

In this paper, we analyze the effect of Carrier Frequency Offset (CFO) of multiple users on the SINR of a single user in OFDMA based uplink communication receiver. We have computed an explicit SINR expression for two types of mapping strategies used in uplink OFDMA systems namely Interleaved Frequency Division Multiple Access (IFDMA) and Localized Frequency Division Multiple Access (LFDMA). SINR expressions in case of carrier frequency offset correction are also computed. Using simulations, we have compared the total average interference due to different values of CFO's of multiple users for both mapping schemes. Simulation results also show that the average value of Inter-Carrier Interference (ICI) for localized mapping is higher than interleaved mapping while the average value of Multiuser Interference (MUI) is higher for interleaved mapping. Moreover, the average MUI for localized mapping is minimum at the center of the band and it increases as we move towards the band edges. We also observe a flat response for ICI and MUI for interleaved mapping.
Initial evaluation of a modified dual-energy window scatter correction method for CZT-based gamma cameras for breast SPECT

Solid state Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) gamma cameras for SPECT imaging offer significantly improved energy resolution compared to traditional scintillation detectors. However, the photopeak resolution is often asymmetric due to incomplete charge collection within the detector, resulting in many photopeak events incorrectly sorted into lower energy bins (“tailing”). These misplaced events contaminate the true scatter signal, which may negatively impact scatter correction methods that rely on estimates of scatter from the spectra. Additionally, because CZT detectors are organized into arrays, each individual detector element may exhibit different degrees of tailing. Here, we present a modified dualenergy window scatter correction method for emission detection and imaging that attempts to account for positiondependent effects of incomplete charge collection in the CZT gamma camera of our dedicated breast SPECT-CT system. Point source measurements and geometric phantoms were used to estimate the impact of tailing on the scatter signal and extract a better estimate of the ratio of scatter within two energy windows. To evaluate the method, cylindrical phantoms with and without a separate fillable chamber were scanned to determine the impact on quantification in hot, cold, and uniform background regions. Projections were reconstructed using OSEM, and the results for the traditional and modified scatter correction methods were compared. Results show that while modest reduced quantification accuracy was observed in hot and cold regions of the multi-chamber phantoms, the modified scatter correction method yields up to 8% improved quantification accuracy with 4% less added noise than the traditional DEW method within uniform background regions.
1685 BRAIN OXIDATIVE METABOLISM IN A SEVERELY ASPHYXIATED NEWBORN

Sequential in-vivo measurements of phosphorus-containing compounds by 31-P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) were obtained in a 2360 g, 36 wk gestation, meconium-stained infant born by vacuum extraction following 2 hrs of maternal fever and fetal tachycardia. Apgars were 1 at 1 min and 3 at 5 min. The infant was intubated, suctioned, ventilated, and given bicarbonate. Initial arterial blood gas was pH=7.16, PO2=43.6, PCO2=30, HCO3=10. Seizures noted at < 24 hrs were treated with phenobarbital. Cultures and cranial ultrasound were normal. EEC showed depressed, disorganized electrical activity but no epileptiform focus. The neurologic exam was remarkable for hypertonia, irritability, decreased activity, and posturing. NMR spectra obtained on 7 occasions between days 3-24 showed a sustained phosphocreatine/inorganic phosphate (PCr/Pi) < 1.0, due primarily to an abnormally high Pi, was markedly lower than PCr/Pi in normal infants (mean 1.07, range .76 - 1.49). PCr/Pi, a measure of phosphoenergetic reserve, was consistently 0.5 in the left hemisphere and increased from 0.5 to 0.9 over the 21 days of observation in the right. At day 23, the left hemisphere showed ½ the ATP of the right. These levels cause activation of glycolysis, acidosis, and further deterioration of the energy state and consequent cell disintegration. These data suggest there was an increased breakdown ol ATP and PCr to inorganic phosphate, as previously seen in areas of prenecrotic brain tissue in experimental animal models, and are much lower than those found in any surviving normal infants or animal models.
Principles For Selecting Earthquake Motions in Engineering Design

The selection of earthquake motions is dependent on the engineering analysis to be performed. A pseudostatic analysis uses a coefficient usually obtained from an appropriate map, while a dynamic analysis is made using accelerograms assigned to a site or from specified response spectra. Each type of analysis requires significantly different input motions. All selections of motions must allow for a paucity of representative strong motion records, especially near field motions from earthquakes of Magnitude 7 and greater, and an enormous spread in the available data. One must project data and bracket its spread in order to fill in the gaps and assure that there will be no surprises. Meanwhile, each locality may have differing special characteristics in its geology, seismic history, attenuation, recurrence, interpreted maximum events, etc.; thus, each part of the investigation must entail differences in decision levels. In some cases, a “least work” approach may be suitable, simply assuming the worst of several possibilities and testing for it. Since there are no standard procedures to follow, multiple approaches are useful. For example, peak motions at a site may be obtained from several methods that involve magnitude of earthquake, distance from source, and corresponding motions; concurrently, motions may be assigned from other charts on the basis of earthquake intensity. There are various interpretations for duration, recurrence, effects of site conditions, etc. The various interpretations can be compared. Probabilities can be assigned, however, they present very serious problems when they are extrapolated beyond their data base. Ultimately, what is reasonable is a subjective judgment and should depend, to an important extent, on the consequences of failure. Usually, a mean plus one standard deviation of possible variants in the data puts one in a conservative position. Where failure presents no hazard to life, lower numbers may be justified providing there are cost benefits and the risk is acceptable to the owner. Where there is a large hazard to life, i.e., a dam above an urbanized area, one may wish to use values that approximate the very worst. Each selection has to be appropriate for its particular set of circumstances.
Characterization of Staphylococcus aureus mutants expressing reduced susceptibility to common house-cleaners.

Aims: To characterize mutants of Staphylococcus aureus expressing reduced susceptibility to house cleaners (HC), assess the impact of the alternative sigma factor SigB on HC susceptibility, and determine the MIC of clinical methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) to a HC. Methods and Results: Susceptibility to HC, HC components, H2O2, vancomycin and oxacillin and physiological parameters were determined for HC-reduced susceptibility (HCRS) mutants, parent strain COL and COLsigB::kan. HCRS mutants selected with three HC expressed reduced susceptibility to multiple HC, HC components, H2O2 and vancomycin. Two unique HCRS mutants also lost the methicillin resistance determinant. In addition, all HCRS mutants exhibited better growth at two temperatures, and one HCRS mutant expressed reduced carotenoid production. COLsigB::kan demonstrated increased susceptibility to all HC and many HC components. sigB operon mutations were not detected in one HCRS mutant background. Of 76 clinical MRSA, 20 exhibited reduced susceptibility to a HC. Conclusions: HCRS mutants demonstrate altered susceptibility to multiple antimicrobials. While sigB is required for full HC resistance, one HCRS mechanism does not involve sigB operon mutations. Clinical MRSA expressing reduced susceptibility to a common HC were detected. Significance and Impact of the Study: This study suggests that HCRS mutants are not protected against, nor selected by, practical HC concentrations.
A comparison of vocal demands with vocal performance among classroom student teachers

Abstract Purpose This investigation compared voice performance of student teachers across an academic semester in order to examine the effect of increasing demands on their voice. Method A repeated measures design was applied to the data analysis: all participants were tested three separate times throughout the semester. The equipments used for monitoring vocal behavior were the Ambulatory Phonation Monitor (APM), the Computerized Speech Lab (CSL), and the Phonatory Aerodynamic System (PAS), which are computer-based systems for acoustic and aerodynamic assessment of voice. Additionally, participants completed surveys related to voice usage. Results In this study, most voice parameters of student teachers measured in a natural setting and in a controlled environment indicated changes that revealed progressive instability and noise in the course of an academic semester. Additional comparisons demonstrated differences between voice usage in the school environment and voice produced in the voice lab. Self-reported information demonstrated overall reduced awareness regarding preventive methods for voice disorders. Conclusions Based on the results of this study, increased teaching-related voice demands associated with reduced awareness of voice production and preventive measures of voice disorders may have a detrimental impact on voice performance, leading to a risk of developing voice disorders. Learning outcomes: Participants will recognize the importance of clarifying and quantifying the relationship of vocal demands and voice performance among student teachers.
Pentecostal Theological Education in a Theological and Missiological Perspective

While Pentecostals have been busy in building Bible schools and more recently theological seminaries and other institutions of higher learning, they have paid little or no attention to the theological basis of their education. Usually theological education follows the precepts and standards of Evangelical and other Conservative traditions. This essay seeks to reflect on the distinctively Pentecostal features of Pentecostal theological education, ask some critical questions concerning the ways Pentecostals have borrowed categories, lessons, and even materials from other movements, as well as provide some constructive thoughts towards a more authentic expression of Pentecostal training in academic settings.
Nuclear transcription factor Oct-1 binds to the 5'-upstream region of CYP1A1 and negatively regulates its expression.

Abstract The cytochrome P450-dependent monooxygenases, which represent an extended superfamily, catalyze the biotransformation of many endogenous and exogenous substances. One of these hemoproteins, cytochrome P4501A1, is most closely associated with the bioactivation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzo[alpyrene, which may play a role in environmental carcinogenesis. A negative regulatory element (NRE) has been localized in the 5′-upstream region of the cytochrome P4501A1 gene (CYPlA1) at -843 to -746 base pairs from the site of transcription. The purpose of this research was to define any interactions of trans-acting proteins with this cis element. Rat liver nuclei were used as the source of trans-acting proteins and a biotinylated NRE-bearing fragment (−782 to −843 bp) from a plasmid which contained the CYPIA 1 was prepared by the polymerase chain reaction technique. Gel mobility shift assays were used to demonstrate interactions between this NRE fragment and nuclear proteins. The specific binding to an octamer-containing motif in the 5′-upstream region of CYP1A1 was demonstrated; this was used as a step in the partial purification from rat liver of the transcription factor, Oct-1. Conventional chromatographic procedures and DNA recognition site amity chromatography were also used. HepG2 human hepatoma cells were transfected with both pMCoLUC+ which contains the hhciferase gene as a reporter gene driven by the CYP1A1 promoter (including the NRE), and an Oct-1 expression vector. Luciferase activity/mg protein in the doubly-transfected cells was significantly lower than in cells containing only pMCoLUC+. A nuclear transcription factor Oct-1 interacts with a portion of the NRE of the rat CYP1A1, suppressing the expression of this gene. These findings may help to explain the low level of basal expression of CYP1A1 in mammalian systems.
Colonial Urbanism: The Development of Madras City in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries

The colonial port cities of Asia have recently attracted renewed attention not only from students of European imperial expansion, but also from others concerned with urban growth and change. These cities, founded by Europeans or developed by them as central links in worldwide colonial political and economic networks, stood apart from precolonial urban centers. Their foreign origins or control, their coastal locations, their central positions within European colonial systems, their emphasis on commercial rather than ritual activities, and their ethnic and cultural heterogeneity are important features which distinguish them from most indigenous cities in Asia. Many possessed a dual social and spatial structure, furthermore, which contrasted with the more unitary and often ritualized order of the noncolonial centers. Products of a changing political world order, these colonial cities became recognized centers of change in their own societies.
Technological innovations in the Indian banking industry: the late bloomer

Given that technological innovations in the banking sector in industrialised countries have been shown to increase productivity of this industry around the world, then why did India shy away from adopting this technology until the 1990s? Why has India been a late adopter of technology in the banking industry when it could have reaped the benefits from the existing R&D expertise developed by innovators and early adopters? This article charts out the path of technological innovation in the Indian banking industry post-economic liberalisation (1991–2) and identifies initial conditions in terms of competitive environment and regulatory pressures that have contributed to the diffusion of these innovations. The article highlights the role of labour unions in public sector banks and their initial opposition to technological adoption. The empirical analysis demonstrates the superior performance of the early adopters of technology (private sector and foreign banks) as measured by productivity, returns on equity, a...
Decrease of glutaminase expression by interferon-gamma in human intestinal epithelial cells.

Background: Glutaminase, the principal enzyme of glutamine hydrolysis, breaks down glutamine to supply energy and intermediates for cell growth and is present in high concentrations in replicating tissues such as intestinal epithelium and malignant tumors. In the host with cancer, glutaminase activity in the gut mucosa diminishes as the tumor grows, but the regulation of this response is unknown. Because cytokines may regulate the altered glutamine metabolism that is characteristic of the host with cancer, we studied the effects of cytokines on gut mucosal glutaminase expression in vitro using the human enterocytic Caco-2 cell line. Methods: Differentiated confluent cells were incubated with interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor, or interferon-γ (IFN-γ). After a 12-h incubation, glutaminase-specific activity and kinetic parameters (maximal enzyme activity [Vmax] and enzyme affinity [Km]) were determined. Glutaminase protein concentration was determined by Western blot analysis using a rabbit antirat polyclonal antibody. Total cellular RNA was extracted for Northern hybridization and radiolabeled with a glutaminase cDNA probe. Results: Of the cytokines studied, only IFN-γ altered glutaminase activity. Kinetic studies indicated a decrease in activity secondary to a 25% decrease in Vmax with no change in Km, consistent with a reduction in the number of glutaminase molecules rather than a change in enzyme affinity. Glutaminase protein was decreased 50% in IFN-γ-treated cells when compared with controls. This decrease was dose-independent and was associated with a concomitant 75% decrease in glutaminase messenger RNA levels. These reductions in message and protein translated into a 60–80% decrease in functional glutaminase-specific activity. Conclusions. This IFN-γ-mediated decrease in glutaminase activity may be one mechanism by which gut glutamine metabolism is diminished as the tumor grows and becomes the principal organ of glutamine use.
Safety of Daptomycin in Patients Receiving Hemodialysis

Study Objective. To determine the safety of daptomycin administered using a variety of doses and dosing frequencies in patients receiving intermittent hemodialysis who had probable or confirmed gram-positive infections. Design. Analysis of data from the Cubicin Outcomes Registry and Experience (CORE), a multicenter, retrospective, observational registry. Setting. Fifty-four study sites, mostly (46%) large teaching hospitals. Patients. Three hundred ninety-three adults in the CORE registry who received intermittent hemodialysis between 2005 and 2008. Measurements and Main Results. The CORE registry is noninterventional and collects standard-of-care data on daptomycin treatment from health care institutions. Of the 393 patients, 370 (94%) could be categorized by daptomycin dosing frequency: every 48 hours (251 patients [64%]), 3 times/week (87 [22%]), and every 24 hours (32 [8%]); the remaining 23 (6%) had unreported dosing frequencies or received a single dose of daptomycin. Three hundred eighty-four patients (98%) received part of their daptomycin therapy as an inpatient and 129 patients (33%) received part of their daptomycin therapy in an intensive care setting. The primary infection type was bacteremia (224 patients [57%]), and the most common pathogen was Staphylococcus aureus (155 patients [39%]). Thirty-eight adverse events possibly related to daptomycin occurred in 28 patients (7%); increased blood creatine kinase level (7 patients [1.8%]) was the most common adverse event. Adverse-event rates were similar across all dosing regimens. Conclusion. In these patients undergoing hemodialysis, daptomycin was a well-tolerated treatment for gram-positive infections across several doses and dosing frequencies. Further study in prospective trials is warranted.
Transition dipole-solvent interaction in photoionization

Abstract : The interaction between solvent molecules and transition dipoles results in a measurable nonequilibrium contribution (dispersion shift) to the energetics of photoionization in the case of significant dielectric dispersion of the solvent at the prevailing photon energy. Two nonequilibrium contributions to the photoionization free energy of liquids and solutions therefore must be considered: (i) the electronic contribution discussed here (dispersion shift) and (ii) the free energy of nuclear reorganization 5. The functional dependence of the dispersion shift on photon energy is accounted for by theory in agreement with experiment.
Anomalous binding of organic contaminants may be artifactual due to radiochemical impurities

Abstract A potential artifact is described that could lead to erroneous estimates of the partition coefficients for binding of contaminants to sorbents such as soil, sediment, or dissolved humic material. The artifact can arise if sorbants are radiolabeled but contain even relatively small amounts of radiolabeled impurities. The following types of errors could result from data affected by this artifact: partition coefficients for sorption could be underestimated; systems in which binding was fully reversible could appear to be at least partially nonreversible and partition coefficients could appear to decrease as the sorbent concentration increased. Several criteria are suggested to assure that experimental results are not affected by this artifact.
Quantitative sodium imaging with a flexible twisted projection pulse sequence

The quantification of sodium MR images from an arbitrary intensity scale into a bioscale fosters image interpretation in terms of the spatially resolved biochemical process of sodium ion homeostasis. A methodology for quantifying tissue sodium concentration using a flexible twisted projection imaging sequence is proposed that allows for optimization of tradeoffs between readout time, signal-to-noise ratio efficiency, and sensitivity to static field susceptibility artifacts. The gradient amplitude supported by the slew rate at each k-space radius regularizes the readout gradient waveform design to avoid slew rate violation. Static field inhomogeneity artifacts are corrected using a frequency-segmented conjugate phase reconstruction approach, with field maps obtained quickly from coregistered proton imaging. High-quality quantitative sodium images have been achieved in phantom and volunteer studies with real isotropic spatial resolution of 7.5 × 7.5 × 7.5 mm3 for the slow T2 component in ∼8 min on a clinical 3-T scanner. After correcting for coil sensitivity inhomogeneity and water fraction, the tissue sodium concentration in gray matter and white matter was measured to be 36.6 ± 0.6 μmol/g wet weight and 27.6 ± 1.2 μmol/g wet weight, respectively. Magn Reson Med 63:1583–1593, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Solar Wind: the Quasi-Radial Approximation and Its Limitations

The mathematical basis for approximating the solar wind expansion as nearly radial is examined and defined, removing earlier restrictions thought to occur in the presence of a magnetic field and large variations in latitude. The equations and side conditions governing quasi-radial flow are derived and solved for a simple example to illustrate how this technique can be used for global models of the solar wind.
A study of surface currents in the coastal ocean outside Chesapeake Bay using HF radar

Surface circulation in the coastal ocean outside of the Chesapeake Bay was studied using high frequency radar. Radar data were collected and analyzed from three long range HF radar sites operating at 5 MHz: 1) LISL located at Little Island Park in Virginia Beach 2) CEDR on Cedar Island, a barrier island offshore of Wachapreague, Virginia and 3) DUCK located in Duck, NC. These sites are long-term monitoring stations, part of a regional ocean observing system funded under the Mid-Atlantic Regional Association Coastal Ocean Observing System (MARACOOS). This study reports on surface current data collected from mid-August to mid-September 2011. Radial data were compared with ADCP current data measured at NOAA National Data Buoy Center station 44014. R2 correlation values ranged from 0.61 to 0.76 and rms differences ranged from 12 to 14 cm/s. Total velocity data were also compared with the ADCP data. A complex correlation analysis of the ADCP data compared with radar total vector currents yielded a correlation amplitude of 0.6 and a correlation angle of 8 degrees. Circulation patterns during the study period, before the passage of Hurricane Irene, are illustrated with particle trajectories. Subtidal circulation has been described in terms of principal direction of flow. Locally averaged coastal surface subtidal currents were correlated with winds measured at the NDBC CHLV2 station (Chesapeake Light Tower). East-west (across-shelf) subtidal currents in the area offshore of the Bay are highly correlated with north-south winds (R2 = 0.85).
Just-in-time compilation for FPGA processor cores

Portability benefits have encouraged the trend of distributing applications using processor-independent instructions, a.k.a. bytecode, and executing that bytecode on an emulator running on a target processor. Transparent just-in-time (JIT) compilation of bytecode to native instructions is often used to increase application execution speed without sacrificing portability. Recent work has proposed distributing FPGA circuit applications in a SystemC bytecode to be emulated on a processor with portions possibly dynamically migrated to custom bytecode accelerator circuits or to native circuits on the FPGA. We introduce a novel JIT compiler for bytecode executing on a soft-core FPGA processor. During an iterative process of JIT compiler and emulator architecture codesign, we added JIT-aware resources on a soft-core processor's surrounding FPGA fabric, including a JIT memory, a signal queue, and an emulation memory controller — all unique to JIT compilation for FPGA processors versus traditional processors. Experiments show that regular JIT compilation achieved 3.0× average speedup over emulation, while our JIT-aware FPGA resources yielded an additional 5.2× average speedup, for a total of 15.7× average speedup, at a cost of 21% of a MicroBlaze processor core's slice usage.
The reduction of succinic dehydrogenase in the rat by 7-methyl-8-ethylflavin.

Abstract The covalent bonding of riboflavin to succinic dehydrogenase is accomplished via the 8-α (methyl group) carbon and probably the 3 nitrogen of histidine. The absence of a carbon of this configuration in 7-methyl-8-ethyl-10-(1′- d -ribityl)isoalloxazine suggests that such bonding could not take place with this flavin; however, studies of the enzyme in rat tissues containing only this flavin homolog provides evidence that the bonding does take place. Administration of this homolog to weanling rats as their only source of flavin permits a normal rate of growth and development. During the first 40 days the succinic acid hydrogenase activities for the kidney, heart, and liver fall precipitously to 70, 60, and 55%, respectively, of normal and they are then maintained at these levels. These animals, as well as comparable animals receiving the isomeric 7-ethyl-8-methyl-10-(1′- d -ribityl)isoalloxazine, thrive while receiving a daily supplement of the homologs but they show an immediate flavin-deficiency response as a loss of weight when the flavins are withheld. The administration of 7,8-diethyl-10-(1′- d -ribityl)isoalloxazine, a potent competitive antagonist of riboflavin, to adult rats causes changes in the succinic dehydrogenase activities of the kidney, heart, and liver which mimic those observed when the animal is deprived of riboflavin.
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and elective surgery

Monoamine oxidase inhibitor use is considered a contraindication for elective surgery. We reviewed 32 patients on a regimen of isocarboxazid 10 mg daily who underwent elective surgery. Their anesthetic management, postanesthesia outcome, and pharmacology are described.
Thyrotropin receptor cleavage at site 1 involves two discontinuous segments at each end of the unique 50-amino acid insertion.

Among the glycoprotein hormone receptors, only the thyrotropin receptor (TSHR) cleaves (at two sites) into disulfide-linked A and B subunits. A 50-amino acid insertion unique to the TSHR ectodomain (residues 317–366) plays no role in ligand binding or signal transduction, but its deletion abrogates cleavage at Site 1, closely upstream of the insertion. We sought to define the region within the 50-amino acid tract involved in TSHR cleavage at Site 1. Mutation of small segments within this region previously failed to prevent cleavage at Site 1. We, therefore, divided the 50-amino acid insertion into quartiles and deleted each one individually (TSHR residues 317–327, 328–338, 339–350, and 351–362). As determined by covalent cross-linking of 125I-TSH to intact cells expressing the mutant receptors, none of these deletions prevented TSHR cleavage at Site 1. Neither did larger deletions of quartiles 1 + 2, 2 + 3, and 3 + 4. However, qualitative differences in the extent of receptor cleavage suggested that quartiles 1 and 4 were playing a greater role in cleavage at Site 1 than were the middle two quartiles. In support of this hypothesis, deletion of these two discontinuous segments almost completely eliminated TSHR cleavage at Site 1. In conclusion, intramolecular cleavage at Site 1 requires the presence of the N-terminal and C-terminal quartiles of the 50-amino acid insertion unique to the TSHR. Taken together with previous observations, our data suggest that this tract may provide a discontinuous binding site for a protease that clips the TSHR at Site 1.
Quasiinvariants of S 3

Let Sij represent a transposition in Sn. A polynomial P in Q[Xn] is said to be m-quasiinvariant with respect to Sn if (xi - xj)2m+1 divides (1 - sij)P for all 1 ≤ i, j ≤ n. We call the ring of m- quasiinvariants, QIm [Xn]. We describe a method for constructing a basis for the quotient QIm[X3]/ (e1, e2, e3). This leads to the evaluation of certain binomial determinants that are interesting in their own right.
Simulations of transient membrane behavior in cells subjected to a high-intensity ultrashort electric pulse

A molecular dynamics (MD) scheme is combined with a distributed circuit model for a self-consistent analysis of the transient membrane response for cells subjected to an ultrashort (nanosecond) high-intensity (approximately 0.01-V/nm spatially averaged field) voltage pulse. The dynamical, stochastic, many-body aspects are treated at the molecular level by resorting to a course-grained representation of the membrane lipid molecules. Coupling the Smoluchowski equation to the distributed electrical model for current flow provides the time-dependent transmembrane fields for the MD simulations. A good match between the simulation results and available experimental data is obtained. Predictions include pore formation times of about 5-6 ns. It is also shown that the pore formation process would tend to begin from the anodic side of an electrically stressed membrane. Furthermore, the present simulations demonstrate that ions could facilitate pore formation. This could be of practical importance and have direct relevance to the recent observations of calcium release from the endoplasmic reticulum in cells subjected to such ultrashort, high-intensity pulses.